Hello readers, I have a story to tell you...it's called, "How the Baker Got Her Groove Back"
Once upon a time, there was a baker. She lived in a cute little house, with two cute little dogs, and a cute little husband. She would pitter patter around the kitchen in a cute little apron, adding olive oil to this, and sugar to that! She would bake confection-y delights, and present them gloriously to her students, administrators, neighbors, fellow teachers, dogs, and even husband. Yes, it was amazing.
Until one day...the medical school application process started. Soon, after she would come home from work, her days would be spent writing essay after essay about leadership ability, why she wanted to be a physician, what her biggest ethical dilemma had been, and other such poo-poo topics. And the kitchen sat empty. Sure she would cook, and bake...but pitter-patter? Nay. Soon, she was simply making brownies because it was an easy, quick, unchallenging delight. How her kitchen, and her tummy, sat in woe.
But behold! The medical school process is over, the princess-cook (yes, she has transformed into a princess) no longer spends hours languishing over where she will be next year...she now has time to bake gloriously as she once did. But all the time out of the kitchen has left her feeling...unimaginative. What to make, what to make?! What is worthy of her great come-back dessert?? Then...she stumbled upon a blog long forgotten...and found her inspiration: Caramel Walnut Tart with Chocolate Glaze.
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Soon the pitter-pattering returned...and within hours, a beautiful, sweet-smelling tart popped out of the oven and into her mouth. Ahh the glory. Make it, you'll feel inspired too :-D
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Caramel Walnut Tart with Chocolate Glaze
Adapted from Not Without Salt
Vanilla Scented Tart Crust
1 cup all purpose flour
0.5 cups melted butter
0.25 cups powdered sugar
pinch of salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350F
In a bowl, mix together butter, powdered sugar, and salt. Then mix in the vanilla and the flour. With a rubber spatula, mix the dough together. Press it into a tart pan or a spring form pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Pull it out and let it cool
Caramel-Walnut Filling
1 cup sugar
0.25 cup water
1 tbsp. lemon juice
0.25 cup butter, cut up into pieces
0.25 cup heavy cream
1 cup walnut, chopped roughly
In a thick bottomed pan (I used a cast-iron saute pan) mix together the sugar, lemon juice, and water. Put it over medium-high heat and allow it to boil for about 7-9 minutes until it's a dark amber color. After that, pull it off the heat, and add in the butter and heavy cream, stirring constantly. It will bubble up, but it's okay. After that, stir in the walnuts. Allow it to cool for about 2 minutes, then pour it into the tart shell you made.
While that's cooling...make the chocolate glaze to go on top! It's totally optional, but it's good
Chocolate Glaze
4 tbsp. butter
4 oz. chocolate (milk, dark, semi-sweet)
In a saucepan (maybe the same one you made the caramel in), melt the butter and chocolate together, stirring with a spoon. When it's melted together, spoon it over caramel-walnut tart.
Allow it to cool, then eat a slice!
Once upon a time, there was a baker. She lived in a cute little house, with two cute little dogs, and a cute little husband. She would pitter patter around the kitchen in a cute little apron, adding olive oil to this, and sugar to that! She would bake confection-y delights, and present them gloriously to her students, administrators, neighbors, fellow teachers, dogs, and even husband. Yes, it was amazing.
Until one day...the medical school application process started. Soon, after she would come home from work, her days would be spent writing essay after essay about leadership ability, why she wanted to be a physician, what her biggest ethical dilemma had been, and other such poo-poo topics. And the kitchen sat empty. Sure she would cook, and bake...but pitter-patter? Nay. Soon, she was simply making brownies because it was an easy, quick, unchallenging delight. How her kitchen, and her tummy, sat in woe.
But behold! The medical school process is over, the princess-cook (yes, she has transformed into a princess) no longer spends hours languishing over where she will be next year...she now has time to bake gloriously as she once did. But all the time out of the kitchen has left her feeling...unimaginative. What to make, what to make?! What is worthy of her great come-back dessert?? Then...she stumbled upon a blog long forgotten...and found her inspiration: Caramel Walnut Tart with Chocolate Glaze.
.JPG)
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Adapted from Not Without Salt
Vanilla Scented Tart Crust
1 cup all purpose flour
0.5 cups melted butter
0.25 cups powdered sugar
pinch of salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350F
In a bowl, mix together butter, powdered sugar, and salt. Then mix in the vanilla and the flour. With a rubber spatula, mix the dough together. Press it into a tart pan or a spring form pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Pull it out and let it cool
Caramel-Walnut Filling
1 cup sugar
0.25 cup water
1 tbsp. lemon juice
0.25 cup butter, cut up into pieces
0.25 cup heavy cream
1 cup walnut, chopped roughly
In a thick bottomed pan (I used a cast-iron saute pan) mix together the sugar, lemon juice, and water. Put it over medium-high heat and allow it to boil for about 7-9 minutes until it's a dark amber color. After that, pull it off the heat, and add in the butter and heavy cream, stirring constantly. It will bubble up, but it's okay. After that, stir in the walnuts. Allow it to cool for about 2 minutes, then pour it into the tart shell you made.
While that's cooling...make the chocolate glaze to go on top! It's totally optional, but it's good
Chocolate Glaze
4 tbsp. butter
4 oz. chocolate (milk, dark, semi-sweet)
In a saucepan (maybe the same one you made the caramel in), melt the butter and chocolate together, stirring with a spoon. When it's melted together, spoon it over caramel-walnut tart.
Allow it to cool, then eat a slice!
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