Salted Caramel Apple Crepe Cake Food

SALTED CARAMEL APPLE POKE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
• For the cake: Whisk the applesauce, brown sugar, melted butter, sour cream, eggs and vanilla together in a large bowl until smooth. Add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and kosher salt to the bowl and whisk until just combined. Pour into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Leave the cake in the pan to cool completely, about 2 hours.
• Once the cake is cool, use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke 25 holes in the cake (5 rows of 5 holes each). Press 2 to 3 apple pieces into each hole; reserve the remaining pieces for garnish. Pour and spread the caramel sauce over the cake and let it stand 10 minutes to sink into the holes and be absorbed by the cake. Sprinkle with the flaky salt.
• Meanwhile, for the cinnamon buttercream: Beat the butter, confectioners' sugar, cinnamon and salt together in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth. Add the cream and vanilla and continue beating until fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Dollop the frosting on top of the cake, then use a small offset spatula to spread it evenly. Garnish with the remaining apple chunks, a drizzle of caramel sauce and another sprinkle of flaky salt.

CARAMEL APPLE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter and flour a 10-cup bundt pan.
• Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, 1 1/3 cup of the sugar and 1 teaspoon of the pie spice together in a large bowl.
• Toss the apples with the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon pie spice and set aside. Whisk the eggs and oil together in another bowl.
• Whisk in the sour cream, orange zest and juice, and vanilla. Pour the egg mixture into the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon just until combined but still a bit lumpy.
• Using a slotted spoon, scatter about 1/2 cup of the apples in the bottom of the bundt pan. Put about a third of the batter on top. Repeat, alternating with the remaining apples and batter, ending with the batter.
• Bake the cake until it pulls away from the sides of the pan and a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cool 10 minutes and invert the cake onto a rack placed over a baking sheet. Cool. (The cake can be prepared to this point a day ahead.)
• To make the caramel: Combine the sugar, corn syrup, and 2 tablespoons water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook, swirling the pan but not stirring, until the sugar is dark amber-colored caramel, about 15 minutes. Pull pan from the heat and carefully pour in the cream (take care it will splatter). Stir in the pecans, vanilla, and salt. Cool until caramel becomes thick and syrupy, then evenly pour over the cake and cool until set.

APPLE CREPES

Steps:

• Crepes:
• Put the eggs, water, and 1/2 cup milk in a large bowl. Whisk until combined. Add the flour, cinnamon and salt and again whisk until combined. Whisk in the melted butter.
• Refrigerate the batter for at least 1/2 hour.
• Heat a 6-inch non-stick pan over medium heat. Pour 2 tablespoons crepe batter into the pan and quickly rotate the pan so the batter forms a thin layer over the bottom of the pan. (Return excess batter to the remaining batter.) Cook the crepe for 1 to 2 minutes until it is golden brown. Loosen the edge of the crepe with a knife and using your fingers, invert the crepe and cook the other side for about 10 seconds.
• Continue cooking crepes until you have at least 12.
• Make sure the crepes are cool and then cover them with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until you are ready to serve them.
• Apple Balls:
• Peel the apples. Using a melon baller, scoop out the apple balls making sure you do not scoop into the core. Make 42 balls total.
• Combine the cider, sugar, and water in a medium-sized saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil and boil for about 30 seconds until the sugar dissolves.
• Reduce the cider mixture to a gentle boil. Place the apple balls in the cider syrup and cover them with parchment paper or a cloth towel. Poach the apple balls for about 5 minutes until the are soft. Be careful not to over-poach them as you want them to retain their shape. Poaching timing will depend on the variety of apple being used.
• Remove the apples from the cider syrup, reserving the syrup. The apples can be poached ahead of time.
• Plating:
• Place the cider syrup in a large saute pan over medium heat. Place the crepes 1 at a time in the liquid, folding them into quarters once they have been coated with the syrup. Heat the crepes until they are warmed through.
• Place 2 crepes on each plate. Increase the heat to high and add the lemon juice, Calvados, salt and butter. Cook until the sauce thickens slightly. While the sauce is cooking place a pile of apple balls on top of the crepes in the middle of each plate. Pour the sauce over the crepes. Top with a tablespoon of creme fraiche. Serve immediately.

CARAMEL-CINNAMON CREPE CAKE

Steps:

• For the caramels: Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat.
• Reserve 1/2 cup caramels for serving. Put 6 of the remaining caramels on the prepared baking sheet and bake until bubbly and slightly dark around the edges, about 5 minutes. Let cool completely on the baking sheet, then crush into a fine powder in a food processor; set aside.
• For the filling: Combine the remaining caramels with the milk, salt and 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to just below a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whisk the cornstarch, egg yolks and remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a large bowl until smooth. While continually whisking, slowly pour in about half of the milk mixture until combined. Transfer the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened like pudding, 2 to 4 minutes.
• Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly on the surface, and refrigerate until chilled, 2 hours to overnight.
• For the crepes: Puree the milk, flour, granulated sugar, butter, vanilla, salt, cinnamon and eggs in a blender on high speed until well mixed. Let the batter rest in the blender for 1 hour at room temperature or refrigerate up to 24 hours.
• Before cooking, re-blend the batter on high speed for 30 seconds. Wipe 1/2 teaspoon butter on a medium crepe pan or 8-inch nonstick skillet in a very thin layer with a paper towel. Heat the pan over medium until hot.
• Ladle 3 tablespoons batter into the pan. Working quickly off the heat, swirl and shake the pan to evenly coat the bottom. Return to the heat and cook the crepe, reducing the heat if it's browning too quickly, until the edges are light golden, about 2 minutes. Carefully loosen the crepe from the pan and flip it with a spatula. Cook until a few brown spots appear, 15 to 30 seconds. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining batter, wiping the pan with butter each time. Stack the crepes on the plate as you go (you should have about 20). Let them cool for 10 minutes before filling.
• Finish the filling: Beat the heavy cream and confectioners' sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. Stir one-quarter of the cream mixture into the caramel filling, then gently fold in the rest.
• Put 1 crepe on a platter and top with a 1/4 cup filling, spreading it to the edge. Repeat, stacking the remaining crepes and filling, and ending with a crepe. Refrigerate overnight.
• Microwave the reserved 1/2 cup caramels, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted, about 1 minute. Top the cake with whipped cream, drizzle with the melted caramel and sprinkle with the caramel powder.

CARAMEL APPLE BUNDT® CAKE

Steps:

• Combine heavy cream, butter, vanilla, and salt for caramel sauce in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat until butter is melted and mixture begins to bubble, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and keep warm.
• Combine sugar, corn syrup, and water in a large, light-colored saucepan with high sides. Cook over medium heat, swirling occasionally, until mixture is amber in color, 15 to 20 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and very carefully whisk in reserved cream-butter mixture; stir constantly as caramel mixture will bubble up and steam. Continue cooking over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 more minutes. Remove from heat. Set out 1/2 cup of caramel sauce for the cake, and reserve the remainder for the topping. Allow to cool to room temperature.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10-cup Bundt® pan.
• Prepare cake: Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg in a bowl until combined.
• Beat together brown sugar, butter, and white sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, 1 at time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in applesauce, sour cream, reserved 1/2 cup caramel sauce, and vanilla until thoroughly combined. Add in 1/2 of the flour mixture, and mix until just combined. Mix in remaining flour mixture until just combined. Fold in diced apples. Pour batter into the prepared Bundt® pan and smooth into an even layer.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a bamboo skewer inserted into the cake comes out with a just few moist crumbs, 55 to 60 minutes. Allow cake to cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Gently run a knife around the edge to loosen and remove cake to a wire rack and cool completely, 15 to 30 more minutes.
• Just before serving, pour remaining caramel sauce over the top of the cake. If needed, reheat the caramel slightly to make it a pourable consistency.