Caramel Chocolate Truffle Tarts

Wonderful rich chocolate tarts.  A nice desert to share with friends.

Truffle Tarts
1 box 255 g tart shells
1/3 cup whipping cream
1/3 cup each dark and milk chocolate chips
1 tbsp salted butter

Caramel:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Truffle Tarts:  Preheat oven to 375F.  Arrange tart shells on a baking sheet.  Dock bottoms with a fork, then bake for 10 to 12 minutes.  Cool completely.
2. Heat whipping cream in a microwave safe bowl for 1 minute or until steaming.  Add chocolate and butter, stirring until smooth.   Pour warm filling into cooled tart shells.  Chill until set.
3. Caramel: Meanwhile, mound granulated sugar in the centre of a medium, heavy saucepan set over medium heat.  Add water; cover and bring to a boil without stirring (about 4 minutes).  Uncover and cook, swirling the pan often, until the sugar turns a deep amber colour.
4. Remove from heat.  Immediately, wearing oven mitts, slowly whisk in whipping cream until smooth; stir in butter and vanilla.  Let cool for 20 minutes.  Spoon evenly over chocolate.  Chill until set (about 2 hours.). 

Sticky Caramel Apple Buns

These are decadent and indulgent treats.  A bit of whole wheat flour adds to the old fashioned quality of these treats.  From Canadian Living Magazine.

1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
2/3 cup milk
1 egg
2 tbsp butter, melted and cooled
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/3 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp salt

Apple Filling:
1/4 cup butter
3 apples peeled, cored and finely diced
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Caramel Sauce:
1/4 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 tbsp whipping cream (35%)

1. In bowl, dissolve 1 tsp of the sugar in 1/3 cup warm water; sprinkle yeast over top.  Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.
2. In separate bowl, whisk together milk, egg, butter, vanilla and remaining sugar; stir in yeast mixture.
3. In large bowl, whisk together all purpose flour, whole wheat flour and salt.  Stir in yeast mixture to form ragged dough.  Turn out onto floured surface and knead, adding up to 2 tbsp more all purpose flour if needed, until soft and smooth but not sticky dough forms, about 10 minutes.
4. Transfer to greased bowl and turn to grease all over.  Cover and let stand in warm draft free place until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours.

Apple Filling

1. Meanwhile in skillet, melt butter over medium high heat; cook apples and cinnamon, stirring occasionally, until very tender and light golden, 6 to 8 minutes.  Transfer to bowl; let cool.

Caramel Sauce

1. In skillet, melt butter over medium heat.  Stir in sugar and 1 tbsp water; cook, stirring often, just until sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes.  Remove from heat; stir in cream until smooth.  Pour into greased 13 x 9 inch baking dish.

• Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface; roll out into 20 x 12 inch rectangle.  Leaving 1/2 inch border uncovered at 1 long side, spread apple filling over dough.  Starting at long side opposite border, tightly roll up; pinch seam to seal.
• With sharp knife, cut into 12 pieces; place, cut sides up, in caramel.  Cover and let rise in warm draft-free place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
• Bake in 375 F oven until golden and buns sound hollow when gently tapped, 25 to 30 minutes.  Let stand for 5 minutes.  Invert onto serving dish.

Shrimp with Caramel Sauce

Serve the shrimp with the dipping sauce or wrap in lettuce leaves to make little packages.  This is a nice recipe that has a wonderful Asian flavour to it.  From Food And Drink Summer 2011.

500g Large Shrimp (I could only get small cooked shrimp)
2 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp fish sauce (I used oyster sauce)
2 tsp sugar
Freshly ground black pepper

CARAMEL BASE
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water

SAUCE
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp chopped garlic
2 tbsp fish sauce (again I used oyster sauce)
1 tbsp lime juice
1/2 tsp grated lime rind
1 tsp Asian Chili sauce
1 tsp sugar

GARNISH
Boston or iceberg lettuce leaves

1. Season shrimp with lime juice, fish sauce, sugar and pepper.  Reserve.
2. Add sugar and 1/4 cup water to heavy pot over medium heat.  Heat slowly until it begins to caramelize, about 5 minutes.  When caramel is a medium brown, carefully stir in remaining water and cook for 1 minute longer or until sauce is thickened.  Stir in oil, garlic, fish sauce, lime juice, lime rind, chili sauce and sugar, and return to a boil.  Boil for 2 minutes or until sauce has thickened and flavours have combined.  Set aside.
3. Place shrimp on lemon grass or wooden skewers, skewering shrimp in 2 places to prevent them turning around.  Put about 3 on each skewer.
4. Preheat grill to high
5. Grill shrimp for 2 minutes a side or until pink and curled.  Let cool to room temperature.
6. Serve shrimp with lettuce and sauce for dipping.

Serves 4 to 6

Caramel Praline Cheesecake

1 ¼ cups graham crumbs

¼ cup melted butter

34 caramels

3 tbsp milk

1 cup chopped pecans

3 pkg cream cheese, softened

¾ cup granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla

3 eggs

1. Cover bottom of 9 inch springform pan with parchment paper.  Combine crumbs and butter; press firmly onto bottom of prepared pan.
2. Melt caramels with milk in saucepan on low, stirring until smooth.  Stir in pecans.  Pour over crust.
3. Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla on medium until well blended.  Add eggs one at a time; mix just until blended.  Pour batter over caramel mixture.
4. Bake at 350 F for 45 to 0 minutes or until centre is almost set.  Cool completely.  Chill 4 hours or overnight.  If desired, drizzle with caramel sauce and top with a few pecans.

Chocolate Caramel Cookie Bark

mmmmm...holiday baking!

Cookie

1 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp water

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

Topping

1 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar, packed

2 pkgs milk chocolate chips (3 cups)

1 cup toasted almonds, finely chopped (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease a 17”x11” baking sheet and line with parchment paper, overlapping at the two ends for easy removal.
2. Cookie:  Beat butter sugars, vanilla and water until smooth.  Add remaining 3 ingredients and beat until mixture is combined.
3. Spread dough to cover prepared baking sheet.
4. Bake in preheated oven 15 minutes.
5. Topping:  Meanwhile, over medium heat bring butter and brown sugar to a boil.  Stir to combine.  Spread mixture over partially baked cookie dough.  Return to oven and bake an additional 8 minutes until caramel is bubbling.
6. Remove from oven, immediately sprinkle chocolate chips over hot caramel.  Wait 5 minutes and spread melted chocolate over cookie.   If using nuts, sprinkle over chocolate.
7. Cool in refrigerator until chocolate is set.  Once at room temperature, break or cut cookie slab into irregular pieces or into your favourite cookie cutter shapes.

Butterscotch Tea Biscuits

An old recipe from my teens!  These are really simple pinwheels that are fabulous.

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Place 1 tsp butter and 1 tsp brown sugar in the bottom of 12 muffin tins.  Melt together slightly.
3. Sift together into a bowl:  1 3/4 cups once sifted all purpose flour, 4 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt.
4. Cut in with a pastry blender or two knives 1/4 cup chilled shortening.
5. Add and mix lightly with a fork 2/3 cup milk.
6. Turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead lightly 16 to 20 times until dough holds shape in soft ball.
7. Roll out to 1/4" thickness in a 12" by 6 " rectangle.
8. Spread with softened butter and sprinkle with 1/2 cup brown sugar mixed with 1/4 tsp cinnamon.
9. Roll up as a jelly roll.  Cut into 12 one inch slices.  Place one slice in each muffin pan.
10. Bake 12 to 15 minutes until golden brown.  Turn out onto a cooling rack.  Serve hot.

Mini Chocolate Souffles with Caramel Hazelnut Sauce

These are fantastic and decadent!  I used a dark rum for the sauce that worked really well.  A rich elegant desert.

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate pieces
4 eggs
1 egg white
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup sugar
1-8oz pkg cream cheese, cubed

Caramel-Hazelnut Sauce


Melt semisweet chocolate pieces and cool.  In a blender container combine eggs, egg white, milk, and sugar.  Cover; blend till smooth.  With the blender running, add the cream cheese cubes through the opening in the blender lid or with the lid slightly  ajar; blend till smooth.  Add the melted chocolate; cover and blend just till combined.   Pour the chocolate mixture into four ungreased 1 cup souffle dishes.  Bake in a 375 oven about 35 minutes or till set.  Serve at once with the warm Caramel Hazelnut sauce.  Makes 4 servings.

Caramel Hazelnut Sauce


In a small saucepan combine 1/4 cup packed brown sugar and 1 1/2 tsp cornstarch.  Stir in 1/3 cup milk and 1 tbsp light corn syrup.  Cook and stir till the mixture is thickened and bubbly.  Cook and stir 2 minutes more.  (the mixture may appear curdled during cooking.) Stir in a handful of whole Hazelnuts, 1 tbsp butter and 2 tsp rum or brandy.  Remove the sauce from heat; cover surface with clear plastic wrap.  Cool slightly.