I love appetizers. I like standing around the table, picking up small handfuls of grapes, raiding the cheese trays, and eating all the sliced apples. It stems from my love of snacking. It’s a problem, but admitting that in no way compels me to reform. If I had my way, lunch would always consist of a large tray of various cheeses, olives, apples, grapes, and warm baguettes. Throw in a big sweater and an old book and oh my goodness - totally idyll.

White Cheddar & Burnt Sugar Crackers {Pedantic Foodie}

The great thing about snacking is that no one (including you, thank goodness) can keep track of exactly how much you are eating. The wheel of brie disappears and no one in particular is to blame. It just disappeared when half a dozen people were standing around the appetizer table. That’s a good thing when you consume brie at the rate that I do.

A mid-afternoon snack craving inspired these crackers. Here’s what happened. I was with my sister, (that line is always a warning that ridiculous and fattening things will follow), when she whipped out a bag of cheddar and caramel popcorn. What? Too weird. I’m definitely not trying that…well, maybe a little bit.

“That's disgustin - wait… I’m going to marry this stuff! Give me that bag!” And that’s how it all went down.

Fast forward to the next afternoon when the popcorn was gone but the cravings were strong, and I started contemplating how I could recreate the enigmatic yet addicting snack. Of course, I could make my own cheesey popcorn, but then I would need to dehydrate cheddar and make it into a powder and yeah -- I was not going to go there.

However, crackers were a reasonable option. That would take care of the cheddar element. The caramel, however, stumped me at first. Then I remembered burnt sugar and I knew good things were about to happen.

Making your own crackers is not hard! Can you make shortbread? Then you can make crackers, I promise. The hardest part is not eating them all.

After the crackers cool a bit they are drizzled with a heavy dose of sticky, golden burnt sugar.

Burnt sugar is just what it says, burnt sugar. Not super burnt, but just brown enough to give us that caramel flavor and a touch of sweetness.

I paired these crackers with some crisp apple slices and it was a perfectly balanced snack tray. Think of the crackers as the cheese and the burnt sugar as the honey. It’s weird but it really works.

Snack lunching it up in here.

Sincerely,

Pedantic Foodie

White Cheddar & Burnt Sugar Crackers

makes about 70 crackers / recipe adapted from Joy the Baker

for the crackers

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sharp white cheddar, grated
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cold water

In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment combine butter, salt and white cheddar. Mix on low speed for 1-2 minutes, the mixture will begin to form a ball. While continuing to mix on low speed, slowly add flour in increments until all the flour has been worked in. Add water, one teaspoon at a time. Add just enough water to form a rough dough, you may not need the full amount or you may need a little extra, depending on the humidity. The dough should not be wet or sticky, just moist.

Shape the dough into two discs and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

While the dough chills preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Turn the chilled dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll out to an 1/8 of an inch in thickness. Use a 1-inch round cookie cutter to cut out the crackers. Use the end of a skewer to make several indentations into the center of each cracker.

Place the crackers on a baking sheet lined with parchment, spacing them about 1/4 inch apart, and bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden and fragrant. Allow to cool for 15-20 minutes. While the crackers are cooling, prepare the burnt sugar.

for the burnt sugar

1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water

In a small saucepan combine sugar and water and place over medium high heat. Stir several times and then fit the pan with a candy thermometer and allow to cook, without stirring, until the mixture reaches 300 degrees.

Remove from heat and drizzle the burn sugar over the cooled crackers with a fork. Work carefully and quickly, as the sugar with set up rapidly as it cools.

Allow the crackers to sit for about 10 minutes before eating - this will allow the sugar to fully set.

Serve immediately or store in airtight containers for several days. Enjoy!

Certain things are always a mistake. Drinking grapefruit juice after brushing your teeth is one of them. Gosh, that’s terrible. White pants, no, don’t even go there. Now every cup in the room wants to spill its contents on you. Buying really uncomfortable shoes just because they’re cute - so many blisters. Maybe this should be a list of “don’t do’s”, but I’ll forget and be reminded again tomorrow morning of how toothpaste and grapefruit mix so horribly.

Hopefully we learn from our mistakes, even if it takes a couple, or more than a couple, times to get it right.

I made a mistake. I realized my mistake after the third time of making it. I ruined three batches of chocolate custard before noticing what I had been doing wrong.

If you happen to have a box of corn starch next to a box of baking soda, you must be sure to read the label, otherwise you’ll have foamy, sour, thin pudding. Before realizing what had been happening I nearly had a mental breakdown and doubted every culinary skill I have because I could no longer make a successful custard. Then I actually read the box - oops!

If you don’t like chocolate, and I mean REAL chocolate flavor, then this pie is sadly not for you. This pie is for your deep, rich, dark chocolate cravings. It’s creamy, thick, and topped with burnt sugar and expresso whipped cream. Are you getting excited? I am.

Sugar is something you're allowed to burn.

And you thought whipped cream couldn't get any better.

Appreciate your mistakes.

Sincerely,

Pedantic Foodie

Chocolate Pie with Burnt Sugar and Expresso Whipped Cream

for the crust

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

In the work bowl of your food processor combine flour, sugar, and salt; pulse to combine. Add cold butter and pulse several times until the dough is the consistency of cornmeal. Add heavy cream. Turn the dough out unto a lightly floured surface and form into a smooth disc. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Roll out into a circle and place in a 9inch springform pan, going up about 2 1/2 inches on the sides. Use the tines of a fork to punch air holes in the bottom of the crust. Lay a round of parchment paper over the dough and fill with dry beans or pie weights. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden brown on the edges. Allow to cool.

for the filling

6oz dark chocolate
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 1/2 cups whole milk
3 tablespoons strong coffee or expresso
3 eggs yolks
1/4 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a small bowl whisk to combine egg yolks, flour, 1/2 cup milk and vanilla extract. If there are any lumps of flour strain the mixture. In a heavy saucepan combine cocoa powder, salt, sugar, coffee and 2 cups of milk. Heat over medium-high heat, until steaming. Add egg yolk mixture and bring to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add dark chocolate. Stir until chocolate is melted and pour custard into cooled pie crust. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours or overnight.

for the whipped cream

1/2 cup sugar
1/8 cup expresso or strong coffee
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

Beat whipping cream for several minutes until soft peaks form. In a small saucepan heat sugar over medium-high heat. Stir often until the sugar has melted. Cook until the color is deep amber and remove from heat. Add coffee, (the mixture with steam and bubble furiously, that’s okay), and let cool for several minutes before adding to whipped cream. Refrigerate until ready to use.