RWood

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 .

I'm not familiar with what the cookie is like, but I saw this link. http://cookbookmaniac.com/recipes/homemade-scotch-finger-biscuits.html Maybe you could check it out and see if it's similar. They say not

Really old topic, but since I'm in bar mode, I thought I would see if anyone had attempted a Twix. I may try this recipe, or another one I have that has an egg. I made a basic shortbread (flour, sugar, butter) and it's way too crumbly and a little too soft. The caramel layer adhered fine, but once it was cut, crumbs everywhere and the edges were not clean. The bite was not crunchy either, which I want. I thought about scoring the dough first for an easier cut, but not sure about that. I still have trials to do. I've had lots of requests for this type of bar.

I'm making a lemon pound cake for a coffee shop that is based on my chef's aunt's recipe. Once the cakes come out of the oven and are still hot, I poke holes all over the cake. Then I brush it with a mixture of sugar and lemon juice. The mix is juice with lots of sugar so it's not dissolved and kind of slushy. After the cakes cool, they have a crust on them. I sometimes try to do a couple of coats, but as long as the mixture is not dissolved like a syrup, the crusty-ness forms. Gives it a nice crunch.

I have several of the white molds like those, and I tend to have better luck with them than the clear. I never wash my molds. I scrape off as much as possible, then melt every thing with my heat gun. Once it's softened, I wipe them down, then polish the cavities with cotton batting. For the molds with crevices (I have a fleur de lys that's like that) I use a Q-tip. I have the worst water here, it leaves a white spotty residue if anything air dries, so no washing. When I did wash some that were hopelessly stuck, I gave them a rinse with distilled water and that helped with spots.

Both these bars look absolutely amazing! I'd prefer a few white spots over a texture that is too tough... Thanks! These came out pretty good. The thing I'm liking about making these bars is that they are no where near as sweet as store bought ones, and this one is a lot more chocolaty than a 3 Musketeers. The chef I work for likes to make as much as we can instead of buying, so he's putting these in the new cafe/grill he's taking over.

One more bar. Chocolate nougat with nibs. I folded until I thought my arm would fall off, and one little speck of white still shows up. Probably not the only one.

That's a cute Peep!

Well, you never know

Beautiful macarons! What are the flavors? And thanks for the ice cream advice I think I'll try all hazelnut paste + a bit of Frangelico next time. I meant to list them. Raspberry Rose Orange Bourbon Pecan Espresso Chocolate Spearmint Hazelnut w/ Nutella Buttercream Hope the ice cream works out!

Getting a package ready for my aunt(s). One has a birthday and retirement coming up. This is a box of assorted macarons, plus they are getting assorted chocolates and bars.