gluten free salted peanut chocolate caramel slice

gluten free salted peanut chocolate caramel slice

• 3 Dec 2018

Caramel slice is hands down my workmates' favourite treat. I think it's the winning combination of a buttery base topped with a thick layer of caramel then finished off with a coating of dark chocolate. 




One of my colleagues is gluten intolerant so every now and then I try to make something that's gluten free. I was looking for gluten free flour a few weeks ago and spied a gluten free caramel slice recipe on the back of a packet of tapioca flour. I came home with the tapioca flour and used the recipe for the base paired with my usual caramel filling. I also found half a packet of salted peanuts in a container so I threw those in as well.




I wasn't sure how my work mates would respond to tampering with a classic but I thought the addition of salted peanuts was a bit of a master stroke. The gluten free base was pretty good but it's a bit thicker than my regular base and I found it a bit coconut heavy so next time I'd tweak the proportions a little. Don't skip the light dusting of sea salt flakes at the end, as they help to off set the sweetness of the caramel.



Here's the recipe for you which makes 16 squares. For all my recipes I use a 250 ml cup, a 20 ml tablespoon, unsalted butter and 60g eggs. My oven is a conventional gas oven so if your oven is fan forced, you may need to reduce the oven temperature by 20°C.

Gluten Free Salted Peanut Caramel Slice
Base
¼ cup brown sugar, lightly packed 
1 cup almond meal 
1 cup desiccated coconut 
2 tbs tapioca flour 
80 gm butter, melted 
¾ cup salted peanuts 

Method
Pre-heat oven to 180°C. Line the base and sides of a 20 x 20 cm tin with baking paper. Combine all the dry ingredients for the base in a large bowl. Add the melted butter and mix well before pressing into the tin. Place in a pre-heated 180°C oven and bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until lightly coloured. Remove from the oven and scatter the salted peanuts over the base. 

Caramel
2 x 395 gm tins condensed milk  
60 mls golden syrup 
60 gm butter 
2 tsp vanilla extract 

While the base is cooking, combine the condensed milk and golden syrup in a saucepan and cook over a medium heat for 5-7 minutes or until thickened and golden. You can also microwave in a bowl on high for 7 minutes, stirring every minute. Add the butter and vanilla to the caramel and stir until smooth. Pour the caramel over the peanuts and gently smooth with a knife. Return to the oven for another 15 - 20 minutes or until the caramel is golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Allow to cool completely before placing in the fridge. 

Topping
125 gm dark chocolate, chopped 
15 gm butter, chopped 
Sea salt flakes 

Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a pan of simmering hot water over a low heat or in the microwave. Stir until the butter has melted and the mixture is smooth. Using a spatula, smooth the chocolate topping over the surface of the slice and sprinkle with a few salt flakes. Allow the topping to set for 20 minutes before cutting the slice into bars or squares. 



Store in a sealed container in the fridge. Bring to room temperature before serving and watch the slice disappear in front of your eyes. 

See you all again next week with some more baking from my kitchen.

Bye for now,

Jillian