Delicious Caramel Apple Recipe

October 22, 2012 By

Though my mother was a domestic goddess, I regret I never showed an interest in cooking until I graduated from college. However, the one thing I could make in high school was caramel. Not just any caramel but great caramel.

In fact, so renowned was my caramel that my family now looks forward to my caramel popcorn every Christmas. A few years ago when I was home in Canada, we all got the stomach plague. We strongly suspected the virus had been passed to one another via our germy hands pawing at the caramel popcorn. When my Aunt Sue arrived a couple of days later, we warned her but she blew us off.

“I’ll take my chances.”

Famous last words. But she claims The Plague was worth it for the caramel popcorn.

Surprisingly, I’ve never made caramel apples so we made them for dessert at my recent dinner party. Between dipping the apples and getting creative with the toppings, the kiddos had a blast.

And as far as I know, no one got the stomach flu as a result.

Delicious Caramel Apple Recipe (slightly revised version from my favorite caramels)

Ingredients

2 cups packed brown sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter (1 cup)
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup corn syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon molasses
1/4 teaspoon salt

Approximately 12 apples (we preferred tart to go with the sweet)
Popsicle sticks
Toppings for dipping (chocolate chips, coconut, melted chocolate, sprinklers, etc.)

Instructions

To prepare caramel, cook ingredients in a saucepan on medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. At this point, you can either cook it to a soft ball stage or attach a candy thermometer to the pan and increase heat to a rolling boil and the thermometer is about 230°F, stirring constantly.

Cool the caramel about 15 minutes until it thickens up just a bit. (Our first batch was too warm and therefore a bit runny and didn’t stick as well).

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, put the Popsicle sticks in the top of the apples, dip, swirl and hold the apple in the caramel until covered. Then, put on cookie sheet and decorate as desired. Enjoy!

 

Filed Under: Foodie, Humor Tagged With:

The Big Explosion and the Pumpkin Cake That Wasn’t

October 4, 2012 By

Food is a big part of our party, specifically pumpkin food. This year, I had Jamie include the link to my Pinterest board I dedicated unto pumpkin recipes in our invitation. The ideas were limitless: pumpkin spice cannoli, pumpkin caramel blondies, pumpkin brownies, buckle and pumpkin Oreo cheesecake.

And not one person used any of those recipes (sob).

However, I did. I’ve always loved better than s&x cake and was delighted to find a pumpkin version. I quickly scanned the recipe noting the ingredients and went shopping. I was super busy the evening before the party so figured I’d make the yellow cake and then finish all the toppings in the morning.

But my biggest mistake? In my haste, I didn’t reread the recipe.

The next morning, I woke up with the sinking feeling I’d messed up and I was correct. I had assumed the pumpkin was included in the topping when it was actually a part of the cake. If it was any other party, I would have just adapted and made a Tres Leche cake (my FAVORITE) but it was a pumpkin party and I needed a pumpkin cake!

And so I started again from scratch (sob).

In the end, I’m glad I did because it was delish.

But lest you think that’s all that went wrong, think again. Mere 10 minutes before our guests started arriving, I made three different lemonades. My neighbor Jenn had generously loaned me three cute pitchers and I’d snagged another neighbor Meredith’s darling homemade  lemonade stand.

All the makings for a banner beverage corner? Think again.

I was mixing the pink lemonade with a wooden spoon when out of NO WHERE, there was an explosion…and then gushing lemonade EVERYWHERE. It took me about 10 seconds to register what happened. I’m not sure the physics on the situation but as the spoon brushed the side of the glass container, it literally blew a huge hole open right in the middle. The explosion was so powerful, Jamie estimates there was pink lemonade, lemons, glass and ice spewed within a 10-foot radius.

Because isn’t that what every hostess wants to have happen 10 minutes before her party??!!!

Instead of greeting the early guests with a smile and a pumpkin, they instead got a mop and a scowl.

Here is a shot of the completed lemonade stand and you will note it is devoid of pink lemonade.

For obvious reasons.

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Pumpkin Better Than… Cake
Something Swanky

Ingredients:
  • 1 box yellow cake mix
  • 1 small can pumpkin puree
  • 1 – 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 – 8 oz. tub cool whip
  • 1/2 bag Heath Bits
  • Caramel Sundae Sauce
 Directions:
  1. In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix and pumpkin puree until a smooth batter forms.
  2. Pour batter into a well greased 9×13 baking dish. Bake at 350º according to the directions for a 9×13 cake on the cake mix box.
  3. Let cool for about 10 minutes after baking. Using the bottom of a wooden spoon, poke holes all over the top of the cake.
  4. Pour the sweetened condensed milk over the cake, filling the holes. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  5. Spread the cool whip over top of cake. Sprinkle on the heath bits, and drizzle caramel over top (just to your liking). Refrigerate for 3-4 hours, or overnight (best).
© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Foodie Tagged With:

Bring Us Some Figgy Pudding (However the Crap It’s Made)

December 20, 2011 By

If there is anything my family does well, it is making…and eating food. Not just quality but also quantity.

Our Christmas menu is embarrassingly (and deliciously) expansive. On Sunday we planned out our menu and I RAVED about the Figgy Pudding my sister-in-law Tammy made last year. Because it was out-of-this-world amazing, I volunteered to make it with a disclaimer.

Me: “It’s not something I would have EVER tried. I mean, what is Figgy Pudding made out of? Prunes? Dates?”

Them: “Errr, figs.”

Blame it on the blonde.

============

But here’s the funny thing about it all: IT WAS ACTUALLY DATE PUDDING! So maybe I’m not so blonde and off-kilter as I thought. Seriously, try this. I don’t EVER eat dates but it was so delicious.

Sticky Date Pudding
From the Dalvay by the Sea Inn
Pudding
1 3/4 c. packed pitted dates – about 10 ounces
2 cups water
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1 c. sugar
3 large eggs
Coarsely chop dates. Place in saucepan and simmer uncovered in water about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in baking soda. Let foaming mixture stand for 20 minutes. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, ginger, and salt. In another separate bowl, beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time and beat well after each addition. Add flour mixture in 3 batches, beating after each addition until just combined. Add date mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined. Pour batter into a buttered and floured baking pan and set pan in a larger baking pan. Add enough hot water in larger pan to reach halfway up side of smaller pan. Bake at 375 degrees about 70 min. (or more), until an inserted knife or toothpick comes out clean. Remove smaller pan from water bath and cool slightly to a warm temperature.


Toffee Sauce

3/4 c. plus 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 1/3 c. packed light brown sugar
1 c. heavy cream
1/2 tsp. vanilla
In a large heavy saucepan, melt butter over moderate heat and add brown sugar. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally, and stir in cream and vanilla. Simmer sauce, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. Cool sauce slightly to a warm temperature.
Cut warm pudding into squares. Serve with warm sauce and vanilla ice cream.

Enjoy!

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Foodie, holidays, Humor Tagged With:
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