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alanamoana

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Posts posted by alanamoana

  1. no English version as of yet. probably not one in the works. from what i understand, it is just too expensive to do all those editions? maybe an ego thing?!

    anyone know where the cheapest source might be? i know they sell it at 'kitchen arts and letters' in nyc and on fnac...just trying to figure out how to get it without blowing all my money with the crappy exchange rate!

  2. i think it might only be a consideration if the torch is too weak and it takes too long to caramelize the sugar. if that's the case, the custard underneath sort of melts and warms up so you need to put it back into the fridge to allow the custard and sugar to firm up.

    using a torch from home depot (bernz-o-matic) with a propane tank, this shouldn't be a problem. i don't know how big or how hot your particular torch is...half the fun in being a pastry chef is the pyromaniac factor! :biggrin:

  3. Thanks again Kerry, a few other questions

    1. On demolding technique.  Can you describe the 'twist' a little more?

    I'm not Kerry, but I'm pretty sure it is like when you're loosening ice from an ice cube tray. At least, that is how I've always done it.

  4. for some reason, i overlooked this thread until now! kerry, what a wonderful trip. thanks, as always, for your detailed descriptions and lots of photos!

    are the photos of schneich's 'lab' on the other thread or will they be here?

  5. I think Amernick could have more accurately described her method as a 'sponge starter' method, rather than levain. Even with a sponge, overnight is pretty standard and the whole process is meant to develop flavor as much as texture.

  6. check too for possible rotator cuff injury...there are different exercises to stretch and strengthen that particular area (of the shoulder).

    i had tendinitis/tendonitis/carpal tunnel (can't decide which one is right) in my wrists from lifting sheet pans (one handed, trying to be macho). went to the doctor and without telling me what they were doing they injected me with cortisone. of course the pain went away and i made an effort from then on to use both hands when possible. that was ten years ago and it has returned with a vengeance in my left hand (my dominant hand). now that i'm home with a newborn, wearing a brace just isn't possible (not even at night :hmmm: ). i'm wondering how bad the cortisone is...not like i'm going to become a professional athlete!

  7. oh lord, Pille, that looks soooo fudgy and delish! Bravo!

    responding to your earlier post: there's a "what's for dinner" thread and a lunch and breakfast one as well. there are also threads on specific cuisines (chinese, mexican, thai, etc.) all in the cooking forum. check them out, they are just as inspirational as the ones in p & b

  8. i pretty much hate silicon bakeware EXCEPT for silpats. i don't see the advantage or the purpose of them. your product doesn't color the same and doesn't release the same. usually, whatever you have has to be chilled or frozen in order to release properly. of course some things work well, but in my opinion, it is usually the non-baked items that work well...frozen mousses, etc.

    professionally, i've used the matfer brand (black and very thin and flexible) silicon products and they've worked okay for some baked goods. but i still prefer metal over silicon. from what i can see, most of the home versions don't work as well as the professional versions.

  9. Any ideas on where you will get your custom boxes done?  I am thinking of taking that plunge as well and I am concerned I will have to order a ton of cases to get it done.

    I imagine a maze of cases in my storage area!

    If anyone has a suggestion I would appreciate it.

    Beth

    there are several threads on custom and regular boxes in the pastry forum. it's been a while, so i can't remember the titles...a quick search might turn something up.

    edited to add: if i remember correctly, you can get some pretty nice looking standard (non-custom) boxes that don't require minimum purchases. you might want to start with something like that before taking the plunge and getting dies done, etc.

  10. I'm hoping for some good technique discussion.  These things aren't supposed to be so difficult, but I've never had one that I would say turned out exactly how I want.  Bonus points if someone can help me make a perfect sphere (two halves) for my longest running project.

    i've never actually seen anyone make spheres with tuile batter (of any kind)...usually sugar or chocolate...but you've gotten my gears turning as i do have some recipes that might work in this situation...hmmm :hmmm:

  11. Everyonce in a while I'll make chocolate 'cups' that way - allow the chocolate to harden on the baloon, then pop it (i've found that the balloons made in mexico work better than those from china - i'm not sure i want to know why...).  Pipe out a 'handle' and use chocolate to 'glue' it to the cup, then fill the cup with a mousse or some such.  Functional and edible, guests love it!

    must be the amount of lead or antifreeze in the chinese balloons! :blink::raz:

  12. this isn't very technical, but what are the ratios of chocolate to cream in the different recipes? this could be the key you are looking for. in addition, butter is also an emulsion and you're adding that to another emulsion using an immersion (not inversion) blender...thus maintaining an emulsion. this might be more important than worrying about the cocoa butter crystallization when talking about a mixture that contains a significant amount of other ingredients besides chocolate.

  13. the fact that the items are individually wrapped makes me think that they aren't fresh. that, more than the plastic wrap, is what is affecting the flavor in my opinion. it might be convenience, but i think that they use plastic wrap so that they don't have to either bake or purchase fresh items each day.

  14. i make cheese straws with puff pastry.

    roll out a sheet, egg wash and coat with cheese mix (grated parm, paprika, cayenne, salt and pepper), flip over and repeat on other side. cut into strips and twist into corkscrews and bake.

    these are light and buttery without being greasy.

  15. I have a similar question and I'll post it here first to see if I get any answers.  I am making a frosting with butter, peanut butter, cream cheese and 1 T milk.  Can I make this tonight, leave it out in a cool kitchen and then use it tomorrow afternoon without poisoning my guests?  Or should I just play it safe and make it tomorrow morning?

    Ta, Kim

    No additional sugar? It has always been my understanding that it is the sugar in the buttercream that allows it to be room-temperature-stable for days on end, though I guess the egg whites get pasteurized in the process, so maybe this isn't the case.

    Sorry, I was unclear. What I should have said was that the ingredients included those things. The frosting also has 10X in it.

    So I need to make it tomorrow morning, huh? :sad: Crap. Oh, not you guys! Thank you a lot - I really didn't want to make anyone sick, I was just trying to cut a corner. I am the ultimate make ahead girl. I don't ever want to do anything last minute.

    Kim

    Kim, if you're making it the night before, I don't see why it would be a problem. Some people might be squeamish with the cream cheese, but if you've ever looked at the package, it lasts refrigerated forever, so I don't see how one night out is going to kill someone. Of course, someone will argue with me on this.

    edited to add: how many times have you seen carrot cake left out at room temp in a cafe/diner/costco? that's cream cheese icing, right?

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