Gooey Green Tea Swamp Caramel Food

PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE WITH PINK PEPPERCORN CARAMEL

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Heat a 9-inch skillet over medium heat and melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add the slices of pineapple in a single layer and sprinkle the brown sugar over the fruit. Cook until the pineapple browns slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the pineapple slices. Turn off the heat and keep warm.
• Whisk together the buttermilk, vanilla, eggs and the remaining 6 tablespoons butter in a medium bowl until smooth. Use a rubber spatula to stir in the flour, granulated sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda until completely smooth. (The batter will be fairly stiff.) Pour the batter over the pineapple.
• Transfer the skillet to the center of the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake emerges clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool for about 10 minutes before carefully unmolding onto a serving platter. (See Cook's Note.)
• For the caramel: Combine the granulated sugar, corn syrup, lime juice and 1/4 cup cold water in a medium stainless saucepan. Stir in the pink peppercorns and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook until the sugar is dissolved, then cook, 10 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly. When the cake is unmolded, pour the caramel over the cake.

GOOEY CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat 1/4 cup sugar in a stainless saucepan on medium heat, do not stir until sugar begins to melt.
• Once sugar begins to melt, stir it until it has completely melted and begins to turn golden brown.
• When sugar has started to turn caramel colored, remove pan from heat and immediately add butter and brown sugar and quickly stir together.
• Once the butter and brown sugar are completely melded with the caramel (add gentle heat if needed to incorporate brown sugar), add the vanilla, corn syrup, cream and salt.
• Stir together well.
• The caramel will thicken as it cools.
• If a thinner caramel is required, add water one tablespoon at a time until the desired thickness is reached; if a thicker caramel is needed, reduce the amount of corn syrup used.