Salted Caramel Bourbon Cupcakes

My Hubby is a good egg - he is up to any challenge that I can throw at him for my birthday.  It all started with this recipe from Better Homes and Gardens (www.bhg.com).

1 c  Butter,Room Temperature

3 lg Eggs,Room Temperature

2 c  Flour

1 t  Baking Soda

1/2 t  Salt

1 1/2 c  Water

1/3 c  Bourbon

3 oz Unsweetened Chocolate-Chopped

2 oz Bittersweet Chocolate-Chopped

2 c  Sugar

1 1/2 t  Vanilla

----- Frosting =========================

6 oz Bittersweet Chocolate-Chopped

2 T  Butter

1/2 c  Sour Cream

2 1/2 c  Powdered Sugar

----- Salted Caramel ===================

2 T  Whipping Cream

1 T  Bourbon

24    Caramels

1/4 t  Sea Salt

Heat oven to 325 degrees.  Prepare 32 to 34 2 1/2 inch muffin cups, set pans aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking soda and salt.  In a 2 cup measuring cup, measure water and bourbon.  Set aside.

In a small bowl, microwave chocolates (uncovered) on 100% power for 1 minutes. Stir.  Microwave, uncovered, for 30 seconds more.  Stir until smooth. Cool slightly.

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter for 30 seconds.  Gradually add sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, beating on medium speed until combined, scraping occasionally.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat in melted chocolate and vanilla.  Alternately add flour mixture and bourbon mixture to chocolate mixture, beating on low after each addition just until combined.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full.  Bake 18 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean.  Cool in pans for 5 minutes, remove from muffin cups and cool completely.

When cool, in a large saucepan, melt 6 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate and 2 tbl butter over low heat, stirring frequently.  Cool for 5 minutes.  Stir in sour cream.  Gradually add powdered sugar, beating with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined.  Using a pastry bag, pipe frosting as a border around edge of cupcake.

Make caramel:  In a small saucepan, combine whipping cream and bourbon.  Heat over medium low heat until steaming but not boiling.  Stir in 24 unwrapped vanilla caramels and 1/4 tsp sea salt.  Heat until melted, stirring constantly.  Spoon about 1 tsp salted caramel into center of each cupcake.

Pumpkin Roll With Bourbon and Vanilla Filling

Slightly different twist on a pumpkin roll.  Don't like bourbon?  Try it anyway, neither does hubby, and he liked this.  Don't want to try?  Just use 1 additional teaspoon vanilla or 1/2 tsp of cinnamon instead.

3 Large eggs

1 c  sugar

2/3 c  pumpkin

3/4 c  flour

1 t  Baking Soda

2 t  cinnamon

          FILLING

1 1/2 c  powdered sugar

8    ounces cream cheese

2 T  soft butter

1/2 t  vanilla

Line a jelly roll pan with waxed paper.  Mix all ingredients for pumpkin roll.

Pour into pan.  

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.  

Sprinkle with powdered sugar, cover with a towel.

Turn pan over to remove cake.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Start at narrow end and roll cake and towel together.

Let cool for an hour, make filling.

FILLING: Mix all of ingredients together.

Unroll cake.

Remove Paper.

 Spread filling evenly over then roll back up.

Best Ever Hot Chocolate OR What Helped Save Me from Hypothermia

Running into an almost freezing river on New Year's Day was an experience I will never forget.  Neither is wrapping my hands around a steaming mug of this hot chocolate immediately after layering on clothes.  The hot mug warmed my chilled hands nicely.  The Bourbon/Whiskey can be omitted, if you prefer.  I liked Buffalo Trace for this one - it is a slightly sweeter Bourbon that blends well with the chocolate.  If you prefer, you may use higher or lower fat milk and Half and Half.

  4 Cups 1% Milk, divided                                                         2 Tbl Low Fat Half And Half

  2 Ounces Semi Sweet Chocolate Bits                                       4 Tbl Bourbon or Whiskey

  1/4 Cup sugar                                                                         

Combine 3 cups of the milk, chocolate and sugar in a 1 1/2 quart saucepan. Cook over low heat until chocolate is melted, whisking frequently. Bring just to a bare simmer.  Watch carefully as it will want to boil over.

Whisk in remaining 1 cup milk, creamer and whiskey; cook just until steaming, but do not allow to simmer.