An autumn bake-off – balsamic and caramel

Some of you might remember our first bake-off last year, a tricky challenge with pumpkin, ginger and marshmallows as the hero ingredients. For those who don’t, basically a fellow food enthusiast (and awesome baker) friend of mine Susannah (more about Susannah and her lovely cake shop at the end of the post) and I name a list of seasonal sweet ingredients and then randomly pick two on which to base a recipe.

This time we picked balsamic vinegar and caramel and the recipes we came up with were pretty different – balsamic caramel apple popcorn and caramel cupcakes with balsamic-soaked feijoas.  What do you think?!

Balsamic caramel apple popcorn

In this scene: Green spotty paper cups

Caramel cupcakes with balsamic-soaked feijoas

Balsamic caramel apple popcorn

1 x 85g bag microwave popcorn (cheating I know! but you are welcome to make your own with vege oil in a saucepan)

1 cup chopped dried apple
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans

125g butter, chopped

3/4 cup caster sugar

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

pinch sea salt flakes

Line a large baking tray with baking paper. Cook popcorn according to manufacturers instructions. Tip into a large bowl, add the apple and pecans and set aside.

Combine butter, sugar, honey and balsamic in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Bring to the boil. Cook, without stirring, for 5 minutes or until the caramel mixtures thickens slightly and changes colour to a darker brown.

Pour caramel mixture over popcorn and stir until well coated. This can take a minute or two. Spread over prepared tray. Sprinkle with sea salt. Set aside to cool. Break into pieces to serve.

Serves 8

oOo I don’t recommend making this (or any caramel really) in wet or really humid weather as it makes the caramel a bit soft.

Caramel cupcakes with balsamic-soaked feijoas

For the balsamic-soaked feijoas
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup peeled and chopped feijoas (you can use strawberries if you can’t get feijoas)
For the cupcakes
45g unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup caster sugar
1 egg
1 cup plain flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
pinch salt
1/2 cup milk
For the caramel
1 cup  caster sugar
1/2 cup cold water
1 cup cream
For the buttercream
2 cups icing sugar
80g unsalted butter
45ml caramel (from ingredients above) + extra to drizzle
15ml milk

To make the balsamic-soaked feijoas, place balsamic vinegar and brown sugar in a bowl and stir until sugar dissolves. Add feijoas (or strawberries if using) and leave to soak for at least 30 minutes.

To make the cupcakes, preheat oven to 170°C (conventional). Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases. Cream butter and sugar until pale, then add egg. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt and add alternately with the milk until combined. Drain feijoas and reserve the liquid. Place a few pieces of feijoa in the bottom of each case and fill to 3/4 full with the cupcake batter. Bake for 20 mins or until a skewer comes out clean. While the cupcakes are still warm, drizzle half a teaspoon of the reserved balsamic soaking liquid over each cupcake.  Place on a wire rack to cool.

To make the caramel, place the sugar and water in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat and stir continuously until dissolved. Stop stirring and bring to the boil. Do not stir at all once boiling as it will crystallise. Continue boiling for about 10 minutes or until sugar reaches hard boil stage and is a dark golden colour. Remove from heat and gradually whisk in cream as it will spit up. Keep whisking – it may appear lumpy but it will become smooth. Set aside to cool.

To make the buttercream, beat all ingredients together with electric beaters on high speed for 2-3 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Pipe buttercream onto each cupcake and drizzle with extra caramel.

oOo If you have any remaining feijoas or caramel, they can be stored in an airtight container int he fridge for a few days. And they are both delicious on top of vanilla ice cream!

About Susannah

Susannah is an awesome baker and a mum of two living in Auckland, NZ. She has a boutique cake business called the Cockle Bay Bake Shop through which she creates irresistible home-baked cupcakes and celebration cakes. Freshly baked to order, all her cakes are made with the finest ingredients and are topped with delicious whipped buttercream frosting (or whatever kind you like!). Susannah’s cakes and cupcakes are perfect for any occasion – birthdays, baby showers, hen’s parties, afternoon teas.