Caramel Sauce – A change from Chocolate Sauce

This is a lovely, rich dessert sauce. Serve it warm or cold over ice-cream or fruit.

Makes 1½ cups.

125g(8 oz)butter
1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1 cup water
2 Tablespoons golden syrup or honey
1½ Tablespoons cornflour or Maizena
¼ cup cream

1. Combine butter and sugar in saucepan, stir over low heat until butter melts and sugar dissolves and mixture turns to thick syrup
2. Bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer 3 minutes
3. Combine water, golden syrup and cornflour, mix until smooth
4. Add to brown sugar mixture, stir until smooth
5. Bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer 2 minutes
6. Remove from heat, stir in cream serve warm or cold

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Liz’s Signature Hot Chocolate Sauce

This is so good that you can easily serve it at a dinner party. I have seen grown men and women closing their eyes to absorb the sensuous taste as they slowly lick the sauce off their spoons. The secret is the dark chocolate which keeps it from being too sweet and the slight taste of coffee. There is no significant difference between using instant coffee or espresso as the coffee base.  The sauce will keep in the fridge for up to a week if you can ensure little fingers don’t get in there to finish it off. I serve it with Blue Ribbon or Peter’s Vanilla Ice Cream.

Serves 4-6

200g(8 ounces)  Nestle’s Original Albany chocolate or any Dark Chocolate
1 espresso coffee (or 1 teaspoon quality instant coffee like Moccono dissolved in 2 Tablespoons hot water)
150ml(6 ounces) cream
Vanilla Ice Cream to Serve

1. Break chocolate into small blocks. Place in a heatproof bowl and add the coffee.
2. Melt together over a low heat in a bowl over simmering water or use defrost on the microwave. Melt until soft. Do not overcook as the chocolate burns easily – you want it soft not boiling.
3. Stir in cream and heat slowly till hot. You can store at this stage. Reheat to warm – not boiling – just before serving.
4. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

The Definitive Barbecue Sauce – So Good you could Bottle it

Do yourself a favour and make this just once. It’s not difficult – there are just a lot of  ingredients to throw together – and it makes a whopping 750ml. Of course you will use it more generously than the bought variety because it is so good you will want to smother everything in it BUT there will be plenty leftover for future barbecues.  Refrigerate in an old jam jar or freeze in 150ml containers for up to 4 weeks.. It is best warmed up so put the jam jar in the microwave for a few mins before eating. Once you have tasted this barbecue sauce with steak and sausages, you will never use the bought variety again. It’s also great with baked potatoes or sweet potatoes for vegetarians.

Makes approx 750ml

1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
¼ cup oil
1 cup tomato sauce
1t(5ml)mustard powder
½ cup water
1 vegetable stock cube
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup soya sauce
¼ cup vinegar
2T(30ml) honey or sugar
2t(10ml) tobasco

1. Brown onion and garlic for a few minutes in the oil over a medium heat.
2. Add remaining ingredients.
3. Bring to boil and simmer 12-15 minutes.
4. Serve warm with steak, sausages or baked vegetables.

Enhance Poached Fish with Lime Dill Butter to turn the Ordinary into Extraordinary

This is delicious with poached fish and can be made earlier in the day although it tastes better when freshly made. Keep at room temperature. This can also be served with baked salmon.

 

• 2 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon lime zest
• 1 Tablespoon lime juice
• 125g butter, cubed
• 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh dill

1. Place egg yolk, juice and lime rind in top of a double boiler and stir over simmering water for 1 minute
2. Whisk in small pieces of softened butter with a hand whisk until sauce thickens
3. Remove from heat, stir in dill and cool