Blogging has provided me with lots of fun opportunities and I was lucky enough to recently participate in the inaugural Sweet Swap – an Australian event where food bloggers make sweet treats for other bloggers.
The event was created by the uber lovely Sara from Belly Rumbles and Amanda from Chew Town, bloggers who really know their stuff. They had the tricky task of pairing up each blogger with three matches each and ensuring everyone had their goodies made and sent by the designated date.
Coming home to parcels of delicious goodies from people you may not have even met yet is such a wonderful feeling. Eating said items is event better. If you ever get the chance to get involved in such an event you simply must do it!
I received delicious banana oat bars from Bite Me Show Me [bitemeshowme.wordpress.com], sachertortington [a cross between a sacher torte and a lamington and yes! It was as scrumptious as it sounds] from The Hangry Bitch [thehangrybitch.wordpress.com] and ‘pop goes the brownie’ – a choc brownie by Flick Your Food [ flickyourfood.com] complete with popping candy.
Everything was delicious and packed so beautifully that it was simply delightful. Loved the whole event and am crossing my fingers that it will be an annual event.
For my three matches [hi VegeTARAian http://vegetaraian.com, http://apricottart.blogspot.com.au/ and DiamondInteriors.com.au] I ummed and ahhed over what to make before finding a delicious recipe on food.com. The original post was called rosemary fleur de sel almond toffee and you can see it here http://www.food.com/recipe/rosemary-fleur-de-sel-almond-toffee-rsc-487210
I tweaked and renamed it rosemary salted chocolate toffee.
I hadn’t made toffee before so was somewhat apprehensive. Would it work? Would it taste good? Would it hold up in the post? I guess you’ll have to ask my recipients what they thought but when I sampled the messy edges I was hooked. I’m not an overly big sweet eater [oh, the irony…] but I enjoyed this mouthful of sweet, salty and savoury.
I see this rosemary salted chocolate toffee being made at Christmas and probably Easter.
See all the delicious sweet creations at http://new.inlinkz.com//luwpview.php?id=293837
GATHER:
3 x 120g packets slivered almonds
4 teaspoons fresh rosemary, snipped very finely with scissors [mine came from my garden!]
Glug good olive oil
3 ½ cups caster sugar
1 ½ cups butter
¼ cup honey
¾ cup of water
½ teaspoon pink Himalayan sea salt [or fleur de sel – do not use table salt] plus another ½ teaspoon for garnish
200g good quality dark chocolate
LET’S GET TO IT:
Preheat oven to 180C and line a baking tray with foil.
Combine almonds with 2 teaspoons of the rosemary, ½ teaspoon of salt and glug of olive oil. Spread onto pan and roast for between 8-10 minutes, stirring every so often, until golden.
Cool before tipping onto a foil-lined 10×15 inch lamington / baking pan.
In a large deep saucepan over medium-low heat stir sugar, butter, honey, salt and ¾ cup of water until sugar is melted and sugar dissolved. Increase heat and cook, stirring, until mix is caramel colour [the original recipe said until it reaches 300 degrees on a candy thermometer but mine never reached this heat, no matter what I did]. This will take 15 or so minutes – do not take your eyes off it for second!
When it reaches that lovely dark deep golden colour carefully pour it over the almonds in the tray. Allow to cool and set [this will take around an hour].
Meanwhile melt chocolate until smooth and glossy and pour over cooled toffee [I allowed a couple of hours between cooling the toffee and adding the melted chocolate]. Spread evenly using a spatula.
Mix remaining rosemary and salt together before sprinkling over the choc.
Allow to stand for 30 minutes before cutting into small squares and placing in airtight container.
the hungry mum 
I hope your bringing this one to work tomorrow! I need to try that! 🙂
haha! Sorry Bec – is all gone 😦 Tomorrow I’ll be bringing a bundt cake to work 🙂
Your Rosemary Salted Chocolate Toffee was just gorgeous! I loved it! Thanks so much!
Yay! So good to hear – the pressure to make something delish was huge 🙂
Sounds like it was heavenly!
Thanks! Was pretty yummy 🙂
Great choice for the swap! I love the combination of chocolate and rosemary. It’s so unique and sophisticated.
Thanks! I had soooo many different ideas but wasn’t sure how some of them would travel.
I loved these! I got the family addicted so looks like rosemary chocolate toffees at my house every week! Thanks for your beautiful package!
Oh, so happy to hear 🙂 You’ll have to make them & now you have the recipe there’s no excuse 😉
Thank you so much for your treat, it was truly delicious!! x
So happy you liked it! Ahh, the pressure 🙂
Rosemary in a sweet seemed so unusual until I tried some with it a few times. Quite interesting how it works. Bet these would have been a treat 🙂
Just goes to show – you never know how something will pair up until you mix it and make it and try it. I love a contradictory dish 🙂
I like your pics. Very well taken. An yea, the combination of chocolate and rosemary is different and wonderful.
Thanks! Yes, it is unusual but funnily, it works 🙂
What a fun idea! I love the flavour combination of rosemary and salted chocolate toffee…yummy!
im loving the sound of this combination 🙂 they look great
ooooh, thanks!
Sounds wonderful and the packaging is perfect.
Lillian
I love the Sweet Swap idea! Wonder if anyone has set up anything similar in the UK yet…
It was *so* much fun! Maybe you should set it up?!
These sound so delightful! If only I could have been one of your matches too 😉
There’s always next year! I wish I could have tried EVERYONE’S treats! It all looked fab 🙂
I’m always intrigued by rosemary in baked goods – it reminds me more of beef than cake! this looks great!
that’s a very unusual combo but it sounds lovely!
Oh man, there are few things I love more than rosemary used in desserts. There look great, your recipients were super lucky to be matched with you!
ooohh, thanks for your sweet words! Many moons ago I blogged a rosemary cake and it was damn good [if I do say so myself!].
That is such a beautiful toffee combination 😀
Cheers
CCU
P.S Because of my exams, I will not be commenting for around 4 weeks – see you afterwards!
oh, best of luck with exams. Seems like just yesterday I was there… Hang in there and just remember – there IS life after the HSC x
They look so good! I love the flavour combination, totally winner.
thanks! Loved the Sweet Swap – can’t wait to do it al again next year 🙂
Sweet, salty and rosemary… wow! Beautiful combo!
thanks – every bite is a wonderful mix of all those sensations 🙂
Cheers – I love sweet & salty 🙂
This sounds like a great flavor combination! The pictures look great!
awww, thanks 🙂
I love the adding of rosemary into this recipe 🙂
Ta – it adds a savoury depth that cuts through the sweetness.
Yes, it adds a real depth 🙂
The sweet swap sounds like so much fun!
It was *unreal*! Can’t wait to do it all again 🙂
I love rosemary in desserts! Its such a surprising yet wonderful addition. Wonderful sweet swap treats – thanks for participating this year.
Cheers! Thanks for organising the event – it was great fun and I’m very hopeful that it will held next year [and the year after and the year after… 🙂 ]
Looks delicious hope it tasted delicious too!! Wish you a lovely week!!
awww, thanks! Hope your week is fab, too x
Hi! I have nominated you for the Kreativ Blogger award! Congratulations! http://tastytreats13.wordpress.com/2013/07/22/awards/
This sounds like such a cool event. I would love to take part in something like this!
It was fab, can’t wait to do it next year. Are you in Australia?
No, unfortunately I’m not. I’m hoping to find an event like it though in the U.S.!
You may have to take the bull by the horns [as it were] and DIY! Is well worth it x
WOW. Simply, wow! 😀
hehehe! Pretty much sums it up x
That sounds like such a fun event! I love what you chose. So unique!
This looks delicious! I love sweet and savory combinations (my favorite is chili chocolate)
Thanks! I also love salty & sweet – it is heaven in a mouthful 🙂
Waw, waw: What a fabulous & tasty creation! These pcis are mouthwatering too! 🙂
thanks – who knew rosemary went so well in sweet treats?!
What an extraordinary recipe you shared here! 🙂 I gotta give it a try! Thank you!
Thanks! It sounds like it wouldn’t work but it does 🙂
It does indeed! 😀 me and my familiy are fans now! It was so worth to try it!
Oh wow, I never knew this food swap thing existed! I feel like I’ve completely missed out! Great job with the interesting toffee, I’m still struggling to imagine rosemary, salt and chocolate in my head but I guess that just means that I need to try the recipe! And sign up for this food swap. Sounds amazing! xx
It was so much fun! Coming home to parcels of delish treats was unreal – Miss7 also thought it was pretty cool! Try this without prejudice – it sounds bizarre but magically it all comes together as a fabulous mouthful 🙂
I definitely trust you on that one. Sometimes unexpected combos can be the best of all 🙂
What an intriguing flavour combination! I love salt and chocolate, and rosemary is my favourite herb. May have to try this out!
You’ll love it! Sounds bizarre but it somehow all comes together via baking alchemy x
What a fabulous sounding combination indeed. I’ll definitely have to try it!
Sweet & salty & savoury is a winning combo! Hope you get to try it 🙂