Apple Cake with Caramel Glaze

Joshua, who brought a catalog along for his visit to Santa, knows exactly what he wants for Christmas. I hope Santa was taking notes!

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Earlier this week I had to make a cake for a morning coffee. I wanted to bake something that was seasonal, easy to make and just a little different than standard holiday fare. I found one in the book Southern Cakes, written by Nancie McDermott, that was exactly what I was looking for. I thought the cake would be too sweet for my own taste, but I knew others would love the apple and caramel confection. To my great surprise I found that I like it, too. The small piece I'd cut for myself was delicious and the caramel glaze that covered the top of the cake was amazingly good. The cake is definitely a keeper and, if you have not tried it, I hope you will soon. Here's the recipe.

Apple Cake with Caramel Glaze...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, inspired by Nancie McDermott

Ingredients:
Cake
3 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups finely chopped apples
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts
Brown Sugar Glaze
1 cup tightly packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons heavy cream

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13 x 9-inch pan. Set aside.
2) Combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Stir with a fork to mix everything together well.
3) In a large bowl, beat eggs with a wooden spoon or a mixer at low speed until pale yellow and foamy. Add oil, applesauce and vanilla and beat well. Stir in flour mixture with a wooden spoon and continue stirring batter just until flour disappears. Add apples and nuts, stir to mix them into the batter until fairly uniform. Scrape batter into prepared pan.
4) Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown, springs back when touched lightly and is beginning to pull away from sides of the pan. Place cake (still in the pans) on a wire rack and spoon over the glaze while still hot.
5) To make glaze: Combine brown sugar, butter, vanilla and cream in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until mixture comes to a gentle boil. Then cook for 3-5 minutes.
6) Spoon hot glaze all over hot-from-the-oven cake. Let glazed cake cool completely before serving straight from the pan. Yield: 12 - 16 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Healthy German Apple Cake - Honey and Soy
Butterscotch Apple Cake - Sugar Plum
Cranberry and Apple Cake - Christie's Corner
French Apple Cake - David Lebovitz
Marie-Helene's Apple Cake - Sea Salt with Food
Cinnamon Apple Cake - Elana's Pantry
The Apple Lady's Apple Cake - One Perfect Bite

Caramel Corn

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite ...When our children were small, Christmas Eve required advance preparation and activities to keep them occupied and their excitement under control. The moms of the neighborhood organized caroling adventures, and, whenever possible sled rides down a local hill. The logical conclusion to these activities was an indoor project that would warm small hands and keep them busy at least till the sun set. After 5 o'clock all parents were on their own. Our indoor project and secret weapon was popcorn balls - the kind that could be assembled without sugar syrup and possible burns. However, in the background, sensitive noses could pick up traces of the "real" thing, honest-to-goodness caramel corn that had been made made while the children were out. Over the years, I've come across and made lots of recipes for caramel corn. I keep searching for the perfect one. I came awfully close the year I used the recipe developed by David Leibovitch's that can be found here. Last year I found a new version created by Donna Deanne in The Los Angeles Times. I thought it was wonderful and good enough to try again this year. This is definitely an upscale caramel corn and those who have tried it love it. It's easy enough to do and, in the grand scheme of things, it's well worth the small effort it takes to make. It is quite simply delicious. Here's the recipe. I hope you'll try it.

Caramel Corn...from the kitchen of one Perfect Bite, courtesy of Donna Deane and The Los Angeles Times

Ingredients:
12 cups popped corn
1 cup toasted salted peanuts
1 cup toasted salted almonds
2 cups toasted salted pecans
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, cut into quarters, plus butter for greasing 2 baking sheets
2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:
1) Heat oven to 200 degrees. In a large heat-proof bowl, combine popcorn, peanuts, almonds and pecans. Place bowl in to warm while making caramel. Lightly butter 2 baking sheets.
2) In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Heat pan over high heat, stirring to combine contents, until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat to a strong simmer and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until a candy thermometer inserted reads 255 degrees. Stir in baking soda and remove from heat.
3) Pour caramel quickly over the popcorn and toss to coat evenly. Divide caramel corn between two prepared baking sheets and place them in oven. Bake, stirring occasionally, until caramel dries and hardens, about 1 hour. Remove the trays from the oven and allow caramel corn to cool on the pans. Break cooled caramel corn into small clusters and store in airtight containers. Caramel corn will keep for 2 days, stored at room temperature. Yield 12 cups

Toasted Cashew and Caramel Squares

At the risk of sounding bonkers, I must admit that I test recipes for holiday desserts at this time of year. I collect them at Thanksgiving and Christmas time - like an almost sane person - but my dervish life leaves no time for holiday experimentation. It's now or never. I've been playing with a recipe from one of the Fine Cooking Annuals. They called this cookie a Mexican-Style Pecan-Chocolate Square. I've made a few changes to a wonderful base recipe. Bob's not crazy about pecans, so they've been replaced with salted cashews. Salted peanuts would also be wonderful with the caramel topping. These are easy to prepare and quite tasty. A definite maybe for next Christmas. Here's my adapted version.

Toasted Cashew and Caramel Squares

Ingredients:
1-1/4 cups cold unsalted butter, divided use
2 cups unbleached flour
1-1/2 cups packed golden brown sugar, divided use
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon table salt, divided use
3 ounces butterscotch chips
3 cups toasted, salted cashews, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup honey
2 tablespoons heavy cream

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly mist a 9-inch square baking pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.
2) Place 3/4 cup butter, flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon salt in the bowl of a food processor; pulse to combine. Press crumbs into the bottom of prepared pan. Bake until lightly brown and firm, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven. Spread butterscotch chips over top; spread with a spatula as chips soften. Set aside.
3) Melt reserved 1/2 cup butter in a heavy bottomed pan set over medium-high heat. Stir in reserved 1 cup brown sugar, honey, cream and reserved 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and simmer for 1 minute. Stir in cashews. Pour mixture over cookie base, spreading evenly. Bake until most of the filling is bubbling, about 18 minutes. Cool in pan. Cut into 16 squares. Store, tightly covered, for up to 5 days. These do not freeze well. Yield: 16 squares.

Pumpkin Flan

A chance glimpse of a reflection showing my backfield in motion convinced me that the last thing I need this holiday is another piece of pie. This recipe is a compromise - I can enjoy a smooth and spicy custard sans some of the calories associated with a classic pumpkin pie. The flan is simple to do and it's only troublesome aspect is the caramel used to blanket it. If you overcook the caramel the flan will have a bitter taste that no amount of whipped cream can mask. We are looking for a syrup that is the color of dark honey rather than molasses. Unmold the flan just before serving. I know this adds some last minute drama to the meal, but if done too soon the flan will begin to absorb the caramel and you won't get the lovely aspect of caramel pouring out and around the flan. You also want to make sure your serving platter has a rim or well to catch the syrup as it runs. This is simple to do and it's a lovely addition to the holiday table. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Flan

Ingredients:
2 cups sugar, divided use
1 cup whole milk
12-ounces half-and-half, light cream or evaporated milk
5 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (15-ounce) can solid-pack pumpkin
2 tablespoons dark rum (optional)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2) Heat a 2-quart souffle dish or round ceramic casserole in middle of oven.
3) Cook 1 cup sugar in a dry 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring slowly with a fork, until melted and pale golden. Cook caramel without stirring, swirling pan, until deep golden, about 5 minutes. Remove hot dish from oven and immediately pour caramel into it. Using potholders tilt dish to cover bottom and sides. Keep tilting until caramel cools enough to stay in place. Set aside. Lower oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
4) Scald milk and cream in a saucepan. Remove from heat. In a medium bowl, beat eggs and remaining cup sugar with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Beat in salt, pumpkin, rum, and spices. Strain milk mixture into pumpkin mixture , beating at low speed until combined.
5) Pour custard over caramel in dish and set in a water bath of 1-inch hot water. Put pan in middle of oven. Bake until golden brown on top and a knife inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 1/4 hours, possibly longer. Remove dish from water bath and transfer to a rack to cool. Chill flan, covered, until cold, at least 6 hours.
6) To unmold flan, dip bottom of dish briefly (20 to 30 seconds) in a warm water bath. Then, run a thin knife around flan to loosen from sides of dish. Wiggle dish from side to side and, when flan moves freely in dish, invert and turn onto a serving plate. Cut flan into wedges, spooning some caramel syrup over each portion. Yield: 8 to 10 servings.