SweetSide

I was just putting this cake on my radar and looked at the recipe. The recipe calls for gelatin in grams. My question, since it is already a weight, is a gram of sheet gelatin equal to a gram of powdered gelatin? (aside -- I've got to get myself some sheets instead of powder...)

I'm late to the party but... This recipe is also in Payard's book Simply Sensational Desserts. I made it as specified, and it was a little sweet, but otherwise fit the title of the book to a tee! The people I gave it too (and I've brought them dozens of my test runs) still keep mentioning it to me! So delicious for something so simple.

Just a thought, and this may be way off in left field, but what if you sprayed just the thinnest coat of dark chocolate onto the dacquoise (both sides) to form a sort of vapor barrier to protect the crunchiness? If you don't have access to (or want to bother with) a sprayer, you could use a pastry brush. ← You're not off in left field. In school, we used melted chocolate (not tempered) spread thinly with a small offset spatula. By using non-tempered chocolate, the choclate won't set to a snap, so there will less change in texture.

Count me in too -- I've had this on mylist for the past week, and in fact was planning on doing the same as filipe before I even saw the post.

Wow I never thought to use sugar veil like that--great idea. That way you could do edible artwork in advance of baking. Great great idea. I mean because otherwise you are doing the art last minute hurry hurry rush rush. >>clapping hands smilie face<< Hmm, wonder how that stuff cuts (slices/serves)??? Doesn't it meld into the cake icing??? No it probably stays firm or else the webs & stuff would break hmmm... I haven't used it in forever--mine is so old it's a solid mass in the bag. How does it slice???? ← K8, you made my day! I had my own, (semi)original good idea! I sit here reading all the stuff you and other experienced people write and think that I have such a very long way to go. I find cake decorating (the art part) SO daunting. My weakest subject.

Absolutely. ← Thanks! I think I just found a cool new toy to check out. Until I can get experience... Oh, one more thing... Can I color the stuff? With what -- gel base, oil base? I wanted to do a Dragon drawing on a cake for my daughter for her swim team, and this way, I can just blow up the logo and trace it rather than try to freehand the thing.

I'm not nearly as good as anyone -- not the same planet even -- at doing cake decorating of the artistry sort, and this looks like something I would like to play with at least once. Hey -- I can trace real good... Can I use this with just a regular piping bag and fine tip like a #1 or #2 cake deocorating tip? For $12, that's not a bad toy. For $46, no way!

K8, believe it or not, that's what Baking Illustrated instructs you to do. Made my first eclair from their books. Other than the odd look to it, the recipe was good. ← Which way, poke it with a tube & fill it or slice it open like a hot dog bun? ← Sorry, I didn't edit to make it clear... the slice it open like a bun part.

K8, believe it or not, that's what Baking Illustrated instructs you to do. Made my first eclair from their books. Other than the odd look to it, the recipe was good.

Thanks for the links, K8. I was actually referring to the choux itself, so that giant basketweave tip might be worth trying out. I didn't think of it before, but maybe I could also try using the plastic tip holder --without a tip in it-- to pipe out larger cylinders. ← That's how we did it at work -- just used the tip coupler for the big tips. The opening is just shy of 1". Provides a cleaner break when ending the eclair than just using a bag alone. As for the bismark tubes, I have two and have vowed not to use them again unless I get very strong hands. I like to fill the eclairs with a fairly thick pastry cream, and the tube hole is small and I end up getting wicked hand cramps or eclairs not filled enough.

I'm using a laser thermometer from Thermoworks. Fairly reliable piece of equipment. The battery power was low though. That might have been my problem. In response to the other post: The mixture did boil. I will replace the batteries and try again tonight. Shane ← Laser as in infrared? There is another thread out HERE that discusses the use of infrared thermometers and use in sugar work. In addition to your batteries, that may be part of the problem.

How often is self-rising flour needed -- I personally don't have much of a need for it. However, when called for, I have this substitution recipe: 1 Cup flour less two teaspoons 1/2 tsp salt 1 1/2 tsp baking powder Then, you don't need to worry about them getting mixed up nor do you have to worry about the flour getting old and/or losing its leavening power.

My fault too:blush: -- perhaps there is a way to split the thread. But, yes, I meant benzoyl peroxide. Does that mean eating treats will keep your skin clear? I happen to use KA flour (unbleached, unbromated) for everything except cakes that specifically call for cake flour. For those, the stuff is bleached (try not to think about it). I can't readily find any other kind of cake flour here. Even KA cake flour is bleached.

I believe all cake flours are bleached, for that protein thing and because it looks better. ← Sugarella, I was the one who posted that chlorine bleached flour (cake flour is typically the only kind bleached with chlorine) have had their gluten weakened by the bleaching process. Bleaching of AP and bread flours have been done with benzoyl peroxide to whiten and mature the flour. And to take it further, the bleaching with chlorine also oxidizes thae starch, allowing it to absorb water more quickly and easily, resulting in a moister product. Further, the chlorine leaves the starch slightly acidic which causes the batter to set faster and further reduces gluten development, resulting in moister (reduced baking time) and more tender (low gluten) cakes. No, I'm not rattling that off from my head -- paraphrasing from some baking technology texts...

Now I've got choubie dooby doo stuck in my head toooooo.... On the minis -- may I say that 3" across seems awfully big to me. If you want it to be only 2 or 3 bites, I would go for something about 1 1/2 to 2" in diameter. As for a savory filling, I've nothing to add except that spinach sounds good. My name isn't SweetSide for nuthin -- don't cook savory at all Welcome aboard!

...... Soooooo, sometimes I see differences in my baked goods from one brand of flour to another similar type of flour but it's pretty rare. Usually, it's not noticable unless I'm tasting the items side by side. I can detect a difference between bleached and unbleached, definately.... ← Wendy, I've always been curious about that. I have some recipes that specifically call for bleached or unbleached. I have one that calls for a portion of each (I ignored that one because I don't keep both bleached and unbleached on hand for AP). What are the differences that you see simply based on the bleaching? Thanks!

Thanks Wendy -- I'll have to check that one out. A limited version came with my textbook, but I don't use it because I couldn't import or export recipes. Time for some additional investigation...

That's where I am -- converting recipes for larger scale production... Makes for real slow going... And the reason I'm looking for the "perfect" recipe software. Ah, if "they" would only program my every whim!

That's exactly why Guinness Draught comes in 6 packs now. At least there's an 18% chance that a bottle will make its way to the batter....

What type of conversion -- from volume to weight? There are several that do such a thing, but nothing by specific ingredient. Flour alone weighs differently depending upon how you get it in the cup and the type of flour it is. Right now, I do all of my conversions from volume to weight by hand, usually the first time I make a recipe. For tripling, my software will do that for me for weights or volumes, whichever I have in the recipe. One of my problems is I want both in the software. As for a website that scales recipes -- some do it for the recipes at their site. But I don't know of one where you would enter your recipe and get it scaled. That I do in my software or on an Excel spreadsheet.

Currently I have Living Cookbook, but I've seen other posters refer to Mastercook. I also saw one recipe posted that had both weight and volume measurements along with baker's percentages (I'm envious). I'm finding that mine is ok, but I would like it to do more -- like be able to show both weights and volumes. And to use measurements like 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon (as that is how I received a recipe). Living Cookbook also does nutrition analysis and cost analysis, which I like. But, I find maintaining the ingredient cost information is less than efficient. eGulleters, what do you use? Do you like it? Why? What do you feel it lacks?

For sugar, I have a candy thermometer that clips to the pot so I can see the progress. For most other things, I have a Thermopen that I love. Stick it in just a small bit, and it reads out in like 5 seconds. Digital. Great for shallow items. Thin needle. Expensive, but one of my best investments. No waiting for a dial to go round and round while receiving steam or sugar burns. Got mine from Baker's Catalogue Here All my others mostly just sit in the drawer -- they seem to be multiplying too -- have to keep an eye on them...

No, there are 2 after the one showing on the web site. Oct/Nov has Laurent Lhuillier on the cover in the National Pastry Team championship. Profiles the different teams. The latest issue is on gelato, but don't know the cover. I buy and the bookstore and based on content decided I didn't want to buy that issue. Another reason why I'll stick with buying from the bookstore...

Nope -- won't fall out unless it is underbaked (and still too wet and heavy) or you greased your pan (made that boo boo And if you think the cake goes flatter in the right-side-up pan, you should see how flat it goes when it whumps on to the counter!). That's what them little feet are for! The toothpicks are for when you use just a regular round cake pan making layers. Really -- trust us. Wish I had a picture to show you of the cake hangin' out upside down in there with my daughter peeking up at it the first time saying "ain't it gonna fall out mom?"...

I must have been in a pre-bed stupor after getting up at 4 AM... As my curiousity was piqued further, I went a searching and found this recipe CLICK. From the write up next to it, it appears that it would be a soft cookie, but as I haven't made it, I can't attest to the results. Here's another one CLICK If any finds something, please post. I won't have time for testing as I'm busy testing out a bunch of other recipes...