Salted Caramel Cupcakes

As featured on: http://www.kategowing.blogspot.co.uk/
and: http://www.jimmerickstheblog.blogspot.co.uk/

As this is someone else's recipe that we haven't made any significant changes to, We are going to link the posts where the recipes for the cupcakes, icing and caramel can be found on Kate's blog - it really is worth a looking at anyhow - and we will just pop a few of the pics that we took of our finished products below. It honestly is an amazing recipe, and is so easy to make - the caramel was surprisingly easy to whip up also, especially for such a useful and delicious ingredient.

The caramel can be used for so many different things: coffee, cakes, ice cream topping etc.

So, go and have a look at Kate's Blog! Thanks!

Kate's Blog 
Her Salted Caramel Recipe
Her Cupcakes and icing recipe

Our Cupcakes:

Mini Chocolate Fudgecakes

Indulge yourself with these rich, moist, treats!

Ingredients:
200g Butter
200g Bourneville Chocolate
200g light soft brown sugar
2 eggs
1tsp vanilla extract
250g self-raising flour
Smarties and chopped up pieces of fudge to decorate

Icing:
200g Bourneville Chocolate
100ml Double Cream
50g Icing Sugar

Method:
Preheat the oven to 150°c/Gas mark 3
1. Line a 12 hole muffin tray with cupcake cases.
2. Gently melt butter, chocolate, sugar and 100ml hot water together in a saucepan, stirring occasionally, then set aside to cool.
3. Stir eggs and vanilla into chocolate mixture. Put flour in a large mixing bowl, then stir in chocolate mixture, till smooth.
4. Spoon equally into cases, then set aside for 5 mins before putting on a low shelf in the oven. Bake for 20-22mins. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

Icing Method:
1. Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Once melted, turn off the heat, slowly stir in the double cream and sift in the icing sugar.
2. When spreadable, top each cake with some of the icing and decorate with smarties and fudge.

White Chocolate Fondue

There are so many different things that you could do with this recipe - the possibilities are endless! If you were to take the 'Halloween Themed' approach, you could even find a large pumpkin and serve in a bowl that will fit inside the pumpkin for the ultimate table show-stopper at a Halloween party!

Ingredients:

3/4 cup double/whipping cream

12 oz white chocolate, chopped

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method:

1. Heat the cream in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat until hot, about 2 to 3 minutes.

2. When hot, add the chocolate and stir until it is just

melted and smooth. Stir in vanilla. Transfer to a warm fondue pot.

3. Serve with your choices of fresh strawberries, bananas, apple wedges, pound cake, ladyfingers, and biscotti. Serves 6 or more.

Variations:

At Halloween/Autumn - try adding a splash of orange food colouring and perhaps a little orange flavouring in the place of the vanilla, for a pumpkin colour-inspired Halloween mess!
At Easter - try adding a dash of pink or pastel yellow food colouring for that baby-pastel coloured Easter time colour theme!
At Christmas - substitute 2 to 3 tablespoons of kirsch, brandy, rum, or orange liqueur for the vanilla. You could even add a little pinch of cinnamon or a quick zesting of a fresh Clementine for that exceptionally distinct Christmas taste!