Pumpkin Seed Toffee

Dearest Sticky Chewy Salty Sweet, you had me at Hello.

Celestial caramelly goodness? Check.

Very buttery awesomeness? Check.

Sly salty savour? Check.

Fabulous crunch of toasted nuts. Can't stop at one. Worth contributing to my enthodondist's kid's ivy league college fund for. Check, check, check.

Nut toffee/brittle type candy, in the immortal words of the inimitable Elizabeth Barrett Browning, How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

For sure, Pumpkin Seed Toffee, you were originally created as the perfect finishing touch for the already-dishy Pumpkin Cheesecake seen here.

But the peerlessly perfect likes of you, how dare I mere mortal pretend to comprehend the true breadth and depth of your myriad special talents?

As much as I adore shards of you atop said cheesecake, a literal and metaphorical crowning glory, all jade green teardrop gorgeousness embedded in amber, I truly fail to see how any other mere mortal, unless he/she be of an unspeakable churlishness, could possibly fail to be thrilled to be in receipt of you and you alone, unadorned and unadorning, as homemade holiday gift.

More-ish quotient aside, there's that aforementioned stunning jade green-plus-amber comeliness and many fetching talents, chief amongst which I must profess a particular fondness for coarsely crushing and sprinkling fairy dust-like over all manner of ice creams, mousses, parfaits, custards and even just plain ripe fruit plus clouds of whipped cream for elegant textural contrast. Or boring old me, simply eating as candy.

Anyways, any which way, you rock.

P.S: Pumpkin Seed Toffee is part of the bonus section of the recipe pack for Holiday Desserts 2009, a demo class at Shermay's Cooking School held on 7 November (Saturday), 8 November(Sunday), 21 November (Saturday) and 22 November(Sunday). For all inquiries, please call the school at +65 6479 8442 or email shermaycs@yahoo.com.sg.

P.P.S: Last 2 sessions for Holiday Cookies 2009 are round the corner on 24 October (Saturday) and 25 October (Sunday) .

P.P.P.S: After my third glass - on this particular balmy evening, it's an Antinori Tignanello 2005, a yummy supertuscan soon to be washing down bistecca alla fiorentina...can't wait, haven't had a real hunk of memorable real beef recently! - I really do start to channel my inner thwarted Eng Lit major, so please do excuse me...