Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Caramel Dip for Your Apples!

Remember how I waxed poetic about the lusciousness of Bourbon Caramel Apple Dip?

That's because I have a confession...

I don't like chocolate.  I can totally live without it.  I could go every day for the rest of my years on this planet without ever having it on my tongue again.

But caramel?

Buttery, gooey, rich, softening against the tongue caramel?  Be.  Still.  My.  Heart.

Add fleur de sel and I'm done.  Done.  There is nothing better.

So, when I realized that the source of my (five years worth of!) abdominal pain may be related to dairy, my heart cracked a little at the thought of never having the amber nectar of the gods again.

Now, let me tell you - this was no small feat.  I'm a caramel snob.  Melted waxy squares from a bag will not do.  It has to be right.

I adapted my recipe and found it opaque and creamy with a slightly coconutty taste.  Bad?  Not really.  But it wasn't perfect caramel.

So, I tried another recipe from another blogger.  Utter and complete fail.  It was gritty, separated, and runny.  That one ended up in the trash after cooling in the fridge overnight and yielding nothing worth salvaging.

This morning, I decided it was worth it to try one last time.  I could have used the creamy caramel above for the kids' apple dip, but really?  I would have been disappointed in me.  I don't do disappointment well.

I came back to my original recipe with a little tweak and VOILA!  It's perfect!

Thick.  Gooey.  Luscious.  Buttery.  Tasting of burnt sugar and creme brulee and vanilla and delicious.

May this bring back your faith in dairy-free cooking and put a smile on your face:

1 Cup Soy-Free Earth Balance 

2 1/4 cups brown sugar, packed

2 1/4 cups granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups karo light syrup

(you may be able to sub agave, if you're avoiding corn.  I haven't tested it, but I don't see why not.)

***

2 cups of original almond milk

***

2 tsp high quality gluten-free vanilla

(I skipped the booze - for shame - but you're welcome to drop that to 1 tsp of vanilla 

and add 2 tbsp of maker's mark or knob creek, should your boozy heart desire)

***

In a small pot, pour the almond milk and bring to a simmer, 

allowing it to thicken and reduce while the sugar cooks.

(There's no magic timeline for this, just let it bubble away)

In a large, heavy-bottomed, non-reactive pan (think stainless steel stock pot) 

combine the first four ingredients, stirring regularly as the butter melts.

Insert a candy thermometer.

Continue to stir as it comes up to temperature.  

Sugar will burn, and not in a yummy caramel-y way, so don't walk away.  

Safety note: boiling sugar will burn you in ways you can't even imagine.  This isn't one for the kids, folks.  Stay safe and make sure you use a long-handled silicone spoonula.

When the sugar mixture comes up to 230°, add the vanilla (and bourbon, if desired)... slowly!

It will cause the sugar to expand, so be particularly careful during the next two steps.

Pour your reduced almond milk into the bubbling caramel... did I mention to do this slowly?  

Bring the entire mix up to 240°

Ladle into clean jars and set on the counter to cool, then refrigerate.

 

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Bourbon Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting

So, you've made the Bourbon Caramel Apple Dip.  Now what?

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Bourbon Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting, of course!

My cupcakes are an adaptation of a box mix (okay, it's a bag, but it's still a mix.  If something ain't broke, don't fix it!)  Namaste Spice Cake is so good my wheat-eating family has never known the difference.  I've served this at countless birthday parties and holidays.

(NOT MY PICTURE) This is how we decorated them two years ago

The adaptation of spice cake to pumpkin spice involves taking out the oil in the directions and subbing a cup of pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling - that's a different beast - just regular old canned pumpkin or pureed pumpkin from the freezer if you're Martha).  Scoop.  Bake.  Cool.

Okay - frosting.

1 1/2 cups of cream cheese (I love the whole foods brand with no rbgh.  It's cheap, to boot)
1/2 cup of butter, softened
4 cups of powdered sugar
3 TBSP bourbon caramel apple dip

A kitchen aid will make your life easier.  Just sayin'.  Helps if it's a color that makes you smile.  My dream KitchenAid would be this one.  Alas, mine is a funky lavender periwinkle that I suspect was a mistake color.  But, it does the job.

So, with the paddle attachment cream the cream cheese and butter together.  It helps if you cut it into cubes or pats beforehand, especially if it's not softened.

Add 4 cups of powdered sugar.  Y'all know to turn it off first, right?  And go slow.  "Stir" is the setting.  If you have a splash guard, now is the time to get it out.  Don't wear clothes you're going to wear to a party that night.  Unless you're dressing as a ghost.

Okay, add a bit at a time until it's incorporated.  Now, magic - add 3TBSP of the bourbon caramel from last night.  If you don't have it you can make a tiny bit on the side.

Try these proportions:
2 Brown Sugars + 2 Whipping Cream + 2 Bourbon + 1 Butter

In other words, if you want a small amount you might do 2 TBSP Brown sugar, 2 TBSP whipping cream, 2 TBSP bourbon, 1TBSP butter.  Add the bourbon after you've cooked the sugar to melted and smooth, boil for at least a minute, then remove from heat!  Don't light your face on fire.  That might ruin the party.


Now, frost.  I prefer piping, myself, but there's something fun about a smooth frosted top so do what knocks your socks off.

Enjoy!

Bourbon Caramel Apple Dip

You know what they say... if you want something done right, ya gotta do it yourself!

Tired of all the high fructose corn syrup and artificially colored caramel dips at the grocery store that are flavorless and far too sweet?

I was.  

Until tonight.

Tonight I... okay, we (I had a little help stirring) made the.  most.  luscious.  caramel.  dip.  ever.  

Prepare yourselves.  It's TOTALLY worth it.

(I made a total of 19 jars in various sizes.  I'm guessing you'll want a regular amount?  This will make about six small jars)

You want a seriously heavy-bottomed stainless steel stock pot for this.  Make sure it has plenty of room to expand and BE CAREFUL.  Melted sugar will burn the heck out of you (I have evidence on my pointer finger as I type - it spurted on me and I have a nice blister by my second knuckle).  This isn't one for the kids to do on the stove, okay? 

2 sticks of unsalted butter (yes, butter.  Can you use subs on this one?  I'm not going to find out.)

2 1/4 cups of brown sugar

2 1/4 cups of granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups of light Karo syrup

2 cups heavy whipping cream (you're dipping it in apples.  It's kinda healthy.)

1 tsp good quality vanilla

2 TBSP quality bourbon (rec. Knob Creek, Makers Mark)

Cut the butter into pats and add them to the stock pot, keeping the heat around medium.  Add the sugars and karo syrup while stirring.  Do not.  I repeat.  DO NOT stop stirring or walk away from this stage.  Sugar will burn and it will burn fast.  Stir all the way down to the bottom and across the middle over and over again.  You have to burn off the calories before you eat them, right?

As it heats, the sugar will begin to melt.  You'll see it get smoother and more runny.  This process took me about fifteen minutes of stirring, so be patient.  Eventually it gets a little foamy and starts to expand.  Add the vanilla and bourbon at this point.  (Mine doubled in size in the pot.  And, again, I cannot stress the importance of a good, heavy, deep pot for this).

Boil for about five minutes minutes, stirring constantly.  My candy thermometer hit about 225°.  I took it off the heat and continued stirring until the five minutes was up.  If you don't have a candy thermometer, just set a timer and don't let it get to a hard boil.  Keep it at a medium simmer.  You can always turn it down.  This isn't cooking sugar - we don't want Werther's candies when we're done.  Just a nice dippy consistency.  

After your five minutes of simmering/boiling is up, take it off the heat and add your cream.  Stir until it's incorporated.  

Keep your fingers out of it.  It's still too hot to eat!

As it cools, it thickens up and very quickly my kids began to gather bowls of ice cream.  Within about ten minutes it was thick enough to pour over the top.  

Store in the fridge, folks.  This one is definitely perishable!  

And enjoy :)