Thursday, April 27, 2017

Cooking, Travel League

Wednesday I stripped a bought rotisserie chicken (we had had one meal) and then made my Leftover Chicken recipe - can be made with turkey and one can add ham. It is delicious and we both enjoy it. The original recipe was from Paul Holiday a British chef who actually made a pie with this filling but as I am not really into pastry, either making or eating it, I adapted it. I now buy a rotisserie chicken specifically to have one meal and then make this recipe. We also had Italian sausage and peppers for supper so by the evening I was a tad knackered. It seems I have never posted this recipe so I should do so.

Today we are having lunch at the Red Lobster with the members of the Travel League. We are then bowling with them at our regular alley. First time we have joined them for ages. Decided we didn't want to travel out of town in the winter. We then missed the one last month, which was local, because I was having teeth pulled or filled or something.

Salted candies, whether chocolate or caramel, have become very much the "thing" these days. Here is a torte which makes use of them. Of course we don't have double cream here. We can get Carnation Caramel at Amazon.ca if nowhere else. The salted caramels are available in grocery stores in the UK so I imagine they will be available here.

Salted Caramel Chocolate Torte

Indulge guests at your next party with this impressive dessert. A touch of salt really sets off the
caramel and dark chocolate

175 g digestive biscuits
85 g butter, melted
397 g can caramel (we used Carnation caramel)
1 tsp sea salt, plus extra to serve
300 g plain chocolate (70% solids), broken into chunks
600 ml tub double cream
25 g icing sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
salted caramel chocolates, to decorate
single cream, to serve (optional)

1. Line the base of a deep, round 20 cm loose-bottomed cake tin with a circle of baking parchment. Line the sides with one long strip that comes just above the sides of the tin – staple or paper clip where the strip overlaps to hold it in place.

2. Crush the biscuits in a plastic bag or bowl with the end of a rolling pin. Stir into the melted butter, then evenly press into the bottom of the tin. Chill for 10 mins.

3. Reserve 2 tbsp of the caramel. Stir the sea salt into the remainder and spoon into the centre of the biscuit base. Gently spread so the base is evenly covered but a visible 1-2cm border of biscuit remains around the edge. Chill for 20 mins while you make the chocolate layer.

4. Gently melt the chocolate in a large heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir 1 tbsp of the cream into the reserved caramel, then cover and chill until ready to decorate. Once the chocolate has melted, turn off the heat but leave the bowl where it is, and gradually stir in the remaining cream until you have a smooth, shiny, thick chocolate sauce. Sift in the icing sugar and stir in with the vanilla extract. Lift off the heat and let the mixture cool for 10 mins.

5. Ladle or pour the chocolate mixture around the edge of the torte first, so it fills the biscuit border, sealing the caramel in the centre. Then ladle or pour in the rest and gently shake to smooth the surface. Chill for at least 5 hrs or up to 24 hours until firm.

6. Remove the torte from the tin, then carefully peel off the strip of paper and transfer to a serving plate. Dot the chocolates on top. Spoon the reserved caramel-cream mixture into a small food or freezer bag. Snip off the tiniest tip of the corner to make a very small opening, then squiggle lines of caramel over the top. Chill until ready to serve. Scatter with a pinch or two of sea salt before serving, then thinly slice. Eat with a drizzle of single cream, if you like.

7. Line the base of a deep, round 20cm loose-bottomed cake tin with a circle of baking parchment. Line the sides with one long strip that comes just above the sides of the tin – staple or paper clip where the strip overlaps to hold it in place.

8. Crush the biscuits in a plastic bag or bowl with the end of a rolling pin. Stir into the melted butter, then evenly press into the bottom of the tin. Chill for 10 mins.

9. Reserve 2 tbsp of the caramel. Stir the sea salt into the remainder and spoon into the centre of the biscuit base. Gently spread so the base is evenly covered but a visible 1-2cm border of biscuit remains around the edge. Chill for 20 mins while you make the chocolate layer.

10. Gently melt the chocolate in a large heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir 1 tbsp of the cream into the reserved caramel, then cover and chill until ready to decorate. Once the chocolate has melted, turn off the heat but leave the bowl where it is, and gradually stir in the remaining cream until you have a smooth, shiny, thick chocolate sauce. Sift in the icing sugar and stir in with the vanilla extract. Lift off the heat and let the mixture cool for 10 mins.

11. Ladle or pour the chocolate mixture around the edge of the torte first, so it fills the biscuit border, sealing the caramel in the centre. Then ladle or pour in the rest and gently shake to smooth the surface. Chill for at least 5 hrs or up to 24 hours until firm.

12. Remove the torte from the tin, then carefully peel off the strip of paper and transfer to a serving plate. Dot the chocolates on top. Spoon the reserved caramel-cream mixture into a small food or freezer bag. Snip off the tiniest tip of the corner to make a very small opening, then squiggle lines of caramel over the top. Chill until ready to serve. Scatter with a pinch or two of sea salt before serving, then thinly slice. Eat with a drizzle of single cream, if you like.

13. Line the base of a deep, round 20cm loose-bottomed cake tin with a circle of baking parchment. Line the sides with one long strip that comes just above the sides of the tin – staple or paper clip where the strip overlaps to hold it in place.

14. Crush the biscuits in a plastic bag or bowl with the end of a rolling pin. Stir into the melted butter, then evenly press into the bottom of the tin. Chill for 10 mins.

15. Reserve 2 tbsp of the caramel. Stir the sea salt into the remainder and spoon into the centre of the biscuit base. Gently spread so the base is evenly covered but a visible 1-2cm border of biscuit remains around the edge. Chill for 20 mins while you make the chocolate layer.

16. Gently melt the chocolate in a large heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir 1 tbsp of the cream into the reserved caramel, then cover and chill until ready to decorate. Once the chocolate has melted, turn off the heat but leave the bowl where it is, and gradually stir in the remaining cream until you have a smooth, shiny, thick chocolate sauce. Sift in the icing sugar and stir in with the vanilla extract. Lift off the heat and let the mixture cool for 10 mins.

17. Ladle or pour the chocolate mixture around the edge of the torte first, so it fills the biscuit border, sealing the caramel in the centre. Then ladle or pour in the rest and gently shake to smooth the surface. Chill for at least 5 hrs or up to 24 hours until firm.

18. Remove the torte from the tin, then carefully peel off the strip of paper and transfer to a serving plate. Dot the chocolates on top. Spoon the reserved caramel-cream mixture into a small food or freezer bag. Snip off the tiniest tip of the corner to make a very small opening, then squiggle lines of caramel over the top. Chill until ready to serve. Scatter with a pinch or two of sea salt before serving, then thinly slice. Eat with a drizzle of single cream, if you like.

Servings: 8

Source: BBC Good Food

Have a great day
 

14 comments:

  1. salted caramel has been going on awhile here. I used to make it dairy-free and add it to popcorn before the corn allergy hit. Tim gets salted caramel drinks, when they have it. Nice combo the sweet and the salt.

    Yum on your food and on going out to eat. Enjoy.

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    1. Here too Ivy. Not tried a drink though.

      Hope so, thanks.

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    2. It's a latte that he gets with soya milk.

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    3. Never come across it, but don't go out to coffee bars or anything Ivy.

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  2. Hi Jo - looks like asparagus might be in the shops - M+S were advertising it ... I haven't been to look yet. That Torte looks so so rich - something I might well have made years ago - now ... not usually. Enjoy the lunch - cheers Hilary

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    1. I think our fresh will be ready this weekend Hilary, I am so looking forward to it. It's such a long wait. I thought it looked delicious and a good dessert for entertaining.

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  3. That dessert went right on my Pinterest board. The highest fat content available here for cream is only 36% vs the 48% for double cream. Guess if I make it I can call it the low-fat version, lol.

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    1. Cream here is the same Denise. One thing I have always missed about emigrating is English cream. It would certainly be low fat by comparison LOL

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  4. I will never understand this salted candy craze. I don't want salt on my caramel or chocolate! lol

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    1. I love it, adds a new dimension to the taste JoJo.

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  5. I can't eat the chocolate but I love salted caramel. Yum!

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  6. You guys have the best social life!

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    1. We do?? I am always bemoaning the fact that I am bored with nothing to do Pinky. I kinda wish I was still working.

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