JanKK
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Posts posted by JanKK
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That's most interesting, JanKK! How about the sweetness? Is it less sweet? If it is, it's just the tweak I've been looking for, since everyone I know want their sweets not-so-sweet.
I think they were slightly less sweet, TP ........although maybe not a lot , given that sugar is always the main ingredient? I didn't have any others for a side-by-side comparison.
And that's correct Kew .....I didn't add any extra sugar ---just decreased the corn syrup. Again, I didn't have a side-by-side comparison, but the texture seemd the same to me and they lasted fine (just ate the last one yesterday ;)
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All these variations sound marvelous! And I'm practically drooling just looking at those chocolate-covered ones ;)
Now ..... I've made these several times --chocolate, strawberry, vanilla ----and the other night when I decided I just HAD to have some, I had everything in ready to go and discovered I only had 3/4 cup of corn syrup, not the 1 1/4 called for. Wellllll................at that point it seemed pointless to waste everything and it was WAY to later to run out to the store, so I made them with the 3/4 cup ...........and they turned out absolutely perfect! Had no ill effect on either flavor or texture.
Just thought I'd share that ........I mean a few less calories means you can eat a few more, right?? ;)
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Ok ....it's 9:15pm and y'all have me wanting to run out to the kitchen and make more marshmallows.
Oh well .....sleep is over-rated anyway, right? ;)
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I think summer hiatus it is .........but let's get back to it soon ......this was fun!! Just no time right now :)
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I also could not cut it right. I didn't want to use a wet knife. But then, I tried using the pizza cutter and it worked like a charm. I dipped the wheel in the potato starch and sugar mixture and tapped off excess amount and then cut the marshmallow block.
Now why didn't I think of that?? I use the damn pizza cutter for everything! ;)
Thanks for a marvelous suggestion!
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I hear you Jan, and for the people who are pros and/or primarily bread bakers out there I'd like to keep hearing more reports of how they like this new model over time--and we've had eG threads debating this model and others--because my experience with the new machine style with the wider, flatter 6 quart bowl style is that it is not as well-manufactured, is more irksome to use and doesn't actually perform most pastry tasks as well as the 5 quart machine & bowl shape--it just does slightly larger batches of things slightly less well. Our 6 quart Custom edition is in storage and our two 5 quart K-aids with extra bowls are still out on the counter still performing like workhorses. At least for us bigger wasn't better. Though we don't do bread often--the build quality of the 6 quart would seem to be the longer term issue as it would come under much greater torque over time with bread.
For home bakers--and some pros--it can be a disadvantage to have to do larger batches of things in the 6 quart when the larger batch isn't necessary. Anyone considering a purchase should seek out those other threads for more specific advice about models and brands.
Acutually, I didn't know this forum existed when I bought mine --but I did do my homework and there were definitely pros and cons. But I kept finding things the 5qt just wouldn't quite handle ---and to be perfectly honest, I love new kitchen toys ;)
I still really like it .......I've had it for about 1 1/2 yrs and it runs great. I would agree though that the 5qt was better for doing some smaller batches. Trying to cream something with only 1/2 cup of butter is certainly a challenge in that big bowl. Unfortunately, there's no room to have two ;)
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If you guys are still going with this idea, I would love to hop on board........that is if its okay. This sounds like my kind of thing. I do still need to buy the book, but would do so happily if you guys are still baking. I realise that I am several months late. Oh well.
~Ben
Absolutely Ben !! We would love to have you join us!! Everyone kindof comes and goes as there schedule permits.
I would suggest looking on Ebay for the book.....I've seen quite a few good deals on the BWJ book!
--Jan
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Anyone else still around in this forum?
::listening to the echoes in the hallway"
Yep ..still around. Just have been too busy to bake much lately. Last thing I did was the Croissants.
And that is one beautiful pastry you did there, Arbuclo!! :) Looking forward to pictures of the Amaretti :)
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I made Croissants this weekend and I'm pleased to say they turned out pretty well (except maybe for the flying tails ;) ....practice, practice, practice! ;)
I started with the Baking with Julia recipe and watched the video. But as I looked around the forum for more tips and read everyone's croissant making stories, I found that Andiesenji had recommended the recipe from "How to Bake" by Nick Malgieri. So I got out both recipes and compared. They are quite similar, except Nick uses a less cumbersome, less time-consuming technigue and also less butter ---3 sticks instead of 4 1/2.
To me, 4 1/2 sticks of butter just seemed like too much (and I LIKE butter! ;) So I used the Malgieri recipe and a combination of the techniques. Mixed the flour and butter in the mixer and made it into a flat rectangle and wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated. Seemed to me to make more sense to try and make it approximately the shape and size I wanted it to be instead of trying to beat a block of butter down into the middle of the dough. And it worked quite well. MInimal butter oozing and they were very light and flaky.
Now, if I could just get my ice cream right, life would be good ;)
And that's this week's progress report from sunny Aurora ;)
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did you add the sugar to the yolks w/o whisking right away?
Or too early all together?
Sugar let on yolks w/o incorporating will "burn" the yolks, kind of blistering them, could cause some pebbling that will be harder to strain.
Otherwise, maybe get a cheap digi thermometer with a probe and make sure your temp is hitting 181 to 185f or 85c, then get into an icebath pronto.
Please forgive me if you're already familiar with all of these techniques.
Nope ...had read that before about sugar and egg yolks, so did whisk them together right away. Will certainly give the thermometer a try ... I didn't realize there was a specific temperature. So it may have been a case of over-cooking?
Thanks, Ted .......and no need for forgiveness! I appreciate any and all advice ...better to hear it again than not at all! :)
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Ok ..since we've gone from talking about expresso to fat ;) ....let me ask a question ...
I've recently tried Vanilla Ice Cream recipes from both Sherry Yards and Claudia Fleminings books. They both have LOTS of egg yolks --8 in one, 12 in the other. I have no trouble tempering the yolks with the hot cream/milk ...they look just fine. When I start heating them again, they still look fine .....but every time, by the time it's thickened enough to coat a spoon, it starts to get what looks to be egg bits in it. Not big lumps ....just little bits.
Now, the first couple times this happened, it was just a little bit. I strained it (as the recipe called for --so they must expect a little??) ....and the ice creams turned out fine. However, yesterday when I made my base, it was quite "eggy" ---I did finish and freeze it, and it tasted ok, but it left a sticky feel in your mouth. Decided to try again today .....and it was so bad, I tossed it.
Sooo.............am I cooking it too long? Not long enough? Any clues from all you ice cream makers??
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In her book The Secrets of Baking, Sherry Yard includes her recipe (and beautiful photograph) for Brown Butter Baumkuchen. Although Martha S. would indeed instruct on how to install a spit for the occasion, Ms. Yard's version uses "a standard cake pan in a standard oven".
In reading through the directions, this one's probably not a good choice for tossing together twenty minutes before the guests arrive... this cake requires an extremely patient baker with lots of time on their hands.
Well, I have never had a 'real' baumkuchen before, but I did try making the one from the Yard book because it just looked fascinating. It really isn't difficult, it's just that for the 30-40 minutes you would normally bake a cake, you need to be there. It tasted great. The only problem I had was that by the time I was done adding layers and baking, the bottom of it had burnt to a crisp.
In fact ...that's how I happened to stumble across this forum a couple months ago -- while doing an Internet search to see if anyone else reported a similar problem. ;)
Haven't tried it again .....but would like to. Maybe putting a sheet pan or an insulated pan under the round pan would help? Anyone have any suggestions?
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I'm going to be gone this weekend too --- will be at my sister's house for my niece's 1st birthday ........and I volunteered to make the cake ...oh my!
But I'll catch up with y'all next weekend :)
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Enzian, welcome and thanks for the blow-by-blow pics. I really enjoy these photos but have hesitated to post mine. Do others enjoy them, or think it's a waste of bandwidth? Curious.
I love the pictures, Dahomechef....it's fun to see what everybodies stuff looks like. Sometimes it gives me something to aspire to .....sometimes it makes me feel better to know that I'm not the only one who has stuff turn out kinda funky!
Of course, I have cable modem, so it doesn't take long to download stuff .....how do people on dial-up feel about it?
(of course, pictures taken on digital cameras tend to have large file sizes - you can reduce these without any ill effect (using any graphic program or, most likely, the software that came with your camera), which will help lighten the download times :)
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I've made them successfully with cocoa. I used 1/2 cup of cocoa, 3/4 cup water and a teaspoon of vanilla in place of the puree and water in the recipe.
Neil,
I've tried this twice and all I end up with is goop. Too much liquid? Not enough gelatin? What are your thoughts?
Cheers,
I made these this week and they turned out perfectly!
How much water did you use total? I admit I had to read the recipe and variation directions over a few times - and this is what I came up with (and I figure I must have done it correctly, cuz they turned out ;)
The strawberry recipe calls for 1/2 cup strawberry puree and 1 1/4 cups water total - 1/2 cup with the puree and 3/4 cup with the sugar. For the chocolate, it should be 1/2 cup cocoa and 1 1/2 cups water total- 3/4 cup with the cocoa and 3/4 cup with the sugar.
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The recipe I have always used in almost identical to your "classic recipe 1" , including the mixing instructions, except that it has 4 tsp baking powder instead of 2. I use an electric pizelle maker. Never had a problem and they're always very good! (At least IMHO!! ;)
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Annie ....I went kicking and screaming to my carpal tunnel surgery, too .......but it's probably the best thing I ever did. That was 6 or 7 years ago and I'd had the problem for at least 10 years.
Today? No problems at all. Shit can certainly happen, but if you get a GOOD hand surgeon, chances of that are minimal. Basically, I was told that once you started to lose strength in your hands, it wouldn't come back and the only way to prevent it from getting worse was to have the surgery.
Will the problem recur if you do the same things? Maybe, maybe not. I still spend a great deal of my day (and night!) in front of a keyboard, and mine hasn't come back. I think if you're aware of the warning signs (as you will be since you've lived with the problem) and take some small precautions, it's much less likely to recur.
Don't know where y'all live, but I know a great surgeon in the western suburbs of Chicago if you want a recommendation.
Just my thoughts :)
--Jan
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Like I told you earlier, you make me want an ice-cream maker (I think I'll be able to hold off for awhile, though)
Don't wait too long, Erin! There's nothing like good homemade ice cream!! I just rediscovered that fact this wekeend. My ice cream maker has been sitting unused on the top of the fridge for a LONG time. But after listening to folks here talking about ice cream making, it got me motivated again. Made a Chocolate Malted Ice Cream recipe from Claudia Flemings book, "The Last Course" and it is absolutely one of the best things I've ever tasted and the texture was perfectly rich and creamy.
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Jan, I spoke with mother-in-law, and she agrees with Eatrustic. This recipe is for a 9 inch pie and does not double well. Sorry that wasn't clear in the original recipe. She thinks it was too much filling in one pie.
Thanks, Trish ..I apppreciate the info!
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Thanks for the recipes. I don't think I've seen almond paste in the store (then again, I don't spend a lot of time in the baking aisle). Is that the same as marzipan? Can I get that at regular grocery?
Almond paste and marzipan are not the same thing. Marzipan is almond paste with sugar added (and sometimes other stuff). You can usually buy both in the grocery store baking aisle.
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I made Sherry Yard's recipe over the weekend. It is very, very good. The lime juice adds a nice complexity to the flavor of the curd. For flavor I like this one beter than my old standby. For texture, though, I still prefer the looser consistency of the FC recipe. The next step will be using the technique from Fc with the ingredients from Sheryy Yard.
I wonder if whipping the Yard curd until it was cool, as several people suggested, would make it more the consistency you're looking for?
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You've got my "ditto" on that, Wendy :)
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Ok ....I don't own a bakery nor am I a professional pasty chef ........but I don't think I need to be to answer your question...shoddy work in ANY profession is not acceptable.
LIke Speidec said, it's YOUR reputation and the success of your business on the line. If she isn't interested in putting out a quality product, then she should be gone. I hate to see anyone lose their job, and if someone is TRYING, I'd be happy to keep working with them and helping them to improve. But it sounds like this woman is just therefor the paycheck --and that kind of help you don't need.
Just my 2 cents worth
--Jan
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Yeah know Wendy ....I have to agree with you about my cake. I know when I posted that recipe, I said it was better ......and it always WAS. But when I took one out of the freezer a week ago or so and frosted it and brought it to work, I didn't like it :/ I thought maybe I unwrapped the wrong one ...but noooooo..that was it. Now I'm wondering if I made a mistake in the recipe......if I ever figure it out, will let y'all know.
I still have a Wooley cake in the freezer ...gonna have to take it out and frost it and re-evaluate! ;)
Malted Milk Ball Cake
in Pastry & Baking
Posted
Ok ........it's not cake .......but if you really like Malted Milk Balls and you like to make ice cream, try the "Milk Chocolate Malted Ice Cream" from Claudia Fleming's book, "The Last Course" It is absolutely the most fabulous stuff. (And if you like a little crunch in your ice cream, you can take it a step further and chop up some malted milk balls and toss them in too !)
--Jan :)