Week 8
Theme: Sweet
Cookbook Used: Delicious - Quick Smart Cook
Cookbook Used: Delicious - Quick Smart Cook
Author: Valli Little
I've always wanted to taste dulce de leche since I saw Chocolate Suze make it. I should have re-read her blog entry about not piercing holes in the top of the cans, as the water gets in. But anyways, it still looks like the right consistency, and tasted pretty damn sticky and sweet.
The only thing that put me off trying this recipe earlier was that I had to leave it on the stove for 3 hours. But I was busy in the kitchen doing other things, so I was able to monitor the water level for 3 hours quite easily.
The cupcakes were very light and fluffy, and the dulce de leche iced it nicely with it's creamy, caramely goodness. The dulce de leche doesn't taste like the traditional caramel, it is more creamy and perhaps not as sweet as some sugar loaded caramels.
Our conclusions: delicious!
Dulce De Leche Cupcakes
125g unsalted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup (165g) caster sugar
3 eggs
2 cups (300g) self-raising flour
1/4 cup (60ml) milk
450g dulce de leche
Dulce de leche
2 x 395g cans sweetened condensed milk
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a 12-hole muffin pan, or line with paper cases.
2. Using electric beaters, mix the butter, vanilla, sugar, eggs, flour and milk together on medium speed for 3 minutes until smooth and pale. Divide the batter among the muffin holes and bake for 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
3. Cool cupcakes slightly in pan, then turn out and place on a rack to cool completely.
4. Make dulce de leche: remove and discard labels from milk cans, then make 2 small holes in the top of each with a can opener. Place in a saucepan, opened-side up, and add enough water to almost cover cans. Bring to the boil, then adjust heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 3 hours, topping up with boiling water so it stays at the same level. Using an oven glove, carefully remove cans from water. Cool completely, then open cans and scoop the thick caramel out into a container.
5. Spread the cooled cakes with dulce de leche.
Makes 12.
I just got that cookbook yesterday and those cupcakes certainly caught my eye!! good work making the dulce de leche yourself! looks delicious