The Ultimate Caramel Slice

Hey folks! How are you going? Can't believe there's only 13 sleeps to go now, December really isn't fucking around is it?

This gal is ready to meet the big jolly man & rip into that mountain of pressies!

I've been working on a big post for a couple of days but I realised I don't have any pictures to accompany it as all my old photos are in storage in NZ, so I'm trying to sort that one out and get this whopper up for you. Stay tuned....

Yesterday I decided I needed caramel slice in my life & I'm all about following my instincts, so I whipped up my all time fav recipe and thought I'd share it for any fellow caramel lovers... 

Ingredients;

Biscuit base;

1/2 cup plain flour 

1/2 cup self raising flour 

1/4 cup desiccated coconut 

1/4 cup brown sugar

Tbsp Dutch cocoa 

100gm melted butter 

Caramel filling;

3 x 395gm tins sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup golden syrup 

100gm butter

Chocolate top;

200gm dark choc

Tbsp vegetable oil 

Method;

Preheat oven to 180, grease a baking tin and line with baking paper with plenty of extras hanging over for lifting out at the end. 

For the biscuit base simply sift together all the dry ingredients and then pour over the melted butter. Blend together and then spread evenly over the tin. Bake for 15-20 mins or until golden

Once that's done, leave aside to cool whilst prepping the filling. Put all the caramel ingredients in a large saucepan and stir on medium heat for 20mins or until golden (we have a gas stovetop and I find mine is done after 15 mins). Once done, pour the caramel over the cooked biscuit base and put back into the oven for another 20 mins or until the top is bubbly & golden. Remove and leave to cool for at least an hr.

For the choc topping just chop up the choc, throw it in a saucepan with the oil and cook on low until its all melted. Pour evenly over the cooled caramel and then refrigerate for at least 3 hours (I always leave mine overnight).

Voila;

It really isn't shy on the caramel, just how I like it! This is so incredibly easy to make. The only pain is the waiting in between steps but trust me when I tell you, it is worth the wait. Pity Oli doesn't eat caramel slice, whatever will I do? No I'm joking, i'm actually not going to eat this entire slice, I might just pull a Martha and put it in little square boxes with some twine and pass it onto my friends I'm meeting up with tomorrow... I'll certainly be saving some for myself though. 

I've made it to the gym 3 times in the past 4 days which is somewhat of a Christmas miracle. Yesterday, I ended up doing a pretty intense legs session for the first time in yonks and it is fairly painful to sit down today. I just used the adductor/ abductor machines, leg curl, did some balance ball squats (not easy right now), wall squats and scissor lifts- yeah that will do it! I'm thinking of going to body balance this evening but I'm so not a fan of working out at night so we shall see...

My "clean eating" hasn't been all that clean though. I just reeeeallly don't like cooking dinner at the moment so I end up having toast or something easy that isn't exactly nutritious. I'm happy to bake though, clearly. I conformed last week and bought some pretty cute jars with handles for our green smoothies, so that has been happening as regularly as possible.. They really do make smoothies more fun somehow?! 

Lastly, it is seriously heating up around here;

Mid thirties all week! I've barely left the house / car / gym / anywhere air conned all week for fear of melting. And this is just the beginning.... When we first arrived in Perth last Feb I remember it being 40 degs plus every day. Throw a nearly fully cooked pregnant lady into that environment & we will see what happens...

Last night Oli and I duct taped up black rubbish bags covering Blakes windows after googling blackout methods for baby rooms, her room is east facing & gets as hot as a sauna each day even with the blinds closed. Here's hoping it works & nap times stretch out a bit longer! 

Belly updates will be coming tomorrow as I head into my 27th week!!

Meanwhile, B is fast asleep (probably due to our genius rubbish bag method) and I need to figure out what we should do with the rest of our day. I really want to go to the beach for a dip but turns out there's been two 3 metre tiger sharks hanging around our shores as of late so I'm not keen on being their lunchtime snack...

This guy actually looks friendly, (is that a wee smile?) but I bet he's not.

Oh and a huge HAPPY BIRTHDAY to two incredible friends today, Nat & Nicole!

Hope everyone is having a super week and those two are getting spoilt rotten

Thought of the day "send those bloody Xmas cards already!!"

Gemma