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Looks like I can run down to one of the Latin markets and get some frozen passion fruit puree. Its handier than having to order it, in price and availabilty. I understand its probably not as good as the mail order but it will tide me over until I can find the good puree locally. I just can't imagine that the good quality puree is not available in such a big city as Los Angeles. O

I had an amazing time! To keep this post (kind of) on topic, I am kind of sad b/c I now realize that there's such a huge difference between the bread and baked goods in Vancouver and in San Francisco. Especially the bread. The best bread I had in San Fran was at Acme, followed by the bread at Chez Panisse, and then the bread at Bouchon Bakery. They were all excellent. The twice-baked almond croissant at Bouchon was even better than the almond croissant I had the day before at Tartine, which was already much better than the twice-baked almond croissant from Sen5es in Vancouver. (I think Sen5es does the best croissants in our town.) I couldn't believe how crisp and buttery that pastry was at Bouchon Bakery, and the filling was so rich. The almond filling at Tartine was more generous, but there was too much of it. Also, I didn't like the texture of the sliced almonds in the filling as much, and the pastry was so big that there is proportionately less of the crispy crust when you bite into it. But still...so good. I will dream of those almond croissants for a long time. ← Sounds like you had a great time. I am wondering if you had a chance to see everything while you were in S.F. it just didn't seem like you were away long enough. I have yet to get to Chez Panisse, the last time I was in S.F. I was within 2 blocks of the restaurant and I still didn't drop in. It is great though to see and taste the differences in baked goods that you are familar with between countries.

It was late when I got around to finishing the cake. So what I did was make a shape of the Ying or was it Yang, well I don't know, but anyway I just ran the raspberries through a processor and added gelatin, same with the peaches. I pour on one and waited till it firmed up, took the template off and then poured the other. Came out quite nice, I will just have to remember to use less gelatin. The colours were vibrant enough without adding food colouring. Thanks

I dont know where youre located, but if you dont want to go mail-order (at school we use 'perfect puree' from Napa) you'll have the best luck looking in latin specialty stores, if not for puree, for juice or "nectar" -- my mom always has a bottle handy for making mousse. Edited because I read your other thread about the design ← If I use juice or nectar, is this considered puree? I will ask today some of our latin ladies if they know about puree. Thanks

I am thinking of running some peaches through a blender and then straining it and then adding some gelatin. The same with raspberries. So I am concerned since each glaze is rather runny once its layed down, it might not hold its shape until it sets up. What do you think?

Looking for some help on how can I put two colours down on the top of the cake in the shape of Ying and Yang. One will be raspberry and the other peach, but I don't know how to put it down without one flowing into the other. Thanks O

I don't think the mango puree will be that hard to find, but I just thought since mango in a can is so easy to find in market to go that route. The passion fruit is the harder one it looks like.

I am trying to get some mango puree and passion fruit puree, but I would like to avoid having to mail order if possible. Anyway I came across a frozen bag entitled Tropical Fruit Trio, which is made up of mango, papaya and pineapple with passion fruit juice. Can I use this as a passion fruit puree? Just putting it into a blender would be all I need to do to make a puree? Do I need to drain off the juice? If I find a frozen bag of mango can I do the same for mango puree? This puree is not going to used to decorate the top of the cheesecake but a future project. My last question is if I am doing a Ying Yang design, how do I create one of the designs and it hold the position, while I pour the other design? Thanks O

Can you find passion fruit puree and mango puree in the market? Is the hot heavy cream boiling or just before? Thanks O

Wendy, will a cannoli filling hold up in this cake?

Never happened to scorch the bottom ... if you mix all the time. Use the whisk not a spoon and keep mixing... if you stop you burn it. If you boil the custard for 1 minute, then it should be ok... however I am concerned about the quantity of liquid you used... it may be too much in rapport with the eggs and the starch. ← It didn't really scorch the bottom. I usually get on my wife for scorching custards when she makes ice cream, because I have the bottle washer at home. I knew I must take it off the stove when I was mixing the custard that at any second the bottom would scorch and the custard would be unsalvageable. Thanks for all the help, everyone. Now I will have to do a search here for a cannoli filling recipe.

Thanks, Wendy, I knew you'd kick in, but I felt it was my mistake because of your recommendation. So I am now making a note in the book for future use, to use another custard recipe or even a cannoli recipe.

Thanks, will keep that recipe for future use. I have to tell you how I progressed. I continued with the original recipe and added the boiling cream to my 4 min. beaten eggs and when I poured it back into my pot to reheat to the recommended boil for 1 min., I noticed that it looked exactly like my genoise batter. So anyway it was hard to tell if it got to boil again point because of the volume of the mixture. I stopped stirring and took it off the heat when I notice that the bottom was just at the point before it would scorch. Its alright and has the consistancy of soft ice cream. I am wondering will it thicken more overnight? The reason I ask is I am putting bits of chocolat in the custard and then using that to fill a cake. Thanks

I think the therm. is off, my guess the recipe is okay, because Wendy tried it some years go and recommended it and did not say there was any problems with recipe. I think you are right about the temp. I have a another cable for the therm and it registers differently. One more question. Would it help if I reheated the runny custard or should I start over again?

The milk and cream are brought to a boil. The sugar, eggs, and cornstarch are whipped in a mixing bowl for 3-4min. When the cream boils it is poring into the beaten egg mixture. It is then returned to the saucepan and heated to 185°F, about 3min. Removed from heat and 2t vanilla extract added and whisked to combine. The custard is transfered to another bowl to cool down(in ice bath). I noticed when it cooled down it continued to stay thin.

I am trying to make desaulniers'Zio Ciccio's Cassata and the custard is not firming up. Its staying quite liquid. The recipe calls for 1C whole milk, 1C heavy cream, 1/2C gran. sugar, 2 eggs, 3 egg yolks, 4 T cornstarch, 2t vanilla extract and 2 oz. chocolate crunchs. This custard does is to be used in the cake. I made sure the milk and cream boiled before I poured it over the egg mixture. Any ideas why custard staying fluid.

Lets not forget, Rigo Jansci, which is a Hungarian Chocolate cake. Almost as famous as Dobos Torte. There is also an interesting story behind this cake aswell.

Now, wait a minute. My Kifli always looks good. My dear mom, bless her soul, made some great looking Kifli. I guess it can be like prezels, some can look very nice and some so, so. But it doesn't matter, at least to me, what it looks like, it just has to taste great.

I just love to having pictures to back up an event such as this. The pictures are truly worth a thousand words. Words can motivate me to a certain extent, but pictures seal the deal, at least for me. Thanks for sharing the event with us.

excellent. I useto think when I first came on board, how can Ling eat all these desserts, day after day, not to mention all the time in the kitchen.

Boy, oh boy, I just keep coming back here to get my fix. These pics are just great. I've been sending them to my employees to get their breakfast juices flowing. O

Thanks for the photos, just emailed them on to fellow workers entitled "Whats for breakfast"

I was curious, would a chocolate mousse as a filling, be too light in this cake? Would I have a problem slicing this cake and the mousse squishing out the sides? Thanks

Absolutely fabulous cake. That definetly going to get a lot of wows from the crowd. Was this a made up dessert or did you follow a recipe? Thanks for sharing. O

This is the recipe I posted on WebFoodpros a while back that Wendy would remember. I am Hungarian, and this recipe is my favorite, and its the only one I use. There are many variations, including adding some almond paste into the mix, which is also very nice. Its the closest to what I remember eating in Hungary and other places in the world that knew how to make them, and that includes the burnt sugar topping, which is traditional. This is a very rich and delectable cake, originally from Budapest 10 egg yolks 6 ounces granulated sugar 1/3 cup heavy cream 8 ounces bread flour 10 egg whites Beat egg yolks and sugar together until thick. Gradually add heavy cream, and stir well to blend all ingredients. Add bread flour, sifted. Mix thoroughly, and fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Butter heavily the bottom of seven 12-inch layer-cake tins (or use spring-form molds). With a flexible spatula spread with a thin layer of Dobos Mix. Bake at 400F for 10 to 12 min., or until done. Sandwich six layers together with a rich chocolate Buttercream or Ganache Cream. Ice the remaining layer with Caramel Sugar, spreading it on with a spatula. Cut layers immediately into twelve equal pieces with a buttered knife. Mask the cake entirely with chocolate Buttercream and place over the top the twelve cut triangles coated with the Caramel Sugar. A little dot of chocolate Buttercream under each one will help to make it stand up. In some cases the Dobos Torte top is simply coated with melted Couverture of sweet chocolate. (This is the way its done in bakeries that don't have the time or the ability to do it the original way) Dobos mix can also be spread over regular 18 x 24 inch baking sheet pans and sandwiched together with chocolate Buttercream. Cut in long narrow strips, ice with Couverture, and cut to size. For seven baking sheet pans, multiply the formula above by 4 (this is another version of Seven-Layer Cake.) Thanks