Maple Walnut Spice Caramel Candies Food

CARAMEL APPLE DRIP CAKE WITH CANDIED WALNUTS

Steps:

• Make the cake:
• Position a rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°F. Spread walnuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and toast until golden brown and aromatic, 5-8 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, lightly coat cake pans with nonstick spray. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper; lightly coat parchment with nonstick spray. Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, baking soda, and nutmeg in a medium bowl.
• Pulse walnuts and 1/2 cup dry ingredients in a food processor until walnuts are chopped into a fine flour. Transfer chopped walnuts to bowl with remaining dry ingredients. Mix apples and buttermilk in another medium bowl.
• Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl until pale and thick, about 4 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to medium-low and gradually stream in oil. Add dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with apple mixture in 2 additions, beginning and ending with dry ingredients; beat until smooth. Divide batter between prepared pans; smooth top.
• Bake cakes, rotating pans halfway through, until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 40-45 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack and let cakes cool 10 minutes. Run a knife around sides of cakes and invert onto wire rack; remove parchment. Let cool completely.
• Make the candied walnuts:
• Spread granulated sugar in a thin layer in the center of a large dry skillet. Cook over medium heat, mostly undisturbed (it's okay to swirl pan gently to get sugar to melt evenly), until sugar is melted, about 10 minutes. Quickly stir in walnuts and cook, stirring, until coated and melted sugar is chestnut brown, about 1 minute more. Scrape onto a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet and spread out to cool, separating walnut halves into individual pieces. Transfer half of nuts to a food processor and coarsely chop.
• Make the caramel sauce:
• Bring granulated sugar, corn syrup, and 2 Tbsp. water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Continue to cook, without stirring, until medium amber in color, about 6 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring cream to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat or warm in microwave 45 seconds.
• Remove saucepan with sugar from heat and carefully whisk in cream, stirring from the center outward, until well combined. Stir in butter. Add vanilla and salt and stir to combine. Transfer caramel to a heatproof container and let cool until thickened.
• Assemble cake:
• Spread 1 Tbsp. frosting in the center of a platter. Place 1 cake, domed side down, on platter. Spread 1 1/4 cups frosting evenly over top. Top with 1 cup chopped candied walnuts, reserving whole candied walnuts. Place remaining cake, domed side down, on top. Spread top and sides with 2 cups frosting. Chill 30 minutes to let frosting set.
• Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Chill at least 30 minutes or up to overnight to let frosting set.
• Place a spoonful of caramel sauce on top of cake near one edge. Using the bottom of the spoon, spread it out, then very gently press a little sauce over the edge. Move spoon around perimeter of cake slightly and repeat to create additional drips, rotating cake as you work and spreading excess sauce across top of cake. When entire cake is covered in drips, add remaining sauce to fully cover top.
• Chill at least 30 minutes to let glaze set. Decorate top and sides of cake with remaining whole walnuts and serve.
• Do Ahead
• Cake can be made 3 days ahead; wrap tightly in plastic and chill, or freeze up to 2 weeks. Caramel can be made up to 2 weeks ahead; cover and chill.

MAPLE GLAZED WALNUTS

Steps:

• Preheat a dry skillet over a medium-high heat. Add the walnuts, maple syrup and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until syrup is caramelized and nuts are toasted, about 3 minutes. Let cool.

MAPLE-CANDIED WALNUTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Stir in maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer (mixture should be frothy), about 3 minutes. Add walnuts, and toss to coat using a rubber spatula. Cook, stirring, until sauce is syrupy and bubbly, about 3 minutes.
• Transfer walnut mixture to a parchment-lined baking sheet, and spread into a single layer. Bake until walnuts are caramelized, about 10 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack. Stir, and let stand until cool and hardened, about 30 minutes.

MAPLE WALNUT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottoms of 3 greased 9-in. round baking pans with parchment; grease parchment., Cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in maple flavoring. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating after each addition., Transfer to prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 11-13 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; remove paper. Cool completely., For candied walnuts, in a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat; saute walnuts until toasted, about 5 minutes. Stir in maple syrup and salt; cook and stir 1 minute. Spread onto foil; cool completely., For frosting, beat butter until creamy. Beat in maple flavoring and salt. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar and enough cream to reach desired consistency., Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate; spread with 1 cup frosting. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup candied walnuts and drizzle with 1 tablespoon maple syrup. Repeat layers., Top with remaining layer. Frost top and sides of cake. Top with remaining walnuts and syrup.

APPLE BUNDT CAKE WITH CARAMEL GLAZE

Steps:

• Set oven to 350°F.
• Set oven rack to second-lowest position.
• Grease a 12-cup bundt pan.
• In a bowl, sift flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
• Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of the flour mixture into the Bundt pan and tilt pan to coat.
• In another bowl, place the chopped apples and 2 tablespoons of the flour mixture; toss to coat.
• In another bowl combine 1-1/4 cups brown sugar, 1 cup white sugar, vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla; beat with an electric mixture until combined and thick (about 4 minutes).
• Gradually beat in the remaining flour mixture until combined.
• Fold in the chopped apple mixture and pecans into the batter.
• Transfer to prepared bundt pan.
• Bake for about 1 hour or until the cake tests done.
• Transfer the cake to a rack then prepare the caramel glaze.
• To make the glaze: melt butter in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan.
• Whisk in 1 cup brown sugar then the half and half or cream.
• Continue whisking until the glaze is smooth and comes to a boil.
• Add in 1 teaspoon vanilla, and remove from heat.
• Spoon about 1/4 cup of the hot glaze over the warm cake that is still in the pan.
• Let the cake sit for 15-20 minutes to absorb the glaze.
• Turn the cake onto a platter, then pour the remaining glaze over the cake.
• Let stand until cool (at least 1 hour) before slicing.

CINNAMON LOVERS' CINNAMON-WALNUT CAKE

Steps:

• Grease and flour 2 round cake pans.
• Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl, set aside.
• Cream together the softened butter and sugar until completely mixed. Slowly beat in the two eggs and yogurt. Add the spices and vanilla/cinnamon extracts. Stir well.
• Slowly whisk the egg mixture into the flour, alternating with the milk. Whisk until smooth, there should be no lumps.
• Pour into the prepared pans, and bake 30-35 minutes at 350 degrees, or until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
• Set on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes or until completely cooled.Invert out of the pans.
• Place one cake on a serving dish.
• Stir the entire frosting container a few times, then mix in the cinnamon and cinnamon extract. In a different container, set aside enough frosting to fill between the cake layers (about 1/2 a cup, maybe?).
• In the this filling layer container, stir in the maple extract and crushed walnuts. Spread this filling layer over the top of the first cake. Place the second cake on top of the first, and cover with the remainder of the frosting.
• Optional: garnish with cinnamon and toasted walnuts, press the crushed almonds against the sides of the cake. Keep refrigerated.
• Enjoy!