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| LONG AND SLOW APPLES |
This might have been a lovely recipe, except for the plastic wrap. I used Glad Cling wrap and it ruined this baking project. I carefully peeled and sliced my apples, went to the back yard and picked a fresh orange for its zest, put the other ingredients together and got my apples ready for a "long and slow" oven time.
I wrapped my apple filled ramekins in plastic, as suggested by Dorie, and then covered them, but I should have used my brain. Plastic in the oven? I've used plastic wrap marginally in a 175^ oven to give covered bread dough a quicker rise, but I watch it closely and have never gone over 200^.
I read the Glad wrap package and it suggests only microwave use when heating. And then only if the wrap is an inch above the food and specifically instructs that plastic wrap is not to be used with sweet/sugary foods, which can cause melting. Oven use was not even a thought on the directions.
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| PLASTIC I PICKED OUT OF MY APPLES--GROSS! |
I've just spent the past hour picking off plastic, a real mess, off my ramekins, off my silicone baking mat, and out of my apples.
The plastic that I found inside with the apples had originally started out covering the ramekin tops. After the 2 hour bake plastic and apples had become one.
After thinking that I had done a pretty good job of picking out the plastic, I tried to taste one of my desserts...UCK! I had to spit out plastic, which looked like apple, and this dessert has a plastic flavor...not desirable.
Especially in today's kitchens where we are mindful of bad stuff given off by heated plastics into our foods, this idea of using plastic wrap in the oven seems out of it for several reasons. Dorie blew it in this recipe. I'm sure it has worked for her, and maybe it worked for many of you, but it was a huge failure for me.
Lesson learned: Use my head. I know better. I look forward to the French Apple Tart with those of you who bake with the Tuesdays with Dorie and Julia group...I anticipate a better apple experience!
Hope you all fared better that I! Have a great week.
I am sorry that you had such an issue. There are plastic wraps that designed for these types of applications, but most of what you get in the store is not meant for higher heat applications.
ReplyDeleteI think we all have times where we trust the recipe even though we have doubts - sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't...
Have a great weekend!
Oh man, that's is horrible!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry -I would have never thought about different kinds of plastic wrap- lesson learned!
Thanks for stopping by for a visit Kris, I enjoy following your cooking adventures too and look forward to the French Apple Tart project, now that does sound good;-)
Kris, So sorry you went through all that work and had such a terrible time of it. I questioned this technique also, but read on line...that you cannot use plastic wrap DIRECTLY in the oven. You CAN wrap the food in plastic, sealing it tightly. Then wrap the package in aluminum foil, again, making a tight seal, and put it in a pan. Keep the temperature below 350*F (177*C). Supposedly it steams the food. What I did was wrap my ramekin in plastic wrap and then wrapped that in foil. It worked fine, no melting…I was actually expecting the worse!
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend!!
Oh Kris that is SO frustrating! All cookbooks designed for home cooks should be tested in HOME kitchens using the products and utensils available to us! There! I got that off my chest and feel better:) I think the thing that made these apples so good was the combo of spices. It was a pleasant change from cinnamon!
ReplyDeleteGrrrrrr. Although I usually follow Dorie's directions to a "T", I just couldn't go with plastic from the git-go. Martha Stewart has a product that is parchment paper on one side and tinfoil on the other. I purchased one box to try and, although I don't like the product very well, it was perfect for this dessert. I used the parchment instead of the plastic. Krissy, this was a delicious concoction but I don't think Dorie was very clear about anything in this recipe. And, a picture would have helped. It was time-consuming for me also. If I make it again, I willgo with Paula's loaf and bake it low for seven or eight hours. Sorry about your fail. I spent quite the time soaking my ramekins to remove the tinfoil (overnight). My silpats, also By the way, Krissy, if you would not mind, I would like to send you something if you would e-mail me your mailing address. My e-mail is hirschfrench@mac.com Thanks.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry about the plastic wrap. It gets frustrating when you work so hard and it gets messed up. Have a great week.
ReplyDeleteI had the same problem!!!
ReplyDeleteOh no! I had problems with the same thing with another Dorie recipe, so I skipped the glad wrap. Do try this again sometime, as it is delicious.
ReplyDeleteYikes...weird how Cling melted and Press and Seal did not. I should have thought to skip it, but it I plowed ahead. Sorry it ruined your dessert :(
ReplyDeleteThe plastic smell was terrible, too~! Somehow, my apples managed not to taste of it, but it was a mess!
ReplyDeleteThat's a real bummer cause this was a lovely way to eat the apples. Mine melted a smidgeon but not that badly. Next time, no plastic, right?
ReplyDeleteOh, no, Kris! That's just awful! I was worried about that happening because my oven tends to run hotter and that's why I decided to use the parchment-lined paper. I am so sorry that happened and hope that you will give it another try some time.
ReplyDeleteI've been reading about the group's issues with the plastic wrap and I'm wondering if I have a different edition of the book. My recipe said to cut a circle of baking paper and put on top and then wrap in foil then bake for 4 hours.
ReplyDeleteThey tasted great, but I can imagine the melted plastic would have been off putting.
What a shame, Kris. I think that Sanya and some others have a revised edition where this recipe was corrected. We'll have to make a note in our books. I skipped the TWD pizza this week, but am excited about the French Apple Tart. Sounds wonderful.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a bummer - I hate when something I make doesn't work out. I can refer you to my Bitch Cake post from last summer as an example of how much of a baby I can be about it. If you have it in you to give it another go, it really was a good one. Maybe our American plastic wrap is just much flimsier than French????
ReplyDeleteI hope the tart gives you better results! my copy doesnt say to use plastic wrap....
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry this didn't work out - I hope it didn't permanently damage your ramekins or baking mat. I'm looking forward to the Apple Tart, too - it's on tomorrow's baking agenda.
ReplyDeleteI had the same plastic wrap issue and it was not fun cleaning it all up. I think I was already still grumpy about getting over the flu and while the recipe was "simple" it was time consuming to peel the apples and then get them all sliced, basted in layers, etc. Grumpy- see :) I do think if the recipe had involved crust and no Saran Wrap I would have been in 7th heaven this week :) Good luck with your tarts !
ReplyDeleteI love your little pots! How awful the plastic wrap messed them up for you. So sorry to hear.
ReplyDeleteKrissy, sorry, I am running a bit late with comments from last week but we were sooo busy with the kids...it is really a shame that the plastic wrap melted in the oven and ruined a perfectly lovely dessert but, like you, I am really looking forward to the TwD French Apple Tart (it is my husbands birthday then and he requested an apple tart so I will be baking that for his birthday this weekend).
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