Your Daily Sweets (2005-2012)

[bdonaghy]

No, I didn't squeeze them myself.  I've discovered the wonderful world of frozen purees.

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Boiron makes a pretty good one . . . also, is that silcone mould the dessert is formed in from Pavoni?

b

[gfron1]

Give that man a fuzzy monkey! Yep Pavoni.

[toni]

My Summer Citrus Sensation

Yeah, I bought a new mold

Calamansi mousse with fresh blueberries inside, sprayed with white chocolate.

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"Sensation" is not giving enough credit to that fantastic creation! Beyond words!!!

[prasantrin]

No, I didn't squeeze them myself.  I've discovered the wonderful world of frozen purees.

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Boiron makes a pretty good one . . . also, is that silcone mould the dessert is formed in from Pavoni?

b

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Boiron has a calamansi frozen puree? I've got to find some of that when I return to Canada! I wonder if I could get it here in Japan. . .

[Kerry Beal]

Boiron has a calamansi frozen puree?  I've got to find some of that when I return to Canada!  I wonder if I could get it here in Japan. . .

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Qzina carries it. I've got a kilo in the basement freezer.

[prasantrin]

Boiron has a calamansi frozen puree?  I've got to find some of that when I return to Canada!  I wonder if I could get it here in Japan. . .

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Qzina carries it. I've got a kilo in the basement freezer.

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1 kg?!??!?!?! Holy cow! What are you going to do with 1 kg of calamansi puree?

Maybe I don't need it that badly. That's a heck of a lot of puree!

[Kerry Beal]

Boiron has a calamansi frozen puree?  I've got to find some of that when I return to Canada!  I wonder if I could get it here in Japan. . .

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Qzina carries it. I've got a kilo in the basement freezer.

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1 kg?!??!?!?! Holy cow! What are you going to do with 1 kg of calamansi puree?

Maybe I don't need it that badly. That's a heck of a lot of puree!

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Pate de fruit.

[gfron1]

After my first tub molded because I didn't use it fast enough I learned what most of you already know - just cut off a chunk while still frozen. I've now made mousses, cremes and curds with it. I think it would make a helluva margarita but haven't done that yet. And if you have a chest freezer they store very nicely because of their shape and size. And thanks Toni.

[prasantrin]

Pate de fruit.

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Ah, makes sense. Have you tried it as pate de fruit, yet? I bet your nanny would love it!

Can you use the puree interchangeably with juice? If you can, you can try this recipe for calamansi pie, but this one is almost more of a cheesecake. I will be eating calamansi vicariously through your experiences.

[Kerry Beal]

Pate de fruit.

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Ah, makes sense. Have you tried it as pate de fruit, yet? I bet your nanny would love it!

Can you use the puree interchangeably with juice? If you can, you can try this recipe for calamansi pie, but this one is almost more of a cheesecake. I will be eating calamansi vicariously through your experiences.

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Funny you should say that - that's why I bought it originally - and she indeed did love it - they all did.

I do what Rob suggested - it stays in the freezer and I slice off a couple of hundred grams as I need it.

Will you be in Winnipeg when you return or might you be in Ontario?

[Kim Shook]

schneich - those petits fours are gorgeous! The blueberry one just speaks to me. I adore the tiny little sugar sprinkle across the top!

Rob - your mousse is just incredibly lovely. I love the little yolkish dollop of puree on top and the sprayed on white chocolate effect. How I wish that we had something even approaching the quality of what you do!

Um...er...ah...down here at a WHOLE 'nother level , I made this coconut cake last night for a party that my MIL is giving:

[gfron1]

Kim - I love when you say things like that but we all know your stuff is gorgeous and truth be told, its what I would prefer at the end of a good meal.

as for puree - most are thicker than the calamansi. The calamansi is like a can of orange juice concentrate - so it is very liquidy.

[prasantrin]

Funny you should say that - that's why I bought it originally - and she indeed did love it - they all did.

I do what Rob suggested - it stays in the freezer and I slice off a couple of hundred grams as I need it.

Will you be in Winnipeg when you return or might you be in Ontario?

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When I eventually move back, I'll be in Winnipeg for who knows how long!

Calamansi is something all Filipinos love, I think, and miss terribly when they're away from home!

Kim--I love that cake! If you want to send some my way, you're more than welcome to! Is that a 7-minute frosting? Or some kind of meringue (Italian?)?

[jgarner53]

I haven't been posting in here in a loonnnng time -- been busy with work and life, but I have recently gone mad for macarons, maybe because I no longer work in a bakery that makes them. Here are the mojito ones I made yesterday:

plain macaron brushed with a rum syrup, then filled with lime/mint curd

[Kim Shook]

Kim--I love that cake!  If you want to send some my way, you're more than welcome to!  Is that a 7-minute frosting?  Or some kind of meringue (Italian?)?

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I am ashamed to admit (HERE of all places) that it was canned fluffy white frosting! I was asked to make it the night before and worked all day that day and just didn't have time for anything else.

[Kim Shook]

I made Paula Deen’s butterscotch pie today:

I’m not a big fan of butterscotch, but Mr. Kim loves it. He liked the pie, but thought that the flavor could have been stronger and that it was a little ‘loose’ and puddingy. I don’t know if I’ve ever had butterscotch pie, but I did expect something firmer. It was more firm than pudding, but not a lot. So – a mixed success, I guess.

[Lior]

Jgarner53!! Those are just beautiful!!

Andthe filling-butterscotch? looks divine!! What is the difference between caramel, butterscotch and toffee?? Here toffee is chewy and caramels are hard sucking candies or liquidy filling. It is like pralines/bonbons or nougat/gianduja-everywhere it has a different meaning!

[Kim Shook]

Ilana - I'm not sure that I'm the one to answer, but I can tell you what I understand. In the US, as far as candy goes - caramel is chewy and smooth, toffee is crunchy and butterscotch is a hard candy that is very buttery. Here are some pictures: Caramel, Toffee, Butterscotch. I hope this makes sense!

Butterscotch pie, on the other hand, seems to be a custardy type pie made with eggs and brown sugar. Actually I need some help here - could someone describe a perfect butterscotch pie to me? As I said, I'm not familiar with it and was expecting something firmer, but most of the recipes that I am finding seem similar to the one I used. Thanks!

[butterscotch]

  Actually I need some help here - could someone describe a perfect butterscotch pie to me? 

i'm not sure such a thing exists.

as for butterscotch- it's similar to toffee but not as creamy, and it has a salted butter component.

[Tri2Cook]

Actually I need some help here - could someone describe a perfect butterscotch pie to me?

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I've never made one and I'm pretty sure I've never tasted one so I can't help with that question. Just out of curiosity, I searched the recipe after reading your post and Gale Gands version came up as well and it sounded pretty good to me. I may be biased because it's Gale Gand vs. Paula Deen in a pastry shootout but Gale's contained cream and milk vs. just milk, more egg yolk and a little more cornstarch instead of flour, more butter, a little less sugar, a little Scotch whiskey and no butterscotch chips which just sounded better to me. Kinda unfair since I've tasted neither.

Edited May 24, 2009 by Tri2Cook (log)

[lebowits]

Ilana - I'm not sure that I'm the one to answer, but I can tell you what I understand.  In the US, as far as candy goes - caramel is chewy and smooth, toffee is crunchy and butterscotch is a hard candy that is very buttery.  Here are some pictures: Caramel, Toffee, Butterscotch.  I hope this makes sense!

Butterscotch pie, on the other hand, seems to be a custardy type pie made with eggs and brown sugar.  Actually I need some help here - could someone describe a perfect butterscotch pie to me?  As I said, I'm not familiar with it and was expecting something firmer, but most of the recipes that I am finding seem similar to the one I used.  Thanks!

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Kim -

When I looked at the recipe you pointed to, it instantly reminded me of pastry cream. I did a quick look, and pastry cream uses more eggs and corn starch and less sugar and more egg yolks as a percent of the total weight. It got me thinking though that if you wanted a firmer texture, you might start with a standard pastry cream formula and substitute brown sugar in place of white sugar. When refrigerated, pastry cream has a firmer texture that what you seem to describe and illustrate in your picture.

Alternatively, you could simply add another egg yolk and another tsp or 2 of corn starch to the current recipe.

It sounds delicious.

[Lior]

Thank you Kim-so the toffee is like english toffee. I guess here we call butterscotch caramels and toffees are chewy and often fruit flavored.

[Kim Shook]

Kim -

When I looked at the recipe you pointed to, it instantly reminded me of pastry cream.  I did a quick look, and pastry cream uses more eggs and corn starch and less sugar and more egg yolks as a percent of the total weight.  It got me thinking though that if you wanted a firmer texture, you might start with a standard pastry cream formula and substitute brown sugar in place of white sugar.  When refrigerated, pastry cream has a firmer texture that what you seem to describe and illustrate in your picture.

Alternatively, you could simply add another egg yolk and another tsp or 2 of corn starch to the current recipe.

It sounds delicious.

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Steve - thank you for this - I'm going to print out your advice and put it with the butterscotch recipe, so that I can try what you suggest! I really appreciate the help!

Tri2Cook - I think you are probably right! I'll be doing this again because Mr. Kim loves butterscotch pie, but I'll be making some adjustments!

[Kim Shook]

I made a ‘Ho Ho Cake’ for a birthday at work tomorrow:

Devil’s food cake w/ Italian meringue buttercream, decorated with Ho Ho’s. I was completely disappointed in my IMBC today:

The taste was fine and it was fluffy, but it wasn’t smooth at all like when I’ve made it before. I have NO idea what I did wrong, but, to be honest, icings have never been my thing – for that matter, as much as I love it, baking is a huge challenge for me. Oh, well, better luck next time.

[cathrynapple]

Yum! I love ho hos!

Sometimes when my IMBC mixes up like that, it seems to be because of a difference in temperature between a few ingredients. I hold a towel soaked in hot water or a bag or two of frozen peas around the bowl while mixing at top speed and the "curdling" always goes away.