“Tuesday’s child is full of grace.” June Fourth 1957 was a Tuesday. In Aarhus Denmark my Mama was born, and she has truly lived a life of grace. My Mama has the warmest hugs; when you are enfolded in her arms you feel like she is hugging you with her soul, like nothing can go wrong, and that as long as you have this place to come back to then you can weather any storm. She is kind: whenever I bring home a friend she opens her heart and home to them and has mothered more souls on this planet that just my sister and I.
My Mum has been one of my greatest teachers and her lessons are more important than anything I learned at university. Treat others the way you would like to be treated; there are always two sides to the story; work to live, don’t live to work; don’t count the days, make the days count; there is no such thing as too many books; popcorn is an appropriate breakfast food on school holidays; and that love is the hardest work you will do, but also the biggest gift you will give and receive in your life.
This treat is one that Mum used to make with Jess and I on winter school holidays. These were always her favourite, she says, because winter school holidays meant snuggling under the blankets after Dad had gone to work, lying in front of the TV watching our favourite movies (The Princess Bride being chief among these), and doing some extra special baking together. I have taken Mum’s family recipe and changed it a little. I added salted peanuts to the caramel layer, made the biscuit base gluten free, and added coconut and gluten free oats because that’s what the crumbly biscuit base should contain in my opinion. Here the caramel is slightly chewy and the salted peanuts heighten the sweetness. Then the whole thing is coated in a milk chocolate layer because that’s what wintery birthday treats should be about – indulgence and tradition.
Salted Peanut Caramel Chocolate Slice
Makes 24 squares | Gluten Free
Ingredients
Base
- 50 grams brown rice flour
- 50 grams white rice flour
- 40 grams sorghum flour
- 1/2 cup dessicated coconut
- 1/2 cup gluten free quick oats (I use Freedom Foods brand)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 125 grams butter
Filling
- 400 gram tin sweetened condensed milk
- 2 tablespoons golden syrup
- 60 grams butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
- 1 cup roasted salted peanuts
- Pinch of salt
Topping
- 200 gram block milk or dark chocolate of choice
Method
- Line an 11 x 7 inch pan (28 x 18 cm) with baking paper and preheat your oven to 180C.
- In a large bowl whisk together brown rice flour, white rice flour, sorghum flour, coconut, oats and brown sugar.
- Place butter in a microwave safe bowl and heat in 30 second bursts, stirring in between, until melted.
- Stir melted butter into dry ingredients until a crumbly mixture forms. Press this into the tin, ensuring that it is as evenly distributed as possible. You may wish to use the side of a flat-walled glass to roll and press the mixture into the tin.
- Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until lightly golden.
- Allow to cool completely.
- When the base is cooled place sweetened condensed milk, golden syrup, and butter into a small saucepan. Place over medium heat and stir until butter is melted and caramel is golden brown in colour and thickened slightly.
- Remove from heat and mix in vanilla essence, salted peanuts and a pinch of salt.
- Spread caramel peanut mix over the cooled base. Place in oven and bake for 12-15 minutes or until the top is golden in colour and firm.
- Remove from oven and cool completely.
- Chop chocolate into small pieces and place in a microwave safe bowl and heat in 30 second bursts, stirring in between, until melted and smooth. Spread chocolate over the caramel layer and place in fridge until set.
- Once set use a hot knife to slice into squares.
- Slice will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. In my experience it rarely lasts that long.
Happy Birthday Mama Chickpea
My beautiful Mama
