Caramel Sauce

 I don't know about you, but there's little I love more than sweet, sticky, gooey and thick caramel. It's one of those delicious things you can just about put on or in anything to create a delightful morsel. It's one of those all-rounder additions, whether it be on top of ice cream, in a pie, or spread on toast or between the layers on a cake. If I wasn't trying to cut back so much on sugar (thanks to a recent and rather uncomfortable dental trip) I would have this delicious caramel sauce as a staple in my refrigerator. The opportunities to use caramel sauce are simply endless, and this is a particularly delightful recipe discovered on From My Sweetheart, a dessertaholic's blog put onto me by The Secret Recipe Club, where we bake, blog and share.
Now really, Anne, you and I should be visiting DAA (Dessert Addicts Anonymous) on a weekly basis due to the deliciousness of your blog. I tweaked the recipe a bit to go along with a somewhat limited pantry content, and it was simply delicious. This sauce would make a delightful gift, bottles in a pretty jar with ribbon and a retro tag! Don't forget to check out Anne's version for the original recipe!

CARAMEL SAUCE ( lightly adapted from From My Sweetheart)

2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 tbsp butter
large pinch of salt

Add the water and sugar to a medium saucepan, and stir to combine. Place over a low heat until the sugar dissolves, refrain from stirring. Increase the temperature to a medium heat and boil for about 5 minutes until the sauce turns a golden brown. Using a swirling motion, move the saucepan around  to stir the sauce. Be sure to keep a close eye on the sauce as it can easily burn at this point. Remove from heat and slowly add cream and vanilla essence. At this point the caramel will solidify--then add the butter and the salt. Return to the stove on a low heat, stirring continually until the ingredients are well incorporated the sauce becomes a smooth caramel. Cool for at least four hours, then bottle and refrigerate. Sauce will become thicker on cooling and refrigeration.

Makes approximately 3 cups of delicious caramel.

SRC Mocha Frappuchino

Just about anyone who has ever visited my page will know that I'm not the world's healthiest cook. That is, I love my sweets and I'm not afraid to eat them. When you have the metabolism I have, this isn't a problem. Just wait until it catches up with me in a few years!
Mind you, its not like I live off the stuff, most of what I post here goes to various mouths that are not my own...it's how I like it...I cook for others. I enjoy seeing the joy in others who are eating what I have made. Its thrilling.
When I joined The Secret Recipe Club I never expected I would find it such a challenge. The Secret Recipe Club is a group that designates a food blog to its members every month. As a member, you choose one recipe from you assigned blog, cook it and blog about it. I have such a hard time choosing what to make!  This month I was assigned a great cooking blog Amy's Cooking Adventures. She's a sweet mum of two gorgeous boys from North Dakota, and she has a great list of recipes to choose from. She likes to "sneak in extra vegies" and that's something I admire her for. Still, I found myself opting for the less healthy side of her blog with this delicious Mocha Chip Frappuchino. I even ended up adding more sweet things to it and making it unhealthier. But don't worry, I'm sure there's a warm day coming up where you deserve to indulge! They're perfect for the warmer months and are so inviting when you've had a busy weekend morning out in the hot sun. Slurp it down and enjoy this baby! It rocks.
And don't forget to check out the original recipe at Amy's Cooking Adventures!

MOCHA FRAPPUCHINO (adapted from Amy's Cooking Adventures)

1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup vanilla ice cream
2 cups ice
1/4 cup chocolate topping
2 heaped tbsp. chocolate powder or milo
1 heaped tbsp. instant coffee granules
1/4 cup hot water
2 tbsp. mini chocolate chips
1/2 cup vanilla ice cream, extra
sprinkling of extra milo to decorate

Combine the coffee granules with the hot water and stir until dissolved. Refrigerate until cooled.
Place the coffee, milk, ice, milo, ice cream and chocolate topping to the blender and process until the ice has broken down.
Serve in tall glasses, topping with the extra ice cream and extra milo, and a sprinkling of mini chocolate chips or shavings.

SERVES 2

Almond Creme Anglaise with Galliano Amaretto

My husband was given a glorious bottle of Galliano Amaretto liqueur a few years ago. He has never been able to take to it, it has a very strong almond flavour. Ever since we opened that pretty bottle, I have been looking for other ways to use it. I am sure it would be lovely in a creamy cocktail, but there's so much of it to use!
When I discovered the The Secret Recipe Club and was assigned the the blog Samayal Arai, I was thrilled to see that this delightful page had a recipe I could use the liqueur in. Her recipe Almond Creme Anglaise not only sounds amazing, but tastes just glorious with those bright red strawberries dipped into it. For one, I am addicted to custard, and this creamy anglaise is so smooth, with that slight nutty taste to make it just that little bit fancier. You can use it as a fruit dip instead of chocolate for a lighter option in these warming spring months without feeling too weighed down...yet keeping that satisfying happiness of indulgence.

GALLIANO AMARETTO CREME ANGLAISE (adapted from Samayal Arai)

1/2 cup cream
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup white sugar
1 1/2 tsp. custard powder
2 egg yolks
1 tbsp. Galliano Amaretto liqueur (or 1/2 tsp almond essence)
Fruit such as strawberries to serve.

Separate the eggs.
Place cream, milk and sugar in a small saucepan. Set the heat on medium and whisk until warm and the sugar begins to dissolve. Add the custard powder and yolks and continue to whisk. Whisk until the custard thickens but be sure not to let it boil as this may curdle the mixture. Remove from heat and set the saucepan in a few inches of cold water so as to cease the cooking process. Cool and add the liqueur to flavour. Serve with strawberries or a fruit of your choice.

NOTES: This recipe makes about 1 cup of creme anglaise. You can toast some almonds before you start the cooking process and add them to the milk and cream mixture at the beginning, removing them at the end, like Samayal Arai did in her recipe for that extra nutty flavour if desired.