Sweet And Salty Pepitas Food

SWEET AND SALTY PEPITAS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and lightly oil the foil.
• Melt the butter in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the pepitas, toss to coat in the butter and then add the sugar, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves and 1 teaspoon salt. Spread the pepitas on the prepared baking sheet in 1 layer and bake, stirring once or twice, until golden brown all over, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool completely.

SWEET-AND-SALTY SNACK-FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350˚. Butter the bottom and sides of two 9-inch round cake pans. Dust with flour and tap out the excess; set aside. Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl.
• Beat the butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed, scraping down the bowl as needed, until very light and fluffy, 5 to 7 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until combined; continue beating until well blended, 1 to 2 more minutes. Reduce the speed to medium low; beat in the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the buttermilk and vanilla in two batches, until just smooth (it's OK if the batter looks curdled at first-it will smooth out). Stir the batter a few times with a rubber spatula to make sure it's blended.
• Divide the batter between the prepared pans. Bake until the cakes are browned, the edges begin to pull away from the pans and the centers spring back when pressed, 35 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool 10 minutes in the pans, then remove the cakes to the rack to cool completely.
• While the cakes cool, make the crumble: Toss the potato chips, cookies, coconut, melted butter and brown sugar in a medium bowl until well coated. Spread on a baking sheet and bake until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Let cool, then stir in the chocolate-covered raisins and/or nuts; set aside.
• Make the frosting: Mix the brown sugar and 2 tablespoons heavy cream in a small microwave-safe bowl; microwave, stirring once or twice, until smooth, 45 seconds to 1 minute. Let cool slightly. Beat the butter and salt in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the confectioners' sugar in two batches until smooth and fluffy. Add the brown sugar mixture; beat on medium-high speed until fluffy and spreadable, 1 to 2 more minutes.
• Make the ganache: Combine the remaining 1/3 cup heavy cream and the chopped chocolate in a microwave-safe measuring cup or bowl; microwave, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted, about 1 minute. Let the ganache cool until it's thickened but still spreadable.
• Put 1 cake layer on a cake stand or serving plate. Top with 1 cup frosting, spreading it to the edges. Sprinkle with a heaping 1/2 cup of the crumble, gently pressing it into the frosting. Top with the second cake layer. Cover the top and sides of the cake with a thin layer of frosting (this is the crumb coat-it doesn't have to be perfect). Refrigerate until the frosting is set, 15 to 20 minutes. Cover with the remaining frosting. Press some of the remaining crumble around the bottom of the cake. Spoon the ganache over the top of the cake and gently spread, letting it drip down the sides. Sprinkle with the remaining crumble.

SWEET AND SPICY PEPITAS POPCORN BALLS

Steps:

• Pop the popcorn according to package instructions. While hot, carefully open package and dump into a large bowl.
• Toast the pumpkin seeds in a large skillet over medium-high heat, until browned and popping, tossing and stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. (Do this in batches, if needed.) Add to the popcorn.
• Make caramel: Warm the cream over low heat and keep warm while you cook the sugar. Put the sugar and corn syrup and in a deep, heavy-bottomed large saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Stop stirring, raise heat to medium-high, and simmer until the sugar reaches the hard crack stage, or 305 degrees F on a candy thermometer, about 7 minutes.
• Whisk the butter and salt into the sugar mixture. Gradually pour in the cream and vanilla taking care since the mixture will bubble up. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar reaches soft ball stage, 240 degrees F on the thermometer, about 5 minutes more. Immediately remove from the heat and stir in the cinnamon and cayenne. Cool for about a minute. Pour caramel over the popcorn and stir to evenly coat.
• When the popcorn is cool enough to handle, coat your hands with some butter and shape into 4-inch balls. Wrap in waxed paper and tie with a string, if desired. Serve or store covered at room temperature for up to a week.

SALTY AND SWEET POPCORN BALLS

Steps:

• Light coat a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray.
• Combine the popcorn, pretzel pieces, 1 cup of the peanut butter chips and 1 cup of the milk chocolate chips in a large bowl. Toss to distribute evenly.
• Melt the butter, confectioners' sugar, corn syrup and marshmallows in a large microwave-safe bowl in 15 second intervals, stirring between each interval, until completely melted.
• Pour the melted marshmallow mixture over the popcorn mixture and stir until evenly coated. Quickly, but gently form twelve 2 1/2-to-3-inch-diameter balls with either your hands or a large cookie scoop lightly coated with cooking spray. Pretend you're making snowballs, but don't pack them too hard. Place each of them in a well of the prepared muffin tin so they hold their shape as they cool.
• When the popcorns balls are cool, melt the remaining 1/2 cup peanut butter chips, the remaining 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips and the white chocolate chips in each of 3 small microwave-safe bowls in 15 second intervals, stirring occasionally. Transfer the melted chips to each of 3 small piping bags or resealable bags. Snip the tips and drizzle over the popcorn balls. Top evenly with the crushed potato chips and let set, about 30 minutes, before serving.

SPICY PEPITAS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Toss all of the ingredients together in a bowl. Spread on a baking sheet and bake 5 minutes, or until lightly browned, shaking the pan once or twice. Serve.