High Tea Sandwich Cookies

https://www.sugarandsoul.co/downton-abbey-earl-grey-cookies/#wprm-recipe-container-24785

—> used lavender earl grey, skipped the glaze and cut them into inch squares to make sandwich cookies with lemon cardamom caramel

Ingredients

Cookies

• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 bag Earl Grey tea leaves 2 bags can be used for a stronger flavor
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt

Glaze

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions

• Blend the butter and earl grey tea leaves together and allow to sit at room temperature for at least 2 hours, longer is fine. If you are running short on time, this step can be skipped and the tea can be added with the powdered sugar. Just note that the flavor may not be as strong.
• Once the butter has finished setting. Preheat oven to 350­° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• Cream the butter and tea mixture and powdered sugar in a large bowl or stand mixer.
• Add in the flour and salt. continue to mix until a soft dough forms. The mix will be dry and crumbly at first but will come together.
• Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface until it's 1/4 inch thick.
• Cut out cookies using a 2 in round cookie cutter.
• Bake on a parchment lined baking sheet for 12 to 15 minutes or until the edges are golden brown in color.

Once cooled, whisk together the glaze ingredients and dip or drizzle the cookies as desired and place on wax paper to set.

Notes

• Slightly Adapted from Dine & Dish.
• If using a large loose leaf tea, run the tea through a food processor or use a pestle and mortar to ground it so it's finer.
• 1 cookie is 3 Weight Watchers SmartPoints.
• The longer these cookies sit, the more intense the flavor will get.

Millionaire’s Shortbread (aka Twix squares)

https://sugarspunrun.com/millionaires-shortbread/

Ingredients

Shortbread Crust

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened 226g
• 1/3 cup sugar 70g
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed 70g
• 1 large egg yolk
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 260g

Caramel

• 2 14-oz cans sweetened condensed milk 825ml
• 14 Tablespoons butter cut into Tablespoon-sized pieces (198g)
• 1 cup light brown sugar packed (200g)
• 1/3 cup light corn syrup 80ml
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Chocolate Ganache

• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips 340g
• 1/2 cup heavy cream 120ml
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 5ml
• sea salt for sprinkling

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350F (177C) and line a 13x9 baking pan with parchment paper.
• Using an electric mixer, beat butter until well creamed.
• Add sugars and beat until light and fluffy, about 30 seconds.
• Add egg yolk and vanilla extract and stir well, pausing to scrape down the sides and mixing until ingredients are well-combined.
• Add flour, gradually (about 1/2 cup at a time), pausing to scrape down sides of bowl. Halfway through the addition of the flour, sprinkle in the salt with the beater still running.
• Don't over-beat the dough, you want it to be slightly crumbly to make it easier to press into the pan.
• Drop dough over prepared pan and gently, firmly, evenly, press dough into the bottom of the pan.  To make it easier, I usually lay a piece of wax paper over the dough and use the palm of my hand to smooth the surface (and then discard wax paper).
• Bake on 350F (177C) for 20-25 minutes -- edges should be lightly golden brown.
• Allow to cool while you prepare your caramel topping.

Caramel

• Combine condensed milk, butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat.
• Stir frequently until butter is melted and ingredients are well-combined. Continue to stir constantly until mixture begins to boil (this could take several minutes, but you don't need to increase the heat).
• Once mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer (slowly bubbling), still stirring constantly.  Continue to stir 10-15 minutes until mixture turns a rich caramel color and has thickened (should begin pulling away from the sides of the pot as you stir).
• Remove from heat and immediately stir in the vanilla extract and salt.
• Pour evenly over prepared shortbread, use a knife to spread evenly if needed.
• Allow to cool at room temperature for several hours or in the refrigerator for 1 hour before topping with chocolate.

Chocolate Topping

• Combine chocolate chips and heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat.  
• Stir frequently until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.  
• Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.  Allow chocolate to cool just slightly for about 5 minutes, and then evenly spread over prepared caramel layer.  Wait several minutes and then sprinkle with sea salt.  
• Allow chocolate to harden (I recommend placing in refrigerator for about 30 minutes -- my family prefers these treats refrigerated anyway) before cutting and serving.

Caramels - Christmas 2019

My base recipe:
1/2 c sweetened condensed
1/2 c butter
1/2 c brown sugar
Salt

Apple cider caramels:
- Boil 4 c Apple cider down to 1/2 c (with spices)
- Top up to a cup of liquids
- cup of butter
- white sugar to taste
- salt
- more spices
- made about 80 caramels



https://www.foodrepublic.com/recipes/passion-fruit-caramels/
(Half batch)

****strain the seeds out sooner!!!!

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon fresh or frozen passion fruit pulp (from about 1.5 pounds passion fruit)
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup honey
• Pinch fine sea salt
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions

For the caramels

1. Cut a sheet of parchment paper that is long enough to cover the bottom and sides of an 8 1⁄2-by-4 1⁄2-by-2 3⁄4-inch  loaf pan with 2 inches of overhang on each side. Crumple up the parchment and straighten it out half a dozen times to soften it, so that it will fit into the corners without sharp edges. Line the pan with the parchment paper across the bottom and up the sides, pressing creases at the bottom and top edges. Place a mesh strainer over the pan and set a small glass under the handle to steady it.
2. Combine all the ingredients in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. Set the pan over medium-high heat and stir with a silicone spatula until the sugar melts completely. Insert a candy thermometer into the pan and continue cooking, occasionally scraping the bottom of the pan with the spatula to prevent scorching, until the mixture registers 253°F or forms a hard ball that holds its shape but is still malleable when a bit is dropped into cold water (hard-ball stage), 20 to 25 minutes. Watch the temperature closely as it may suddenly shoot up.
3. Scrape the caramel through the strainer into the prepared pan. Scrape any caramel clinging to the bottom of the strainer into the pan with a clean silicone spatula. Tap the pan against the counter a few times to eliminate bubbles. Let stand undisturbed at room temperature, uncovered, until set, about 6 hours or overnight.
4. Cut 24 sheets of cellophane or waxed paper, each about 3 by 5 inches.
5. Carefully lift the caramel from the pan using the parchment overhang, peel away the parchment, and transfer the caramel to a cutting board. Using a large oiled knife, cut the caramel in half lengthwise, then cut each half crosswise into 5⁄8-inch-thick pieces. You will have 24 caramels, each measuring 5⁄8 by 2 inches.
6. Individually wrap the caramels in cellophane, twisting the ends closed.

Caramel Brown Butter Rice Pudding

https://food52.com/recipes/2338-caramel-rice-pudding-with-brown-butter-and-creme-fraiche

• 2tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2tablespoons creme fraiche, plus more for serving
• 6cups whole milk
• Seeds from 1/2 a vanilla bean
• 1/4teaspoon sea salt
• 3/4cup arborio rice
  
  
  
  Directions
  1. 1. Put the butter in a 3 quart heavy saucepan over medium heat. Once the butter stops foaming, and you see orangey brown specks start to appear, stir gently with a wooden spoon. After a minute or two, when the specks are nut brown and the butter smells nice and toasty, sprinkle ¼ cup of sugar over the butter and stir to combine. (It will clump up a little, but don’t worry!)
  2. 2. Switch to a whisk, and cook the butter and sugar, whisking all the time, until the sugar has melted and the mixture becomes a smooth, rich brown caramel, about 5 minutes. (Early on, the butter and sugar will separate, and the butter will pool around the edges of the sugar, but never fear! Once the sugar has fully melted, the two will start to come together again, and you’ll have a nice smooth caramel.)
  3. 3. When the caramel is a rich nut brown and starts to smoke, remove the pan from the heat and quickly and carefully whisk in the crème fraiche and about 1/2 a cup of the milk. Don’t worry if the mixture bubbles up when you do this – it’ll settle down again quickly. (This step cools off the caramel and keeps it from cooking further.) Return the pan to the heat and whisk in the rest of the milk, the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar, the vanilla seeds and the salt. If the caramel seizes a little, just keep whisking until the mixture becomes smooth again. 
  4. 4. Switch back to the wooden spoon and stir in the rice. Turn up the heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat so that the milk is simmering steadily and cook the rice pudding uncovered for about 25 minutes, stirring frequently to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan, especially towards the end. The rice should be tender but not mushy, and the pudding should thicken but still be quite loose – remember that it will thicken a lot more while it’s cooling. Transfer the pudding to a container, cover and refrigerate until cold. Serve in individual bowls with a dollop of crème fraiche.

Samoa Cheesecake Bars

https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a51548/samoa-cheesecake-bars-recipe/?epik=dj0yJnU9eHExNUlnQ3hCVW4wRlA4Z3VzRW5lY2dvc0ZrNkRjR2gmbj1JbWx5TWVvVThYbVU3eDNRSUpmQVBBJm09MyZ0PUFBQUFBRnlFbFZZ

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CRUST

28 

Oreos

5 tbsp. 

melted butter

FOR THE BARS

2 

(8 oz.) blocks cream cheese, softened

1/2 c. 

granulated sugar

2 

large eggs

1/2 tsp. 

pure vanilla extract

Pinch of kosher salt

FOR THE TOPPING

1 1/2 c. 

caramel, divided

1 1/2 c. 

sweetened shredded coconut, toasted

Melted chocolate, for drizzling

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325° and line a 9"-x-13" baking dish with foil, leaving an overhang for easy removal. 
2. Make crust: In a food processor, crush Oreos into fine crumbs. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in melted butter until completely moist. Pat crust into prepared pan and set aside.
3. Make cheesecake layer: In a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat together cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs, vanilla, and salt and beat until combined. Pour cheesecake mixture over crust and bake until only slightly jiggly, about 35 minutes. Let cool, then refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 3 hours and up to overnight.  
4. Make topping: When ready to serve, pour 1 cup caramel over cheesecake bars and smooth with a spatula to make an even layer. 
5. In a small bowl, stir together toasted coconut and remaining 1/2 cup caramel. Spread coconut mixture on top of caramel and drizzle with melted chocolate. 
6. Refrigerate until chocolate is firm 10 minutes, then slice and serve

Spicy Caramel Peanut Butter Fudge

https://www.tablespoon.com/recipes/spicy-peanut-butter-caramel-fudge/cb8e9ab8-70f1-4092-a81a-945e688bb1c3

8 tbsp butter
1 can evap milk
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp milk powder
1.5 c brown sugar
1/2 c white sugar
1/2 c icing sugar

1/4+ c peanut butter
1 tsp chipotle chili powder
1 tsp smoked salt

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2010/09/caramel-apple-cheesecake-bars.html

Crust:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

Cheesecake Filling:

• 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• ¾ cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
• 3 large eggs
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Apples:

• 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Streusel Topping:

• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup quick cooking oats
• ½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened

Drizzle:

• ½ cup caramel topping for drizzling after baked

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry blender (or 2 forks) until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into a 9x13 baking pan lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
3. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with ¾ cup sugar in an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Then add eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Pour over warm crust.
4. In a small bowl, stir together chopped apples, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture.
5. For the streusel topping: In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. I like to really combine it by using my clean hands to thoroughly combine the butter into the mixture.
6. Sprinkle Streusel topping over apples. Bake 40-45 minutes, or until filling is set. Drizzle with caramel topping and let cool. Serve cold and enjoy! Make 16 servings.

Caramel sauce

1/2 c butter
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c sweetened condensed milk
2 tbsp light corn syrup

1. Boil.  About 5 min
2. Beat. 2-3 min
3. Yum.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/caramel-shortbread-squares/detail.aspx

Caramel Apple Pizza

1 batch sugar cookie dough
1 package cream cheese
1/2 c brown sugar
1/4 c peanut butter
3 medium apples
1/2 c caramel ice cream topping
* salted peanuts, chopped

Dulce de Leche Brownies

Based on:
http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipes/Dessert/Chocolate/recipe.html?dishid=13049
and
http://www.alanskitchen.com/DESSERTS/Brownies/NM_Cinnamon_Chile_Brownies.htm
and
http://recipesforchaos.blogspot.ca/2009/12/chile-cinnamon-brownies-take-2.html

2 c chopped dark callebaut (some semi-sweet mixed in)
3/4 c butter
---------------> melt in mixer bowl
1 1/4 c sugar
---------------> beat til smooth
3/4 c. flour
1 tbsp cinnamon
2 tsp chipotle chile powder
1 tsp bpow
1 tsp salt
--------------> mix a little (not too much)

Bake @ 350 until done. 
Cool to room temp.

1 can sweetened condensed milk, boiled
---------------> Pour/spread on top
1 c chocolate
1 c whipping cream
---------------> Pour on top
Fridge for a while

Caramel Apple Cheesecake

- normal crust (1+ c crumbs, 1/4 c butter, 1/2 c sugar, cinnamon)

- 12 oz caramels, 2/3 c evaporated milk; cooked into dipping sauce (micro + serious patience)

- normal cheesecake (1 pkg, 1 egg, 1/4 sugar)
- 2 green apples, chopped, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tbsp flour

1. Make/cook crust
2. Pour caramel to cover crust
3. Chop apples, shake with flour/cinnamon
4. Mix apples, cheesecake
5. Bake
6. More caramel