pastrymama

Samoans love cooked bananas but they use very green, rock hard ones that they peel and then boil or bake until soft. Like a potato. They also sometimes drain them and cover with coconut milk with a little salt and cook until the milk gets a little thick. Really good, but the bananas must be extremely green or they will have a strange flavor.

Hi Sam, I see in a lot of your desserts that you puree and gel a lot of items that those of us that do a more traditional style of pastry would leave in a more recognizable form. Such as your "carmelized apple" Do you feel that presenting them in these different forms makes them taste better or do you do them that way because you want them to be different in looks and texture than the original dessert may be. Is it all for looks or for taste or both. Thanks Marilyn

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I am the pastry chef at a private golf club. So I am assigned to do the desserts. Everyone gets to enjoy the party, they even trade servers with another club, but the cooks still have to make the food. I don't want to go too fancy with things but, I also need it to be a little formal looking. I had decided to make eclairs this morning so I have one item ready to go, just need to fill and glaze on Tuesday. I also like the cookie and brownie idea, very easy to do. I would like to make a couple more items with some wow to them, but not a lot of work because I still have to do my regular work everyday also. Any more ideas for something easy but "fancy" would be appreciated.

I just found out this morning that there is to be an employee appreciation party on Tuesday, Jan 17. Just like usual, there is no communication where I work. I have had a cold for the last week and can't think straight. This is the party we have instead of something at Christmas. It is semi-formal and the food will be a buffet for 100. I'd love some suggestions of what to make/serve. I will have today, Saturday and Tuesday to produce it all and have ready by Tuesday afternoon. Thanks for any suggestions.

Last year I tried the recipe with 1/2 cup each of brown and granulated sugar. I was not very happy with the result. This year I thought I would try it again, thinking I may have done something wrong. I didn't realize there were two versions of it, so I tried the one from Epicurious with 1 cup each type of sugar. It was totally different. Very moist and delicious. Later I realized there were two versions.

At a restaurant I worked at where it had an exhibition line the cooks would yell out "check your plates" or "hot plates" whenever an attractive female would be in sight. It was a signal for all the guys to look up. They didn't like it when the few girls working started doing the same thing for a cute guy.

Thanks Neil, what a fun vacation that must have been. It is so interesting to see the beautiful pastries from different places and "hear" your descriptions and opinions of them. Thanks again.

Thanks for the laugh about the nut allergy people. I work in a private golf club, the members are all extremely rich. The one day of the year that we are closed is Christmas Day. They are now complaining that they pay over $280,000 dollars to join and why isn't the club open on Christmas. Don't they think we would like to be with our families. We work so hard to accomodate all their weird requests every other day. I don't understand why they are grateful for all they have and have a little heart towards others.

I have to make cakes all the time that are chocolate with raspberry filling, usually jam with fresh berries. I personally don't like it, but so many requests must mean others do.

I'm having the same results, I even tried typing in the website instead of using the link and it still is the same.

You could invert the cake while it is warm and let it cool or even freeze it, place a clean parchment in your clean pan and put it back in, wrap well and carry it to your destination. It should come right out and be in perfect shape.

I make a frosting for diabetics that I call "Mock Cream Icing" I flavor it with Splenda or Sweet and Low or Equal after the icing is finished. Maybe you could flavor it with herbs or other flavors. Here is the recipe in case you would like to try it. 1 cup milk 6T flour cook the milk and flour to a thick paste, place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, set aside to cool. when the paste is cool, place it in a mixing bowl and beat with a paddle until it gets a little creamy, then add 1/2 cup butter that is cut in small chunks and 1/2 cup shortening, beat until it is fluffy and no lumps. this is when I add the sweetener so you could try herbs or dry spices maybe a small amount of demi glace or chicken or beef base. In case you want to use it like a regular frosting you would add 1 cup of sugar and 1 tsp vanilla. or the sugar replacments to taste.

I don't use springform pans any longer because I had the same problem. I just use 3" deep regular cake pans I usually put a circle of parchment in the bottom then add the crust ( crumb, pate sucree or other) fill and bake. After baking chill for several hours or freeze, then cover the top of the pan with plastic wrap and flip the pan over, warm the bottom of the pan with a torch or warm wet towels, the cheesecake should drop out easily, place a cardboard round or plate on top (which is actually the bottom) and flip the whole thing over.

I've made this type of cobbler with peaches and other fruits. I've seen it referred to as a "southern cobbler"

I don't use towels at all since in most professional kitchens they are like gold. I just use a sheet of parchment sometimes I sprinkle it with sugar sometimes I don't. I usually peels the top layer off the cake, but I usually do that to all my cakes anyways. When I finish filling the rolls, I roll them up in a clean sheet of parchment, twist the ends tight and freeze like that. Works great.

I find that a mixture of half butter and half a good margarine makes very good cookies if the main flavor is not butter. If it is chocolate chip or lemon or oatmeal they taste great, I just wouldn't do that to make a butter cookie or shortbread. I've used imitation vanilla for baked goods for years, the only things i put the real deal in is cream brulee or ice creams etc. then I use beans and real vanilla.

Paula, I just wanted to update my success with your clafoutis recipe. It occured to me that the pan I was using was maybe too thin. It was a metal pan that the chef bought at the grocery store. So I tried using a ceramic baking dish that I brought from home. I made sure the batter was smooth and let it rest longer. I baked it at 425 degrees and it came out great. No curdling, very smooth and extremely delicious. Thank you so much for your help. Marilyn

I would like to know from anyone that has made this recipe if the baked cookies are good for a day to 3 or 4 days after baking. And has anyone mailed these to anyone with good results or good review from the people receiving them. Thanks for any response.

If it is the same pan you have been using for a while, it may becoming worn from washing it, getting small scratches that you don't notice. you may need to grease it with shortening very well. A lot of the bundt recipes say to do that and sometimes they say to flour also, but I don't think the flour would look good when you turn out your cake as it would make it dusty looking. When I make chocolate bundts I use a mixture of flour and cocoa, but I don't know what to suggest for gingerbread besides a good greasing. I guess Anne and I were typing at the same time. Hope it helps.

The Clement jackets are avaliable here http://www.chefsboutique.com/categories.asp?cat=64 most of the designs are special order but they are great looking.

I also make this recipe, but I use a different technique. I don't whip the eggs, I just warm them then mix them until they are blended, not adding any air. Melt the chocolate and butter and mix them well, then pour into the warm eggs and stir it up until it looks like ganache. Bake it as usual. It makes a creamier finished cake. Like a baked truffle.

I love this recipe from Jacques Torres, they are very light and fluffy. I filled them with homemade jam and they were wonderful. http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/re...6_20317,00.html

I don't think the sugar shards I made were too thick. Not any different than what would be on a regular torched creme brulee. I just sprinkled a thin coat of sugar on the silpat and let it carmelize. Really quite thin, just make sure not to get it too browned, or it will get bitter. You could also use crystal sugar and just let it be about one crystal thick.

If you choose to do them in the tart shells, you will have to be careful when you torch them so as not to burn the shell. I am making 250 mini in puff pastry hearts as part of a trio plate for a wedding this weekend and I am making carmelized sugar shards on silpats in the oven, then I will just take pieces and set on top at an angle so it is also a garnish and not burn the tops. You could add some shards with your grapes to have the brulee flavor and I think it would look great with the grapes.

Dear Lee, I am so sorry to hear of all your difficult times. I was thinking something must have happened to keep you away. I'm sure I speak for everyone here at eGullet, take your time getting back to us, we will still be here whenever you are ready. Hugs, Marilyn