Makes the dulce de leche:

1. Spilt the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Combine the vanilla seeds, milk, sugar and sea salt in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
2. Turn off heat and slowly stir in the baking soda-water mixture. Careful, as the mixture will foam.
3. Turn heat back on and return to a simmer. This step has a sweet spot, as if it’s too hot the mixture will harden and if it’s too cool it will take forever. For me, it was 4.5 on my 1-8 burner setting. Stir every 15 minutes or so for the first hour and as the mixture starts to turn golden, increase stirring frequency to every 5 minutes and eventually almost continuously. The final mixture will thick like caramel with a deep copper color.
4. Remove from stove and stir in the vanilla if you aren’t using a vanilla bean.
5. Use immediately or store in the fridge for up to a month in an airtight container. To reheat, zap it in the microwave for 10-15 second intervals until warm or place it in a place in a saucepan of simmering water until it is just right. Makes about 1 cup.

Make the Caramelized White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

1. Heat oven to 225° F. Spread chopped white chocolate in a baking sheet or dish. Bake for 10-minute intervals, stirring and smoothing out with a spatula each time for 60-90 minutes. The mixture will eventually turn golden in color. Transfer to a heatproof bowl.
2. Warm heavy cream in a small saucepan until about 100-120 degrees. Do not let simmer. Add to the caramelized white chocolate and stir until smooth. Let cool to room temp.
3. In a bowl, cream butter until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add 1 cup powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the remaining 1/2 cup of white chocolate ganache until smooth. Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add more cream or powdered sugar as needed to achieve the desired consistency.

Make the ultimate chocolate cupcakes:

1. Here are instructions for the best chocolate cupcakes I’ve ever had. The above recipes make enough for a double batch or 32 cupcakes.

Assemble the cupcakes:

1. Using a piping bag and a large round piping tip, pipe a ring of the white chocolate buttercream around the perimeter of each cupcake.
2. Spoon a dollop of just-warm-enough-to-be-spreadable dulce de leche in the middle of each ring.
3. Finish with a drizzle of salted caramel sauce. I used a squeeze bottle to make this step quick and painless. The recipe I used was from my salted caramel ice cream, but you can use your own recipe or even store-bought.