Chocolate Salted Caramel Popcorn Cake Food

CHOCOLATE SALTED CARAMEL POPCORN CAKE

Steps:

• For the Movie Popcorn Milk:
• Heat the whole milk in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.
• Add the movie popcorn and remove the pan from heat.
• Cover with a lid and let sit for one hour.
• Strain the popcorn out of the milk.
• Set aside. It will be used in the cake.
• For the Movie Popcorn Cream:
• Heat the heavy cream in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.
• Add the movie popcorn and remove the pan from heat.
• Cover with a lid and let sit for one hour.
• Strain the popcorn out of the cream.
• Set aside. You will use this in the caramel sauce.
• For the Chocolate Cake:
• Spray with baking spray two 9-inch cake pans or three 6-inch pans (I used 6 inch) and line with a parchment circle and spray circle with baking spray as well.
• Preheat oven to 350F.
• Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa, and salt.
• Set aside.
• Using a stand mixer, beat together the oil and sugar with a paddle attachment until combined - about 1 minute.
• With the mixer on low, add the eggs one at a time.
• Stir in extract.
• Beginning and ending with your dry mixture, alternate dry ingredients and liquids (milk and hot water) until smooth.
• Be sure to scrape down the sides of your mixing bowl with a spatula between batches.
• Pour into prepared cake pans and bake in a 350 degree oven until centers are done and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 25-28 minutes for 9-inch and about 40-45 minutes for the 6-inch cakes.
• Cool on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes before removing from pans.
• For the Salted Caramel Movie Popcorn Sauce:
• Combine the sugar and water in a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat.
• Cook, gently swirling the pan occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and starts to turn color.
• Increase the heat to thigh and boil until the syrup turns a deep amber color, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Watch carefully, as it can burn quickly.
• Immediately remove the pan from the heat and pour in the cream and salt.
• Use a long-handled wooden spoon to carefully stir in the cream, as caramel has a tendency to hiss and splash as the cold cream hits it.
• Place the pan over low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the caramel thickens, 5 to 7 minutes.
• The mixture should be the consistency of very thick cream.
• Let boiling sauce cool until it is just warm before serving.
• To store, cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
• To reheat the sauce, microwave, uncovered, for about 1 minutes on high. Stir until smooth.
• For the Chocolate Salted Caramel Buttercream:
• Place the egg whites and sugar in the metal bowl of a stand mixer and set over a small pot of simmering water (the bowl should not touch the water).
• Heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture is 160F.
• Transfer bowl to stand mixer and beat on high speed with a whisk attachment to medium stiff peaks, about 8 minutes.
• Reduce mixer speed to medium low and add butter a tablespoon at a time, letting it incorporate into the meringue for few moments before adding more.
• Add melted semisweet chocolate and salted caramel sauce and beat on high for 1-2 minutes until smooth and creamy.

CHOCOLATE CARAMEL POPCORN

Steps:

• Pop the popcorn. I like to use a hot-air popper but you can pop it any way you like.
• To make the caramel: Place the sugar, corn syrup, and water in a 2-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat and cook until light golden brown. We use a large pan so that there will be room to add the popcorn. Use a wooden spoon to stir the popcorn into the caramel until it is evenly coated. Pour the caramelized popcorn onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet and allow it to cool. When cool, use your hands to break up any clumps.
• Place the cool popcorn in a large bowl. Use a ladle to drizzle the chocolate over the popcorn, stirring with a wooden spoon as you go. Keep adding chocolate until the popcorn is evenly coated. Pour the chocolate-coated popcorn onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet and allow it to cool. When it is cool, place it in decorative bags to give as gifts.
• Tip: You can also use milk chocolate and/or white chocolate to coat the popcorn. The process is always the same.
• Be careful when you work with the caramel. It is very hot and can burn! As always, when working with caramel, have a bowl of ice-cold water next to you in case you get caramel on your hands.

SALTED CARAMEL POPCORN MUD CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees/160 degrees fan forced and line ten 125ml (1/2 cup) muffin pans with paper cases.
• Microwave the chocolate, butter and hot water in a microwave safe bowl on high, stirring occasionally, for 3-5 minutes or until melted. Stir in the sugar and vanilla.
• Whisk in the combined flours,cocoa and egg until well combined. Divide the mixture evenly between the cases and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, then spread a little chocolate frosting over each one.
• Combine the caramel popcorn and peanuts in a large heatproof bowl. Stir the jersey caramels and cream in a small saucepan over low heat for 5 minutes or until melted and smooth. Pour two-thirds of the caramel mixture over the popcorn mixture and stir to combine. Set aside for about 3 minutes.
• While the popcorn mixture is still warm, spoon and shape mounds of it over the cakes. Set aside for 5 minutes to set.
• Warm the remaining caramel mixture over low heat and drizzle over the cupcakes along with melted chocolate to decorate.