Random Recipe #1: Pilates Instructor Job Security
Saturday, 14 March 2009 04:11 | Author: Karena Lineback | 
This is recession-proof job security is for everyone in the fitness industry.
Pass it on...... Pilates Instructor Job Security.
Please make, eat and call us in the morning. Also Known as toffee.... This recipe is from Diana Cusumano who got it from Rosemary St. Cyr.... My how recipes travel. :-)
Okay, here it is. I have included notes for the non-cook (read: Pilates instructor making this for their clients)
1 stick of butter (that's 1/2 cup) (I used unsalted and added a pinch of salt)
1/4 cup water 1 cup of sugar (I used organic cane sugar and it turned out fine)
2 cups of chopped pecans or walnuts or whatever you like/divided
1 cup of semi-sweet choc. chips
Diana said to use a heavy pot. ????? I didn't weigh mine but I do have one that feels heavier. I used that. It's not a real small pot and definitely not big enough to make pasta in. This is all important because the non-cook (read: yours truly) would generally have used the 'clean' pot.
On almost high heat (but without the flames coming around the pot so it can boil your hand) put in the first 4 ingredients. But only use 1 cup (mounded) of pecans. Save 1 cup for later. Let it boil. This is the tricky part.
Don't turn the heat down when it boils. Keep stirring. If your hand is burning you are doing it right. Keep stirring and keep it boiling. Soon they will turn frothy like sea foam at the beach. If you are in the mountains then it is still like sea foam at the beach. Take a trip.
Diana said, 'see how it turns a nice color when it is close to being done?' It is the same color as beach sand. But not wet beach sand. And not bleached beach sand. Kind of that in between beach sand where the tide came in and now the sand is drying out. Again, you made need to take a trip.
Next, Diana said, 'see how it is pulling away from the sides?' Remember it is boiling on 'almost' high heat the whole time... Pulling away from the sides is to say that it is forming a glob in the middle of the pot and it no longer looks like sea foam. More pasty. Like mud pies. Very hot mud pies. And where it isn't touching the sides of the pot anymore those bits are getting really brown (burning) but not black burning. Diana said, 'look. It's smoking. That means it's done.'
Okay this is tricky too. When Diana saw smoke all I saw was a very light steam. It wasn't steam because it was smoke but it looked like steam. So don't look for 'smoke' look for 'steam' and not even heavy steam. Not the kind of steam that comes out of your teapot. I think I probably stirred for 8-10 minutes before it was done. but it will depend on the weight of your pot. Again, ?????
Have a tinfoil lined cookie sheet ready. Pour the toffee out quickly in one sweep. Spread it quickly just a little bit. It hardens fast. Then pour the choc. chips on top. Start spreading them around and they'll melt and get gooey. When you've spread everywhere and can't see the toffee anymore then throw on the rest of the pecans. throw it in the fridge because if you eat it now it will burn your tongue. Eat when cool.
Call your pilates instructor in the morning.
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Last Updated (Sunday, 18 October 2009 18:58)
Great posts, Karena. (and I'll know not to expect any home-baked goodies from you)