Crowd-pleasing squares from an Irish dessert expert …
Beth O’Brien is an Irish chef who trained at Ballymaloe Cookery School before going on to complete a Master’s in Food Business at UCC. She has since worked across restaurants and bakeries in Ireland, the UK and New Zealand, including Ballymaloe House in Cork, Pophams Bakery in London and Mor Bakery in Auckland. She previously held a monthly baking column in The Irish Times and is now senior sous chef at The Fat Badger in Notting Hill.
Ingredients (16 squares)
For the base
130g butter
120g plain flour
50g wholemeal flour
20g ground almonds
40g icing sugar
Pinch salt
For the caramel filling
115g macadamia nuts
1 tin condensed milk
100g dark brown sugar
100g butter
75g golden syrup
Pinch salt
Seeds of 1 vanilla pod or 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the topping
160g dark chocolate
20g coconut oil
Method
1. Line a 20cm x 20cm tin with baking parchment and preheat the oven to 160°C.
2. Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat or in the microwave. Mix together the remaining ingredients in a bowl, add the butter and stir to combine. Press this mixture into the lined tin and smooth the top with a palette knife.
3. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until golden brown. Meanwhile, put the macadamia nuts in a separate tray and toast for 10 minutes, until golden brown.
4. Place all of the ingredients for the filling in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Heat, whisking constantly, for about 5 minutes, until the butter has melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat.
5. When the base has cooked, pour the caramel filling over the top and use a palette knife to smooth it out if necessary. Add the toasted macadamias and push them just slightly under the surface of the caramel.
6. Reduce the oven temperature to 110°C and put the tin back in the oven for 15 minutes, until it has just set (and only wobbles slightly when shaken).
7. Remove from the oven and let it cool fully.
8. Place the chocolate and coconut oil in a heatproof bowl over a pot of water, simmer until melted and homogenous.
9. Pour this mixture over the caramel, and tip the tin in each direction until it has covered the entire surface. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or until set.
10. Cut with a hot, sharp knife to ensure neat squares.