Spiced Pear Cupcakes with Caramel Cream Cheese Icing

Did you know it's National Pear Month in Australia. Yup it's happening all around you right now and I bet quite a few of you might have even been participating and supporting local growers by eating a delicious juicy pear. There are also all kinds of exciting pear relating goings on around, including your chance to win for dinner for 2 HERE and lots of other foodie events around the country. You can find out more at rediscover the pear HERE.

We don't actually need to rediscover the pear in this household, despite all the cake and cookies I bake we are big fruit eaters here, and yummy Australian pears are always in the fruit bowl during their season.

OK - these green dot ones look good but that is way too much frosting - 

trust me don't do that, make your swirl smaller like the other pics.

In celebration of the pear, I came up with this light and delicious spiced pear cupcake topped with a swirl of creamy caramel cream cheese icing.

The light and fragrant cupcake was reminiscent of a tea cake and matched the decadent icing well.

But if your looking for something less creamy they were also lovely without any icing, or dipped in butter and cinnamon sugar.

Those cinnamon sugar ones were really good warm so these are the only photo's I got :)

Spiced Pear Cupcake (makes 20 - 24 cupcakes) store in an airtight container for up to 3 days

Note that this recipe calls for Extra Large eggs in place of large eggs, just because that is what I mostly have in my fridge. I use organic eggs when possible and always free range.

1 large pear cut into very small pieces (yield around 1 3/4 cup) I used Sweet William variety
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp all spice
1 1/2 cups self raising flour
1/2 cup caster sugar
4 Extra Large Eggs
250 (8 3/4 oz)grams unsalted butter softened.


Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F). Line 2 muffin trays with paper cases.

In a medium bowl mix together the pear, cinnamon and all spice.

Sift the flour and sugar into a large bowl and make a well in the center, add the Eggs and softened butter and mix well at low speed using an electric mixer until just combined. Scrap down the sides. Increase the mixer speed to medium high and mix for 2 minutes.

Using a spatula fold the spiced pear mixture into the cupcake batter. Spoon batter into prepared tins filling the paper cases 3/4 full.

Bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before turning out on a wire rack to cool.

Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting

200g (7oz) Cream Cheese at room temperature
100g (3  1/2 oz) Unsalted Butter at room temperature
3 cups sifted icing sugar
1/4 cup caramel (like top and fill) or make your own dulce de leche following the instructions HERE

Place the cream cheese and unsalted butter in a large bowl and mix until combined. Add the icing sugar one cup at a time and mix at medium low speed until incorporated, increase speed to high and mix for 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the caramel and mix until well combined. If you are spreading the cream cheese onto the cakes you can use straight away if you would like to pipe place in fridge until the mixture becomes firm.

Alternate Cinnamon Sugar Topping

Melt 125g (3.5 oz) unsalted butter in a bowl. In a separate shallow bowl mix together 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar and 2 Tbsp (2 Tbsp 2 tsp US)ground cinnamon. Dip the tops of the cupcakes in the melted butter and then into the sugar mixture.

Caramel Candy Oreo Pops - Valentines for Him (or Her or maybe just because)

Pretty as decorated cookies are for Valentines, some of us have someone special in our lives that like their something sweet to be a bit more substantial.

Like these caramel dipped, chocolate coated, Oreo truffles.

I came up with the idea while I was trialling Caramel Candy Apples for the book, cause you know dipping apples and pops is pretty much the same thing apart from the size. But as it turns out these are way more decadent. Waaaaay more decadent.

I like to think I have pretty good self control around sweet stuff, but when I took a bite out of one of the pops for the blog pictures I ate the whole thing without stopping to getting a single photo. The one in the picture is my second try, lucky I had a whole batch to work with.

For a little bit of crunch and texture I have added some rice krispies as well, although you could change those to chopped pecans or peanuts if you prefer.

If the weather is hot make sure you really ensure that the mixture has chilled between each step otherwise you'll end up with the pops swimming in your chocolate or caramel.

 If you do happen to lose your Oreo truffle don't stress, just grab a couple of forks and dig it out and pop it onto the parchment paper, it'll be just as yummy whether it's on a stick or not.

Caramel Candy Oreo Pops

Oreo Truffles (click here for recipe)
400g (around 14oz) soft caramels (I used Cadbury Pascall Milk Chocolate Caramels) I know they have chocolate on them but it worked out ok.
1 1/2 tbs cream (US 2 Tbsp heavy cream)
1 1/2 cups of rice bubbles (rice krispies) or substitute chopped nuts of your choice.
1 packet Chocolate Candy Melts (or Nestle Chocolate Melts) Plus copha or paramount crystals.
Lollipop sticks

Line a tray with parchment paper.

Shape Oreo Truffle mixture into rounds. Mine were 21grams (3/4 oz). Pop the truffles onto a parchment lined tray. At this stage I like to make a hole in the top of the truffle where the lollipop stick will sit in case the mixture chills too hard. See the picture for example.

Melt the Chocolate candy melts in a microwave safe bowl at medicum/low setting at bursts of 90 seconds. Add some copha or paramount crystals so the mixture is fluid but not too thin. Dip the ends of each lollipop stick into the melted chocolate candy melt and then insert the stick into the premade hole of each Oreo truffle. Repeat for each truffle and return to fridge to chill until set.

Line a new tray with parchment paper, spray the paper with a non stick edible spray - I used canola spray, what ever you have will be fine.

Unwrap the caramels, place in a microwave safe bowl and add 1 1/2 Tablespoons (2 US Tablesoons) cream. Melt the caramel in a microwave at high setting at bursts of 60 seconds until the mixture is bubbling and appears smooth with no lumps when you stir it.

WARNING the melted caramel mixture is super hot, be prepared to use oven gloves or a towel to handle the bowl and make sure you do not get any of the hot caramel mixture on yourself. This step is not suitable for children to undertake on their own.

Holding the end of the lollipop stick carefully dip each Oreo truffle pop into the caramel mixture ensuring the whole pop is covered. You can use a spoon if you like to cover the top near the lollipop stick, allow any excess mixture to drip off whilst still holding it over the bowl.

Then roll the pop in the bowl of rice bubbles (rice krispies) and then carefully place it on the oil sprayed parchment lined tray with the stick facing upwards. Repeat for all pops and then place the tray into the fridge to chill until firm.

Remelt the chocolate candy melts and holding the end of the lollipop stick dip each caramel coated Oreo truffle into the chocolate mixture. Allow excess chocolate to drip off and then return to the parchment tray with the stick once again upright.

Store in the fridge for 4 days in an airtight container. Remove from the fridge before serving to allow the truffles and caramel to soften a little to room temperature - but not too long if it's really hot.

I decorated my lollipop sticks with ribbon and hearts, and then ate way too many of them myself.

OK a bit of quick book news. There is a blog tour of the book happening at the moment with quite a few giveaway's included, so if you've been wanting to buy the book but haven't had a chance yet you might like to try out one of these sites. Pretty much most of them are for US and/or Canadian residents only sorry everyone from other countries :)

If you miss out you could always pick up a copy yourself here at Amazon

Or here at fishpond (Aus/NZ)

Here are the dates and sites for the Book Blog tour happening right now.........

1/9/12 – Moogie and Pap blog,Review
1/10/12  Still Blonde after all these YEARS Review/Giveaway

1/11/12  Random Cravings Blog Review with recipe/Q&A

1/11/12  Katy and Kid Review/Giveaway

1/12/12 Giveaway Blogs, Review/Giveaway

1/13/12 Consumer Queen, Giveaway

1/14/12 Confessions of an Over-worked Mom Review/Giveaway

1/15/12  Mommy Pants blog Review/Giveaway

1/17/12  Mom Vs. the Boys Blog Review/Giveaway

1/19/12  Mommy’s Free Time blog Review

Caramel mini cheesecake and dulce de leche instructions

When I was young we used to cook up condensed milk and eat it out of the tin.

I loved how with just heat regular condensed milk would change consistency and turn golden, sticky and yummy, I didn't realise what we were doing was making Dulce de leche. I would have felt so worldly if only I had of known.

Dulce de leche is a fancy way of saying condensed milk cooked up in it's tin in a big pot of simmering water for a few hours. It turns into that rich flowing delicious looking caramel you see on the top of these cheesecakes. You don't need to add anything, it just......is.

Really it is super easy but if your not into the whole cooking for 4 hours thing you can buy dulce de leche already made up at some good deli's or grocery stores. I noticed that Amazon has a stack and it seems that Nestle in some countries do all the hard work for you - nice!

I know - YUM

In Australia you can buy Top and Fill caramel and use in place of the home made dulce de leche which is perfectly acceptable (although I prefer the taste of the home made dulce de dulce, but y'all know I generally say use what makes YOU happy).

When I make up tins of dulce de leche I either make it up after the kids go to sleep or when they are at nana's house as I am a bit uptight about boiling water and if they are in the house I have to hover near the stove the whole time. (Yes Mr Sweet calls me a helicopter mum and sometimes even makes those annoying helicopter sounds to me - yeah I know really !)

Dulce de leche or Caramel baked Cheesecake
You will need 2 tins of dulce de leche - one for the cheesecake recipe and one to spoon over the top. You will not use all the second tin so you could either freeze it to use another time or heat it up and spoon it over icecream, or cake, or pretty much anything :) 

Dulce de leche (you can keep in an airtight container in the fridge up to 1 week)

Tins of condensed milk with 2 holes pierced in the top (you will need 2 tins for this recipe)

Place tins of condensed milk into a large deep saucepan with water surrounding them. The water should come up to he top of the condensed milk tins but not lap over the rim (otherwise you will get water into the holes). Bring the water to simmer and cook the tins for 4 hours. Keep adding water to the saucepan so the water remains level with the tops of the tins (you know just ever now and then don't get too uptight about it).

After 4 hours turn off the heat, allow to cool and then remove the tins from the saucepan. Take off the top of the tin and scoop out all the caramel/ dulce de leche.

Cheesecake - makes 14 largish mini cupcakes
14 Oreo cookies
625g (21oz) cream cheese at room temperature
1 tin condensed milk made into dulce de leche (see above instructions)
3 eggs at room temperature
14 large muffin papers (I bought these ones from woolies)
Packet of soft caramels for decoration (optional) I used Jersey caramels

Preheat oven to 140C (280 F)

Line the muffin tins with the muffin/cupcake papers. Place one single oreo in the bottom of each paper.

Beat the cream cheese using a mixer at medium speed until just smooth, add the dulce de leche.

Mix until well combined. Reduce speed to low and add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition until just combined.

Spoon the mixture into the large muffin papers dividing mixture evenly between the papers. If you are using large ones like I did the mixture should make 14, if you only have smaller cupcake cases do not overfill the cases as the mixture will rise a little during baking, make them around 3/4 full.

Bake until the mixture is just setting in the center, around 16- 20 mins for the larger size muffin cupcake, check after 14mins if you are making smaller sized cakes.

They will be cooked when the middle of the top of the cheesecake is no longer wet and looks just set.

Allow to cool in the trays for 10-15min and then pop in an airtight container in the fridge until chilled.

Serve topped with extra dulce de leche and caramels.

If you would like to make the dulce de leche more fluid for serving like it appears in the pictures heat it up on short bursts at high in the microwave in a microwave safe bowl and mix with a spoon until smooth.

Cheesecakes will keep in airtight container up to 3 days in fridge.

and here is the link to my book Sweets on a Stick and there actually is a cheesecake pop recipe in the book, which is super delicious if I do say so myself.....and I promise if I ever work out how to pop a link in the sidebar I will stop popping these in every post :) I know I have said it before but it is a US Release however there is a conversion chart in the back to the book for metric.

Or here at fishpond (Aus/NZ)

Also featured in....

Salted Caramel Cheesecakes

Here is the recipe for that salted caramel cheesecake that I didn't end up using for the daring bakers challenge.

So delicious, and if you don't like salted caramel you could make the cheesecakes and top it with something else........Ha. Right, as if.



Well anyway you could, just a simple raspberry puree, or mango even just a dollop of cream. The actual cheesecake is very easy to make.

I made a mini dessert table type version as well which was kind of cute, but you will need to adjust the baking times down.


The pics have a base of hazelnut pasta frolla but I recommend just leaving it our altogether.


Salted Caramel Cheesecakes makes 8 single serves

Cheesecakes
228 gram (8 ounce) cream cheese at room temp
1/2 cup caster sugar
3 large eggs at room temp
1/2 cup sour cream
8 small ramekins or glass jars (I used Ikea tea lights)

Preheat oven to 160 C (325F). Have a large deep baking tray ready (for water bath).

Mix cream cheese and sugar at medium speed with electric mixer until creamy and free of lumps approx 1 min. Add eggs one at a time ensuring each addition is mixed. Beat in sour cream. Scrap down sides throughout process and do not overmix and incorporate too much air.

Strain into a pouring jug and then fill the ramekins/jars with cheesecake mixture.

Place ramekins/jars into the baking pan and fill pan with enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the jars. Bake for 16 mins and turn off oven leaving cheecakes in the warm oven for 2 hours.


Remove from waterbath and refrigerate until cold and firm, at least 2 hours.

 Salted Caramel Topping (recipe makes a lot of caramel you will have around a cup left over to use for other delicious purposes)

1/3 cup water

1/3 cup light corn syrup (use liquid glucose if not available)

2/3 cup caster sugar (superfine)

80 grams unsalted butter (4 US tbsp)

1/2 tsp salt

2/3 cups cream

Combine water, corn syrup and sugar in large heavy based saucepan. Cook over medium low heat stirring constantly, brushing down sides with water when necessary until sugar is dissolved. Turn heat to med-high and continue to cook without stirring for 5-7 mins or until syrup turns golden amber, swirling the pan if necessary to distribute the caramel. 

Remove from heat and stir in butter and salt.

Slowly pour in the cream being careful as mixture will bubble and whisk in well. Strain through sieve into heatproof bowl. Cool for at least 20 mins.

Spoon a thin layer of warm caramel onto each cheesecake and chill until cold.