Well...it has been ages since my last post, therefore I am feeling like a beginner all over again. 2006 was not a very good year for me and my family, thankfully it is ending soon. From now on, I will try to write posts more often.
The first of a list of kitchen adventures in an experimental manner, was the Banoffee (banana-toffee) pie. Such a divine taste, such an easy put-together recipe and such a hard-to-find ingredient! This combination has kept me from trying it for a long time. Dulce de leche is a caramelized milk product native to south america as you may know. But what you may not know is that, it is literally impossible to find in europe and mediterranean coast. Except France maybe, which has its own milk product: confiture de lait. I was already tempted to try banoffee pie even before I tasted it for the first time this summer. It was sinfully delicious and I made my mind up to boil the cans whatever the result may be. After some search over the internet, I learned that the famous pie was an invention of a british pub called "the hungry monk" and invaded the world from there. As for dulce de leche, there were different options: boiling an unopened can of sweetened-condensed milk for 3 hours, baking the milk in the oven or in the microwave... the list goes on but I chose the first way (and the hardest:-)
As long as you keep the can submerged in the water it seems safe enough. I used a deep pot with a lid which I kept half closed during cooking to prevent evaporation. After the boiling started, I set the heat to medium and it took exactly three hours to reach the optimum consistency for dulce de leche. In case you want to try the process, it is important to leave the can in the water until it cools throughly. Then you can safely open the can and meet this heavenly sight:
After the first attempt it started to seem kind of easy, even quick(!) to me that it became a routine to boil two-three cans at the same time. You can come and see my pantry:-) It is really a life saver when you have unexpected guests or a sudden urge to eat something sweet. Goes very well in cheesecake or ice cream....and on its own of course.- a medium package of digestive biscuits
- 75 grs melted butter
- 2 bananas
- 200ml whipped cream (you may add a package of cream cheese also)
- 1 cup (250 grs) dulce de leche (commercial or the homemade type)
- banana slices or cocoa for garnish
Start by finely chopping digestive biscuits in your food processor. Combine with melted butter and press to the bottom of a 24-26 cm pie plate. Leave the plate in the fridge until the butter hardens. Then spread dulce de leche over the biscuit base and cover with banana slices. Top with whipped cream and garnish with additional banana or chopped nuts. Allow to cool at least two hours in the fridge. Enjoy thin slices:-)
I'm so glad to see you back! And this looks lovely. I bought Dulce de Leche in Spain, but haven't used it yet - and I have *not* tried making my own. Does it store well, once made?
Hello Anne, it's nice to be back, thank you:-)Actually I read at the web site of the pub which created this pie, that it keeps indefinitely once you boiled the can. If you consider the sugar content and the lack of air inside, it sounds logical that it will really keep for a very long time, if not indefinitely.Does it have the same thick consistency the one you bought from Spain? If so, try it at once! Sometimes I think that it is better that I don't have the chance to buy, imagine the consumption:-)
Nice to see you blogging again! Haven't boiled condensed milk for ages, but I think it is about time I'd try it again.
Hope things work out for you and your family!
Hello Pille, thank you for your nice comment. I still have the hope toı meet you someday, perhaps at your next visit to Greece:-) greetings!
Thank you for the tips on dulce de leche, good as a warming winter spread esp. for children.. Welcome back Tulin :)
Welcome Betul! So nice to be back again. Dulce de leche is a source of full energy as you said. Hope the children would like that. If you keep it in the fridge a little while, it gets so tough that you can cut in cubes and serve the kids as candy:-) Greetings...
Yay! You're back! I'm very glad. I'm making your aubergine salad right now! I'm sending you good thoughts, too!
Best,
Paz
Good Morning, Tülin. Paz has just sent me a note to point out that you are back ! Yeeahh ! So good to see you back on blogging. Will talk to you later (read: in the late evening), many hugs and as always sending good toughts to You and Your family, angelika
Hello Paz! It has been so long! I am so glad to see you back here and thank you for your support. Let me know about the salad, hope you will like it:-) Greetings...
Thin slices indeed...but it looks sooo good will I be able to stop at a thin slice.
Thanks Tanna, if you find the secret to stop at the first slice, I would like to know it please! :-)