Salted Caramel

Whenever I buy a lottery ticket there are three things that happen without fail every time. I don’t have my own numbers as I couldn’t bare it if I missed a week and they were picked, so instead I always ops for a lucky dip. The first thing I do when handed my ticket is check if the numbers are “good”, which is pure ignorance when you think of it as there is no such thing as a “good” number when they all have an equal chance. Nevertheless, I like to see an even distribution, none of this 22,23,24 business.

If satisfied with my selection, I start spending. Yes OKAY I am aware of my odds, but somebody has to be that 1 amongst the 14 million and you never know that one person could well be me. It’s with this little prep talk that I begin deciding which cities I will buy property, where my first holiday will be and who I’m giving some money to. Before I know I’ve spent half of my winnings and I know right there and then that I’m destined to be a millionaire.

Then comes the third. The numbers are drawn with not one single match and all my plans and dreams are left torn on the floor.

And that’s my tragic little story.

So until that lucky day comes, instead of winning millions you will find me baking it instead with these deliciously rich Millionaire Shortbread Macarons. And let me tell you, they taste as good as I’ve always imagined being a millionaire feels.

These Macarons are made by sandwiching both chocolate and vanilla macrons together, with a generous dollop of salted caramel ganache. Heavenly!

Makes 15-20 Macarons

Preparation Time: 1-2 hours

Baking Time: 10-15 minutes

For Vanilla Macarons

200g Ground Almonds

200g Icing Sugar

2 Medium Egg Whites

Pinch of Salt

55g Caster Sugar

2 drops vanilla essence

For Chocolate Shortbread Macarons

Same as above but substitute Vanilla Essence for Coco Powder

1 shortbread biscuit, crumbled

For Salted Caramel Ganache

75g Caster Sugar

2 tbsp Water

75g Light Muscovado Sugar

50g Unsalted Butter

100ml Double Cream

1/2tsp Flaked Salt

To make a basic macaron mixture, begin by sieving the ground almonds and icing sugar together until well combined.

For Chocolate Macarons mix the coco powder into the almond/icing combo.

In a super clean bowl pour in the egg whites and salt and whisk together until they hold soft peaks. Continue to whisk at a medium speed while adding the caster sugar a tablespoon at a time.

For vanilla flavouring, add the vanilla essence at this point.

Beat on a medium speed for 2 minutes then increase to high for a final 2 minutes until the egg whites are holding stiff, glossy peaks.

Pour in the almond/sugar mixture all at once then using a spatula slowly fold in the egg whites from the bottom up. Continue this motion around 35-40 times until the mixture is fully incorporated and flows like molten lava.

Using a piping bag with a 1cm nozzle, pipe rounds of mixture onto 2 heavy baking trays lined with baking parchment. Tap the trays on the work surface to remove any air bubbles, then leave them to dry for 30 minutes. They will be ready to bake when they are no longer sticky or wet when touched.

For the Chocolate Shortbread Macarons, while the rounds are still wet sprinkle crushed shortbread over the top.

Preheat the oven to 140-150 degrees/Gas Mark 2 and bake on the middle shelf for 8 minutes. Open the oven to let out any steam and turn the sheets around then bake for a further 8 minutes until the tops are crisp. Leave them to cool fully before removing from the baking sheet.

For the Salted Caramel Ganache: Put the caster sugar and water into a pan and simmer over a low heat until the sugar dissolves completely. Bring to the boil until it turns to an amber colour, then remove from the heat and add the muscovado sugar, butter and cream. Stir it well to dissolve then return to the heat and simmer for 3-4 minutes, until it thickens. Take off the heat and add the salt then pour into a bowl and leave until completely cold and thick.

Spread the filling over the vanilla macaron shell and sandwich with the chocolate shells so they are on top.

Leave to rest then see how long you can make them last. We managed a little over an hour!

It was at a summer BBQ not so long ago (you know one of those low-key, paper plates kind of BBQ’s) when I was fully able to appreciate my love for salt and sugar combined.

Having already consumed my body weight in meat, wedges and potato salad there was absolutely no way I was going to be able to succumb to dessert, but then the chocolate cake came round and my sweet tastebuds took charge ordering all the savoury inside my stomach to move up an inch and make some room.

The chocolate cake was fast approaching however, to my distress all the fresh paper plates were gone. I had a dilemma, I could go inside to search for a clean plate, but with only a few slices remaining doing that risked getting no cake at all. If I wanted dessert I was going to have to use the plate that still housed a few remaining salty wedges.

As the host reached me a decision had to be made. By this point the anticipation of chocolate was making my mouth water so I had to bite the bullet and take the only option available. As I lifted the cake off the tray my eyes darted around searching for potential clean spots.

None

“I just won’t eat the contaminated parts” I said to myself, which let me tell you is harder said than done with a cake that tasted this good. It’s at times like this that I applaud my lack of self-control and give it a well deserved pat on the back. Like love at first sight the salt instantly clung to the sugar buttercream and when my fork scooped it up, my mouth was given one hell of a taste sensation. From that very moment I’ve been hooked. I even used the last potato wedge to wipe up the last of the chocolate buttercream and I’m not even ashamed of it!

These salted butterscotch and chocolate cookies are just the start of a whole range of salt and sweet related recipes. I’m obsessed with this flavour combination and am intent on finding new ways of using it in different kinds of bakes so watch this space; but first make these!

Makes 24

Preparation time: 1 hour

Baking time: 8-12 minutes

85g Brown sugar

100g Caster sugar

100g Soft unsalted butter

1 Egg

2tsp Vanilla

200g Self-raising flour

1tsp Baking powder

80g Chocolate chips

80g Butterscotch pieces

1tsp Sea Salt

Preheat the oven to 180C/250F/Gas Mark 4 and line two baking sheets with parchment paper

Weigh out all your ingredients and cream together the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy. Beat the egg in a separate bowl with the vanilla and slowly combine with the butter mix, adding a teaspoon of flour if it begins to curdle.

In another bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder. Slowly add this to the wet mixture until fully combined then stir in the chocolate and butterscotch pieces.

Combine the dough and gently knead to form a ball, then wrap it up in a lightly floured sheet of cling film and leave in the fridge to firm up for 30 minutes.

Cut the ball into quarters and tear into 6 equal sizes balls. Roll them neatly and drop them onto a baking sheet, making sure they are spaced well apart so they can expand during baking.

Bake for 8-12 minutes, or until golden brown. While they are still warm sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt then lift from the tray and leave to cool on a wire rack.