Delicious and Easy-to-Make Caramel Cups Recipe

These mouthwatering caramel cups are a delightful treat for any occasion. They feature a rich and creamy caramel filling encased in a crisp and buttery pastry shell. This recipe is as easy as it gets, requiring only a handful of ingredients and minimal preparation time. Serve these irresistible caramel cups at parties, gatherings, or simply as a sweet indulgence to satisfy your dessert cravings.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon ice water
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup water
• ⅔ cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Sea salt flakes, for garnish

Directions

1. In a food processor, combine the flour, cold cubed butter, and granulated sugar. Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
2. Add the egg yolk and ice water to the food processor and pulse until the dough comes together.
3. Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead it a few times to ensure it comes together.
4. Shape the dough into a disc, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
5. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
6. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to about 1/8 inch thickness.
7. Using a round cookie cutter or a glass, cut out circles slightly larger than the cups of a muffin tin.
8. Press the circles of dough into the cups of the muffin tin, shaping them to form pastry cups.
9. Prick the bottoms of the pastry cups with a fork to prevent them from puffing up during baking.
10. Bake the pastry cups for 12-15 minutes or until they turn golden brown.
11. Remove from the oven and let them cool in the muffin tin.
12. In a medium saucepan, combine the granulated sugar and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves.
13. Increase the heat to high and cook the sugar mixture, without stirring, until it turns into a dark amber caramel.
14. Remove the saucepan from heat and carefully whisk in the heavy cream. Be cautious as the mixture will bubble up.
15. Return the saucepan to low heat and stir in the unsalted butter, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth.
16. Remove the caramel filling from heat and let it cool slightly.
17. Fill the cooled pastry cups with the caramel filling, using a spoon or a pastry bag.
18. Garnish each caramel cup with a sprinkle of sea salt flakes.
19. Refrigerate the caramel cups for at least 1 hour to allow the caramel filling to set.
20. Serve chilled and enjoy the delectable caramel cups!

Interesting Facts