jphilg
12-14-2001, 10:44 AM
I wanted to share my triumph with you all, and encourgage you to try sugar work this year. I am bringing a dessert to a dinner for 6 of us on Saturday, and I decided to branch out and make something that I could plate in a "restaurant" manner. I settleed on a Viennese-looking cake with a caramel whipped cream filling, from Baking with Julia, and then I decided to go ahead and make the caramel baskets that go with them. Generally I skip the fussy stuff, but I am so glad that I did these!
Basically you start by making paper "molds" for the baskets: parchment paper pyramids stapled to form a tri-cornered shape and brushed with canola oil. Then you melt sugar, about 1 cup, tablespoon by tablespoon, in a cast iron skillet. It takes on a gorgeous amber color, and gets syrupy. You briefly cool the pan in an ice bath, to stop the coloring, and then wiggle the syrup from a spoon onto the molds. I had to reheat the syrup over really low heat to keep it from hardening, but the low heat kept it from coloring too much.
I made a dozen, and by the time I finshed the last one, the first were set. The paper molds came out easily, and the resulting basket looks like an expensive Christmas ornament! They are lacy and golden, and I am quite impressed with myself.
Clean up was easy, too....I filled the pan with water and boiled all of the leftover syrup off.
I plan to serve these filled with fresh raspberries, next to my cake, but I can think of many uses....
Anyhow, I know we are all adventurous cooks, and I wanted to share my experience and encourage you guys to give it a try. These are really dazzling.
Jen
Basically you start by making paper "molds" for the baskets: parchment paper pyramids stapled to form a tri-cornered shape and brushed with canola oil. Then you melt sugar, about 1 cup, tablespoon by tablespoon, in a cast iron skillet. It takes on a gorgeous amber color, and gets syrupy. You briefly cool the pan in an ice bath, to stop the coloring, and then wiggle the syrup from a spoon onto the molds. I had to reheat the syrup over really low heat to keep it from hardening, but the low heat kept it from coloring too much.
I made a dozen, and by the time I finshed the last one, the first were set. The paper molds came out easily, and the resulting basket looks like an expensive Christmas ornament! They are lacy and golden, and I am quite impressed with myself.
Clean up was easy, too....I filled the pan with water and boiled all of the leftover syrup off.
I plan to serve these filled with fresh raspberries, next to my cake, but I can think of many uses....
Anyhow, I know we are all adventurous cooks, and I wanted to share my experience and encourage you guys to give it a try. These are really dazzling.
Jen