Orange-tian (whatever that is!)

The 2010 March Daring Baker’s challenge was hosted by Jennifer of Chocolate Shavings. She chose Orange Tian as the challenge for this month, a dessert based on a recipe from Alain Ducasse’s Cooking School in Paris.

I had never ever heard of anything like orange tian or tian in general, before the Daring Bakers challenge for march was announced. I like to think of myself as a person with a good knowledge of food, and particularly desserts, but this was something completely unknown to me! But that’s what Daring Bakers is about, I guess. Making me try new things, desserts I would have been missing out on through an entire lifetime, so thanks DB! I know I sometimes find it hard to think outside my favourite box consisting of chocolate, apple-desserts and pies, but it’s always fun when I get around to it. Exploring new lands. Trying out new techniques. And hoping that the result will pay off. There’s always with great anticipation that you wait for it to finish, because you never really know what it will be like. Like my dad always says when we’re trying out something new: “Maybe it’s the next McDonalds” But that usually refers to something very unlikely to be so, but still, it’s a great expression, I think! And what better feeling is there when the result comes out perfectly, just like the pictures in the recipe and tastes absoultely delicious. It’s a feeling of relief, happiness and proudness. That pleasurable feeling of satisfaction over the fact that I didn’t mess up even though it was the first time. (Or am I the only one doing a little happy dance in the kitchen when I get it right?)

The Orange tians made me feel all happy inside. They even looked good! And tasted good. I really didn’t see that coming. I was afraid it would be to bitter because of the marmelade which I’m not a big fan of. (Exept on croissants. Those two just belong together.) But my worries were unfounded. It wasn’t bitter at all, maybe a little too sweet actually. But that’s probably my fault as I might have added a little extra sugar to decrease the bitterness. Well, well. Mea culpa. Stick to the recipe, girl!

The dessert was a pleasant surprise in a manner of ways. I was a little sceptic to an orange-dessert at all. But I found orange to be the best of all the citrus-options. And I thought it would be bitter. And the pate sablee looked like just another plain booooring tastless cracker, with the only mission to hold it together. Boy, was I wrong! That was almost the best part! Luckily I had much dough left to make som extra pate sablees. I can conlude with saying it was a fun and tasty challenge. A surprisingly tasty challenge, but that’s what makes it even more fun. I can imagine I’ll be trying out variations of this dessert with other fruits or berries, maybe chocolate or caramel, peanuts, oreos…..mmmm – but the pate sablee will be the same though. Don’t fix it if it ain’t broken. And it ain’t. The recipe is great. I’ve made one batch of original orange tians. Did well, tasted well, well approved. Now. Start customizing!