salted caramel | Just About Baked

Chocolate Salted Caramel Cookies

August 16, 2016
Mir
C is for COOKIE!
24 Comments

It’s been a while since I made cookies, but I hope these make up for it!

Do you have a list of things you want to bake that’s about 17 miles long? I sure do. For at least a year and a half, I’ve wanted to bake these. The base recipe is in the Sally’s Baking Addiction cookbook (the first one), and I made one or two minimal adjustments, which I’ll explain later.

Suffice it to say, these don’t disappoint. They’re thick, chewy, and fudgy. Plus, they’re sprinkled with sea salt. Can a cookie get any better?

Salted Caramel Lava Mug Cake

Can you believe it? This is my first mug cake on the blog!

It probably comes from my innate suspicion of anything cooked in a microwave. See, I’m not a fan. I use the microwave to melt butter or chocolate, and that’s usually it. I’d rather wait longer to heat something on the stovetop or let it crisp up in the oven. The uneven cooking of a microwave just makes me all kinds of sad.

But mug cakes are different! They’re magical, really. Just a few minutes stand between you and a warm chocolate cake just oozing with salted caramel. It’s so easy!

Salted Caramel Streusel Baked Apples

January 10, 2016
Mir
Elegant Desserts, Healthier Indulgences, Odds n' Ends
32 Comments

These apples are life-changing. How’s that for a promise?

Baked apples are a classic American dessert, but I’ve upped the ante by coring them, filling them with a simple streusel, and drizzling (pouring, maybe?) salted caramel on top. And we can totally call this a healthy dessert because, you know, apple. Right? Hey, it’s fruit!

This is a fireside kind of dessert, the kind that you share with family members on game night or some equally idyllic situation. These are impossible not to love, unless you have no soul. I’m feeling very objective today.

Salted Caramel Dutch Apple Pie

As long as the holidays keep coming, I’m going to keep baking pie! How can I not? Crust is just such a happy thing.

One of my favorite pies of all time is Dutch apple, and this pie goes to a whole ‘nother level with salted caramel on top. This kid’s a showstopper.

It’s funny, but I can pass up regular apple pie any day of the week. When it’s covered in crumb topping, though, just give me a giant serving fork and watch me dig in. I really can’t hold back. And ever since salted caramel became a thing, I just can’t get enough.

Salted Caramel Pecan Pastry Ring

July 7, 2015
Mir
Cakes, Dessert for Breakfast, Let Them Eat Cake, Pastry Cart
42 Comments

Breakfast is such a huge motivator in my life. I don’t let myself eat until after my workout. It’s good to have something to work toward!

Does that work for everyone? Nope. My friend is more of an evening exerciser. By that time, I am done and a half. Can barely move, except to lift the fork to my mouth to eat dessert. That’s my workout later in the day!

When you want a good breakfast treat that is homemade but easy, I recommend turning to refrigerated biscuits. Not to make biscuits with, silly. To make something far more fun. This salted caramel pecan pastry ring is delicious and perfect for the morning, not to mention pretty quick to put together. It takes the usual five minutes or so!

Salted PB Caramel Ganache Pie

I have no idea what to call this pie. Other than life-changing, that is.

The idea of making a pie crust used to terrify me. I knew that it involved a food processor, which I owned, but couldn’t put together. Seriously. The directions were so confusing. But then, I found a way around it for an easy crust you can make in a bowl. More details on that later.

By the way, I know how to use my food processor now. But whatever. What makes this pie so amazing is peanut butter caramel. Salted peanut butter caramel. Yes, that exists. And it’s easy to make!

Salted Oatmeal Caramel Bars

Years ago, when I was still single in the city (and pretending I could be as cool as Carrie Bradshaw), I used to go to a place called Teaism. It sold lots and lots of tea, but also really good food. One day I walked in and noticed a salted oatmeal cookie. I remember thinking, “That’s gross.”

Oh, I was so young and stupid. The salted caramel trend was still a few years away from starting and I never stopped to consider that salted baked goods were the best thing to happen to the dessert industry since peanut butter and chocolate. But like I said, I was not that clever. I was in my twenties and had perfect skin. But I was dumb.

Anyway, eventually I climbed onboard the salty dessert bandwagon. And here I stay, until long after it will be considered trendy. I’ll be one of those annoying grandmothers who still bakes salted caramel stuff while her grandchildren roll their eyes and say, “But Grandma, it’s all about sardines dipped in ganache right now.”

Squash Cheesecake Brownie Bars

March 5, 2014
Mir
Bars n' Brownies, Cupcakes and Cheesecakes
0 Comments

If I had my way, everything would have brownie in it. Brownies are just…yeah. The best.

So when I entered a cooking contest (and won, brag brag brag) recently and the required ingredient was squash, I had to find out if I could work a brownie in there somewhere.

Result? This li’l guy.

Okay, I admit it sounds a bit unorthodox at first. Squash with chocolate?

But from the gods that brought us pumpkin and chocolate, this idea was born. If I could enjoy pumpkin bread with chocolate chips (yes yes yes), then couldn’t I make squash kinda taste like pumpkin and then go crazy?

And then, if that worked, could we get some cheesecake in there? Because the only thing better than a brownie is a cheesecake with brownies. Ask Ben and Jerry if you don’t believe me.