Sweets Ahoy!

We're now in the eye of the storm. In between the Christmas-Hanukkah week and New Year's, there's a little lull in the gluttony. We all try to return to our normal diets, but there's one little problem: we're awash in sweets.

They're everywhere. Here in Forkville we have peanut brittle, chocolate bark, cookies, a zucchini bread and then there's that tub of mint chocolate chip that's going quite rapidly. I've grown accustomed to having dessert after every meal. A small bowl of Honeycomb does quite nicely as an after-breakfast treat.

And there are more sweets to come: The Spoonstress and I are bringing dessert this weekend for a family celebration at Mama Spoon's house. I'll make my annual Angostura spice cake and the Spoonstress is hoping to make a candyscape on a canvas of chocolate. In addition, I'll try to recreate an old favorite from my time in England and New Zealand--caramel slices. These beauties have a chocolate coating above a caramel layer atop a cookie-like thingy.

I really had no idea how to make these until I got a fun New Zealand cookbook from Mama Spoon (thanks!). While I won't be making other Kiwi creations like ANZAC biscuits and Hokey Pokey, I hope to replicate my favo(u)rite caramel slices. Because most New Zealand sweets have less sugar than their American counterparts, it seems like a good time to try them. I'm due for that kind of dessert.