Caramel (Dulce de leche)

I'm not doing a valentines day post, it is not really an event of high importance in our household. Sure it's nice to be spoiled for a day but when you are in a loving relationship, every day is like valentines day ( awwwww cheeeesey!)

I decided to try new recipes this year and to challenge myself in the kitchen, so this week I kept that in mind and decided to make caramel. I've always been scared to make it from melting sugar in a pan for fear of burning the sugar or myself and destroying my pans. So when I saw this recipe for caramel on SBS Food Safari I knew it was the one for me. It didn't involve melting sugar (YAY!), instead it used milk and sugar boiled until it thickened and caramelised.

This recipe is so easy, it uses few ingredients and its pretty hard to stuff up. The only down side to this recipe is that it takes a very long time. I didn't time myself exactly but I know it took at least an hour to make and that whole time you have to be there stirring the mixture. I even thought that maybe I had done something wrong and it wouldn't turn out but then you finally see it start to thicken and change colour and EUREKA you have caramel (an hour later).

This caramel can be used as a sauce for desserts, a filling for sweet pies, pastries and chocolates or simply eaten on its own! 

Caramel (dulce de leche)

Adapted from SBS Food Safari

What you will need

1 litre full cream milk

230g caster sugar

50g brown sugar

1/4 tsp bicarb soda

1 tsp vanilla

What you will need to do

Place one cup of milk, the caster sugar, bicarb soda and vanilla in a saucepan and on medium heat stir until all is dissolved. Cook while stirring until the mixture starts to turn caramel in colour.

Dissolving...

Cooking and bubbling...

Caramel colour change! Now add another cup of milk and the brown sugar, still stirring.

When it starts to thicken add another cup of milk and continue cooking and stirring.

As it thickens some more add the last of the milk and turn the heat down to medium-low. Continue cooking and stirring until the mixture darkens and thickens.

When it is ready you should be able to see the bottom of the saucepan when stirring. Take off the heat and continue to stir for another minute or two.

Cranberry Lime Spritzer

Hey guys and gals, I apologise for my lack of focus last week but I was living it up in Perth! Holidays are the greatest aren't they?!? Exploring new places, eating out for every meal and most importantly NOT having to worry about work (and getting up at 2am).

So the eating out is good and all, but it has its downfall in the way of weight gain :(. My clothes were a little snug on the trip back so I've decided to lay off the sugar for a bit. But when I got back into the daily routine I missed the lazy, relaxed vibe of holidays so decided to make a spritzy (sugar free) summer drink to recapture the vibe.

Cranberry Lime Spritzer

What you will need

2 cups sugar free lemon squash soft drink
2 limes cut into quarters
2 shots diet cranberry cordial
Ice
2 hi ball glasses

What you will need to do

Put one lime in each glass and muddle to release juices. Add one shot of cordial to each glass. Place a small handful of ice in each glass. Pour one cup of soft drink in each glass, pouring onto the ice to create distinct layers. And you are done, enjoy guilt free!

Salted Milk and White Chocolate Chip Biscuits

All week I have been getting so excited for our trip to Perth and we are finally here! This city has impressed so far with its beautiful parks and friendly people, they even put on a fabulous fireworks display for Australia Day. In the days leading up to our departure I made about a zillion lists of things to remember to do or pack before we leave and I am proud to say my organisational OCD paid off. I managed to find time to make these deliciously sweet and salty biscuits, with the intention to keep some for the trip, but the reality that they were devoured within a few days.

The wonderful thing about these cookies is that you can really taste the salt but it only brings out the sweetness of the chocolate and makes it so much more delicious. I used to omit the salt from my chocolate chip biscuits out of pure ignorance thinking "why would anyone add such a savoury ingredient to a sweet treat?" I am a lot wiser now (but only slightly less ignorant). Try these biscuits and you will never leave the salt out of a sweet dish ever again!

Salted Milk and White Chocolate Chip Biscuits

(Recipe adapted from the Brown Eyed Baker)

What you will need

2 cups flour minus 2 tbsp
2 tbsp corn flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp salt
170g unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup milk chocolate chips
200g white chocolate cut into chunks

What you will need to do

Preheat oven to 180*C and line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Sift flours, baking soda and salt into a bowl and set aside. Beat together melted butter and sugars. Add eggs and beat until creamy. Add vanilla and flours and beat until just combined. Stir in chocolate. Take out dough and place on a large piece of plastic wrap. Wrap dough up in a log shape and place in freezer to firm up.

Once firm, remove from freezer and slice into biscuits about 2cm thick. Place on trays and bake for about 15 minutes or until slightly browned on the edges. Remove from oven and cool on trays.

Tiramisu Roll

I have been craving tiramisu all week! I had it a couple of weeks ago at this quaint little dessert bar in Townsville, James Kyah Dessert Bar and Cafe, and it was soo delicious I just had to make it. I wanted to add my own twist on it though so decided not to construct it from sponge fingers but instead a sponge cake. I have seen it done like this before already so decided to go one step further and make it into a Swiss Roll-like sponge cake.

I came across a few hurdles with this recipe. I didn't cook the sponge long enough, I didn't wait long enough for the sponge to cool down and the mascarpone cream mix was a bit too runny. The recipe I followed incorporated whisked egg whites in the cream at the end, however this makes it very light and runny. Leaving them out will make the cream thicker and richer!

 Tiramisu Roll

(Sponge and Tiramisu recipe adapted from Taste.com)

What you will need

1/4 cup strong espresso
1/4 cup Cappuccino Liqueur (can be substituted for Kahlua or Marsala)
2 tbsp instant coffee powder
1 tbsp caster sugar extra

For the Sponge
3 eggs
3/4 caster sugar
1 cup self raising flour
2 tablespoons boiling water

For the Mascarpone Cream
3 egg yolks
1/3 cup caster sugar
300ml thickened cream, lightly whisked
250g mascarpone cheese

What you will need to do

Preheat the oven to 200*C and line a swiss roll tray with baking paper. For the sponge, whisk the eggs and 1/2 cup of sugar together until pale and thick. Sift the self raising flour over the egg mix and drizzle the water around the edge of the bowl. Use a large metal spoon and fold the ingredients together but do not over mix. Pour the mix into the prepared tray and bake in the oven for 10 minutes or until sponge is cooked through.

While the sponge is cooking, place a sheet of baking paper on the bench the size of the swiss roll tray and sprinkle it with the remaining sugar. When the sponge comes out of the oven, immediately flip it onto the sugared baking paper. While the sponge is still warm, roll it up from one end and wrap it in a tea towel to hold the shape. Leave out to cool completely.

To make the mascarpone cream, place the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl and whisk until thick and pale. Fold in mascarpone cheese and thickened cream. When the sponge is completely cooled, unroll it gently. Place espresso and cappuccino liqueur together in a cup, use a pastry brush and brush it onto the sponge. Cover the whole sponge, bar a two inch strip at the bottom, with a layer of mascarpone cream. Roll the sponge up again taking care not to let too much cream squeeze out. Place the roll on a plate seam side down and cover in more cream. Leave to set in the freezer for several hours. When ready to serve, sift some instant coffee over the top and then sprinkle with caster sugar.