White Chocolate, Sea Salt & Pretzel Krispie Treats

There is a simple and dependable equation by which us foodies like to live.  I would like to introduce you to the Baking Law of Addition.  You would be wise to memorize this formula.

The Baking Law of Addition states that the equation salt + sugar + fat will always equal everything wonderful and delicious. 

Foodies are a little predictable.  We take something classic, apply our super fancy non-mathematical law, and create something classic that has increased in both calories and deliciousness.  It is the best kind of predictable. 

I am a great admirer of the cereal family.  Ironically, though its a breakfast food, I find cereal much more appealing when I am wearing pajamas and watching Netflix.  Give me a bowl of Frosted Flakes and a hearty dose of cold milk and I will eat cereal all night long.  Well, at least until 10:30, let’s not be too crazy.  

Cereal becomes increasingly delicious when covered in melted marshmallows and butter - who would have guessed?  Apply the Baking Law of Addition and this really cannot get any better. 

Our sugar comes from a combination of buttery white chocolate and marshmallows.  Sea salt and crunchy pretzel crisps form the salty team and I think we all know what team the butter is on.  

Pretzels are crushed, marshmallows are melted and everything gets reeaallyy sticky...

This recipe makes twelve treats.  Initially, you may think that these servings are way too big.  Just take a bite and you'll understand.

Sweet and salty, chewy and crunchy, the Baking Law of Addition never disappoints.

Add some fancy to your cereal this week.  

Sincerely, 

  Pedantic Foodie

---

Sea Salt, White Chocolate & Pretzel Krispie Treats  

makes 12 large treats

- 6 cups rice cereal

- 2 cups pretzel crisps, crushed 

- 1 1/3 cup white chocolate chips, divided use 

- 1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 

- 12 ounces marshmallows

- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing the pan

- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Grease a 9x13 baking pan with butter.  

In a large bowl combine rice cereal, crushed pretzel crisps, 1 cup of white chocolate, and sea salt. 

In a large saucepan melt butter over medium heat.  Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted.  Stir in vanilla and remove from heat.  

Stir the rice cereal mixture into the melted marshmallows until all the dry ingredients are evenly coated in marshmallow.  

Transfer the Krispie treat mixture into the prepared pan.  Press down gentle to evenly distribute the mixture.  While the treats are cooling, melt the remaining white chocolate.  

In a microwave-safe bowl, place remaining 1/3 cup white chocolate chips.  Microwave the chips for 10 second increments, stirring after each, until the chocolate is smooth. 

Drizzle melted chocolate over the krispie treats and allow to set for 30 minutes before slicing into squares.  Enjoy!      

Sweet Cinnamon and Apple Turnovers

Recently, I have been reminded of the preciousness of moments.  There are weeks where I find myself wondering how seemingly everything in my life is going awry.  It is during these weeks that I try to learn some sort of lesson from the mishaps and trials so that I will not have to be taught it so severely again.  Last week looked me straight in my soppy, tired eyes and told me sternly that I need to remember to take advantage of the moments I have with the people I love. 

This is a place where we talk a lot about butter and sugar, but I hope that it is also a reminder to make the small moments of your life special and memorable.  Because moments, especially those with the people we love, are fleeting.  That is just some real-talk - now on to the butter and sugar!

Puff pastry is an endeavor so satisfying and so rewarding it feels like winning a trophy when you pull your long-awaited puffed layers out of the oven.  My mother has told me at least 692 times that working hard for something makes the achievement exponentially more rewarding.  This lesson is especially applicable to baking endeavors. 

We have talked about approaching that intimidating, yet certainly attainable giant which is puffed pastry.  I promise, that if you can make a pie crust, you can certainly make your own puffed pastry.

In this application, our puff pastry is stuffed with crisp apples, fragrant cinnamon, and a kiss of sugar for some extra sweetness.  If you picked your own apples on a cool, blustery, autumn day, you get extra points.  If you bought your apples from the produce section, you still win, because we are making turnovers and there are no losers in the turnover game.

These turnovers are pretty magnificent.  Their magnificence is chiefly due to their simplicity.  We are not extravagant with the spices or sugar and the puff pastry gets its flavor from butter and time alone.  All and in all, they are pretty perfect, because they are just turnovers and turnovers do not need to be complicated. 

This recipe is a labor of love, not because it is difficult, but because it is a bit time-consuming.  But, as my mother assured me, I can promise you that the prize is well worth the labor.  There is an evident sense of satisfaction which you will feel when you pull these lovely pastries from your oven, a sense of satisfaction which is elevated only by sharing these with someone you care about. 

Sit down with a glass of chilled milk or steaming coffee, share these turnovers, and enjoy the moment with someone you care for, because you never know when you will get the chance again.  

Sincerely,

  Pedantic Foodie

Sweet Cinnamon & Apple Turnovers

makes 12

pastry recipe adapted from Emeril Lagasse

for the filling

- 3 cups apple slices, peeled 

- 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice 

- 1/4 cup brown sugar 

- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

- 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 

Toss apple slices in lemon juice.  In a small bowl use a fork to combine spices and brown sugar.  Sprinkle the sugar and spice mixture over the apples and toss until all the apples are evenly coated.  Reserve for later use.  

for the glaze

- 1 1/2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

- 1/2 cup powdered sugar 

In a small bowl, combine vanilla extract and heavy cream.  Slowly whisk in powdered sugar until the glaze is smooth.  

for the puff pastry

• 12 ounces all purpose flour
• 2 ounces cake flour
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled 
• 1 cup ice water 
• 1 egg 
• 1 teaspoon water
• 1/4 cup turbinado sugar 

Sift to combine all-purpose flour, cake flour and salt.  Cut 6 tablespoons of the cold butter into cubes and place the cubes in the flour mixture.  Use a pastry blender or the tips of your fingers to blend until the texture of rough cornmeal, similar to pie crust.  

Make a well in the center of the mixture and add the cold water.  Use a spatula to gently mix into a rough dough.  Do not over mix, the dough will be rough and sticky.  Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.    

Place the remaining chilled butter on a sheet of plastic wrap and cover with a second sheet.  Use a rolling pin to smash the butter to form a 5-inch square of butter.  Chill until ready to use.  

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place on a floured surface.  Roll the dough out into a 12-inch circle and place the chilled sheet of butter in the center.  Wrap the sides of the dough up around the butter and pinch the ends to seal.  You should now have a square of butter enclosed in dough.  

Roll the dough out into a 16 by 8-inch rectangle.  If needed you may use the rolling pin to pound the dough and make it more pliable.  Be careful not to tear the dough!  Fold the rectangle 3 times like a business letter.  Place the rectangle in front of you lengthwise and roll again into a 16 by 8-inch rectangle.  Fold again 3 times like a business letter.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.  

When the dough has rested, return to a floured surface and repeat the process of rolling the dough into a rectangle and making a business-letter fold.  Do this twice as before and wrap in plastic.  Refrigerate for 1 hour. 

Remove rested dough from the refrigerator and return to the floured surface.  Repeat rolling and folding process twice as before and refrigerate for 2 hours.  Now the puff pastry is ready to use. 

Cook’s Note:  At this point, you can wrap the dough in plastic, walk away, and save the baking for another day.  I would not recommend keeping this dough past two days because it is very heavily fattened and butter likes to soak up refrigerator flavors.  But do feel free to make it a day or two in advance! 

Prepare apples and glaze.  

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Place a baking sheet in the freezer and allow to chill.  

In a small bowl, whisk the egg with a teaspoon of water. 

Roll the dough into a 6 x 18 rectangle.  Cut lengthwise and then cross wise, forming 3x3 inch squares.  Turn the squares so that the tips are facing towards you and away from you - like a diamond.  Lay several apple slices across half of the square and brush the edges of the pastry with your prepared egg wash.  Fold the top part of the dough over the filling and press gently to seal the edges.  You should now have a triangle filled with apples.  Brush the top of the pastry with egg wash and sprinkle liberally with turbinado sugar.  Repeat with each pastry.  Lay the finished pastries on a baking sheet lined with parchment.   

It is important to work fairly quickly so that the pastry remains cold.  If the pastry begins to warm and soften, lay the chilled baking sheet over the dough until it firms up again.  

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the pastry has puff and is deep golden.  

It is going to be hard, I know.  But you should really allow these pastries to cool for about 10-15 minutes before you start glazing and devouring.  Patience, grasshopper... When the turnovers have cooled, drizzle with prepared glaze and serve.  Enjoy!

Maple & Anise Mousse with Salted Pistachio Brittle

The gastronomic romanticist in me likes to believe that every ingredient has the potential to be delicious.  That an aversion to a certain food is merely the result of poor preparation rather than the ingredient itself.  

Though I know that this philosophy is in many ways strictly fanciful, I do believe that this theory is often reasonably accurate.  

Meet Illicium Verum, or, as she is more commonly known, Star Anise.  She is the darling of the spice cabinet, yet so often she is unfairly disregarded.  

Let me take a moment to say that black, sticky, sugary candies have ruined many a palate’s appreciate for the delicate flavor of anise.  I was one such victim, until my eyes were opened by a small bowl of fluffy, creamy, oh-so-light, mousse in which anise made an appearance.  In short, please give anise a second chance. 

After trying that wonderful mousse I knew I had to recreate it and, after much recipe testing and reconstructing, success was achieved. 

This mousse is fragrant with the deep, rich, flavors of maple syrup and the anise provides a lovely, spicy after note.  It is light and not too sweet, making it the perfect dessert amongst the numerous pies and doughnuts this season offers.  I am already planning your Thanksgiving menu.  Too soon?

This mousse is topped with our incredibly addicting and versatile salted pistachio brittle.  The brittle adds a much appreciated textural element as well as a hint of salt.

I cannot begin to describe how phenomenal this mousse truly is.  Each flavor is perfectly balanced in a mousse so light and airy that you really cannot stop eating it. 

Let’s give gastronomical romanticism a chance, shall we?  

Sincerely, 

   Pedantic Foodie

Maple and Anise Mousse 

makes 6 

- 1/2 cup amber grade B maple syrup 

- 2 stars whole anise, depending on your taste

- 1 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin

- 2 tablespoons filtered water 

- 1 1/4 cup heavy cream, divided 

- 4 fresh egg yolks 

- 2 fresh egg whites, cold

- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 

- pinch of kosher salt 

- salted pistachio brittle, for topping 

In a small bowl combine water and gelatin.  Reserve for later use.  

Combine egg yolks and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer.  Beat on medium speed until the yolks begin to lighten in color, about 1-2 minutes. 

In a small saucepan combine maple syrup and star anise and place over medium high heat.  Bring the syrup to a boil and cook for 5-7 minutes until the syrup has darkened slightly in color and reduced to about 1/3 of a cup or has reached 225 degrees on a candy thermometer.  Remove from heat and remove star anise.  

With the mixer on medium speed, slowly pour syrup into the egg yolks.  Return the emptied syrup saucepan to the heat and place gelatin in the pan.  When the gelatin has melted, remove from heat and add to the mixture in the stand mixer.  Beat on medium high speed for 4-6 minutes, until the mixture is thick and fluffy and has tripled in volume.  

Gently fold the whipped maple mixture into a large bowl.  Clean the bowl and beater of your stand mixer and place egg whites in the cleaned bowl.  Beat on high speed, and slowly sprinkle in granulated sugar.  Beat until stiff peaks form, then transfer egg whites to a separate bowl and reserve.  

Beat 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream on high speed until thick and fluffy.  Gently fold the whipped cream into the maple mixture, rotating the bowl as you fold.  Fold in egg whites in two additions, working gently.  

Divide the mousse amongst six ramekins and cover with plastic wrap.  Chill in the refrigerator for two hours, until set.  

Beat remaining whipping cream to soft peaks and crumble brittle into small pieces.  When the mousse has set, top with whipped cream and brittle and serve.  Enjoy!