Tarte Tatin

The first time we made Tarte Tatin we took it on a little drive to dinner with friends. A fantastic end to a french meal celebrating the start of the Tour de France. Sticky, caramelised, crisp and memorable. Made easy with recipe from Chez Panisse' book Deserts. Really so very easy we keep saying we should do it again. And we do - at least every time LE TOUR is here ...

Vanilla Salt

This is a story of an impulse 'lets go with it' purchase.

Now some time later, hoping the balance of vanilla and salt flakes is intact, I really have very good intentions of using said Vanilla Salt.
In something. Or on something.
I'm just not sure what yet - but I think it should involve caramel.

Salted caramel is one of those luscious things like a good lemon tart. It has the power to cajole or compell the ordering of deserts or the purchase of macarons and such when I feel otherwise quite happily sated.

But the balance and texture and pairing has to be just right or it could be just as disapointing as a poor lemon tart (you know the ones that are just a bit too eggy or too sweet or have caky or downright ordinary pastry).

I'm thinking a good caramel slice with salted caramel and finished with a few flakes atop the chocolate might be the go. Having been searching for the holy grail of caramel slice recipes I have options a plenty: the best to date being roughly based on that in Bill's Holiday with a few tweaks (hoping I can remember which techniques and which caramel were king) closely challenged by a heady slice from the CSR packet (thanks to Hilary).

This is the CSR recipe. Not keen on the oil with chocolate though ...

Caramel Slice (CSR packet)
Ingredients
1 cup plain flour
1/2 cup desiccated unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
125 g butter
1/4 cup golden syrup
1 (400 g) can sweetened condensed milk
70 g macadamia nuts
1 tablespoon golden syrup
60 g butter
200 g dark chocolate
3 teaspoons vegetable oil
Method
• Preheat oven to 180C conventional or 160C fan forced.
• Melt 125g butter and combine the flour, coconut and dark brown sugar.
• Press into baking paper lined 26cm x 16cm slice pan.
• Bake for 12-15 mins or until golden brown.
• Heat the 60g butter and golden syrup in a saucepan until butter has melted and simmer over low heat for 3 minutes.
• Add condensed milk and stir over a medium heat for a further 10 minutes or until caramel becomes golden brown in colour.
• Pour over the prepared base.
• Chop macadamia nuts, sprinkle over caramel and drizzle with extra golden syrup.
• Melt chocolate and oil over simmering water and stir until smooth.
• Spread over the cooled caramel and refrigerate to set before slicing.
• For ease heat the knife in hot water before slicing.
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