HOME & LIVING
TUESDAY, APRIL 19, 2022
CANDY
Continued from Page B1
What makes them so
appealing is the intriguing
contrast between the sweet
chocolate and the faintly
bitter peel. But you have to
get the bitterness just right;
you don’t want it over-
whelming the chocolate.
If you cut a thin slice of
peel, cutting shallow with
a vegetable peeler to avoid
any of the white pith, it is
an easy matter. Just blanch
the skin, boil it in sugar
water and dry it in a bed of
sugar. But some, including
me, prefer a thicker piece of
peel that includes the pith.
In that case, you merely
have to blanch it three times
before continuing with the
other steps.
I made it both ways,
and with the peels of other
citrus fruit, too: grape-
fruit, tangerines, lemons
and limes. All were simply
superb, and worthy of an
Easter gift.
My most ambitious was
next, malted crisp tart. This
is a malted-milk tart that
I wanted to make because
I am particularly fond of
those little malted milk ball
eggs at Easter.
It has a lot of steps. Each
one is easy, but you need to
know going in that you are
going to use every bowl you
have in the house.
Step one is a brown
sugar crust, an unusually
delectable crust that also
involves fl our, malted milk
powder (such as Ovaltine
or Carnation), vanilla and
a great deal of butter. Step
two is caramelized Rice
Krispies, which is both
easier and more time con-
suming than you would
expect. Even so, it only
takes about 10 minutes.
Step three is a rich milk
chocolate ganache made
all the more delicious by
a little more malted milk
powder. And step four is a
malted diplomat cream, a
delicate pastry cream with,
yes, a little more malted
milk powder.
You might think, with
all the malted milk powder,
that this tart would be like
a malted milk in a crust,
but it is really much more
subtle and multifaceted than
that — even with crunchy
malted milk balls strewn
across the top.
My next treat was
fussier, but sublime: choco-
late orange truffl es.
The chocolate part
is actually white choco-
late; you could use reg-
ular chocolate if you want
to, but why would you
want to? The orange part
comes from both candied
orange peel and a splash
of orange liqueur, such as
Cointreau or Grand Mar-
nier (or triple sec, come to
think of it, which would
have been cheaper). And
the truffl e part comes from
heavy cream and more
white chocolate.
Like all chocolate truf-
fl es, they melt in your
mouth. When making them,
unfortunately, they also
melt in your hands, so they
take longer to set than you
might expect. I put mine in
the refrigerator overnight,
and that did the trick.
Once you try one, and
you taste that luxurious
truffl e wrapped in white
chocolate with the graceful
notes of orange, any mem-
ories of sticky chocolate
on your fi ngers will fl y
away forever.
The next treat I made
was the very simplest: choc-
olate-dipped strawberries.
Yes, they’re easy, but there
is a trick to making them so
that the chocolate does not
break off when you bite it.
Vegetable shortening.
That’s the secret. It’s really
not much of a secret, as
secrets go, but it makes all
the diff erence. A couple of
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tablespoons of vegetable
shortening makes the choc-
olate smooth and pliable, so
it clings deliciously to the
strawberries.
My fi nal Easter treat
was the caramels, for the
weirdos who prefer them to
chocolate.
There is nothing quite
like a homemade car-
amel, and the store-bought
kind are certainly nothing
like them.
These homemade car-
amels are soft and chewy,
smooth and buttery and
rich. They are satisfyingly
nostalgic, like the best
parts of your childhood
all wrapped up in a waxed
paper wrapper.
But they still aren’t as
good as chocolate.
CANDIED
ORANGE
PEELS (THIN
VERSION)
Yield: 8 servings
2 large navel oranges, or
an equivalent amount of
grapefruit, lemons, limes,
tangerines or mandarins,
or a combination
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar,
divided, plus more if necessary
4 ounces chopped milk
chocolate, semisweet or
bittersweet chocolate
1. Use a vegetable peeler to
peel wide, long strips of just the
orange part of the orange skin
(or the green part of the lime
skin, etc.). Try to get as little of
the bitter white pith as you can;
if you have too much, you can
carefully scrape some of it off
with a sharp knife.
2. Set a small pan with at least
1 inch of water over high heat to
boil. Spread 1 cup of sugar across
a plate. Line a baking sheet with
parchment paper or nonstick foil.
3. Place the fruit peels in the
boiling water for 15 seconds,
and strain.
4. In a small pan, combine
3/4 cup sugar with 1/2 cup fresh
water over high heat. Stir until
dissolved and bring to a simmer.
Add the fruit peels and boil until
the entire surface of the liquid is
covered with rapid, small bubbles,
about 10 minutes.
5. Remove fruit peels with a
fork and immediately place in the
plate of sugar. Flip the peels over
so both sides are covered with
sugar. Press the peels down into
the sugar so they are thoroughly
saturated with it. Cover with more
sugar, if necessary, and let sit 30
minutes. You can reserve the
fruit-fl avored syrup for cocktails,
if you like.
6. Place a heatproof bowl over
a pan of simmering water; do not
let the bottom of the bowl touch
the water. Add the chocolate and
stir until melted. Dip half of each
candied peel into the chocolate
and place on prepared baking
sheet to set.
7. Without chocolate, the
candied peels can be stored in an
airtight container in the refrig-
erator for a few weeks. With the
chocolate, they can be stored in
an airtight container in the refrig-
erator for 1 week.
Per serving: 190 calories; 6g fat;
3g saturated fat; 1mg cholesterol;
1g protein; 35g carbohydrate;
30g sugar; 2g fi ber; 2mg sodium;
28mg calcium
— Recipe by Jacques Pepin
Hillary Levin/St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Chocolate orange truffl es.
pieces about 1/8 inch wide. Set
a small pan with at least 1 1/2
inches of water over high heat to
boil. Spread 2 cups of sugar across
a plate. Line a baking sheet with
parchment paper or nonstick foil.
2. Place the fruit peels in the
boiling water for 30 seconds, and
strain. Repeat twice more with
fresh changes of water.
3. In a small pan, combine 1 1/2
cups of the sugar with 1 cup fresh
water over high heat. Stir until
dissolved and bring to a simmer.
Add the fruit peels and boil until
the entire surface of the liquid is
covered with rapid, small bubbles,
about 10 minutes.
4. Remove fruit peels with a
fork and immediately place in the
plate of sugar. Flip the peels over
so both sides are covered with
sugar. Press the peels down into
the sugar so they are thoroughly
saturated with it. Let sit 30 min-
utes. Discard the remaining sugar,
but reserve the fruit-fl avored
syrup for cocktails, if you like.
5. Place a heatproof bowl over
a pan of simmering water; do not
let the bottom of the bowl touch
the water. Add the chocolate and
stir until melted. Remove from
the heat. Working in batches,
submerge a few pieces of the peel
into the chocolate, remove with
a fork and place on the prepared
baking sheet to set.
6. Store in an airtight container
in the refrigerator for 1 week.
Per serving: 321 calories; 10 g
fat; 6 g saturated fat; 2 mg choles-
terol; 2 g protein; 55 g carbohy-
drate; 48 g sugar; 4 g fi ber; 4 mg
sodium; 37 mg calcium
— Recipe by Jacques Pepin
MALTED CRISP
TART
Yield: 8 to 12 servings
For the brown sugar
crust
1 1/2 cups all-purpose fl our
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon malted milk powder,
such as plain (not chocolate)
Ovaltine or Carnation
10 tablespoons (1 1/4
sticks) butter, cut into
cubes and chilled
1/2 cup fi rmly packed
light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the caramelized
crispies
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups crisped rice cereal,
such as Rice Krispies
For the milk chocolate
ganache
8 ounces good-quality milk
chocolate, coarsely chopped
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons malted milk powder
For the malted
diplomat cream
1 1/4 cups whole milk
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 large egg
1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2
teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons malted
milk powder
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
5 ounces (1/2 cup plus 2
tablespoons) heavy cream
CANDIED
ORANGE
PEELS (THICK
VERSION)
Yield 8 servings
2 large navel oranges, or
an equivalent amount of
grapefruit, lemons, limes,
tangerines or mandarins,
or a combination
3 1/2 cups granulated
sugar, divided
8 ounces chopped milk
chocolate, semisweet or
bittersweet chocolate
For the tart assembly
1. Cut the fruit into quarters
and peel the fruit, keeping the
peels intact. Slice the peels into
1 cup crushed malted milk balls
Malted milk balls, to garnish
Caramelized crispies, to garnish
Note: The tart dough (unbaked)
and the caramelized crispies
can be made the day before
you make the rest.
1. Make the brown sugar crust:
Spray a napkin or paper towel
with vegetable oil and use the
napkin to apply the oil to the
sides and bottom (and nooks and
crannies) of the tart pan.
2. Place the fl our, salt, malted
milk powder, butter, sugar and va-
nilla in a food processor and pulse
until the mixture is crumbly.
3. Scoop the crumb mixture
into the prepared tart pan and use
your hands to press the mixture
into the bottom and up the sides
of the tart pan. The crust should
not look too thick.
4. Preheat the oven to 350
degrees. Place the tart pan in the
freezer for 20 minutes.
5. Remove the tart pan from
the freezer; place on a baking
sheet and bake until the tart is
golden brown, about 20 to 30
minutes. Transfer to a wire rack
and cool completely.
6. Make the caramelized
crispies: Line a half-sheet baking
pan with a sheet of aluminum foil
sprayed with vegetable oil.
7. In a medium saucepan over
low heat, stir together 2 table-
spoons water with the sugar and
bring just to a very low boil for
about 1 minute.
8. Add the crisped rice cereal
and stir until the mixture is dry.
Keep stirring until sugar begins
to caramelize and the pan begins
to smoke; this will take several
minutes (any dried white sugar
on the bottom of the pan will
eventually melt). Fold the mixture
over and over until all the crispies
are coated with an amber layer
of sugar. Once the crispies are
completely coated, turn them
out onto the sprayed foil and cool
completely.
9. Breakup up the caramelized
crispies into large chunky pieces
and set aside.
10. Make the milk chocolate
ganache: Place the milk chocolate
in a medium-size heatproof bowl.
11. In a small saucepan over
low heat, whisk together the
heavy cream and malt powder.
Bring the mixture to a simmer
(tiny bubbles will form around the
edges of the cream; it should not
be a rolling boil). Remove from
the heat and pour over the milk
chocolate. Let the mixture stand
for 2 minutes. Starting in the
center of the bowl and working
your way out to the edges, whisk
the chocolate ganache in a circle
until completely smooth.
12. To begin assembling the
tart: Gently pour the ganache
into the cooled tart shell. Top with
crushed malted milk balls and 1
cup caramelized crunchies. Very
gently press the crushed malt
balls and caramelized crunchies
into the ganache. Refrigerate the
tart while you make the malted
diplomat cream.
13. Make the malted diplomat
cream: Set a fi ne-mesh sieve over
a medium bowl.
14. In a medium saucepan,
bring the milk to a simmer and
keep warm.
15. In a medium bowl, whisk
the sugar, egg yolk, egg, corn-
starch and malted milk powder
together until the mixture is pale,
about 1 minute.
16. Whisk half of the warm milk
into the egg yolk mixture, then
pour the mixture into the remain-
ing milk in the saucepan and
cook over medium heat, whisking
constantly, until thickened, about
5 minutes. Remove from heat and
whisk in the butter and vanilla.
Strain the pastry cream through
the sieve and press a piece of plas-
tic wrap directly onto the surface
THE OBSERVER & BAKER CITY HERALD — B3
of the cream to prevent a skin
from forming. Refrigerate about 1
hour until chilled.
17. Remove the pastry cream
from the refrigerator and whip
until creamy. In a separate
bowl, whip the heavy cream
with a whisk (or use an electric
mixer) until soft peaks form. Fold
whipped cream into the pastry
cream.
18. Finish assembling the tart:
Remove the tart from the refriger-
ator and cover the milk chocolate
malt layer with the malted dip-
lomat cream. Garnish with a few
whole malt balls and caramelized
crispies. Refrigerate the tart to set
up, about 30 minutes. The tart can
be stored, tightly covered, in the
refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Per serving (based on 12): 555
calories; 29 g fat; 19 g saturated
fat; 89 mg cholesterol; 6 g protein;
69 g carbohydrate; 47 g sugar; 1
g fi ber; 175 mg sodium; 493 mg
calcium
— Recipe from “Baked Explora-
tions” by Matt Lewis and Renato
Poliafi to
CHOCOLATE
ORANGE
TRUFFLES
Yield: 24 servings
1/3 cup heavy cream
16 ounces white chocolate,
chopped, divided
2 tablespoons butter
4 teaspoons orange liqueur,
such as Cointreau, Grand
Marnier or triple sec
1/4 cup candied orange peel,
fi nely chopped, see note
2 ounces semisweet chocolate,
coarsely chopped
Note: Candied orange peel is
available online. If you want to
make it yourself, peel an orange
and slice the peel into strips
1/8 inch wide. Blanch peel in
boiling water three times for 30
seconds each time, changing
the water each time. Mix 3/4
cup granulated sugar with 1/2
cup water, and add peels. Bring
to a boil and boil until rapid,
small bubbles cover the entire
surface of the liquid, about 10
minutes. Remove peels with
a fork and immediately place
in a plate of granulated sugar.
Flip peels to cover both sides
with sugar, and press peels
into the sugar to completely
saturate them. Let stand 30
minutes before chopping.
1. Make ganache by putting
the cream into a small saucepan
and heat to just below boiling
point. Stir in half of the white
chocolate (8 ounces) and the
butter until smooth. Add the
liqueur and orange peel, then
transfer the mixture to a bowl
and refrigerate until fi rm. This
may take several hours.
2. Line a baking sheet with
parchment paper. Using a tea-
spoon, scoop up small amounts
of ganache, shape into balls with
your hands and place on the
baking sheet.
3. Melt the remaining 8 ounces
white chocolate in a heatproof
bowl set over a saucepan of barely
simmering water, making sure
the surface of the water does not
touch the bowl. Let cool for a few
minutes — do not skip this step or
the chocolate will seize.
4. If the balls of ganache soften
before you are ready to dip them
in the melted white chocolate
(step 5), place them in the refriger-
ator until fi rm or place them in the
freezer for 10 minutes.
5. Using a fork, dip each ga-
nache ball into the melted white
chocolate, then return to the
lined baking sheet. Return to the
refrigerator until set.
6. Melt the semisweet choc-
olate as above and let cool for a
few minutes. Spoon the melted
semisweet chocolate into a small
pastry bag fi tted with a thin pip-
ing tip, or into a resealable plastic
bag with a very small corner cut
off . Pipe fi ne lines onto each truf-
fl e and let set. Store the truffl es in
an airtight container in a cool, dry
place for up to 1 week.
Per serving: 150 calories; 8 g fat;
5 g saturated fat; 8 mg cholesterol;
1 g protein; 15 g carbohydrate; 15
g sugar; 1 g fi ber; 17 mg sodium;
41 mg calcium
— Recipe from “Chocolat” by
Eric Lanlard
CHOCOLATE-
DIPPED
STRAWBERRIES
Yield: 12 servings
2 pints strawberries
2 tablespoons vegetable
shortening, such as Crisco
6 ounces semisweet chocolate,
chopped or chocolate chips
Wash and dry strawberries,
leaving stems intact. In double
boiler over hot, not boiling, water,
melt shortening with chocolate.
Dip in berries to cover about one-
half of the fruit. Place on cookie
sheet and refrigerate until set.
Per serving: 110 calories; 6 g fat;
3 g saturated fat; no cholesterol; 1
g protein; 14 g carbohydrate; 14 g
sugar; 2 g fi ber; 2 mg sodium; 14
mg calcium
— Recipe from “Glamour’s
Gourmet on the Run”
SOFT CANDY
CARAMELS
Yield: 81 servings
2 cups light corn syrup
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup fi rmly packed light
brown sugar
2 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup condensed milk
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter,
at room temperature,
cut into cubes
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt or fl eur de sel
1. Lightly spray a 9-inch square
baking pan with nonstick cooking
spray and line it with aluminum
foil, allowing the foil to just over-
hang on the sides. Lightly coat the
foil with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a medium saucepan,
gently stir together the corn syrup
and both sugars along with 1/4
cup water. Set the saucepan over
low heat and continue to stir gen-
tly until the sugars dissolve (avoid
sloshing the sides of the pan).
Once the sugar has dissolved,
clip a candy thermometer to the
side of the pan, turn the heat up
to medium-high and wait for the
mixture to reach 240 to 245 de-
grees. Keep a watchful eye on the
temperature while you proceed
with the next step — you do not
want it to exceed 250 degrees.
3. Meanwhile, in a small
saucepan, stir together the cream
and condensed milk and set over
medium heat. Gently warm the
mixture; do not let it boil.
4. Once the sugar mixture turns
amber, remove it from the heat
and stir in the butter and warm
milk mixture until completely
combined (be careful about
splattering; it usually bubbles up
when you add the milk mixture).
Place the pan back on medium
heat, stop stirring, and bring
the mixture back to 245 to 250
degrees.
5. Remove the pan from the
heat, stir in the vanilla and salt,
and pour the caramel into the
prepared pan. Allow the candy to
set for 8 hours, or overnight.
6. To cut and wrap the cara-
mels, place a sheet of parchment
over the caramel and invert it
onto a cutting surface. Remove
the aluminum foil.
7. Spray a chef’s knife with
nonstick cooking spray or care-
fully rub a tiny bit of vegetable
shortening along the blade. Cut
the caramels into 1-inch squares
and immediately wrap them in
waxed paper or candy papers.
Twist the ends of the papers to
resemble old-school candies. The
caramels will keep in an airtight
container at room temperature for
up to 10 days.
Per serving: 70 calories; 2 g fat;
2 g saturated fat; 7 mg cholesterol;
1 g protein; 13 g carbohydrate; 13
g sugar; no fi ber; 25 mg sodium;
13 mg calcium
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