SALTED NUT LOG RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition., Fill 10 paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely., In a large heavy saucepan, combine sugar, water and salt. Cook over medium-low heat until sugar begins to melt. Gently pull melted sugar to center of pan until sugar melts evenly. Cook, without stirring, until mixture turns an amber color., Remove from heat; gradually stir in cream until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl; cover and refrigerate for 4 hours. Beat until stiff peaks form. Frost cupcakes. If desired, top with caramel and sea salt.

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4. Lightly grease a 20cm square cake tin and line crossways with 2 strips of baking paper so the ends overhang.
• For the shortbread base, put the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the 160g butter and the vanilla, then whizz until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Tip into the cake tin, then use your hands to press into an even layer. Chill for 30 minutes, then prick the base with a fork. Bake for 30 minutes or until pale golden brown. Set aside to cool.
• For the caramel, put the pecans in a baking tray and toast in the oven for about 10 minutes or until fragrant. Tip onto a chopping board and roughly chop.
• Put the sugar into a medium saucepan and cook over a medium heat, without stirring, until melted and caramelised. Take off the heat and carefully add the cream in 2 batches (it may spit), waiting until the bubbling has subsided before adding more. Stir in the butter and salt.
• Return to the heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the caramel reaches 116°C on a sugar thermometer or digital probe thermometer. Immediately take off the heat, add the chopped pecans, mixing briefly to combine, then pour over the shortbread and spread it evenly with a spatula. Set aside for at least 4 hours (or overnight) to cool.
• For the topping, melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water (don’t let the water touch the bowl), then drizzle or pipe it over the bars. Press the pretzels into the chocolate to finish. Let the chocolate set before cutting into bars. They’ll keep in a sealed container for 2 days.