Your Daily Sweets (2005-2012)

[Kim Shook]

Kim-could you pm or recipe gullet those nut bars?  I must make them.    Your pictures lately have been really nice too!  I think you said you got a new camera?

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Thanks for the compliment on the pictures - I did get a new camera and I am getting more comfortable with it. I need to read up on macro close ups, though!

The recipe for the nut bars is here. They really are so amazingly good - and really easy, too!

Kim

[CaliPoutine]

Kim,

I saw that recipe in the TOH magazine, I think it was a nut contest if I remember correctly. I put them on my ever growing to bake list.

[meredithla]

Kim, thanks for the Nut bar link, I'll be trying those soon.

Today I made a Meyer lemon gelato. Very refreshing!

[kbjesq]

I do a couple of things to enhance the end photo:

-I put the dish on my dining table which is under a strong light from a chandelier.  Then I put a white foamcore board behind the plate.  This way I get strong light and light that bounces off the white board, which in turn seems to help set off the food.

-I take two shots-one of the whole dish and one close-up.  For the shot of the whole dish, in this case the whole cake, I usually set my camera onto a mini-tripod to help keep the camera steady.  I set my camera to 'manual', turn off the flash, and then set it on the digital setting.  For the close-up shot I set my camera to 'digital macro' (really closeup shots), turn off the flash and then set it on AFL (auto focus lock), to keep the camera from shaking in my hands.

-FInally, I do a lot of editing on my computer before I post my photos on eGullet.  I am currently using WIndows Vista which comes with the latest photo editing from Microsoft.  I can control the brightness, contrast, color saturation and cropping of the photo.  I tend to darken my photos before I post them on eGullet because I find the raw photos will be too light if I post them without darkening.  I figure that part of the story I'm telling is through the photos, so I want them to portray to my fellow eGullet friends that the food is delicious.  Thank you again.

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C'mon, David Ross, the truth is that your food is wonderful and you are a talented photographer. I know this to be the case, since no matter what "fixing" I do to my pictures, they never look anything like yours! Just gorgeous cake, BTW. You have now inspired me to make yet another dessert . . . . David Ross Cherry Clafouti shall be joined by David Ross Upside Down Cake. (My family wants to know who the heck is David Ross!)

[kbjesq]

I made two cakes and a cupcake bouquet for a school cakewalk this weekend.  Not very sophisticated amongst all the beautiful desserts on this thread but the kids were happy!

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Meredithla, I've never heard of a "cakewalk," but what ever it is, I want in on it. Your cakes are lovely. I especially love the naughty penguin tyring to eat the goldfish. Good work!

[MadelaineCriden]

After checking out the stunning pictures posted throughout this topic, I am hesitant to post my creation, but here goes...

It's a Chocolate PB & J Mousse Pie, adapted from this Black-Bottomed Peanut Butter Mousse Pie recipe, and it is absolutely to die for!

Normally when I think of icebox/refrigerator pies I think of sickeningly sweet, leaden, cool whip-filled, pies, but this was really out of this world. I think the contrasts between the thick dark chocolate ganache, the light and creamy peanut butter mousse, and the tart homemade raspberry preserves made it stand out and taste more "adult" (if that makes sense). The adapted recipe is here, on my blog.

-Maddy

[gfron1]

No hesitation needed! That's very yummy looking. Thanks for posting it.

[MadelaineCriden]

No hesitation needed!  That's very yummy looking.  Thanks for posting it.

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thanks! : )

[jumanggy]

Rob, great piping work on the beads! Okay, I'll bite... What are the right circumstances?

Meredith: I don't care about sophistication, those cakes look freakin' awesome

Kim: Ha! I've been known to use devil's food cake mix on occasion

Madeleine: nice pie! Welcome to the P&B Forums!

"Temptation Tower"

Orange-Honey Spice Cake (zigazigah) with streusel, sauteed apples, yogurt cream, and apple chip. (also in the plated desserts thread)

[Tri2Cook]

Great stuff everybody. I'm busy preparing for a multi-course valentine's day dessert thing I'm doing so I haven't had time to do much more than check in to see what everybody else is doing but it all looks awesome.

[DanaG]

Made scones for breakfast this morning -- YUM!

[MadelaineCriden]

Made scones for breakfast this morning -- YUM!

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wow, those look amazing! How did you get them to rise so high? They look like they're about ready for lift-off!

[David Ross]

I do a couple of things to enhance the end photo:

-I put the dish on my dining table which is under a strong light from a chandelier.  Then I put a white foamcore board behind the plate.  This way I get strong light and light that bounces off the white board, which in turn seems to help set off the food.

-I take two shots-one of the whole dish and one close-up.  For the shot of the whole dish, in this case the whole cake, I usually set my camera onto a mini-tripod to help keep the camera steady.  I set my camera to 'manual', turn off the flash, and then set it on the digital setting.  For the close-up shot I set my camera to 'digital macro' (really closeup shots), turn off the flash and then set it on AFL (auto focus lock), to keep the camera from shaking in my hands.

-FInally, I do a lot of editing on my computer before I post my photos on eGullet.  I am currently using WIndows Vista which comes with the latest photo editing from Microsoft.  I can control the brightness, contrast, color saturation and cropping of the photo.  I tend to darken my photos before I post them on eGullet because I find the raw photos will be too light if I post them without darkening.  I figure that part of the story I'm telling is through the photos, so I want them to portray to my fellow eGullet friends that the food is delicious.  Thank you again.

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C'mon, David Ross, the truth is that your food is wonderful and you are a talented photographer. I know this to be the case, since no matter what "fixing" I do to my pictures, they never look anything like yours! Just gorgeous cake, BTW. You have now inspired me to make yet another dessert . . . . David Ross Cherry Clafouti shall be joined by David Ross Upside Down Cake. (My family wants to know who the heck is David Ross!)

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Thank you for your nice comments. And you remembered the Clafouti! Wonderful. Last night I made ice cream sandwiches-Chocolate Chip Cookies filled with Creamsickle Ice Cream. Sorry, it was late, I had too much wine and taking a photo was the last thing on my mind. I needed a sugar fix. Thanks again for the comments.

[gfron1]

Cilantro Cheesecake with Chocolate Air as described in the unusual cheesecake flavor topic.

[jsmeeker]

it's not fancy and many will say it's been done to death, but I made some creme brulee for tonight. First time making it, too (though I have made other baked custards). Turned out really well. And it was an excuse to use my new kitchen toy! (a small butane torch).

[AmritaBala]

oh boy ive been waiting for AGES to actually post on E gullet!

Just a lil intro, im 17 in september and have been cooking/baking for about 4 years now, since i was 13.

My virgin attempt @ an opera cake. Recipe from Dorie's Paris Sweets.....Yum!

I have to improve on the neatness/layering

Edited February 11, 2008 by AmritaBala (log)

[gfron1]

Beautiful!

Welcome to the world of posting - great website btw.

And...don't we all need to work on our neatness

[hummingbirdkiss]

oh boy ive been waiting for AGES to actually post on E gullet!

Just a lil intro, im 17 in september and have been cooking/baking for about 4 years now, since i was 13.

My virgin attempt @ an opera cake. Recipe from Dorie's Paris Sweets.....Yum!

I have to improve on the neatness/layering

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MAGNIFICENT!!!! you should be very proud of yourself!!!! If you are doing this at 17 I can only imagine your future!!! (insert applause here!!!)

[oli]

oh boy ive been waiting for AGES to actually post on E gullet!

Just a lil intro, im 17 in september and have been cooking/baking for about 4 years now, since i was 13.

My virgin attempt @ an opera cake. Recipe from Dorie's Paris Sweets.....Yum!

I have to improve on the neatness/layering

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MAGNIFICENT!!!! you should be very proud of yourself!!!! If you are doing this at 17 I can only imagine your future!!! (insert applause here!!!)

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You deserve a STANDING OVATION. Absolutely stunning at such a young age, knocks my socks off, you are THE MAN

[Pille]

My favourite desserts from the last fortnight:

Cranberry Fruit Soup:

The soup was served with Bubert, a light and fluffy Estonian egg and semolina pudding:

On Shrove Tuesday last week we ate lots of Lenten buns (vastlakuklid):

One of the simplest desserts ever, but oh-so-gratifying, is this Estonian pudding of caramelised sour rye bread with whipped cream:

And last, but not least, a perfect dip-your-spoon-into-dessert, salted butter caramel and milk chocolate mousse:

Now I need to decide what to have for pud today

[JMT]

I like semlor ( lenten buns ) as well, I adore them actually, I want to try your version with lingonberry in the cream it sound very nice, I suppose one could do all sorts of colour, blueberry might be good too.

That pudding looks great too.

I'll just post the modifications one can do to your semlor recipie to make them in a more more swedish style.

Make the buns as in Pille's recipie. If you like cardamon you can increase the amount by a factor 2 ( I do ) and probably even more, I make them with less butter, probably 3/4 the amount of butter in Pille's recipie.

Cut the top off completely at the same height as Pille's cut.

For a marzipan filling take out as much of the insides of the bottom part of the bun as you like. Take as much marzipan as you like ( within reason or the marsipan flavour will dominate the rest, the filling should also roughly fit in the hole ) mix it with the part of the bun that you removed, and mix it with some cream or milk to give it a somewhat smother consistancy. Put the bread, marzipan and cream/milk mixture back in the hole.

You can also make an almond filling: Take 2 to 3 parts almond depending on how you want to balance sweetness and almond taste, take 2 parts of sugar and 2 parts milk or cream. then either run everything in a mixer and the mix in the insides of the bun just as in the first recipie or grate the almond first and then mix it with everything else.

After making a filling and putting it in put some cream on, naturally use freshly whipped cream and not something nasty out of a tube. Put the top back on sprinkle with flor sugar. If you make a sweet filling you might want to skipp the sugar in the cream.

I tend to eat the lid of a semla first, then go to work on the rest of it.

Lots of people also eat it in a bowl with some hot milk in it. My dad who doesn't like whipped cream pours the milk over his, making most of the cream go into the milk, I tried it that way but prefer to eat them in a normal fashion

Semlor are fantastic to eat and the homemade ones tend to taste much better than most pastry shop ones. They taste best IMO when the bun is still a bit warm from the oven.

[AmritaBala]

gfron1, shucks, thanks!! =op

hummingbird kiss, thank you sooo much! Lookin forward to posting more pictures ;o)

oli, I am the GIRL...hahahah! You're so sweet! Thanks a bunch!

Nowww, why isn't there a "Your Daily Cooking" thread over @ the Culinary section! :op

Pille. that salted butter caramel and milk chocolate mousse looks to die for!

Edited February 12, 2008 by AmritaBala (log)

[John DePaula]

oh boy ive been waiting for AGES to actually post on E gullet!

Just a lil intro, im 17 in september and have been cooking/baking for about 4 years now, since i was 13.

My virgin attempt @ an opera cake. Recipe from Dorie's Paris Sweets.....Yum!

I have to improve on the neatness/layering

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MAGNIFICENT!!!! you should be very proud of yourself!!!! If you are doing this at 17 I can only imagine your future!!! (insert applause here!!!)

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You deserve a STANDING OVATION. Absolutely stunning at such a young age, knocks my socks off, you are THE MAN

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I can only repeat what others have already said: Outstanding!

[Tri2Cook]

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That's awesome! When I was 17 opera was just something I wished mom would take off of the stereo.

[AmritaBala]

tri2cook, hilarious!!

johndepaula, thank you! ...tomorrow I start internship @ a french restaurant....oh early days...oh noooo ;o(