Chocolate Caramel Sauce (and just plain Caramel Sauce, if you're after that too)

Once upon a time I was inspired by MasterChef Australia to attempt this monstrosity (Quay's Eight Texture Chocolate Cake), and as part of that adventure I learned how to make the base for caramel sauce. Can I just say ohmygosh it is amazing. And actually really quite simple too. So, go forth and indulge yourself!

It is really* good as a dipping sauce with strawberries.

Ingredients:

120g (1/2c) caster sugar

120g (1/2c) warm water

200g (1c) cream

300g chocolate, chopped

Have I mentioned how much I love love love my kitchen scales?

Method:

1. Place sugar and water in a small pot over high heat and let simmer until caramel forms. It usually takes about 10-15 minutes and I stir it a few times during the reduction but I don't think that's necessary. While this mixture is reducing, chop the chocolate into not-huge bits and put in another container.

This actually got a little more golden than what I would usually let it but I was too busy taking photos. It didn't burn
so I must have caught it just in time. I definitely wouldn't recommend going past the colour of the picture on the right.

2. When the sugar/water mixture is a medium golden brown - this will happen quite soon after light golden brown, so be on your guard when it begins to change colour - slowly add cream, pouring maybe 1/4 cup at a time, stirring constantly. This will cause a strong reaction and the caramel and cream will bubble dramatically. Just keep stirring, and add more cream each time the reaction has settled. Now you have caramel sauce!

The bubble effect.

Mid-bubble

Caramel Sauce. It only took about a minute to begin boiling again after I finished adding the cream.

3. Keep the caramel sauce on the stove for a minute or so until it begins to bubble again (you just want to make sure it's hot enough to melt the chocolate), and then pour over the chocolate pieces. Leave for a few seconds before mixing until the chocolate and caramel are fully incorporated. Serve and enjoy!

Caramel Sauce + Chocolate = Chocolate Caramel Sauce. Voila!

Some serving ideas: 

As a sauce on top of dessert

As a dipping sauce

As a ganache on cake (just add less cream so it's thicker)

As a mid-afternoon sugar pick me up

As chocolate fondue (just add a bit more cream so it's thinner)

Any other ideas?

*Really really really really good.

Cauliflower Soup

I had some cauliflower in the fridge which needed to be used so after reading over a few recipes on Google I decided to try to create something wonderful. And it worked! Here is the goodness..

Prep: 10 minutes
Cooking: 20 min (including fussing about with mixers)
Serves: 4-6

I use my kitchen scales every single day. I was so unsure about
shelling out for them but they have been one of my best investments.

Ingredients:

1 onion, finely diced
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 tbsp oil

½ head cauliflower (about 1kg), chopped into small pieces (including the stem bits)
2c chicken stock
Nutmeg, Moroccan spices, and salt and pepper to taste

1c blue (full) milk
6 slices salami, medium diced and lightly fried if desired

Method:

1. Slowly cook the onion and garlic in oil until tender. Let this simmer away while preparing and cooking the other elements.

Caramelise those onions good and golden.

2. Add the cauliflower and chicken stock and bring to the boil then reduce to medium heat.

3. Cook until the cauliflower is tender – about ten minutes, adding spices to taste.

The stock doesn't need to cover the cauliflower - just leave the lid on so it steams.

4. Whizz with a mixer until your desired consistency is reached. I had mine relatively smooth but still with little bumps, mostly just because my chopper doesn’t completely liquefy things. Be sure to cover the mixer with a tea towel because the soup will burst out and is hot.

I should definitely not have used bowls and servingware that were white for these pictures!

5. Put the soup back on the stove on a very low heat and add the milk and salami. Stir frequently to prevent the milk from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

6. When it is as warm as you would like then serve and enjoy. Pair with Moroccan fried chicken for extra yumness.

Cauliflower Soup with Moroccan Chicken