Sarah Quiroga
Staff Writer
It is that time of year, December, the time where people throw out their pumpkins and turkeys to make room for a tree that most city folk didn’t even grow themselves. Now is the time for gathering with relatives and friends, taking a moment to relish the community and family, and it really is a sweet moment for families. Now the meal comes and all the kids tear into that food like they haven’t eaten in months.
To prepare for the onslaught of relatives and friends, here is a dessert recipe from Jennifer Appel on how to make berries and cream tartlets.
After dancing like a little lad, get the following ingredients: water, heavy whipping cream, vanilla instant pudding and pie filling mix, sugar cookie bar dough, all purpose flour, and mixed berries.
Of course don’t be an idiot right off the bat and remember to preheat the oven to a reasonable 325. Break the cookie dough and roll it into balls as best as the pathetic lumps can be. The recipe calls for a “tartlet pan” so looking it up was simply an action in the course of things. I don’t see why a cupcake pan wouldn’t be sufficient, but I guess if the Reese’s peanut butter cup is the ideal look for this then who am I to say?
”Lightly coat the dough with flour and roll on lightly floured surface to about 1/8-inch thick (wide enough to fit 4-inch tartlet pan),” and again, exercise that free will and decide whether berries and cream flavored Reese’s cups is what would be best for the guests. Grease whatever pan or tray that was deemed fit for the job and reform the dough balls for the second time by pushing the dough “into the grooves of the pan” if you want to get groovy, sorry for the dad joke it was too good of an opportunity, “and flatten the bottom with a disc or drinking glass. Place tartlet pans on a baking sheet.”
Time for some character development in culinary h-e-double hockey sticks for some poor pastries. For the clueless ones in the back I’m referring to the oven that’s been heating up. Torture the dough for 14 to 16 minutes then take it out to cool down for 15 to 20 minutes. Rollercoaster of temperatures for the, hopefully, golden brown dessert but that’s not the end of the makeover.
While the cookies are cooling or even during the baking process, ”beat water, 1/2 cup cream and pudding mix in a small mixer bowl on low for 1 minute or until thoroughly mixed. Refrigerate for 5 minutes. Beat remaining 1/2 cup cream in another small mixer bowl on high until soft peaks form. Gently fold whipped cream into pudding mixture until well incorporated.”
Remove the wanna-be Reese’s pieces carefully to make sure all that effort didn’t go to waste. Put the pudding mixture in the cookie plates and fill to satisfaction. Place a handful of berries on top and try to hold some self restraint and not eat all of the toppings in one go. Now exercise some more free will and refrigerate for later or dig in immediately.
Now with one dessert I’ve given my advice and I leave everything else up to the preparer. Celebrate with your family or friends if you have either and remember that Christmas celebrates house trespass. See you next year,… or not. *Cue Cardi B laughter*
