I know. It would seem I've finally run out of showtunes to link even somewhat tenuously to blog posts. I haven't allowed myself a Google, but this truly is a sad day. Hopefully normal service will be resumed shortly (when the current muscle spasm and resulting painkiller consumption has passed I expect).
Recently I was digging through my cookery book pile; Nigella at the top, Jamie below, Gordon untouched at the bottom of the heap. When I came across a Christmas present from my sister The Cookie and Biscuit Bible. I had a vague memory of a blogpost from someone else about chocolate caramel biscuits so rifled through the book looking for said recipe (link to original post here) Pleased to see that the recipe required a family sized bar of Cadbury's Caramel Dairy Milk, I was a happy bunny - perhaps the Caramel bunny. Anyone remember her?
Anyhow, the recipe requires you to make a shortbread type biscuit, which you use to encase, ravioli style, a square of caramel chocolate. When baked the result is a gooey, chocolatey centre in a buttery shortbread.
Chocolate Caramel Shortbread
from The Cookie and Biscuit Bible.
150g self raising-flour
90g unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
50g caster sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large bar of caramel chocolate
Icing sugar and cocoa for dusting
Put the flour and butter into a food processor and process until you have fine crumbs.
Add the sugar, egg yolk and vanilla extract and process to a smooth dough.
Wrap in cling film and chill for 30 minutes.
Roll the dough out fairly thinly on a lightly floured surface and cut out rounds using a smallish biscuit cutter.
Place one chocolate square on each cookie round and then lay a second piece of cookie on top. Pinch the edges of the dough together to seal and enclose the caramel chocolate.
See, it really does look like ravioli!Place on a baking sheet and put in the fridge while the oven heats up.
Bake at 200ºC for about 10-12 minutes until just turning golden.
Cool on a wire rack and then dust with icing sugar and cocoa powder.
These disappeared remarkably quickly and didn't even make it to work on Monday. What can I say? They were just there every time we had a cup of tea!
Next time: If I can steal the camera from my boyfriend - sushi, if not then outdoor cooking with the Guides. Anyone for dampers?
