# Carmel Apples



## w.debord (Mar 6, 2001)

It's that time of year and I have a ton of apples from my trees. I made some carmel apples at home useing purchased carmels. Even though I followed the dirrections (2 T h20 added per bag of carmels) written on the package and the apples looked great the first day eventually the carmel started to sag downward into a puddle. I thought about using the carmels w/out the h2o but I think I did that before with-out positive results too. 


I have a couple new recipes (which I haven't tried yet) specificly for carmel apples but I'm rather hesitant to make them. I'm hoping one of you might have a tried and true recipe for the carmel that won't sink off the apples with time? Anyone?


----------



## kimmie (Mar 13, 2001)

Hey Wendy,

This recipe is from Martha Stewart. Tried and true not by me but a friend of mine. I haven't seen her results but she says that the recipe worked well.

Caramel Lady Apples










12 lady apples, washed and stemmed 
2 cups hazelnuts, toasted, peeled, and chopped 
1 cup sugar 
1/4 cup dark corn syrup 
1 cup heavy cream 
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1. Insert a 5-inch dowel or popsicle stick into the top of each apple. Place hazelnuts in a small bowl.

2. Place sugar, corn syrup, cream, and butter in a small
saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Continue cooking until the temperature registers 245° on a candy thermometer, 10 to 12 minutes. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Remove saucepan from heat, and briefly plunge it into ice water to stop the cooking. Dip one apple into the caramel, coat the top and sides using a spoon, and roll the bottom in the nuts. Transfer to a serving platter. Repeat with the remaining apples.

I hope it works for you.



[ September 17, 2001: Message edited by: Kimmie ]


----------



## angrychef (Jan 15, 2001)

Hi Wendy. I remember having this discussion on the other forum. Do you still have the recipe I gave you? I make about 500 every Octobe/November and never had a problem. I remember the first year I had to do them I did it with purchased caramels---it took longer to unwrap all the darn little candies than it did to melt and dip the apples! I finally came upon a recipe in Chocolatier magazine and it's been a keeper. Yell if ya need it and I'll post it.


----------



## monpetitchoux (Apr 24, 2001)

I never could understand what the appeal of candied and caramel apples are. Well, maybe caramel apples aren't so mystifying because I could simply eat the caramel. But candied apples look yucky to me and don't taste any better. Perhaps you can tell me why they appeal to you?


----------



## anneke (Jan 5, 2001)

They were served at every single birthday party when I was a kid, and yet, to this day, I've never had a single one. Doesn't appeal to me either. I just think if you're going to mess with apples, they should be cooked.


----------



## w.debord (Mar 6, 2001)

I thought I had this issue resolved but when I searched thru my files I couldn't find a recipe with any personal notes on it to guide me. Now that you mention Dana, I sure do remember.

The recipe I have from Chocolatier is:

1 c. sugar
1 c. heavy cream
2/3 c. lt. corn syrup
8 T butter
1/8 t salt
1 t vanilla


Is that the right one d.?

Thanks Kimmie, I was between that recipe from Martha and the Chocolatier recipe, those were the recipes I was referring to.


As far as why anyone would like carmel apples, perhaps you've only seen or had store bought ones... mine don't even come close to resembling the pale tiny ones you see at the grocery store.

I make mine with several different combinations of toppings that are terrific. My freinds, family and clients love them!
The sweet carmel, crunchy toffee, chocolate and slightly tart juicey apples are a great flavor and texture combo! You can't know what your missing if you haven't tasted them...

P.S. It's appeal isn't to far off from chocolate dipped strawberries or other fruits. Sweet, tart and juicey.


----------



## kimmie (Mar 13, 2001)

Wow Wendy,

When you figure it out, are you willing to share?

Shhhhht, I won't tell anyone...


----------



## w.debord (Mar 6, 2001)

We're still eating the ones with store bought carmel...but when I make them again in a week or two I'll let you know Kimmie how the chocolatier recipe worked.


----------



## kimmie (Mar 13, 2001)

Thanks Wendy, I look forward.

BTW, I have quite a few Chocolatier at home. Can you tell me where is the recipe?


----------



## angrychef (Jan 15, 2001)

Here's my working recipe in weights:
sugar 7 oz.
cream 1/2 c.
corn syrup 8 oz.
butter 4 oz.
salt 1/8 t.
vanilla 1 t.
cream 1/2 c.
Bring first 5 ingredients to a boil. Wash down pot and boil until soft ball(242 F). Add last amount of cream and boil to 250F. Remove from heat, add vanilla and stir. Start dipping apples.
Pour out the leftover caramel onto a greased sheetpan, you can cut into small pieces for eating.
The Chocolatier issue was October 1998.


----------



## w.debord (Mar 6, 2001)

Thanks Angry! If I was 7 minutes earilier I could have saved you some typing d. 

It's the same recipe I posted above, same issue of Chocolatier, Oct. 1998.

Have you ever made the red candy apples from the same article? My Mom used to make these when I was very young. I'm thinking about making them for old times sake but how the heck did we bite thru them?


----------



## angrychef (Jan 15, 2001)

Yeah, I just add red food coloring to my recipe. I think I did try the other recipe and it turned out fine too. People love the caramel/peanuts and caramel/chocolate vermicelli and also toffee.


----------



## kimmie (Mar 13, 2001)

Thank you, Wendy.


----------



## w.debord (Mar 6, 2001)

I also put chopped butterscotch bits and mini c.c. in with my toffee mixture to stretch it out since toffee cost so much. Or drizzle choc. on the sides like the store bought ones that go for $15.00 an apple. I never thought about jimmies before, I bet kids would love those with some halloween decos. 

Do you have to wrap them? How does a catering company use so many? It seems abit unusual unless you do alot of bar mitzvahs...?

Have you noticed you can't buy toffee at any grocery stores anymore? I can't find heath or score bars anywhere. I have my own toffee recipe I like alot but sometimes it's nice to buy a small amount...


----------



## angrychef (Jan 15, 2001)

We only do them around the fall. You know, harvest type menus with lots of pies, pumkin/apple stuff and caramel apples. I send them out in a sheet pan which sits in a transit box. If I have to do a small amount I would wrap them, since they do look cute all wrapped up with a nice ribbon.
I make my own toffee in full sized sheetpans. The Spago chocolate book has a great recipe which I use. I can get Skor toffee bits in bulk from Ambassador, which is convenient when you need lots of it.


----------



## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

Hi all,
Since we are now making fudge, we find it easy to dip the apples. We then roll them in nuts and sort. Our best seller, we coat with peanut butter, dip in caramel, and then chocolate fudge and roll. 7-9 bucks, can you believe that!
If ya'll ever make some fudge you should try this. I don't know, this may be common?
my 2 cnts.
Jeff


----------



## w.debord (Mar 6, 2001)

Hum, I would guess when you dip the apple in the carmel it's sticky strength would pull off anything you had previously put on the apple and gunk up your carmel. So fudge clings nicely to apples, cool idea...peanut butter fudge and apples, yum...I can imagine all the combos!

Panini the average grocery stores sells these apples for $15.00 in my area. I've seen them in candy shops and catalogs for up to $25.00 an apple! I saw one catalog where they wrote theirs weights like 2lb per apple. That's a mighty big apple!


----------



## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

WOW! thats good info. I really had nothing to compare them to. The ones I've seen have been done in chocolate. They are about the only things I will indulge in. The PB Car.Choco,man!. We use a ,oh great, brain fart, I can't think of the name of the apple we use. You should try it, actually I would like to send some to somebody to see if they ship. Interested Wendy? I get 10-15 requests for shipping a week.
Jeff


----------



## coolj (Dec 12, 2000)

Am I ready these post right ?, are caramel apples selling between $7 and $25 dollars a piece ?.


----------



## w.debord (Mar 6, 2001)

I can't see why they wouldn't ship? I'll e-mail you my address. Put a thin piece of bubble wrap around the apple and box it. As far as temp. I've bought perishable stuff from hot climates and sent items to relatives in FL, you just ask UPS not to leave any packages at the door. It's been awhile, but as I recall they were really easy (UPS) dealing with perishables. Get one of those rubber stamps that say "perishable" or stickers for your boxes.

CoolJ you can't get that for little regular old carmel apples with peanuts. You've got to dress them up. That's what they ask (of course that's why I make my own too), the darn things get pretty big once you put a ton of toffee and chocolate on them. 

P.S. I made the carmel recipe from chocolatier....soooo much better than store bought carmels besides taste, no sag the day later.


----------



## isa (Apr 4, 2000)

Wendy,


In the latest issue of Chocolatier there is an article, with recipes, on caramel apple.


----------



## w.debord (Mar 6, 2001)

Boy, I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong but I can't land carmel apples (at home). The first time I made them (after it was way too late I realized my thermometer was totally off/like broken, so I guessed at my stage and over heated), then I made them today (with a new candy thermometer) and I still screwed up.

I know I hit my temp. right. Put the pot in a ice bath for a min. or so to stop the cooking. Dipped the first 5 apples everything is fine then as the carmel cools down the butter starts to seperate. So then the carmel won't stick at all to the apples and leaves them with a film of butter. Even the extra carmel I put on wax paper is fine (tasting and consistancy) but there is a ridge of butter film around it.

There's only 2 things I can think that went wrong. First I used salted butter, because that's what I have at home. Second my own home grown apples aren't waxed (even though that's not supposed to be good for dipping), but I've found exceptions in how my produce lasts compared to store produce.

Angry, I'm using the recipe from Chocolatier, can you tell me where I'm going wrong? Can it be salted butter? NA ,that just doesn't make enough sense....what do you think? I'm not stirring when it's cooking and only a little after to mix in the vanilla....?


----------



## angrychef (Jan 15, 2001)

I have had the caramel separate only once, and I think I added a bit of cream to try and bring it back together. I'm sorry, I don't know the reason why, but it would be a good thing to find out why. Even if the butter was salted, it would not have made a difference because there is salt in the original recipe. When your mixture is boiling, in the beginning it looks like it's broken, but once you boil to the right temp. everything smoothes out. I dip all the way to the top of the apple so it clings to the stick and the caramel does not have a chance of slipping.


----------



## momoreg (Mar 4, 2000)

I've had caramel sauce separate that way, and I think it's less likely if the butter is added gradually, rather than all at once, so it has a chance to incorporate. Maybe you can add a bit less butter next time, too.


----------



## w.debord (Mar 6, 2001)

Momoreg the butter is cooked from the beginning with your sugars and 1/2 the amount of cream. I was VERY light with my stirring, but thats what the recipe calls for through-out. How much do you stir Dana?

I dip all the way up (for the same reason, to cling to the stick) and that actually helps, it was as I progressed the carmel held to the top but not on the bottom. That did work out because I coaxed the carmel down around the base with my hands once it was cool. 

But it was when the carmel cooled down that the butter began to seperate. Adding cream sounds like a good idea, next time I'll keep some hot and ready to go. I stupidly attempted to re-warm it thinking it would come back together, ha... that just severely exasperated the seperation. So then it's not the cooling down that causes it, right (that make sense to you?)?

Maybe then, it's the heat remaining in the carmel that continues cooking it forcing out the butter and I should stop short of the firm ball (I rather believe this is necessary because it takes a bit to stop the cooking even in an ice bath) because as long as it's hot it's cooking...? Does that make any sense to you? 

I kind of wonder if the recipe needs a bit more cream or less butter, if that's where the problem stems from? When I think about carmel sauces (of varying thickness I've made thru out the years) I can't recall one that had such a large quantity of butter... .


----------



## angrychef (Jan 15, 2001)

The recipe I posted ---I make in quantity x8. I cook it in a big pot and after it reaches the desired temp. I remove from heat and immediately start dipping. I don't worry about cooling down the caramel because the apples do that eventually. Maybe your caramel is too cool and that's why it doesn't cling. When I add the second addition of cream I stir a little bit to incorporate and then once it starts to boil I leave it alone.


----------



## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

Years ago when BIG caramel apples hit the market I was at the NYC Fancy Food Show....one of the apple guys had granny smiths dipped and said they would last 6 weeks....I was amazed at the shelf life. In St. Louis one of our Candy makers has a bionic apple that is the precurser to FALL....$3.98 and tart, sweet, crisp and chewy Plus it's great with pecans sprinkled on it.


----------



## w.debord (Mar 6, 2001)

"Sundance", Robert Redfords' catalog has them (not too fancy)packaged 3 for $44. plus shipping........


----------



## momoreg (Mar 4, 2000)

That catalog has the most insane prices!!


----------



## isa (Apr 4, 2000)

There is a taffy lady apples in Gale Gand's new book. Want the recipe?


----------



## w.debord (Mar 6, 2001)

Thanks Isa, I'm planning on buying her book. Is it interesting, I haven't seen it yet?


----------



## isa (Apr 4, 2000)

I love making miniature pastry, I find it very zen. If the idea on a tart or a cake the size of a quarter doesn’t appeal to you stay away from this book.

I received the book yesterday. I did a first quick read and now I am going through it slowly, making a recipe selection. Whenever I get a new cookbook, I always put little piece of white paper on each page that has a recipe I’d like to try. Once done, if there are only a few pieces of paper I tell myself it’s not worth the price of the book. So far there are many little white paper so it’s a keeper.

The book is divided into eight sections (cookie bites, cake bites, creamy bites, candy bites, frozen bites, chocolate bites, fruity bites and cheese bites). Sometime you can question the organisation of the book but it’s just a detail really. Who cares if coconut chocolate bars is in the candy section instead of the chocolate chapter. The important is that the recipes are good, and they seem to be.

What would I try first? The Milano cookie looks good. So does the ginger snappers and the whippets know as marshmallow moons here. Let’s not forget candies or cakes. Apple spice cakes, raspberry ruby jelly. As you see there is quite a selection of recipes, something for everyone.

There is one thing that really bothers me in this book. There are many chocolate candy recipes but the author never advice to temper the chocolate she just say to melt it. This goes against everything I know. How can you make chocolate and not temper it? 

The book has over 25 colour pictures of finish products. Not essential but it helps. I don’t quite understand this new fashion of having the background blurred, specially not when there are other items in the background.


----------



## w.debord (Mar 6, 2001)

Isa, I went to the book store yesterday to find her book and they said it won't be out until next week. How did you get it? You must be in the book publishing "biz", are you?

I did buy Cladia Flemmings book and saw the new one from Chocolat (can't think of her name this second) but didn't buy it. Now I'm not sure if I'm so happy with my purchase. I only looked thru it (was in a hurry) briefly. Every dessert seems to have a 'cooking' spice or herb in it. I'm in the other camp, traditional dessert lover. Basil ice cream SCARES me....oh the torment.... my group seems to get smaller and smaller.............anyone out there on the traditional side anymore?


----------



## angrychef (Jan 15, 2001)

Wendy, your not alone. Once in a while it is good to think up of new groundbreaking creative stuff, but I'm one of those people that prefers plain ole coffee ice cream over sevruga caviar with a saffron sorbet-kinda-dessert. However, I would love to try one of Claudia's desserts because she's highly touted in the pastry world. I would love to try and be more creative about flavor combinations and possibilities with spices not commonly used in desserts, but that also depends on the type of clientele one has and if they are willing to try new different flavors.


----------



## isa (Apr 4, 2000)

Wendy,


The online bookstore in Canada was selling Gale Gand’s book this week. I had a gift certificate so I bought it. 

I was looking forward to Claudia Flemming’s The Last Course. I can’t believe it won’t live up to it’s expectations. Basil ice cream is not my cup of tea. I do want to try chocolate infused with fines herbes. I hear it is very good. 

You’ll like Gale’s book she is more traditional in her dessert. Don’t expect traditional French either. I don’t know why but on second thought I’m a bit disappointed. Can’t figure why at this point though. Could be that it is not as exciting as I was hoping, not that it’s not a nice book. Guess I can't make up my mind tonight. Do you have Gale Gand's other book? If so how is it?

What chocolate book are you talking about? Is it Alice Medrich? Is it good? I must go to the bookstore soon, all those new books just waiting….


----------



## w.debord (Mar 6, 2001)

Yes it's Alice Medrich who has a new book out. It's not bad certainly more classic in ingredients than Flemmings book. Yet I didn't really see anything I would use so I didn't buy it. But it's me that's the problem! I guess I've out grown somethings and am looking for something I'm not going to find so easily.

Claudias' book is very contempory yet not over the edge in presentation. Basicly what's happening with flavoring like in Pastry Art & Design but with simplier plating. 

I do have Gale Gands first book (Butter, Flour, Eggs or something like that). I haven't really worked out of it. I appreciate her classic sensablity but I recognized her recipes from other sources. Like her lemon buttercups are a recipe I've used over 18 years now. She isn't doing anything new for me to learn from at this point in my pastry education.

I heard guest chefs on Sara Moltons show yesterday talking about desserts. They made a whole meal and then when they demo'ed dessert from their restaurants menu they said they prefer to do something simple. They all kind of chuckled that they're not crazy about bluring the lines between entree and dessert as is the trend now using herbs like basil in desserts. Finally something I can relate to.


----------



## isa (Apr 4, 2000)

Have you looked at In The Sweet Kitchen Wendy? I’m quite sure you would like the book. It’s classic “dessert flavouring” except for a few unusual pairing. She does not use too many flavours in her dessert. Nothing I hate more than a dessert with five or six different flavours, you end up not tasting anything. 


Alice Medrich new book isn’t available here yet it’s probably a good thing. The last thing I need is another chocolate book. I already have a few, four or five… My favourite is The Chocolate Bible. Among other things it contains quite a few chocolate candies. And the cakes, too die for really.


----------



## w.debord (Mar 6, 2001)

Schroomgirl mentioned the book on another post so I did look it up at the store to check it out. Too basic at this point, for me. Or perhaps I just own too many similar baking books. 

I remember poking fun of all the chocolatier books like "finales" or "neo classical desserts" etc....wierd thing is that I've been going to them alot now as my references. Their components all break down nicely into what ever application I want. They seem rather classic in my head now, which I never would have dreamed of. So maybe I'll change my mind about some of the books I've passed on buying at a later date. But for now Claudias' book goes back.


I really sat down with it last night to evaluate it. She really does alot of ice cream and sorbet!!! There's really only a handful of baked goods. About a dozen cookies, 4 or 5 cakes and it's amazing heavy with frozen items and extremely basic sugar enhanced fruit compotes. Although it does make sense that a person so into dance would eat desserts so light (and good for you). Although I wouldn't mind having more sorbet references I think I'm going to return the book. 

I'd rather have J. Bellouets new tart book or a couple other pro books I noticed in the JB Prince catalog.

I have the chocolate bible too, which recipes are you favorites?


----------



## isa (Apr 4, 2000)

I wouldn’t know where to start Wendy, I think I like all the recipes, eventually I’ll make them all I’m sure. Have you tried any of his cakes? Or chocolates? And the petits fours, a fantastic book.

Now for Claudia Fleming, I got it this afternoon, couldn’t resist it, I haven't read it all but so far I am impress. I think Gale Gand will go back. I’m more stimulated by The Last Course. Wait I’m having a vision…. I see Kimmie buying a copy. 

I couldn’t believe my eyes when I opened it. Really have another look Wendy. It’s great. I’m trying to see it as you did, lots of compote and ice desserts. True but look at the flavours. I just can’t help being fascinated by the audacity of some of her pairing, I can understand where she is coming from and where she is going and it does make sense. Strangely enough I am attracted by the strawberry and tarragon. The pineapple and pink peppercorn. It’s a book that stimulate you, pushes you forward with new ideas. I could talk about all her recipes, pine nut tart with rosemary, lavender honey cake, coconut tapioca soup.... She is not the first pastry chef to incorporate herbs in her desserts, it must be good otherwise I certainly wouldn’t stay on her menu.


P.S. What did you think of her chocolate recipes? Chocolate caramel tart with fleur de sel, white chocolate espresso tart, earl grey truffles, can hardly wait to try them all.


----------



## w.debord (Mar 6, 2001)

I looked thru it again this evening. Her lemon poppy shortbread looks nice and so do several of her sorbets and ice creams.But I have no one to sell these type of desserts to. It's way over the heads of the average diner, I can't sell her work and it WON'T sell in most places only the very very top places can move these types of desserts. And I'm not sure I'd want to, even at home I'd much rather eat more classic pairings. My taste buds aren't that bored. I'm not ready for basil ice cream as a dessert course, intermesso sure, fine. I'm also not into gelatinized desserts, in very small quantities fine but a whole dessert is too much for me, I'd rather eat jello.

Actually her pairings are rather comlimentary to each other, nothing new. Nothing different then whats in every issue of pastry art & design and some of it looks very inspired by Trotter. For me it didn't have alot of NEW ideas happening, in fact there are two items that are obvious copies of others published work. 

I thought her chocolate tart looked clunkie coming from a pro. She does a couple of espresso items but she acheives the taste by leaving the grounds in. We discussed this on another thread. I would rather not eat coffee grounds. 

I think it's a work in progress actually. I'd like to see her take some of her items and work them in with more classical pairings as the ying and yang. Herme pulls it off.


----------



## kimmie (Mar 13, 2001)

I did, I did purchase it. Yep! A new kitchen requires at least one new book!!!  

- Chocolate caramel tart with fleur de sel
- White chocolate espresso tart
- Earl grey truffles
- Pineapples and pink peppercorn

and a few of her recipes with apples are all on my "ToDo List"!


Isa: I've made strawberry jam with tarragon a few years ago and it's amazing.


----------



## isa (Apr 4, 2000)

I always knew I had psychic abilities.  


I can understand your point of having no one to sell those desserts to. It’s not a consideration for me. By the way how are things going for you since you quit your job?


I find this book challenging and exciting. It takes a certain audacity to mixes herbs like she does and it makes me curious what will bay leaves taste of in a creme caramel? I don’t know why but I want to try it.


Yes Kimmie the roasted pineapple looks great, so do the apricots with chamomile. I’m curious about the black pepper ice cream. And I could go on and on.


----------



## w.debord (Mar 6, 2001)

I'm really enjoying the time off! Getting alot done around the house, etc... my husband maybe enjoying it too much....I actually cook dinner every night (and do laundry AND clean house, yeks!). It's been fun cooking again, we used to eat carry out all the time since I didn't arrive home until after 7 p.m.. At first it was like I forgot how to cook. Now I'm having a blast.
I even bought a new cookbook (not a baking book). It's called 'Diners' on American diners, really really good so far (for that style of cooking)! 

Do you taste the recipe in your head? I totally visualize and taste each recipe. Bay leaf in my custard, not a chance, it's too strong and not a stand alone flavor for my palate. There are other non traditional herbs/seasoning I can see with custard like currys, safron or teas and most veggies, but bay leaf gags my thoughts unless it's seasoning a veg/savory custard. My tongue likes experimentation with h.ds', interest and excitement in dinner but harmony in dessert. Then it leaves happy and un-assaulted, ready for relaxation.


Pepper is fine in desserts too, but my mind can only see it in certain applications. I don't mind it with sweet fruits, but in ice cream, no thanks.


----------



## isa (Apr 4, 2000)

I’m so glad you’re enjoying yourself Wendy. Must be nice for a change to have the time to cook what you like when you want. Plus you get to sleep in.

I do try to imagine the taste in my head. To help me visualise it, I can’t resist licking the spatula once I’m done. An habit I got as a kid, my mother always let us lick the bowl clean…

If you like saffron I’m sure you’ll try the saffron rice pudding. The recipe that trouble me the most, I can already hear Kimmie disagreeing with me, is the truffled rice pudding. I could understand truffle with chocolate, a more earthy flavour mind you it would probably be too overpowering so I guess she’s right to use it with milder flavours. 

If you think of wines, and all the different aromas you can find it in from spices to fruits and vegetables. Why not push it a bit and use those flavours in your desserts. It’s not too far fetch, is it?

Not everyone will agree with her uses of herbs with desserts, most people won’t be willing to try. But then would it stay on the menu if it wasn’t selling? I tried to get my mother to taste chocolate with fleur de sel, to see if the idea appealed to her, it didn’t. She said she didn’t care for it. I think it makes the chocolate tastier. With her reaction I’ll never get her to try a bay leaf creme caramel or pepper ice cream.

I need to get an idea of how it taste. I will try to seep a bay leaf in a bit of milk to see how it taste. I’ll do the same with pepper. As you get older your taste buds loose some of their abilities, keeping this in mind, those people might enjoy having stronger flavour in their dessert. My father might be a good candidate for pepper ice cream. I’ll have to run the idea by him.


Now I really need to go make some fruitcakes…..


----------



## kimmie (Mar 13, 2001)

Absolutely not, Isa. 

Concerning the Truffled Rice Pudding, I would try just a very tiny batch, like 1 portion or 2 at best!


----------



## isa (Apr 4, 2000)

Let me know when you try it Kimmie, I'll want a full report.  I forgot to steep milk with bay leaf this afternoon, I will do it eventually.


All this discussion reminded me of a similar one about vanilla in savoury dish. If lobster can be served with vanilla how far fetch is it to think spices and herbs traditionally used with savoury food can be used with sweets. 


This whole topic is really getting to me, in a good way. I'm very curious about this whole approach.


----------



## kimmie (Mar 13, 2001)

Isa,

When I make it, I will make sure you taste it...

BTW, even though I really do prefer lobster in it's most simple form, I must admit that lobster with vanilla sauce is really quite good, especially the one made by Chef Normand Laprise at Le Toqué! Restaurant.

:lips:


----------

