apple cider caramel sauce

Today we're talking happy accidents of the food variety. Last week my fabulous and trusty GPS took me to Ohio. However, it took me on all the backroads (aka Route 50) instead of the main road and, good thing for google maps, I loved every second of that drive. I saw corn fields with fruity pebble mountains in the background, prop planes splashed against a perfectly crisp fall sky, and the best thing of all, a 24-hour family owned donut shop in a little town called Londonderry that has been in existence for nearly 100 years! Talk about a happy accident! Those donuts were perfect and cheap. I got two for 98 cents. Ninety. Eight. Cents. I thought the lady was kidding me. I'm glad she wasn't. I want to move into that place. 

This caramel sauce? Also a happy accident! I was attempting to make these apple cider caramel candies and for some reason could not get them to set. The flavors were too good just to throw the caramel out, so I just warmed it up and used it as a warm sauce. This sauce is apple cider, caramelized sugar, and butter goodness. Make it right now!

Warm Apple Cider Caramel Sauce

adapted from this recipe from Dessert for Two

2 cups apple cider
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoons salt

In a small saucepan, boil cider until reduced to 1/4 cup. 

Once reduced, remove from heat and whisk in the butter, sugar, and heavy cream. Raise heat and bring mixture to 255 degrees.

Immediately stir in cinnamon and salt and pour mixture into a mason jar. Allow to cool before storing in the fridge. Serve on ice-cream, or these donuts. 

Have a great weekend everybody!

French Breakfast Puffs

Today's high temperature was 65 degrees, it's officially fall, and i'm sharing a cozy recipe that's filled with warm spices and comforting sugar. We're talking french breakfast puffs people. Let's get to it!

So, what is a french breakfast puff? They are perfectly spiced little muffins that have a sturdy yet tender texture and the most perfect cinnamon-sugar crunch to balance out the crumb!

These little gems are probably one of the best baked goods I've made in a while. They are just SO FALL, and they are easy business!

In my weekend daydream, I'm eating these in my sunlit breakfast nook alongside a hot apple cider. Let's make that happen! Ok?

French Breakfast Puffs

makes about 10 little muffins

recipe slightly adapted from The Kitchy Kitchen Cookbook by Claire Thomas

5 1/3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar, divided

1 egg

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoons ground nutmeg

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, divided

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and prepare a muffin tin by spraying with non-stick spray.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat 1/2 cup of sugar and butter until light in color and fluffy. Add egg, and mix until fully incorporated. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Mix the dry ingredients into the butter and sugar alternately with the milk. Add in vanilla, and mix to fully incorporate.

Fill muffin tin cups 2/3 cup full. Bake 25 minutes, or until barely golden brown.

Remove from oven and immediately remove puffs from the muffin tin. While still warm, dip puffs in the melted butter then roll in a mixture of the remaining sugar and cinnamon. 

Eat. Share. Have one with a hot apple cider it's the perfect fall breakfast!

Thanks for reading, you sweet people!