Caramel Chocolate Ganache Recipes

Steps:

• For the chocolate cake layers: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment, then spray with nonstick baking spray.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the butter and coffee and mix on low speed until the butter "grabs" a lot of the dry ingredients--otherwise you will have a poof of cocoa powder and flour to contend with! Turn the speed up to medium and mix until well blended, about 1 1/2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Turn the mixer to low and add the eggs one at a time, mixing just until each one gets incorporated. Scrape down the bowl, add the vanilla and mix a little longer, 10 to 15 seconds.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool on racks for 10 to 15 minutes, then invert onto plastic wrap and wrap well. Place in the freezer for 8 hours or overnight. When ready to use, thaw at room temperature, still wrapped, for 1 hour before cutting.
• For the caramel Irish cream buttercream: Place the egg whites and sugar in a metal bowl and set over simmering water. Whisk constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is very thin and warm. Remove from the heat and pour the sugar mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer. Whip on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes. Turn to low speed and continue to whip until the bowl is cool to the touch.
• Turn the speed to medium and beat in the chunks of butter. (The mixture may appear curdled at first, but continue beating and it will come together.) Add the vanilla extract, then the liqueur and a little bit of the dulce de leche until it achieves a creamy texture.
• (If your buttercream has sat for a while and lost its creamy texture, re-beat it before using.)
• For the dark chocolate ganache: Place the chopped chocolate and cream in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high power for 1 minute. Stir thoroughly with a fork or whisk, then microwave on 50-percent power for 1 minute; stir again. If there are some chunks in there, allow to sit for a few minutes, then re-stir. If necessary, continue with one or two more 15-second intervals at 50-percent power, being careful not to overheat the mixture. Add the vanilla if using.
• Spray a piece of plastic wrap with nonstick spray, then cover the bowl, with the sprayed portion pressed directly against the surface of the ganache to prevent a skin from forming. Allow to sit until completely cool and set.
• Assemble the cake: Use a serrated knife to cut the cake layers horizontally into 4 layers total. Smear a little buttercream on a serving plate, then top with a cake layer. Spread some ganache on the first layer, then spread some buttercream about 1/4-inch-thick on top of the ganache. Spread some buttercream on a second cake layer, then invert it to top the cake layer on the serving plate (buttercream will face buttercream). Repeat with the remaining layers of cake, topping each layer with ganache and then buttercream, and covering with a layer spread with buttercream, buttercream-side down. Once you have topped the cake with the last cake layer, use an offset spatula to smooth out any icing squishing out of the sides of the cake. Coat the entire cake with a thin layer of ganache for a "crumb coat." Place the cake in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes to firm up. Ice the cake with the remainder of the buttercream. Serve right away, or keep chilled. Allow the cake to come to room temperature before serving.

Steps:

• Whisk 4 ounces chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate into the warm caramel sauce until smooth. Drizzle over vanilla ice cream.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. Make 36 cookies as directed on pouch. Cool completely, about 15 minutes. Store 8 cookies in airtight container for another use.
• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 9-inch tart pan with 1-inch rim and removable bottom with cooking spray.
• In food processor, process half of the remaining cookies to fine crumbs. Remove to medium bowl. Continue to process second half of remaining cookies to fine crumbs; add to bowl. Stir in melted butter until well blended. Press very firmly on bottom and up side of tart pan. Place tart on rimmed baking sheet. Bake 14 to 18 minutes or until crust is set in center. Cool 15 minutes.
• In medium microwavable bowl, microwave Caramel Layer ingredients uncovered on High 1 minute 30 seconds, stirring halfway through. Stir in 15-second intervals until caramels are melted and can be stirred smooth. Pour over baked crust. Refrigerate 10 minutes.
• In medium microwavable bowl, place chocolate chips. In 1-quart saucepan, heat 3/4 cup whipping cream over medium-low heat 3 to 5 minutes or until hot. Pour cream over chocolate chips in bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. If needed, microwave chocolate-cream mixture uncovered on Medium (50%) in 15-second increments until chocolate can be stirred smooth. Remove tart from refrigerator. Pour chocolate mixture over caramel layer. Return to refrigerator uncovered, about 2 hours or until chocolate is set.
• Let tart stand at room temperature 10 minutes before cutting. Spoon caramel sauce around edge; sprinkle sea salt on top. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.

Steps:

• Center an oven rack and preheat the oven to 325°F.
• In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt, then whisk the mixture to ensure that the ingredients are well distributed.
• In a small bowl, stir together the jam and the buttermilk.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes. As you make the batter, stop the mixer frequently and scrape the paddle and the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Blend in the eggs one at a time, adding the next one as soon as the previous one has disappeared into the batter. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk mixture in two parts, beginning and ending with the flour. After each addition, mix until just barely blended and stop and scrape the bowl. Stop the mixer before the last of the flour has been incorporated and complete the blending by hand with a rubber spatula to ensure you do not overbeat the batter.
• Divide the batter evenly into the prepared pans (there will be approximately 1 pound 4 ounces per pan) and smooth the tops. Bake in the middle of the oven until the centers are just barely firm when lightly touched, 32 to 34 minutes. Cool the cakes on a wire rack for 30 minutes before removing them from their pans. Once removed, continue to cool the cakes on the rack, top side up, until they reach room temperature. Leave the parchment paper on until you assemble the cake.
• To assemble the cake, place one of the layers, top side up, on a flat plate or a cake board. Using a thin metal spatula, spread a thin layer of caramel ganache (a bit more than 1/2 cup) on top of the cake and out to the edges of the cake. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of almonds evenly over the ganache. Align the next cake layer, top side up, on top of the first one, and repeat with another thin layer of ganache and almonds. Place the final layer of cake on top of the cake. Frost the top heavily and the sides lightly with the remainder of the ganache. Lightly press the remaining toasted almonds on the sides of cake.
• This cake is best stored and served at room temperature. In an airtight container, it keeps for up to 5 days.

Steps:

• For the ganache, put the chocolate into a large bowl. Heat the cream in a pan until just boiling, then pour it over the chocolate. Leave for 5 mins, then stir until smooth. Put the ganache to one side to thicken and cool, then chill until needed.
• For the caramel sauce, heat the sugar and butter in a pan until the sugar has dissolved and the butter has melted. Add the cream, bring to the boil, then remove from the heat and leave to cool.
• For the brittle, line a baking tray with baking parchment, then put the sugar and 4 tbsp of water in a heavy-based frying pan and heat, without stirring, until golden brown. Stir through the nuts, and pour (in a thin layer) over the parchment. Sprinkle with ½ tsp flaky sea salt and leave to set.
• To serve, drizzle each plate with sauce, heat a large spoon in a cup of hot water, then scoop out a curl of chocolate ganache for each plate. Break the brittle into shards and push a piece into each scoop. Sprinkle with crumbled brittle and add a pinch of sea salt.