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

[shain]

Basbousa (with semolina, coconut, sour cream, a bit of lemon zest and cinnamon), carambola preserve (a runny one) instead of syrup, a bit of rose water.

 

 

[kayb]

At least as important as the sides and the bird itself are the Thanksgiving desserts. For the first time in several years, I made my Mama's coconut cake for Thanksgiving; it has to be made at least three days in advance so it can sit in the fridge and age/moisten.

 

@heidih asked me to document it, as she'd never made one. Well, this one's easy, and a good one to start with.

 

Bake whatever kind of plain white or yellow cake you like. I have Mama's recipe, but it's really easier to use a white cake mix, add sugar, sour cream, and an extra egg to make it richer and denser. Bake it in three layers, or, if you have only two pans, like Mama did, bake two and use thread or dental floss to cut them in half horizontally.

 

 

Do not, as I did, fail to line your pans with parchment.

 

Make up the first icing -- a cup of sour cream, a cup of sugar, a bag of frozen coconut (dry flaked does not work as well; use either fresh or frozen). Use about half this mixture to put between the layers.

 

Take the remaining icing and stir in a small tub of whipped topping. I've always wanted to use sweetened whipped cream, but I've always been afraid it wouldn't stand up to the long time in the fridge.

 

Frost the cake thickly, and sprinkle the top and sides with more frozen/thawed coconut.

 

Yeah, I missed a spot.

 

Resist all  temptation to cut a big wedge of it for three days. Really. It matters.

 

[heidih]

Wow @kayb I've never even eaten one. I like the fresh/frozen versus dried coconut. Thanks. Sounds lie a wonderful indulgent treat.

[RWood]

Red wine poached Pear and Frangipane Tart for Thanksgiving. No pumpkin lovers around here 🤷‍♀️

[Kim Shook]

I made a Heart of Dixie pecan pie for Thanksgiving:

Touch of bourbon, cocoa crust, and both chopped and halved pecans.  Slice:

It tasted good and was popular with Mr. Kim and Jessica (I'm more a cake than pie girl), but I thought there was a problem with the texture.  It seemed both under and over cooked to me.  As you can see, it was too runny in the middle, but the texture of the majority of each piece was almost scrambled eggy rather than that gorgeous glacé texture perfect pecan pies get.  It is cooked at 350F for 45 minutes.  Any ideas for improvement?

[shain]

On 11/30/2021 at 7:45 PM, Kim Shook said:

It tasted good and was popular with Mr. Kim and Jessica (I'm more a cake than pie girl), but I thought there was a problem with the texture.  It seemed both under and over cooked to me.  As you can see, it was too runny in the middle, but the texture of the majority of each piece was almost scrambled eggy rather than that gorgeous glacé texture perfect pecan pies get.  It is cooked at 350F for 45 minutes.  Any ideas for improvement?

 

Over-cooked yet runny actually makes sense. Eggs have a limited ability to bind water and once over cooked it actually reduces. Adding more starch will prevent the eggs from curdling and will help hold the water.

 

[shain]

Bread pudding with poppy seeds, vanilla and cherry syrup.

 

 

[shain]

Simple buttermilk fritters.

Some with honey and rose water.

Some with homemade strawberry coulis.

 

[cteavin]

Kibo Manju ('Hope' Manju). They are an English shortbread cookie wrapped around Japanese sweet potato jam. They were created over a hundred years ago to "hope" for good relations between Japan and the Western people -- and they are delicious. 

 

I made these for my YouTube channel and ended up making six dozen and giving them to the local "cram" school. Sweet potatoes were on sale and I was in a mood.  

 

If you want to see the video, just look up Made by You and I on YouTube. 

 

 

[Chef Lucas]

Some basic apple crumble for me today !
Done in less than 20 minutes
For those interested : 25g brown sugar, 25g sugar, 50g all purpose flour, 50g almond powder, 50g butter. Mix everything and you have the dough!
Choose your fruits (I caramelize the apple personally) and bake for around 30 minutes at 180 Celsius.

[Chef Lucas]

And, as part of the French community, I would feel bad for not promoting a French pastry as well 😄
Here's my Paris-Brest, one of my favourite dessert!

[oli]

Welcome Chef Lucas. We are expecting to see great things coming out of your kitchen.

[Kim Shook]

On 12/1/2021 at 1:57 PM, shain said:

 

Over-cooked yet runny actually makes sense. Eggs have a limited ability to bind water and once over cooked it actually reduces. Adding more starch will prevent the eggs from curdling and will help hold the water.

 

Thanks for your advice, @shain!  One more question, please:  Here's the recipe.  What kind of starch and how would you incorporate it? 

[shain]

29 minutes ago, Kim Shook said:

Thanks for your advice, @shain!  One more question, please:  Here's the recipe.  What kind of starch and how would you incorporate it? 

 

Any starch should do, cornstarch or potato should be fine. I think that 2-3 tsp should do here. I'd mix it first with a little of the cold syrup, so that it won't clump.

[Kim Shook]

24 minutes ago, shain said:

 

Any starch should do, cornstarch or potato should be fine. I think that 2-3 tsp should do here. I'd mix it first with a little of the cold syrup, so that it won't clump.

Thanks, @shain!  I'll add that note to my recipe!

[MaryIsobel]

First batch of biscotti destined for the ER at the local hospital where my daughter works. Two dozen orange chocolate biscotti. Thinking I will do Ameretto Almond for the second batch.

[heidih]

Both flavors sound good. Your basic recipe? I've never made them though I have them on favorites list.

[MaryIsobel]

2 hours ago, heidih said:

Both flavors sound good. Your basic recipe? I've never made them though I have them on favorites list.

These ones were from Sally's Baking Addicition. https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/dark-chocolate-orange-biscotti/ There are so many recipes, some with no fat of any kind. These had a small amount of butter and oil and have a nice texture.

[BeeZee]

Whole wheat/oat and berry (mixed, frozen) muffins. Used coconut sugar, so they get rather brown.

 

 

 

Edited December 12, 2021 by Smithy
Rotated photo as poster's request (log)

[RWood]

I've been wanting cake for a couple of weeks now, so I finally made a marble loaf.

This is some random recipe I saved, but I liked the texture of this one.

[MikanPotatos]

Made some chocolates to sell over the weekend
 

 

Flavors (left to right):
Strawberry Shortcake 
Lemon Tart 
Matcha Yuzu Jasmine 
Raspberry 
Sesame, Miso Caramel, Peppercorn Toffee 
Vietnamese Coffee
Passion Fruit And Mango 
Banana Bread

[MaryIsobel]

Second batch of biscotti for the local ER where my daughter is a CCRN. Almond and dried cherries plumped in cherry brandy. I'll send them in with her on her next set with a note thanking them. These great nurses and doctors and clerks works crazy hours and tons of overtime these days, yet keep their senses of humour. Cookies seems like little thanks, but I can't send in kegs of wine and bottles of scotch!

[heidih]

15 minutes ago, MaryIsobel said:

Second batch of biscotti for the local ER where my daughter is a CCRN. Almond and dried cherries plumped in cherry brandy. I'll send them in with her on her next set with a note thanking them. These great nurses and doctors and clerks works crazy hours and tons of overtime these days, yet keep their senses of humour. Cookies seems like little thanks, but I can't send in kegs of wine and bottles of scotch!

 

Great support for medical folks. The flavor combination I like but I like super crunchy biscotti so with the plumped cherries maybe softer than my ideal?

[MaryIsobel]

1 hour ago, heidih said:

Great support for medical folks. The flavor combination I like but I like super crunchy biscotti so with the plumped cherries maybe softer than my ideal?

 

1 hour ago, heidih said:

Great support for medical folks. The flavor combination I like but I like super crunchy biscotti so with the plumped cherries maybe softer than my ideal?

They are definitley crunchy. I baked them longer than sugessted because i want them to be crunchy.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

4 hours ago, MaryIsobel said:

Cookies seems like little thanks, but I can't send in kegs of wine and bottles of scotch!

 

Have you tried?