Mini Salted Caramel Cupcake Sundaes Food

SALTED CARAMEL SUNDAE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350˚.
• Spread the peanuts on a sheet pan and roast for 7 minutes, until they become fragrant. Pour into a medium bowl, add the popcorn and set aside. Line the sheet pan with parchment paper.
• Place the sugar and 1/4 cup water in a medium (10-inch) sauté pan and mix with a fork until all the sugar is moistened. Cook over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves -from this point on, don't stir the caramel, swirl the pan! (Don't worry if the mixture looks as though it's crystallizing.) Continue to cook for 5 to 10 minutes until it becomes a clear golden brown, swirling the pan constantly at the end. (Be careful, the caramel is very hot!) Off the heat, quickly add the corn syrup and vanilla (it will bubble up!) and swirl the pan to combine. Working quickly (the caramel will continue to cook in the pan), add the popcorn and nut mixture plus the kosher salt and toss with two large spoons until the popcorn and nuts are completely coated.
• Pour the mixture plus any extra caramel in the pan onto the prepared sheet pan and spread the mixture out in one layer, pulling it apart with two forks. Sprinkle with the fleur de sel and set aside to cool. When it's completely cooled, carefully break into large clusters with your hands.
• To serve, pour puddles of chocolate sauce into shallow bowls. For each serving, place 3 small scoops of gelato on the chocolate sauce, sprinkle with some of the caramelized popcorn and add a dollop of the sweetened whipped cream in the middle. Serve immediately.

SALTED CARAMEL SUNDAE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spread the peanuts on a sheet pan and roast for 7 minutes, until they become fragrant. Pour into a medium bowl, add the popcorn, and set aside. Line the sheet pan with parchment paper.
• Place the sugar and 1/4 cup water in a medium (10-inch) saute pan and mix with a fork until all the sugar is moistened. Cook over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves--from this point on, don't stir the caramel, swirl the pan! (Don't worry if the mixture looks as though it's crystallizing.)
• Continue to cook for 5 to 10 minutes until it becomes a clear golden brown, swirling the pan constantly at the end. (Be careful, the caramel is very hot!) Off the heat, quickly add the corn syrup and vanilla (it will bubble up!) and swirl the pan to combine. Working quickly (the caramel will continue to cook in the pan), add the popcorn and nut mixture plus the kosher salt and toss with two large spoons until the popcorn and nuts are completely coated.
• Pour the mixture plus any extra caramel in the pan onto the prepared sheet pan and spread the mixture out in one layer, pulling it apart with two forks. Sprinkle with the fleur de sel and set aside to cool. When it's completely cooled, carefully break into large clusters with your hands.
• To serve, pour puddles of Chocolate Sauce into shallow bowls. For each serving, place 3 small scoops of gelato on the chocolate sauce, sprinkle with some of the caramelized popcorn, and add a dollop of the Sweetened Whipped Cream in the middle. Serve immediately.
• Place the chocolate, cream, corn syrup, and coffee in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Be sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl. Heat the mixture, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Serve warm.
• Pour the cream into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat on high speed until the cream forms soft peaks.

SALTED CARAMEL CUPCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (325 degrees F in a convection oven). Line cupcake pans with cupcake liners (24 regular size or 48 mini size).
• Using a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the sour cream, baking soda, salt and eggs until combined. Scrape out the insides of the vanilla bean. Add the vanilla and granulated sugar to the egg mixture. Mix until combined.
• In a small bowl, mix the melted butter with 1 cup water. With mixer set to a low speed, alternate adding the water and butter, with the flour. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue mixing until well combined.
• Fill the cupcake liners two-thirds full with the batter. Bake until golden brown and baked through, 22 minutes for regular size and 16 minutes for mini size. Cool the cupcakes completely. Frost with the Caramel Buttercream Frosting. Garnish if desired.
• Using a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the butter and beat until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cream cheese and beat until fully incorporated and smooth. Reduce the speed and add the powdered sugar a little at a time. Mix until fully incorporated. Add the caramel sauce to the buttercream mixture.

HALLE'S MINI SUNDAES

Steps:

• For the chocolate cups: Add the milk chocolate chips to a heatproof bowl. Add the white chocolate chips to a second heatproof bowl. Divide the coconut oil between the two bowls and microwave separately in 30-second increments, stirring after each, until completely smooth, about 1 minute total. Set aside and let cool for 5 minutes.
• Using a pastry brush, paint the entire inside of three cupcake liners with the melted white chocolate; don't be shy-really slather it on. Transfer to a plate. Do the same with the melted milk chocolate and three more cupcake liners. Place on the plate, next to the white chocolate cups, and transfer to the refrigerator to chill for 10 minutes. Remove the cups and repeat for a second layer. Return the plate to the refrigerator until the chocolate is completely set, at least 30 minutes.
• Remove the cups from the refrigerator and carefully peel the cupcake liners away from the chocolate. Use immediately or return to the fridge until ready to use.
• For the strawberry shortcake sundaes: Scoop 3 tablespoon-size scoops strawberry ice cream into each white chocolate cup. Top each with the shortcake, strawberry sauce, whipped cream and red sprinkles.
• For the toffee coffee sundaes: Scoop 3 tablespoon-size scoops coffee ice cream into each milk chocolate cup. Top each with the toffee bits, pecans, caramel sauce, whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles.

SALTED CARAMEL CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line a 12-hole cake tin with paper cases.
• Beat the butter and sugar together with an electric whisk until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla extract. Briefly mix in the flour until just combined, and stir in the milk until the batter just falls off the beaters.
• Divide the mixture between the cases, leaving about 2 tbsp batter in the bowl. Add a pinch of salt to the caramel sauce if it's not salted caramel, then add ½ tsp to the tops of each cupcake. Use a teaspoon to cover the caramel sauce with the remaining batter. Bake for 15-20 mins until springy and golden. Leave to cool completely on a wire rack.
• Meanwhile, make the icing. Beat the butter and half of the icing sugar together, then tip in the remaining icing sugar and whisk vigorously until pale and fluffy. Stir in half of the caramel sauce, then spoon the mixture into a piping bag with a round or star nozzle.
• Pipe swirls of icing on top of the cooled cupcakes. Stir the remaining caramel sauce with a pinch of salt, if unsalted, then use to drizzle over the icing. Sprinkle over a small pinch of sea salt over each, if you like.