Salted Caramel Sugar
 

• Set aside a small baking sheet, do not grease the baking sheet.
   
• For this recipe, you need a blender or a food processor.
   
• Bakers Note; Cooking caramel is basically burning the sugar to a point where it doesn’t taste bitter and unpalatable, which is why you shouldn’t leave it unattended. Once your caramel reaches the right color and aroma, take it off the heat immediately as it will continue to cook and darken. I prefer my caramel a bit on the darker side, but it is up to you how dark to make it before it burns.
   
• In a large saucepan, sprinkle 250 grams of superfine sugar so it's a thin layer on the bottom of the pan. Put the saucepan over medium heat.
   
• Every 30 seconds, gently shake the pan to move the sugar around. When the sugar starts to stick to the bottom of the pan, you can shake it a bit more vigorously. You don't want to stir the sugar at this point as it may interfere with the caramelizing of the sugar granules and cause it to crystallize.
   
• If there are areas of the sugar that start to caramelize before other areas start to melt, use a rubber spatula to move the sugar around the pan slowly. Continue moving the sugar around the pan until all the sugar has completely dissolved and it’s a rich amber color. The color of the caramelized sugar will determine the depth of the caramel flavor. But don't let it go too far, though, or it will taste burned.
   
• Remove from heat and carefully pour the caramel onto the prepared baking sheet, tilting to spread it thinly.
   
• Sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt ( more or less) and let the caramelized sugar cool completely at room temperature—about 40 minutes.
   
• When the caramel shards is completely cool, carefully break it into pieces.
   
• Bakers Note: Make sure your food processor or blender is completely dry on the inside. Otherwise, you will get a sticky mess. The cornstarch is important as it keeps the sugar dry. 
   
• Place the crushed caramel shard pieces into the food processor or your blender, add 1 tablespoon corn starch;  Process in a food processor until most of it is fairly fine. Do not make all of it powder fine, because it will have a tendency to clump.
   
• Store your Homemade caramel ( powdered) sugar in an airtight container and store it in a cool, dry spot at all times, and it will keep indefinitely.

Toffee Whipped Cream

• Before you start, the colder the cream is the easier and more successful it will whip and create the lightest whipped cream.  For best results take the cream out of the fridge chill the cream in the freezer for 15 minutes before you start. If you don't have a freezer just make sure your cream is really cold,  a slightly warm cream does not whip up well.
  
   
• Use a scale to weigh the right amount of caramel sugar you prepared. If your preference is less sweet, use less caramel sugar. I prefer using 150 to 200 gram salted caramel sugar.
   
• In a large bowl, using an electric beater ( or use a bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment), add 500 gram cold cream and 1 or two teaspoons vanilla bean paste.
   
• Whip the cream at low speed for one minute. Then a large spoonful add the caramel sugar into the cream, a tablespoon at a time. If you dump all of the caramel sugar at the same time, you will get a lot of large toffee pieces in this frosting, it is up to you how you like it.
   
• Continue whipping the cream at medium-low speed until it is fluffy and holds a stiff peak, do not overmix, or it gets grainy.
   
• If you feel the frosting isn´t stable enough after you whisk it, I recommend you continue whisking by hand ( using a spatula) to thicken it to stiff peaks (10-20 seconds)
  to make sure you don’t overmix it, check it a few times while you whisk it together if it is fluffy and stable enough to pipe on your cupcakes or to fill your cakes.
   
• Toffee Whipped Cream should be enjoyed the same day it is made. Leftovers are stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 8 hours.
   
• Decorate your cupcakes immediately after you whip up the toffee whipped cream. I recommend you use a large nozzle so that the tiny toffee bites will not get stuck in your nozzle. As seen in the picture above, I use Ateco #849 for the cupcakes.