Chocolate Mousse with Salted Caramel Sauce and Chocolate Dirt

I've been sitting here for five minutes trying to think of some witty, intriguing little tale to put in this post that will somehow segue seamlessly into talk of rich gooey chocolate caramel goodness.

But I really can't think of anything. My mind is a blank. I'm only writing this because I need to write something. Anything. It reminds me of when I was a tutor at University marking exam essays. Those who knew the answer would be so desparate just to get it all out in time their writing would be a scribble. Those who were clueless would write down all kinds of rubbish with exacting neatness just for something to do. This typing is copperplate!!

So anyway I guess I can just tell you about this dessert. It is a chocolate mousse with a salted caramel sauce and chocolate dirt. It is really really good. Just delicious in fact.

And it's not too tricky to make. The chocolate dirt is just a mix of ground almonds, sugar, cocoa and a little butter. It adds a wonderful crunch and texture. The chocolate mousse is chocolate mousse one of the easiest desserts out there. Making caramel is a bit more challenging but well worth the effort. If the sauce ends up too thick, not to worry, just add a splash more cream.



The recipe comes from one of my favourite TV shows the Cook and the Chef. There's also a coffee foam to go with it, but detesting coffee I ignored it.

I suggest ignoring both of the chocolate mousse recipes in this link. Who can be bothered mucking around with algae. As if life is not hard enough. And I see no way in which the one using chocolate and hot water could work. Just use a bog standard recipe. I think a soft aearated mousse made with egg whites is best (which is what I have used here), but it would also work well with a firm mousse. Unless you like little chocolate puddles, allow the caramel sauce to cool to just warm before plating up.

Well what do you know here's a post, whoo hooo!!

Challenge Book #40 - Golden Syrup Dumplings

These are golden syrup dumplings. Golden by name, golden by nature. I made these to fight back against the bitter cold snap that is invading my world. The mecury in my weather thermometer is barely making an appearance these days. I wouldn't be surprised if it has gotten the hump and gone off to scoff maitais in Waikiki. I know I want to.



I made these dumplings in lieu of one of my favourite winter time desserts - golden syrup steamed pudding. My Mum's is just the best - feather light with great lashing of syrup and egg custard. After our weekly Sunday night roast beef dinner, my sister and I would to snuggle down under an eiderdown (not that it ever got this cold) to watch TV and scoff a big bowl full. YUM!!



These dumplings are almost as good. The dumplings were lovely and light. But there was just not enough of the golden syrup sauce to go with them. You need lashings of it. Lashing and lashings. But I didn't mind too much, because the dumplings soaked up a fair bit of sauce around their edges so they were still lovely and moist and syrupy. Again, YUM! Have I said that often enough yet.



These dumplings are a snap to make. Karen Martini made some on a TV show recently, so here is a video demonstration. The recipe is quite similar. See how much sauce she has, that's how it should be! Karen serves hers with ice cream, which is great or that hot and cold sensation. But I prefer just pouring cream.

You must be very careful when eating them. The syrup sauce comes out very hot and it is very easy to burn your mouth!!!

I'm not sure how available golden syrup is outside of Australia, the UK and NZ. This will tell you a bit about what it is and what it looks like. If you are a novice and you get the chance, do try some. I love it, especially on hot buttered toast or pancakes.

Today's recipe is bought to you by the CWA Cookery Book and Household Hints. Which is by the way Challenge Book #40 in the KJ wants a Kitchen Aid Challenge. Now this book is no stranger on this blog. I have a lot of fun with it in the past (see here and here). I was quite tempted to try yet another intriguingly obscure recipe (like Middlesex Pie - a rather alluring combination of kangaroo and pickled pork cheeks). But in the end I stuck to the straight and narrow. Maybe next time.

Golden Syrup Dumplings
(adapted from CWA Cookery Book)

1 cup self raising flour
20gm butter
1 egg
a little milk

Rub butter into the flour add the egg and enough milk to form a soft dough. Roll into little balls (around 12).

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
15 gm butter
1 tbspn (4 tspn) golden syrup*

Place in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Lower the dough balls into the mix on a large spoon. Cover and leave to simmer for 10-15 minutes (or until the dough balls are puffed and cooked through).

Serve immediately with pouring cream.

*This is an Australian recipe so 1 Tbspn = 4 tspn (20ml). 1US tbspn = 3 tspn (15ml).