I can always count on my cinnamon roll recipe but baking, other than cookies, can be a challenge at holiday time. There was a decidedly un-holiday Yule log one year. And there have been cakes that were less than a hit.
This year I chose a maple walnut tart recipe from Fine Cooking magazine and waded in. I didn't have a fluted tart pan with removable rim. I used a springform pan instead.
I also did not have maple extract and the recipe called for both maple syrup and maple extract. We, however, keep really good maple syrup on hand from the Sugar Shack on U.S. 2 in the Upper Peninsula. I used walnuts that are marketed by Ferris Coffee and Nut Company out of Grand Rapids. Those two ingredients, I decided, would make this a made in Michigan specialty.
So I gave the recipe a try and, lo and behold, it was a wonderful success. Clay took my picture with the luscious tart before we cut it. John made vanilla sweetened whipped cream and we enjoyed a gooey pastry, unlike anything that I have baked before.
Copyright 2012
Wanda Hayes Eichler
Wanda I have been reading your posts. You are a good writer among many other qualities. I am sort of homebound since Sept. as I had knee surgery "went bad". I have had complications beyond what I had expected and now have foot drop as a result and hope this all gets better before spring as I cannot drive like this. I want to get back to my cottage where life is a bit different than here in the city with all the fire trucks zipping past my home in Shelby Twp. which is now a 4 laner and used to be a dirt road years ago. We were country when we moved here and now we have grown into a full blown city with all the bells and whistles. I have lots of time to roam around the house and if someone doesn't call and say, 'do you want to go out' I long for something to do. I got an email from you about the sock knit from the toe up and it interested me. I have spent about 3 hours just pratcing the 'Judy's Magic Cast On' I didn't get it but after hours of repeating the video, I GET IT. But, I was trying to practice with double pointed needles and I just went to a circular one and it's much better for me to understand. I'm not good with circular so I'm not sure when I actually start the sock what I'm going to do. Well, thank you for your blog I really am enjoying it.
ReplyDeleteLeona Van Steenkiste