Saturday, February 20, 2010

Catching Up, at least a little

I've actually been cooking quite a bit lately, just not posting about it. I made caramels and mailed them to people who responded to my something-homemade challenge on Facebook:


This afternoon, I made this tart to give to one of my preschool auction dessert-a-month winners. I adapted the crust (since neither I nor my intended recipients have gluten issues), using 1 1/4 C all-purpose flour and 1/4 C white rice flour.


By using a 9-inch tart pan instead of an 11-inch one, and rolling the crust on the thin side, I was also able to make 3 four-inch tarts for my family to eat. It was pretty good. If I were ever to make it again, I might do some things differently. Maybe my bananas were too large and too ripe, but the banana overpowered both the peanut butter and chocolate flavors in the filling. Also, the recipe called for cooling the caramel to room temperature before adding the peanut butter and banana. At room temperature, the caramel I made was quite gooey, and I was only able to mix the three components together by using my immersion blender. The crust was also just okay. I need to find a good chocolate sablé crust recipe.

Cindy Lou ate every last bite of her serving, with relish. The Wizard rejected his. Newton ate all his, but said he would have preferred it to be less banana-y. I like banana-chocolate desserts, but much prefer the ones I've made in the past: the Banana Layer Cake and Banana-Chocolate Bread Pudding.

6 comments:

MWR said...

The challenge in which I suggested salt caramels?!?! I hope so!

Swizzies said...

Hey, *I* responded to your something homemade challenge!! I WANT SOME CARAMELS...*sob*

patti's place said...

I'm sorry I missed out of the caramels. As you know, you inherited your sweet tooth from me. I'm glad you decided to get a little caught up.

janeannechovy said...

Yes, M, they were salted caramels. Quite delicious, I thought. :)

Swizzies, dear, I think you're remembering backwards! I was one of the first five people to respond to *you*, so you're supposed to send *me* something homemade (as I recall, I said I would settle for an in-home visit). You weren't one of the five people to comment on mine when I reposted. But if you will come visit me, I will make you caramels, with no banana, I promise.

MWR said...

So, I responded to the homemade challenge, you made the very things I suggested and mailed them out to those who responded, and then my letter carrier stole mine and ate them?

It would appear so.

janeannechovy said...

M, you didn't respond on my original Facebook posting that I could see. Where was it you suggested salt caramels? It has been a whole year--you'll have to refresh my memory. In any case, I'm happy to send you some the next time I make them.