Kirsten Tibballs is and Australian pastry chef.

Today, she will be making peanut cookie cups with caramel filling and sticky date chocolate puddings with caramel drizzle.

Recipe below:

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STICKY DATE CHOCOLATE PUDDINGS WITH CHOCOLATE CARAMEL DRIZZLE

by Kirsten Tibballs

YIELDS: 6 | PREPARATION: 90 minutes | COOKING: 17 minutes | SKILL LEVEL: Intermediate

Chocolate Ganache Centre

Ingredients

75 g good-quality dark chocolate

50 g fresh cream 35% fat

Method

1. Place the chocolate in a microwave-safe plastic bowl and heat in 30-second increments, stirring in between, until 50% melted.
2. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until bubbles just begin to appear.
3. Pour the hot cream over the semi-melted chocolate and whisk until the chocolate is completely melted and incorporated.
4. Allow to set at room temperature.
5. Spoon six equal portions of the ganache onto a lined baking tray and place in the freezer for a minimum of 4 hours to freeze completely.

Caramel Sauce

Ingredients

75 g fresh cream 35% fat

¼ tsp sea salt

175 g caster sugar

125 g unsalted butter, cubed

75 g liquid glucose

50 g good-quality milk chocolate

Method

1. Combine the cream and salt in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and set aside.
2. Place the sugar in a wide-based saucepan over medium heat. Stir gently with a spatula until completely dissolved and caramelised before reducing to low heat.
3. Carefully pour the warm cream over the caramel and whisk to combine.
4. Remove from the heat and add the butter, one piece at a time, while whisking by hand.
5. Once the butter is completely incorporated, add the glucose and stir to combine.
6. Pour the mixture over the chocolate and stir until completely melted and incorporated.
7. Cover the surface of the caramel sauce with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature.

Date Puddings

Ingredients

vegetable oil spray, for greasing

plain flour, for coating

140 g pitted dates, roughly chopped

½ tsp bicarbonate soda

125 g boiling water

40 g unsalted butter

20 g brown sugar

55 g whole eggs, room temperature

95 g plain flour, sieved

¾ tsp baking powder

30 g good-quality milk chocolate chips

Method

1. Grease six 100ml ramekins or ovenproof coffee cups, then coat in a thin layer of flour.
2. Heat the oven to 165°C.
3. Place the dates in a bowl, sprinkle with the bicarbonate soda, then pour the boiling water on top. Allow to stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before using a potato masher to break up the dates and create a chunky paste.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar on medium speed until completely smooth.
5. Meanwhile, break the eggs into a bowl and place it in a larger bowl of warm water to warm slightly.
6. Slowly add the eggs to the butter mixture and beat to combine.
7. Add the sieved flour and baking powder and mix to incorporate.
8. Working quickly, add the date paste and chocolate chips and mix until well incorporated into the batter.
9. Divide half of the mixture evenly among the prepared ramekins.
10. Place the prepared frozen ganache in the centre of each ramekin, then cover with the remaining batter.
11. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-17 minutes, until the puddings are lightly golden on top and wobbly in the centre.
12. Allow to cool at room temperature for a few minutes before carefully removing the pudding from the ramekins by turning them upside down. Alternatively, you can serve the puddings in the ramekins.
13. Place the puddings right-side up on a serving plate, top with caramel sauce and serve while hot.

Notes:

• You can make the puddings the day before and store them in the refrigerator, unbaked. Bake them fresh, and eat while hot.
• The sauce can be made the day before and stored covered with plastic wrap touching the surface until ready to serve.
• The unbaked puddings can also be stored in the freezer before baking. Allow them to thaw at room temperature or in the refrigerator before baking.

PEANUT COOKIE CUPS WITH CHOCOLATE CARAMEL FILLING

by Kirsten Tibballs

YIELDS: 12 | PREPARATION: 90 minutes | COOKING: 18 minutes | SKILL LEVEL: Intermediate

Peanut Cookie Cups

Ingredients

vegetable oil spray, for greasing

85 g unsalted butter

65 g brown sugar

65 g caster sugar

95 g crunchy peanut butter

30 g whole egg

125 g plain flour

pinch of baking powder

pinch of sea salt

75 g good-quality milk chocolate, chopped

plain flour, for dusting

Method

1. Heat the oven to 170°C, fan forced.
2. Grease the cavities of a 12-hole muffin tin.
3. Place the butter, brown sugar, and caster sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until completely smooth.
4. Add the peanut butter followed by the egg and mix to combine.
5. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt, then mix until almost completely incorporated.
6. Lastly, add the chopped milk chocolate and mix until the ingredients just come together as a dough.
7. On a lightly floured workbench, divide the dough into 12 even portions.
8. Place a piece of dough into each muffin tin cavity, pressing them into the base and sides to form a cup.
9. Line each cup with scrunched then flattened baking paper and fill with uncooked rice.
10. Bake in the preheated oven for 8 minutes.
11. Remove the paper and rice, then bake for a further 10 minutes.
12. Allow to cool slightly. When the cookie cups are firm enough to handle but still warm, remove from the tin, transfer to a wire cooling rack and allow to cool completely at room temperature.
13. Meanwhile, clean and dry the muffin tin.
14. Once the cookie cups have cooled completely, return them to the clean tin.

Chocolate Caramel Filling

Ingredients

250 g fresh cream 35% fat

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

pinch of sea salt

185 g caster sugar

65 g liquid glucose

35 g water

150 g unsalted butter

25 g honey

½ tsp bicarbonate soda

75 g good-quality milk chocolate

Method

1. Place the cream, vanilla, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat until almost boiling.
2. In a separate large saucepan, heat the sugar, glucose and water over medium heat until it reaches 145°C.
3. Reduce the heat to low, immediately add the butter and honey and whisk by hand to incorporate.
4. In three additions, pour the hot cream mixture over the caramel and whisk to combine.
5. Add the bicarbonate soda, then increase the heat and bring to 118°C while whisking continuously.
6. Once the caramel reaches temperature, remove from the heat, immediately add the chocolate, and whisk until completely melted and incorporated.
7. Pour the caramel into the prepared peanut cookie cups and allow to set at room temperature for 1 hour.

Note: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 weeks.