The Existing Camper’s Inventory
Before I start logging new ’round-the-campfire pastries I thought a good first step would be to inventory the camping-friendly recipes that are already on the blog. There are actually quite a few, especially if you count the make-ahead cookies and cakes. However I realize that part of the fun of campfire cuisine is actually assembling and cooking the whatever-it-is on the fire.
S’mores are of course an American classic. Strawberry shortcake is another time-tested campfire delicacy, and it can be easily made with packaged biscuits in a Dutch or cardboard box oven.
Chimney cake has been popular with campers the last couple of years. I’ve gotten excellent reports from the field. For those who are up for deep frying at the camp site, fritters are easy, delicious, and they give you the pride of having made an indulgent dessert from scratch in camp.
And as far as special equipment is concerned, a Dutch oven is a time-tested utensil for the out-of-doors as you can make everything from biscuits to cobbler in one of them. Pie irons are also great things to have around, as a little canned pie filling and some slices of buttered bread are all you need to create fireside masterpieces.
That’s everything that I can see that makes a natural transition to the bonfire. If anyone else has ideas about Joe recipes that can be adapted to the field, tell me!
Pita, cornbread, or cobbler all work great over a fire with a cast iron skillet. Not so great for backpacking, but definitely doable for everyday camping.
Very true, thanks, Alison!
– Joe
Not a dessert, but naan is very good baked over coals.
Excellent idea! Thanks Jane. Really any flat bread on the site: chapati, naan, lavash, tortillas can all be baked in a hot pan over the fire. Well done, Eva!
– Joe
Oops…I mean Jane! 😉
– J
How about your Caramel Corn, Crêpes or maybe a Galette using store bought pie crust?
Eva
Nice! The caramel corn would be a fun project over the fire. Great idea! And you can certainly do crêpes or blintzes just as easily as you can normal pancakes. The galette is another good idea, in a Dutch oven or box oven I would think.
Thanks Eva!
– Joe
Hi,
This is not a suggestion for what you may use for your camp fire adaptation.. :). I clicked on the Fritters link and realized that here we may a snack that is similar, except we dip eggplant slices (we call it boulanger) in the batter and and fry it. Its called Bigani (Its an indian snack). We don’t add beer. I was thinking to try the beer. It should give it an interesting flavour. The only thing is that the batter slips off the eggplant and doesn’t coat completely as your apple slices were coated completely.
Have you tried dusting the slices with corn starch before dipping them in the batter? That works wonders for getting batter to stick to foods it slips off of.
I’ve never thought of that. Honestly, i only knew of the use of corn starch a couple of months ago when i started a cooking class and then started reading this blog. I will try the cornstarch. I hope it doesn’t add any weird taste to the snack. 🙂
I went to summer camp in Tennessee and we made these things that we called beignets, I am not sure why because they are nothing like the New Orleans bread product. They were like chimney cake but we used bisquick mix and wrapped the dough around a stick. They were really fun to cook ourselves and strangely good. Proof that anything tastes better over a campfire. Maybe you could try chimney cake on a stick for your little Pastry munchkins. We used to make them in the morning while our counselors cooked hashbrowns and bacon.
In the scouts in NZ we used to make “damper” – a basic scone/biscuit type dough wrapped around a green stick and grilled over coals. Removing the stick gives you a convenient hole in the middle to stuff with butter and jam….
I’d think you could whip up a batch of biscuits at home, stack them with a bit of parchment between each, wrap and chill – then bake at the camp (probably using the box oven idea). Better than can o’ biscuit….
The cast iron skillet is a great camping tool — you can do breakfasts, cobblers, pineapple upside-down cake, pizza, and many, many more campfire treats.
Just remember to explain to the girl scouts in advance any special care you might have in mind for your favorite skillet.
Amen, Deb!
Great advice.
– Joe
I have a small Le Creuset enameled cast iron dutch oven. It’s too small for an entree but around the right size for a cobbler (around 1.5qt, I think). I know cast iron is practically indestructible, would the campfire be bad for the enamel?
Hey Sarge!
I don’t think you can pour coals on top of an enamel pot and expect the finish to be the same, but I’m really not the right person to ask. Anyone out there have any thoughts?
– Joe
I love pie irons, but I bring along pre-made pie crust for pie-iron pies.
Also, if you marinade chicken thighs in Italian dressing, ziplock them in the marinade and freeze them solid, it helps keep the food in your cooler cold, and when you’re ready, pop those babies in the pie irons and you get a very tender, very popular dinner.
Wow, Roxana, that’s fantastic!
Thanks!
– Joe