So getting a call from a courier company requesting my address as they had a package that needed to be delivered to me left me feeling genuinely intrigued. Receiving The Today’s Mystery Box Challenge package added a pinch of excitement to my day 
Receiving the challenge took me back to my days at the MasterChef SA kitchen; a welcomed flashback as I am always up for a challenge. I always loved Mystery Box Challenges as they gave me opportunities to think out of the box; the creative freedom and abundance of possibilities carry this possibility of culinary redemption. Thinking back to my MasterChef SA days, Mystery Box Challenges were game changers.
The Mystery Box had simple instructions; In this box was every day ingredients and you need to create a puff pastry masterpiece.
On receiving the package, I flirted with a few ideas before stepping away to give myself some time to think before I dug in. Having posted on social media that I accepted the challenge, I started preparing myself ….mentally ha ha ha ha
Mystery Box Challenge items:
- One Todays Puff Pastry (if you been to one of my cooking class you would of heard one of my favorite saying, “life is to short to make your own pastry when there is Today’s” #TrueStory
- Dark Chocolate
- Pecan Nuts
- Ready Whipped Cream
My translation of the challenge items:
Todays Dark Chocolate and Pecan Nut Brittle Strays with a Cheat’s Chocolate Mousse
The Result
Amazing!!!!
INGREDIENTS
- One roll of Today’s Puff Pastry
- Half a slap on dark chocolate grated or chopped into 1 cm blocks
- 250g Toasted and chopped pecan nuts
- 250g Sugar
MOUSSE
INGREDIENTS
- 1 can of Ready Whipped Cream
- The other half a slap of Dark Chocolate – melted
Method
- Roll out the puff pastry, cut into two squares and place one side
- In a pan add your sugar; on a low heat allow to melt.
- Don’t stir, be patient and wait for the sugar to clump together
- When it turns a dark caramel color add the toasted chopped pecan nuts.
- Pour onto a baking tray and allow to cool.
- Once cooled break into small shards and scatter with dark chocolate pieces over one of the puff pastry squares.
- Now place the 2nd pastry square over the 1st and slice 2cm thick strips
- Twist each strip and place on a buttered baking tray.
- Paint with some egg and bake in the oven, set at 200 degrees for 20-25min until golden brown.
- The dipping sauce takes 1 min, just empty your can of whipped cream into a serving bowl and gently fold your melted chocolate and there you have a cheats chocolate mouse.
- Serve your sticks hot or cold.
My Pom-Pom (Grandfather) loved these over Christmas and had about three before dinner, the golden nuggets of brittle with the flaky pastry and decadent chocolate chips works so well and the dipping sauce is the perfect added extra to take a simple tea time snack and turn it into a sexy dessert.
Always remember
… Food Is Love …
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