I like to think I travel vicariously through the things I bake.
New York, D.C., L.A, New Orleans, Honolulu, and an infinite number of places outside the United States are on my travel-to list, except I'm a poor college student and the timing isn't right and that's the way things are at the moment. But one day, I shall conquer the world and learn how to say
hello (and
where's the bathroom) in every language.
I like to check out cookbooks by famous bakeries and get a feel for what might be out there. Granted I can't use their locally sourced ingredients native to their specific terrain, nor can I remake a dessert with a master chef's expertise, but I like to try anyway. It's fun to imagine that one day, I can visit these places and compare the sweets I had made with the "real thing," so to speak.
Recently I had the chance to check out the lovely bakebook by Miette bakery. Miette is hailed as "the most charming pastry shop" in San Francisco. True to this wide acclaim, the book's pages are filled with pictures and recipes of the most darling cakes, macarons, and other irresistible treats.
Unfortunately, most of Miette's cakes are on a smaller, 6-inch scale. (I use 9-inch cake pans.) However, seeing as how I'm big on caramels these days, I decided to give the Miette version a try.
The Miette caramels are decidedly simpler to maneuver, and one recipe yields plenty of caramels. In my personal opinion, I like my first caramel recipe a tad better. Just a tad bit. Some of my friends and family have tried both caramels, and opinions are varied. But there's no denying people go crazy over homemade caramels, period.
Amazing caramels. Amazing recipe. Miette bakery, you're on my places to visit in California!
