The Culinary Connoisseur
Salty Sweet
20
Nov
Nov
With food trends changing just as fast as the weather,
it’s hard to keep up with the latest food craze. One thing that remains
consistent is the desire to satisfy all taste buds. There are those who
sweet-tooth takes center stage while others gravitate toward salt. Still others
can’t make up their minds bringing us to a genre of treats that is growing in
popularity everyday—salty- sweet. Salty-sweet snacks satisfy both cravings at
once!
it’s hard to keep up with the latest food craze. One thing that remains
consistent is the desire to satisfy all taste buds. There are those who
sweet-tooth takes center stage while others gravitate toward salt. Still others
can’t make up their minds bringing us to a genre of treats that is growing in
popularity everyday—salty- sweet. Salty-sweet snacks satisfy both cravings at
once!
The simplest salty-sweet snacks are chocolate coated
pretzels or potato chips. You can make them easily at home by melting chocolate
and dipping your favorite salty snacks. For more sophisticated snacks and
desserts try one of our recipes below.
pretzels or potato chips. You can make them easily at home by melting chocolate
and dipping your favorite salty snacks. For more sophisticated snacks and
desserts try one of our recipes below.
Salted Caramel Rice Krispie Treats
This grown-up version of the popular rice krispie
treat will satisfy the adults who are looking for a salty-sweet-caramelly
dessert!
treat will satisfy the adults who are looking for a salty-sweet-caramelly
dessert!
14 caramel candies (like Arcor)
1 teaspoon heavy cream or whole milk
1 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
10 ounces marshmallow fluff
3 and 1/2 cups rice crisp cereal
1 cup chopped Viennese Crunch
Lightly spray a 9×9 baking dish with cooking spray. Set
aside.
In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the caramel
candies and cream or milk. Stir until completely melted. Add the sea salt.
Leave on low heat while you prepare the rest.
candies and cream or milk. Stir until completely melted. Add the sea salt.
Leave on low heat while you prepare the rest.
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add
the marshmallow fluff and stir until fully melted into the butter. Add in the
cereal and stir until the cereal is fully coated. Gently fold in the salted
caramel sauce and the Viennese Crunch chunks until just combined. You do not
want the chocolate to melt completely or you will have completely chocolate
treats, overpowering the salted caramel sauce.
the marshmallow fluff and stir until fully melted into the butter. Add in the
cereal and stir until the cereal is fully coated. Gently fold in the salted
caramel sauce and the Viennese Crunch chunks until just combined. You do not
want the chocolate to melt completely or you will have completely chocolate
treats, overpowering the salted caramel sauce.
Pour mixture into prepared baking pan and gently spread
out evenly. Allow to cool on the counter for at least 30 minutes before cutting
into squares. Store in an airtight container to retain softness.
out evenly. Allow to cool on the counter for at least 30 minutes before cutting
into squares. Store in an airtight container to retain softness.
Salted Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
Sweet, salty and crumbly—what more could you ask for!
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 stick (4 ounces) margarine, at room temperature + 2
tablespoons (for chocolate filling)
tablespoons (for chocolate filling)
¼ cup granulated sugar
finely grated zest from 1 small lemon
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 oz bittersweet chocolate, broken into small pieces
2 teaspoons light corn syrup
sea salt, to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with
parchment paper.
In a small bowl, combine lemon zest with sugar. With the
tips of your fingers, rub the zest and sugar together until they’re well
integrated.
tips of your fingers, rub the zest and sugar together until they’re well
integrated.
Combine the butter and sugar-zest mixture in the bowl of
a stand mixer. Beat them together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about
3 minutes, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides of your bowl. Add
the vanilla extract and beat for a few more seconds. Reduce the mixer speed to
low, then add the flour a little at a time. Beat just until just incorporated
into the dough — don’t overmix.
a stand mixer. Beat them together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about
3 minutes, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides of your bowl. Add
the vanilla extract and beat for a few more seconds. Reduce the mixer speed to
low, then add the flour a little at a time. Beat just until just incorporated
into the dough — don’t overmix.
Scoop teaspoon-sized balls of dough and roll them to form
small balls. Place the balls about 2” apart on the parchment-lined baking
sheets. Using your thumb, make an indentation in the center of each cookie.
small balls. Place the balls about 2” apart on the parchment-lined baking
sheets. Using your thumb, make an indentation in the center of each cookie.
Bake about 15 minutes, or until the cookies are only
slightly colored around the edges.
slightly colored around the edges.
When done, remove the baking sheets from oven and transfer
the cookies to cooling racks.
the cookies to cooling racks.
Using a double boiler or a small heat-proof bowl set over
a pot of simmering water, combine chocolate, 2 tablespoons margarine and corn
syrup. Stir until melted and smooth. Cool slightly. When cookies are cool, fill
the thumbprints with the chocolate, and then sprinkle with sea salt. Allow
about an hour for the chocolate centers to set.
a pot of simmering water, combine chocolate, 2 tablespoons margarine and corn
syrup. Stir until melted and smooth. Cool slightly. When cookies are cool, fill
the thumbprints with the chocolate, and then sprinkle with sea salt. Allow
about an hour for the chocolate centers to set.
Chocolate Salt & Pepper Cookies
The most refined and complex of our recipes; salt and
pepper enhance cocoa’s natural depth of flavor.
pepper enhance cocoa’s natural depth of flavor.
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 sticks margarine, softened
1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 large egg yolk
Sea salt, for sprinkling
Sift the flour, cocoa powder, cayenne and sea salt into a
bowl and whisk to combine. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the margarine
with both sugars at low speed until creamy. Add the egg yolk and beat until
smooth, then add the dry ingredients and beat until incorporated.
Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead gently
until it comes together. Divide the dough in half and press each half into a
disk. Roll out each disk between 2 sheets of wax paper to about 1/4 inch thick.
Slide the wax paper–covered disks onto a baking sheet and freeze for at least 1
hour, until very firm.
until it comes together. Divide the dough in half and press each half into a
disk. Roll out each disk between 2 sheets of wax paper to about 1/4 inch thick.
Slide the wax paper–covered disks onto a baking sheet and freeze for at least 1
hour, until very firm.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line 2 large baking
sheets with parchment paper. Working with one piece of dough at a time, peel
off the top sheet of wax paper and cut out the cookies as close together as
possible, using a 1 1/2-inch round cookie cutter, Arrange the cookies about 1 inch apart on the
parchment paper–lined baking sheets and sprinkle with some sea salt.
sheets with parchment paper. Working with one piece of dough at a time, peel
off the top sheet of wax paper and cut out the cookies as close together as
possible, using a 1 1/2-inch round cookie cutter, Arrange the cookies about 1 inch apart on the
parchment paper–lined baking sheets and sprinkle with some sea salt.
Bake the cookies for about 15 minutes, until they are
just firm. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 3 minutes, then
transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
just firm. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 3 minutes, then
transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.