Yummmm. A crunchy base spread with creamy salted caramel and topped with gooey chocolate.

INGREDIENTS

Sweet Short Pastry Salted Caramel

285g (70%) dark chocolate tablet (roughly chopped) 25g (2 ½ tbsp) unsalted butter (diced)

METHOD

· Preheat oven to 180°C. Lightly grease with additional butter or baking spray a 32cm x 22cm Swiss roll tin.

· Lightly flour a clean work surface and roll pastry to a 32cm x 22cm rectangle.

· Run a scraper under pastry on bench to enable you to gently lift pastry and place pastry into prepared tin. Gently press pastry to fit neatly into tin. Using a scraper smooth pastry to an even thickness and smoothness.

· Place into preheated oven and bake for 12-15 minutes or until light golden and cooked through.

· Remove from oven and cool to room temperature.

· Pour Salted Caramel over base and spread to an even thickness. Leave at room temperature for 1 hour or until set.

· Place chocolate and butter into a bowl. Set bowl over a pot of simmering water set over a low heat. Stir until melted and amalgamated. Pour chocolate over Salted Caramel and spread to an even thickness using a cold but dry metal palette knife or scraper.

· Leave at room temperature for 1 hour or until chocolate has set. After one hour in warmer weather you may need to place slice in refrigerator for 5-10 minutes for the chocolate to fully set. However do not leave in refrigerator as the chocolate will attract moisture.

· Remove from tin and place on a board. Cut into 5cm squares and serve at room temperature. {Freeze any offcuts to use in truffles or in ice cream}.

· To store: Place in a covered container with waxed liners between each layer and preferably place container in a cool dry pantry. If very warm place container in refrigerator.

Sweet Short Pastry

(makes 490g)

INGREDIENTS

100g unsalted butter (diced and at room temperature) 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract 115g (1/2 cup + 1 tbsp) castor sugar

1 egg (lightly beaten) 200g (1 ¼ cups + 1 tbsp) flour 25g (3 tbsp + 1 tsp) cornflour 1/4 tsp salt

METHOD

· Place butter, vanilla and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle and beat until just mixed. Add egg and beat until combined. (Alternatively mix with a wooden spoon.)

· Add flour, cornflour and salt and mix gently for 1 minute or until still crumbly.

· Tip pastry onto a lightly floured bench and gently mould together to form a smooth dough.

· Mould into a flattened disc shape. Wrap pastry in plastic wrap and rest in refrigerator for 30 minutes or overnight before using. Alternatively freeze for up to 3 months.

Salted Caramel

INGREDIENTS

150g (3/4 cup) castor sugar 75g unsalted butter (diced) 300ml (1 ¼ cups less 1 tbsp) cream

3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract 1/2 tsp flaky sea salt

METHOD

· Place castor sugar in a heavy-based saucepan set over a low heat. As it cooks brush down sides of saucepan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water. Do not stir the caramel at any stage. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and bring to the boil. Cook without stirring until syrup begins to brown. As it cooks move saucepan from side to side to move sugar around so it colours evenly.

· Once a light caramel has formed, reduce heat to medium, add butter and half of the cream. Be very careful, as the mixture will bubble up. Stir continuously to encourage caramel lumps to dissolve and to prevent burning. Once incorporated and remaining cream.

· Reduce heat to a simmer and steadily simmer until reduced by a quarter or mixture measures 335ml. Caramel will be thick.

· Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

· Add salt and stir in. Set aside and cool to lukewarm. Alternatively refrigerate until required. Bring back to room temperature before using.