Australian Gourmet Traveller - (07)July 2020 (1)

240 gmunsaltedbutter,cool

andpliable

240 gmlightmuscovado

(orsoftbrown)sugar

100 gmdemerarasugar

1/2 tspvanillapaste

1 egg

220 gmplainflour

Heaped1/2tsplapsang

souchongtealeaves,

finelyground

1 tspbicarbonateofsoda

¼ tspfineseasalt

70 gmtoastedwalnuts,

coarselychopped

170 gmdarkchocolate(60-70%

cocoa),coarselychopped

Cookingoilspray

Sea salt flakes

1 Placehalfofthebutterin

a smallsaucepanoverhigh

heatandcookuntilbrown

(5minutes).Setasideatroom

temperaturetocoolslightly.

2 Placeremainingbutter,

bothsugarsandvanillainthe

bowlofa standmixer.Using

thepaddleattachment,beat

onmediumuntila sugary

pasteforms(8minutes).

3 Lightlymixeggina small

bowl.Siftflour,groundtea,

bicarbonateofsodaandsalt

intoa separatebowl;setaside.

4 Reducestandmixerspeed

tolowandslowlystreambrown

butterintothebowl.Beatuntil

combined(3minutes).Addegg

mixintwobatchesandbeat

on high until pale (2 minutes).

Chocolatecaramelbars

witha saltysprinkle

MAKES 14 BARS,EACH3CM× 11CM

I blamethesebarsformyever-tighteningpants.I’veneverbeen

abletorefusethembecausetheirsquishycaramelfillingfloors

meeverytime.I liketostrewthetopwithtoasted walnuts and

salt flakes to help balance the sweetness.

BASE

180 gmunsaltedbutter

220 gmplainflour

50 gmicingsugar

¼ tspfineseasalt

CARAMELFILLING

380 gmsweetenedcondensed

milk

50 gmdarkmuscovadosugar

100 gmdarkcornsyrup

100 gmunsaltedbutter

¼ tspfineseasalt

1 vanillabean, split and seeds

scraped

TOPPING

40 gmtoastedwalnuts

200 gmdarkchocolate

(60-70%cocoa)

15 gmunsaltedbutter

½ tsp sea salt flakes

1 Preheatovento160°C.

Spraya 23cmsquare,5cm

deepcaketinwithcookingoil

andlayonepieceofbaking

paperacrossthebaseofthe

tinandupthesides,thenplace

thesecondpieceontop(toform

a crosshatch).Thepaperwill

allowyoutoliftthesliceout

of the tin easily when cooked.

2 Tomakethebase,melt

butterandleavetocoola little.

Placeflour,icingsugarandsalt

ina bowlandstirtocombine.

Pourmeltedbutterintodry

ingredientsandmixwithyour

handstoforma stickypaste.

Pressmixintopreparedtin

andsmoothoutwithanoffset

spatula.Bakeuntilbaseis a tan

biscuitycolour(45minutes).

If anybubblesformunderthe

basewhilebaking,prickthem

witha skewertogentlydeflate.

3 Tomakethecaramelfilling,

placeallingredientsina bowl

overa saucepanofsimmering

waterandstiroccasionallyuntil

butterhasmelted(10minutes).

Removevanillabean.Pour

caramelfillingintobase,reduce

ovento120°Candbakeuntil

filling is set and sides start to

blisterandturnlightbrown

(15-20minutes).Removefrom

ovenandleavetosetand

coolcompletely(1-2hours).

4 Tomakethetopping,place

chocolateandbutterina bowl

overa saucepanofsimmering

water,stiroccasionallyuntil

meltedthenpouroverthe

topofthecaramel.Tilttinto

distributechocolate.Crush

walnutswithyourhandsover

thetopandsprinkleoversalt

flakes.Takeholdoftheexcess

paperonthesides,thenshimmy

andliftsliceoutofthetinand

placeontoa choppingboard.

Peelpaperawayfromsides,dip

a serratedknifeinhotwater,dry

and chop into 3cm x 11cm bars.

Asmoky, salty chocolate chip cookie

MAKES16–20

Thesecookiestickalltheboxes:sweet,salty,chocolaty.Plus,thepowderedsmokytea

triggers a reaction deep in our primordial brain (think peated whisky andbarbecue).

5 Reducespeedtolow.Add

chocolateandnutsandmix

untilonlyjustincorporated

(1 minute).Adddryingredients

andmixfora finalminute.

6 Linea largetraywithbaking

paper.Scoop2 tbspportions

ofdoughontothetray,cover

andrefrigerateovernight.

7 Preheatovento130°C.

Lightlyspraya bakingtraywith

cookingoilandlinewithbaking

paper.Arrangedoughballson

tray,spacingthemabout3cm

aparttoallowforspreading.

Sprinklea fewflakesofsea

saltontopofeachcookieand

bakeuntilgoldenbrown(25-30

minutes).Cookieswillstillbesoft

but will firm up when cool.➤

94 GOURMET TRAVELLER