Thursday, December 20, 2007

We're Home









Here are some after photos for you. We are really pleased with the result and compared to the before. Please note they have been edited to exclude obvious signs of the destruction inflicted on a house when two children, one dog and two adults crash into it (meaning I moved the mess off to the side). In the midst of moving, unpacking, shopping, playdates and the usual stuff I have managed to fit in some baking. I included a photo of my favourite turtle squares From the Dec 2006 issue of Fine Cooking. Fortunately it is free recipe on their site, because they are a must try.

Caramel Turtle Bars
by Nicole Rees

Yields about 4 dozen 1-1/2-inchsquare

For the crust:
Non-stick cooking spray, vegetable oil, or melted butter for the pan
7 oz. (14 Tbs.) unsalted butter, melted and cooled to just warm
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp. table salt
9 oz. (2 cups) unbleached allpurpose flour
For the caramel topping:
2 cups pecan halves, toasted and coarsely chopped
1 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup heavy cream
4 oz. (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 tsp. table salt

For the ganache:
6 Tbs. heavy cream
2 oz. good-quality bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)

Make the shortbread crust:
Line a straight-sided 13x9-inch metal baking pan with foil, letting the ends create an overhanging edge for easy removal. Lightly coat the sides of the foil (not the bottom) with nonstick cooking spray, oil, or melted butter to prevent the caramel from sticking.

In a medium bowl, stir together the butter, brown sugar, and salt. Stir in the flour to make a stiff dough. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Prick the dough all over with a fork. Refrigerate the pan for 30 minutes (or freeze for 5 to 7 minutes), until the dough is firm.

Meanwhile, position a rack near the center of the oven and heat the oven to 325°F.

Bake the dough for 20 minutes, and then decrease the oven temperature to 300°F and bake until the crust is golden all over and completely set, about 15 more minutes.
Make the topping:

Sprinkle the pecans evenly over the crust.

In a heavy medium saucepan, bring the brown sugar, cream, butter, corn syrup, and salt to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until all the ingredients are melted and smooth. Let the mixture continue to boil, without stirring, until a candy thermometer registers 240°F, about 6 more minutes. Turn off the heat and immediately (but carefully) pour the caramel evenly over the prepared crust. Let the bars cool completely, about 2 hours, before garnishing with the ganache.

Make the ganache:
Put the chocolate in a small heat proof bowl. In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a boil. Remove from the heat and pour over the chocolate. Let sit for 3 minutes. Stir gently with a rubber spatula until combined and smooth.

Fill a plastic zip-top baggie with the ganache, snip the tip off a corner, and drizzle the ganache decoratively over the caramel bars (you don’t have to use all the ganache; keep the extra in the fridge for 5 days). Let the ganache set for 30 minutes to an hour. Carefully lift the bars from the pan using the foil sides and transfer them to a cutting board. Separate the foil from the bars by sliding a spatula between them. Cut the bars into 1-1/2-inch squares. They will keep at room temperature for 1 week.

From Fine Cooking 82, pp. 74

9 comments:

Sabrina Hirsch said...

Horay! The house looks awesome and festive and cozy! I. Want. Turtle bars.

Anonymous said...

I second that! They are delicious.

The colors look great

KnitPastis said...

Thank you so much for what you left on my post. It is nice to know someone else is going through it too. We had bought a house before but it was a breeze. So this is why everyone says building a house can be a nighmare:)
Your house is amazing! You chosen some nice colors for the walls too. We have our colors picked out which we had to give them. Get this, we are only allowed two different colors. The third one I talked them into since I already said I will provide the paint for it.
Now that's a way to start making your house a home, baking those Carmel Chocolate Turtles! These would be gone in two days over here. Your house is so beautiful!

The A.D.D. Knitter said...

Your house looks fabulous, and well, any post with ganache has truly got my attention!

a friend to knit with said...

oh sarah, your home looks lovely! i love how open it is.
oh. yumm. i WILL make those this weekend. i have always wanted to try.

Yarnhog said...

Congratulations on the new home. It certainly does look lovely, and just in time for Christmas!

kaetrn said...

the house looks like a restoration hardware ad! it is amazing! i really like the paint colors in the hall with the stairway. and you even managed to bake (thanks for the recipe!) and hang stockings!

Lydee said...

Holy Smokes! The house looks gorgeous! The difference between the kitchen/family room before compared to after is HUGE! It doesn't look like the same house! And the paint looks wonderful. You put so much work into it! I love it!

Romi said...

Congratulations!

And a very very Happy New Year!!!

xo! :)