Sea Salt Magic

Sea salt caramel whipped cream...doesn’t that description make you want to go right out and eat some NOW?  (Me? Guilty!) The addition of salt - specifically large, flaky sea salt, totally elevates the flavor of the caramel whipped cream to something so beyond delicious, it's almost magical.

In our Library now!  Come in and check it out.

We're all familiar with the great combo of cake/berries/whipped cream which is strawberry shortcake, but  Caramel Fleur de Sel Whipped Cream takes this dessert to another level entirely - and guess what? It's easy, people!

Cheat and make this today with a yellow cake mix and it will be (almost) as good.  Make this now with strawberries and yellow cake, in July with blueberries and chocolate cake (love that), and in August with peaches, raspberries and white cake with a little addition of almond extract...(yum, can't wait for peaches - I love summer!).

Go for the strawberry version and scatter in some blueberries to make it colorfully Fourth of July festive.



This recipe hails from the fun book Relish by Daphne Oz from the daytime food talk show “The Chew”. Though not technically a cook book, more a lifestyle book, this recipe is a keeper.

I've changed up the directions so that each person adds salt on top of their own serving to taste: some may prefer more or less (and children none at all). Use Maldon sea salt or French fleur de sel if any way possible - it makes all the difference. (Am I being a salt snob? Yes, I admit it, but it really does...!)

(Notes: Caramel is simple, but can be tricky if you don’t watch it carefully once it starts to change color, so be vigilant. Also, sugar burns are intense – be careful not to get any on your skin.)

I couldn’t resist sharing this photo of our Strawberry Cake with Caramel Fleur de Sel Whipped Cream which my granddaughter frosted and decorated herself for my daughter’s birthday.

Devon's design.

Caramel Fleur de Sel Whipped Cream Frosting, adapted from Relish, by Daphne Oz

1/2 cup sugar

2 Tablespoons water

2 cups heavy cream, divided as follows: 3/4 cup heavy cream for the caramel, 1 1/4 cups for whipping

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Maldon sea salt (or other large flake sea salt such as French Fleur de Sel) for sprinkling on each serving to taste
Cake
Berries

Mix the sugar and water in a heavy medium saucepan set over medium high heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Cook without stirring until the syrup turns medium amber, if you are using a candy thermometer, to about 355 or 360 degrees. Remove from heat and carefully whisk in 3/4 cup ONLY of the heavy cream, then the butter and kosher salt.

Pour the caramel into a small bowl and refrigerate (or freeze if you’re in a hurry – about 30 minutes) until cooled and thickened. (Can be prepared ahead to this point.)

Place the remaining cream in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add the cooled caramel and beat until stiff. Decorate your cake with cream and berries. Have each person add salt to taste.

Be proclaimed the Wizard of Dessert Alchemy.

Diane Whitman
Twitter @whitlibrarian
Reference Librarian,
Powerless in the Face of Awesome Desserts

More Good Movies You Might Have Missed...

by Jill Eisner, Sr. Librarian
SBPL Information Services

Hi Everyone,

Her are a few more titles from our collection that you might enjoy.   Let me know what you think!

Jill

Jane Eyre

Based on the novel by Charlotte Bronte. Directed by Cary Fukunaga. Starring Mia Wasikowska, Michael Fassbender, Jamie Bell, Sally Hawkins, Simon McBurney, Valentina Cervi, and Judi Dench.  When orphaned governess Jane Eyre arrives at imposing Thornfield Hall, she's intrigued by her brooding, wealthy employer, Rochester. His dark moods and the strange occurrences in the house lead her to discover a terrible secret that he had hoped to hide from her forever.

2011. In English, rated PG-13. Drama.

Farewell My Queen

Directed by Benoit Jacquot. Starring Xavier Beauvois, Noemie Lvovsky, Virginie Ledoyen, Diane Kruger, Lea Seydoux.  Sidonie, who serves as reader to Marie Antoinette and displays a singular romantic devotion to the queen, witnesses the final days of the French Revolution from inside the walls of the Palace of Versailles. The film is seen from Sidonie's point of view, and the story takes place over the course of four days.  
2012. In French with English subtitles, rated R.  Drama.

Hyde Park on Hudson

Based on the play by Richard Nelson. Directed by Roger Michell. Starring Bill Murray, Laura Linney, Olivia Williams, Samuel West, Olivia Colman.  With Great Britain facing war with Germany, President Franklin D. Roosevelt invites the King and Queen of England to his home in upstate New York, while engaging in an affair with a distant cousin. 
2012. In English, Rated R. Drama/Biography.

Free Digital Magazines @ SBPL

South Brunswick Public Library with The Libraries of Middlesex Automation Consortium (LMXAC),  now provide free digital magazines through Zinio. These are  full color, interactive digital magazines for your enjoyment. Browse from your library's collection of popular titles with no waiting, no holds, no checkout periods, and no limit to the number of magazines you can download. 

Choose from over popular 130 titles.

·                     Current Issues — New issues are released simultaneously with the print edition many are available before they arrive at your library and are ready for immediate download.

·                     Easy browsing — Browse your library's collection of titles one at a time, search for your favorite magazines by title or use the convenient category feature to find new magazines which meet your interests.

·                     Manage your collection — Using the personal account you will create, you will have the opportunity to checkout the magazines  and read them instantly on your computer (both PC and Mac) or access the content on a portable media device. (Note: viewing options, including the ability to download or view the content while online, may differ based on the device and/or magazine publisher)

·                     No limits — Check out as many issues as you want and keep them in your account as long as you wish.

You can find this great new service our our webpage www.sbpl.info. Feel free to contact us online or call us at 732-329-4000 x 7286 if you have any questions. You can also sign up for an introductory class, Zinio Magazines Collection on Wednesday, June 26 at 10am.  Register online for that date on our Event Calendar.