We are nearing the end of May (how is that even possible?!) which also means our big season of birthdays is over. Phew. It starts with mine in March, then we celebrate Gabe in April and both boys in May. Ivy is already counting down the days for her September birthday.

This year we celebrated Baron’s in a big way with a fundraiser for mosquito nets. I think I mentioned this here before or maybe in our newsletter but back in November Baron had the idea of using his birthday as an opportunity to raise money. After reading that the deadliest animal on earth is actually the mosquito he decided to raise money for mosquito nets. Over the course of this fundraiser we had the chance to meet the president of World Concern who told us first hand the life-saving benefits these nets would have on countries who are riddled with mosquito-born illnesses. She looked Baron right in the eye and told him, “you are not just buying mosquito nets, you are saving lives.” Meanwhile, I was a puddle in the corner. We also visited the Institute for Systems Biology to learn about all their incredible research being done as they work tirelessly to find a cure for Malaria.

After his big birthday fundraising bash we managed to raise over 8,000! Which means through World Concern we can purchase 8,267 mosquito nets to be distributed to communities around the world in need. Now that’s how you celebrate an 11th birthday.

We don’t have many traditions around our birthdays but I love the simple ones we do have. A few streamers cascade in the doorway of the birthday boy or girl’s room stealthily hung while they sleep. They each choose a special (read: sugary) cereal to enjoy on the morning of their birthday and they get to plan the menu for their birthday dinner. This year Baron requested Lasagna with caesar salad and a Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treat cake for dessert. For his birthday, Roman, who usually goes for Chorizo Macaroni and Cheese, requested sliders (I made Banh Mi sliders) and Billionaire Bars for dessert.

Have you heard of Millionaire Bars? They are basically like homemade Twix bars. But our kicked up version, which we’re calling Billionaire Bars, have a base of chocolate chip cookies in lieu of shortbread. The cookie base is capped with a creamy caramel and topped with bittersweet chocolate and a dusting of flaky salt in an attempt to tame all that sweet. While the family chorus sang happy birthday to Roman I stacked the bars tall on a plate then topped it with a flaming ‘6’ candle and told everyone to tilt their head upside down to imagine the ‘9’ that should have crowned the stack.

Caramel making can induce a bit of stress as it does require precision. Relieve these fears by getting yourself an instant read thermometer. I am a fan of the thermapen but really any will do. In the video you’ll notice that I test the caramel by using a glass of cold water. This is how grandma made candy and it basically gives you a little peak at the caramels constituency once cool but caramel moves through the stages of soft ball to hard ball quickly and continues to cook even after you’ve turned off the heat so again I think the most accurate and easiest way is to use a thermometer.

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Billionaire Bars

Prep 30 mins

Cook 20 mins

Total 50 mins

Author Ashley Rodriguez

Yield 24 bars

Ingredients

Cookie Base:

1 stick butter

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 tablespoons turbinado sugar (or use dark brown sugar)

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

12 ounces (1 bag) chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate)

1/2 teaspoon flake salt

Caramel:

8 oz/ 1 cup sugar

6 oz/ 1/2 cup Lyle’s Golden Syrup (or corn syrup)

1/4 cup water

6 oz/ 3/4 cup heavy cream

2 oz/ 4 tablespoons butter, soft

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Chocolate Glaze:

12 ounces chocolate

4 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon flake salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13 baking dish.

In a small saucepan melt the butter. Continue to simmer until the milk solids rise to the top then gently sink as they caramelize. The butter will shift in color and smell nutty.

In a large bowl combine the sugars and stir in the browned butter. Stir in the eggs, then the flour, baking soda and sea salt until everything is well combined. Stir in the chocolate.

Add the batter to the baking dish then press in with the back of a spatula or wooden spoon. If it starts to stick I like to lightly wet my hands with just a touch of water then press in the dough. Finish with the flake salt then bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the edges are deeply golden and the middle is set.

While the base cools prepare the caramel.

Combine the sugar, golden syrup and water in a large saucepan. Stir gently to combine then wash off the sides of the pan using water and your clean hands to feel if any sugar remains on the side. If stray bits of sugar fall into the caramel it can cause the caramel to crystallize so it’s important to make sure all the sugar is in the bottom of the pan mixed with the water.

Place the lid on the pan and put over high heat. Having the lid on during the first few minutes of boiling creates condensation that further helps to wash away any sugar that may be left on the sides of the pan. After 5 minutes remove the lid and let the caramel continue to boil until it reaches 300 degrees F. If some of the caramel starts to color you can gently swirl the pot to combine.

Add the cream, butter and salt once it has reached 300 degrees F and then continue to cook until the caramel reaches 248 degrees F. At that point remove the pan from the heat and pour over the chocolate chip cookie base.

Refrigerate to cool.

For the chocolate glaze add the chocolate and the butter to a microwave safe bowl. Microwave at 30 second intervals, stirring well in between each eating, until completely melted. Pour this over the cooled caramel and spread into an even layer. Top with the flake salt. Refrigerate until the chocolate is firm then slice and serve.

Courses Dessert

Thank you so much for your kind words from the last post. Sharing all of that left me with a bit of a vulnerability hangover but I was so lifted by your comments and reminded of how fortunate I am for this community and that I get the pleasure of sharing my life with you all. I appreciate each and everyone of you who responded with such grace and vulnerability. Now let’s go talk about candy!

About three years ago I started teaching a homemade candy bar class at The Pantry. It’s the sort of class that makes me giddy to get to do the work I do because basically in that moment I’m Willy Wonka. Perhaps a slightly less eccentric version than the characters in both versions of the movie, but maybe not.

My students have to work very hard in the three hours we have together. They whip up batches of peanut butter laced nougat, turn ordinary sugar into copper colored caramel dotted with vanilla bean flecks and beat powdered sugar into peppermint scented dough. All of that work culminates in a chocolate dipping party that spans the length of the 20-foot table. Six bowls line the middle, each filled with either melted milk chocolate or bittersweet. At the end of it all we have dozens of homemade Snickers, Peppermint Patties, Butterfingers, Peanut Butter Cups, Twix Bars and fifteen very happy people. Each one of them walk into that room skeptical of their abilities to turn simple ingredients into childhood favorites and by the end of the night they walk away with a box filled with candies better than the originals.

There are a few candy recipes on this site and one of them is for homemade Twix but in the process of teaching this class I have perfected my recipe and have only recently realized that I’ve not been back to share the new and improved version. Even better still, I went and turned the recipe into a tart so you can just go ahead and skip all the time and mess of dipping the individual bars in chocolate.

If you do want the candy bars it’s a bit of a process but not a hard one. The buttery cookie base includes a touch of finely ground rice. A strange ingredient indeed but it’s a trick I learned from my former Pastry Chef, Sherry Yard, while working at Spago, and I trust that lady with all things butter and sugar. Plain white rice is blitzed in a spice grinder (or blender) – which, by the way, is a perfect way to clean your spice grinder, and then a couple of tablespoons is added to the dough. It adds a pleasant crunch that I just love. The bases are cut and baked then pressed gently into the still warm caramel. Once set you cut along the edge of the cookie so that you have a perfectly formed cookie and caramel layer ready to dip into chocolate. Or, like I said, skip all of that and just make the tart.

Our October newsletter is going to hit your inbox next week and it’s all about candy including a bonus recipe that is always a huge hit in class. Sign up (or leave your email in a comment and I’ll be sure you’re on the list).

Homemade Twix: Bar + Tart

The addition of ground rice to the cookie base adds a great crunch to the sweet candy bar.

Cookie Base

6 oz/ 1 1/2 sticks butter, soft

3 oz/ 3/4 cups powdered sugar

1 egg

8 1/2 oz/ 2 cups flour

2 tablespoons ground rice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Caramel

8 oz/ 1 cup sugar

6 oz/ 1/2 cup Lyle’s Golden Syrup (you can substitute corn syrup here if you'd like)

1/4 cup water

6 oz/ 3/4 cup heavy cream

2 oz/ 4 tablespoons butter, soft

1/2 vanilla bean, seeds removed

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 pounds milk chocolate, finely chopped

1 tablespoon oil

For the cookie:

Combine the butter and sugar in a bowl and mix until creamy. Add the egg and beat until the color lightens, about 1 minute.

Add the flour, ground rice, vanilla extract and salt and mix until combined.

Form into a flat, rectangular disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Heat oven to 375°F. Place dough on a large piece of parchment paper, lightly flour and roll the dough to about 1/8 inch thick. (Work quickly, because the dough will become difficult to roll as it warms up.) Transfer parchment paper with dough to a baking sheet then refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.

Cut the dough into 3-1/2-by-3/4-inch cookies. You should get at least 24 cookies. Pierce each cookie several times with a fork.

Place on a baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove to a wire rack and let cool. Meanwhile, make the caramel.

For the caramel:

Grease a 9x13 pan with soft butter and line it with parchment paper, leaving a few inches of overhang on each side. Set aside.

Combine the sugar, golden syrup and water in a large saucepan. Stir gently to combine then wash off the sides of the pan using water and your clean hands to feel if any sugar remains on the side. If stray bits of sugar fall into the caramel it can cause the caramel to crystallize so it’s important to make sure all the sugar is in the bottom of the pan mixed with the water.

Place the lid on the pan and put over high heat. Having the lid on during the first few minutes of boiling creates condensation that further helps to wash away any sugar that may be left on the sides of the pan. After 5 minutes remove the lid and let the caramel continue to boil until it reaches 300 degrees F. If some of the caramel starts to color you can gently swirl the pot to combine.

Add the cream, butter and vanilla seeds once it has reached 300 degrees F and then continue to cook until the caramel reaches 248 degrees F. At that point remove the pan from the heat and pour into the prepared 9x13 pan.

Let the caramel cool for 10 minutes before gently laying the cookie bases down in four rows of six. Continue to let the caramel cool for 40 minutes before thoroughly chilling in the fridge for an additional 40 minutes or until the caramel is firm enough to cut.

Once completely chilled, carefully remove the caramel and cookie bases from the pan and cut along the cookies to create 24 caramel topped bars.

Prepare the chocolate coating by melting the milk chocolate in the microwave or in a bain marie on the stove then stir in the oil.

Dip the bars into the chocolate with the help of a fork and move to a parchment lined sheet tray.

Place the sheet tray in the fridge once all the bars have been dipped. Keep the bars in a well-sealed container in the refrigerator for three weeks or in the freezer for two months.

Let the bars sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.

Twix Tart

Serves 8 to 10

1/2 recipe Twix base

1 recipe Twix caramel

4 ounces / 1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

4 ounces / 1/2 cup heavy cream

Flake salt (or vanilla salt!)

Preheat your oven to 350°F

Roll the dough out to 1/4 - inch thick. Carefully roll up the dough around the rolling pin then unfurl it over the tart pan. Press the dough into the pan and bake until the edges are golden, about 20 minutes.

Let the tart shell cool while you prepare the caramel.

Cool the caramel for about 10 minutes until slightly thickened before pouring into the tart shell.

Refrigerate until firm, about 10 minutes.

Prepare the chocolate glaze. Warm the cream on the stove or in the microwave. Add the chocolate, let it sit for one minute then whisk to combine.

Pour the glaze over the firm caramel then use an offset spatula to spread the chocolate evenly. Top with flake salt.

Refrigerate until firm.

I had no intention of using the blackberries in cupcakes but I was on one of those end-of-the-season grocery store trips where I had this seasonal sense of urgency. “I didn’t eat enough tomatoes!” “There weren’t enough peaches in my diet!” “I promised myself I’d buy a case of apricots and I didn’t.” Somberly I dreamt of all the missed pies and cans of jam that I won’t get to tuck into in on a cold morning in January. Where did summer go?

So into my cart I tucked five pints of various colored cherry tomatoes, bags of soft peaches and fragrant nectarines and a flat of blackberries still dusty from the fields. The stone fruit never aspired to more than snacks for the kids and quite honestly I think the tomatoes had the same fate. But when a spontaneous evening sailing invitation came up and I volunteered to bring dessert to the little party, those blackberries found their calling.

This cake recipe is not new to this site. In fact I’m sure this is the third or quite possibly the fourth time it’s been printed here. It’s made so often in this house I have the recipe hand written and taped to the back of my cupboard for easy access. It’s delightfully easy (only takes one bowl!) and perfectly tender with a hearty chocolate flavor that satisfies my bittersweet cravings. At this point I should have it memorized. But the blackberries stirred carefully into the nearly black batter, now that is new and a very happy discovery. Tart cream cheese frosting and a bit of vanilla flecked salt was going to be the final flourish but a friend (hi, Krissy!) and I decided that a salty caramel would really put these little cakes over the top.

If I have completely missed the mark on sharing this recipe and berry season is well behind you, you’ll be happy to hear that frozen berries work very well and raspberries make a fine blackberry substitute. So regardless of the season these tart, sweet and oh so pretty cupcakes can shine any time of year.

One final word – for those of you who have shared your email address with me over the years you may have noticed a shiny, new surprise email from me! That’s right, I’ve become a big kid and started a newsletter. We’re aiming for this to be a monthly thing and we’ve got plans for all sorts of fun topics to discuss. This month we’re celebrating the in between – you know when the sun still shines but the leaves lose their green for shades of crimson and orange. Where peaches and apples briefly share the same shelf space and we can finally turn on the oven again without fear of overheating. There are a few recipes from the site that are my favorite to cook right now and then there’s a bonus recipe for a pungent Ginger, Pear Bourbon Punch that is perfect early Fall drinking. I’m aiming for a bonus recipe or something else definitely worth your while – so be sure to sign up!

Chocolate Blackberry Cupcakes with Cream Cheese + Caramel

makes 3 8” inch layers or 24 cupcakes

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar (I’ve used white or brown or a combination of the two and all work well)

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 cup vegetable oil (or other, nearly flavorless oil)

2 tablespoons white vinegar

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups warm water

4 cups blackberries (fresh or frozen)

//

Prepare two cupcake pans with liners.

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl until everything is well blended.

Add the wet ingredients and whisk to combine. Fold in the berries.

Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 full.

Bake for 20 minutes or until the tops slowly spring back when gently nudged.

Let cool in the pan for five minutes before finishings the cooling on a rack.

Cream Cheese Frosting

3 (8-ounce) packages / 680 g cream cheese, at room temperature

1⁄2 cup / 115 g unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 - 2 cups confectioners’ sugar (depending on the desired amount of sweetness)

1⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract or the seeds from 1 vanilla bean

For the frosting:

Beat the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Stop the machine and add the confectioners’ sugar, salt, and vanilla. Turn on low and mix until combined.

Turn up the speed to medium and beat 4 minutes more.

The frosting can be made up to 1 week in advance and stored, covered, in the fridge.

Caramel

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup heavy cream

Flake salt

Combine the sugar and the water in a small saucepan. Bring a boil and let the sugar caramelize until it’s smoking and deep copper in color. I teeter the edge with my caramel - close to burnt so you get complex flavors rather than a flat, just-sweet, caramel.

Carefully add the cream (it will bubble up vigorously) then stir to combine.

Let cool.

Frost the cupcakes when they are completely cool. Drizzle on the caramel then top with flake salt.

Homemade Snickers

It’s a multi-step process but completely worth it. In it you’ll master both nougat and caramel and be left with dozens of little peanut-laden candy bars. If you choose to share this bounty you’ll be met with high praise and life-long admiration for your efforts.

makes 3 dozen (depending on desired finished size)

For the peanut nougat:

3/4 cup / 160 g sugar

1/4 cup / 75 g light corn syrup

2 tablespoons / 40 g honey

1/4 cup / water

1 large egg white

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup / 130 g smooth peanut butter

Caramel

8 oz/ 1 cup / 228 g sugar

6 oz/ 1/2 cup / 170 g Lyle’s Golden Syrup

1/4 cup water

6 oz/ 3/4 cup / 170 g heavy cream

2 oz/ 4 tablespoons / 57 g butter, soft

1/2 vanilla bean, seeds removed

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

2 cups roasted and salted peanuts

1 1/2 pounds milk chocolate

1 tablespoon oil

peanut nougat:

Butter a 9x13 inch baking pan then line it with parchment paper so that a few inches are left hanging over the side. Set aside.

In a saucepan combine the sugar, corn syrup, honey and water. Stir gently then wash down the sides of the pan with water. Cover the pot with a lid and set over medium high heat. Remove the lid after 5 minutes then continue to cook until the sugar reaches 275 degrees F.

While the sugar syrup is boiling place the egg white in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Start the machine on low, add the salt and beat until frothy. Increase the speed to medium and beat until stiff peaks form.

Drizzle in the hot syrup down the side of the stand mixer while it is running. Try to avoid pouring the syrup over the whisk so the hot syrup doesn’t splatter. Continue to beat the nougat until it cools slightly and starts to pulls away from the sides of the bowl. This entire process should take 3-4 minutes.

Butter a spatula then stir in the the creamy peanut butter until well mixed. Add the nougat to the prepared, spreading evenly with the buttered spatula.

Set aside and let stand while you prepare the caramel.

caramel:

Combine the sugar, golden syrup and water in a large saucepan. Stir gently to combine then wash off the sides of the pan using water and your clean hands to feel if any sugar remains on the side. If stray bits of sugar fall into the caramel it can cause the caramel to crystallize so it’s important to make sure all the sugar is in the bottom of the pan mixed with the water.

Place the lid on the pan and put over high heat. Having the lid on during the first few minutes of boiling creates condensation that further helps to wash away any sugar that may be left on the sides of the pan. After 5 minutes remove the lid and let the caramel continue to boil until it reaches 300 degrees F. If some of the caramel starts to color you can gently swirl the pot to combine.

Add the cream, butter and vanilla seeds once it has reached 300 degrees F and then continue to cook until the caramel reaches 248 degrees F. Remove from the heat and stir in the peanuts. Pour the caramel over the nougat. Let sit at room temperature for 40 minutes then refrigerated until completely firm, about 30 minutes.

optional: add some flake salt to the caramel layer before covering them in chocolate.

Melt the chocolate in the microwave or using a bain marie on the stove. Stir in the oil.

Cut the candy bar into 1 inch squares and dip into the melted chocolate.

Set aside on a sheet tray lined with parchment. Place the candy bars in the refrigerator to set up.

These candy bars will keep for three weeks in the refrigerator or two months in the freezer.

*There have been a number of people having a hard time with the consistency of the caramel. You really need an accurate thermometer for this. The ChefAlarm from Thermoworks is my current favorite. It's fast, easy to read, works for both candy and meat and clips onto the pan so you don't have to burn your hand while holding it in the pot.

They say a good friend listens, lends a shoulder to sop up tears, is trustworthy and dependable. Yeah, yeah those are great but this week I’ve seen that a good friend will also schlep a caramel cake from San Francisco to Seattle in her carry-on for the sole purpose of sharing it with you. Now that is a good friend.

I bit into that cake and reveled in its deep caramel flavor. Not one for baked goods that are cloyingly sweet I fell in love with its bitterness and mourned the last bite.

By the next morning I still couldn’t shake the taste. Not knowing yet what to bake but just that I needed to, I turned on the oven. I flipped through a few cookbooks but when the flavor I craved couldn’t be found I hung my head and nearly turned off the now hot oven while trying to rid myself of longing for more caramel cake. In desperation I picked a simple baking book that I admittedly didn’t reserve much hope for. As I scanned the pages the words, “Date Bread” jumped out at me and just like that I was dreaming of dates and caramel together in one tender loaf.

In a pan I swirled flakes of white sugar until it puddled and melted, bubbled and spurted before becoming a pool of a molten deep copper liquid. Smoke rose from the pan and lifted with it a scent of a nearly burnt sugar – my favorite place to bring caramel. Hot water was added and then chopped dates. I held my breath as the cake no longer held any association with the original recipe except that there were dates involved.

The batter was the most unusual and brilliant rust color – the same that stops me as I walk past Fall leaves that have just turned.

I sat by the oven with the light illuminating the cake hoping for lift, for edges that gently pull from the sides and for the bitter caramel to permeate the entire loaf.

“Success!” I declared as I pulled the cake from the oven. While warm I poured more caramel on top which then proceeded to harden and crackle – which was not exactly the plan. We didn’t let the first cake go to waste but the next day more cream was added and butter melted in until a deep glaze filled out the cake beautifully.

Ivy and I eagerly ate a still-warm piece and she too declared it a success by licking her plate and saying, “Dis is yummy, mama!”

We shared with the boys before I wrapped up a little piece for my friend. While I didn’t have to travel to San Francisco and back to share this cake with her I think she still appreciated it all the same.

Salted Caramel Date Loaf

adapted to the point of being unrecognizable from Jim Fobel's Old-Fashioned Baking Book: Recipes from an American Childhood

 1 cup sugar

1 cup (about 6 ounces) chopped and pitted dates

1 cup hot water

6 tablespoons butter

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the glaze:

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 teaspoon (or so) good sea salt, for finishing

Cake:

Grease an 8 1/2" x 4 1/2 " loaf pan and pre-heat your oven to 350*F.

In a medium sauce pan melt the sugar until deeply caramelized and just starting to smoke. The caramel should be deep amber in color and smell sweet with a bit of bitterness. Stir the sugar around gently until it all is melted and caramelized. Turn off the heat and carefully add the water, chopped dates and butter. Stir everything together until well combined. If the caramel hardens just return the pan to low heat until it all melts. Let this mixture sit for 15 minutes.

Add the caramel mixture to a large bowl. To that add the flour, salt and baking soda. Stir until just combined before adding the egg and vanilla extract. Mix well.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.

While the cake is still warm and in the pan make the glaze by melting the butter and the brown sugar together in a sauce pan over medium heat. Once the sugar and butter have melted add the cream and stir until combined.

Using a skewer or a toothpick poke holes all over the top of the still-warm loaf. Pour the hot caramel glaze over the top.

Let the glaze settle into the cake for 10 minutes before removing it from the pan and letting it cool on a wire rack.

Top the glazed cake with a sprinkle of sea salt - any nice crunchy salt will do.

As with most cakes this one is best the day after baking.

*that is not my kitchen in the video. I wish it was, however.

Before saying hi to the cows casually grazing in the field, or giving the ponies much attention, before gathering a few garden scraps for the sake of making the chickens happy or giving much of a hello to my parents, I headed straight towards the walnut trees at the mini farm that is my parent’s house.

I had never before watched the process of walnuts turning from a lime-like pod to become a buttery, slightly bitter nut that I know and love. The shadow that the large leaves provided was a perfect canopy to escape the warm summer sun. In the spring we watched a flourishing insect community take roost among the branches – some bad, most good. I examined every change and anticipated when they would finally be ready, all the while gathering recipes in my mind.

Then one day when the days were gray and the ground was wet it happened. I got a text from my mom with an image of walnuts half out of their greenish-brown coverings, strewn all over the green carpeted floor under the tree, “they’re ready.”

Before long the five of us we’re making an hour long trek to the little farm with fresh walnuts as the mission. Well, it was my mission any way,  I’m sure the kids were more excited about pony and tractor rides. Either way we were all eager and excited to stretch our city legs on the farm.

Ivy and I fetched a deep wicker basket from my mom’s collection and quickly headed towards those trees. Her black boot covered feet found balance difficult as she had only recently discovered walking. Quickly realizing the mission she proudly plopped walnuts into the basket even if it meant taking one out only to plop it in again. She noticed the joy on my face and collected as many as she could understanding that something delicious was to become of these wet and wrinkled shells.

Ivy was right, something delicious did become of those walnuts. A caramel walnut tart. In my mom’s kitchen we made a vanilla scented butter crust. The sort of crust you dream about. One that doesn’t require cold butter and delicate hands and hours to chill. I’ve been known to force people to time me while making this crust – they oblige and it’s about 30 seconds. All the ingredients get dumped and stirred together, then the wet dough is patted into form. It bakes with no fear of shrinking and awards your minimal efforts with a lightly sweet, tender bite.

While the crust baked Ivy and I whisked together bittersweet chocolate, cream and creme fraiche anticipating the desire for a dark, bitter taste to balance the sweet caramel. We ate it, although not necessary. Both she and I are not ones to turn down chocolate.

Let’s talk for a moment about caramel. It can be intimidating, right? It is one of my favorite things to teach as so many are afraid to try but when they see how easy it can be it opens up a world of possibilities for them.

We start with a large, very clean sauce pan. If there is any fear of residue, wipe the interior with lemon juice or vinegar using a clean dish towel. All the utensils involved in making a caramel should be impeccably clean. In the restaurant this was the reason why we required a set of spatulas separate from the savory side – a speck of leftover anything can wreak havoc on a pot of perfectly golden caramel.

Next add your sugar, lemon juice and enough water to enable the sugar to reach the consistency of wet sand. If you add too much water don’t worry, it will just take a bit longer to caramelize. During the next few steps I like to use my hands so that I can really feel where the sugar is and what is happening in my pan – a spatula works fine if you are opposed to sugar fingers.

Stir the sugar, lemon juice and water until completely combined. Wipe down the sides of the pan with more water until you don’t feel or see any sugar granules clinging to the side. What we are fighting against is crystallization – it’s the enemy of a smooth caramel. It’s the enemy of most candy making actually. Crystallization happens when sugar caramelizes at different points. So if you have sugar that is nearly caramelized and a granule falls into the pan from off the side you may have a problem. Now, in saying all this I don’t mean to add to the intimidation of caramel making but simply to inform you of the problem and give you the proper ways to avoid it.

At this point crank up the heat and don’t touch the pan. Let the sugar dissolve then boil like crazy but don’t walk away. It happens quickly and there is no coming back from a pan of burnt sugar.

If around the sides of the pan you notice some color but the middle remains colorless, carefully swirl to mix.

The caramel is done when it has reached the color of a penny – a deep amber. You can go lighter but I like to take it to the edge, teetering the line of bitter and sweet.

Turn off the heat and add the butter, cream, and creme fraiche. You will see why we use a large pan at this point as the caramel bubbles up madly at the addition of the cold fats. Stand back until it has calmed down then carefully swirl the pan to combine. Then you are done. Perfect caramel.

Unless you are okay with warm caramel puddling all over your plate, the only down side to this recipe is needing to wait. We couldn’t and didn’t with no complaints of puddled caramel. Being a resourceful bunch we used the crust to help mop up the mess.

My recommendation is joining this rich tart with a lightly sweetened cream. If you like the mature tang of creme fraiche add a heap of that to the cream you are whipping, I find it settles the intensely sweet caramel nicely.

This tart made the long wait for ripe walnuts completely worth it. That and seeing my baby girl clenching those golden shells around her pudgy fingers. I’m already excited for next year’s harvest.

Caramel Walnut Tart

Tart shell

makes enough dough to for a 9” or 10” tart

¼ cup powdered sugar

½ cup butter (melted)

pinch salt

½ tsp vanilla

1 cup flour

In a medium bowl stir together all the ingredients. The dough will be quite wet but can easily be pressed into a tart pan or spring form pan.

Bake at 350*F for about 20-25 minutes or until lightly golden.

Let cool.

Chocolate Glaze

Not necessary to make this tart a memorable one but really what isn’t improved upon by the addition of chocolate?

½ cup heavy whipping cream

½ cup cream fraiche

7 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Add the chocolate to a medium bowl.

In a small sauce pan, heat the cream and creme fraiche over medium heat. Watch carefully as cream tends to bubble up and boil over quickly. When bubbles appear all over the surface, remove from the heat and immediately pour over the chocolate. Let sit for 1 minute the whisk to combine.

Can use immediately or store in a covered container in the fridge for 2 weeks. Makes a great ice cream topping or hot chocolate base.

Caramel Filling

The recipe in the video had double the caramel but I found it to be a bit too much. As it is this recipe is quite rich but I like this ratio of crust, caramel, and cream much more pleasant.

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

1 tbl lemon juice

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, cut into pieces

¼ cup heavy cream

1 tablespoons crème fraîche

1 cup walnuts, toasted, roughly chopped

Place sugar, water, and lemon juice in a heavy, large saucepan. Stir to combine. Wash down the sides of the pan until no sugar remains. Set on high heat and boil without stirring until syrup is deep amber color, about 7-10 minutes depending on the power of your stove and the pan you use. If the sugar around the sides begin to caramelize more rapidly, gently swirl the pan to mix.

Remove from heat. Whisk in butter, cream and creme fraiche (mixture will bubble vigorously).  Stir in walnuts. Let cool until slightly thick before pouring into prepared crust. Let cool until caramel is set. If you are really eager you can pop it in the refrigerator for a bit.

Serve with lightly whipped cream.

Apparently it hit me. Last week I was urging Summer to stay and for the cool days of Fall to be a distant reality.  Then I started to see Gravensteins pop up along country roads in farm stands that are only attended by a black box with the words, “honor system” painted on the front.

Shortly after that there was pie. The best I’ve made. The warmth of the oven still offensive as the Summer heat lingers.

Then this morning I woke up to a comforting gray sky (as well as a cold which definitely marks the new season) and I finally admitted that I am ready and eager for the changing season.

It could have also been these caramel covered pears and apples that brought me into the Fall mood. The scent of sweet honey bubbling on the stove wafting through the kitchen carrying with it an exotic, floral smell as freshly ground cardamom was tossed in. The kids were eager to get involved in the dipping process and even more eager to help with the eating of our freshly dipped fruit. Such helpful little kidlets.

We did manage to save a few and if you are lucky enough to be in Seattle area you can get your hands on these caramel covered beauties by going to SAVOUR in Ballard. My dear friend, Julie, has started a great program where each week in September a local blogger features a homemade treat that can be purchased at the store. I adore this idea as it is so much fun to provide an opportunity for some of you to actually eat the food you are seeing and reading about.

For those of you who are not in Seattle, I apologize for being a tease. Hopefully, someday we will meet and I will happen to have one of these caramel pears in my purse. Until then I urge you to make these yourself, then open your arms widely and embrace the coming season.

You will also need a thermometer and popscicle or lollipop sticks.

Fill your sink or a large bowl with a couple inches of ice water. This will be used to quickly stop the caramel from cooking once it’s reached the desired temperature.

In a large sauce pan (the caramel bubbles up so make sure the pot is much larger than the quantity of the ingredients) heat the cream and salt to a simmer. Once small bubbles appear stir in the honey and ground cardamom. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Stir occasionally to avoid scorching on the sides or bottoms of the pan.

Continue to cook until the temperature reaches 255-260*F. If not cooked enough the caramel will be too soft and run off the fruit. If cooked too long the caramel will be difficult to chew.

*Tips for Success*

After making these several times now I’ve learned a few things that I want to reiterate so you will have success.

– Boil caramel until it reaches 260*. This will produce a firmer caramel that will better adhere to the apples or pears.

– Use firm pears. If they are too ripe the stick will slide right out.

– Wait to dip the fruit until the caramel is nearly cool. It will be quite thick and sticky but it helps to prevent the caramel from sliding right off.

– Use fruit that is not waxed.

– Chill the fruit before dipping. This sets the caramel immediately. You could also dip then refrigerate.

– Let the excess caramel drip off for at least one minute before dipping into the nuts.

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Honey Cardamom Caramel for apples or pears

enough for 8-10 small/medium apples or pears.

Choose apples/pears that are unwaxed as that will help the caramel to adhere.

1 ½ cups heavy cream

1 ½ cups + 1 tablespoon mild honey, such as clover

¾ teaspoon salt, kosher

3 cardamom pods, cracked and seeds ground or ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

1 cup toasted, roughly ground hazelnuts