Caramel Lover's Dream

Vlad joined Abby Gail, Stone and I for the evening and as always we had a wonderful time.  This was Abby Gail's first time to meet Vlad, whom she found to be enchanting.   Recently, Vlad had taught me how to cook a Romanian meal, which I did during the week of Thanksgiving for my daughter-in-law, her parents and the rest of the family.  The meal, by the way, was a success and I was eager to have Vlad over to reminisce.   

Our sweet treat to end our meal was this golden, irresistible, yummy Caramel Pie. I covered it with whipping cream, not the store bought kind in a tub or can but the kind you whip up yourself!  Then I  added chocolate curls, or should I just call it grated chocolate.  I wasn't able to get it to curl very well.  That I need to practice on.

Caramel Pie

Serving 8-10

Ingredients:

1 single crust pie

Two (14 ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk

1 pint heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup confectioners sugar

1 Tablespoon jello instant vanilla pudding mix, dry

Optional: chocolate curls

Directions:

Bake pie crust and set aside to cool.

Preheat the oven to 350'.  Scoop the condensed milk into a 9"X13" glass baking dish.  Cover the container with foil and place it in a roasting pan.  Add enough hot water to the pan to reach one-third of the way up the side of the baking dish.  Bake, lifting the foil to stir 2-3 times, until the condensed milk is golden and thickened, about 2  hours; add more water to the roasting pan as necessary.  The consistency of the caramel should be like delve de leche.  Don't worry if it is lumpy; it will smooth our as it chills.

Scrape the caramel filling in a bowl.  Spray a sheet of plastic wrap with vegetable oil spray and cover the pie.  Refrigerate until the filling is chilled, at least 4 hours.

About 3 hours prior to serving carefully spoon and spread caramel into cooled pie crust.  It will be very thick, just do this slow and it will smooth out. 

With a mixer beat heavy whipping cream, vanilla extract, confectioners sugar and jello instant vanilla pudding mix until light and fluffy.  Spread onto of caramel.  Keep refrigerated.  Optional: chocolate curls.

My Table Awaits