Magazine Recipes

I surprisingly found myself at the library last week. My wandering took me a ways – all the way to the back issue magazines section – where I began to browse among the cooking magazines until I saw one that stopped me. I’d seen it before, too, so I knew that the craving was a double hit. There was the picture of a chocolate caramel tart that I really wanted to sink my teeth into.

Fortunately for me, I was able to organize a dinner party within the week, which was going to allow me to make said tart. All the dinner party attendees thought they were the fortunate ones as the tart was preceded by my own special purple potato gnocchi with hazelnut pesto, heirloom tomato and caramelized onion pizza, and baked ling cod. The fact that the dinner was pure whimsy and used only partial recipes or ‘idea-gathering’ from dozens heeded no casualties and I got pretty happy eaters. The rumor had spread that there was dessert, so most people eased off of dinner when that telephone game reached their ears.

I give all the credit to two sources: one, Marlow and Sons, in Brooklyn, NY, two, Saveur Magazine April 2009 issue, tucked away at the library in a difficult to find (unless the librarian explained the system to you) box behind a wooden compartment.

But, what can I say, I got the credit last weekend for an excellent tart, which is pretty easy, actually. The key is that you make the crust and let it sit then bake it, make the caramel and let it cool in the tart, then make the ganache and let that set up on top of the caramel that has cooled in the tart. Three easy steps, with a wait period between each one, and a delicious tart is yours. I think I’ll ‘wow’ the crowds again with that one. Or perhaps just myself right after lunch….