Your Daily Sweets (2005-2012)

[E.T.]

I saw the name 'Dystopiandreamgirl'in teh subject heading, and I knew, and I was right. Incredibly beautiful as always!

I second that! Gorgeous

[oli]

Outstanding

[Rebecca263]

Yesterday I found out that it was my neighbor's daughter's birthday and the lass was visiting from out of town. I made a quick batch of almond butter brittle and brought it over with a homemade card.

Here's my dumb bunny friendly recipe for emergency brittle:

1 cup raw sugar

2 tablespoons salted butter

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla or

1 teaspoon Indian rum(it's molasses based- Old Monk)

3/4 cup water

some almonds- I used about a cup and a quarter- it was all I had, but you can use more.

Put everything but the almonds in a pot, stir it over high until it boils. Stir it while it while it boils for one minute or so. Add the almonds and keep stirring the mass for about 10-14 minutes, depending on the humidity in the room. Eventually the foamy coating looks to stiffen, then it's done.

Pour it all out on a buttered & foiled pan, spread it out as far as you're able and let it cool.

Break it up into bits and you're done! It can take more butter and less water, but this is the foolproof way to get a smooth brittle without having to check the temperature.

this was INCREDIBLY delicious, a big hit! The butter and rum add just enough oomph. and, the brittle is golden, clear and lovely as well.

[RichardJones]

Dystopiandreamgirl, that's a blinder. Do you mind if I am inspired by that, please?

[emmalish]

Rebecca263, I've never made brittle with rum in it before. Looks interesting! I might have to do some experimenting with that.

dystopiandreamgirl – ditto what everyone else said. I want to be you when I grow up.

[merstar]

Last night I made coconut macaroons immersed in bittersweet chocolate.

[Darienne]

Last night I made coconut macaroons immersed in bittersweet chocolate.

You post that you made these cookies but with NO PHOTO?????? Alas.

[Genkinaonna]

Wow and here I was going to make a buche for Xmas...Dystopiandreamgirl you're giving me a complex! I made clementine shortbread cookies to go in the goody bags for my employees, once the rest of the cookies are done I'll post a pic.

[ChrisTaylor]

My first Larousse Gastronomique dessert: clafoutis

[Darienne]

Looks delicious and a late welcome to eGullet.

[dystopiandreamgirl]

Dystopiandreamgirl, that's a blinder. Do you mind if I am inspired by that, please?

you certainly don't need my permission to try anything! just please post a picture of it. i read your entire blog a while back with pleasure (and a bit or envy).

thanks for the nice comments everyone!

[RichardJones]

Thanks, Dystopiadreamgirl. I've been living without a kitchen for 3 months which has been a very testing time - cannot wait to get home at Christmas and cook again. I didn't do any bûches as part of my training so I'm looking forward to trying. Did you use a mould for yours or roll it? (Not sure on etiquette here - should this kind of conversation switch to PM?)

[dystopiandreamgirl]

Thanks, Dystopiadreamgirl. I've been living without a kitchen for 3 months which has been a very testing time - cannot wait to get home at Christmas and cook again. I didn't do any bûches as part of my training so I'm looking forward to trying. Did you use a mould for yours or roll it? (Not sure on etiquette here - should this kind of conversation switch to PM?)

i roll them when i'm after an actual tree look, with branches, like these

last year when i wanted a more modern streamlined look like these, i used a Rehrucken pan

(you can see the ends better in these pictures than in the chocolate cage pic, which gives you an idea of the shape)

however it is fairly shallow, so i made a dacquoise layer on the bottom to give it more height (the cake baked in the pan is genoise) there is buttercream between the dacquoise and genoise, and the genoise is also cut in half to accommodate a layer of buttercream. in the case of the cage it was raspberry imbc and the genoise was doused with framboise.

to make the chocolate cage (and the caramel one from last year) i covered the pan with two folded kitchen (terry-cloth) towels, laid parchment over that, and scrolled away (or in the case o the caramel, dripped away.) the towels were there to ensure the cages were larger than the finished cakes - i'm not sure you can tell from the pic but there is a good half-inch between them

by the way i see Rehrucken pans every time i'm at the Goodwill - along with savarin rings and angel food cake pans.

so (at least in the states) no one should have to fork out more than a couple of dollars for one

[ChrisTaylor]

This evening I'm making gingerbread for my students. Their request: altho' I suspect they're imagining gingerbread houses and men, not so much the loaf that is in Larousse Gastronomique.

[ChrisTaylor]

The gingerbread.

[emmalish]

Chris, I must confess I've never actually had gingerbread, only gingerbread cookies. Is it basically the same flavours but in a different texture? How did your students like it?

[David Ross]

Apple Gateau with Vanilla Ice Cream and Caramel Sauce-

[Katie Meadow]

David, that Apple Gateau looks fantastic. Can I get a recipe for that and the caramel sauce that goes with? I'm on an apple cake kick. Thanks.

[ChrisTaylor]

Chris, I must confess I've never actually had gingerbread, only gingerbread cookies. Is it basically the same flavours but in a different texture? How did your students like it?

Basically, yeah.

The kids demolished it.

[smilingal]

David - the picture of the Apple Gateau looks good enough to eat! LOL - BEAUTIFUL!- How did it taste?

Could you share the recipe?

[David Ross]

David - the picture of the Apple Gateau looks good enough to eat! LOL - BEAUTIFUL!- How did it taste?

Could you share the recipe?

Thanks for the kind comments, I'll post the recipe tommorrow!

[David Ross]

The Apple Gateau is really not so much a "cake" as a cake-like apple pudding. I put in loads of apples-the amount may scare you when you see all the apples diced and in the bowl. You can cut the number of apples from 4 down to 3 or 2, but I don't know how the final Gateau will turn out.

Apple Gateau

Serves 8

Cake

½ cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

1 tbsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

½ tsp. vanilla extract

½ tsp. almond extract

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

1/3 cup whole milk

1 tsp. cinnamon

4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4" dice

Topping

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten

6 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 400°. Butter a 9-inch springform pan and set it aside.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt and stir to blend. Add the vanilla and almond extracts, eggs, oil and milk and stir until well blended. Add the apples and stir to thoroughly coat them with the batter.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan. Place the pan in the oven and bake until fairly firm and golden, about 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the topping. In a small bowl, combine the sugars, eggs and melted butter and stir to blend. Set it aside.

Remove the cake from the oven and pour the topping mixture over it. Return the cake to the oven and bake until the top is a deep golden brown and the cake feels quite firm when pressed with a fingertip, about 15 minutes.

Transfer the cake pan to a rack and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Then run a knife around the sides of the pan, and release and remove the springform side, leaving the cake on the pan base. Serve the cake warm with caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream.

Caramel Sauce

4 cups whipping cream

2 cups (packed) dark brown sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

2/3 cup golden raisins (for rum raisin sauce)

1/4 cup dark rum (for rum raisin sauce)

Place the whipping cream, brown sugar and butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring frequently.

Bring the cream mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and reduce, stirring occasionally, until the sauce until is reduced by half or to about 3 cups. This should take about 25 minutes.

(For rum raisin sauce, add the rum and raisins at this point and stir into the sauce).

The sauce will thicken further when it cools. You can make it in advance and keep it covered and refrigerated until ready for service. Just reheat over a double boiler or in a microwave.

[smilingal]

ohhh yummmmm - it looked so beautiful that it begs to be tried! Maybe after this crazy busy time passes - and on a quiet January day. Thanks so much!

[Katie Meadow]

David, thank you thank you! Four apples never scared me.

Two quick questions: you really cut the apples so small and they hold some shape? The picture looks like they were cut bigger (just curious.)

What kind of veg oil did you use?

KM

[cmflick]

I made Turkish delight yesterday using andiesenji's recipe I put some pistachios in it. It's quite tasty, but I'm not sure what it should look like. Does this look remotely like it should? It's pretty soft so I'm hoping that it's not going to get too sticky and/or runny over the next couple of days.