Dulce Delights a Winning Recipe

Dulce Delights

Recipe created by Shannon and Lisa Becks

Makes 24 mini muffin-sized desserts

Ingredients

• 6 Girl Scout Dulce de Leche cookies, crushed
• 1 cup sifted flour plus 1 tbsp flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup salted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Combine the 1/2 cup sifted flour and 1 tablespoon unsifted flour. Add baking powder, baking soda and salt. Sift to combine.

Cream butter using electric mixer. Add brown sugar, egg and vanilla and beat until blended. 

Combine wet and dry ingredients, beat until just blended.

Sprinkle about a teaspoon of the crumbled Dulce de Leche cookies into the bottom of greased mini muffin pans or mini foil cupcake wrappers. Add a heaping teaspoon of batter on top of that.

Bake for 10 minutes until the batter is a light golden brown. It will climb the sides of the cup/foil a bit. Remove from oven and let cool.

Top with a teaspoon of caramel sauce, a teaspoon of Dulce de Leche cookie crumbles, and caramel buttercream frosting (recipe below). Top with candy caramel decorations (recipe below)

Caramel Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 stick salted butter
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Directions

1. In a saucepan, combine granulated sugar and water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. You're making caramel. The key is to cook without stirring it, until it turns a deep amber (about five minutes).
2. Remove from heat, and very slowly add the heavy cream and vanilla. Stir until smooth. Set aside for 20 minutes.
3. Using an electric mixer, cream butter and salt. Reduce speed and add powdered sugar and beat until thoroughly combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
4. Add the cooled caramel and beat on medium until the frosting is light and airy. It will take about two minutes. If the caramel was too hot when you added it, the icing may be a bit runny. Refrigerate it to firm.

Candy Caramel Decorations

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt
• 1/4 cup water
• Package of large or colored crystal sugars (optional)

Directions

1. Lay out three long pieces of parchment paper about the length of a cookie sheet and spray with cooking spray.
2. Put a large pot in the sink, fill with water and some ice to cool the sugar quickly when it's ready.
3. In a heavy medium-sized saucepan, add granulated sugar, salt and water. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and bring to a boil. Lower heat slightly and swirl the pan once or twice so it colors evenly.
4. When caramel color is a deep amber, remove from heat and set pan in the ice water-filled pot in the sink for just two seconds to stop further cooking.
5. Dip a spoon in the caramel and drizzle it on the parchment. Swirl in any design you like. Just remember if it's too thin, it will break. If you like, sprinkle with the sugar crystals. Let cool for a few minutes before using them to top the dessert.