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

[Pete Fred]

I made the brioche earlier this week so that I could stale it for a few days, all the better for soaking up the orange flower syrup in this bostock...

 

 

 

 

The almond cream on top was spiked with a generous amount of rum.

 

And because it's been more than a week since I posted a Gateau Basque and @Katie Meadow will be suffering withdrawal symptoms...

 

 

I was curious if unblanched almonds would add anything (spoiler: not really). Plus, the bottle of rum was now open so that found its way into the custard.

[mmlstarr]

1. Luisa Weiss' "Lottchen's Kirschkuchen" but made with Italian prune plums, so I suppose it's really Pflaumenkuchen, lol.

2. Dorie Greenspan's "Bill's Big Carrot Cake" with Rose Levy Beranbaum's Dreamy Creamy White Chocolate Frosting.

 

[gulfporter]

Another 3 ingredient wonder.  It worked and we used 70% chocolate despite the warning not to.  I did add 2 tablespoons cream to my chocolate as it was way too stiff when melted.  I made my own dulce de leche; I always do so I have no idea what the canned product looks like.  Maybe mine is too solid, not solid enough???

 

Anyway it surprisingly cuts like a thin brownie;  I used my only square pan, a 9 inch, would have been better in the 8" called for.  I didn't get a swirl due to thickness of my homemade dulce de leche and the thinness of the brownie.

 

Nonetheless, we'd make it again!  We like deep dark chocolate so we're happy with its pronounced flavor.  

 

https://kirbiecravings.com/3-ingredient-caramel-brownies/

Edited September 15 by gulfporter
it's vs. its (log)

[ElsieD]

Thank you.  I am SO going to make this.

[Pete Fred]

I had a pot of plum and vanilla jam from last year that I was looking to repurpose. I found a recipe for a steamed suet pudding lurking in a folder and thought I'd give it a go, even though I could kinda tell it probably wouldn't amount to much. The sponge contained ground almonds (almond flour) which I don't recall having in this sort of thing before, and the jam was stirred into the batter rather than lining the bottom of the pudding bowl.

 

It looks quite plain...

 

 

Unfortunately it tasted quite plain, too. The jam flavour was pretty invisible, and the texture was a bit dry and heavy for a steamed pudding.

 

I managed to perk things up with a jug of custard and a dousing of plum caramel, but I won't be bothering again...

 

[OlyveOyl]

Chocolate pastry cream made in the micro with a dab of sour cream and a raspberry.

[Pete Fred]

Chocolate Buckwheat Truffle Cookies (recipe)...

 

 

 

If cake-brownie is your thing then go for it. But not for me. I found them better cold from the fridge when a little chewier. (And I actually preferred the raw batter; kinda like a dense chocolate mousse. Go figure.)

 

A batch of The World's Best Cookie...

 

 

A bold claim. They turned out to be, indeed, very good...

 

 

 

These might be of interest to @ElsieD who is searching for her Platonic crispy, oatmeal coconut cookie. In the recipe linked above, the volume measures are from the book. I don't do cups, and didn't like the look of a couple of Heidi's conversions, so I did my own.

 

It's so nice when something actually lives up to the hype for a change.

[OlyveOyl]

Italian prune plum cake, a soft and tender cake that makes a lovely breakfast/brunch cake.  Adapted from “The easy strawberry cake” at Natasha’s Kitchen , this is a favorite of ours made with almost any fruit.  Topped with flaked almonds and a sprinkling of turbinado sugar for a little extra crunch.

Edited September 22 by OlyveOyl (log)

[Senior Sea Kayaker]

@gulfporter

This is something I've been doing for many years after watching Gary Rhodes on his cooking program that was broadcast on PBS.

He called it toffee and I've recently heard it used as dulce de leche. A can of sweetened condensed milk simmered in water for 2.5 to 3 hours. This is one I made a few months ago. It has a fairly complex flavour profile and very different from the starting material which I find just sickeningly sweet.

Thoughts?

 

[gulfporter]

@Senior Sea Kayaker  I do mine in the microwave in under 10 minutes.  

[rotuts]

@gulfporter

 

details please ?

 

@Senior Sea Kayaker

 

this sort of stuff ?

 

[Senior Sea Kayaker]

@rotuts Different brand but the same product.

 

[Amy D.]

@gulfporter would love to know your 10 minute ddl recipe too. I used to make it the same way as @Senior Sea Kayaker but carnation now sell tins of caramel here in the uk  which is certainly a lot easier.

[gulfporter]

I empty the can of sweetened condensed milk into a micro-OK plastic bowl.  I start at 100% for 2 minutes.  Whisk then reset at 50% in 2 minute increments whisking every 2 minutes.  Continue until a caramel color.  Because it is extremely hot and bubbly as you cook it, don't wait until it is too thick as it thickens as it cools.   

 

I have seen recipes that start at 50% then drop to 30% but my MXN microwave is a tad weak as well as old.  

 

I have bought dulce de leche in cans here, but my local tienda only stocks the sweetened condensed milk so it saved me a trip to a larger store.  

[TdeV]

I think someone on eG makes dulce de leche in the Instant Pot. Can't remember whom, though.

 

 

Edited September 25 by TdeV
Oops. (log)

[donk79]

I've tried the can in instapot method a few times.  It's a touch faster than the oven, but I can't say it's enough faster that I consider worth getting the instapot out for.  I find the results to be identical either way.

[rotuts]

@donk79

 

what's the can in the oven method 

 

vs  the van in the simmering water ?

 

and you put a sealed can in the iPot ?

 

low or high pressure ?   can doesn't explode ?

 

interesting.

[OlyveOyl]

Plum, raspberry , blackberry tart with a pate sucrée crust. Pastry stars on top for a little extra crunch.

[donk79]

12 hours ago, rotuts said:

@donk79

 

what's the can in the oven method 

 

vs  the van in the simmering water ?

 

and you put a sealed can in the iPot ?

 

low or high pressure ?   can doesn't explode ?

 

interesting.

Yes.

 

It's been a bit and a half, but just stick the can in the IP (label removed).  I think I have done the same with the oven, but am starting to doubt my memory now!

 

I definitely cannot remember more details on time/temp.  Sorry!

[OlyveOyl]

I use my stovetop pressure cooker and it takes about 20 minutes. Do not remove can until water in PC reaches room temperature.

[rotuts]

So ..

 

in a pressure cooker , iP or regular

 

the can makes it intact , to the end ?

 

usual water requirements mins for the PC ?

 

thanks

 

 

[OlyveOyl]

The can must be covered with a couple of inches of water, I use my stovetop pressure cooker although I might also have used the IP. As you probably know, the point of waiting until room temperature, is to equalize pressure in can and the water in PC. I have done it a dozen times at least over the years and have never had a problem.  This includes the can with the pull top lid. I also remove label, sometimes put  it on a low trivet, sometimes not. IIRC, there is a possibility of rust forming from the can seam or edge, I also placed the can on several layers of paper towels. Also, 20 minutes gives a very deep caramel, 25 minutes,  very dark and very thick.

[rotuts]

@OlyveOyl

 

thank you for those details.

 

Im going to try this as soon as I get a can.

 

not sure what Im going to do with the results.

 

Ive got a few ideas.

 

thanks you

[OlyveOyl]

Just a spoon will be necessary!

[Amy D.]

@gulfporter thank you. useful to know as I can get condensed milk from any supermarket but as where you are it's usually the bigger shops that stock the caramel and I tend to stick with aldi and lidl as I can get my shopping done quicker.