Text 14419, 85 rader
Skriven 2007-04-21 23:05:00 av MICHAEL LOO (1:123/140)
     Kommentar till en text av LYNN SACERDOTE
Ärende: Nasty 404
=================
 LS> gotten relatively popular, and I'm well-liked by a lot of the kids
 LS> in the school.

I was king of the downtrodden in my school - the only one who
could deal with the BPOCs and the outcasts both, but I still
wouldn't go to the prom. I don't think I'd have been laughed
at or anything like that, just didn't feel the competency to
deal with the experience. Even though (as it turns out) my
then-dreamboat would likely have gone with me, and even though
the Temptations were the band (I went to a rich school).

=
[written but not sent last year]
One of my conditions for working on a book is that when it
comes out I get a free copy. So I got word that this book
that I did the index for, Simple Soirees, has won a James
Beard Award, and if I hadn't gotten a copy yet, it should
arrive soon. So today a package comes in from the publisher,
and, lo and behold, it's not the book I worked on, but
rather another one called Chocolate Obsession, by a San
Francisco chocolatier named Michael Recchiuti (I actually
prefer this outcome, as I think this is a fun book, and
Simple Soirees wasn't my style). I felt honor bound to
report back that I'd gotten the wrong book, but meanwhile:

Fleur de sel caramels
cat: chocolate
servings: 50

neutral oil for the pan
1 1/2 c sugar
1/2 Tahitian vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 c heavy cream
2 Tb light corn syrup
1 Tb sweet butter (82% butterfat)
1/2 ts fine-grain Fleur de sel
61%-70% chocolate for dipping (opt)
fine-grain Fleur de sel for garnish

Line the bottom of an 8" square pan with parchment paper.
Oil the bottom and sides of the pan.

Put the sugar in a heavy-bottomed pot, preferably an
unlined copper pot. Scrape in the seeds of the vanilla
bean. Heat until the sugar melts, stirring; then, cook
5-6 min without stirring until the sugar darkens to a
dark amber color. If crystals form on the side of the
pan, wipe them down with a wet pastry brush.

Meanwhile, bring the cream to a boil over medium heat.

When the sugar is the right color, add the corn syrup.
Remove the pan from the heat and put a sieve or splatter
guard over it. Wearing oven mitts, pour the cream into
the syrup a little at a time. Take care, as it will foam
up. Return the pan to medium heat and cook without
stirring until the liquid reaches 252F on a candy
thermometer, about 5 min. Off heat, add the butter and
stir; add the Fleur de sel and stir again.

Pour the caramel into the prepared pan and let cool to
room temperature. Invert the pan onto a work surface
and peel off the parchment paper.

If you are not dipping the caramels in chocolate, using
a ruler as a guide, cut the caramel into 3"x1" sticks
using a lightly oiled knife. Wrap each stick in
transparent wrap. Store in a cool place but do not
refrigerate.

If you are dipping the caramels in chocolate, using a
ruler as a guide, cut the caramel into 1" squares using
a lightly oiled knife. Temper the chocolate and then
dip the squares into it. Place the dipped squares onto
a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle each
with a few grains of fine Fleur de sel before the
chocolate sets. When the chocolate sets, store the
candies in a cool place but do not refrigerate.

Michael Recchiuti and Fran Gage, Chocolate Obsession

P.S. I never got the right book.
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