Just before the staff party, I saw an episode of Sugar where Anna was making desserts with condensed milk. One square in particular caught my attention, and I bought all the ingredients with the intention of making them for the party. Because I had already made a gingerbread trifle, I decided to pass for the moment.
I have another pot luck party coming up on Monday, so I thought I’d have a go at making them last night. I followed the recipe exactly as it said, despite some misgivings, and then put it in the oven. Before I did, I put a cookie sheet under the pan just in case.
A little while later, I checked to see how it was doing. It’s a good thing I put it on that cookie sheet because it had completely bubbled over. Not only that, it had seeped behind the parchment paper I’d lined the pan with, meaning removing it would be a challenge. Once it comes out of the oven, it’s supposed to cool off for a few hours – thank the deity of your choice for Canadian winters!
Once it came back in and thawed some, it was as difficult as I though to get it out. When you do, it’s oh so worth it.
Yeah, it’s a bitch to get out of the pan, but it’s sticky and sweet and delicious. If you’re inclined to try making it, here are my thoughts:
1. Only use half a cup of butter in the crust. You just want the crumbs to stick together, no be batter-like (which they were last night.)
2. I used graham cracker crumbs instead of vanilla wafers. Hey, if I can find shortcuts, I’m going to take them.
3. Use the salted peanuts! The little bit of salty in the sweet is a lovely contrast.
4. If one can of condensed milk covers the top, then don’t add the second can. I think that’s why it bubbled over last night. That, plus the overabundance of butter in the crust turned it into a soupy concoction which re-hardened after the cooling period.
I thought about drizzling chocolate over it once I got it out of the pan, but that would just be gilding the lily.