Salted Caramel Popcorn Mud Cakes Food

SALTED CARAMEL POPCORN MUD CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees/160 degrees fan forced and line ten 125ml (1/2 cup) muffin pans with paper cases.
• Microwave the chocolate, butter and hot water in a microwave safe bowl on high, stirring occasionally, for 3-5 minutes or until melted. Stir in the sugar and vanilla.
• Whisk in the combined flours,cocoa and egg until well combined. Divide the mixture evenly between the cases and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, then spread a little chocolate frosting over each one.
• Combine the caramel popcorn and peanuts in a large heatproof bowl. Stir the jersey caramels and cream in a small saucepan over low heat for 5 minutes or until melted and smooth. Pour two-thirds of the caramel mixture over the popcorn mixture and stir to combine. Set aside for about 3 minutes.
• While the popcorn mixture is still warm, spoon and shape mounds of it over the cakes. Set aside for 5 minutes to set.
• Warm the remaining caramel mixture over low heat and drizzle over the cupcakes along with melted chocolate to decorate.

CARAMEL MUD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to moderately slow and grease a deep 23cm round cake pan; line base and sides with baking paper.
• Combine butter, chocolate, sugar, golden syrup and milk in a saucepan over low heat, without boiling, until smooth.
• Transfer to large bowl to cool for 15 minutes.
• Fold in sifted flours then add eggs 1 at a time.
• Pour into pan and bake for about 1 1/2 hours (check carefully as I did mine in an aga and it only took 50 minutes).
• Stand cake in pan 30 minutes and then turn onto wire rack to cool.
• Spread top and side with white chocolate ganache.
• White chocolate ganache:.
• Bring cream to boil in small saucepan, pour over chocolate in small bowl stirring until chocolate melts - refrigerate, stirring occasionally about 30 minutes or until spreadable.

SALTED CARAMEL & POPCORN ECLAIRS

Steps:

• Make the eclairs and crème pâtissière using our classic recipe.
• Mix 150g Carnation Caramel with the fondant icing sugar. Mix into a thick but drizzly icing, adding a splash of water if it's too thick. Cover with cling film.
• Transfer another 200g Carnation Caramel to a piping bag and pipe a line along the bottom half of the split eclairs, then sprinkle over a few sea salt flakes.
• Pour the double cream into a bowl with the remaining caramel and vanilla bean paste. Beat with an electric hand whisk to thicken the cream to stiff peaks. Fold through the crème pâtissière, then transfer to a piping bag. Pipe generous blobs of cream over the base, then sprinkle over 50g chopped toffee popcorn.
• Spread the glaze carefully over the tops of the eclairs, then position on top of the cream. After every four or five eclairs, decorate the tops, while the icing is still wet, with 50g chopped toffee popcorn and a pinch of sea salt flakes. For more help, see our how to make choux pastry and eclairs video.

SALTED CARAMEL POPCORN POTS

Steps:

• Pour the cream and milk into a large pan, add the popcorn and bring to a gentle simmer, pushing the popcorn under the liquid and squashing gently on the bottom of the pan. Bubble for 1 min, then remove from the heat, transfer to a jug and chill for at least 6 hrs, or preferably overnight.
• Strain the popcorn cream back into a clean pan and gently reheat, discarding the remaining bits of popcorn. Meanwhile, place the gelatine leaves in cold water to soften for 3-5 mins. When the popcorn cream is steaming and the gelatine is soft, remove it from the water and squeeze out any excess drops. Place in the hot popcorn cream and stir until dissolved. Set aside to cool a little.
• Mix the caramel with the sea salt - start with 1/4 tsp, taste, then add more if you think it needs it. Divide the salted caramel between 2 glasses or pots. Pour the popcorn cream on top and chill for at least 2 hrs, or overnight.
• Serve each pot topped with a few pieces of toffee popcorn and dive in!

CARAMEL MUD CAKE

Steps:

• Grease a deep 22cm round cake pan and line base with non-stick baking paper.
• Combine butter, chocolate, sugar, syrup and milk in a medium pan.
• Stir over low heat until chocolate is melted and sugar dissolved.
• Transfer mixture to a large bowl and cool for 15 minutes.
• Whisk in sifted flours and eggs, pour into prepared pan and cook in amoderately slow oven for 1 hour and 10 minutes To make ganache, combine chocolate and cream in a medium pan stir over low heat until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
• Pour into a bowl and stand until a spreadable consistency.
• Spread ganche over top of cake and serve.