Pattis Caramel Cake Food

DARK CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT PATTIE CAKE

Steps:

• If you're one of those individuals who always opts for the chocolate-covered Thin Mints when your local Girl Scout representative comes calling, this dessert is for you. The refreshing peppermint counterpoint takes the edge off the intense fudge-like cake.
• To facilitate cutting the Peppermint Patties, I often freeze them first. Use a hot, dry long-bladed knife to cut perfectly clean slices of the cake.
• Serve with whipped cream, cocoa fudge sauce, and a drizzle of mint syrup.
• Cocoa Fudge Sauce, recipe follows, for serving
• Mint Syrup, recipe follows, for serving
• To make the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Butter a 9 1/2 to 10-inch springform pan, line the bottom with parchment paper, butter the paper, and flour the pan, tapping out the excess flour.
• Melt the chocolate with the butter and cream in the top of a double boiler. Reserve.
• In the bowl of a mixer with a whip, beat the egg yolks with the sugar until very thick and light (about 5 minutes). Add the melted chocolate mixture to the egg yolks and mix until just blended. Add the flour, salt, and vanilla and mix until combined, scraping the bowl once or twice. Transfer the batter to a large mixing bowl and stir in the Peppermint Pattie pieces. The mixture will be quite thick.
• In a clean mixing bowl, with a clean whip, beat the egg whites to medium soft peaks. Lighten the batter by stirring in about one-third of the egg whites. Fold in the remaining whites and the place batter in the prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for approximately 45 to 50 minutes. The top of the cake will feel set and very fine hairline cracks will just start to form around the edges. Remove and cool in the pan on a rack.
• To make the ganache topping: Heat the cream in a heavy bottomed saucepan to just under a boil. Add the chopped chocolate and, over very low heat, constantly stirring, cook the mixture until it is completely smooth. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl and cool, stirring occasionally, until thickened and spreadable. This can take several hours. You can make the topping up to 3 days ahead, refrigerate it, and allow it to come to room temperature for several hours before using. You can also hasten the cooling process by placing the melted ganache over an ice bath and gently stirring it till thickened; however, the resulting texture may not be quite as smooth and creamy.
• Place the cooled cake upside down on a cardboard cake circle or a service plate. Remove the sides and bottom of the springform pan. Remove the parchment liner. Using an offset spatula, decoratively spread the ganache over what is now the top of the cake, drawing the ganache all the way out to the edges of the cake. Using the offset spatula, level the edges to give the cake a finished look. Serve at room temperature with whipped cream, Cocoa Fudge Sauce and Mint Syrup.
• Melt the butter in a medium sized saucepan. Whisk in the sugar and cocoa. Whisk in the cream and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium low heat, whisking often. Allow to simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until the sauce has thickened somewhat. Remove from heat, add the vanilla and strain though a fine sieve. Cool and serve at room temperature. This can be made up to 1 week ahead of time. It can also be frozen.
• Yield: 2 cups
• Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Turn the heat down and simmer several minutes, until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and cool completely. Reserve.
• Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Have a strainer and a bowl of ice water at the ready. Working quickly, place the mint leaves in the boiling water and blanch until just wilted (about 10 seconds). Immediately strain the mint and place the leaves directly in the ice water to set their color. Strain the mint again, pressing to remove excess liquid.
• Place the mint leaves and half of the reserved syrup in a blender. Puree the mint, stopping several times to scrape down the blender bowl. Add the remaining syrup and blend for 2 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a clean storage container and allow to sit overnight, covered, at room temperature.
• Strain the syrup through a fine mesh strainer and discard the solid mint puree. Store the syrup, refrigerated, for up to 2 weeks. Shake or stir lightly before using.
• Yield: 1 1/4 cups

PATTI'S CARAMEL CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.
• Blend cake mix, 1 cup milk, 1/2 cup butter, eggs, and 2 tablespoons vanilla extract in a blender until batter is smooth, about 3 minutes. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
• Heat 1/2 cup butter, light brown sugar, and dark brown sugar in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Add 1/4 cup milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and return to a boil. Remove saucepan from heat and spoon confectioners' sugar, about 2 tablespoons at a time, into mixture using a wooden spoon, stirring after each addition until frosting is smooth. Spread frosting over cake.

PATTI'S CARAMEL CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.
• Blend cake mix, 1 cup milk, 1/2 cup butter, eggs, and 2 tablespoons vanilla extract in a blender until batter is smooth, about 3 minutes. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
• Heat 1/2 cup butter, light brown sugar, and dark brown sugar in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Add 1/4 cup milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and return to a boil. Remove saucepan from heat and spoon confectioners' sugar, about 2 tablespoons at a time, into mixture using a wooden spoon, stirring after each addition until frosting is smooth. Spread frosting over cake.

CARAMEL CAKE (PAULA DEEN)

Steps:

• Cake:.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 3 (9-inch) cake pans.
• Using an electric mixer cream butter until fluffy. Add granulated sugar and continue to cream well for 6 to 8 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour and milk alternately to creamed mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Add vanilla and continue to beat until just mixed.
• Divide batter equally among prepared pans. Level batter in each pan by holding pan 4 inches above counter dropping it flat onto counter. Do this several times to release air bubbles and assure you of a more level cake. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
• Filling:.
• While cake is baking, in a saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar, and milk. Cook and stir over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
• Remove cake layers from oven and allow cake to remain in pans as you prepare to stack and fill. Remove first layer and invert onto cake plate. Pierce cake layer with a toothpick over entire surface. Spread 1/3 of filling mixture on cake layer. Top with second layer, repeat process. Top with last layer and repeat process again.
• *Cook's Note: As you stack layers together, stick them with toothpicks to prevent cake from shifting.
• Frosting:.
• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat and stir in brown sugar and cream. Bring to a boil, and transfer to a mixing bowl. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Beat with a handheld electric mixer until it reaches a spreading consistency. At this time it may be necessary to add a tablespoon of heavy cream, or more, if frosting gets too thick. Be sure to add cream in small amounts because you can always "add to", but you can't take away. Frost cake and sprinkle top with chopped nuts, if desired.

CARAMEL CAKE

Steps:

• For cake: Preheat oven to 350*.
• Grease and flour two 9-inch layer pans.
• Combine sour cream and milk in small bowl; set aside.
• Beat butter until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating well.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Sift flour, baking powder, and salt; add to butter mixture alternating with sour cream mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
• Stir in vanilla (and rum extract).
• Pour batter into prepared pans.
• Bake in heated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.
• Let cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely on wire wracks.
• For frosting: Combine 2 1/2 cups sugar, milk, beaten egg, and salt in a bowl, stirring well; stir in butter.
• Set aside.
• Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup sugar in saucepan; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar melts and syrup is a light golden brown.
• Remove from heat.
• Stir butter mixture into hot caramelized sugar.
• (The sugar mixture will tend to clump, but will become smooth after further cooking.) Cook entire mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until candy thermometer registers 235* (about 15-20 minutes).
• Cool mixture for 5 minutes.
• Beat frosting with a wooden spoon to almost spreading consistency (about 5 minutes).
• Immediately spread between layers and on top and sides of cake.