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Ok, so I was asked this week to take on the task of coming up with a dessert for the Faculty Appreciation Dinner the students here at my college are doing. I need ideas. Me and another student are basically doing the menu. We met yesterday for about thirty minutes to brain storm on the dessert. She wants something light and airy that will finish off the meal. She suggested something with citrus, but she also wants to incorporate some chocolate. Now this dinner is for about 50+ people. There will be youngsters so nothing with alcohol. We are mostly paying for and possibly getting donations for this event, so it has to be inexpensive. Its on April 6th, I only have that day to prep everything according to the event planner. The main course is Pork, she plans on just simply grilling this with salt, pepper, etc.... very simple. My ideas are are either a mini lemon meringue pie cake or gfron1 give me the idea of a simple nepolian with lemon curd which I also like. Possibly a macaroon garnish. Square plate????? She needs my plan by March 30th so I have time. Anyone have any other ideas suggestions? If this was a normal dinner we have an unlimited budget.........but its not. Also, I was thinking of doing a mirror glaze or something exciting, but most of this people are should i say very "old fashioned", so my over the top ideas wouldn't pass. Thanks

My daughter is studying in Dublin this college semester. Looking to surprise her with a 21st birthday cake. Don't want anything elaborate, just something that tastes great and will serve her 10-12 friends. Any suggestions?

The task has been put upon me to find a flourless chocolate cake for a not-very-strict Passover seder next week. It doesn't need to be certified Kosher, just made without flour. I don't even think dairy/non-dairy matters that much (I hear there will be dairy and meat on the same table). I'm looking in the East Village or near Grand Central, because I don't anticipate taking the whole day off next Wednesday; I don't want to have it so out of our way that I can't get my boyfriend to pick it up if it comes to that. I might be traveling directly from work to GC, so perhaps somewhere on the way (I work in the South Bronx) is viable too, if you all think my parameters are a bit narrow. BTW, I have actually found one bakery that sells one - Black Hound Bakery has it on their Passover menu in a couple of sizes - but I'd like to know what my options are. Thanks in advance! (I hope a finished product belongs here and not NY Dining, but mods can move this if necessary.)

Yesterday I had a delicious piece of strawberry pie at a vegetarian restaurant. the crust was made with coconut and finely chopped nuts. The fresh strawberries were crushed and in a solid type filling. It did not taste like gelatin. I made the crust and it seems fine. I am trying to figure out how to attempt the filling. Has anyone prepared such a pie. When you put your fork into it to take a bite, the filling was solid and held together, but all you really could taste was the delicious strawberry flavor...so fresh and natural. I am considering just trying to gently cook the strawberries with some sugar and cornstarch. But I am wondering if I should incorporate some unflavored gelatin in it. any ideas?

My dear brother in law is getting married on Memorial day weekend and I'm to make the cake and fly it there! Being that there are a few non-negotiables (needs to feed 75 people, must fit in a 16" square box) I have no idea what it should look like! The color theme is dark blue, which is not really translatable to tasteful edibles... they are getting married here... not all the guests are Buddhist but I don't want to offend the place, plus I've been given creative carte blanche to do pretty much anything so I'd like something with impact... I've done a search and apparently Buddha doesn't have much to say when it comes to traditions like cake- cutting. Any suggestions welcome.

National Public Radio aired a short piece this morning on how top restaurants are handling recession-weary customers, featuring Portland's own Sam Hayward. Instead of Cod he uses haddock, poached, then folded into a russet potato and egg emulsion. Locally grown beans (The Beanery - Exeter, Maine - are available at Jordan's Farm, Cape Elizabeth) are simmered in caramelized onions. Story - Podcast - Recipes / NPR.org The recipes are quite comprehensive. I am definitely doing this this week.

I want to give my sister an easy to follow cake book that covers parchment, crumb coat, batter, trimming. She primarily wants to do celebration cakes for her family. Cake Bible might be too intimidating for her . . . suggestions please, and thanks!

I've had a request for a Coffee Cake Bake-off. eG has quite a variety of topics about these gems including Anatomy of a Coffee Cake Recipe and Cinnamon Cream Cake. There are not yet a lot of recipes in recipeGullet - one is Karen's Chocolate Chunk Coffee Cake. So what is your favorite coffee cake - do you prefer one with yeast or with baking powder? Don't forget to post your recipes on recipeGullet.

As someone born and bred in the Potteries, but now very much rooted here in Texas, one of the things I miss most of all are the wonderful, freshly made, oatcakes that I enjoyed back in Staffordshire. I don't mean the commercially made things that have now apparently found their way on to the shelves of Sainsbury's or Tesco in some of the less sophisticated parts of the UK (e.g. London). I mean real warm oatcakes, fresh from the griddle, making a perfect breakfast or fast meal. These wonderful alternatives to toast or bread for breakfast were the staple diet of potters, miners, steel workers and pretty much every working family in Stoke-on-Trent and the surrounding area. It used to be impossible to drive more than a mile or two through the city without seeing an oatcake shop where, especially at weekends, the delightful smell of the griddle would filter outwards into the street. There are still many left and some good ones, too, I believe. Even writing this message is making me hunger for one. Oatcakes, for the uneducated, are rather like crepes or galettes made from a batter that is based on oatmeal and cooked on a large griddle. The ultimate whole grain breakfast, they are either wrapped around bacon and egg, fajita-style, or grilled with cheese. My question is, has anyone successfully made oatcakes at home and if so, are there any tips, recipes, etc. that can be shared with other ex-pats from the Six Towns?

Anyone have a recipe? I'd like to try making my own like http://www.clearspring.co.uk/japanese/ricecrackers/crackers I think they have whole rice in and are baked and crisp, not fried, and be 2-3 inches in diameter and 1/2 inch thick, but light. Trying just baking cooked glutinous rice ended up hard.

Hey everyone I need some help I'm trying to do a little revamp do my dessert menu and I'm having some trouble comming up with some ideas for Asian\Latino inspired desserts. The restaurant I work at has 375 seats and we are are a very hopping restaurant, so I need to come up with some dessrts that can be easily executed. Any help that you might have would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance

I'm baking for a few cake sales to raise money for the Red Cross and was wondering what your favourite recipes are for this type of event. Ease of baking, low cost and popularity are all important considerations

Chocolate Hedgehog Cake picture I wonder if anyone knows how to do this pointy hedgehog merangue looking decoration? It is a gluten free cake and the store says: chocolate torte, different chocolate mousses and nut merangue. An aquaintence of mine asked... Thanks

While learning to pipe, I have been freehanding my cake inscriptions. I would like to try something more elaborate. Looking for a more upscale typeface to use. Any thoughts? Thanks.

Hi all, first of all I really enjoy reading all the interesting stuff on this forum. It's truly a unique community! I am actually preparing for my seminar paper, and would really appreciate any feedback from all of you cake and pastry gourmands. My topic is whether custom cake design is considered as art and should be able to be protected under intellectual property. I emailed several cake artists, unfortunately, I got turned down. I would like to have your opinions. Your comments would be greatly appreciated.

Just got back from the one hour Kogi Truck pop-up at 55th and Lex. I arrived at 12:45 and the line was already ridiculous. By 1 o'clock there must have been 350 people in line. After explaining to a dozen passerby's the entire Kogi phenomenum, by the end I would just reply "we are waiting in line for Taco's." I was wrong. We were waiting in line for Kimchi Quesadillas and Chocolate Mouse with Peanut Butter Center, Caramel Popcorn. The Quesadillas were great. The Kimchi was flavorful and rich without being overly spicy. The Desert was good but I doubt anyone was ready for desert after having a four bite quesadilla. Overall it was a fun event. Lee Ann worked the window and all of the people associated with the event were super friendly. But taking a two hour lunch on a Monday that leaves you starving could be a little maddening...If it weren't for charity.

Gary Robins's Tamarind Sauce for Desserts To make tamarind pulp, cover packaged tamarind with hot water; let it sit for a while to soften, then squish it with you hands to separate the pulp from the seeds and stringy bits. Pass it through a strainer, pressing hard to push through the good stuff. This recipe will make about 1 quart, which is an awful lot. But it keeps well in the refrigerator. It is especially good on coconut ice cream, or as part of a mango sundae with ice cream (coconut or vanilla) and diced mango. 10 oz tamarind pulp 1 qt simple syrup lime juice Combine the ingredients in a non-reactive saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve or china cap. Adjust to taste with lime juice, if necessary. Keywords: Dessert, Easy, Sauce ( RG769 )

Peanut Butter Cake If you want this to be a thin cake, you can make it in a jelly roll pan. Or you can bake it thicker and put it in a 13x9. I usually do the 13x9, but it will do fine in a jelly roll pan to serve more people... Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a saucepan, bring to boil the butter or margarine, peanut butter and water. when it comes to a boil, turn off the heat and mix well. Pour the hot mixture over the dry ingredients, mix well. Add buttermilk, eggs and vanilla. Mix well and pour into greased pan. Bake at 350 for 10 to 15 minutes for the jelly roll pan, check for doneness after about 25 to 30 minutes in the 13x9 pan. While the cake is still warm, spread with the frosting, as follows... Bring the water, butter or margarine and peanut butter to a boil. Remove from the heat. Add the vanilla, then sift in the powdered sugar. Beat well. Add chopped peanuts if desired, and add a bit of warm water (by the drop or two) if frosting is too stiff to spread. Yummy 2 c flour 2 c sugar 1 tsp baking soda 1/2 teapoon salt 1-1/2 sticks butter or margarine 1/2 c peanut butter 1 c water 1/2 c buttermilk 2 eggs 1 tsp vanilla Frosting Ingredients: 1/2 c peanut butter 1 stick butter or margarine 5 T water 3-1/2 c powdered sugar 1/4 c chopped peanuts Keywords: Dessert ( RG767 )

Warm Chocolate Cake with Molten Center Instead of the typically sweet rasberry sauce, try this blueberry-strawberry sauce. It is a beautiful color, and a great combination of flavors. Serve the cake warm. Ingredients for Sauce: 1 basket of strawberries 1 basket of blueberries 1 cup of water 1/4 cup of sugar 1 star anise 1/2 vanilla bean scrapings In food processor mix strawberries, blueberries, water, well. 2 MINUTES Put in saucepan with sugar, anise, and bean and cook on low. 5 min. or so. Remove star anise and bean. CHOCOLATE CAKE FONDANT: 7 ounces bittersweet chocolate 5 ounces butter 4 ounces granulated sugar 4 whole eggs 1 ounce all purpose flour, sifted In bain marie, over hot water, put butter, chocolate, and sugar. Simmer, not a boil. Rub butter in little individual dishes, then flour lightly. Coffee cups can be used. Make sure there is NO excess flour in cups. Oven temp. is 400 degrees. Put on baking sheet. Mixing: Mix when ingredients start melting. It's o.k. if all the butter is not melted. Take off stove. Add eggs one by one when it's not too hot, and break the egg yolk so it blends well. Add flour little by little so there are no lumps with a sifter spoon. Take cup and tap on table to settle the cake batter. And pour 3/4 of the way. Bake for 8 min. at 400 degrees. Keywords: Easy, Chocolate, Dessert ( RG745 )

Yellow Cake After making at dozens of yellow cakes that were either too dry, too heavy, too moist or not fine crumbed enough, I discovered this recipe. Finally! A yellow cake that borders on perfection. This recipe makes one 9X2 inch round cake. Double it for a full-size layer cake. 2 large eggs, room temperature 1/4 c whole milk, room temperature 1 tsp good vanilla extract 1 c plus 2 T sifted plain cake flour 3/4 c sugar 1 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt 1/2 c unsalted butter, softened, each stick cut into 8 pieces Preheat oven to 350. Butter and flour a 9 inch round pan. Beat the eggs, milk, and vanilla with a in a small bowl; measure out 1/2 cup of this mixture and set aside. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of a Kitchenaid with paddle attachment; mix on the lowest speed to blend -- just a quick whir to blend dry ingredients. With the mixer running at the lowest speed, add the butter one piece at a time; mix until the butter and flour begin to clump together and look sandy and pebbly, with pieces about the size of peas. Add reserved 1/2 cup of egg mixture and mix at the lowest speed until incorporated, 5 to 10 seconds. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the remaining egg mixture in a slow steady stream, about 30 seconds. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides and bottom of bowl. Beat on medium-high until thoroughly combined and the batter looks slightly curdled, about 15 seconds. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for about 20 minutes. ( RG744 )

Pineapple Upside Down Cake 1 oz Vodka 1 oz Bailey’s Irish Cream 1 oz Butterscotch Schnapps Splash of Pineapple Juice Splash of Cream Combine in an ice filled shaker; shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with pineapple and cherry. Keywords: Cocktail, eGCI ( RG645 )

Cherry Cheesecake Martini 1-1/2 fl oz Dr. McGuillicuddy’s Vanilla Liqueur 3/4 fl oz Vodka Dash of Cranberry Juice Combine in an ice filled shaker; shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry. Keywords: Cocktail, eGCI ( RG636 )

Carrot Cake 1/4 fl oz Goldschlager Cinnamon Schnapps 1/2 fl oz Bailey’s Irish Cream 1/2 l Butterscotch Schnapps Combine in an iced filled shaker; shake and strain into a shot glass. Keywords: Cocktail, eGCI ( RG635 )

Tomato Soup Cake This '50s classic was usually frosted with either Cream Cheese Frosting or a very simple Buttercream of the butter/icing sugar/milk/vanilla variety. It's alternative name was "Mystery Cake" because of the color and the fact that no one ever guessed what the magic ingredient was. Please, do not skin, seed and generally expend time and effort making your own artisanal tomato soup! Go for the canned. I compared my smeary recipe card version with "Joy of Cooking" (1975) It's essentially the same cake, differing only in the spicing and fruit/nut proportions. Oven: 350 Pan: Tube pan, greased Tomato Soup Cake 2 T. soft butter 2 cups all purpose flour 1/2 t. salt 1 t. baking soda 1 t. cinnamon 1/2 t. each dry ginger, cloves and nutmeg 1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup raisins 1/2 cup walnuts 1 10 1/2 oz. can condensed tomato soup. Sift together the dry ingredients. (except for the sugar) Cream together the butter and sugar until soft and fluffy. Add the tomato soup and the flour mixture alternately in three turns, stirring well between each addition. Stir in the nuts and raisins. Bake for approx. 45 minutes. You know your oven better than I do! Keywords: Dessert, Easy, Cake, American ( RG611 )

King Cake It's supposedly Gambino's. Someone reportedly snuck out a handwritten copy. Had to shrink it from the 12 cake batch recipe. It's close. Watch the nutmeg. Makes one huge cake or 2 smaller ones. Filling is added either in the crevaces with a piping bag after the 2nd rising, or can be placed inside at the point of forming the cylinder (see recipe). I like strawberry and/or bavarian creme. Chocolate creme is good too. Just plain cinnamon is the classic. Any flavor pie filling works nicely, as well. Cake: 2 packages active dry yeast 1/2 c granulated sugar 2-1/2 c flour 2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp nutmeg 1 tsp lemon or orange zest 1/2 c warm milk 5 egg yolks 1 stick softened butter 1 egg - beaten 1/2 T milk 1-1/2 tsp cinnamon Frosting: 3/4 c confectioners sugar juice of 1 lemon Milk or Water Cake: Pour 1/2 cup warm water and 2 teaspoons sugar into a small bowl. Add yeast. Set bowl in a warm place, covered for 10 minutes until yeast bubbles. Combine 3 1/2 cups of flour, remaining sugar, salt, and nutmeg. Sift into a large bowl. Stir in lemon zest, egg yolks and dry ingredient mixture until smooth. Mix in 8 tablespoons butter slowly and continue to mix until dough can be formed into a soft ball. Knead dough by hand on floured surface, gradually adding up to 1 cup more of flour. Knead 10 minutes more or until shiny and elstic. Place dough in buttered bowl and cover. Allow to rise in a warm place for 90 minutes or until it doubles in volume. After the first rising, roll the dough out on a floured surface and punch down. Sprinkle with cinnamon, then pat and shape the dough into a long cylinder. Fold the cylinder in half, end to end, and pinch the ends together. Twist the dough. Form a ring with the completed twist, pinch ends together. Place the completed ring on a buttered or parchment covered baking sheet, and allow to rise for 45 minutes, covered or until it doubles in volume. After the second rising, brush the top and sides of the cake with the egg and milk wash. Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 25-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack and hide a plastic baby in the cake. Frosting: Combine lemon juice and confectioner's sugar. add water or milk a few drops at a time to reach desired consistency. You're looking for something that will drizzle easily. Drizzle the frosting mix onto the cake then sprinkle with purple, yellow, and green colored granulated sugar. Keywords: American, Dessert, French, Cake ( RG607 )