{Giveaway is closed.}
And the winner is Susan Christy! Congratulations, Susan! To receive your 13 oz jar of Slickepott caramel sauce, please see reply to your comment below.
Thanks so much for participating everyone!
Several years ago, my two sisters, Sage and Tera, visited Europe – namely, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, England and Iceland. Four weeks later they brought home treasures and stories that would last a lifetime and beyond.
There was a little place, they said, called Grasmere in Cumbria, England, that had the best gingerbread ever.
“The loveliest spot that man hath ever found.” quoth William Wordsworth, apparently a satisfied dweller there. Perhaps it was the gingerbread that made him sing the town’s praises. The girls brought home two postcards, each with a different recipe on the front, for this delightful, world renown treat.
The place to get Grasmere gingerbread…
Of course, we could bet neither recipe shared the “secret ingredients” in Sarah Nelson’s famous creation, so I began to play around with them both, mixing them and adding different ingredients to get something that tasted more like what they had experienced in the heart of the English Lake District.
I don’t know how close it came, but the resulting gingerbread didn’t leave much to be desired. Slightly chewy, gingery warm, with citrus overtones… it’s not like the gingerbread we’re used to…it’s like the gingerbread of our dreams.
Now if you fly west and slightly south from England, you just might make it to Delhi, New York. Never heard of it before? Well, remember it now that you have, because I predict, one day, Delhi will be known for its caramel sauce like Grasmere is known for its gingerbread.
Located near the Catskill Mountains, Ian Lamont started his business, Slickepott, making a phenomenally fudge-y chocolate sauce from an old family recipe. Those of you having read my blog through the years might remember my post about it here. When we heard he was adding caramel sauce to his repertoire, I was thrilled. He was kind enough to send us a preview of it, which, of course, thrilled me even more. That resulted in the delicious combination of Mango Ginger Stilton and Caramel on Ritz Crackers. I think you’ll want to make these hors d’oeuvres for your next party.
Flecked with vanilla bean, hinting of sea salt, and dripping with the golden goodness of caramelized demerara sugar, Ian’s caramel sauce is over-the-top stupendous.
And that is why I’ve merged these two delectable ingredients into one tantalizing dessert.
Introducing the Grasmere and Delhi inspired…
Gingerbread Crusted Orange Cheesecake Caramel Sauce Tart
The Crust:
- 1 c. oats
- 1/2 c. flour (I used whole wheat because I like the texture better for this gingerbread.)
- 1/3 c. sugar (or do 1/2 c. brown sugar and omit the molasses)
- 2 t. molasses
- 1/2 c. crystallized ginger pieces
- 2 t. ginger, powdered
- 1 T. fresh, finely grated ginger
- 1/2 t. baking soda
- pinch of sea salt
- 1/2 t. each of orange, lemon and lime zest
- 1/2 c. butter
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Combine oats and flour in a food processor and pulse until fine.
Add the rest of the ingredients, except for the butter.
Pulse again until no chunks remain. Add butter and process until combined.
Press into a tart pan.
Bake at 325 for 20 minutes.
Don’t let the puffiness alarm you. It will deflate. You can give it a light tap on the counter as you set it down if you’re worried. (EDIT: You know what? I change my mind. DO give it a light tap on the counter when you set it down to really ensure you have enough room for the cream cheese mixture. ) Let cool to room temperature.
Meanwhile, the filling:
- 2 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 c. powdered sugar
- 1/2 c. whipping cream
- zest and juice of one orange
- 1/2 t. pure orange extract
Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix on med to high until smooth. Spoon into cooled crust and spread evenly.
Spoon 1/4 to 1/3 cup of Slickepott Caramel Sauce in to a glass jar. Place inside a sauce pan and add about an inch of water to the sauce pan. Warm over medium heat just until the sauce softens and will pour off a spoon.
Garnish around the edges of the tart with canned, drained mandarin oranges or sectioned fresh oranges, both of which should be patted dry with a paper towel.
Now comes the fun part…
See those specks of vanilla bean? Oh yum!
Spoon that caramel sauce all over the top making sure to leave a big lake of it in the middle so it will drip down the sides of each slice as it’s cut.
Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. It can be made a day in advance, but I recommend saving the orange slices and caramel sauce until the day you want to serve it.
I think I need to make this again…
Hello, Ian? Could I order about 173 jars of caramel sauce, please? Oh! And while you’re at it, I’ll take 157 jars of fudge sauce. Overnight shipping? Yes, please!
Oh my! I think I’m going overboard here…just a little…
Okay, I know you’ve been waiting, oh so patiently, for the first Stir It Up! giveaway ever! Can you guess what it is?
Can you tell I’m excited?
Ian, at Slickepott, is graciously providing and shipping one 13 oz. jar of “silky smooth caramel bliss” right to the winner’s front door! That’s right, you get the chance to dip your spoon into this very sauce I’ve been talking about and see if I’ve been telling you the truth.
To enter, just leave a comment below telling me what you are going to do with your jar of Slickepott Caramel Sauce!
Photo courtesy Ian Lamont
One entry per person please. Drawing ends June 10th and one winner will be announced on this post shortly thereafter. {An apology to my international readers: This giveaway is only open to the USA. It’s not because I’m partial (I’d probably rather be in your country right now…except for the fact that I couldn’t get any caramel sauce!), it’s just that Slickepott doesn’t ship internationally …yet. :}
I’m so happy to be able to share a jar of Slickepott’s caramel sauce with you through my blog, but if you just can’t wait for the winner to be known you can head directly over to Slickepott and order some sauce for yourself right now. I know you won’t be disappointed!
Happy Spoon Licking!
Sarah
{Giveaway is closed.}
Stir It Up! 