Caramel Shortcake Crisp

Anna (Clive)

Ah my friend Anna, mad as a dog in a bungalow. Fiery, colourful, and covered in tattoos, she's my kind of girl. A master practitioner in the realm of 'that's what she said', Zumba teacher, and ex-burlesque dancer; there's very little that this lady can't turn her hand to. Why was I not surprised when she added baking to her repertoire?

I was having 'a morning'. You know the type, where nothing is particularly occurring, yet still you feel the need to punch someone square in the face. I was making a brew in an attempt to medicate, when in waltzed Clive (that would be Anna), who promptly thrust a golden square of joy into my hand. It was like crack. Yes, it looks good in the picture, but you cannot truly grasp how amazing this stuff is until you try it.

And there it was, I pretty much demanded on the spot that she remake it and promptly do a guest post. Luckily, this excitement was reciprocated, and here we are!

Anna's recipe

Dolly asked me to do a guest post about this ultimate sweet treat, and who am I to turn down such a request?! I made this recipe up after a friend brought home something similar and I could not bare the thought of not having it in my mouth again.

To earn some traffic to this post, I could tell you I was cooking it in my underwear (Clickbait, OH HA HA), but the truth is, it is a soggy old nursing crop top, since I was multi tasking and dyeing my hair at the same time. And cooking a roast dinner, and trying to keep the children entertained (which is a little bit like herding cats, for the non parents among you). If I suddenly call for adding conditioning treatment or honey roast parsnips to the recipe, ignore me. Multitasking obviously is not going as well as I would have hoped. 

I digress. The recipe, maestro!

Ingredients:

• 300 good quality milk chocolate (I used Green & Black’s cooking chocolate)
• 200g caster sugar
• 40g butter
• 100ml fresh double cream
• 1 ½ packets Chocolate Fingers
• 200g crispy rice cereal

Method:

• Break the chocolate into small pieces and place in a bowl over a pan of water. Heat the water until the chocolate is all melted, then turn the heat off, but leave the bowl on top to stop it from solidifying
• Cover a loaf tin in cling film. 
• Cover the base and sides with just over half of the chocolate, trying to ensure there are no gaps. Pop in the fridge to set.

• Melt the sugar in the pan, quietly cursing the previous owner of your house, who installed an induction hob. Historic attempts at melting sugar have not gone well. (Note: If you have an induction hob, keep the temperature low). Remember melted sugar reaches a temperature nearer the surface of the sun than anything else on Earth, so do not attempt to taste it, or hold your hand under the spoon to stop drips.
• When the sugar is completely melted and starting to caramelise, add the butter. WARNING: it will snap, crackle and pop more than the crispies, so keep the butter close to the pan as you add it. 
• When the butter is completely stirred in, add the cream. Cook for a few minutes, until a drop of the mixture in a glass of cold water forms a ball instantly. 
• Add the rice crispies to the caramel, and stir, stir, stir. 
• Put 1/3 of the mixture on top of the now set chocolate, and flatten. 
• Add 4 long lines of chocolate fingers (my loaf tin fits 3 ½ fingers per line). 
• Layer another 1/3 of the crispies on top, ensuring they are well spread (that’s what she said). 
• Repeat the 4 long lines of fingers (I used approximately 1 ½ packets. This of course depends on the placement of your fingers). Add the last 1/3 of the crispie mixture, and then cover in the remaining melted chocolate, fully covering the crispies, and joining up with the chocolate on the sides. 
• Place in the fridge for 2-3 hours, or until completely set. 

• Put the loaf of happiness on a cutting board and remove the cling film. 
• Cut it down the middle lengthwise, and then cut each half into 16 pieces (I also cut the corners off, but let’s be honest here, that was just an excuse to scoff). 
• Put the little squares into a tin, and keep in the fridge. 

Serve with Hasselback potatoes, a selection of green veg, and gravy (NO WAIT, that was the roast dinner. Just eat them. As they are. At least 4 at the time).

No on has been able to answer how long they would actually last in the fridge, each time I have made them they have been gone within 36 hours.

A massive thank you to Anna for sharing her fantastic creation!