Your Daily Sweets: What are you making and baking? (2012–2014)

[emmalish]

Oh that's lovely, Baselerd. I actually like yours better than the inspiration photo. Yours seems so much more organic. The original was a bit too fussy for my taste.

Now I'm totally embarrassed to follow that up with (drumroll...) chocolate chip cookies. Yup. That's about my speed. This is the first cookie recipe I've made with melted butter rather than creamed (not counting madeleines). Not so sure how I feel about it. I think I'm just used to the creaming method. Recipe here.

[Baselerd]

Thanks! Nothing to be embarrassed about - chocolate chip cookies are great With that said I too prefer creamed butter for cookies. Those still look delicious though.

[merstar]

Oh that's lovely, Baselerd. I actually like yours better than the inspiration photo. Yours seems so much more organic. The original was a bit too fussy for my taste.

Now I'm totally embarrassed to follow that up with (drumroll...) chocolate chip cookies. Yup. That's about my speed. This is the first cookie recipe I've made with melted butter rather than creamed (not counting madeleines). Not so sure how I feel about it. I think I'm just used to the creaming method. Recipe here.

chocolate-chip-cookies-9980.jpg

They look great. I just made my favorite chocolate chip cookies with some tweaks for the upteenth time. They're from Thomas Keller - soooo freakin' good:

http://www.foodgal.com/2009/06/tantalizing-preview-ad-hoc-chocolate-chip-cookie-recipe-by-thomas-keller/

[emmalish]

They look great. I just made my favorite chocolate chip cookies with some tweaks for the upteenth time. They're from Thomas Keller - soooo freakin' good:

http://www.foodgal.com/2009/06/tantalizing-preview-ad-hoc-chocolate-chip-cookie-recipe-by-thomas-keller/

Ooooooh, now that looks good. I'll have to try that recipe too. I'm still on the hunt for the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe.

[DianaM]

It included greek yogurt mousse, chamomile-hibiscus sorbet, fennel shortbread crumble, sous vide lemon curd (from MC), and carbonated green grapes. One of the best sorbets I've made, I started with this recipe and changed it a bit:

1/4 cup dry chamomile

1/8 cup dry hibiscus

4 cups water

1 cup sugar

3 Tbsp honey

1.5 g xanthan gum

Baselerd, where did you source the dry hibiscus? I know it is part of certain tea blends, but I don't believe I have ever seen it sold on its own. The colour of that sorbet is amazing, by the way.

Edited June 12, 2013 by DianaM (log)

[Baselerd]

Baselerd, where did you source the dry hibiscus? I know it is part of certain tea blends, but I don't believe I have ever seen it sold on its own. The colour of that sorbet is amazing, by the way.

Thanks! I got it in the bulk section of a spice store where I live. I think I've seen it in the bulk section of whole foods before as well.

[emmalish]

Baselerd, where did you source the dry hibiscus? I know it is part of certain tea blends, but I don't believe I have ever seen it sold on its own. The colour of that sorbet is amazing, by the way.

I'm not Baselerd, but there's a tea shop in my neighbourhood that carries individual ingredients like this so you can make your own blends. Might be worth checking it out if you have any tea shops in your area.

[Chocolot]

I bought hibiscus at a health/herb store.

[IowaDee]

The hibiscus flower is native to Mexico and the dried form can be found at most Mexican markets or any grocery store

with a good selection of Latino foods. Hibiscus tea, loose and in bags is available on Amazon as well. I have also seen

a powered version for sale much like Kool Aid.

[Ann_T]

Emma, I'd love one of your Chocolate Chip Cookies with a coffee. Was the texture much different with melted butter vs creaming?

Coconut Cream Pie.

The filling was a rich egg custard with half coconut milk and half 18% cream.

[emmalish]

Ann, it was kinda hard to tell because of all the chocolate chips and nuts in there getting in the way of the texture, but they seemed denser -- not tough or hard, but still soft and tender. One of these days I'll have to test a recipe 2 ways to compare.

Gorgeous pie! I'm just now realizing I have never actually had coconut cream pie. How sad is that? I think the only cream pie I've had is banana. To be honest, I don't know that I've even seen coconut cream anywhere. Maybe it's just not a Canadian thing?

[Kerry Beal]

Ann - that is a fabulous looking coconut cream pie.

Made a batch of shortbread tonight with a new recipe that I was given by the chef instructor at Niagara College who made our fabulous dinner for the chocolate workshop this year. I made a batch at the request of my father a few days ago - after I was finished I discovered 1of the 4 sticks of butter that should have been incorporated still sitting on the counter.

Tonight's batch was made with a premium brand of butter (and enough of it) - the dough was considerably easier to work with than the defective batch. I also put it in larger pan so it would come out a bit thinner.

[Ann_T]

Ann, it was kinda hard to tell because of all the chocolate chips and nuts in there getting in the way of the texture, but they seemed denser -- not tough or hard, but still soft and tender. One of these days I'll have to test a recipe 2 ways to compare.

Gorgeous pie! I'm just now realizing I have never actually had coconut cream pie. How sad is that? I think the only cream pie I've had is banana. To be honest, I don't know that I've even seen coconut cream anywhere. Maybe it's just not a Canadian thing?

Emma, I'm pretty sure it is really common in Canada. I grew up in the Toronto area, and I remember it being very common in Ontario. I think of Coconut Cream Pie as "diner" food. It is on the menu here on the Island at a favourite little family style restaurant in Chemainus.

Kerry, I would love to reach in and grab one (or two) shortbreads. I don't know why, I never think to make shortbread through out the year and not just at Christmas.

~Ann

[janeer]

Absolutely love both shortbread and coconut cream pie (which was my father's favorite, so we had it often). Nice pix everyone.

[Kerry Beal]

Kerry, I would love to reach in and grab one (or two) shortbreads. I don't know why, I never think to make shortbread through out the year and not just at Christmas.

~Ann

I'm with you - I typically make shortbread only at Christmas. But Dad wanted it. A couple of weeks ago it was chocolate cake. Doesn't really eat a lot any more now that he's 94 - but still wolfs down desserts and cookies.

[Chocolot]

The shortbread is beautiful. Are you going to run it through the enrober?

[Tri2Cook]

Nice shortbreads Kerry. Is the recipe he gave you a secret? Oh, and if I make it to 94, that's how I'm going to eat too... just whatever I damn well want to!

Ann_T: that coconut cream pie looks delicious.

[Kerry Beal]

The shortbread is beautiful. Are you going to run it through the enrober?

Nope - just head out and deliver it as is.

[Kerry Beal]

Nice shortbreads Kerry. Is the recipe he gave you a secret? Oh, and if I make it to 94, that's how I'm going to eat too... just whatever I damn well want to!

Ann_T: that coconut cream pie looks delicious.

I suspect I shouldn't share it.

[Toliver]

Ann_T...That coconut cream pie looks to die for! It's funny but coconut cream pies always remind me of the old TV show "Gilligan's Island". Mary Ann was always making them (where'd she get the eggs and flour?).

Long ago I put a recipe for a Pineapple Cream Pie in RecipeGullet. It's refreshing during the summertime. I'm not a fan of meringue, so I always use whipped cream to top it.

edited to clarify

Edited June 17, 2013 by Toliver (log)

[Ann_T]

I keep coming back to look at Kerry's shortbreads. I might cave and bake shortbread this week.

Bread and Butter Pudding with a Caramel Sauce.

[FrogPrincesse]

This was a quick dessert to satisfy a chocolate craving: a chocolat liégeois made with chocolate ice cream from Strauss Creamery, homemade chocolate sauce, whipped cream, almonds, and brandied griotte cherries.

The chocolate sauce was from the Larousse of Desserts and is quite thin, similar to hot chocolate but served cold obviously. This brought me back to France where it is typical with ice cream. Very different from the super rich & thick American chocolate sauce. The good thing is that it feels light so you have a good excuse to drown your ice cream in it.

[Mette]

IMG_0650.jpg

IMG_0651.jpg

And now you enrobe them - looks lovely

Edited June 18, 2013 by Mette (log)

[Mette]

Elderflower cordial - the elderflowers are peaking right now.

20-25 heads of elderflower

1 lemon, sliced (organic, as the whole thing goes in)

1 kg sugar

2 tbsp citric acid

1 liter boiling water

1 teaspoon liquid natriumbenzoeate (to conserve, as the cordial is not boiled)

mix everything, leave in a cool place for 4-5 days, filter and bottle. Will keep for 12 months in the bottle. Dilute with 4 parts cold water. Enjoy - a little bit of summer all year round.

[FrogPrincesse]

Elderflower cordial - the elderflowers are peaking right now.

20-25 heads of elderflower

1 lemon, sliced (organic, as the whole thing goes in)

1 kg sugar

2 tbsp citric acid

1 liter boiling water

1 teaspoon liquid natriumbenzoeate (to conserve, as the cordial is not boiled)

mix everything, leave in a cool place for 4-5 days, filter and bottle. Will keep for 12 months in the bottle. Dilute with 4 parts cold water. Enjoy - a little bit of summer all year round.

hyldeblomst.png

Looks fabulous. I look for elderflowers whenever I am on a hike, but haven't had any luck so far. I know we have them (Sambucus mexicana/blue elderberry) so I keep looking. I guess I need to hike more often in the spring.

They seem quite common in Denmark?

Edited June 18, 2013 by FrogPrincesse (log)