Will You Be My Bridesmaid Cupcakes

These pretty cupcakes served very special purpose - the bride gave these to her bridesmaids-to-be.

Jumbo Chocolate Cupcakes with a chocolate ganache filling and salted caramel swiss meringue buttercream.  The topper is made of fondant and was sprayed with edible luster paint.

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Filling

These cupcakes are for serious chocolate lovers! A moist, rich dark chocolate cupcake is filled with salted caramel and topped with a whipped chocolate buttercream.

Whipped Chocolate Buttercream

will frost 12 cupcakes

1 stick butter, softened

3 oz chocolate chips, melted & cooled (I used a mix of semi sweet & dark chocolate)

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups powdered sugar

In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the butter for 5 minutes on medium speed, until light and fluffy. Make sure to scrape down the bowl as needed. With the mixer on low, add in the powdered sugar and mix until combined. Add the vanilla, and once combined, add the melted chocolate. Mix on medium for another 2 minutes, scraping the sides down once, until light and fluffy. This is a great piping buttercream!

Caramel Apple Pie Cupcakes

These cupcakes are for serious apple lovers.  They're especially wonderful in the fall, but are just as delicious in the winter.  Each element of this cupcake is really special on it's own, so when they're all combined into one dessert, it's bound to me amazing!

The cupcake is made with a fresh apple cake batter with nice chunks of apple throughout.  The filling is a homemade mulled apple cider jam, with hints of cinnamon and citrus.  Sliky salted caramel Swiss meringue buttercream tops the cupcake, adding a buttery, caramel flavor without too much sweet.  Finally, a drizzle of salted caramel tops off the whole creation.

Mulled Apple Cider Jam
1 1/4 firm apples (approx. 3), such as Granny Smith or Gala
1 cup water
2 2-inch strips of lemon peel
2 2-inch strips of orange peel
1 1/2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 2-inch cinnamon stick
2 whole cloves
pinch of fresh grated nutmeg
7 oz granulated sugar (approx. 1 cup)

Core & peel the apples and cut into 1/2 inch chunks.  You need about 1 lb chopped apples.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine apples, water, lemon peel, orange peel, lemon juice, cinnamon stick, cloves, and nutmeg.  Bring to a boil, cover, and then simmer until apples are tender, about 5 minutes.

Add sugar and continue to cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Mash the apples and cook until mixture is clear and very thick while stirring frequently, about 20-25 minutes.  The mixture should register 215 degrees on a thermometer.  Cool at room temperature.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks.
Recipe from Form V Artisan

Canadian Butter Tarts

These are arguably my favorite Christmas "cookie".  They're really not a cookie, but more like mini buttery caramel pies that everyone loves.  They are a little tricky to bake, because more often than not the filling bubbles over, but they're still worth it!

Canadian Butter Tarts
yield 2 dozen mini tarts
1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup currants or nuts
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 Tbsp cream
1 tsp vanilla
1 batch pastry

Use a circle cutter to cut the pastry and press down gently into a mini muffin pan.  Mix the ingredients, and place a tablespoon of the filling into the pastry.  Bake at 400 degrees for 5 minutes, then reduce to 325 degrees and bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Southern Comfort Caramel Apple Pie

The Perfect Apple Pie recipe I posted last week was a delicious and simple apple pie.  This apple pie was on a whole other level.  The apples are cooked in cinnamon, caramel & southern comfort and then topped with a brown sugar & pecan streusel.  The apples are perfectly cooked, not mushy, while the streusel is nice and crunchy.

This will be making a presence at my Thanksgiving Dinner table.  Check out my Holiday Treats ordering page to order one for yourself!

Recipe from Ezra Pound Cake

Apple Cider Caramels

Caramel & apple are two of my favorite fall flavors (if you haven't guessed by now!).  I found these yummy treats on on Pinterest & they were the perfect answer to some leftover apple cider.

These tasty little treats were bursting with favor & were thoroughly enjoyed.  Everyone was impressed with how much of the apple cider flavor came through.  They are a perfect fall treat!

Apple Cider Caramels
Recipe from Our Best Bites 

2 cup high-quality apple cider 
1 cup heavy cream or whipping cream, divided
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup real butter, cubed

- Pour cider into a medium saucepan and boil on high for about 20 minutes or until the cider is reduced to 1/3 c. Keep an eye on it...it might try to run away. Set aside to cool.
- Line an 8" square pan with parchment paper, making sure to leave about 1" hanging over the edges for easy removal. Coat with a bit of vegetable oil and set aside. 
- In a small bowl, combine 2/3 c. cream, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and reduced apple cider. Set aside.
- In a large, heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, 1/3 c. whipping cream + enough water to reach the 1/2 c. line on the measuring cup, and corn syrup. Cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Insert the candy thermometer and simmer until the syrup reaches 234 degrees.
- Remove from heat and slowly whisk in the cream mixture. Add the cubed butter and stir until the cream and butter are fully incorporated. Return the pan to heat and re-insert the candy thermometer. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until the temperature reaches 248 degrees.
- Remove from heat and pour the caramel into the prepared pan. Let the mixture cool completely at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Cut the caramels into 1/2" squares and wrap each caramel in wax paper.

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Pie

If there is only room for one dessert on your holiday table, this should be it!

A graham cracker crust, filled with a layer of caramel and pecans, topped with a layer of apples sauteed with brown sugar & cinnamon, and a layer of creamy cheesecake.  Whipped cream, a drizzle of caramel & a sprinkle of pecans add the finishing touch to this delicious dessert.

Want one for Thanksgiving?  Check out my Holiday Treats page for ordering information.

Recipe from Annie's Eats

Salted Caramel Mocha Cupcakes

Next in the lineup of fall cupcakes is the Salted Caramel Mocha cupcake.  It also happens to be another favorite fall coffee drink of mine :)

This is a delicious chocolate coffee cupcake, filled with salted caramel, and topped with a salted caramel Swiss meringue buttercream.  I finished it off with a drizzle of salted caramel and some chunky sugar for texture.

Recipe by Bakingdom

Gourmet Caramel Apples

Caramel Apples are totally impressive & not quite as difficult to make as you'd think!  I wanted to share these Caramel Apples I made:

They're kind of like a Samoa (or Caramel Delite) apple - caramel, toasted coconut, mini chocolate chips, candied pecans & a drizzle of chocolate.

The beauty of caramel apples is that you can make them however you want to suit your tastes.  I also made some with mini M&Ms that I didn't get a picture of, but they were super colorful & fun!

Tips to make the process as easy as possible:

• Have all your toppings ready before you start to dip.
• Work quickly, one apple at a time.  Dip, then apply toppings right away.
• Place finished apples on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Beware of wax paper!
• Let the caramel set up for several hours before you move them around.