Nostalgic Popping Candy Cupcakes Food

POPPING ROCK CANDY CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Place foil or paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.
• In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Fold in 1/4 cup candy. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling about two-thirds full.
• Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Lightly frost cupcakes with frosting. Pour 18 pouches candy onto small plates (use separate plates for each color or mix colors together); roll frosted cupcakes in candy.

MATINEE IDOL CUPCAKES

Steps:

• For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two 2 dozen mini-cupcake pans with paper liners and spray with oil spray. Sift the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a bowl and set aside. In the bowl of an upright mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and shortening on medium speed, about 3 minutes. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat on medium until fluffy, 3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl and add the whole egg and egg whites, and beat until incorporated. Turn the mixer to low. Add the flour mixture, alternating with the water, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Scrape down the bowl, then mix on low. Using a small ice cream scoop, fill the prepared pans three-quarters of the way full with batter and bake until baked through, about 9 minutes. Cool the cupcakes completely. Set aside for assembly.
• For the buttercream: To melt the chocolate, place it in a double boiler over simmering water on low heat for 5 to 10 minutes. Stir occasionally until completely smooth and no pieces of chocolate remain. Remove from the heat and let cool until lukewarm, 5 to 15 minutes.
• In a medium heavy-bottomed pot, whisk the sugar and flour together. Add the half-and-half and milk and cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until the mixture comes to a boil and has thickened, about 20 minutes. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on high speed until cool. Reduce the speed to low and add the butter; mix until thoroughly incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and white chocolate and continue mixing until combined. If the frosting is too soft, put the bowl in the refrigerator to chill slightly, and then beat until it is the proper consistency. If the frosting is too firm, set the bowl over a pot of simmering water and beat with a wooden spoon until it is the proper consistency.
• For the meringue: Place the sugar, cream soda, corn syrup, salt and egg whites in the top of a double boiler. Beat with a handheld electric mixer for 1 minute. Place the pan over boiling water, being sure that the boiling water does not touch the bottom of the top pan. (If this happens, it could cause your frosting to become grainy.) Beat constantly on high speed with electric mixer for 7 minutes. Beat in the vanilla.
• For the popcorn: Heat the oil in a 3-quart saucepan on medium-high heat. Put 3 popcorn kernels into the oil and cover the pan. When the kernels pop, add the rest of the popcorn kernels in an even layer. Cover, remove from the heat and count 30 seconds. Return the pan to the heat. The popcorn should begin popping soon, and all at once. Once the popping starts in earnest, gently shake the pan by moving it back and forth over the burner. Try to keep the lid slightly ajar to let the steam from the popcorn release (the popcorn will be drier and crisper). Once the popping slows to several seconds between pops, remove the pan from the heat, remove the lid and dump the popcorn immediately into a wide bowl. If you are adding butter, you can easily melt the butter in the microwave for 30 seconds. Then, toss the popcorn in the butter and add salt to taste.
• For the idol envelopes: With the edible ink marker, print on the white fondant paper the words "the winner is" in 1-inch squares. With scissors, cut out the squares and reserve to the side for assembly. Measure the red fondant with a ruler into 1-inch squares; trace and cut. With the marker, draw a triangle from the top left corner to the center to the top right corner to give the appearance of a fold in an envelope. With a moist paper towel, wet the back of the red square without the marked fold. Then stick the white square to the red square with the writing facing out.
• To assemble: Fill each cupcake with the buttercream. Generously frost the top of each cupcake with Swiss meringue. Adorn with freshly popped popcorn and an idol envelope.

FLAN CUPCAKES

Steps:

• For the flan custard: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium pot over medium heat, add sugar and 1/2 cup water. Cook until the sugar caramelizes and turns an amber color, about 10 minutes, without stirring. Pour the caramelized sugar into an 8- by 10-inch pan or 10-inch cake pan and let it cool.
• In a blender, blend the eggs, cream cheese, condensed milk and evaporated milk. Blend for about 4 minutes.
• Pour the mixture into the pan. Put the pan inside an 11- by 14-inch pan. Put water into the larger pan until almost full. Bake until it sets and has a slight uniform jiggle, about 1 hour. When done, take the smaller pan out of the larger pan and let it cool.
• For the cupcakes: Line cupcake tins with paper liners. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• Cream the butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy and light. Add the eggs, one at a time beating well between each addition. Then add the vanilla and mix until fluffy. Fold in the flour mixture, alternating with the milk. Do not over mix. Portion into the prepared cupcake tins. Bake for about 20 minutes.
• For the frosting: Combine the cream cheese, butter, confectioners' sugar and vanilla in a standing mixer or large bowl. Mix until smooth and spreadable.
• To assemble the cupcakes: Cut a hole in the top of each cupcake with an apple corer. Fill a pastry bag with the flan. Pipe in enough flan to fill the hole in the cupcake. Top each cupcake with frosting.

"A STAR IS BORN" CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two 2 dozen mini-cupcake pans with paper cupcake liners and spray with oil spray.
• For the crust: In a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, add the hazelnuts, brown sugar and gingersnaps, and pulse until a medium-fine paste. Then, add the butter and liqueur, and pulse until it's a paste that sticks when pinched with your fingers. Place 1 tablespoon of the crust into the prepared pans.
• For the cupcakes: In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In the bowl of an upright mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and then beat in the extracts. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk and beginning and ending with the flour mixture; beat until combined after each addition. Fold in the caramel pieces with a rubber spatula. Using a small ice cream scoop, scoop the batter into the prepared pans three-quarters of the way full. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 11 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the pans when cool to the touch.
• For the butterscotch glaze: In a saucepan over low heat, combine the brown sugar, evaporated milk and butter, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Remove from the heat and allow to slightly cool (it will thicken as it cools). Reserve for assembly.
• For the frosting: In the bowl of an upright mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and salt together until lightened and fluffy. Reduce the speed to low and add the confectioners' sugar. Mix until thoroughly combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the caramel sauce, heavy cream and vanilla bean paste. Beat on medium-high speed until light and airy and completely mixed, about 2 minutes). Place in a pastry bag fitted with a small star tip and leave at room temperature.
• For the stars: Lay out a large piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet on your work surface and spray with oil spray. In a medium saucepan, mix the granulated sugar, salt and 3/4 cup water; stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves to make a syrup. Increase the heat and bring the syrup to a boil. Lower the heat slightly and swirl the pan once or twice so the syrup colors evenly to a golden blonde. Remove from the heat and transfer to a flat work surface. Dip the tines of a fork into the golden blonde colored caramel and, in sweeping motions, make a star pattern on the parchment paper. Repeat until the desired amount of stars is achieved. Allow the caramel to harden, and then gently lift off the parchment paper and reserve for cupcake adornments.
• To assemble: Dip the tops of the cooled cupcakes in the room temperature butterscotch glaze. Pipe the caramel buttercream frosting in a 1-inch diameter rosette on top of the glazed cupcakes, and sprinkle with edible star glitter and turbinado sugar. Then finish by adorning with a radiating star topper.

PRALINE MAC NUT CRUNCH CUPCAKES

Steps:

• For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a standard cupcake or muffin pan with 24 standard cupcake liners.
• Sift the sugar, flour, baking soda and salt into the bowl of an electric stand mixer with a whisk attachment. In a separate bowl, combine the oil, soft butter, sour cream, vanilla and eggs and whisk until combined. Add the wet mixture in three additions to the dry mixture on medium speed, scraping after each addition. In another separate bowl, whisk the cocoa and 2 1/2 cups hot water until the cocoa is fully dissolved. Add to the cake batter and whisk until the mixture is fully incorporated.
• Fill the liners three-quarters full (2 ounces) with batter and bake until golden brown and baked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool the cupcakes completely.
• For the nut crunch: In a medium bowl, combine the melted milk chocolate with the feuilletine, praline paste, macadamia nuts and salt. Stir to combine.
• To assemble: Cut a small hole in the middle of each chocolate cupcake and fill with the milk chocolate mac nut crunch. Pipe the Vanilla Bean Frosting on the cupcakes with a plain tip. Add a broken piece of the Caramel Almond Paper and sprinkle with the chopped macadamia nuts, if using.
• Temper the dark chocolate and dip the whole macadamia nuts in it.
• Temper the white chocolate and pipe a small amount onto parchment, using a spatula to spread and form into half clamshell shapes. Stick two halves into the frosting to open up like a clam, and then place a chocolate covered mac nut in the center.
• This recipe was created by a contestant during a cooking competition. The Food Network Kitchens have not tested it for home use, therefore, we cannot make any representation as to the results.
• In medium saucepot, bring the milk and vanilla beans to a boil. Using a whisk, continuously stir in the flour until the mixture becomes thick and the flour is cooked out. Spread the hot milk mixture onto a sheet pan and top with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until fully cooled, about 20 minutes.
• In the bowl of an electric stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and vanilla for 5 minutes. Add the sugar and cream for an additional 5 minutes. Slowly add the cooled milk mixture and cream for 3 minutes until the frosting becomes white, light and fluffy. Put the frosting into a pastry bag fitted with a medium star tip.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a medium saucepot, heat up the sugar, stirring continuously until caramelized and golden amber in color. Add in the almonds and stir until completely coated. Pour into a thin layer onto a silicone baking mat and let cool completely.
• In a food processor, add the cooled caramel nut mix and grind into a fine powder. Using a sifter, lightly sprinkle into a thin layer on a silicone baking mat. Bake in the oven until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool completely before breaking into pieces and using.