A Homemade Treat

There are times my little girl would just blurt out -- Mom, I want ice cream! How can I say no if she screams and throws a tantrum in a public place? Eeep. So if I can't really convince her to stop, I'd have to tell her we'll have ice cream at home. Cheaper for me, since I have stock of vanilla ice cream in the fridge most of the time. Plus, I can add fruits or what nots I have in the cupboard!

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Playdate's Dessert

We usually have our playdates on Fridays. Yesterday, it's my turn to play hostess. :D Since the husband doesn't like bananas, I thought of having Banoffee Pie so I won't end up gobbling down the whole thing by myself. Hah!

Ingredients:

• Graham pie crust (2 cups crushed graham crackers, 1/2 cup melted butter, cinnamon [optional], 1/4 cup sugar [optional])
• 4pcs bananas, sliced
• 3/4 cup dulce de leche
• whipped cream (I used store-bought in can)
• chocolate syrup

Method:

1. Prepare the graham pie crust by mixing the crushed graham crackers and melted butter in a bowl. 
2. Press on to prepared pie plate. Bake for at least 10 minutes at 400 degrees Celsius. Let crust cool.
3. Take the cooled pie crust and arrange the banana slices and pour half of the dulce de leche. Make another layer of bananas and the remaining dulce de leche.
4. Top the pie with whipped cream and chocolate syrup. I used a store-bought whipped cream in can so I would suggest if you're using the same thing as I did, just do so before serving to avoid having a melted topping. :)

Crushed graham crackers plus butter (eeekk!)

Bananas! Oh Yum.

One layer of sliced bananas slathered with dulce de leche

Topped with whipped cream and chocolate syrup

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Honeycomb Crunch

Baking soda

Light corn syrup

Last week, I was craving for a coffee crunch cake.  I'm not quite sure where I have tasted one. Eeek. So I tried scouring the internet for a recipe. It was a bit hard to look for one because it seems that there are several terms for it - honeycomb crunch/crunchies/candy, toffee crisp, butter and honeycomb crunch. Good thing I was being patient that day and I found the easiest recipe to follow. 

Needed:

• 100 grams sugar (I used caster sugar)
• Golden Syrup (I used light corn syrup and a bit of maple syrup)
• 1 tsp baking soda (I suggest to use 1/2-3/4, and make sure to sift it)
• cold water (to test a "hard crack")
• saucepan
• fork
• shallow bowl with parchment paper

How to do it:

1. In a saucepan, mix the sugar with syrup. No definite amount, according to the recipe. Try to get as much as you can by twirling the fork. Do this twice. Mix the sugar and syrup before bringing to a slow boil.

Sugar mixed with corn syrup

Bring to low heat

2. After a few minutes, this is how your sugar will look like the photo below. Try to stir the mixture with the fork to make sure everything melts evenly.

After a few minutes

Sugar will slowly change color

Until it turns brown

3. Once you notice that the all the sugars have dissolved, test a hard crack. Dip the other end of a teaspoon in to the sugar and dip into the cold water. If you hear a crack while it cools, it means you're good to go. Or bite the hardened syrup (which I did heh!) and if you get a crack on the first bite, that means the syrup is set for the next step. Quickly remove the pan from the heat.

Test if the syrup has a "hard crack"

4. Mix the baking soda into the syrup. Stir it as fast as you can as the candy would quickly harden.  And while you do this, move nearer to the bowl with the parchment paper.

Sift the baking soda

Mix the baking soda quickly

Stir well to incorporate everything

5. Once you feel that you have stirred everything completely, pour everything into the bowl.

Carefully pour into prepared bowl

6. Let it cool for an hour or so. Fill the pan with water and let it stand for an hour before scrubbing it clean.

Use parchment paper to avoid having the honeycomb stick

Let honeycomb sit for at least an hour or so

7. Crack the candy and use them for cake or cupcake toppings. Store in a covered container in the fridge to prevent it from going sticky.

Crack with something hard - a knife or spoon

Now you can use this for a Coffee Crunch Cake!

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Source: http://www.instructables.com/