Your Daily Sweets (2005-2012)

[LizD518]

Flavors:

Pistachio- found a really great pistachio paste on Amazon and just added it to some Italian meringue based buttercream. Probably my favorite of the bunch.

Chocolate/Vanilla- In my top 2, used Dagoba (sp?) cocoa powder.

Chocolate/Mint

Amarena Cherry- Just added chopped cherries and juice to a very basic paddled butter and sugar mix for the filling.

Cinnamon Apple Butter Buttercream

Salted Dulce de Leche- made the dulce de leche in the SVS...85C for around fifteen hours. Based on a comment from Panaderia Canadiense I made sure to make it thick enough to stand on its own as a filling. I did top each dollop with several flakes of fleur de sel to round out the sweetness a bit.

Wow - those are beautiful colors and the flavor combinations sound great - especially the cherry.

[Almondmeal]

I have just recently been fascinated by sweet verrine and for Christmas this year, I made a raspberry compote with layered lychee mousse, dacquoise sponge, lychee mousse and black current jelly on the top! They were yummy, atleast that was what my supporting friends were telling me! I have also been looking up books for ideas. Verrines are fun and boy do they look pretty with the right colourful combination of flavours that you can come up with! LOVE THEM!

[deensiebat]

Followed the delicious advice of Momofuku Milk Bar and made sesame-ginger rice krispie treats. Amazing how these two little ingredients make such a big difference.

[merstar]

I made these for the upteenth time. (I decrease each sugar by 2 Tbsp and use semi-sweet chocolate, very coarsely chopped):

Chocolate Chip Cookies - Thomas Keller

http://www.foodgal.com/2009/06/tantalizing-preview-ad-hoc-chocolate-chip-cookie-recipe-by-thomas-keller/

[Shelby]

LizD518- those really are some good results!

Last week I finally finished one last semi-successful batch to round out the holiday gift macaron assortment I've been rambling about for months now. Some examples are more shameful than others, but in order to salvage 18 or 20 dozen finished cookies I had to settle for some inconsistencies. Six different flavors, five hundred different shapes and sizes....

I found these cool gift boxes online, there's a sleeve with a little round window on one end that slides over it. I got this size and a smaller one.

Flavors:

Pistachio- found a really great pistachio paste on Amazon and just added it to some Italian meringue based buttercream. Probably my favorite of the bunch.

Chocolate/Vanilla- In my top 2, used Dagoba (sp?) cocoa powder.

Chocolate/Mint

Amarena Cherry- Just added chopped cherries and juice to a very basic paddled butter and sugar mix for the filling.

Cinnamon Apple Butter Buttercream

Salted Dulce de Leche- made the dulce de leche in the SVS...85C for around fifteen hours. Based on a comment from Panaderia Canadiense I made sure to make it thick enough to stand on its own as a filling. I did top each dollop with several flakes of fleur de sel to round out the sweetness a bit.

Overall I'm pretty happy with this year's results. What I lacked in precision I more than made up for in sheer volume. The nice thing is that I've done so damn many batches at this point it feels almost effortless to throw one together, lol. Now to decide what flavor combo to create for a Mexican themed NYE party....I'm already taking some of the dulce de leche's along. Horchata...there is one possibility. Actually, let's just say Horchata will be it. Done and done.

I'm sure my macaron assortment box is in the mail, right??? Right????

Beautiful, just beautiful!

[deensiebat]

Swedish saffranspannkaka, an oven-baked Swedish pancake. More like a rice pudding enriched with ground almonds (and a whole lot of eggs and cream), topped with whipped cream and blueberry jam.

[Shelby]

Happy New Year, everyone!

I made a ton of cookies this holiday season (and no, I haven't rescued the failed fudge attempt yet, but I swear I will--if it's still good in the fridge that I desperately need to clean out )

I made:

Dark chocolate cookies (really soft and squishy good--husband's favorite)

Russian Wedding cookies

Margarita cookies (I loved these--I got the recipe off of Smitten Kitchen)

Sugar cookies (good recipe this year they stayed nice and soft)

Oatmeal raisin (another from Smitten Kitchen--delish--I don't like raisins except for in these cookies)

Coconut almond macaroons

Pretzel fudge (really good with sea salt on top)

Here's a few pictures:

I got a snow globe cookie cutter--so much fun!

Dark chocolate

Margarita

[Darienne]

Shelby, your decorated cookies are wonderful...but ya got me with the Margarita cookies. Got's ta have some. Soon.

[RWood]

So, I got around to trying the recipe in Pierre Hermes' Macarons. It's the only version of an Italian meringue recipe that has ever worked consistently. Two and half sheet pans all came out. And that was baking in a commercial convection oven, opening the doors, rotating the pans, etc. No flops at all. I've made this three times, and so far so good.

I made raspberry and chocolate. I did change the chocolate because his recipe calls for melted unsweetened chocolate in the shell and since I didn't have any, I subbed cocoa powder with no problem.

[RuthWells]

Stunning macarons!

[Tri2Cook]

Simple and tasty, made some pecan pralines this morning...

[cookingofjoy]

I love pralines - yours look beautiful, Tri2Cook!

I made the dark chocolate orange ganache and orange buttercream cake from the yellow gourmet cookbook, and I really liked it. This picture is the last piece that's a day old, but the cake was tender (though it doesn't really look it there), the buttercream was nice and light, and I loved the ganache.

[Darienne]

Last night I made Smitten Kitchen's recent recipe for Apple Sharlotka mainly because right now I have a thing for apple and 5-yr aged Cheddar. Thought I would try it. Never gone wrong with a Smitten Kitchen recipe so far.

Alas. For me...and I stress "ME" or "US"...this did not work. The cake part of the dessert is quite sweet and even though the apples are tart, they are not a contrast to the cake.

Took the finished dessert apart and later today I am going to make fritters out of the apple part in prepared egg roll papers just for the heck of it. Made a wonderfully tart Lemon-Lime Curd from Chef Eddy and we ate it on the cake. Just right for us.

Interesting cooking sequence.

[Kim Shook]

Jerry - I totally missed your question about the frosting on my Halloween cupcakes until just now. I THINK that I used a variation of this recipe - substituting white chocolate for dark. (I confess that I sometimes completely cheat and substitute canned frosting for the buttercream component! ).

Dejah - unless it is a handed down family secret could I pretty, pretty please have your shortbread recipe? It looks perfect.

Everyone's macarons are getting me itchy. I recognize the symptoms - the same ones resulted in my first batch of bacon jam after watching egulleteers post it. I'm afraid that macarons are in my future. They all look and sound delicious, but I have to say: Jerry! Those colors and flavors are outrageous and fabulous and make me want to make them right now (damn you!).

Deena - thank you SO much for posting those Rice Krispie Treats! Sesame (especially black) is one of my top five favorite flavors and ginger one of Mr. Kim's - I'm thinking a VERY small batch for Valentine's day will thrill him!

Shelby-chile!!! Gorgeous cookies! You need to come to VA to give me a piping lesson. My skills do NOT exist. And I hied myself right over to Smitten Kitchen and printed out the recipe for those Margarita cookies - they look fantastic. Pretzel fudge??? What would that be?

cookingofjoy - I think that I have that cookbook and your picture and description makes me want to try that cake. Beautiful!

I made all of my traditional goodies for Christmas. Honestly, if you went back a year or two, you'd see all the same stuff - PB cookies, sugar cookies, peanut brittle, fudge, etc., etc. I love it all, but there's no point in posting pictures AGAIN! I did add Dorie's World Peace cookies to the mix and they were a BIG hit. Now that my parents are up here and settled into their apartment and everyone is fairly healthy (finger's crossed) and the holidays are over, I'm hoping to get some more baking projects done. Well, as soon as the decorations are put away . I can see at least at least 5 or 6 things I want to make just from y'all!

[Shelby]

Kim--You are too sweet!

I don't pipe well...you should see the rejects that I "had" to eat along the way.

OMG you have to try this pretzel fudge . I've never made good fudge in my life until this recipe. I didn't put the whole pretzels in...I just used a bunch of crushed ones. Also, I had already started making it when I realized I didn't have any sweetened condensed milk (sigh). As you know, I can't just run to the store, so I made my own. It worked really well!

[Darienne]

Kim--You are too sweet!

I don't pipe well...you should see the rejects that I "had" to eat along the way.

OMG you have to try this pretzel fudge . I've never made good fudge in my life until this recipe. I didn't put the whole pretzels in...I just used a bunch of crushed ones. Also, I had already started making it when I realized I didn't have any sweetened condensed milk (sigh). As you know, I can't just run to the store, so I made my own. It worked really well!

This recipe for homemade "condensed milk" which has no liquid in it works as a substitute for a small can of liquid condensed milk? Yes? Your link led me to another link, another sub for condensed milk. Amazing. I guess I have to try these. Thanks Shelby.

[Kouign Aman]

Is that salt on the edges of the margarita cookies?

I'd be tempted to mix sour salt, salt and sugar for that edging, to enhance the lime, keep it cookie sweet, and get that salty margarita contrast.

wow.

I ended up making shortbread, chocolate chips (classic tollhouse + extra vanilla and no water), and salted caramel thumbprints, including making my own caramel for the first time. That was a trip 'cause it seized and I was more stubborn than it, and got it back into solution.

We didnt have sea salt, so we recrystalized table salt to get the desired crystal shape for sprinkling.

Fun with minerals!

Gotta make those again. They are good.

Edited January 10, 2012 by Kouign Aman (log)

[Shelby]

Kim--You are too sweet!

I don't pipe well...you should see the rejects that I "had" to eat along the way.

OMG you have to try this pretzel fudge . I've never made good fudge in my life until this recipe. I didn't put the whole pretzels in...I just used a bunch of crushed ones. Also, I had already started making it when I realized I didn't have any sweetened condensed milk (sigh). As you know, I can't just run to the store, so I made my own. It worked really well!

This recipe for homemade "condensed milk" which has no liquid in it works as a substitute for a small can of liquid condensed milk? Yes? Your link led me to another link, another sub for condensed milk. Amazing. I guess I have to try these. Thanks Shelby.

Yes! Sorry, I should have made myself more clear. I just subbed that recipe for what was called for in the fudge recipe--now who knows if it was the right amount, but it worked.

Also, thank you so much for your compliment up above I guarantee you'll like the margarita cookies.

[Shelby]

Is that salt on the edges of the margarita cookies?

I'd be tempted to mix sour salt, salt and sugar for that edging, to enhance the lime, keep it cookie sweet, and get that salty margarita contrast.

wow.

I ended up making shortbread, chocolate chips (classic tollhouse + extra vanilla and no water), and salted caramel thumbprints, including making my own caramel for the first time. That was a trip 'cause it seized and I was more stubborn than it, and got it back into solution.

We didnt have sea salt, so we recrystalized table salt to get the desired crystal shape for sprinkling.

Fun with minerals!

Gotta make those again. They are good.

It's a mixture of sea salt and sanding sugar.

[Emily_R]

Last night I made Smitten Kitchen's recent recipe for Apple Sharlotka mainly because right now I have a thing for apple and 5-yr aged Cheddar. Thought I would try it. Never gone wrong with a Smitten Kitchen recipe so far.

Alas. For me...and I stress "ME" or "US"...this did not work. The cake part of the dessert is quite sweet and even though the apples are tart, they are not a contrast to the cake.

I had also seen this recipe on Smitten Kitchen, and wanted to give it a try. Made it last night, and it also didn't really do much for my husband and I. Its not that we found it too sweet, but it was just kind of one-note. We both concluded that there was essentially no time when we'd prefer the Sharlotka to just having a good apple crisp...

[cookingofjoy]

Darienne and EmilyR, I know this is unsolicited, so feel free to ignore But, I've never had great luck just adding the raw apple to a cake, it's always kind of flavorless and mushy. One of Dorie's recipes in Baking (a bread pudding) has you caramelize the apples in sugar and butter first and then add to the rest of the ingredients, and it was fantastic! There weren't even any added spices, but it made a huge difference - I could actually taste the apple. I like this idea now for any kind of apple cake recipe. It's three tablespoons each of butter and sugar, caramelize, then add the apples for a few minutes. Just an idea!

[Darienne]

Darienne and EmilyR, I know this is unsolicited, so feel free to ignore But, I've never had great luck just adding the raw apple to a cake, it's always kind of flavorless and mushy. One of Dorie's recipes in Baking (a bread pudding) has you caramelize the apples in sugar and butter first and then add to the rest of the ingredients, and it was fantastic! There weren't even any added spices, but it made a huge difference - I could actually taste the apple. I like this idea now for any kind of apple cake recipe. It's three tablespoons each of butter and sugar, caramelize, then add the apples for a few minutes. Just an idea!

That sounds like a great idea and thanks for directing my attention to it.

Still, my favorite apple cake recipe is basically more like a biscuit dough with apple slices slotted in on top. Hence you get the apple flavor contrasted with the coffee cake flavor. You can add ice cream or aged cheddar cheese for a finishing touch. Ditto for an apple pie or Mark Bittman's Free Form Apple Tart.

The cake in question could have been altered no doubt by caramelizing the apples first...then they would have stood our against the cake background, but it would not be to my particular taste.

We can keep in mind that I don't like butter tarts at all. I was raised with very little sugar...war baby...and nothing has changed. It seems clear that American recipes call for more sugar than your average European or Canadian (or Australian?)would like. And bittersweet chocolate is generally more acceptable in those countries than in the USA. On the other hand, Canadians do like more salt in their foods than Americans do. It's what you are raised on.

I could add that I liked my Mother's rhubarb pie better than my French-Canadian Mother-in-Law's. I felt that the rhubarb taste was lost in my M-i-L's pie and it might have well been apple. She also sprinkled sugar on her crusts which I didn't like at all. Mind you, she was a much better cook than was my Mother.

Interesting ...

[merstar]

I made these for the upteenth time. (I use 1/2 tsp salt instead of the 1 tsp listed):

The Baked Brownie:

http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2010/10/08/the-baked-brownie/

[cookingofjoy]

The cake in question could have been altered no doubt by caramelizing the apples first...then they would have stood our against the cake background, but it would not be to my particular taste

Her comparison to a clafouti didn't sell me on it either. I appreciate hearing your experience with it!

[Katie Meadow]

Smitten Kitchen Apple Sharlotka:

I love all kinds of apple cakes, including some that have lots of raw apples simply mixed into the batter. But this recipe has something seriously wrong with it; I made it recently and it was terrible. The recipe on the website includes NO butter (or oil) in the batter, which made me suspicious right away, although I proceeded to bake it. Wouldn't this be one reason the cake is a total bore?