the hungry mum

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.

Tags: almond, chocolate, food bloggers, rosemary, sea salt, sweets, The Sweet Swap, toffee