caramel apple cupcakes (aquafaba recipe)

Treat time! I am sharing a really delicious cupcake recipe with you, but, be warned, it is decadent. It uses a homemade caramel sauce that is to die for, but is best left as an occasional treat.

Caramel Sauce is made by melting sugar and cooking it to a light amber color. The darker the color, the stronger the caramel flavor. Take care that it doesn't reach toffee stage, which is actually burnt sugar.

When the sugar is at the right color, you add milk. I tried making this with high-protein soymilk (one I use to make yogurt with) but it burned the caramel sauce to a crisp, so I recommend using a low-protein milk, such as lower protein soymilk or, better, yet, if you aren't allergic, store-bought almond milk.

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Then you stir and stir until the re-crystallized sugar melts again. Attach a candy thermometer and cook the syrup until it reaches about 228-degrees F. Yes, get a candy thermometer if you will be making candy. The cheaper ones are as low as $5 [AMAZON] or the better ones are below $10 [AMAZON], but I recommend a digital thermometer. This [AMAZON] is the one I use.

The batter is made with tart apples, but you can use whatever you like - I've made them with all kinds of apples. You drizzle the cooled cupcakes with that amazing caramel sauce and serve these treats right away.

Because caramel sauce can be a bit tricky to work with, I've made a video detailing this recipe.

Caramel Apple Cupcakes 
Makes 6 cupcakes/ 1/4 cup caramel sauce

Caramel:
1 tablespoon vegan butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup low-protein nondairy milk (commercial almond milk works well)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Cupcakes:
1 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup neutral oil
6 tablespoons aquafaba**
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups diced tart apples
2 tablespoons chopped toasted walnuts

1. Caramel: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the sugar and melt the sugar, stirring as needed to melt as much of the sugar as possible. Cook the sugar only until it is turning a light amber (any longer and the sugar could burn). Remove the pan from the heat and add the milk. The mixture will bubble and foam up. Stir until the crystallized sugar dissolves again, using a sturdy wooden spoon. Take it on and off the heat to facilitate this. 
2. When most of the sugar has melted, return the pot to the heat and add a candy thermometer. Cook the caramel, without stirring, until the temperature reaches 228-degrees F. Very gently remove it from the heat and set it aside for a full 15 minutes. This will help prevent it from crystallizing. When it is cool, stir in the vanilla. Chill the caramel to firm up and warm it up to melt it if using from the fridge.
3. Cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350-degrees F. Prepare a 6-tin muffin pan with cupcake liners and oil spray or just oil spray. Combine the flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, ginger and salt in a small bowl. Combine the oil, aquafaba, brown sugar and vanilla in a large bowl. Add the flour mixture and the apples and fold to combine. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin tins and bake the cupcakes until a toothpick inserted in the middle of one comes out clean, about 20 minutes. 
4. Cool the cupcakes in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Cool the cupcakes completely before adding caramel. Add the caramel and nuts right before serving. 

** Although aquafaba is best if homemade using the recipe provided in the book, you can use aquafaba from canned chickpeas. Use the organic, low-sodium, canned chickpeas and strain off the liquid into a measuring cup using a fine mesh strainer. Note the amount of liquid you acquired, then add it to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the liquid reduces by 1/3. Cool the aquafaba completely before using.

© 2016 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

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pantry + late summer burger salad

Yes, it is nearing that time of year in the Northern Hemisphere; it is almost the end of summer. I figured that it is a good time to make a Late Summer Burger Salad, using some of the produce that is still available.

The dressing is creamy and gingery to complement the Japanese togarashi seasoning. The mini burgers are packed with veggies and legumes and provide a ton of energy to fuel your day.

For the purpose of keeping this recipe within the confines of Pantry+, I've limited the salad ingredients to just romaine lettuce, but you should add anything that you have on hand: grated carrot, purple or green cabbage, napa cabbage, radishes, other types of lettuce - basically, go wild!

This recipe uses 5 pantry ingredients (get the Pantry+ list HERE) and 6 fresh ingredients.

Late Summer Burger Salad:

Equipment:
small blender [such as a Magic Bullet]
food processor
cast iron pan

Pantry ingredients:
Cashews
Rice wine vinegar
Chickpeas
Togarashi
Panko

Fresh ingredients:
Ginger
Summer squash
Green onions
Green peas
Lettuce

After preparing the dressing, you grate the squash using the food processor. Because the food processor will be used again, there is no reason not to use it multiple times in this recipe to make things go faster.

Cooking the squash down,

...it is processed again in the machine with the rest of the burger ingredients. After forming them into mini burgers, cook them in the same skillet or use an air-fryer.

Simple and easy! In just a few steps you will have a delicious salad to munch on as you ponder what wonderful produce you will be procuring in the coming months.

Late Summer Burger Salad (a Pantry+ recipe)

Makes 3 to 4 servings

Pantry list is HERE.

1 cup raw cashew pieces

7 to 8 tablespoons water

3 tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinegar, divided

1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

2 medium-large yellow squash

2 garlic cloves

1 cup cooked chickpeas

5 green onions, divided

1/2 cup green peas (thawed, if frozen)

1 to 2 teaspoons togarashi

3/4 cup panko bread crumbs

All-purpose flour, as needed

Oil for pan-frying, optional

6 cups lettuce, chopped

1. Add the cashews, water, 2 tablespoons vinegar, ginger and salt to a small blender. Blend well and set aside for 10 minutes to rehydrate. Blend again until smooth. Taste and add more salt if needed. Set aside. 

2. Grate the squash using a food processor. Add the squash to a large dry cast-iron pan and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, or until the moisture has reduced considerably. Add the garlic to the processor and pulse to chop. Add the chickpeas and 4 green onions and process until ground. Add the peas and pulse to break up. Add this mixture to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes to meld the flavors. Remove from the heat, add the panko and mix well. Set aside to rehydrate for 5 minutes.

3. Wipe the pan out, add a few teaspoons of oil and heat over medium heat. Form the squash mixture into 2 tablespoon patties (add a tablespoon of flour if the mixture isn’t holding together) and flatten the patties into 1/2-inch thickness. Cook the patties until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side.

4. Chop the remaining green onion and add it to a bowl. Add the lettuce and the remaining tablespoon of vinegar and toss. Divide the lettuce among four bowls, add 4 patties to each bowl and top with the ginger dressing. Serve. 

© 2016 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

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