etalanian

You absolutely can! Enjoy the cake! Eileen

Creamy Stovetop Rice Pudding Serves 8 as Dessert. My family has been making this rice pudding for decades. It has evolved with each new generation of cooks. In lieu of the extract, I often add a split and scraped vanilla bean with the milk, and remove it before adding the cream. You can also omit the cinnamon stick and sprinkle the pudding with ground cinnamon. I like to use Vietnamese or Saigon cinnamon. You can also add a handful of raisins, dried cherries, dried cranberries, or other dried fruits. Be sure to chop them if they are large. 1/2 c short grain rice 1 c water 2 oz (4 Tbl) unsalted butter 1/4 tsp salt 1 qt of whole or lowfat milk 1 stick of cinnamon, 3 inches 2/3 c granulated sugar 2 large eggs 2 tsp of vanilla extract 1/2 c heavy cream Bring the rice, water, butter and salt to a boil in a pan, then reduce heat to low, and simmer, covered, until there is no water in the pan (but don't let the rice scorch). Add the whole or lowfat milk. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat as low as you can and simmer until the rice is cooked. This could take 30 minutes. Lightly whisk the sugar and eggs and stir into the rice mixture, with the 3-inch stick of cinnamon. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula, until the pudding thickens. I use an instant read thermometer and cook it to 170 degrees. The eggs will not curdle if you stir constantly and remove the pan from the heat as soon as it reaches 170 degrees. Add the heavy cream and vanilla and stir to blend in. Chill. Keywords: Dessert, Easy, Rice, Dinner, Pudding ( RG1585 )

Here is a recipe that we've been making in our family for decades. Both kids and adults love it. It's all stove-top, no baking, and very creamy. I use short-grain rice, never tried it with arborio. In lieu of the extract, I sometimes add a split, scraped vanilla bean with the milk, and remove the bean before the cream is added. Bring to a boil in a pan, then reduce heat, and simmer, covered, until there is no water in the pan (but don't let the rice scorch): 1/2 cup short grain rice 1 cup water 2 ounces (4 Tbl) unsalted butter 1/4 teaspoon salt Add 1 quart of whole or lowfat milk. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat as low as you can and simmer until the rice is cooked. This could take 30 minutes. Lightly whisk and stir into the rice mixture, with a 3-inch stick of cinnamon: 2/3 cup granulated sugar 2 large eggs Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula, until the pudding thickens. I use an instant read thermometer and cook it to 170 degrees. The eggs will not curdle if you stir constantly and remove the pan from the heat as soon as it reaches 170 degrees. Add and stir in: 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract 1/2 cup heavy cream Chill. Eileen edited by etalanian for clarification.

I think you can make them any size you want within a reasonable range. If they are too big the frozen ganache might not get hot throughout. I think the size of a doughnut hole is good. I have frozen them overnight so I can just fry them quickly for a dinner party dessert. I usually take them out a few minutes before frying them. I use a fairly dense ganache: 8 ounces of dark chocolate to 2 ounces of cream. I freeze the ganache balls before inserting them into the choux paste. Be sure you pinch the dough so it completely seals the ganache inside. Any holes and the ganache will leak out and cause a terrible mess. I don't understand the mentions above that say the ganache is "dipped" in the "batter." Maybe their pate a choux is much thinner than mine, or maybe they aren't using a choux paste. But I tried the Pichet Ong recipe and it was the same consistency as the one I'd been using. I'm going to try filling the Pichet Ong pate a choux this weekend if I have time. I want to try it also with chocolate instead of ganache. Let me know if you have any epiphanies when you make yours. Eileen

One more thing - the splash guard. I find that, even with the splash guard, annoyingly messy flour and/or cocoa dust still gets sprayed all over my pots and pans, which hang over the island where I mix recipes. So I throw a towel over the mixer when adding dry ingredients. I use the splash guard primarily if I'm being lazy and doubling a recipe that really doesn't fit well in the bowl.

I have two KAs - one that is about 20 years old (5 qt) and one that I bought a few months ago (6 qt). I have two bowls and flat beaters for both of them, and 2 wire beaters for the older one. During my Christmas cookie baking madness I was really sorry I didn't get the extra wire beater for the new one. Ling, I bake nearly every day because I develop dessert recipes for restaurants and businesses. I have never had a problem with my older KA, and haven't had any problems yet with my new one. I have other friends in the food business who also have 6 qt models, and that is why I bought one for myself - they were very happy with theirs. Perhaps any problems that occurred in the past have been resolved. Eileen

There are two kinds of beignets: The yeast-raised kind like they serve at Cafe du Monde, and the real French kind, made by deep-frying pate a choux. The former is tasty. The latter is exquisite. I have made this kind of thing with the pate a choux dough, and it is delicious. The centers were ganache, frozen before pinching them into the dough.

Hi, and the best of luck to you two! Have you visited Miel Patisserie in Philadelphia and Cherry Hill NJ? Started by Bobby Bennett, from Le Bec Fin fame. Wonderful stuff. Just lovely. Here is an article about Bennett from the Philadelphia Inquirer, written after he decided to leave the bakery behind. As long as you are intent on having fun (and having a life, too?) you should be okay. I can't wait to read the thread on your European vacay! Have a great time! Eileen

My husband, who is a true chocoholic, has always loved getting chocolates for valentine's day from this site: http://www.lamaisonduchocolat.com/ We first had them on a trip to Paris, and I've ordered them from their NYC store every year since.

I ate at Amada with my hubby and 4 friends a little over a week ago. They lost our reservation, which was disconcerting, but they made everything right, and we enjoyed the dinner immensely. Fortunately, one guy in our party was intimately familiar with Spanish foods, and he did the ordering for us. Everything was exceptional. We enjoyed 10 different dishes, all shared, plus the sous vide beef (also shared), and four desserts (yes, of course, shared). Lots of wines by the glass and a few beers. Came to 140 per couple. Worth every cent. On the cheese plate they paired the goat cheese with a deep dark chocolate ganache enhanced with ground hazelnuts. It was a match made in heaven.

When I had my bakery my product list was basically a list of my favorite desserts, cookies and brownies. But one of my biggest customers asked me to make Irish Potatoes for her stores. She gave me the recipe. It was sweetened condensed milk, powdered milk, and confectioners' sugar. I think it had some almond extract in it. We all just about barfed. They were horrible.

I'm in filipe's camp with the pronunciation. My french teacher would, I fear, have a seizure at hearing "choclateer". Ooo la la.

Cheryl, I agree with everything K8Memphis said. Trust your ability - you are surely better than you give yourself credit for, and if you were an insurance underwriter, you have intelligence and common sense - two things that many people never have. What I have found is that the people who are passionate about their work are the ones who succeed. If you have changed careers mid-life, you are obviously passionate about pastry making. Give yourself a chance - and a little credit. Take this opportunity and learn what you can from it. Even if you find this job is not for you, you will have learned a lot from it, that you will be able to use at the next job. And keep in mind that the only time you will be able to make exactly what you want the way you want to is if you have your own business. Compromising is part of the game. Good luck and let us know what you decide and how things are going as the job goes along. Eileen

We were there years ago. Has it been renovated recently? I don't remember a back dining room. The bar ran the length of the small dining room, and there were booths along the opposite wall, which made up the dining area.

Sometimes increasing the heat will cause the tops to "pop" so there is a pretty large dome. Usually overfilling the cups just results in the cupcakes overflowing, which has the opposite effect of what you want - when they overflow they often fall. Eileen

Where can these pans be re-enameled?

The worst thing I've ever eaten was a cultural dish in the Philippines. It is eaten in the dark, because it is so gruesome: some kind of fairly large poultry egg that has been fertilized and is well on its way toward birth. The way it is eaten is to cut off a portion of the top of the shell (the egg is standing on its wide end) and use a spoon to eat the goop and the mostly formed chick. I couldn't do it - almost threw up. It is a delicacy and I don't think my hosts appreciated my disgust. Regarding fish sauce - I love Asian foods that are made with it, but ever since I was pregnant with my daughter, and made a Thai dinner for friends, I can't stand the smell of it. I was sick for days afterwards every time I even thought of the sauce.

I agree. I like to blind bake my crumb crusts for unbaked fillings. The heat melts the sugar which acts more like a glue for the crumbs, and I think it holds them together better. IMHO. Eileen

MOTTMOTT - Here is a recipe for a coconut macaroon that doesn't contain any canned stuff. It makes macaroons like what you described. A nice outer crust with a soft, gooey, chewy center and a great coconut flavor. I don't like the coconut macaroons made with sweetened condensed milk, either. Let me know if you like it. They are also extremely delicious if the bottoms are dipped in tempered chocolate. (This recipe is from my cookbook, Chewy Cookies). COCONUT MACAROONS Makes 36 cookies Delightfully chewy and moist with a crunchy surface, my version is different from commercially made macaroons, because I use flaked coconut instead of the ground stuff used in most commercial bakeries. That explains why they were such a popular item at my bakery. The coconut flavor is big, with just the right amount of sweetness. 3 large egg whites, at room temperature 3/4 cup granulated sugar 2-1/4 cups sweetened, flaked coconut, firmly packed into the measuring cup 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour Preheat the oven to 325° F (310° F if you’re using a convection oven) and move the oven racks so they divide the oven into thirds. Line two or more baking sheets with parchment. On medium speed of an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until they are thick and opaque. This will take about 2 minutes. With the mixer running, slowly add the sugar, and continue beating for 1 minute after it has all been added. Blend in the coconut on low speed just until it’s incorporated into the egg white mixture. Sprinkle the flour over the dough and beat on low speed for 20 seconds. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, then give it a few stirs to be sure it is completely mixed. Using a 1-inch scoop or a two-teaspoon measure, drop the cookies onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake them in the preheated oven, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time, for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until lightly browned and firm. Don’t over bake them or they’ll be dry. Remove the baking sheets from the oven and place them on wire cooling racks. When the cookies are cool, store them in an airtight container with wax paper between the layers. Eileen edited by Eileen for a typo

Secrets of Baking is a favorite of mine. Eileen

I would love to see photos of the fattigmands. What a treat! Eileen

LaurieA-B, Thanks for the link. It was a really interesting conversation, and quite helpful. I am going to try out the black cocoa as soon as I finish up with my christmas cookies. Eileen

Pat W., I have a recipe for a gingerbread cookie that stays soft if you still need a recipe, or want a recipe for a soft one. Most recipes get really hard, which I don't like. Let me know Iif you want it. Eileen

Oh, pansophia! I would love to see your Norwegian cookie photos. Eileen

Don't give up! I concur that most separated buttercreams can be fixed by beating them. I find that beating them on medium or medium-high speed usually does the trick.