Your Daily Sweets: What Are You Making and Baking? (2017 – )

[MikanPotatos]

On 1/21/2022 at 3:52 AM, Kim Shook said:

@Ann_T – those donuts are wonderful looking.  I’m also madly in love with your coffee cup/bowl! 

 

Looking for a little advice here.  When we were out at lunch on Saturday, we ordered a slice of their lemon chess pie to take home.  It was wonderful and just exactly the texture I would like in my lemon chess tarts.  I’ve added pictures of both and am hoping that someone will have help for me.  This is the texture of the purchased pie:

 

And this is the texture of my tarts:

I hope you can see the difference.  Mine is less smooth and collapsed, even though I filled the tart shell completely.   Thanks so much!

Not familiar with chess pie. My only experience is lemon curd. I would guess that either you should add butter at the end or carefully temper the eggs when making the filling. Because of how scrambled the filling looks in your version

[Kim Shook]

16 hours ago, MikanPotatos said:

Not familiar with chess pie. My only experience is lemon curd. I would guess that either you should add butter at the end or carefully temper the eggs when making the filling. Because of how scrambled the filling looks in your version

Thank you!  I should also have included a link to the recipe.  Looking at it, do you think I should try a lower temperature than 350F?   And since the filling is poured into the pie shell, rather than made ahead and spread in it, do you still suggest butter?  

[MikanPotatos]

2 hours ago, Kim Shook said:

Thank you!  I should also have included a link to the recipe.  Looking at it, do you think I should try a lower temperature than 350F?   And since the filling is poured into the pie shell, rather than made ahead and spread in it, do you still suggest butter?  

This is basically a lemon tart, without the careful whisking of the eggs as it heats to temp 180f. I would guess thats why the lemon curd isnt smooth. Lemon curd typically is done  by carefully whisking the mixture until 180F and then adding in the butter and using a immersion blender to make it extra smooth. Then you would blind bake your tart for 20-25 mins and then add the curd and bake for 5.

 

[Kim Shook]

14 hours ago, MikanPotatos said:

This is basically a lemon tart, without the careful whisking of the eggs as it heats to temp 180f. I would guess thats why the lemon curd isnt smooth. Lemon curd typically is done  by carefully whisking the mixture until 180F and then adding in the butter and using a immersion blender to make it extra smooth. Then you would blind bake your tart for 20-25 mins and then add the curd and bake for 5.

 

Thank you.  This is not a lemon curd at all, though.  I've never seen a chess pie prepared in that way and I'm not sure that it would have the proper texture.  My grandmother's Chess Pie always turned out smooth, and the recipes are almost identical - ingredients and cook temperture/times.  It's so frustrating - women all over the South have been turning out perfect chess pies forever and I can't seem to manage it.  

[Kim Shook]

Not mine but my MIL's.  Mr. Kim went over this morning to offer some IT assistance and she sent him home with these:

 

She has such a hand with pastry and bread.  Her choux is beautiful as is her pie crust, yeast rolls and sweet dough for breakfast items.  Unfortunately for me, she uses vanilla Jello pudding for her filling and canned chocolate frosting for the "glaze".  I don't mind the frosting so much (though it is a bit overwhelming), but I'm just not a fan of Jello vanilla pudding.  I don't taste a real vanilla flavor.  It tastes fake and chemically to me.  I don't mind the chocolate flavors, but really don't like the vanilla.  

[JoNorvelleWalker]

4 hours ago, Kim Shook said:

Not mine but my MIL's.  Mr. Kim went over this morning to offer some IT assistance and she sent him home with these:

 

She has such a hand with pastry and bread.  Her choux is beautiful as is her pie crust, yeast rolls and sweet dough for breakfast items.  Unfortunately for me, she uses vanilla Jello pudding for her filling and canned chocolate frosting for the "glaze".  I don't mind the frosting so much (though it is a bit overwhelming), but I'm just not a fan of Jello vanilla pudding.  I don't taste a real vanilla flavor.  It tastes fake and chemically to me.  I don't mind the chocolate flavors, but really don't like the vanilla.  

 

Sure are pretty though.

 

[shain]

Wine braised pears and anise crumble. Vanilla ice cream.

 

 

[rotuts]

@shain 

 

Id like to hear more about this dish.

 

the pears ?  ripe or ripe ish ?  ( a common problem )

 

what is your poaching liquid ?

 

Im also a big fan of Crumble , esp New England versions

 

 

how do you do yours ?

[shain]

35 minutes ago, rotuts said:

@shain 

 

Id like to hear more about this dish.

 

the pears ?  ripe or ripe ish ?  ( a common problem )

 

what is your poaching liquid ?

 

Im also a big fan of Crumble , esp New England versions

 

 

how do you do yours ?

 

Pears (~450g), not too fine specimens, but it still works - best if they are not too ripe.

I cook down some red wine (~70g) - leftover due to not being much to our taste.

Then add the pears, with some lemon juice and sugar (40g). Cook briefly, so it won't turn to mash.

Added one small star anise, ground, and some potato starch (2 tsp).

Cook to thicken, add vanilla.

Crumble is very simple - flour, butter, some cinnamon and a noticeable amount of salt.

[rotuts]

2shain 

 

''' Crumble is very simple - flour, butter, some cinnamon and a noticeable amount of salt. ''

 

no anise ?

 

Ha Ha

 

too bad you done have access to some 

 

maple syrup 

 

the real deal stuff , dark

 

fairly priced 

 

a few drops in any crumble 

 

there it is !

[ElsieD]

1 hour ago, rotuts said:

@shain 

 

Id like to hear more about this dish.

 

the pears ?  ripe or ripe ish ?  ( a common problem )

 

what is your poaching liquid ?

 

Im also a big fan of Crumble , esp New England versions

 

 

how do you do yours ?

 

What is the New England version that makes it different?

[rotuts]

I can't really say

 

but no anise

 

 

[rotuts]

ill work on it

 

w refs.

[shain]

1 hour ago, rotuts said:

 

''' Crumble is very simple - flour, butter, some cinnamon and a noticeable amount of salt. ''

 

no anise ?

 

Ha Ha

 

too bad you done have access to some 

 

maple syrup 

 

the real deal stuff , dark

 

fairly priced 

 

a few drops in any crumble 

 

 

No, the anise is only in the fruit layer.

Never thought of using maple syrup in a crumble, sounds heavenly, though maybe without the wine.

I have some of the good stuff (even grade B), not sure about the fairly price part, but we'll manage.

[rotuts]

Maple in the fruit part 

 

not the topping

 

and not very much 

 

a hint  you get to think about.

[lemniscate]

Orange preserves and cinnamon rolls.

Based off King Arthur's Cranberry orange rolls minus the cranberries.  I used a homemade orange preserve (not marmalade).

 

The dough is very rich for being eggless.   

 

Last 2 at the bottom of the container:

 

 

[shain]

Greek pumpkin phyllo pie. Grated pumpkin, chestnuts, raisins, nutmeg. Buttery phyllo with a little bit of important salt.

 

 

[Matthew.Taylor]

Here’s the Millionaire’s shortbread I wrote about in my caramel thread.

[ElsieD]

@Matthew.Taylor  Can you post a picture of a cut piece?  I've tried to make then a few times and the base always falls apart.

[Matthew.Taylor]

2 hours ago, ElsieD said:

@Matthew.Taylor  Can you post a picture of a cut piece?  I've tried to make then a few times and the base always falls apart.

Remember to always let the base cool completely and to bake it in the same pan you plan to assemble the bars in. I gave one slice with me for lunch, and it’s clear I’ll need to improve some things for next time, though they taste wonderful. Here’s the picture.

Edited March 8, 2022 by Matthew.Taylor (log)

[Kim Shook]

59 minutes ago, Matthew.Taylor said:

Remember to always let the base cool completely and to bake it in the same pan you plan to assemble the bars in. I gave one slice with me for lunch, and it’s clear I’ll need to improve some things for next time, though they taste wonderful. Here’s the picture.

Looks so good.  I have a nice fix for the chocolate on top breaking.  When it has set, but not hardened, score with a long knife or bench scraper - just through the chocolate layer.  When it cools completely, you can cut through cleanly with a sharp knife.  

[ElsieD]

@Matthew.Taylor  I just looked through my recipe files, and I came across a recipe you posted for millionaire's Bars.  Will you be updating this recipe?

[Matthew.Taylor]

40 minutes ago, ElsieD said:

@Matthew.Taylor  I just looked through my recipe files, and I came across a recipe you posted for millionaire's Bars.  Will you be updating this recipe?

I did? I must have forgotten it. I made them once before but this version is much better. Sure, I can post the new one. I need to learn proper chocolate tempering for the topping though. I’m at work now, so it will have to wait a bit.

[Kerala]

Yer basic tarte tatin with pears. The friend who taught me years ago said you have to let the caramelisation go almost too far. Last night I took my eye off it and the sugar turned black and started to smoke. I was worried but need not have been. My wife once again proclaimed it the best she's ever had!

[Kim Shook]

Not sure if this counts as "candy making", but I melted together some different chocolates, peanut butter, and nuts and they turned out to be very good: