stuartlikesstrudel

MGLloyd, thanks for the suggestion but I don't think that's it... I have never heard of Quorn so i googled it... it's pretty interesting! But these nuggets are vegan and apparently Quorn uses eggwhite. Pam, I'm going to make my mock-meat with the flavouring in it... so i'm trying to work out what those flavours are. I know that they are using some kind of Textured Vegetable Protein as the meat, and TVP is made from soy. I'm going to try 2 methods, one of which is using TVP flakes which I will reconstitute and then partially blend to get a mushy yet slightly stringy texture. I'm also going to try soy flour and chickpeas to create my own TVP, so to speak. And you're right, after I have that, I will just coat and fry it. So the spices and flavours will be IN the mock meat. Dave, I feel a bit silly to not have even thought of MSG... i have checked the vague product listing for the nuggets and they DON'T specify that no MSG is used, so i'm thinking it may well be in there. I have some MSG at home, so i will try it. In the past I have noticed the taste unpleasantly when I use it, so hopefully i don't get that this time... i don't notice it when i consume MSG in convenience foods or eating out usually. How much might you suggest adding to, say, 500g of my mixture? (i know it's hard to really specify). Thanks for all the suggestions so far

Hey all, there is a place in Melbourne (Australia) that serves some delicious mock chicken nuggets. Yeah i know many people don't like the mock-meat concept, but I do, and I would like to try recreating these at home. Here is a picture of them : http://www.flickr.com/photos/penguincakes/3374739079/ I already have a few ideas of what to do in terms of creating the actual nugget (though suggestions are still welcome - they are gluten free which is interesting since a lot of mock meats use gluten-flour). The main thing I'm wondering is if anyone might have ideas of how to flavour them like meat. I paid particular attention last time I ate them (and saved one to eat cold for analysis) and noted that apart from salt (!) there were some other flavours in the "flesh", but it was hard to perceive what. They were subtle, it wasn't like a flavoured nugget, but something was there to make it not bland. I am thinking some kind of 'earthy' spices, maybe coriander and cumin, and for some reason i almost get ideas of a little star-anise... Any thoughts? I know it's hard without having actually eaten them! - Stu

Wow. I can't help you, but i will be keeping an eye on this thread too! That looks so good... i can just imagine the great flavours and the amazing texture of the crunchy, toasty, sugary almonds on top. Drool.

The first time I tried Italian Meringue I had a bit of a meringue epiphany... I think it delivers just what you want... the mouthfeel is amazing, I would describe it as creamy, just like you did. Taking a bite (or a spoonful!), it just feels like it fills your mouth. It is also said to be more stable, which would suit you well. I'm not sure HOW stable, I haven't really tested that. I am told by some that the Swiss Meringue delivers the same results with an easier method, but opinons seem to be divided (both on the result, and which is more convenient). There are lots of threads about it here on the Gullet, and there is an Italian Meringue Buttercream (known as IMBC) Demo which would be of use for you too (you just stop after making the meringue

Sounds really nice, Darienne. I am keen to try that orange/pepper ice cream, the flavor sounds complex and interesting to me and your description of it is very appealing

Oh, those mini desserts are so exciting to look at! Now you've got me thinking about ideas...! They're so intricate and I know that each one would be a few mouthfuls of really interesting flavours and textures, then gone Love the leaf cake too, dystopian... the gradation works really nicely. I hope the lighting was flattering to it so people could appreciate the effect.

Hmm, interesting point about the brand of butter, Theresa. I bought a cheap brand as well, and so that probably did have an impact. I suspect the texture would have still been icky but having a nicer taste could make a huge difference. It's hard to buy butter that's about 3x the price, but maybe i have to just suck it up, i guess it is the main component! Thanks for your comment too, Canadian... that 1:1 sugar : butter ratio sounds very different and probably much more to my liking. I will probably try that soon. You are right that it may just be something I will never like, but looking at the ingredients, it sure seems like I should

Hi all, I was going to add this to one of the big existing buttercream threads but they are all very old now. A few weeks ago I made a special 21st birthday cake for a friend, and decided to use IMBC for the frosting. I haven't really had many frosted cakes before, so don't know exactly what it should be like, but from all descriptions I thought it would be right - less cloyingly sweet than the plain butter + sugar variety, and I imagined it would be quite fluffy and light too. I read the eG threads carefully and found the IMBC demo which was super helpful, and as I proceeded it seemed right, following the demo. But what I got was something that was kindof light (i guess), not too sweet (which is good), but with a very prominent greasy/buttery mouthfeel. As soon as I tasted it, it felt almost like a film of butter in my mouth, with the sweetness and vanilla coming through after. The taste itself was ok but the experience was not pleasant. I ended up adding quite a lot of cointreau to try and 'cut' the greasy feeling and so I also had to add some confectioners sugar to keep it from breaking. After this, it ended up quite firm (not "solid" but definitely not light and fluffy) and became a bit difficult to spread smoothly on the cake. Of course, by this point I'm not surprised, because I did deviate from the designed recipe. So anyway, my main questions are : Is this just the way IMBC is? Very buttery, with an unpleasant mouthfeel. Maybe this is just what people like, but it definitely wasn't to my taste! Can you cut the butter down quite a lot and still get the emulsification working? I think I would like a frosting that was much more like the Italian Meringue, with about half the butter just to make it rich and creamy enough. I am thinking that it may not come together without all the butter added. Also, I guess, can you overbeat IMBC? Once it all came together, I wasn't sure whether to keep whipping it which I thought might have made it lighter, but it didn't seem to... And i was afraid it would cause it to go too firm and become chunky. Thanks for reading!

Jenny, that sounds really interesting! The water threw me, i can't work out how that ends up making crispy potatoes, but I guess maybe it evaporates or something... in any case, sounds like something I'll have to try next time.

This is a quote from the current Oven Chips thread, but raises a point that I was actually going to make a new post about anyway. I didn't know if there's a simple answer that could be resolved in that thread or whether it was worth splitting off into its own thread... I did a search and couldn't find anything obviously relating to this. I had some leftover polenta which I yesterday fried/sauteed/cooked-in-a-pan and was getting worried it was going to totally stick and turn to gross burnt-and-mushy-at-the-same-time stuff, even though i had oiled the pan sufficiently. In the end however, the slices came off pretty cleanly and it worked out great. My question is, can we tell which foods are going to work like this (releasing themselves) and which just stay stuck? I have tried a few times to make veggie burgers with quite a moist mixture, and they inevitably get quite stuck... even when i leave them longer than i want to (and they get a burnt-ish bottom). Do some foods just not work with this? Temperature must play quite a role, I'm guessing, as a hot pan might start to burn before the crust has time to develop and release...? Also, somehow I got into my head that non-stick pans tend to make inferior crusts than other pans. Is this actually true? The non-stick pan we have is pretty cheap, so may not be a great benchmark point. I tend to reach for our solid cast iron pan for this kind of job, it just seems like a better choice.

I haven't really tried perfecting a scone recipe, because i prefer many other baked goods to them, but this one works pretty well in a pinch - VERY simple, and decent, I think. They need to be eaten in the same day, preferably in a few hours. 3 cups self-raising flour 1 cup cream 1 cup lemonade (maybe not American lemonade... the clear, bubbly one, so 7up type of thing) Salt to taste, I guess. mix, cut, cook! Apparently you can use soda water for some/all of the lemonade if you don't want it as sweet.

I think the plated desserts on this site are always really beautiful... This one involves a mousse which she cuts at an angle. She has another one that looks better but this is the post i found first... http://cannelle-vanille.blogspot.com/2008/...and-autumn.html The dusting of cocoa and other little details help too i reckon.

Pomegranate Molasses is a middle-eastern sauce which I have found great in so many dishes... it's strongly fruity, has a sweetness as well as an astringent acidity. I find it great for adding to tagine-style dishes, dribbling it over salads (especially with chickpeas and cous cous) and in sweet applications too - even just over ice cream sometimes! My bottle has run out and i'm hanging out for some more!

Hey SaladFingers, I wonder about the same kind of things sometimes. I reckon the answers so far have been great, so I don't know if I have much to add but I will anyway For me, in the last year or so I have found that I am starting to be much more instinctual when I cook - I am able to taste things and identify more and more what is missing, what would take it to the next level, etc. This is after many years of cooking (for pleasure) and I don't think anything "happened", it's just part of the progression I guess. Time... not always the answer we want, but hey, it's going to be a lifelong skill/hobby! With pastry/baking, I totally rely on recipes for quantities as well. Baking has its own unique challenges, and when things don't work they REALLY don't work! And like others have said, when you are just cooking as a hobby, you don't get nearly the exposure of a chef or professional... I only bake a few times a week at most, and when I'm doing that it's mostly to relax so i'm not TRYING to 'learn' stuff and memorising, that's just no fun!

Why don't you use some caramel as a layer in a bar/slice/squares recipe... I made a caramel apple bar that was pretty sweet, but very tasty! I think even if the caramel stayed gooey it would sit ok amongst the apple, and it may firm up in the baking process. I think I based mine on this recipe ; http://www.yumsugar.com/555065#comments (i can't actually see where the recipe is there but theres a 'print recipe' link which might work). I made the crust of mine a bit crunchier and more interesting by adding some pumpkin seeds and using part wholemeal flour, which worked well against the straightforward (but delicious!) apple and caramel parts.

I have definitely had rancid nuts before. Usually walnuts, I think... they take a bitter, unpleasant taste. Not inedible, but not something I would use in cooking or for snacking on. But I still don't refrigerate nuts, and very rarely have I had to throw them out.

Hi all, I've been reading the Alice B. Toklas cookbook which I was given as a gift - it's part autobiography interspersed with recipes. I haven't really done any French cooking before so it's quite interesting in that respect... lots of sauces, herbs and elaborate cooking. In most of the sauces, it seems that when butter is added, it specifically mentions not to stir it in, but just to tip the pan and let the butter kind of melt in. Similarly with cream, it often says to tilt the pan, and make sure it doesn't come to the boil. I'm just interested as to why this might be... does it change the texture or taste? i add cream into my sauces which probably sometimes reach a boil. I thought that perhaps it is outdated or unnecessary advice?

The only thing I can really think of wasn't a terrible meal, but it was kind of amusing. I was up at a friend's farm for a few days and we were invited to my friend's grandparents' house for dinner one night. My friend mentioned that afternoon that I was vegetarian and confirmed with them on the phone that I didn't eat chicken, or fish. So we turn up and I'm greeted at the door by the grandma saying "I had to think of something else to cook for you, we are having a bake with sausage in it but i've made you a separate one. Eggs are ok, aren't they?" Yes, i replied, eggs and cheese are fine. "Oh good", she says... "and what about ham". Slight smile from me, "well, slightly less fine" but in a good humored way, and I went ahead and ate the ham bake. I found it slightly amusing that these grandparent, living on a FARM that has PIGS, didn't quite click that ham was a meat!!

Oh I love that feeling when it just WORKS! My first success with bread was so exciting, and I still want to do the happy-dance when I put something in the oven and see it starting to rise up... I definitely agree with you that it's worth trying the same recipe a few more times to get confident and start to learn some of those bread-making lessons that you can't really be "told". You will become so much more relaxed as you go, and I dare say you will find it enjoyable and addicting... "who's going to eat all that bread" is the same thing i think! When you are up for something a bit more unusual, why don't you try just adding little bits and pieces to the current recipe? It's a good way to start trying things without feeling like you're completely in the dark again... Some spices in the dough, or seeds (like some linseeds) in the dough. You can brush the top with egg/milk/water and put on poppy seeds, all that kind of stuff. Other additives will start to affect the process (such as sugars speeding it up, lots of spices slowing it down etc) but you will learn by trying, and I find that even my slightly-wrong loaves are still tasty. welcome to a new world

I used to have trouble with bread too, but i'm now at a decent stage - mostly knowing what it's going to turn out like, and it's always edible and quite enjoyable. One big thing for me was when I started using a minimal kneading technique a la Dan Lepard... It's not that it produces a better result than a long kneaded loaf by necessity, but my results were always better. It was probably a combination of things that did it though, like the actual recipes etc. So regardless of the recipe you follow, when you first mix it all up, leave it for a bit (maybe 10 mins) before you start kneading... dan's method is that you mix, leave for 10 min, knead for 10 seconds on an oiled bench, leave for 10 mins, and knead/leave twice more. But even if you will do a long knead, leave it first to "autolyse" which is about the gluten absorbing water, or something. As for water temperature, my good trick here is to boil a kettle, then add 1/3 boiling water to 2/3 cold (tap temperature) water, and that's about the right lukewarm temperature to make the yeast happy. My yeast is just active dry yeast (i can't get the instant kind easily) and if you want you can test the yeast is still alive by mixing a bit with some warm water and a little sugar and flour, wait for 10ish minutes and it should be foaming or a bit thick.... you should know if it is working. But i don't bother proof (test) it because i keep mine in the fridge and go through it quickly enough that it seems to always be alive. Good luck!! P.S white bread is easier to make than wholemeal or grain bread because of the gluten, so it's good to start with even if you don't like it as much

Hi guys, i'm a little late to the choux party i know! I just tried the Pichet recipe after having a flop with a different recipe. I had 2 main problems: firstly, i baked 2 trays of them and the top tray stayed almost totally flat (well they rose up but then collapsed fully) while the bottom tray rose a LOT better. Is this perhaps an issue of direct heat (the bottom tray would be 'protected' from some heat by the top tray). Should i just bake one tray at a time? And also, many of the ones from the bottom tray (that puffed up really well and hollow) were so thin on the bottom i couldn't fill them... in some cases there was a big hole in the bottom of the puff (almost an inch wide) and many had a super-wafer-thin bottom that would immediately break had i tried to put cream in there. Why might this be? cheers Stu

http://theppk.com/recipes/dbrecipes/index.php?list=byCourse The Post Punk Kitchen is a pretty great vegan resource, they are the people who wrote the Veganomicon which is a recent vegan cooking book... I'm not vegan myself but it's my first go-to place when i need to find a suitable recipe.

hmm, some good thoughts. I hadn't really considered other types of porridge, so the rice comment made me think. But I reckon this time we will stick with oats, because that was the initial idea and I find it a fun challenge. That soup sounds great, raw/cooked, i think I will go with that instead of the mushroom. I did a mini test today where i overcooked some porridge and left it out to 'dry'. And I think it is firming up well so i probably won't have to go with gelatin either.

Hi all, I was having a silly discussion with my brother tonight, which has now resulted in us planning a 5 course meal based around porridge... I am just a home cook, enthusiastic and quite adventurous but this will stretch my skills and i am looking for a bit of help for a few of the dishes in particular. Here is the menu we have planned: Soup: Porridge and mushroom soup, served with porridge bread. Entree: Tempura porridge balls (with an asian dipping sauce). Mains: Porridge Canneloni, with a side salad (incorporating porridge somehow, as a dressing?). Dessert: Trio of porridge - Porridge brulee, porridge + apple pies, porridge waffles. Coffee, with a porridge truffle. Now obviously the whole thing is just for fun and some of these will probably taste awful, but we are ok with that. However, I would like to see if we can make them work (i am imagining the soup and canneloni being the worst!). We have decided that other things can be added in (for example, the waffle batter will have an egg and some flour to make it cookable), but the porridge (or oats) must be a key ingredient and still resemble porridge to a large degree. Think of it as an Iron Chef porridge battle! I am expecting the desserts to actually taste quite great, and can't foresee too many problems with them (though the waffle may take some experimentation). So my main concerns/problem areas are this: 1) making firm porridge - this is important for the balls that will be battered and fried, they need to keep their shape somewhat. I am thinking that making it thick to begin with, then chilling it will help, but i still may need gelatin or perhaps adding some flour? 2) The salad to go with the canneloni. I was imagining something like porridge croutons made like polenta - cooked porridge, somehow made into a firm mass, then cut into little chunks and toasted/fried. But I can't see this working... perhaps a dressing instead? 3) Porridge and mushroom soup - this was the best flavour we came up with, as oats are quite earthy in taste and may compliment the mushroom flavour... any alternatives, or suggestions to make it a winner? Any ideas or comments are most welcome - stuart (long-time eGullet appreciator, newbie poster)

Ok well I will kick this off then Something that was only mentioned occasionally, here and there, in the other thread, is fillings... I am not much of a fan of the buttercream ones (i find they often taste greasy or buttery and don't work well with some flavours like lemon, or a mint one that i tried to invent!) and only want to use chocolate ganache ones when I actually want chocolate. What are people doing for their fillings? I read about great flavours like black sesame, rose, matcha, lavender etc and they all seem to be buttercreams. Any other options for a flexible base idea that can be used across different flavours (i.e curd is nice for lemon/citrus but wouldn't work for matcha)? I did see one person doing a flavoured pastry cream, which I think appeals to me more. Or alternatively I have played with the idea of making a 'gel' kind of thing so I can strongly carry across a flavour such as mint without creaminess. Cheers.