Your Daily Sweets: What Are You Making and Baking? (2015)

[Kim Shook]

Kim, thanks for posting a link to your recipe - just one question! What is sweetened coconut cream? Here in Darkest Africa we get cans of coconut cream and that is it! Would I have to add sugar to a can to get "sweetened" coconut cream or just use the natural cream as it comes? If I had to add sugar to sweeten it, about how much sugar would I add? And just to expand on the Darkest Africa bit, we have had loadshedding for the second time today - the first time this morning was unannounced and a whole batch of puddings flopped when the power went out and the ovens when "silent". Just need to figure out what to do with the result other than bin them.

Hi, John!  Sounds fascinating (and frustrating) and I would LOVE to hear more about your experiences there!  Anyway cream of coconut is this: http://www.cocolopez.com/creamofcoconut.html  It is mostly used to make Pina Coladas and Daiquiris.  The ingredients are: coconut juice (pressed coconut meat, milk, oil and water), sugar, assorted thickeners and preservatives and, oddly enough, natural rosemary extract.  Can you get sweetened condensed milk?  If so, I found a source online that said that you could just add coconut extract to taste.  If not, there is a rather complicated sounding procedure I found here: http://ask.metafilter.com/236898/Homemade-Cream-of-Coconut-aka-Coco-Lopez-for-Pina-Coladas  Best of luck and let us know how you fare.

 

Does anyone else have any good ideas?

Edited April 14, 2015 by Kim Shook (log)

[JohnT]

Thanks so much for your comments and links. I must admit that I have been to the Carabbean about 35 times and have sat drinking Piña Coladas on many occasions on the various islands - and never knew that they used anything other than standard coconut cream!

The sugar content is not that much (20g to a 425g can), so, I will do some experimenting over the next few days and see what I come up with. Your recipe also includes sweetened shredded coconut, which is unheard of here, so I am going to do some experimenting in that area as well. John.

[Kim Shook]

Thanks so much for your comments and links. I must admit that I have been to the Carabbean about 35 times and have sat drinking Piña Coladas on many occasions on the various islands - and never knew that they used anything other than standard coconut cream!

The sugar content is not that much (20g to a 425g can), so, I will do some experimenting over the next few days and see what I come up with. Your recipe also includes sweetened shredded coconut, which is unheard of here, so I am going to do some experimenting in that area as well. John.Joh

John - the shredded coconut only goes on the outside of the finished cake, so I would guess that shredded fresh coconut would be an improvement!

[rajoress]

Love all the gorgeous desserts on here! Here is my latest; a recipe I had tagged for a future event and a couple of nieces birthdays seemed to be the perfect occasion. Vanilla bean confetti cookies from joy the baker. Thanks for looking!

Ruth

[Franci]

I made a chocolate caprese, which is likely my favourite chocolate cake

And again the Piedmontese hazelnut cake

[rotuts]

So Soooo

 

they do indeed look delicious !

 

Franci:

 

what do those cakes look like 'Cut Up'  ?

 

I bet delicious

 

and then

 

thanks for not driving ( us ) me crazy with those delicious pics

 

Cheers

 

Happy cooking !

Edited April 18, 2015 by rotuts (log)

[Franci]

The hazelnut is gone but I'll take a good picture soon.

Here is the chocolate

[Shelby]

I'm sure you guys scroll through all the lovely confections on these threads and then you hit my post and think "Hmmmmm.....and she posted this boring picture, why?"       

 

I wanted a cherry pie yesterday.  I used store bought crust (of course lol).  It hit the spot.....not as good as my Grammy's pies were, but it'll do.

 

[rotuts]

pillsbury ?

 

Ive been known to use it

 

pie still gets gobbled up

 

esp pecan. w fresh pecans in-shell my sister sends me from TX i.e.  this years crop, not the crop from 10 years ago.

 

( I shell them myself    )

 

what 'cherries' did you use ?  tart cherry pie is right behind apple for me.  sort of hanging on apples bumper on the SpeedWay.

[Shelby]

pillsbury ?

 

Ive been known to use it

 

pie still gets gobbled up

 

esp pecan. w fresh pecans in-shell my sister sends me from TX i.e.  this years crop, not the crop from 10 years ago.

 

( I shell them myself    )

 

what 'cherries' did you use ?  tart cherry pie is right behind apple for me.  sort of hanging on apples bumper on the SpeedWay.

 

 

Yes!  Pillsbury all the way   .  Really, it's a good crust.  But, not as light and flaky as Grammy's.

 

 

I have to admit, I am a tart cherry snob.  I've tried many brands and, hands down, this brand is my favorite:

 

 

Cherries are whole and I can't remember ever finding a pit.  Now, if I could buy fresh tart cherries, I would do that, but I can't so this has to do.

 

My Dr. Lecter and Newman wanted to say "Hi" and be in the picture 

[rotuts]

do they like cherry pie ?

 

hope you can find some really fresh pecans to try some day in PCP.  makes all the difference.

 

my sister used to be able to pick them up off the ground in various public parks  but now has some back issues

 

 

she has friends in TX that run a large Pecan Spread.  lots now go to China, which is why the price has doubled or so recent years.

 

 

Im on the Hunt for Oregon Cherries !

 

many thanks !

[Shelby]

do they like cherry pie ?

 

hope you can find some really fresh pecans to try some day in PCP.  makes all the difference.

 

my sister used to be able to pick them up off the ground in various public parks  but now has some back issues

 

 

she has friends in TX that run a large Pecan Spread.  lots now go to China, which is why the price has doubled or so recent years.

 

 

Im on the Hunt for Oregon Cherries !

 

many thanks !

My husband loves pecan pie.  I'll have to be on the look out for fresh ones.

 

LOL....the cats aren't so much into sweets.  You're more likely to find them on the Dinner thread  

[rotuts]

fresh now are last fall's

 

can you imagine living in a place  ( Georgetown TX )  where in the fall you just go out and pick them up off the ground ?

 

the Techy-Swells would invent a Scooper - Sifter that had WiFi to connect to your iPhone w and App to register and grade and discard  the Pecans that don't make the 

 

grade.  Id get that !

 

and no, you don't get clobbered over the head by Yuppies wanting your Stash .

 

bit dated I am !

[RWood]

So, one of my best friends birthday was Sunday, and I decided to attempt a camera cake for her. She picked up photography as a hobby when she lived in Singapore for something to do (her husband's job took them there).

I made the lens with isomalt, and printed the logos on edible paper. I wanted to add more details, and some things could have been a little better. Just need a few decorating tools that I couldn't get in time.

But, she loved it, and I knew she wouldn't cut it. She's gonna freeze it until her husband gets home next month. I hate to think what it may be like .

But, the back is complete with a photo she took of her boy Huey

[Thanks for the Crepes]

RWood,

 

I know that camera cake was a labor of love, and your friend is so lucky to have such a talented and giving person in their life.

 

The people on this forum never cease to amaze me.

[SylviaLovegren]

So, one of my best friends birthday was Sunday, and I decided to attempt a camera cake for her. She picked up photography as a hobby when she lived in Singapore for something to do (her husband's job took them there).

I made the lens with isomalt, and printed the logos on edible paper. I wanted to add more details, and some things could have been a little better. Just need a few decorating tools that I couldn't get in time.

But, she loved it, and I knew she wouldn't cut it. She's gonna freeze it until her husband gets home next month. I hate to think what it may be like .

But, the back is complete with a photo she took of her boy Huey

 

Are you kidding?  That is fantastic.  Wow. 

[Anna N]

Oh for a sprig of mint! Lemon pudding cake from the delightful Desserts for Two by Christina Lane.

[Franci]

Today I wanted to try the Queen of Sheba from A. Medrich . Since I've never had teff flour I decided to try her recipe from her new book Flavor Flours. This cake also has almond flour as my Caprese from a couple days ago, that's also a reason I wanted to try it.

Oh, boy, what a crumbly mess. I don't know if I should have cooked at much lower temperature (as I normally do my other cakes with almond flour) or because I did something wrong in the execution. But it's a cake I could not serve to anybody, very crumbly, moist but sandy. Anybody else tried this particular one?

[Toliver]

Today I wanted to try the Queen of Sheba from A. Medrich . Since I've never had teff flour I decided to try her recipe from her new book Flavor Flours. This cake also has almond flour as my Caprese from a couple days ago, that's also a reason I wanted to try it.

Oh, boy, what a crumbly mess. I don't know if I should have cooked at much lower temperature (as I normally do my other cakes with almond flour) or because I did something wrong in the execution. But it's a cake I could not serve to anybody, very crumbly, moist but sandy. Anybody else tried this particular one?

 

When life hands you lemons, make lemonade.

Or in this case, use the cake in a trifle with fresh raspberries (or the fruit of your choice), whipped cream and/or custard. No one has to know the cake was a mess.

Fat Guy, co-founder of eGullet, once wrote "Deep-frying hides a multitude of sins". So can whipped cream and/or custard! 

[Anna N]

Brownies with peanut butter swirl. Once again from Dessert for Two by Christina Lane. With these tiny desserts I feel like at long-last I get to play with an Easy Bake oven! Because they call for such small quantities of ingredients they seem somehow less threatening to me. Yeah, I know it's silly.

[oli]

So, one of my best friends birthday was Sunday, and I decided to attempt a camera cake for her. She picked up photography as a hobby when she lived in Singapore for something to do (her husband's job took them there).

I made the lens with isomalt, and printed the logos on edible paper. I wanted to add more details, and some things could have been a little better. Just need a few decorating tools that I couldn't get in time.

But, she loved it, and I knew she wouldn't cut it. She's gonna freeze it until her husband gets home next month. I hate to think what it may be like .

But, the back is complete with a photo she took of her boy Huey

Simply incredible.  Some people are just so talented.

[Darienne]

When life hands you lemons, make lemonade.

Or in this case, use the cake in a trifle with fresh raspberries (or the fruit of your choice), whipped cream and/or custard. No one has to know the cake was a mess.

Fat Guy, co-founder of eGullet, once wrote "Deep-frying hides a multitude of sins". So can whipped cream and/or custard! 

My go-to is to cover anything with a chocolate ganache.  Hides a multitude of sins and everyone thinks you're so clever and wonderful!  :laugh:

[RWood]

Simply incredible.  Some people are just so talented.

Thanks! My next attempt is going to be a standing Thor's hammer cake. I have a friend into cos-play and that's his character. He asked if I could make one a couple of years ago, just haven't had the time.

[CatPoet]

RWood, check out Ann rerdon and how to cook that, she has an avengers cake.

[rajoress]

Amazing desserts everyone! Here's my successful attempt at an Aussie mud cake. I've tried one before and it was an epic fail! This one is dark chocolate covered with a dark chocolate butter ganache. Thanks for looking!

Ruth