One of the most captivating symbols of spring is the delicate beauty of cherry blossoms. Watching tight green buds explode into fluffy white blooms is just magical. Their fleeting beauty is a visual celebration of nature’s renewal. But what if you could enjoy this beautiful spectacle indoors, even outside the traditional cherry blossom season? Here’s […]
Salted Chocolate Caramel Apple Confections…
These elegant Simple & Crisp Fruit slices are the winners of the SVS award for best packaged food at The IFBC. These organic dried slices of fruit are so lovely straight from the package, especially the oranges, one may be confused as to if you should eat them or sit them on the window sill to admire {before or after dipping them in chocolate].
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At the IFBC we tried these pretty slices with chunks of nutty cheeses. These naturally gluten free crisps brought complementary flavor, slightly crunchy texture and ravishing color to the creamy cheese nuggets.
I thought the most beautiful of the slices were those made from Blood Oranges, I loved the rich, glossy, variegated contrast they offered scattered on the tray, they’d make a dramatic addition to any cheese or charcuterie platter.
The apple slices were a perfect pair with cheeses as well, but when I tasted them, I started thinking they’d also make a good base for a seasonal sweet treat.
So, taking a clue from the classic caramel apple, I bought some sheets of caramel from the grocery store and used a cookie cutter to cut out circles,
just a little smaller than the apple slices.
I melted 2 luscious bars of Scharffen Berger Extra Rich Milk Chocolate bars, click on tempering chocolate for some tips on how to do this.
On a cooling rack with waxed paper underneath, I put the apple slices topped with caramel rounds. This shot shows one slice of caramel on the crisps, but I also made some with 2 rounds of caramel, which was much more delicious.
Then I started drizzling the melted chocolate over the top.
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The first dollop of chocolate I smoothed out to cover the caramel,
but then I added a little more, enough to smooth the chocolate cover the edges, and to create a little curly cue top, so it looked more like an elegant confection.
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After about 10 minutes, as the chocolate began to firm up, I sprinkled on a little coarse sea salt to intensify the flavors of the caramel and chocolate. The fact that I didn’t have any finished confections to photograph is a testament to how great these decadent little darlings turned out.
When the chocolate hardened it offered a thick, rich shell. When it broke away, it revealed the chewy caramel which had melded beautifully to the subtly tart~fruity apple slice. I was a little dubious about using the caramel sheets from the grocery {they are often times displayed near the fresh apples}, but the caramel was fantastic: flavorful, creamy and delicate.
Again, the confections vanished quite quickly, even before I could take a final count. But, I believe from the 2 bars I made about 9 Salted Chocolate Caramel Apple Confections.
Leaving me just enough chocolate to half dip some of the orange slices into.
The half~dips were pretty, but I also like the look of the chocolate painted on the oranges more abstractly. These were also more tasty because every bite provided a different chocolate~orange sensation.
The crisps come in fresh looking, bright colored boxes that protect them from breakage, and show you a glimpse of the fruit. They are available in a handful of retail stores, and they ship nationwide.
I think they’d make very welcomed hostess gifts, for gluten~eaters or non, bundled up with some cheeses, a wooden platter or maybe some cheese knives.
Or chocolate bars and caramel sheets, or cupcakes….
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| Image from Simple & Crisp |
Click on the name above for many more notions on how to use these So Very Splendid slices.
That first picture says it all. So colourful, thin and almost transparent. Like the way you have explained it step by step.
Thank you Haddock. They are so pretty with light coming through them. It would be pretty to string them up and make a screen of them for a party.
Emily,
I do love having simple snacks and decadent one's too.
Those look amazing.
pve
MMMM What a AMAZING post:) your blog Is so beautiful and Im now following on pinterest..hope you follow back.
Check my blog…with stylish Swedish fireplaces:)
Have a great Sunday dear
LOVE Maria at inredningsvis – inredning it's, Swedish for decor