Just can't stop eating it!Ingredients
170gr (2 cups) slivered almonds
340 (1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter
400 gr (2 cups) granulated white sugar
60 ml (1/4 cup) water
45ml (3 tbsp) light corn syrup*
5ml (1 tsp) pure vanilla extract
170 gr (6oz) milk or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
*Can be substituted with equivalent quantity of dark corn syrup, liquid glucose or honey.
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 177°C (350° F).
2. Place almonds on a baking sheet and bake them for 8-10 minutes, or until lightly browned and fragrant. Once the nuts have cooled to room temperature, roughly chop one cup of the almonds. Set aside.
3. Take the remaining cup of almonds and place in a food processor, fitted with a metal blade. Pulse the almonds until they are finely chopped. Set aside.
4. Butter an 28 x 43 cm (11 x 17 inch) baking sheet. Place the prepared baking sheet on a cooling rack.
5. Melt the butter in a large heavy saucepan over medium to medium-high heat. Once the butter has melted (do not let it brown), stir in the sugar, water and corn syrup. Stir until the sugar has completely dissolved. Once the mixture boils, immediately stop stirring. Brush down any sugar crystals clinging to the sides of the saucepan with a pastry brush dipped in water. Clamp a candy thermometer to the side of the saucepan and cook, without stirring, until the mixture reaches the hard crack stage 149°C (300°F). This will take about 15 minutes. If you find the sugar syrup browning unevenly, swirl the saucepan from time to time.
6. Immediately remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and the cup (85 grams) of roughly chopped almonds. Quickly pour the toffee in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Carefully place the chopped chocolate over the hot toffee. After a few minutes the chocolate will be soft enough to spread with an offset spatula in an even layer over the toffee. Sprinkle the cup (85 grams) of finely chopped almonds over the melted chocolate.
7. Cool completely, either at room temperature or in the refrigerator, and then cut or break into irregular pieces.
8. Store the toffee, in an airtight container at room temperature, for about 7-10 days. It can also be frozen for about a month.
Makes about 900 - 1025 gr (2 - 2 1/2 pounds)
This recipe was taken from joyofbaking.com
Smooth, velvety sauce...
Ingredients
30ml (2 tbsp) extra virgin olive oil
30ml (2 tbsp) butter
4 chicken breasts, without skin, cut in two
Fresh thyme
8 radishes finely chopped
60ml (1/4 cup) white wine
15ml (1 tbsp) honey
60ml (1/4 cup) chicken broth
60ml (1/4 cup) cream
Grounded salt and pepper
Preparation
1. Preheat the oven at 180°C (350°F).
2. In a big skillet pan, heat half of the oil and butter.
3. Season chicken breasts with salt & pepper and sear on both sides.
4. Reserve chicken juices in skillet pan.
5. Place seared chicken breasts in an oven plate and sprinkle with thyme.
6. Cook in oven for 10-12 minutes or until chicken cooked through.
7. Add remaining olive oil and butter into pan with chicken juice. When butter is melted, fry radishes for 1 minute. Deglaze with white wine and add honey.
8. When liquid has reduced to half add broth and cream. Leave it simmer for 2 to 3 minutes or until you get a smooth & thick consistency.
9. Service chicken topped with radish sauce.
Makes 4 servings
Tangy taste...
Ingredients
1 medium head cabbage, shredded
(1 cup) grated carrots
(1 cup) white sugar
(1 cup) white vinegar
(3/4 cup) vegetable oil
(1 tbsp) salt
(1 tbsp) dry mustard
black pepper to taste
Preparation
1. In a large bowl, combine cabbage and carrots.
2. Sprinkle with 1 cup sugar, and mix well.
3. In a small saucepan, combine vinegar, oil, salt, dry mustard, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Pour hot dressing over cabbage mixture, and mix well.
4. Let cool before serving.
This is best if made a day ahead to 2 weeks ahead. If you make it far ahead, drain juice prior to serving.
A taste of summer fun...
Ingredients
(4 tbsp) mild or medium (not extra virgin) olive oil
(4 tsp) smoked paprika
(4 tsp) sea salt
8 large or 12 small chicken drumsticks, skin on
Preparation
1. Mix oil, paprika and salt together in a mixing bowl and rub the marinade over the chicken drumsticks. Push back the skin to coat the flesh itself, then pull the skin back to cover the flesh and stop it from drying out under the grill.
2. When all the drumsticks are well coated, cover the bowl and put in fridge for about an hour.
3. Preheat the grill to medium-high and grill the drumsticks for 20 minutes, or until the flesh is no longer pink and the juices run clear. Turn them every 5 minutes or so to colour them on all sides. Towards the end of the cooking period you can turn heat up to high, to crisp up the skin slightly, but monitor them closely to make sure they don't burn.
To make you feel like a kid again...Ingredients
(1 1/4 cups) flour
(1/2tsp) baking soda
(1/4tsp) salt
(2/3 cup) peanut butter
(1/2cup) shortening - can be substituted with 1/2 cup of butter minus the (1/4tsp) salt
(2/3cups) lightly packed brown sugar
(1/2cup) granulated sugar
1egg
Preparation
1. Preheat oven at 180°C (350°F).
Sift together flour, baking soda and salt.
2. Cream together peanut butter, shortening, brown sugar and granulated sugar.
3. Blend in egg to peanut butter mixture.
4. Stir in dry ingredients and combine until moist and smooth.
5. Shape into small balls and place on a greased baking sheet about 7cm (3") apart.
6. Press down on balls with a floured fork until about 1.5cm (1/2") think. I press down twice to make a crisscross pattern.
7. Bake in oven for about 12 to 15 minutes or until nicely browned.
Makes 4 dozen cookies
Source for substitution: allrecipes.com
Good for your heart and your taste budsIngredients
(3/4 cup) whole-wheat flour
(3/4 cup) all-purpose flour
(1/2 cup) toasted wheat germ
(2tsp) baking powder
(1/4 tsp) salt
(2/3 cup) brown sugar
(3/4 cup) 2% milk
(1/4 cup) vegetable oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
(1tsp) vanilla extract
(1 1/2cup) blueberries
Topping ingredients
(2tbsp) toasted wheat germ
(1tbsp) brown sugar
(1/4 cup) rolled oats
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F) and line 12 muffin cups.
2. In a bowl whisk together flour, wheat germ, baking powder, salt and brown sugar.
3. Make a well in center of bowl and add milk, oil, eggs and vanilla extract.
4. Gently mix until just combined and fold in blueberries.
5. Divide batter among muffin cups.
6. Combine topping ingredients in a small bowl and sprinkle over tops.
7. Bake 20-22 minutes.
8. Let sit in pan for 10 minutes. Transfer muffins to a rack to cool.
Makes 12
This recipe was taken from "Whole Living Magazine", July/August 2010
Comforting...
Ingredients
500ml (2 cups) flour
5ml (1 tsp) baking soda
5ml (1 tsp) salt
250ml (1 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips
125ml (1/2 cup) butter at room temperature
175ml (3/4 cup) sugar
2 large eggs
5ml (1 tsp) vanilla extract
250ml (1 cup) ripe bananas, mashed
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) and prepare 12 muffin cups.
2. In a large bowl mix together flour, baking soda and salt.
3. Stir in chocolate chips.
4. Cream together butter and sugar with an electric mixer.
5. Beat in eggs one at a time to the butter mixture.
6. Add bananas and vanilla.
7. Incorporate butter-mixture to flour mixture. Stir until batter is moist but still lumpy.
8. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full of batter.
9. Bake 25 minutes.
Makes 12 muffins
