caramel

Caramel-Bacon Spice Cake

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Daily Special: Caramel-Bacon Spice Cake! For the sweet and savory child inside all of us, this recipe takes the cake. It is a combination of salty, sugary, and spicy…in every bite. Your mouth will think you’re at the circus being stimulated by all the contrasting flavors! Amazingly, they come together with moist results. Hop on board and take a ride with this incredible treat. 

CARAMEL-BACON SPICE CAKE

Ingredients for Cake:

1 1/4 cups flour

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon all spice

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 cup milk

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla 

1/3 cup butter

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl. Set aside. In a medium bowl beat eggs, milk, and vanilla until blended. Set aside. Using a mixer, cream butter until light and fluffy. On low speed, slowly alternate the egg mixture and the dry mixture until well blended. Pour batter into a greased 9″x13″ pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until a pick comes out clean. 

Bacon-Caramel Frosting:

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups powdered sugar

2 ounces bacon bits 

In a medium saucepan, mix brown sugar, milk, and butter. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Let cool for 15 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add powdered sugar and beat until creamy. It should be thick enough to spread on the cake. Top with crisp, crumbled bacon. 

Banana Bottom Parfaits

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Daily Special: Banana Bottom Parfaits! Three cheers for a dessert that will make everyone smile. It’s light and creamy with a touch of sweetness, and a fruit finish that has you pushing back from the table and saying, “Ahhhhh!” Whether you choose a mini shot-glass portion or a stemmed goblet, the presentation on this dessert is rated 5-star, according to my husband. 

BANANA BOTTOM PARFAITS

Ingredients:

Shortbread cookies, broken into pieces*

1 box 3.4 ounce Banana Cream Instant Pudding

2 cups cold milk

3/4 cup Cool Whip Whipped topping 

2 bananas, peeled and sliced

Carmel Pecan Topping (see recipe below)

Toasted Coconut for Garnish

French Vanilla Cookie Straws

* I used Kauai Kookie Banzai bite-sized cookies. 

Instructions:

Crush shortbread cookies into coarse crumbs. Using a hand mixer, beat pudding mix and milk in medium bowl for 2 minutes. Fold in whipped topping. Reserve 4 banana slices for garnish. Between the dessert dishes, layer a few banana slices in the bottom of each parfait glass. Add a spoonful of caramel sauce. Next layer the shortbread pieces.  Carefully spoon in the banana pudding, making sure the layers remain separated. Repeat layers ending with pudding on top.  Refrigerate 15 minutes or longer. Before serving, sprinkle with toasted coconut, garnish with one banana slice, and a cookie straw. 

Hint: To prevent sliced bananas from turning brown, toss them with lemon juice. Pat bananas dry with paper towel before using.  

Pecan Caramel Sauce

Ingredients:

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup half and half

1 teaspoon vanilla 

3 teaspoons Crown Royal

Pinch of sea salt

1/4 cup pecans, chopped

Instructions:

Mix all ingredients except pecans, in a 2-quart sauce pan over medium-low heat. Cook while gently stirring 5-7 minutes, or until thicker. Turn off heat. Add pecans. Pour into jar. Store in refrigerator. 

Dulce de Leche Turtle Bars

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Cheerful Choices: Dulce de Leche Turtle Bars! So today we learn that Dulce de Leche is another name for slow-cooked caramelized milk. And before you scroll down, I assure you it’s one of the easiest toppings you’ll ever make, and certainly worth your time. It’s Heaven in a jar….lusciously sweet and creamy. However, if you make it too far in advance, the most difficult challenge will come when you get the urge to dip a spoon into the jar to drizzle the decadent sauce over a scoop of ice cream. I know what you’re thinking…..but, Gail, it’s only one spoonful. Amirite? Don’t do it. Otherwise you’ll need another can of sweetened condensed milk for these turtle bars.

DULCE DE LECHE TURTLE BARS

Ingredients for the Crust:

2 cups flour

1/3 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup butter, softened

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Ingredients for the Toppings:

1 1/4 cups Dulce de Leche*

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

2 large egg yolks

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate morsels

3/4 cup pecans, chopped

*NOTE:

Dulce de Leche must be made in advance. Preheat oven to 425°. Pour a 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk into a 9” pie pan. (This will equal 1 1/4 cups.) Cover with foil. Carefully place the pie pan into a larger shallow pan. Fill the larger pan with 1/2” hot water to surround the pie pan. Bake 2 hours or until sauce is thick and caramel in color. Remove larger pan from oven. Carefully remove the pie pan; set aside for 15 minutes to cool. Pour Dulce de Leche into a jar until ready to use. Store in the refrigerator, if made days in advance.

Instructions for the Crust:

Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 9” square baking dish with parchment paper, leaving extra over the edges for easier removal of the dessert. Spray the parchment paper with nonstick oil. Set aside. Using a mixing bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, butter, and sea salt. Stir well until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press mixture into the bottom of prepared pan. Bake 20 minutes. Remove pan from oven; allow to cool for 5 minutes.

Instructions for the Toppings:

In a mixing bowl, combine Dulce de Leche, heavy whipping cream, egg yolks, and vanilla extract. Stir well; pour mixture over crust. Sprinkle chocolate morsels and chopped pecans over filling. Bake 20 minutes, or until set. Remove pan from oven. Cool completely before cutting onto bars.

Eagle Brand Caramel Rum Sauce

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Delicious Holiday Foods: Eagle Brand Caramel Rum Sauce! For caramel-lovers all over the world, this recipe can be your legacy. It’s rich, it’s thick, it’s buttery, and it’s laced with a hint of dark rum that gets the party started. Take a moment to tick off the countless ways you can drizzle caramel sauce over food. Spread it on toast, then sprinkle with cinnamon. Add it to coffee for a smooth latte. Turn it into an apple dip coated with salted peanuts. Whip it into pudding or smoothies. Top off a bowl of ice cream. You get the idea. If your imagination stalls out, simply dip a teaspoon into the jar and enjoy the caramel sauce all by itself.

EAGLE BRAND CARAMEL RUM SAUCE

Ingredients:

14-ounce can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk

2 tablespoons dark rum

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425°. Pour sweetened condensed milk into a 9-inch pie plate. Cover with foil. Carefully place the pie plate into a shallow pan. Fill the larger pan with 1/2 inch hot water. It will surround the pie plate. Bake 2 hours or until sauce is thick and caramel in color. Remove larger pan from oven. Take the pie plate out; remove foil and pour caramel into a large bowl. Using a hand mixer, beat on LOW speed for one minute. Add dark rum and vanilla extract. Continue beating on LOW speed until liquid is blended. Increase speed to HIGH for one minute longer. Caramel will appear smooth and creamy. Cool 15 minutes before serving. Store in the refrigerator.

Dulce De Leche Turtle Bars

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Cheerful Choices: Dulce de Leche Turtle Bars! So today we learn that Dulce de Leche is another name for slow-cooked caramelized milk. And before you scroll down, I assure you it’s one of the easiest toppings you’ll ever make, and certainly worth your time. It’s Heaven in a jar….lusciously sweet and creamy. However, if you make it too far in advance, the most difficult challenge will come when you get the urge to dip a spoon into the jar to drizzle the decadent sauce over a scoop of ice cream. I know what you’re thinking…..but, Gail, it’s only one spoonful. Amirite? Don’t do it. Otherwise you’ll need another can of sweetened condensed milk for these turtle bars.

DULCE DE LECHE TURTLE BARS

Ingredients for the Crust:

2 cups flour

1/3 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup butter, softened

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Ingredients for the Toppings:

1 1/4 cups Dulce de Leche*

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

2 large egg yolks

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate morsels

3/4 cup pecans, chopped

*NOTE:

Dulce de Leche must be made in advance. Preheat oven to 425°. Pour a 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk into a 9” pie pan. (This will equal 1 1/4 cups.) Cover with foil. Carefully place the pie pan into a larger shallow pan. Fill the larger pan with 1/2” hot water to surround the pie pan. Bake 2 hours or until sauce is thick and caramel in color. Remove larger pan from oven. Carefully remove the pie pan; set aside for 15 minutes to cool. Pour Dulce de Leche into a jar until ready to use. Store in the refrigerator, if made days in advance.

Instructions for the Crust:

Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 9” square baking dish with parchment paper, leaving extra over the edges for easier removal of the dessert. Spray the parchment paper with nonstick oil. Set aside. Using a mixing bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, butter, and sea salt. Stir well until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press mixture into the bottom of prepared pan. Bake 20 minutes. Remove pan from oven; allow to cool for 5 minutes.

Instructions for the Toppings:

In a mixing bowl, combine Dulce de Leche, heavy whipping cream, egg yolks, and vanilla extract. Stir well; pour mixture over crust. Sprinkle chocolate morsels and chopped pecans over filling. Bake 20 minutes, or until set. Remove pan from oven. Cool completely before cutting onto bars.

Caramelized Plum Sauce

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? After the Holidays: Caramelized Plum Sauce! A plum is one of those fruits whose skin is incredibly tender and easy to bite into. It offers a slightly tart taste before the sweetness of the flesh engulfs your senses. When I was a teenager living in Nebraska along the Missouri River, I remember puttering along winding country roads in the grain belt on a late summer afternoon. The weather was hot and humid, so the windows were rolled down on the beat up 1962 Plymouth Valiant that had seen better days. An irritated cicada beetle was screeching from the glove box where my boyfriend had tossed it after seeing it land on the front seat. I turned my head away to look beyond the car’s front fender when I saw a small native tree bursting to its limit with sweet, ripe, purple plums. “Look!” I exclaimed pointing my index finger, “It’s just like the plums in the grocery store!”

CARAMELIZED PLUM SAUCE

Ingredients:

4 fresh plums, washed, sliced, and stones discarded

4 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons brown sugar

3 cinnamon sticks

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon raw honey

Instructions:

Cut stone fruit in half. Remove pits and slice into segments, leaving skin on. Set aside. In a large skillet, warm butter over medium heat. Do not scorch. Add brown sugar, cinnamon sticks, and raw honey. Stir. Bring to a simmer. Gradually add sliced plums; gently tossing to coat. Continue simmering for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Fruit will turn tender, not mushy. Remove pan from heat. Set aside to cool slightly. Spoon caramelized plum sauce over vanilla bean ice cream. Serve immediately. Once the sauce is cool, pour into a glass jar. Cover. Store in the refrigerator up to one month.

Unrivaled Chocolate Caramel Treats

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food Junkie Favorites: Unrivaled Chocolate Caramel Treats! Do you get weak in the knees over chocolate? You may be tempted once you taste this salty sweet confection. One little piece will have you rolling your eyes in delirium. The crust keeps this bar crunchy, kinda like a shortbread cookie. And the sea salt crystals form a balance that is unrivaled! This recipe has a few shortcuts, so it can be thrown together in a matter of minutes. No baking is required. Don’t hate me!

UNRIVALED CHOCOLATE CARAMEL TREATS

Ingredients:

Club crackers, whole

1 cup crushed Club crackers

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup coconut, flaked

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup butter, melted

16-ounce can of Chocolate Fudge Frosting

1/4 cup pecans, chopped

1 teaspoon sea salt crystals

Instructions:

Put one layer of whole Club crackers on the bottom of a 7″X11″ pan. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine brown sugar, coconut, milk, and melted butter. Boil ingredients for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; let cool. Form a layer of caramel mixture over crackers. Put another layer of Club crackers on top. Frost with canned frosting, sprinkle with pecans and sea salt crystals. Store in the refrigerator.

Judy’s Pumpkin Sea Salt Caramel Sauce

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Appetizers to Desserts: Judy’s Pumpkin Sea Salt Caramel Sauce! I always get excited when I receive the gift of food. My friend, Judy, thrilled me beyond measure when she shared this treat from her kitchen. It’s the perfect combination of sea salt caramel and pumpkin purée. It not only transforms a cup of coffee into a pumpkin spice addiction, but it also tastes incredible on a breakfast muffin. If you ask my husband, he’ll say you can eat it over ice cream by the spoonful.

JUDY’S PUMPKIN SEA SALT CARAMEL SAUCE

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon water

3/4 cup heavy cream, room temperature

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/3 cup pumpkin purée

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions:

In a 2-quart heavy-bottomed pan over medium-low heat, combine sugar and water. Bring to a boil, stirring often to avoid scorching. Continue cooking until sugar turns light amber in color and all sugar crystals have dissolved, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat. Add butter and mix well. Change utensils to a heat-resistant whisk and quickly whisk in the cream and pumpkin. Lastly, add cinnamon, nutmeg, sea salt, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth, removing all lumps. Transfer to a jar. Cool at room temperature, seal, and store in the refrigerator.

Yummy Salted Caramel Cookie Dough Bars

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Joy of Eating: Yummy Sea Salt Caramel Cookie Dough Bars! “Honestly, you had me at Salted Caramel”, someone exclaimed to me recently. If you crave chocolate or adore peanut butter, this dessert will grab your attention. Although its golden caramel layer is dotted with mounds of cookie dough infused with white and dark chocolate, underneath lies a layer of peanut butter, oats, and toffee bits. Oh my! You may need a scoop of natural ice cream on top just to cut the sweetness. Trust me when I say, “A little goes a long way!”

YUMMY SALTED CARAMEL COOKIE DOUGH BARS

Ingredients for Cookie Dough:

3/4 cup butter, unsalted

2 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup peanut butter, creamy

2 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla

2 cups flour

1 cup instant oats

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup white chocolate chips

1 cup toffee bits

Ingredients for Caramel Topping:

11 ounce bag of caramels

14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk

1/4 cup butter

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 9″x13″ pan with nonstick oil and line with parchment paper. Using a food processor, cream butter and sugar together. Add peanut butter and blend well. While running, add one egg at a time, thoroughly mixing in each egg. Add vanilla. In a small bowl, combine flour, oats, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add flour mixture to sugar mixture. Fold in chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, and toffee bits. Spread 2/3 of the dough on the bottom of the pan. Meanwhile, unwrap caramels and place in a saucepan with butter and sweetened condensed milk. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until caramels are fully melted. The mixture will be smooth. Slowly pour caramel sauce evenly over dough. Flatten the remaining 1/3 dough like a pancake, cut into squares, roll into balls, and drop randomly over caramel sauce. Bake for 30-40 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle coarse sea salt over all. Cool completely before cutting into bars.