Daring Bakers' Challenge: Caramel Cake with Caramelized Butter Frosting

This month's Daring Bakers' Challenge is hosted by Shuna Fish Lydon of Eggbeater with her Caramel Cake with Caramelized Butter Frosting, as published on Bay Area Bites - full recipe HERE. There was also an optional challenge: Golden Vanilla Bean Caramels from Pure Dessert by Alice Medrich, Artisan Press, Copyright 2007, ISBN: 978-1579652111.

Co-hosting with Shuna are Alex (Brownie of the Blondie and Brownie duo), Jenny of Foray into Food, and for the gluten-free options, Natalie of Gluten-a-Go-Go.

I decided to use the caramels as a decoration for my cake, and although we haven't eaten ours yet, the cake smelled so good when it was baking that I was having to hold the kids back. Caramel is one of my husband's favorite things and he can't wait to get his fork on this one!


I think it went together really easily, the cake baked perfectly and the icing was a real pleasure to work with. I can tell you that the caramels themselves are delightful.

Philly Steve'steak Sandwich Recipe

What happens to everyone after high school? You know, the people you see every day during the school year but then suddenly lose contact with when graduation is over. The people you only ever see in old photos ... "Hey, whatever happened to that guy?" You know what I'm talking about.

Well, I've recently gotten back in contact with several old school pals at Facebook. No more wondering what everyone is doing! Good, bad and everything in-between, it's just plain good to be able to talk to them again.

This is another reason to find old friends - recipes. I've known Steve since grade school. He was a goofball then, and although he's mellowed a bit (haven't we all?) his sense of humor is still very much intact. He's lived one incredible life, too. I mean, he probably could write a book. He's rubbed shoulders with the likes of Thomas Kinkade and Arnold Schwarzenegger; lived in Hawaii, is former Navy intelligence and currently one of his jobs is diving at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. The best part of his fascinating life is that he's still married to the same beautiful girl. That's saying something nowadays, isn't it?

All that and a recipe too - yeah, he cooks - and obviously very well. The only bad thing I can see about his life is that he's no longer able to get a real Philly Cheesesteak out there in California. No matter, he's adapted and shared the recipe with me. This is one good steak sandwich. I'd make it even if I could get the real deal right around the corner.

Philly Steve'steak Sandwich Recipe
Printable Recipe

Ground-rule: USE REAL USDA approved steak not steakum!

1 Serving:

Ingredients:
1 New York Strip Steak
4 Dill (not sweet) pickle round slices
1 can Paul Newman's Sockarooni Spaghetti Sauce
3 slices American Cheese
1 Steak Roll (Sourdough or Italian roll)l can be substituted.
Green bell pepper slices
Onion slices

How to cook:
First freeze the steak so it is easy to slice. You can slice it paper thin if it is frozen.



After slicing - brown the sliced steak in a skillet.



Pour a tablespoon of dill pickle juice on top of the steak as it browns. Let sizzle until brown.



Lay a mixture of green bell pepper and onions on top of the steak. Let sizzle for 3 minutes on low burner.



Place one tablespoon of Paul Newman's Sockarooni sauce on top and mix it into the steak and veggies.



Use a spatula to shape the meat and veggies into an "I" shape.



Place cheese on top. Wait until it starts to melt.

Open the roll and place it upside down on top of the cheese The bottom of the roll should be facing up. Let sit for 15-20 seconds. (Don't wait too long the roll will get soggy).



Squeeze the roll, with the meat inside and turn over quickly. Set on a plate and add four dill pickle slices to the top. I like to add a little more fresh Sockarooni sauce (like it's ketchup).


Bada-boom Bada-bing!!! Philly Steve'steak. Yummy. Whip up some real steak fries to go with it and watch an Eagles/Steelers game while you eat it (the game makes it taste more authentic ). I taught myself how to make these out here because no one out here knows how to make a real cheesesteak sandwich.

Apple Napoleons with Dulce de Leche

This past week's Top Chef challenge was to come up with "New American" cuisine to be served at Tom Colicchio's Craft restaurant in NYC. There seemed to be some confusion as to just what New American may mean, but my personal feeling is that New American is more fusion than anything else.

America has become such a melting pot (wasn't it always, though?) and expressing that through food really shouldn't be so complicated. I admit to patting myself on the back when Rhadika's dessert wontons were well-received, because I had just done similar a few weeks ago at Family.com, sans the mousse. While Carla's apple dessert was obviously well-liked, I can't help but think I'd have done it differently.

What would I have done? Well, I think the French Napoleon crossed with the classic American apple pie and a Mexican dulce de leche would be about perfect - and I have to say, they were!

Apple Napoleons with Dulce de Leche
Makes 6 pastries
Printable Recipe

2 sheets puff pastry cut into 3 inch squares - 18 total
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 large apples peeled, cored and sliced thinly
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup dulce de leche
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Bake pastry squares according to package directions until golden brown. Set aside.
Melt butter in a skillet and add apples, brown sugar and cinnamon. Cook until apples are soft and lightly caramelized - about 10 minutes. Heat dulce de leche and keep warm. Add powdered sugar to cream and beat until stiff peaks form.

Lay out 6 pastry squares and top each with whipped cream, apples and dulce de leche. Repeat a second layer for each. Top each with a pastry square, whipped cream and a sprinkling of cinnamon.

Gourmet Dipped Apples

Have you seen these? They are offered on every upscale gourmet website and in every posh overpriced catalog imaginable. The average price for these beauties is $10 each. I am of the, "Why buy it when you can make it?" camp and I can imagine that my Scottish ancestors would rise up and haunt me if I actually paid for one.

I knew I could do it, and so I did - and I only paid $2.50 for each one. If I don't go into business for myself, I think these would make lovely gifts this Christmas, and I may just give a few away.

I've made them with homemade caramel and wrapped caramels and covered in nuts or sprinkles. I even made a design with nut halves and dragees on one. I think they're pretty no matter how you make them and they disappear so quickly there's no doubt about how delicious they are.





Caramel and Chocolate Dipped Apples
Makes 2
Printable Recipe

2 very large Fuji or Granny Smith (I prefer these) apples - washed, dried and at room temperature
1/2 pound dark chocolate coating
1/2 cup finely chopped unsalted nuts or small candy sprinkles

Caramel:

1 cup heavy cream
4 ounces (1/2 stick) butter
1 cup dark brown sugar

OR

40 wrapped caramels melted smooth in the microwave

Mix all three together well in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Clip on a candy thermometer and cook over low heat, stirring very often, until the temperature reaches the 'soft ball' stage - or 235 degrees F. Remove from heat and stir continuously for several minutes until the caramel beings to cool and thicken.

Dip each apple - using the stem - into the caramel as far as it will go. Use a spoon to cover the top half of the apple, making sure it is well coated and there are no bare spots. Set on parchment or waxed paper to cool. Dip other apple likewise.

When they caramel is set, it's time to dip in chocolate.

Melt dark chocolate over a double boiler or in the microwave. When fully melted, dip each apple the same way they were dipped for the caramel, coating all sides well.

As soon as they are dipped, roll to coat in 1/2 cup chopped nuts or sprinkles. Let stand in a cold spot until well set. Keep refrigerated until ready to eat and consume within one week of dipping.

Lava Cakes with Cherries

Lava cakes are absolutely nothing new. But they sure are good. A couple cherries added to the center make them even better; if that's possible.

Lava Cakes with Cherries
Makes 4
Printable Recipe

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2 whole eggs
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup flour
8 maraschino cherries - well drained

Grease 4 custard cups - 3/4 cup capacity and pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F. Melt butter and chocolate together and stir until smooth. Cool slightly. Beat eggs and yolk with vanilla; add to cooled chocolate and blend well. Stir in flour. Divide evenly between custard cups. Gently push 2 maraschino cherries into the center of each cake. Bake for 13 to 14 minutes. Loosen gently with a thin knife and upturn onto a plate. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar.