RWood

Thanks! It's actually not my recipe, but David Lebovitz's . I've been really happy with this dough. I've tried several, and this one works very well. I've made lots of galette's lately and never had any trouble with it Here is a link to the recipe on Fine Cooking's site.

Work stuff. I made 4 apple galettes with frangipane for an event, and a basic chocolate cake for the golf course cafe.

A couple of weeks ago I had to make blueberry pies for an event. My boyfriend lives for blueberries, and even though he worked the event, there wasn't any extra and he was very sad. So, I made this blueberry galette for him to make up for it. I used David Lebovitz's galette dough recipe, and it's very good. Easy to work with and very crispy.

No problem, glad it made life easier

I made them not too long ago. The chef I work for will throw random stuff at me, and I have to figure out what to do if we don't have a recipe. I used one I found online and all I can say is you have to be quick at folding. They cool really fast. And, if the cookies get any color, they are baked too long and will not fold. I thought they would look better with a little color, but they didn't work that way for me. I think the recipe I used had oil. It was pretty thin, and we just used a #100 scoop and baked them on a silpat. They spread enough on their own. This recipe could be the one.

Have you tried Nashville Wraps? I've gotten a lot of packaging from them. This link takes you to one of their cello bag pages. They do custom stamping, not sure if the do cello bags though.

I am definitely going to look into the clip holder thingys . I can always use extra. They seem to get stretched out and not hold on to the pot. I am considering getting this one by Matfer with the cage and holder as well. I used this type in my first bakery job, and even though I had to get used to Celsius, it worked really well. I'll just have to convert all my confection recipes over.

I am on the search for a new thermometer as well. I've had terrible luck with them lately. I have tried two digital's, and returned one and will be returning the other shortly. Sur La Table is great on returns. I bought a regular dial one from them that is going back. It gets to about 225 and gets stuck. I've tried the Maverick digital, and it didn't register accurately. The Taylor digital is 1) top heavy and won't stay put when having to stir thick caramel, and 2) the stem is so short is gets too hot and the screen goes black. Now, the temperature readout is not even showing up. Both digital's are too top heavy, and the clip is useless for keeping it in place. A regular mercury thermometer was all I used for a while, then it wasn't reading accurately. I'm just doomed I think I'm looking at this one now CDN Digital Probe Thermometer or maybe this one Polder Thermometer Something has got to give. I think I need to find a way to design one that will work and has a decent clip on it so that it doesn't flop all over the place when something thick is being stirred.

For truffles, I wear a rubber glove and smear a little tempered chocolate in my palm and roll it for the first thin coat. Then when it sets, I use a dipping fork for the final coat. Takes practice. I've found for the bars, I first spread a layer of chocolate on one side (the foot), and when it sets, cut them to desired size. I use a cooling rack, and place it over the bowl of chocolate. I have a large tempering machine, so it fits over the bowl. I then ladle the chocolate over the bars, shake the rack to remove excess and smooth it out. Then use a dipping fork to move them to parchment to set. So far this method has worked the best for me. Most of the time the bars are too flexible to dip.

I'm pretty much just making bars now, much faster with all the other stuff I have to do for the caterer I work for. My version of an almond joy I guess, only in bar form. I make the frappe for the filling from Greweling's book. I tried using marshmallow creme once to see if it would save a step, but it was way too sweet and no one liked it compared to what I had made before. Even with unsweetened coconut, this one is pretty rich.

It's not as bad as it sounds . My boyfriend's reaction was "I'm not eating that!", but he later said he would try them. It's not something I was interested in doing, but we'll see what happens. My only concern is the bacon seems to be getting tough, like it does after it's been cooked a while. I'm not sure about what kind of shelf life either.

I was not going to jump on the bacon/chocolate thing, and since this was a request, I can still say I didn't . The caterer I work for has a big client that wanted a truffle made with bacon from their new product line. This is the first attempt. I made it with the bacon fat in place of the butter, and the texture is very silky. I added crispy bits of bacon to the ganache, which I'm not sure about as far as texture from being in the ganache. The flavor is the strongest in this version. I tried a bacon brittle as well, but the flavor was more from the brittle part and not the bacon. I'm taking these in later to have the chef try them and go from there.

I have used Gina Marie cream cheese in cheesecakes before. It's been a while, but I didn't notice any difference in the baking. As mentioned before, smooth batter makes a difference. Straining is fine, especially if you have any lumps. I don't make regular cheesecakes very much, mostly goat cheese cheesecakes when I do. But, I have used the NY Cheesecake recipe from Cook's Illustrated, and it's very good. I think a springform pan, or a cake pan with the push up bottom would be your best bet. They would be the easiest to get the cake out cleanly.

I finally got around to making this cake my grandmother used to make a lot. It's called a Danish Cake (not sure why). I think I posted the recipe in another thread about old fashioned desserts. It's a simple buttermilk cake with chopped pecans and dates. After baking, it's cut into squares, and a hot syrupy icing with coconut is poured over it. I think with my taste to day, I would go with unsweetened coconut in the topping, which I didn't have at the time. But, it's still very good .

I used to make a sake sorbet that was served with a baby abalone appetizer. And, I made a lemon olive oil sorbet for something else, but can't remember, might have been oysters. They were both good, but the sake was strong.

Sweet Corn Ice Cream is very good. I used to keep it on the menu in the summer. It's good with anything blueberry. I've been thinking about making it for myself since corn is in season now.

Not really. I tried a silicone cake pan when they first came out, but they are just too flexible for me. I can't see how they would make working with chocolate easier. I'm used to banging things on the counter to get the air bubbles out and such. I just see them making a bigger mess.

I made the amaretti truffle recipe from Greweling's book with almond paste and amaretto. I used it as a molded chocolate instead of a truffle. I added some ground up amaretti cookies for texture. Ground toasted almonds would work as well. Everyone I've tried it on loves it.

This butter cream recipe from the link looks like it would work fine. I usually add fruit purees, curds or jam to butter creams for macarons. Can't give you a ratio as I just wing it till it tastes like I want. I've never had a butter cream become too runny from adding them. It will harden up once refrigerated anyway. Never been a fan of just using jam for the filling. I use a passion fruit ganache made with white chocolate as well.

I finally got around to making the Candied Cherry and Almond Ice Cream. After going back and forth, I decided to add the stracciatella as well. I had wanted to make it for a while, but was waiting on cherries to show up. Really good, and I'm glad I did add the chocolate. It really makes it.

A favorite place in Carmel(among the chef's I work with, plus myself) is Cantinetta Luca. Always good. Two places I like in downtown Monterey is Montrio Bistro, and Esteban, which serves tapas. The only thing that hasn't been good there is the paella, just to warn you . I've only eaten at Marinus at the Bernardus Lodge in Carmel Valley once, but it was very good.

This is a dessert I had featured in Carmel Magazine. Chilled vanilla bean rhubarb soup with creme fraiche panna cotta, candied pistachios, strawberries and a strawberry lace tuile. I still get lots of requests for it when rhubarb is in season. I was never a fan of rhubarb until I had it roasted with vanilla bean, and that changed my mind .

Flavors I like with peach: almond, any berry, sage or basil, ginger, lavender

I am using the caramel I use for everything, dipped caramels and my versions of snickers and milky ways. I think any caramel that will stay put when cut is fine. I haven't looked at the Sherry Yard recipe.

We've gotten in a couple of cases of cherries where I work. We're doing creme fraiche panna cotta with poached cherries right now. They're not bad flavor wise, pretty sweet. Pale red compared to a Bing. I think they are coming in from Gilroy, but not sure. U-pick Bings should be starting in Brentwood, CA in a couple more weeks, my mother will eat about the same amount she can pick while there .