Gingerbread cupcakes with cranberry topping and brown butter caramel sauce

Ingredients:

Cupcakes

• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 tbsp. maple syrup
• 1/4 cup cane molasses
• 1/4 cup cranberry or apple juice
• 1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
• 2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 1 cup premium flour
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten

Syrup and fruits

• 1.5 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 tbsp. maple syrup

Brown Butter Caramel Sauce

• 0.5 cups butter
• 3 tablespoons of water
• 1 cup of sugar
• 3 tablespoons white corn syrup
• 0.5 cup whipping cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Preparation:

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat until it stops foaming and turns brown. Strain the butter through cheesecloth or a paper coffee filter.
2. In a clean saucepan, bring the water, sugar, and corn syrup to a boil over high heat without stirring. Continue cooking, uncovered and occasionally brushing the sides of the pan with water, until the syrup turns amber. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the cream (be careful not to burn yourself with the steam). Stir in the brown butter and vanilla. Cool the sauce to room temperature and refrigerate.
   Exit: about 1.5 tbsp.
   
   The sauce can be used warm or at room temperature and stored in the refrigerator until the expiration date of the cream added to it..
3. Preheat oven to 170°C. Grease 6 150ml ramekins with oil and place them on a baking sheet.
4. In a food processor, pulse the cranberries and granulated sugar until coarsely chopped. In a saucepan over medium heat, heat the butter until it stops foaming and turns brown. Add the brown sugar and maple syrup and stir until smooth and bubbling. Pour the syrup into ramekins and top with the chopped cranberries.
5. In a clean saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat until it stops foaming and turns brown. Add the maple syrup, brown sugar, molasses, and cranberry or apple juice and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and pour into a bowl. Stir in the grated ginger and lemon zest.
6. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Add the flour mixture to the warm butter mixture and whisk until smooth. Add the egg and whisk thoroughly.
7. Pour the batter into the ramekins and bake for about 30 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes for 15 minutes, then turn them out onto a plate.
   
   You can prepare the syrup, fruit, and batter in advance and store in the refrigerator, then bake the cupcakes and serve..