Cookbooks by Virtual Potluck: sugarbaby

It’s 2011, so it’s about time potlucks became virtual, right!? Well dear reader, they have! Virtual Potluck is alive and kicking and ready to share with you our recipes, dishes and treats we’ll bring to the table.

So after that introduction, I’d love to welcome you to our first Virtual Potluck! Click through the blog links above and you’ll see what everyone brings to the table. For our first party, we’re each cooking and baking from a cookbook published by Stewart, Tabori & Chang under the Abrams publishing company. Check out Cookistry for a complete listing of recipes and book giveaways! 

“sugarbaby” by Gessine Bullock-Prado.
 It’s not a baking book. It’s not a pastry book. It’s not a candy book either. It’s a combination of sugar cookery, individual pastries and basic techniques. Indexed by sugar temperatures, like follows:

I’m bringing to the Virtual Potluck “Shanghai Caramel Apples”. Let me just tell you this: I don’t like Caramel Apples. Sticking my teeth into a sticky, chewy caramel with an apple underneath? Not my thing. Now these apples? They changed my mind! Not only are textures layered, but flavors as well.

The above progression shows the layers I’m referring to. After cooked, the hard caramel with a light battered and spiced apple, warm and slightly cooked, provide a delicious “pre-dessert”. What makes these apples even MORE special? Check out the picture below, anything call your attention? 

Yup. That ice and water bowl? You serve it along side those caramel apple slices and they get a quick cold dunk in the ice water to harden the caramel and provide that crunch! Dunk in, dunk out! It also adds a fun element to the table, because everyone loves playing with their food, right!? 

Doesn’t that little guy look relaxed and comfy floating in there? Now, don’t leave him in there for too long, just for a second! The caramel crackles, the joy of making this is all worth it right about now…

Can you see all the layers? The light batter in between the fresh apple and the hard caramel? And any way to make this even more indulgent? Dip it in powdered sugar…or how I did behind the camera….dip it in Nutella! I know, I know. Not the most healthy breakfast, but it’s a small sacrifice I have to make for you, my darling readers. 

You can purchase your copy of sugar baby over at Amazon, but if you’re feeling lucky today, enter to win a brand spanking new copy of it right here and make your own Shanghai Apples! Giveaway starts today Monday 14th and ends Friday the 18th, so get your entries in! Valid for US mailing addresses only. Book provided by Abrams.

How to Enter (leave a separate comment for each entry; you can do ONE or ALL of them!):

• Share this post on Twitter and leave a comment telling me you did
• Head on over to the Virtual Potluck round-up post at Cookistry and check out what everyone else made! Come back and tell me which recipe caught your eye!
• Follow @STCcooks on Twitter

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on Cooking with Books are my own and based on testing and/or personal experience. I was sent the book free of charge, although not monetarily compensated for a positive review.