Teeth-Sticking-Plate-a-Licking Chocolate Caramel Slice

Such beautiful layers, don't you think? Who says brown coloured food is ugly?

Ah, dear readers. The things I do for you. In order to make my chocolate slice look presentable for photos, I trimmed off all the crusty edges. So that you can see the beautiful jaw sticking layers inside. And of course, one must not waste food, so I had to eat those off cuts. But I did it with you in mind. Really.

 Even the off cuts are beautiful.

This slice is sweeeeeet. Perfect for sharing with people you love durng Christmas. So make it! Believe me, everyone will love you that little bit more after tasting it.

As Miss Pantry would say, "All gone"!

Recipe from Donna Hay Modern Classics Book 2 and here.

Happy baking!

White Chocolate Chunk and Cranberry Cookies

Somehow my cookies always end up stacked. It's the easiest composition, since I only take pictures while Miss Pantry is having a nap.

I have a sweet tooth. As if you didn't already know.

Every few days, I get the urge to eat something sweet. Oh who am I kidding? I get the urge for something sweet daily. So I turn to my stash of chocolate when the cravings strike. And before I know it, I'd have eaten half a slab and I'll spend the rest of the day feeling like a fat slob.

Only sometimes will I let the annoying thing called will-power get in the way. I think my butt subconsciously knows that too much chocolate is not good for it.

Well, here you go. Partially unstacked and with a ribbon. Wow.

Times like this, I curse that I am not blessed with super high metabolism or the skinny gene. Or that I don't look like Miranda Kerr - I have a secret crush on her. She's gorgeous and advocates a healthy lifestyle. And she drinks chlorophyll. It's supposed to help with something, cell regeneration or whatnot. I forget. Maybe I should drink chlorophyll, might help with memory.

So anyhow, in an effort to eat less chocolate/packaged cookies/store-bought-highly-processed junk, I figured I'll make my own sweet snacks. If I made them, then I get to eat them without feeling guilty, because I'll know exactly how much sugar or fat has gone into them. Right?

I know what you are thinking right now. You're thinking "this cookie has chocolate and processed sugar in it"! Yes, yes, you are right. And it does make this cookie decadently sweet. But you see, that is the key. Because it is sweet, one (or two) cookies will be enough to satiate my sugar cravings.

Ingenious isn't it?

Recipe adapted from Taste.com.au
Yields 32 cookies

Ingredients:

• 125g butter, softened
• ¼ cup caster sugar
• ¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• ⅓ cup rice flour
• ½ cup almond meal
• ¾ cup plain flour
• ½ cup dried cranberries
• 150g white chocolate, roughly chopped

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180ºC (160ºC fan forced).
2. Beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add egg. Beat until combined.
3. Stir in flours, almond meal, chocolate and cranberries.
4. Roll level tablespoons of mixture into balls and place 5 cm apart on trays. Flatten slightly. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until light golden. Cool for 5 minutes on trays before transferring to racks.

Happy baking!

Chocolate Freckle Hearts

It's chilly today. Stay at home weather, with a nice hot mug of chocolate and a chocolate heart cookie, covered with dark chocolate glaze and sprinkled with hundreds and thousands.

One can never have too much chocolate in my house. :)

Hope you have a lovely day!