Sometimes I think our world is shrinking. Before we had children, I thought nothing of driving several hours to New York or Philadelphia for a celebratory dinner with friends. After our oldest child was born, the road trips dwindled, but we still spent a lot of time with friends all over the D.C. area, even if it meant driving an hour for a visit.
In those days, we parents were still in control of our schedules, and we went where our friends were.
But things have changed. I suppose it happened slowly, as we added another two children to the family. But it seems that they have grown suddenly to become individuals in their own right. Now they have interests. They have places that they want to go. They have their own friends to visit. And even with two chauffeurs parents to shuttle them, our weekends fill up with activities and a trip to visit friends, even those in the D.C. metro area, seems impossible.
These days, we parents are no longer in control of our own schedules, but we have found excellent friends where we have gone. There, on the side of the soccer field or in an overheated cafeteria filled with excited children we have made new friends, some of whom I hope will be friends long after our children are grown and the activities that brought us together are a distant memory.
As our world has shrunk and we have pulled the circle even closer to home, our neighborhood also has become an increasingly important part of our social life. We are blessed with fantastic neighbors. Admittedly, some of them became neighbors by design. My high school friend, a realtor, already lived in the neighborhood and found my sister a house here, too. When we saw a great house for sale in the neighborhood a year later, we didn't hesitate. And a few years ago one of my sister's college friends moved into the area and wisely bought a house two doors down from my sister.
But even those that weren't socially engineered into the neighborhood have turned out to be wonderful neighbors who love to socialize. A few weeks back, some of the more ambitious party organizers planned a progressive party. I volunteered to make dessert because I'm always looking for an opportunity to bake, especially when I don't have to eat all the leftovers.
We decided that to keep things easy, we'd make desserts that didn't need a fork or even a plate, unless of course someone wanted to amass a small pile. I had offered to make something with fruit, but pies and tarts were out. I came across these tiny Brown Bettys on Smitten Kitchen which appealed to me not only because they were tiny, fruity, and cute, but also because the crust was made with slices of bread. Interesting. And a bit easier than making a crust, a shortcut that seemed a good idea for a large scale operation.
I have to admit that I also made these chocolate goodies for the party and they were definitely more popular. But the Brown Bettys were good. Really good. The brown butter gives them a slightly nutty flavor and the tart apples along with the cardamom and lemon dial up the zestiness. Chloe tasted one (just to make sure that they were edible) and said, "These taste like a dream come true."
If our world keeps getting smaller and smaller it will just be us, hanging out at home together. Eating as many Brown Bettys as we want.
I can live with that.
2009: Blueberry Crumb Cake
2010: Roses des Sables
2011: Clementine Sorbet and Teal Toes
Bite-Sized Apple Brown Bettys
Makes about 2 dozen Brown Bettys
30 minutes preparation time
30 minutes baking time
From Gourmet via Smitten Kitchen
for the Brown Bettys:
1 cup melted butter
8 slices white sandwich bread
2 tart apples, such as Granny Smiths
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
pinch of salt
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
3/4 cup breadcrumbs, preferably homemade
for garnish:
1 cup heavy cream, whipped
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Melt the butter in a small sauté pan over medium heat. Once it has melted, turn the heat to low and, stirring occasionally, let it brown. As soon as the butter starts to darken, watch it carefully. Let it go for about another 30 seconds, until it turns a medium-brown color and smells slightly nutty.
Cut the crusts off of the bread slices. (Save the scraps to make bread crumbs). Roll each slice with a rolling pin to flatten it.
Cut the bread into circles large enough to line the muffin tins, including covering the sides. It may take some trial and error to find the right tool for cutting the circles, but there is sure to be something in the kitchen -- a jar lid, the bottom of a salt shaker, a small glass -- that will be the right size. (Again, reserve the bread scraps for bread crumbs).
Brush each side of each circle with brown butter and arrange the circles into the muffin cups. If the circles tear, patch them with pieces of the scraps, but they need not be perfect. Any flaws will be inconspicuous in the final product.
Peel and finely dice the apples. Toss them with any remaining butter, the cinnamon, cardamom, lemon zest, salt, and bread crumbs. Spoon the filling into the shells so that the filling just rises above the side of the shell. Cover the pan with foil. Cook with the foil on for 10 minutes, then remove the foil and finish cooking until the crusts are lightly brown and the apples are tender, about 15 more minutes.
To make the whipped cream, whip the cream in a mixer. Once the cream begins to thicken, add the sugar and vanilla.
When the Brown Bettys are done, turn them onto a cooling rack. They can be served warm or at room temperature. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.
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