Dulce De Leche Cheesecake Bars

We all have those things that we have to have in the kitchen at all times.  For most bloggers, that item usually falls under a certain ingredient.  However, for people that do not cook, it is some type of choice food, beverage or sauce.

Whatever the choice may be, some will always perceive it as being strange. I heard of someone with a whole refrigerator drawer full of bouillon cubes.  That one, I think would probably fall into the strange category by many!  The latest I have come across inspired me to make this particular dessert.

Even though the dessert is made out of Dulce de Leche, it is not exactly what my friend requires to be in the kitchen at all times.  They must have the so called "magic shell" topping for ice cream, caramel flavor, of course.  I do like caramel, but the magic shell is not something that comes to mind when I think of caramel. However, dulce de leche always does.

Anyhow, on to the recipe.  The flavor of dulce de leche can be found in the cheesecake batter as well as the top layer of this dessert.  Besides the tasty double caramel flavor, the bars are a better way to go when serving a crowd.  You get all the taste of cheesecake without as much guilt as a 3 inch thick slice of a standard cheesecake....Oh and as for my friend who enjoyed the bars, they continue to stay in the foods of convenience area-which includes the magic shell.

Dulce de Leche Cheesecake Bars
adapted from Bon Appetit June 2010 Issue

Ingredients/Crust
1 1/4 sticks or 1/2 cup plus 2 tbs butter
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 tbs sugar

Ingredients/Filling
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs
24 oz of cream cheese (3-8 oz pkgs)
1/2 cup dulce de leche
1 cup sugar

Ingredients/Glaze
3 tbs heavy whipping cream
2/3 cup dulce de leche

Prepare a 9X13 inch pan by coating the interior with a non stick spray.  Then preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  For the crust, stir together all the dry ingredients until evenly mixed.  Place the butter in a saucepan over low heat or a microwave safe dish and melt it. Once completely melted,  pour it into the dry ingredients.  Mix until all the crumbs are coated with the butter.  The crumbs will easily clump together.  Empty the mixture into the center of the prepared pan.  Press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan, making sure it evenly covers the bottom interior of the pan.  Bake for about 10 minutes. It should have a golden hue when done.  Place pan on rack and let cool completely.

For the filling, beat together the cream cheese and sugar.  A hand mixer or food processor working for about 1 minute should thoroughly blend the two together.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and then beat in each egg (one at a time).  Spoon in the dulce de leche and add the vanilla extract to the batter.  Beat for about 10 seconds until the additions are evenly distributed throughout the batter.  Spoon the batter over the crust, and spread until even.

Place pan in oven and bake for about 38 minutes.  The center will be set and the edges will be cracked once the bars are done baking.  Place pan on rack and let cool completely.

The topping starts out with heating together the dulce de leche and cream.  One option is to heat the mixture in a microwave in 30 second intervals, mixing with a spoon at the end of each interval. The other option is to melt the mixture together in a saucepan on low heat.  Once melted, the glaze should be pourable, if not, more cream is needed.  Add just one tsp of cream and then test its pourability. Continue with that process until you reach the correct consistency.  The variance of the cream can be attributed to the different brands of dulce de leche on the market.  Pour the glaze over the cheesecake and refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour prior to cutting and serving.  For storing this dessert, cover pan and place in refrigerator.

Tips and Notes:
1. Dessert can be prepared 2 days ahead
2. Recipe recommends that the pan of bars be cut into 4 strips by 6 strips
3. Suggestion made to sprinkle each bar with sea salt.
                                **LAST YEAR:Rum Raisin Almond Tart**

Chocolate Caramel Sandwich Cookies

I really do not make sandwich cookies all that often.  I believe it is the time factor.  My attitude is that if you are going bake something that requires a lot of time, make sure that the results are well worth it. 

These proved to be a worthwhile endeavor.  You will not find this type of cookie sitting on the grocery shelf, which makes it unusual. The flavors and textures really compliment each other.  Between the crumbly rich chocolate of the cookie and the buttery chewy caramel, these bite size morsels really do hit the spot.

This recipe states that it makes 30 cookies, but for some reason I ended up with nearly double that amount.


Chocolate Caramel Sandwich Cookies
adapted from Bon Appetit/Nov 2010 issue

Ingredients/Caramel
1/4 cup butter (cut into cubes)
2 1/4 cup of sugar
1 tbs light corn syrup
1/3 cup of honey
2 tbs vanilla extract or a lengthwise split vanilla bean
1 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Ingredients/Cookie
1 cup plus 1 tbs sugar
2/3 cup natural cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups of flour
1 egg
3/4 cup or 1 1/2 sticks of butter
1/4 tsp salt

Prepare an 8X8 square cake pan by brushing oil on the interior of the pan.  Then line the bottom with parchment paper and brush the surface of the paper with oil as well.

To make the caramel, fill a medium size saucepan with the sugar, cream, honey and corn syrup.  If using vanilla bean, scrape the seeds into the mixture.  Place pan over medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves.  Increase the heat and stop stirring.  Using a candy thermometer as a gauge, let the mixture come to a boil and cook until it registers about 250 degrees.  This should take about 8 minutes.

Remove pan from heat and add butter.  If using vanilla extract, add it at this time.  Stir until butter is completely melted and mixture is smooth.  Pour into prepared cake pan.  Let caramel cool completely.

While that is cooling, the cookies can be made.  Sift together flour, salt and cocoa powder in one bowl.  In another bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add the egg and beat for 15 seconds and then scrape down sides of bowl.  Beat for an additional 15 seconds.  Using a wooden spoon or spatula, fold in the sifted ingredients.

Form the dough into a flat disc and cover with plastic wrap.  Place in refrigerator for 30 minutes. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Once the dough has chilled, roll out to a 1/4 inch thickness and cut out rounds using a 1 1/2 inch  cookie cutter.  Place each round 1 inch apart on cookie sheet.  Bake cookies for about 12 minutes.  They should have a firm center when done.  Remove baked cookies from pan and place on rack to cool. Repeat the process until all the dough has been converted to cooled cookies.

Invert caramel filled pan onto smooth clean surface.  Peel off parchment paper.  Take a 1 inch round cutter and cut out caramel disks.  Place each disk on the bottom side of a cookie and top with an additional cookie, with bottom side facing caramel.  Press lightly and repeat process until all cookies are sandwiched together.
                           **Last Year: Maui Pine Cream Pie**

 

Caramel Apple Cakes

I decided this go around I wanted to do a project, not just a regular cake.  I had saved this recipe a few years back from a Disney website but never made it. That site actually has some pretty cool crafty ideas for cupcakes as well as cakes.  This particular recipe was actually for one giant cake.  I made this with a mini ball pan instead and it made about 8 cakes.

The cake part is a spice applesauce cake.  The taste is wonderful and the aroma when baking was enough to make anybody hungry.  This would be a good cake, even if you did not want to got to all the trouble to make the "caramel apple look".  The cakes are covered with caramel and rolled in finely chopped walnuts. I used a specialty caramel-Celtic Sea Salt.  It was not packed with salt, but every once in a while a bite would yield a salty, crystal crunch.

I have listed the original cake recipe for the large caramel apple cake as well as instructions for the mini cakes. I did have a lot of fun making them!.  Also, I finished off my baking session by eating the cut out slice from the one mini cake above, which was the perfect ending to a day in kitchen!  We have visitors coming this evening, so the cakes will be served then.  I have included some helpful tips at the end of this recipe should you decide to make these.


Caramel Apple Cake
adapted from Family Fun Go website 

Special Equipment:
1 ball cake pan  or  2 oven safe 1 1/2 quart bowls (2 mini ball pans)
1 large craft stick (1 package of lollipop sticks)

Ingredients/Cake
2 cups unsweetened applesauce
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp salt
3 1/2 cups flour

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour the top edge as well as the cavities of your pans.

Sift together the cinnamon, allspice, baking soda, cloves, salt and flour.  Set aside.  In another bowl, beat together the eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, applesauce and vegetable oil until smooth.  Fold in the sifted ingredients.

For the mini ball pans, fill  cavities 2/3 full and bake for about 18-22 minutes.  For the big cake, bake for 60-70 minutes.  Cakes will be done when tester comes out clean.

Once the cake is done and removed from oven, let cool in pan for 10 minutes.  Then invert onto cooling rack and let cool completely.  Then trim the flat sides of cake or cakes so the two pieces match together, forming a ball.

Ingredients/Topping
3/4 cup finely chopped toasted walnuts
60 caramel candies
2 tbs water

In a microwave safe bow, place unwrapped caramels and add the water.  Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval for about one and a half minutes. The mixture should drip off of a spoon.

Place about a tablespoon of caramel in the middle of  8 of the mini cakes or 1/4 cup in the middle of one half for the large cake. Place 1 sheet of wax paper on a flat surface for the large cake and 2 sheets for the minis. Place cake or cakes on top of one sheet.  Spoon the warm caramel over the top, letting it drip down the sides.  Continue until all is covered except for the part directly on top of the wax paper.  Wait 20 minutes for the caramel to cool on the large cake and then scatter nuts along the bottom half of the large cake.  If making minis, let cool for 10 minutes and scoop with a spatula.  Then roll the bottom half of the cakes in the nuts to coat.  Place mini cakes back on clean sheet of wax paper.

Cover the large craft stick with wax paper and insert into top center of the cake.  For the mini's insert one lollipop stick into top center of each cake.

To serve, mini cakes, have guests remove stick and cut with a knife to eat.  The large cake, just remove stick and cut slices.  Each slice should be split again from the top or bottom half of the cake, unless you want to serve long half moon slices.

Tips:
Do not use the center stick to move the cake, it will not hold.
Cooling time is crucial on the caramel, you want the nuts to stick but not to drip off with the caramel
Excess caramel will be on the wax paper.  To create less waste, scoop and re-heat to pour over cake or cakes again.
Since the bottom half of the cake is round, you may have to spoon the caramel to get that part all coated.
The best way to plate these and also help in moving them from one place to another is to take a jumbo muffin paper and cut about an inch off the top and place one cake on top.  Also you can just take a standard cupcake paper and fan it open.

                  **LAST YEAR::Peanut Butter Pretzel Cookies**
 

Banana Nut and Dulce De Leche Coffeecake

I know, there is nothing here that says Valentines.  However in my defense, I have to say I had a few festive posts last week. Also me and the hubs already had a nice intimate celebration on Saturday, so even though it has not passed by on the calendar, Valentine's day has already ended for me.

This particular recipe I am very pleased with.  The cake part is fluffy and moist, bursting with banana flavor.  To add to that, there is crunchy pecan streusel on top that is finalized with a drizzling of dulce de leche.  The best way to enjoy this is served slightly warm. Cold or cool Dulce de Leche just does not have the save flavor effect on the cake as it does warmed.

Also, I wanted to give a shout out of thanks to The Purple Spoon for recently passing on the Liebster award to me.  I have been given this award a time or two but it always gives me a feeling of honor as well as happiness.  This particular blogger is involved in catering wedding events and is a specialty dessert wholesaler.  All of her talent is definitely reflected in her blogging as well.  A few of the treasures I found on her site are the Butterfinger Brownie Bars and the Lime Blackberry Meringue Cupcakes.  I am sure you are bound to find something inspiring on her site, so stop on over and meet The Purple Spoon.

Banana Nut and Dulce De Leche Coffee Cake
adapted from Southern Living

Ingredients
2 eggs
1 cup mashed bananas
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tbs vanilla extract
3/4 cup butter, softened and cut into cubes
1/4 cup of butter, softened and cut into cubes
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 3/4 cup of flour
1 cup toasted chopped pecans
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 (13.4 oz) can of Dulce de Leche

Prepare a 9X13 inch pan by greasing and lining the bottom and two long sides (with overhang) with parchment paper.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Sift together 2 1/4 cups of the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Then stir in the granulated sugar until evenly distributed.   Using a pastry cutter, blend 3/4 cup of the cubed butter into the flour mixture.  Set aside.

In another bowl, whisk together eggs, mashed banana, vanilla extract and sour cream together.  Then fold into flour mixture, making sure no dry streaks remain.  Do not over mix.  Spoon batter into prepared pan and smooth it out so the batter is even.

In a small bowl, stir together remaining 1/2 cup of flour with the brown sugar.  Then cut in the last of the butter chunks (1/4 cup) with a pastry cutter until no dry ingredients remain.  Then blend in pecans, using clean hands or a fork.  Your mixture should resemble large clumps. Sprinkle streusel mixture evenly over batter.

Place Dulce de Leche in a microwave safe bowl.  Heat in microwave for about a minute, stopping and stirring about every 30 seconds.  Continue with that process until it reaches drizzling consistency.  I had a hard time getting it to that stage, so after about 2 minutes I just put it into a squirt bottle.  Drizzle or squirt warmed mixture on top of the streusel.

Place in oven and bake until a tester (poked into section that has no Dulce de Leche on top) comes out clean. Streusel topping should have just started to brown  Baking time is about 35-38 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool in pan 5 minutes.  Then pull cake out of pan with overlapping parchment paper and place on flat surface.  Cut quickly with a sharp knife dipped in hot water.  Knife should be cleaned and re-dipped at cutting intervals because of the sticky topping.  Serve warm. 
                 **LAST YEAR: Loca Luna's Turtle Cake**

Sticky Fingers Cupcakes

Well, I have inquired with Google regarding the fact that my blog is blocking Foodbuzz from comments and am still waiting on an answer. Thanks to all the patient people that have taken the extra step to go into my website to comment.  I am having to do the same thing when I need to post a comment on some google blogs.  The only thing I can think of is that it may be linked to the fact that my blog was a private blog at the start and then converted to public.

Anyway, on to the main subject matter of this post.  These cupcakes are a blend of apple,caramel and spices.  I wanted a cupcake with some caramel flavor but I did not want to try to incorporate caramel into the batter, so I used powdered vanilla caramel creamer.  The cake part came out light and flavorful.  The topping is made of pure caramel, just like the caramel on an apple, so it is a little sticky-hence the name of the cupcakes.

These flavors are a little off season for summer, but I will probably pull this recipe out and make again, once it gets closer to Halloween.

As usual, most recipes are guidelines, but there are two important things that are must do in this recipe.  Both the powdered creamer and the baking soda cannot be part of the sifted ingredients.  They each have to be mixed with water to dissolve and added in the batter as stated.  Otherwise the cupcakes will be chalky and you will be able to taste the baking soda.  This recipe makes 1 dz cupcakes.

Sticky Fingers Cupcakes
by flourtrader

Ingredients/ Cupcakes
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup of cooked chopped, peeled and cored apples**
1 egg (room temp)
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup shortening
2 tbs plus 1 1/2 tsp powdered vanilla caramel creamer
1/2 cup water (for creamer)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp water (for soda)

Ingredients/ Topping
1-- 11 oz bag of  caramel bits or caramels

First, prepare a cupcake pan by greasing the top edge of the cavities and lining with cupcake papers.  Then preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Take the chopped apples and place in a food processor and pulse about 10 times.  This will result in a thick mass of apple chunks, but it will be drier than a puree because there is no addition of water to the apples. Set aside.

Take out 2 small bowls.  In one bowl, stir together the powdered creamer and the 1/2 cup of water.  In the second bowl, mix 1 teaspoon of water with the baking soda. Set both aside.

With an electric mixer, cream together shortening and sugar until it becomes light and fluffy.  Beat in the egg. Then add the cooked apples.  Beat for about 30 seconds on medium speed and then add the creamer/water mixture and stir until blended into the batter.

In another bowl, sift together the flour and all the spices.  Fold into the batter until no more dry streaks remain.  Then, give the baking soda/water mixture one last stir and mix into the batter.

Scoop batter into cupcake liners, filling one dozen evenly.  The liners will be full.

Bake  for 25-30 minutes or until tester comes out clean.  Remove and let cool in pan for 2 minutes and then transfer to rack to finish cooling.

After cupcakes have cooled, take out a saucepan and melt caramels with 2 tablespoons of water, stirring constantly.  These were the directions on the caramel bits package, other caramels may have different directions for making the caramel for caramel apples.

Once the caramel is melted, remove from heat and let cool a few minutes.  Place a sheet of wax paper under the cooling rack. Then dip the top of the cooled cupcakes into the caramel, making sure that the top is not over coated. Let some of the caramel drip off  and spin it a little before you sit it upright, or you will have caramel dripping everywhere. Place the cupcake right side up on the rack for the topping to set up.  That should take 20-30 minutes and then they are ready to serve.

**I had one large granny smith apple that I used. I cooked the pieces in the microwave for about 3 minutes until fork tender and then placed bowl in the fridge to cool.