Your Daily Sweets: What Are You Making and Baking? (2015 – 2016)

[rajoress]

Wow - amazing pics on this thread! I've been making my niece's birthday cakes since she was born so it was only fitting that I make her high school graduation cake - sniff, sniff....where does the time go! This cake was so heavy I was afraid the table they had set up for it in the yard wouldn't hold it! But the grad loved it and that's what counts.

[Patrick S]

I was never a huge fan of choux, but every so often I'll make some. Made some eclair yesterday, with vanilla bean pastry cream and chocolate glaze. The glaze was a little too warm/thin when I glazed, so I couldn't really clean up the glazing by running my finger down the side. Even though I'm not a big fan of choux, Christophe Adam's creations are so gorgeous I'd like to take at least one shot at duplicating them.

[Toliver]

21 hours ago, Patrick S said:

I was never a huge fan of choux, but every so often I'll make some. Made some eclair yesterday, with vanilla bean pastry cream and chocolate glaze. The glaze was a little too warm/thin when I glazed, so I couldn't really clean up the glazing by running my finger down the side. Even though I'm not a big fan of choux, Christophe Adam's creations are so gorgeous I'd like to take at least one shot at duplicating them.

Superlative! They look gorgeous. Well done!

[ElsieD]

Has any one made the recipe for Marie-Helene's Apple Cake from Around my French table by Doris Greenspan?  It calls for a baking time of 50 to 60 minutes in an 8" springform pan.  I baked mine for 65 minutes, and the batter is not quite cooked through, even though it seemed to be when I did the knife test.  The cake is delicious even if underbaked,  but I wondered if any one else had trouble with it baking in the alloted time.

[cakewalk]

I haven't made this in quite a while, but I don't remember having any issues with baking time. It's a great cake. I seem to remember that there were a lot of apples but not really a lot of batter. I'm wondering if your apple/batter proportions were somehow a bit askew. IIRC, she doesn't give a weight amount, she says four apples. Maybe the type of apple makes a difference? I always used Fuji and Golden Delicious, I love that combination. The knife test is a bit difficult with this cake because of the scant amount of batter. Sorry I can't be more helpful.

[ElsieD]

Cakewalk, I just bought 4 random apples, although I do know there was a golden delicious and a granny smith in the mix.  There was a lot of apple but the apples seemed to me to be a normal size.  I am going to make it again and give it an extra 10 or so minutes and see what happens.  Too bad she doesn't give a weight for the amount of apple needed.   I do appreciate your responding to my query.  Thank you.

[Patrick S]

Choux au craquelin trios with Dulcey pastry cream. 

 

Toliver: thank you so much for the compliment! Very much appreciated! 

 

[shain]

Cheesecake, with sour cream and triple-sec topping.

 

[DianaB]

6 hours ago, shain said:

Cheesecake, with sour cream and triple-sec topping.

 

 

That looks like a beautiful cheesecake, are you able to share the recipe or its author?  I've been searching for a recipe for cheesecake that I knew as a child, this looks close!  

[shain]

20 hours ago, DianaB said:

 

That looks like a beautiful cheesecake, are you able to share the recipe or its author?  I've been searching for a recipe for cheesecake that I knew as a child, this looks close!  

 

Here you go:

 

[DianaB]

49 minutes ago, shain said:

 

Here you go:

 

 

Many thanks for posting the recipe.  It could well be the one I've been searching for.  My father used to make it but he died when I was 12 so no idea what he used.  I do recall sometimes he would add dried fruit, perhaps sultanas, other times it would be plain but always delicious. 

[Franci]

Cookies for breakfast 

 

[DianaB]

@Patrick S, choux with Craquelin look really good.  I'm waiting for a delivery of Valrhona Dulcey that seems to have got stuck between France and here, probably due to horrible weather in Northern France last week.

 

A couple of days ago I had a first attempt at Cyril Lignac's chocolate/marscapone cake:

 

 

A not at all sweet recipe.  As you can see my technique for finishing the top layer (chocolate with a small amount of butter) needs work.  Overall we found it disappointing, it was more interesting when served with a raspberry coulis.

 

I've since read that the cake becomes more interesting if Dulcey is substituted for the chocolate in the top layer and will certainly try that when my Valrhona box arrives.  The cake is extremely simple and quick to make.

 

Did your choux keep their texture after filling @Patrick S?  I can make choux, with or without crachelin, that are beautifully crisp and stay that way if well packed unless I add cream, compote or any other 'wet' ingredient.  I guess I'm missing something fundamental, I'm sure we've all seen pictures of various ''pieces montées' where filled choux pastries are welded together with caramel to form a centre piece for a wedding or other celebration.  One such is on my list of projects to try but it won't be soon.  I know I couldn't achieve this with my limited knowledge to date.

 

Very small squares of the Lignac recipe go exceedingly well with a strong espresso as a 'café gourmand' so our's won't be wasted.  

[shain]

No bake cheesecake with streusel topping and bottom crust, with some blueberry jam. From the dinner thread.

Ain't buttery dough and creamy cheese a heavenly combination 

 

Edited June 13, 2016 by shain (log)

[cakewalk]

The cheesecake looks great, but what kind of cheese is that? It is so white! Are there eggs in it? (If it's no-bake, I figure probably not.) 

 

[Patrick S]

11 hours ago, DianaB said:

 

Did your choux keep their texture after filling @Patrick S?  I can make choux, with or without crachelin, that are beautifully crisp and stay that way if well packed unless I add cream, compote or any other 'wet' ingredient.  I guess I'm missing something fundamental, I'm sure we've all seen pictures of various ''pieces montées' where filled choux pastries are welded together with caramel to form a centre piece for a wedding or other celebration  

 

 

I don't think you're missing anything. This is actually one of the main reasons I don't do a lot of choux. To my mind, if you fill them with anything with a good bit of liquid, they are only worth eating for a few hours, after which they get too soggy. Combined with craquelin, or caramel (as in croquembuche ir gateaux saint honore), or some chocolate mixed with feuelletine, you have some crunch that kind of compensates, but even then I find the soggy choux off-putting. Perhaps coating the cut surfaces with some melted chocolate might create a moisture barrier and buy some more time, but I've never tried that. I'd be interested to hear any ideas anyone else might have for preserving choux texture. 

 

BTW, I love the Dulcey, and am looking forward to trying the Caramelia next. I hope your package makes it soon!

[shain]

16 hours ago, cakewalk said:

The cheesecake looks great, but what kind of cheese is that? It is so white! Are there eggs in it? (If it's no-bake, I figure probably not.) 

 

 

Many thanks!

It is made with cream, cream cheese and formage-blanc (white-cheese sounds better in French).

Iv'e posted the recipe:

I do need to point the the crust and crumbs are obviously baked.

 

@Patrick S @DianaB Bakeries that care about their product will fill choux to order, so it doesn't get soggy, and it's still best when really fresh from the oven. That's said, I'm also not much of a fan, there are so many tastier options so I almost never buy or make those.

 

[Franci]

Funny, how persons have a different taste. Me and my son (and a lot of Italians I know) like so much more choux that have been filled way ahead. In fact I don't think of it as soggy at all. And like them over many other desserts!

Edited June 14, 2016 by Franci (log)

[Auro]

My wife made a gorgeous roll cake. I like to cook salty food and she like the sweeties.

 

 

Edited June 16, 2016 by Auro (log)

[shain]

16 hours ago, Franci said:

Funny, how persons have a different taste. Me and my son (and a lot of Italians I know) like so much more choux that have been filled way ahead. In fact I don't think of it as soggy at all. And like them over many other desserts!

 

I'm a crisp addict, I like most things on the very dry and crisp side: french fries, cookies, bread crust. There is nothing I hate more then soft (read soggy) pastry.

 

@Auro That is a tasty looking roll!

[Jim D.]

16 hours ago, Auro said:

My wife made a gorgeous roll cake. I laike to cook salt food and she like the sweeties.

 

 

Auro,

Please ask your wife how she made such a large roll without having it crack as she rolled it up.  Did she roll it in a damp towel?  Did she use extra egg yolks?  Some other secret?  Thanks.

[Auro]

8 hours ago, Jim D. said:

Auro,

Please ask your wife how she made such a large roll without having it crack as she rolled it up.  Did she roll it in a damp towel?  Did she use extra egg yolks?  Some other secret?  Thanks.

Jim D I asked her and she told me that there's no magic trick. Just roll the cake using a dry towel while the cake is hot.

Edited June 16, 2016 by Auro (log)

[shain]

Plum and nectarine flaugnarde. Flavored with amaretto and topped with crunchy sliced almonds.

 

It's a very good weekday dessert, it's quick to prepare and can be baked ahead, scalable, uses whatever fruit is on hand (though I think stone fruits work best). It's also low on sugar and, most importantly, very tasty.

[Tri2Cook]

47 minutes ago, shain said:

Plum and nectarine flaugnarde.
 

It's a very good weekday dessert, it's quick to prepare and can be baked ahead, scalable, uses whatever fruit is on hand (though I think stone fruits work best). It's also low on sugar and, most importantly, very tasty.

I just like the name... that may be reason enough for me to give it a try.

[shain]

2 hours ago, Tri2Cook said:

I just like the name... that may be reason enough for me to give it a try.

 

To be honest, I usually call it clafoutis, but that's improper if it's not made with cherries. And you definitely should make it.