What an Amazing Dessert

Okay, first off, I made this recipe straight from the Donna Hay site. It is called Classic Chocolate Caramel Slice. Click on that link to go there. The site is from Australia, and they use lots of terms that for the regular old USA kind of cook, can leave one at a bit of a loss. 

Long ago, in Guatemala, I made a friend who is an Australian, believe it or not! She was married to a friend of my (at the time) Guatemalan husband. I got to know a little about Australians, their slang and lingo, and most importantly, I looked through her cookbooks, becoming familiar with the terms. One thing that jumped out right away was the use of "aubergine" instead of eggplant. Another was the use of grams instead of ounces or cups. 
 

Chocolate Caramel Bars

So when I found this recipe while perusing Facebook yesterday, it just looked so good. And I was feeling stressed. You know what they say: "Stressed is desserts spelled backwards!" So I went to the kitchen. 

I will not begin to say this is a quickie dessert to be whipped up and eaten within the hour. No, it does require more effort than that. There are three distinct steps to the recipe. The first is making the crust. Which uses 9 tablespoons of butter. And then the caramel filling, using 2 cans of sweetened condensed milk, PLUS what they call "golden syrup", PLUS 9 tablespoons of butter. This recipe is nothing if not decadent! And then, probably the most innocuous part of the whole recipe: dark chocolate with 1 tablespoon of oil added. 

The recipe calls for a 20 x 30 centimeter pan. I got out my trusty ruler and found this to be a 9 x 13-inch pan. I went further and used my Wilton, very straight sided 9 x 13-inch pan, so the sides would be very squared, rather than a regular 9 x 13 baking dish with rounded edges. This squared edge resulted in a much wider base, and a thinner bar. Mine were just a little over a half inch thick. 

Chocolate Caramel Bars

While the flour and sugar were given alternatively in cups and in grams, other measurements were in grams alone. Luckily I have a kitchen scale to measure with, so I found that 125 grams of butter equaled 9 tablespoons.  The sweetened condensed milk does have both ounces and grams, so that was a no-brainer. When confronted with 200 grams of dark chocolate, I had to use the scale. I had bars of Ghirardelli 60% dark chocolate baking bars. Each one is 4 ounces, or 113.5 grams. The bars are sectioned into 8 squares apiece. By weight, 200 grams turned out to be all but one of the little square sections of two whole bars, or 15 small square sections.

Okay, once I had all the calculations, all I had to do is decide what to do about the golden syrup, which I do not have. I recall another recipe from Donna Hay that called for golden syrup, and my sister said something about approximating with honey mixed with corn syrup. This is what I did, with no more exactitude than pouring in an eyeballed half of the ⅓-cup measure, of honey, and then filling to the top with corn syrup. I used dark corn syrup, but I am pretty sure light would make no perceptible difference. 

I hesitated with the idea of using the exact recipe here, as it comes from the Donna Hay website, but it is changed enough to almost count. Still, I would encourage anyone looking for a really decadent dessert that can be cut pretty tiny, if desired - do check out that website, because you will just drool all over your computer while perusing! I guarantee!

Much, much later.......

I have read recipes for nearly this same thing. This same layers: shortbread crust, caramel layer, topped with a chocolate glaze - and they are called Millionaire Bars, here in the U.S. Nothing is ever new!

Chocolate Caramel Bars, a la Donna Hay

Chocolate Caramel Bars

Makes one 9 x 13-inch pan, about 64 small squares

CRUST:
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup dried, unsweetened coconut
9 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
½ cup brown sugar

CARAMEL:
9 tablespoons unsalted butter, in cubes
2 cans (14 ounce / 396 grams each) 
   sweetened condensed milk
⅓ cup honey & corn syrup mixed (OR Golden Syrup, if available)

CHOCOLATE TOPPING:
7½ ounces 60% bittersweet chocolate 
1 tablespoon oil (I used hazelnut oil)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the long edges to allow for lifting out later. Cut corners to fit. Spray the parchment lightly with cooking spray. Set pan aside.

Make the crust by combining the flour, brown sugar and coconut in a mixing bowl, then adding the melted butter. Stir until well-combined and turn into the prepared pan. Press gently and firmly to make the crust mixture fit to all the edges and covering the pan bottom with no holes or gaps. This can take a little time; be patient and carry on! Bake the crust for about 15 minutes, or until golden. Remove from oven. 

While the crust is baking, make the caramel. Mix together the three caramel ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir the mixture with a whisk or a silicone spatula until butter is melted. Continue stirring vigorously, scraping bottom and sides of pan for about 7 to 9 minutes. Once crust is out of the oven, pour this mixture over the crust. Return the pan to the oven for another 15 minutes, rotating the pan once during baking. The top of the caramel should be a deep golden color and bubbling.

Remove the pan to a rack to cool, and once tepid, move to the refrigerator until cooled through. Once cooled, make the chocolate topping. Combine the chocolate and oil in a medium saucepan over the lowest heat possible, stirring occasionally until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Alternatively, melt the chocolate in 1 minute bursts in the microwave. Pour the chocolate over the cooled bars and spread evenly to edges. Return the pan to the refrigerator for at least ½ hour. Use the parchment to help lift the bars out of the pan for easier slicing. Cut into narrow strips, about 1½-inch wide, then across into approximately 1½ inch squares. 


https://www.donnahay.com.au/recipes/desserts-and-baking/classic-chocolate-caramel-slice

Two Recipes from Magazines

I generally do not make things directly from a magazine, but alter them in some way - sometimes a lot. I had guests for a couple of weeks, and it seemed just easier to revisit some old tried and true recipes, or ones that were requested. Our friend Rich was visiting when pheasant hunting season started, and when he came home with 3 pheasants the first evening, he specifically requested the Pheasant Alfredo we thought up last year. To pair with it, I also made the Fall Fruit Compote, although this year I could not find quinces, so I substituted slightly green pears instead.

Pumpkin Caramel Tart

As I said, I usually do not make a recipe straight from a magazine, but I did receive my latest Bon Appetit magazine, the November / Thanksgiving issue. In general, Bon Appetit is my least favorite of all the cooking magazines out there. I am not dissing the magazine per se, but everyone has a cooking style of some sort, and some things they prefer or not. This November issue however, just had one recipe after another jump out at me. I rarely find really interesting recipes in the Thanksgiving issue, because we have a menu, and my husband prefers not to deviate from that menu. When he finds something he likes - that's it! Most times I flip through the November issues of any cooking magazine, note all the strange ways to prepare a turkey, remark on all the side dishes my husband would never touch, and set the magazine aside.

Pumpkin Caramel Tart sliced

This time, there were so many recipes I wanted to try I was all agog. Now, with Rich - our "all-things-pumpkin-but-particularly-pumpkin-pie fanatic" visiting, I especially took note of a recipe for a Pumpkin Caramel Tart with Toasted Hazelnut Crust (find the recipe online here). The tart called my attention because of the fact that it used very little liquid, so instead of a custardy pumpkin pie, it looked denser and richer. Granted, it called for making your own caramel first, but I was game. The hazelnuts in the crust did not call my attention at all, and because the recipe also called for roasting, then caramelizing extra hazelnuts to strew over top, I would really need to love hazelnuts. As they are just not my favorite nut by a long shot, I switched the nuts used to pecans. 

Outside of that, I made no changes at all. To me, it was heavenly. The crust was okay. I might tweak that part next time. Despite the fact that the only spice in this tart was cinnamon, and not even all that much cinnamon, the spice seemed extra concentrated. My guys were divided on it. My husband loved it and preferred it over pumpkin pie. Rich loved it, but preferred pumpkin pie when push came to shove. For me, the filling was marvelous, and on a special occasion I would make it again, in a different crust. But the real reason I would only make it for a special occasion is that it took so many gadgets and utensils to accomplish. I had my sink piled precariously high with pots, food processor pieces, bowls, baking sheets, spatulas, spoons and you-name-it that I just don't want to do it often, despite the wonderful flavors. I would still recommend it!

The other recipe I made a few days ago came from a brand-new publication called "Bake from Scratch" (check it out here). It apparently is a quarterly magazine, with no ads. It is absolutely stunning in its look and feel, with smooth, heavy pages and gorgeous photography. The recipes sound scrumptious, too. It is pricey, but it caught my eye while looking for something else entirely in the grocery store, so I bought it on a whim. Many recipes are calling to me, but it has been a while since I made scones, and this magazine had recipes for EIGHT kinds of scones. Scone heaven, for sure. Most of the recipes absolutely call me to make them, and I started off this little journey with Cranberry Pistachio Scones. By the way, I am not affiliated in any way with this magazine, not being paid for promoting it. It is just too gorgeous a windfall not to share!

Cranberry Pistachio Scones

Photos from the Magazine

As for the scone recipes, I have made scones lots of times, and my go-to method is using at least 1 whole stick of butter and then buttermilk as the liquid. I like my old scone recipes just fine. But the scones in this magazine all called for less butter and a cup of heavy cream instead of buttermilk. I must say that for scones made without any egg (which I prefer, as it seems most authentic), these scones came out quite moist - much more than mine! I generally do not use icing or glaze on scones. I did make a quick glaze out of some leftover browned butter icing with orange juice added to thin it down to pouring consistency. This was for my husband, as he selected this particular recipe for me to try first, based solely on the fact that it showed the most frosting in the magazine photo! What a great criteria!

If you can still get your hands on this magazine, while it is expensive, is one of those "you-get-what-you-pay-for" things. And I highly recommend the scones! Next up are the Cheddar and Black Pepper - or maybe the Fig, Thyme and Goat Cheese, or maybe . . . . 



My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

Fall Apples and Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake

Fall brings lots of apples. A sudden deluge. What to do with all of them is the question. I still have a lot of apples both dried slices and frozen slices from last years bounty. And here we are in Fall again. Recently I made an Apple Fritter Loaf - twice. It was so amazingly good. With the bag of fresh apples still on the counter, a couple of days ago I wondered about making an upside down cake. I have made peach and pineapple and even spiced pear upside down cakes, but all with cooked/canned fruit. Thinking about apples, I couldn't imagine any reason that using fresh apples in an upside down cake. While the cake bakes, there is plenty of time for them to cook through. 

Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake, just turned out onto the plate

Granted, this cake barely used up two apples, total, so it is not really about using up lots of apples. Still, it uses a couple, so that's something. Instead of just mixing the usual butter and brown sugar for the topping (which goes in the bottom of the pan), I added in some dark corn syrup, cinnamon and vanilla, to further approximate the "caramel" part of this cake. In all, it was simple to make and unctuously good, with the caramel dripping down the sides and soaked into the cake. This will certainly not be the last time I make this cake! 

Place apples rounded edge down

One thing to keep in mind when placing the apple slices onto the caramel: if you set them cut edge down, it will be the cut edge that shows when the cake is turned out and the bottom becomes the top. So, when setting the apple slices onto the caramel, set them in with the outer, rounded edge down into the caramel. layering them with the sharper inner edges up. 

Nuts, raisins or even dates could be added to the cake, or layered in with the apples on the caramel, if desired. I was going for simple caramel apple flavor this first time. This cake can easily be made gluten free. Simply substitute your favorite all-purpose gluten-free flour mixture and add ½ teaspoon xanthan gum or guar gum with the dry ingredients.

Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake

Makes one 9-inch cake
CARAMEL:

A slice of Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake

3 tablespoons butter
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons dark corn syrup
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons water  

2 apples, peeled, sliced into thin wedges lengthwise

CAKE:
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon½ teaspoon nutmeg½ teaspoon baking soda½ teaspoon salt½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
¾ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

CARAMEL: In a small saucepan, combine all the caramel ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce to low and simmer for a few minutes, until the sugar has melted. Spray a 9-inch cake pan with cooking spray. For complete insurance the cake will come out cleanly, line the bottom of the pan with parchment and spray the parchment. Pour in the caramel sauce. Set the apple slices in a pattern in the caramel sauce and set aside.

Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake

CAKE: Preheat oven to 350 degrees (325 on Convection). In a bowl, sift or whisk together the first 6 dry ingredients and set aside. In another mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light. Add in the eggs, beating well after each addition. Beat in the sour cream and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients in 2 or 3 batches, stirring well after each. Do not over beat. Using a spatula or spoon, slide small dollops of the thick batter gently over the apples, in order to not disturb the apple pattern. Once all the batter is on top, very gently spread the batter to cover the apples and reach the edges of the pan. Bake the cake for 40 or more minutes, until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake rest in the pan for about 5 minutes. Have a serving plate ready. Invert the plate on top of the cake pan. Using hot pads, grip both the cake pan and the serving plate firmly and flip them over, so the cake falls onto the serving plate.

My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.