amccomb

I read the RLB Oblivion Truffle Torte Demo and decided to try it for a wedding cake I am doing for next week. Someone in the thread mentioned that they do a similar cake in thinner layers, then freeze and unmold and layer with a filling. This is what I had hoped to do, but I just noticed a note in The Cake Bible not to freeze this cake. Has anyone done so and noticed a change in texture? If I can't freeze it, I'm not doing it. I am doing 10 different cakes for this wedding with 10 different fillings, and I can't face doing something only a couple of days before - especially something totally new to me. And I can't afford to do a trial run with 1 pound of chocolate! If someone has tried it, and it worked out, I would feel better. I plan to layer it with bourbon cherry filling and stabilized whipped cream with shaved chocolate and ice with either a white chocolate IMB or a kirsch IMB.

Hello again! When I started this thread last time, we ended up just eating in the car because we didn't see any recommendations. So, I'm asking again! This time we're going to see Tom Waits on a Monday. Looks like several places are closed on Mondays. Any recommendations for either good ethnic food of any variety, or a top notch gourmet place? Money is no object - we just got paid.

Where can I order froze fruit puree online? I've searched locally and come up empty handed.

Oh! Another flavor combo to add! She wanted to add chocolate and mint, and I'm stumped on this, too, beyond a mint ganache. She wanted it to be like a grasshopper cake.

How would you guys do dark chocolate and pomengranate? For the plum/fig, I have a nice spiced plum jam that I make every year. Maybe I could make a port syrup for soaking the cake and use the fig /mascarpone mix mentioned previously with plum jam in alternating layers? Or is that too much going on in one cake? I also have a recipe for a nice pear bavarian cream. Could I maybe fill the cake with that and browned butter caramel and ice witha dark chocolate ganache for the pear/brown butter/ganache? Or fill with the bavarian and thin layers of ganache and ice with a browned butter caramel buttercream (not that I've ever made a caramel buttercream!)? The pear flavor is pretty subtle, though...

Hi! I posted another thread asking for creative flavor ideas for wedding cakes, and was pointed to an excellent thread that I shared with the bride. She narrowed down some combinations that sounded really great to her, and now I'm at a loss as to how to combine these flavors in a cake/filling! Would I use a mousse or buttercream filling with one flavor and a jam/curd with the other flavor? I don't mind doing that with a couple of cakes, but I was hoping to do something different with each of 10(!) cakes. We know for sure we are going to do a chocolate cake with a caramel custard, a ganache, and maybe a pecan dacquoise or pecan praline. We are also doing a yellow cake with champagne poached peaches between the middle layers and a honey mousse or buttercream between the others. We might do the exotic orange cake from this site, as well. Here are her other favorites: -lime and ginger -dark chocolate and pomengranate -dark chocolate and pear and brown butter -key lime and dark chocolate -espresso and caramel -fig and plum -lemon, rum, and vanilla -bourbon and tart cherry -chocolate and ginger Can anyone give me ideas on how to do these combinations? Some I might be able to do - for example, for lemon, rum, and vanilla, I could maybe do a lemon curd and a caramel (or mousse?) with rum and vanilla in alternating layers. For bourbon and cherry, I have a bourbon cherry jam I make that I could use as a filling. Should I leave it as that between all of the layers, or try to give a contrasting texture/flavor in between alternating layers? Or should I add flavoring to the cake itself? Fig and plum eludes me, even though the combination sounds delicious. I have the same problem with dark chocolate, pear, brown butter and chocolate and ginger. Any ideas? I'm really excited about this, and I'm having fun doing it, but I want these cakes to taste good, and I'm afraid of combining the flavors in a way that jars the palate.

I am making a chocolate peanut butter cake for my brother's groom's cake, and I am using a recipe from the "best chocolate cake" thread for the cake, a mirror glaze to cover, and I had hoped to use a peanut butter filling of some sort. I have a peanut butter pie recipe that uses peanut butter, cream cheese, evaporated milk, and whipped cream that I may be able to stabilize with some gelatin, but I was hoping someone had a recipe for a very peanut butter-y mousse. Thanks so much!

Well, technically, it's the groom's cake, and he is a HUGE IU basketball fan, so I guess it's not quite as bad as having it for the actual wedding cake. However, I used "wedding cake" in the title because she wants a white, 3-tiered cake, which is basically a wedding cake! I would actually prefer NOT to do it, so I have mentioned several times that it would probably be suited better to a pro. I mentioned that the kinds of "groom's cakes" that I prefer to do are those that are more focused on taste, and unique flavors or fillings. I listed several different kinds of cakes, fillings, and even alternative desserts and such, but she wants red velvet with buttercream, which doesn't appeal to me at all - too basic. I don't get excited about doing something unless I'm thinking, "Mmmm!". I also showed her the pictures of the cakes I have done in the past - all topped with fruit, flowers, or chocolate curls. She specifically said it sounded easy to her, so I don't think she's being purposefully difficult to get me to bow out (especially since I've hinted about WANTING to bow out!). I have not yet committed to this design, and I have told her the issues I have with it (mainly the fear of doing sharp square corners with icing and using the red icing), and told her I would research a bit to let her know what I found out. She sounded really disappointed that I may not be able to do her design, and I really want her to be happy with the cake. My mom thinks I should just have our local bakery do it, unassembled, and assemble it there! I just don't feel right about that, but it's a funny thought. What I could do, though, is talk to the local bakery and then report that back to her. For example, say, "I don't feel I can do this design in such a way that it will look perfect. I talked to such-and-such bakery, and here is what they said it would take for them to do that design." I would even offer to pay for it as part of their wedding gift.

What does fondant taste like? Is it really hard to work with? SHould I cover each layer with white first, and then attach the red stripes, or just attach the stripes straight to the buttercream? Can you use fondant on a square cake and get relatively defined edges? Will a square cake be harder than a round one? Like, will I have to cut it and piece it together for a square instead of just draping it and smoothing it like for a circle?

Hello! I think I am going to have to ask for a lot of help here coming up... My brother is getting married this fall, and my dad told him I could make his wedding cake because I'd done it before. Truth is, I've done it twice, and both times for close friends who cared more about taste than beauty, since I am no cake decorator, and I'm very much an amateur baker! Luckily, I got out of that by confessing to my brother that I can't decorate with icing - only with fruit. At this point, he asked if I could do the groom's cake. I've done several of those for friends and family - double-decker pineapple upside down cakes, flourless chocolate cakes with strawberry mousse filling and chocolate mirror glaze, tiramisu, tres leches cake, etc all on a grand scale. So, I agree and he gives me his fiance's email address. Well, she really wants a second wedding cake! She would like a square 3-tiered red velvet cake with buttercream icing. My brother is an IU basketball fan, so she would like the top square to have the IU logo in crimson, and the sides of the cakes to have vertical cream and crimson candy stripes, like the IU basketball warm-up pants. Yikes! Thank goodness for the demo on icing a square cake! I've seen demos online about how to stack cakes. I can spend the summer working on getting the buttercream to spread as smooth as possible, since that's always been an issue for me, so the main thing that's left is...red icing? I've tried before with wilson's no-taste red when I made a spiderman cake for my nephew's birthday. I used SOOO much red food coloring, and it still seemed like dark pink to me, plus it stained everyone's teeth and tongues red, which would be a huge no-no for the wedding. I thought about using those gel pens, but when I mentioned it, the bride said that looks too childish, and I agree. We also talked about airbrushing, but I would have to buy everything unless I used one of those wilson aeresol spray cans, and I just doubt that will look as nice. So, what should I do for the red stripes and the IU logo on top? What have I gotten myself into?

Hello! I'm doing monthly brunches for a group of friends, and we all like a light cocktail with brunch to start the day out right. The next brunch will be more southern-themed, more breakfast-y, and kind of heavy with grits, biscuits and gravy, hamsteaks, etc. Do you have any suggestions for a couple of cocktails to serve with this meal? I might do a cajun-style Bloody Mary, but I wanted something lighter and maybe fruity or frothy for the guests who don't like tomato juice. Thanks!!

This is very similar to the recipe I use. I sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top, as well. Yum, I love this dish!

I can't think of any cut of meat that I cook for an hour. If I'm doing something like pork shoulder, I usually cook long and slow - several hours at maybe 250. If I'm doing something like pork loin, it's a couple of minutes to maybe half an hour, depending on the thickness. It's gotta be pink in the middle! Too bad I have a few friends who refuse to eat pork that's still pink, but hey, more for me and my husband.

Oh yeah, that's what I want! Do you have any hints or suggestions, or a tried-and-true recipe you would be willing to share? Also, I tried finding banana leaves last year, and could not find them locally. Is there somewhere I could order them online? Thanks!!

So, I have a tradition of having a huge feast for Cinco de Mayo every year. About 25 people come to my house for food, conversation, and drinking. Some things stay the same - I always make tamales with pork/raisins/almonds/chiles. I always make a spiced sangria. I have been told I must always make Tres Leches cake. Other things vary. I started out the first year going more Tex Mex along with a huge bowl of ceviche. The next year I made quesadillas with non-traditional fillings such as beef tenderloin and blue cheese, or curried duck and mango chutney, or turkey, cranberries, and brie. The next year I made Chiles en Nogada (which was not well accepted) and chilaquiles. Two years ago I made a green pumpkin seed mole with chicken and a oaxacan red mole with lamb shanks. Last year I made about several different taco fillings (mostly from the Rick Bayless books) including bacony beans, garlicy greens, smoked chicken with tomatillo sauce, shredded beef with chipotle sauce, seasoned ricotta cheese, a huitlacoche filling...I also made some condiments like pickled onions, pickled chipotles, guacamole, crema, and several salsas. Lastly, I made both corn and flour tortillas from scratch. This year, I am totally blanking! i am looking for some ideas that are different from what I have done before. I know I want to try empanadas this year, and would appreciate some help locating a recommended recipe or any tips or techniques. I thought about doing the pork and chicken dish from All About Braising by Molly Stevens, and maybe another mole. Since both of those could be used as taco filling, I thought about doing the flour and corn tortillas again, as well as making a spicy shrimp filling. I also thought about going a different direction and doing one-pot dishes like soups or casseroles. But again, I'm blanking on ideas! I'm also looking for ideas for other tamale fillings, and some other desserts. I've done flan, and I think I'll do that again this year, but I really feel like I want to add another dessert. I am also hunting for cookbooks that might inspire me, so any suggestions there would be greatly appreciated, too!

Hey yogurt experts! I have a friend who is going dairy-free/soy free for allergy reasons but she LOVES yogurt. She tried making it from coconut milk, but it stayed very runny. She has tried making it with almond milk and threw it away because it tasted awful. She has read about using a cashew puree with water as the base, as well, but has not yet attempted it. Any suggestions on other bases? Any ideas why the coconut milk won't set up? Could it be the lack of protein?

I like to use chorizo, onion, stock, brown sugar, cider vinegar, chili sauce, molasses, mustard, chipotle puree, a pinch of cloves and allspice, and a mixture of different beans.

So, this winter I've made so many ice creams! Luckily, we had a freezer at work, so after my husband and I have a scoop, we can bring the rest to work to share. So far, I've made pumpkin, cinnamon, apple with dulce de leche, gingerbread (not with chunks of gingerbread, just the spices and molasses - my favorite), raspberry/chambord, coffee, and vanilla bourbon (my second favorite). I've also started making bonbons for special occasions. So far, I've used peppermint ice cream, italian brandied cherry ice cream, peanut butter ice cream, and orange/gran marnier ice cream. I think I'll use the raspberry or coffee next time. I used 1 1/4 lbs of chocolate with about 1/4 cup of shortening or butter to coat the bonbons. To make them, I have to take everything out of my freezer and send it to my friends house. Then I put two cookie sheets in the freezer lined with parchment paper in the freezer. When they were very cold, I scoop the hardened ice cream out onto the cookie sheets into small balls with a small scoop. I let those harden overnight. Then I melt the chocolate, and when it's luke warm, I dunk in the frozen ice cream balls and put them back on the parchment. Back in the freezer until serving time! They were HUGE hits. I served them in a metal serving bowl that I also chilled in the freezer, but we actually found we liked them best when the ice cream inside melted a bit. If I make two flavors at once, I drizzle one with a bit of melted white chocolate so we can tell them apart.

I recommend a strata - mix together a few eggs - maybe 6 or so - with some cream (maybe a cup or a little more). Add a spoonful of dijon, some spices, maybe a teaspoon or so of salt... Then line a casserole dish with sliced bread, top with half of desired fillings, already cooked (I like chorizo, potato, onions, peppers, and cheese), then top with more bread, then the remaining fillings, then pour the egg mixture over the top. Put it in the fridge overnight so the bread soaks up the egg, then bake. Mmmm!

I would like to recommend this Exotic Orange Cake as a fabulous, rich, knock 'em dead dessert. Plus, orange or lemon seems like a natural after a fish meal, especially one with fennel.

So, the Year of the Dog is approaching and my husband and I thought we would either go out to eat or make some traditional Chinese New Year's food at home. What would be some traditional dishes? If we go out to eat, can we expect to see some different menu items? If so, what sorts of things should we look for? Thanks!

The most embarassing thing for me is the amount of money I spend on food and ingrediants. We went to The French Laundry for our honeymoon, and when I told people it cost around $600, they about choked. I say, "but that includes wine pairing AND a signed cookbook!" They look at me like I'm crazy and say, "How could you waste that amount of money on FOOD!?" It was the best part of our honeymoon. Hell, it was the best part of our year! And I can't wait to go back, although I have a list of about 20 other restaurants... My friends also find it strange that when we go on vacation, I spend literally months investigating food options for dining and shopping. My entire vacation revolves around finding great restaurants and ingrediants I can't get at home. When we have friends over, I go to great lengths to order the best ingrediants and prepare every thing I can from scratch. They rave about my parties, ask for recipes, and then complain when they don't come out right. Well, when you sub in Hershey's chocolate for Valrhona, it's not going to be the same. But I love my life!

How about a heart-shaped berry (pink) pavlova, topped with a white chocolate mousse, and then some beautifully arranged fresh berries? Or the same idea, with more tropical fruits? Edited to add: But I would definitely want some of the men's dessert!

I'm looking to order some chocolates for Valentine's day. In the past I've ordered from Jubilee Chocolates and Vosges Chocolate and really enjoyed them. We like to try something new every year, and here are some places I'm looking at this year: http://normanloveconfections.com/ http://www.elbowchocolates.com/ http://www.chuaochocolatier.com/ http://www.recchiuti.com/ Has anyone tried any of these places? I would love to hear some opinions. Thanks!

So, I checked out Chris Elbow, which looks like a good possibility. Here are a few others and I was wondering if anyone had tried any of them: http://normanloveconfections.com/selection.htm https://www.chuaochocolatier.com/ http://www.recchiuti.com/ Any opinions?