Hello!
Recently I have started using the
word noms to describe food I like. Instead of using real words like this is
delicous or yum I use noms. My mom and sister HATE this. They have repeatedly
told me that I sound like a three year old. My mother demanded that I stop
using that word at the table. So to get back at them I use that word repeativly
at school and now on my blog! I found a recipe on stumbleapon that perfectly
embodies the word noms. (If you do not know what stumbleapon I recommend
looking it up, but WARNING it is very very very very adictive! Be prepared to
wasting hours and hours of your day.) The recipe is Carmel Apple Pie Cupcakes.
Wonderful stumble brought me to
another food blog where someone posted the recipe for a cupcake recipe i just
had to try! Since I needed some nomy food to make to take as treats to play
practice, I tried out the recipe. All I can say is NOMS!!! They were so delicious!
One of my friends, Trevbot, said it best. "I am not sure if I just ate a
muffin, a cupcake, or apple pie." That basically sums them up. It is a
delicous cinnamon cupcake filled with crisp and refreshing apple pie filling
and topped with light and fluffy caramel frosting. They are very time consuming.
It took me about two and a half hours to do the whole recipe. So they are not
quick and easy. But what you turn out with is truly NOMS!
There are some substitutions I made
in the recipe. Since I live in Podunk, Hicksville Iowa I could not properly
make the Vanilla Bean Carmel. The grocery stores in town do not sell vanilla beans;
much less know what they are. Instead I just used caramel from a bottle to save
time and the turned out alright, but I bet it is sooooo much better with the Carmel
recipe listed. So please please try out this wonderful, delicious, and nommy
recipe!!!!
Caramel Apple Pie Cupcakes
Printable Recipe (Includes all sub-recipes)
Makes about 24 cupcakes
There are several steps to complete before assembling the
cupcakes, but some can be done a day ahead to speed things up. The caramel and
apple filling can both be made 1 day ahead and refrigerated. Let them come to
room temperature (or gently warm caramel) before using. You won’t need the
whole batch of caramel, so feel free to half it if you don’t want a bunch
leftover. Any leftover pie filling or caramel sauce makes a fantastic
breakfast/snack mixed with Greek yogurt, or a delicious topping for ice cream!
Ingredients
2 cups Apple Filling (below)
1 cup Vanilla Bean Caramel Sauce (below)
24 Cinnamon Cupcakes (below)
1 batch of Caramel Swiss Buttercream Frosting (below)
Directions
Working with completely cooled, use a small paring knife to
cut out a cone shaped wedge from the center of each cupcake. (Like when cutting
the lid off of a jack-o-lantern.) Save the “lids”. If needed, scrape out a little
bit of cake from each hole to make more room for filling – just don’t go too
far or your cupcakes will fall apart. Fill each hole not quite to the top with
Apple Filling (about 1/2 tablespoon). Replace “lids”, trimming off the bottoms
of the “lids” if necessary.
Pipe frosting on cupcakes. Drizzle with caramel sauce.
Serve same day as assembled, or freeze for long term
storage.
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Apple Filling
Makes about 2 cups
Ingredients
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1.5 pounds (approx.) Honey Crisp apples (about 4 medium),
peeled, cored, and finely diced
1 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon water
Directions
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add
apples, sugars, lemon juice and cinnamon. Cook until apples are tender and
release their juices – about 10 minutes. In a small bowl or glass, combine cornstarch
and water. Add to apples and stir, cooking until thickened. Remove from heat.
Cool to room temperature. (Cover and refrigerate overnight if making ahead.)
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Vanilla Bean Caramel Sauce
Makes 2 1/2 cups
A word of caution: Making caramel is tricky. Have patience
and have all of your ingredients ready to go. Caramel also gets very, very hot.
Much hotter than boiling water. It will spatter, so be careful. Wear long
sleeves, use a deep pan or pot, and do not try to taste the hot caramel no
matter how much you want to!
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
Directions
Measure heavy cream in a measuring cup. Scrape out vanilla
bean seeds and add to cream. Set aside.
Spread sugar in an even layer on the bottom of a heavy,
tall-sided sauce pan or pot. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring gently with a
heat-proof spatula or whisk to promote even browning, until sugar melts. Once
the sugar comes to a boil, stop stirring.
Watch carefully. When the caramel turns a rich amber color
and smells like caramel, remove from heat and immediately whisk in cream.
(Caution: Caramel will bubble violently!) If any sugar has hardened, return to
low heat and whisk until smooth.
Cool to room temperature. To store or make ahead, transfer
to an air-tight container and keep refrigerated. Caramel can be re-warmed in
microwave or in a saucepan over low heat, if needed.
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Cinnamon Cupcakes
Makes about 24 cupcakes
Ingredients
1 cup milk
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with
cupcake liners.
Heat milk and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat
until butter melts. Remove from heat. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour,
baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
Using a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat eggs and
sugar until thick ribbons form, about 5 minutes. Add flour mixture and beat on
low just until incorporated. Add milk mixture and vanilla, and beat until
blended.
Divide evenly among baking tins. Bake at 350°F for 16-18
minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans for 5 minutes, then
transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
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Caramel Swiss Buttercream Frosting
Makes enough to generously frost 24 cupcakes
It’s very important that your caramel be no warmer than room
temperature when you add it to the frosting, or your frosting will melt.
Ingredients
6 large egg whites
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
Pinch of coarse salt
3 sticks unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1/2 cup Vanilla Bean Caramel sauce (above), cooled
1 tsp vanilla extract
Directions
Place a saucepan with about 2 inches of water over
medium-low heat and bring to a simmer. Combine egg whites, sugar and salt in
the metal bowl of a stand mixer. Place bowl over pan of simmering water and
whisk constantly until mixture an instant-read thermometer reads 160°F. (Sugar
will be dissolved and mixture will start to resemble marshmallow fluff.)
Remove bowl from heat and attach to stand mixer. Beat with
the whisk attachment until stiff meringue peaks form and the outside of the
bowl no longer feels warm, about 10 minutes. Switch to paddle attachment. On
low speed, add one cube of butter at a time, waiting until incorporated before
adding the next. Once all butter is added, on low speed slowly pour in caramel.
Add vanilla and continue beating until smooth. (If frosting curdles, just keep
beating! If frosting is soupy, place mixer bowl in fridge for 10-15 minutes and
beat until smooth. Repeat if necessary.)
This recipe was originally posted on the Craving Chronicles
blog. I must give credit where credit is due.
Nancy
