Who knew this.... |
Could lead to this? |
My brother called me out of the blue, which he often does, with a random cooking idea or ingredient he's learned about. This time? Making caramel out of Borden's Sweetened Condensed Milk. So, of course, I had to try it. Simply submerge an unopened can of the gooey goodness in a pot of boiling water. Apparently, it is very important that the can be complete covered with water. Reduce the heat to a simmer and leave it to cook for 2-1/2 hours. Again... it is important to make sure the can remains submerged in water. The results? This yummy, gooey, rich, and cream goodness....
Sweetened Condense Milk Turned to Caramel |
Once you've opened the can, make sure you remove it as it will go bad if you leave it in the opened can. I scooped mine out onto some plastic wrap and wrapped it up (after, of course, some serious taste testing)...
Caramel wrapped in plastic wrap for storing |
So here's the final result.... let me tell you, upon initial tasting the caramel buttercream is delish... serious goodness... On top are some toasted pecans which really finish it off nicely.
To make the caramel buttercream, I added a sizable dollop to some vanilla buttercream I already had on hand. If I had to guess, I would say I used a ratio of about 6 to 1. Really, it's up to you and how much caramel flavor you want. I was afraid the flavor wouldn't come through, but it really did.
And now the gooey goodness on the inside. I was really pleased with how well the caramel piped into the center of the cupcake....
To fill the cupcakes, I used a filling tip (it's really long and has an angled/small hole in the end... perfect for piercing the cupcake but not making a giant hole)... I put some of the caramel into a pastry bag with the filling tip inside.
I'm calling this caramel experiment a huge success... now to decide... to share or not to share? ;)
HAPPY BAKING AND DECORATING!
OH.... AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!
May 2013 bring you many blessings.