Ask a Chef reveals the secrets of those superb dishes you ate in cafes and restaurants and wanted to try making.
Delicacy's gluten-free caramel slice
190g butter
¾ cup caster sugar
2 free-range eggs
250g rice flour
75g ground almonds
35g cornflour
Caramel
500g butter
500g golden syrup
1.2kg condensed milk
200g chocolate, melted
Chocolate topping
50g chocolate
175ml cream7
5g butter
Method
To make the base, dice butter and soften in the microwave. Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and beat until well mixed. Combine the dry ingredients and mix into the butter mixture to form a dough.
Press the dough into a deep, lined and greased baking tin (33.5 x 23 x 4.5cm). Bake at 180degC for 20 minutes or until just golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
To make the caramel, melt butter and golden syrup together in microwave. Add them to the condensed milk in a large bowl and mix until homogenous. Take 1kg of the caramel mix and stir in the melted chocolate.
Pour the chocolate caramel over the cooled base. Pour the caramel mix over that, and gently and carefully marble with a spoon, ensuring you don't dig up the base.
Bake at 170degC until the mix starts to bubble all over (upwards of 30 minutes).
Remove from oven and allow to cool.
To make the chocolate topping, melt all ingredients together in the microwave and stir until smooth. Pour over the cooled caramel slice and allow to set and cool completely before cutting.
Requested by Margie Lazar, of Dunedin.
This recipe is the original gluten-free caramel slice from Delicacy, in Maori Hill, Dunedin. It is also soy-free.
• If you have enjoyed a dish in an Otago cafe or restaurant and would like the recipe, write to Ask a Chef, Features, Otago Daily Times, PO Box 181, Dunedin, fax 474-7422, or email odt.features@odt.co.nz, including your name, address and a daytime telephone number, and we will request it.
