17 June 2011 Gooey Caramel Squares

Gooey Caramel Squares

June 17, 2011 By

This is a variation on one of the first recipes I baked as a young teen.  It makes for a soft, gooey, caramel dessert that spoons out of the pan easier then it cuts into neat squares and is delicious and easy to bring to a friendly summer party.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups whipping cream
  • 2 Tbsps. powdered sugar
  • Homemade Caramel Pudding recipe
  • 15 Graham crackers
  • ¾ cup brown sugar
  • 1 5-ounce can evaporated milk
  • Powdered sugar for final dusting (optional)

Directions:

  1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip the cream with 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar until stiff peaks form, about 4 minutes.
  2. Saving 1 cup for final serving, combine the remaining whipped cream with the pudding in a large bowl, ensuring the mixture is mostly homogenous, while avoiding over-mixing.
  3. Cover the bottom of an 8×8 pan with 5 Graham crackers, breaking pieces as needed to completely cover the surface.
  4. Spread ½ of the pudding mixture over the cracker layer.  Cover the pudding layer with 5 more Graham crackers, the second ½ of the pudding mixture then finally with the remaining 5 Graham crackers.  Set aside.
  5. In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar and the evaporated milk.  Simmer the mixture over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, for about 4 minutes.  Remove from heat, whisk vigorously (mixture will not be completely smooth) then pour over the top Graham cracker layer covering the dessert.  Tilt pan around to ensure the entire surface of the dessert is covered with the hot mixture.
  6. Let the dessert stand for 20 minutes at room temperature, cover with shrink wrap and refrigerate at least 12 hours.
  7. Serve with whipped cream and a dusting of powdered sugar.

Makes 9 servings.

Notes: Don’t have time to make your own caramel pudding?  Take a short cut by using 6 single-serving cups of butterscotch pudding.  Waiting at least 12 hours before digging into this tasty treat will be difficult but you must in order for the flavors to meld and for the crackers to soften enough to create gooey results.

Filed Under: American, Canadian, Desserts, French Tagged With: , , , , ,
15 June 2011 Homemade Caramel Pudding

Homemade Caramel Pudding

June 15, 2011 By

I know making homemade pudding is pretty old school with all the available, decent-quality commercial puddings on the market, but there truly is a tremendous taste difference that warrants rolling up one’s sleeves every once in a while.  Here’s a version with a deep caramel flavor you can enjoy on its own or you can use in various recipes.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 ½ cups heavy cream
  • 4 Tbsps. (1/2 stick) butter
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 3 egg yolks
  • ¼ cup cornstarch
  • ¼ tsps. sea salt
  • 1 ½ tsps. pure vanilla extract

Directions:

  1. Add the milk and cream to a large saucepan and cook over medium heat until small bubbles start to form on the surface, about 4 minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside for later use.
  2. Melt the butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Raise the heat to medium-high and add the brown sugar.  Simmer, stirring frequently, until the mixture caramelizes and begins to have a nutty aroma, about 5 minutes.
  3. Gradually pour the hot caramel mixture into the reserved cream mixture, whisking vigorously to fully combine. If the mixture is lumpy, pass it through a fine sieve.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Add about a cup of the hot liquid to the eggs and whisk vigorously to prevent curdling.  Add the cornstarch and salt to the egg mixture and whisk to fully combine.
  5. Add the egg/cornstarch mixture to the pan with the hot liquid and cook over medium heat until the mixture is thick and just begins to boil, about 3 minutes.  Take the pan off the heat and add the vanilla extract.
  6. Ladle the pudding into decorative cups, cover with shrink wrap and refrigerate several hours or overnight.

Makes about six 4-ounce servings.

Filed Under: American, Canadian, Desserts, Eggs, French Tagged With: , , , ,
14 June 2011 Fond Farewell to My Foodie Hero

Fond Farewell to My Foodie Hero

June 14, 2011 By

Grandma in Her Tiny Kitchen Circa 1980s (Notice Counter Space!)

Saturday, the person who instilled my love of baking and cooking passed away.  My Grandma, Laetitia, succumbed to the aneurysm that had not caused her any pain or suffering for over six years.

Grandma’s passion for food brightened my childhood and taught me that creating tasty, satisfying dishes did not have to rely upon luxurious staples, but that fresh ingredients and inspiration were the key to solid cooking. Since Grandma moved to a retirement community over six years ago, I would write a weekly letter and make my Friday night ritual call to Quebec to tell her about the baking or cooking I had done the previous week or the restaurants I had gone to. She enjoyed imagining the food through my letters and phone calls and I loved that food still connected us after all those years.

One of my favorite food experiences with Grandma was the picking of wild strawberries in Eastern Quebec when I was about six years old.  The picking was labor intensive, back-breaking but yielded perhaps the best single food item I have ever tasted. Grandma would freeze some of the tiny red gems, turn a portion of the harvest into jams and fix me her signature Strawberry Sandwiches. Pure heaven. In what I will call very symbolic, Saturday night, after hearing of her passing, I had to attend a work function, and when I arrived at the remote location, next to my parked car were hundreds of ripe wild strawberries. The first I have seen in over 25 years. Wink Grandma, I know that was you – well played.

Grandma had 13 brothers and sisters and her family was not wealthy, so stretching the ingredients and being creative in the kitchen was something she learned early on. If pot roast with mashed potatoes was presented to my nephews or nieces now, I do not think it would be a well-received thing. When Grandma made an adventure out of the dish by shredding the meat, pilling up the mashed potatoes into a mountain that she topped with, of all things, a pimento-stuffed olive and called it a fort – I ate it up (literally and physically). Here are some of Grandma’s recipes that I enjoy making and that have brought me, and will continue to bring me, simple pleasure.

When I was little, after every round of intense tickling, Grandma and I called a truce where we stared at each other with a serious look on our faces and said “a la prochaine bataille” loosely translated to “to the next battle”. R.I.P. Grandma and “a la prochaine bataille”.  Know that your foodie passion lives on! Véro

Filed Under: Canadian, Other Neat Things
17 May 2011 Maple Glazed Parslied Baby Carrots

Maple Glazed Parslied Baby Carrots

May 17, 2011 By

This side dish pairs well with just about anything: roast chicken, grilled salmon, BBQ ribs, steaks and more.  It’s simple and delicious.  Tri-color baby carrots make this dish even prettier.

Ingredients:

  • One 16-ounce bag baby carrots
  • 3 tbsp. butter
  • 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp. pure maple syrup
  • ¼ cup chopped flat leaf (Italian) parsley
  • Salt and pepper

Directions:

  1. In a pot of boiling water, cook the carrots until fork tender, about 5 minutes.  Strain the carrots in a colander and shake to get as much water off the carrots as possible.
  2. In the same pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat and let brown slightly.  Add the mustard and the maple syrup and stir to combine. Allow the glaze to simmer for a minute, then add the carrots, stirring gently to coat them with the glaze.  Turn the heat to low, cover the pot and cook for 3-4 minutes, shaking the pot from time to time.
  3. Uncover, add the parsley, then salt and pepper to taste.  Stir and serve.

Makes 4 servings.

 

Filed Under: American, Canadian, French, Maple Syrup, Sides, Vegetables Tagged With: , , , ,
15 May 2011 Strawberries and Cream Sandwiches Anyone?

Strawberries and Cream Sandwiches Anyone?

May 15, 2011 By

I sometimes post whimsical recipes that remind me of my early childhood, and this is definitely one of those recipes.

Growing up in Quebec, Canada, my grand-parents owned a lake house the family spent much of its summers.  The place was straight out of the late 50s, totally kitschy and I loved it.  One of the things I loved most about it was spending time with my grandma in the kitchen, and watching her turn the most basic and affordable of ingredients into something prize-worthy.  One of these treats was her strawberries and cream sandwiches, and I’m sharing the concept with you so you can enjoy it with your families.

Ingredients:

  • 4 ripe strawberries
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • 1 tsp granulated sugar
  • 4 slices of fresh, white bread

Directions:

  1. In a small, shallow bowl, mash the strawberries with a fork (in this day and age, we might call this muddling).
  2. Add the cream and sugar to the strawberries and continue mashing with the fork until fully blended into a thick mixture.
  3. Spoon the strawberry mixture onto a slice of bread then top with the second slice.  Repeat this process with the two remaining slices of bread.
  4. Cut each sandwich into two triangles (wouldn’t taste the same if you cut across) and enjoy!

Makes two sandwiches.

Notes: Only use the freshest bread and the ripest strawberries for this recipe.  Would be amazing with raspberries, but would need to double the sugar amount.

Filed Under: Canadian, Desserts, Fruits, Sandwiches, Sides Tagged With: , , , ,
8 May 2011 Happy Mother’s Day – Or As We Say, Bonne Fete des Mères

Happy Mother’s Day – Or As We Say, Bonne Fete des Mères

May 8, 2011 By

My Sister & Nieces

Happy Mother’s Day – Or As We Say, Bonne Fete des Mères

Today’s Mother’s Day and once again, the three mothers closest to me are in my thoughts, but far away.  Those three special women are my mom, Diane, grandma Laetitia and my sister, Marie-Josée.  Beyond our family bounds, one way that makes us close is food.  All three of these ladies are amazing cooks, even my sister who may not have our passion for cooking but is a super cook also.

I’ll celebrate this special day by sharing some recipes passed down to me from mom and grandma that I think you’ll enjoy.

Mom‘s contributions (this picture is of us 20 years ago):

Grandma‘s contributions (pictured with my sister and her daughter):

If you try any of these recipes, please share a comment so I can let the special ladies in my life know!

Happy Mother’s Day!

Veronique

Filed Under: Canadian, Other Neat Things Tagged With: ,
11 April 2011 Sweet Treat for the Non Baker

Sweet Treat for the Non Baker

April 11, 2011 By

By now, you’ve seen me post recipes that might appear odd by normal standards (Oeufs Dans le Sirop D’Erable anyone?) but that I enjoyed eating growing up.  I’ve mentioned in previous posts that my mom is a great savory foods cook but isn’t passionate about baking, so when my sister and me asked for dessert, mom would occasionally fix us an “Open Faced Brown Sugar Sandwich”.  Yes, it only took a minute to prepare this special treat, but boy did we love it.  Here’s how it goes:

  1. Take a slice of fresh white bread and butter it very lightly.
  2. Sprinkle about a tablespoon of brown sugar over the buttered slice of bread.
  3. Pour ¼ heavy cream over the sugared bread.  Let the cream saturate the bread for about a minute, then eat the treat with a knife and fork.

Crazy, ehn?  Thoughts?

Filed Under: Canadian, Desserts Tagged With: , ,
8 April 2011 Bruléed Old-Fashioned Tapioca Pudding

Bruléed Old-Fashioned Tapioca Pudding

April 8, 2011 By

As a small kid, I loved watching my grandma cook and bake in her tiny kitchen where the pantry was jam packed with goodies.  I’d make my way through this pantry, being careful to open the door slowly in case anything went flying out, to see what neat condiments she had stored away for future baking sessions.  One of those pantry items was a small red box of instant tapioca pearls that I was always fascinated by.  This memory came back to me this week so I decided to make tapioca pudding, but to go the long route.  Hope you try and enjoy it as much as I did.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup large pearl tapioca (I use Reese brand)
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs, separated
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 6 tsp granulated sugar

Directions:

  1. In a medium bowl, soak tapioca pearls in 3 cups of water overnight.  Drain water.
  2. In a double boiler, heat cream and milk until just warmed (I use a metal bowl over a pan of simmering water).  Add salt and drained tapioca.  Continue to heat until small bubbles appear at sides of pan. Cover, turn heat to low and cook for one hour.  Make sure the milk mixture does not simmer or boil.
  3. Separate egg whites from yolks.  Beat egg yolks and sugar together until light yellow.  Add a little of the hot mixture to the egg yolks and blend thoroughly. Then add the egg yolk mixture to the hot milk mixture, stirring constantly.  Raise heat to medium under the double boiler and cook until tapioca mixture is very thick, about 20 minutes.
  4. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat egg whites until they form stiff peaks.  Slowly fold the hot tapioca mixture into the egg whites.  Stir in vanilla.
  5. Spoon the tapioca pudding into six 7-ounce ramekins.  Sprinkle about a teaspoon of sugar over the surface of each pudding-filled ramekins.  Brulée the pudding tops using a kitchen torch (or under the broiler), serve at room temperature or chilled.
    Makes 6 servings.

Notes: As an alternative, omit the brulée top and pour 1 teaspoon of pure maple syrup on the tapioca pudding.  Based on a recipe by Reese Tapioca.

Filed Under: American, Canadian, Desserts, Eggs Tagged With: , , , ,
2 April 2011 Feeling Sappy? My Top 5 Maple Syrup Desserts

Feeling Sappy? My Top 5 Maple Syrup Desserts

April 2, 2011 By

Maple Water Bucket

Maple season’s here and every year that I don’t make it home to Quebec for the sweetest season of all, I get a bit homesick. I grew up in a small town in southeast Quebec where my family and four other families of friends owned a sugar shack. I have very fond memories of harnessing horses to a sled hauling a maple sap collection barrel and then bring this sap to the shack for the boiling process that would result in amber elixir our moms then cooked and baked with.

This year, since I won’t be making the pilgrimage north, I decided to bake and cook with maple syrup for a two-week stretch to get my fix in. I even requested the help of my family to expand my maple recipe collection. Here are my top 5 maple dessert recipes from my archives and from newly-shared family recipes:

  1. Eggs in Maple Syrup
  2. Maple Delights
  3. Maple Syrup Dumplings
  4. Maple Syrup Pie
  5. Maple Taffee on the Snow

BONUS 6: Maple Whipped Cream

If you decide to try any of them, please leave a comment on this post so I can let my mom, aunt and grandma who contributed know that our traditional family recipes are being enjoyed.

Cheers!

Veronique

Filed Under: Canadian, Desserts, Maple Syrup, Other Neat Things Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,
30 March 2011 Eggs in Maple Syrup (Oeufs Dans le Sirop D’Erable)

Eggs in Maple Syrup (Oeufs Dans le Sirop D’Erable)

March 30, 2011 By

My mom, Diane, isn’t the sweet tooth in the family, her love of food is more savory, so I’m excited to be able to share a dessert she craves often and can’t live without – scrambled eggs cooked in maple syrup.  Yea, I know, it sounds odd, but it’s a very traditional dish in Quebec, especially during sugar shack season in the spring.  Think egg drop soup, but with maple syrup instead of broth.  Give it a try a let me (and my mom) know what you think!

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup maple syrup (see ‘notes’ below)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • Vanilla ice cream (optional, sort of)

Directions:

  1. Bring the syrup to a boil in a small, heavy saucepan, over medium-high heat.  Once the syrup has begun to boil, turn heat to medium-low.
  2. In a medium bowl, break the eggs, then scramble them well using either a fork or a whisk.  Add salt to the eggs and stir to incorporate.
  3. Pour the egg mixture into the simmering syrup and stir with a wooden spoon to incorporate the egg into the hot syrup.  Cook for 3-4 minutes, then remove the saucepan from the heat and let sit to cool for about 15 minutes.
  4. Scoop ice cream in two bowls, divide eggs between the two bowls then spoon some cooking liquid onto the eggs and ice cream.

Makes 2 servings.

Notes: Don’t waste top notch maple syrup to bake or cook with, less fancy grade will do just fine and often offers stronger maple flavors.  This recipe can easily be doubled.  Letting the mixture cool off a bit before serving allows the syrup to thicken slightly, so don’t omit this step, no matter how difficult it will be!

Filed Under: Canadian, Desserts, Eggs, Maple Syrup Tagged With: , , , , ,
« Previous Page
Next Page »