Butterscotch and dolphins

Vacation is a little like a massage – it feels great and helps work out the tough spots, but sometimes you’re left a little sore. I guess it’s really the getting back from vacation that leaves me sore.

On a recent trip to Mexico, I worked out a lot of tough spots, and saw a lot of these guys:

And this:

But one of the most exciting things we did was this:

I was worried about swimming with the dolphins because I was concerned about their care and by purchasing a ticket to do so, I support the system that keeps them in this kind of captivity. And there’s no denying it’s a big tourism boost for Mexico. But the eco-park we visited, Xcaret! (pronounced 'Ish-ca-ret') was a wonderland of eco-tourism with well-cared for animals (jaguars, spider monkeys, manatees, rays, underground rivers to float down, snorkeling) with a team of young professionals who quelled my fears.

And when my daughter and I finally got in the pool to be with these amazing creatures, I cried. The camera man kept asking me to look at the camera for a photo and all I could do was look at the dolphin and weep. Having them swim between us was one of the most calming yet cathartic moments I will ever experience. And my daughter was giddy. Me? I cried some more.

A young couple in our group from Colombia was expecting their first child – she was eight months pregnant. When it came time for her kiss, the trainer had the dolphin kiss her belly. Everyone cheered. I wept like a baby. In a good way, of course.

Now, back at home, it’s time for Easter and Passover and new beginnings. My trip – and particularly that swim – renewed my spirit. And made me realize that nothing – good or bad – lasts forever. We move through, not around, to move on.

Don’t forget to join me this Saturday at Cook’s Warehouse in Midtown for a “Make Your Own Peeps” class – we’ll be exploring meringue and marshmallow and making miraculous swans and Peeps:

Easter Peeps Hands On

4/23/2011 Midtown

10:30 AM - 1:30: PM

And for Easter, try these easy – and super pretty – desserts in a jar. But watch out for the butterscotch, below – it’s almost as cathartic an experience as swimming with dolphins. These desserts were part of a food cover story I did for the AJC last year.

Lemon Meringue Pie in a Jar

Serves: 12 (4-ounce) jars

Serve these easy-to-make desserts as an easy – and pretty – dessert for Easter. Top the meringue with homemade candied lemon peel, if desired.

For the candied lemon peel:

Peel of 2 medium lemons (reserve fruit for filling, below)

1½ cups granulated sugar, divided

½ cup water

For the filling:

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 5 or 6 large lemons)

For the crust:

11/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

For the topping:

1 recipe Swiss Meringue (see recipe)

To prepare the candied lemon peel: Peel the lemons using a channel knife, creating long curls. Set aside. In a small saucepan, heat ½ cup sugar and ½ cup water over high heat until the mixture boils and the sugar has dissolved. Add the lemon peel and reduce the heat to a simmer. Let the peels simmer for about 10 minutes. Place 1 cup sugar on a generous piece of parchment paper. Using tongs, remove the peels from the sugar syrup and toss into the granulated sugar until well-coated. Remove to another piece of parchment and let the peels dry for an hour or overnight. Can be made up to a day ahead.

To prepare the filling: In a large bowl, mix the sweetened condensed milk and the lemon juice. Blend well. Set aside. (The cream can be made a day ahead, covered and refrigerated, if desired.)

To layer the jars: Sprinkle the graham cracker crumbs into the bottom of a 4-ounce Mason jar to about 1/4 inch. Place the lemon filling in a piping bag and cut the end to open. Pipe the filling over the crumbs to the first rim of the jar. Place a star tip in a piping bag and pipe the meringue over the top of the lemon filling in the shape of a large rosette. Top with candied lemon peel, if desired.

Chocolate Butterscotch Stripes

Serves: 8 (8-ounce) jars

This creamy dessert is easy to make, yet so impressive. Layering butterscotch and vanilla puddings with store-bought chocolate cookies and topping the whole thing with meringue makes for happy mouths.

For the pastry cream filling:

1 egg

2 yolks

1 tablespoon cornstarch

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided

1 cup whole milk, divided

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

3/4 cup butterscotch morsels

1 dozen double chocolate cookies or wafers, crumbed fine

1 recipe Swiss meringue (see below)

To make the pastry cream: Have a roll of plastic wrap ready.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg and yolks. In a small bowl, separately toss together the cornstarch, flour and 2 tablespoons sugar. Add about 1/4 cup milk to this mixture to make a slurry, whisking to make sure there are no lumps. Combine the two mixtures.

In a medium saucepan, combine the remaining milk, heavy cream and 1/3 cup sugar. Heat on high heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Do not stir.

Temper the egg mixture by pouring in a little hot milk in a thin stream, whisking constantly. Add the hot milk and egg mixture back to the remaining milk in the saucepan. Return the mixture to high heat, and whisk constantly until the mixture begins to bubble. Reduce the heat to low, and continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and turns glossy. Add the vanilla extract and butter until well-combined.

Remove from heat, and pour half the mixture into a medium bowl. Cover the surface immediately with plastic wrap and set aside. Add the butterscotch morsels to the remaining hot cream and whisk until well-combined. Cover the surface with plastic wrap and set aside. The creams can be made up to a day ahead and refrigerated.

To layer the jars: Sprinkle the crumbed cookies to about ¼-inch thickness in an 8-ounce Mason jar. Pipe the vanilla cream to about 1¼-inch thickness. Cover with another layer of cookies. Pipe the butterscotch to about 1¼-inch thickness. Cover with a layer of cookies and smooth. Finish with a swirl of meringue. To brown the meringue, use a blow torch, or place the jars under a very hot broiler or salamander for no more than 20 to 30 seconds. Caution: The jars may break if they are left in high heat for too long.

Swiss Meringue

Servings: 12

1/2 cup egg whites (from 4 large eggs)

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Set up a double boiler, using the bowl of an electric mixer for the top and filling a saucepan 1/3 full with water. Bring the water to a boil, and reduce to a simmer.

Place the egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar in the bowl of the electric mixer, and place it over the simmering water, whisking constantly. Whisk until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is warm to the touch (110 degrees on an instant-read thermometer).

Remove the mixture from the heat and whip it on an electric mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form, about 4 minutes. Do not overwhip. A flavoring can be added at this point, if desired.

Comments

[Kitty]

I love your dolphin experience! This is on my bucket list but I've always shied away from the paid encounters as they seem terribly cruel and commercial to me. My idea of a true dolphin encounter is to jump off a small sailboat and swim with them in the true wild, preferably naked. I know I would cry, too. I tear up thinking about it. So happy you did it and it was a good eco-friendly experience!

Oh YUM on the pie in a jar! A college friend I haven't seen in 30 years is coming down to run the Peachtree and celebrate both our birthdays. I will make this!

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