Salted Double Caramel Cupcakes

I’m a huge fan of salted caramel anything. There’s just something so wonderful about the addition of salt that elevates and deepens the caramel flavor. I’ve had salted caramel tarts, candies, ice cream, macarons and even popcorn before, but never salted caramel cupcakes. I jumped at the chance to make them for a friend’s birthday. Sometimes I just need an excuse to bake, and birthdays are the perfect occasion! These cupcakes came out fluffy and moist, and the creamy icing was rich and sweet with a savoury finish.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

In a seperate bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla.



Slowly add in the flour mixture, mixing with the spatula until just combined. Do not overmix.

 

Stir in the milk.

 

Fill each cupcake liner halfway with batter.



Bake until lightly golden, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.



Cool the cupcakes on a wire rack.



While the cupcakes are cooling, make your frosting. Melt the salted butter in a small saucepan.

Add sugar and cream, and let it bubble for 3 minutes.

Let it cool for 15 minutes.



With an electric mixer, beat in the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, until you reach the consistency you want. I used 2.5 cups. Add a little cream if you want the frosting to be creamier, and add more salt if the frosting is too sweet.



The frosting will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Salted Double Caramel Cupcakes

Makes 14 cupcakes

Ingredients

Caramel Cupcakes
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup whole milk

Salted Caramel Frosting

1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter

1 cup dark brown sugar

1/3 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon salt

2-3 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Chocolate pieces for decorating, optional

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350F / 175C.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
3. In a seperate medium bowl, beat the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.
4. Add the eggs and vanilla, mixing until combined. Slowly mix in the dry ingredients until no flour remains. Scrap down the sides of the bowl.
5. Slowly stir in the milk, mixing until just combined.
6. Filled the lined cupcake tin only halfway full with batter. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool before frosting.
7. While the cupcakes are cooling, melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add brown sugar and heavy cream. Stir constantly over medium heat until all the sugar has dissolved. Add salt. Allow to bubble for 3 full minutes, then remove from heat and allow to cool for 15 minutes.
8. With an electric mixer, mix the salted caramel with the powdered sugar. Use 1 cup of sugar at a time, until you reach the consistency you want. I used 2.5 cups. Add a little cream if you want the frosting to be creamier, and add more salt if the frosting is too sweet.
9. Frost the cupcakes and decorate with chocolate.

Recipe adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction

Hong Kong - Amuse Bouche

Black and white themed decor throughout the restaurant

 Maguro Tuna and Sea Urchin Mille Feuille with Oscietra Caviar and Wasabi: I loved this dish. Layers of tuna and creamy uni complemented by a fiery wasabi sauce. The slight bitterness from the shisho flowers cut through the richness of the dish. And hey, who can say no to caviar?

Close up of the cross section (sorry it's out-of-focus!)

 Sautéed Sea Whelk, Scallops and Abalone with Black Truffle, Lily Bulbs, Jabugo Ham Reduction: This was a warm "salad" appetizer but the portion was good for a main course. All the seafood was cooked just right and tossed in a light savoury sauce. The mushrooms provided a beautiful umami element to the dish, while the lily bulbs were sweet and slightly crunchy. The combination of all the ingredients worked well together.

 Light Boston Lobster Bisque with Morel Mushrooms: This was bursting with umami, both from the lobster essence and the mushrooms. The morels also added a slight note of earthiness. You can't see in the picture but there was a lot of perfectly cooked lobster meat hiding in the bisque. Usually restaurants give you a couple of thumb size pieces (if you're lucky), but this time I had a whole claw and half a tail. The only downside to this dish was that it was a bit too salty for my taste.

Tuscan Artisanal Pasta with Black Truffle: This was my favourite dish. What separated this from other truffle pasta dishes was the consistency of the earthy and fragrant truffle sauce. The ratio of truffle to al-dente pasta was just right. The sauce blended perfectly into the pasta. It wasn't too creamy or watery, and coated the pasta evenly. The shaved truffle on top was icing on the cake!

 Roasted Cap of Rib Eye from US Brandt Beef Family Reserve with Asparagus, Parmesan, and Baked Bone Marrow on Toast: Ribeye cap is one of the most flavourful and tender cuts of beef you can get. This steak was exactly that - robust and juicy with a melt-in-your-mouth texture. I loved the charred bits too. The marrow was rich and buttery.

Sea salt and Black Lava salt: The black salt paired really well with steak. It added a nice hint of smokiness and brought out the beefy taste even more.

Crispy Granny Smith Apple Tart: Amuse Bouche's signature dessert - sweet caramelised apple on a crispy thin pastry, sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. Yum!

Verdict: We came here on a Wednesday and it was quiet. It was just our table of four and another table of six. I remember thinking to myself that I should probably lower my expectations, but the food turned out to be great! They really did a good job highlighting fresh ingredients. Every dish was delicious, save for the saltiness in the lobster bisque. Service was attentive. I would definitely come again!

I recommend: Tuscan Artisanal Pasta with Black Truffle, Roasted Cap of Rib Eye, Maguro Tuna and Sea Urchin Mille Feuille

Amuse Bouche
Address: 22/F, The Hennessy, 256 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
Phone: 2891-3666
Website: www.amusebouche.com.hk