Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake

It is easy to get wrapped up in time; it is as common a topic as the weather is. Perhaps it’s a sign that I am getting old. It seems I find myself talking about how fast time goes these days. I don’t remember talking like that when I was in my 20’s.

Now I say things like “I can’t believe it’s already the middle of January! Gosh o’Golly this year is already zipping by!”

Maybe I don’t say it exactly like that it’s probably more like “What is the date today? Are you fucking kidding me? Shit I was supposed to do this or that yesterday! Gawd where does the time go?”

Time isn't the only thing that makes me feel old at 32, it’s when it’s my friend’s birthday and she’s only turning 28!

It’s okay my younger friends keep me young! I made this cake for my friend Kellie’s birthday today and we had a lovely morning eating cake with tea and coffee!

This is the cake I made:

Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake

225g unsalted butter

225g caster sugar

3 heaped tablespoons of cocoa powder, extra for dusting

4 large eggs

200g self-rising flour

1 tsp baking powder

150g caramel sauce, extra for drizzling on top

1 tsp sea salt flakes

300g double cream

Heat the oven to 180C, grease or line 2 7in (18cm) round cake tins. Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Sift in the cocoa powder, flour, and baking powder before adding in the eggs and beating until just combined. Spoon into the tins and gently level the batter with a spatula inside the tin. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. While the cake is cooling mix the sea salt flakes in the caramel sauce. Then whip up the cream until soft peaks form. Once the cakes are cool, spread the caramel sauce on top of one layer and pipe the whipped cream on top of that before placing the other layer on top. Dust with cocoa powder and drizzle some caramel sauce on top! Enjoy!

notes: Recipe adapted from Jamie’s Monster Bake Sale pamphlet for Comic Relief 2011. Sometimes people don’t like cake, they do exist (I know I was as shocked as you) and if you know one of these people try thisshortbread I made for my cake-hating friend!

Roasted Red Pepper Dip & Walkers new Market Deli: Anglesey Sea Salt w/Cracked Black Pepper Tortilla Chips

On Tuesday I made a quick trip up to London to see Tom Aikens make the best macaroni and cheese I have ever had.

I didn't know it was going to be the best macaroni and cheese I ever had before I went, but it definitely made the trip worth taking! That and all the gorgeous canapés , wine, and chips!   

Mr. Aikens’ mac and cheese was inspired by Walkers new Market Deli range of chips!

He started out with a basic white sauce then he added not only cheese, but ham and sun dried tomatoes too! It was delicious!

Which is why we were all there! To try the new flavors of chips and to have a good time of course! 

Each new flavor had it’s own display that showcased the ingredients used to create the crisps. Along with someone to give us some further information on the ingredients used. Overall I really enjoyed all the new flavors! My favorites were the pita chips.

There are four flavors of potato chips:

Cornish Mature Cheddar,

Wiltshire Cured Ham, mature cheddar, and Farmhouse Chutney,

Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, and

Flame Grilled Spanish Chorizo with Roasted Onion.

Along with two flavors of tortilla chips:

Anglesey Sea Salt with Cracked Black Pepper and

Roasted Red Chilli with Mediterranean Sun dried Tomatoes.

There also two flavor of pita chips (my favorite):

Roasted Garlic with Mediterranean Herbs and

Roasted Red Pepper with English Tomato. 

After all the chips were tried and tested we sat down to watch Tom Aikens cook and while I was watching him I was thinking of a roasted red pepper dip I had once at a friends house.

When I was on the train back I did a little research and note taking and settled decided I would try this Roasted Red Pepper Dip.

It is made with roasted red peppers, fresh basil leaves from my green house, garlic and cream cheese. I used full-fat, but you can substitute with low fat if you'd like to make it lighter. 

It was a great pairing with the Anglesey Sea Salt with Cracked Black Pepper tortilla chips. My girls and I had it for lunch one afternoon with chips and veggie sticks. 

Roasted Red Pepper Dip:

200g jarred roasted red peppers, drained & chopped

handful of fresh basil leaves

1 clove of garlic (small one for a hint or a slightly bigger one for a bit of a punch)

150g cream cheese (low-fat or full-fat)

Place the chopped peppers, basil leaves, and garlic in a food processor and pulse until mostly smooth. Then add the cream cheese and mix until combined. Sit in the fridge for at least one hour or longer to develop the flavors. Before serving chop up a small bit of roasted red pepper and place in the middle of the dip and add a few fresh basil leaves. Dip in chips or veggie sticks and enjoy!

The dip was a perfect pairing for the Anglesey Sea Salt and Cracked Black Pepper Tortilla Chips!

notes: The chips will be available nationwide from the 23rd of June. The crisps were part of the goodie bag for attending the event. For further information please read my content/policy page above. I love the fact that they are called chips and crisps. Recipe inspired by a Betty Crocker recipe.