Rocky Road Crunch Bars

This recipe from Nigella Express is one that I was introduced to by one of my friends a few years ago when she had made it for our class.  It is chewy and chocolatey and crunchy and delicious.

Ingredients

125g soft butter
300g best-quality dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids), broken into pieces
3 x 15ml tablespoons golden syrup
200g Rich Tea biscuits
100g mini marshmallows
2 teaspoons icing sugar for dusting

Method

1.  Melt the butter, chocolate and golden syrup in a heavy-based saucepan.  Scoop out about 125ml of this melted mixture and put to one side.
2. Put the biscuits into a freezer bag and then bash them with a rolling pin.  You are aiming for both crumbs and pieces of biscuits.
3. Fold the biscuit pieces and crumbs into the melted chocolate mixture in the saucepan, and then add the marshmallows.
4. Tip into a foil tray (24cm square); flatten as best you can with a spatula.  Pour the reserved 125ml of melted chocolate mixture over the marshmallow mixture and smooth the top.
5. Refrigerate for about 2 hours or overnight.
6. Cut into 24 fingers and dust with icing sugar by pushing it gently through a tea strainer or small sieve.

Makes 24.

Boston Fudge Brownies

I didn't do a post for last week, but there was one for this week that I found and quite enjoyed.  This isn't my favourite brownie recipe, but there is an aspect of this brownie recipe that made me want to share it.  That is because it was a chocolate fudge brownie recipe that was in The Miele Cook Book, which gave it a sweeter taste and gave me the feeling of there being icing on the cake with the chocolate fudge topping.  However, the brownie recipe itself led to a batch of brownies that had a consistency more similar to that of a chocolate cake than to the gooey brownies that I normally have.  Due to this, the chocolate fudge topping used in this recipe may be added to my usual chocolate brownie recipe, instead of this one.

Ingredients

Fudge Topping
200g (7 oz) caster sugar
110g (4 oz) plain chocolate, grated
275ml (1/2 pint single cream
110g (4oz) butter, cut into pieces
Few drops of vanilla essence

Brownies
250g (9 oz) butter, softened
250g (9 oz) plain chocolate, grated
250g (9 oz) soft dark brown sugar
250g (9oz) self-raising flour
4 eggs, lightly beaten
175g (6 oz) chopped nuts (such as cashew or hazelnuts)
60-90ml (4-6 tablespoons) milk

Method

1. For the fudge topping, place the sugar, grated chocolate and cream in a saucepan.  Melt over a low heat and bring to the boil, stirring well, until the mixture thickens and a small amount dropped into cold water forms a soft ball.
2. Remove from the heat, add the butter and vanilla essence, and stir until smooth.
3. When the mixture has cooled a little, beat vigorously until it has thickened.  Leave to cool completely.
4. Meanwhile, lightly oil a baking tray.  Melt the butter and chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water.  Stir in the sugar and leave to cool.
5. Sift the flour into a large bowl, make a well in the centre, and pour in the chocolate mixture.  Gradually mix together, bringing the flour into the chocolate mixture until well blended.
6. Beat in the eggs and add the chopped nuts.  Stir in enough milk to give a soft dropping consistency.
7. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tray and bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
8. Spread the chocolate fudge topping over the cooled brownies and cut into squares.

Salted Caramel Cheesecake

This is a Betty Crocker recipe for Salted Caramel Cheesecake that I found following wanting to know how to make salted caramel cheesecake because I really liked it when I had eaten it at restaurants such as Frankie and Benny's and at a party earlier this year.  Chocolate curls also go well with this recipe.

Ingredients

Crust

1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs               

1/4 cup packed brown sugar                        

1/2 cup butter, melted                        

Filling

3 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened                        

1 cup packed brown sugar                        
3 eggs                        
3/4 cup whipping cream                        
1/4 cup caramel-flavoured coffee syrup                        

Caramel Sauce

1/2 cup butter                        

1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar                        
2 tablespoons caramel-flavoured coffee syrup                        
1/2 cup whipping cream                        
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt flakes                       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Wrap the outside bottom and side of a 9-inch spring-form pan with heavy-duty foil to prevent leaking. Grease inside bottom and side of pan. In a small bowl, mix the ingredients to make the crust. Press this mixture into the bottom of the pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until set.  Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F and cool the crust for 10 minutes.                            

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and 1 cup of brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time, just until blended. Add 3/4 cup whipping cream and 1/4 cup coffee syrup and beat until blended. Pour filling over crust.                            

3. Bake at 300°F for 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes or until the edge of the cheesecake is set at least 2 inches from edge of pan but the centre of the cheesecake is not fully set. Turn oven off and open the door slightly.  Let the cheesecake remain in oven for 30 minutes. Run a small metal spatula around edge of pan to loosen the cheesecake. Cool in pan on cooling rack 30 minutes. Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.                           

4. In a 2-quart saucepan, melt 1/2 cup of butter over medium heat. Add 1 1/4 cups of brown sugar and 2 tablespoons coffee syrup. Heat to boiling; cook and stir 1 minute until sugar dissolves. Stir in 1/2 cup whipping cream; return to boiling. Remove from heat. Cool 10 minutes.                            

5. To serve, run a small metal spatula around edge of the spring-form pan; carefully remove foil from the outside bottom and side of pan. Cut cheesecake into slices. Drizzle caramel sauce over slices; sprinkle with salt. Cover; refrigerate any remaining cheesecake.