Weekly Cooking (and related issues) Thread

[Jamestown1630]

Busy week here, so I'm just posting a couple of links to Fancy Desserts. Please post your own favorite!

Back in the 90s, I found this 'Chocolate Truffle Loaf with Raspberry Sauce' in a magazine ad. There are many versions of it now, but this one is the exact recipe I've used for years; it's not difficult, and makes an elegant, do-ahead dessert for a dinner party:

http://www.kraftcanada.com/recipes/bakers-chocolate-truffle-loaf-84706

I once made an alligator cake for a kid's birthday party. It was made by using several pans of different shapes, and cutting the cake up to create the critter - I remember it had candy corn for teeth, and was so long that I had difficulty finding a sturdy piece of cardboard to cover with foil and carry it on.

But if I were doing a 'kid cake' today, I'd try this cute little cyclops 'Minion' cake:

http://www.bettycrocker.com/how-to/tipslibrary/baking-tips/despicable-me-minion-sheet-cake

[JRandomFreeper]

I was thinking about making some plain old peach cobbler. I may yet if it cools down in this kitchen.

/johnny

[miss marmelstein]

I make a nice quiche from The Little Paris Kitchen - a Brit living in Paris. A nice tv show.

[momtothree]

Oh, Jane! Okay, you have to give me (oh, I guess US) the recipe! Brickle brownies.. yum.

[Jane Long]

Maybe he’s resting up.....or, cooking something up!

Prayers and ((hugs)) for him :)

[momtothree]

Unless, of course, it is a super secret family recipe that you will be killed if you give it. :)

[momtothree]

Hi, Johnny! You are a peach, too! :)

[Jane Long]

THERE you are!! I knew you had to be cookin’ up something(s). Good to see you.

We also had a peach cobbler, for the 4th, but my niece made it...and used canned (horror!) peaches. It was actually okay...and, I was just happy to have her along side of my sis and I, in the kitchen.

[trisham]

That sounds wonderful!

[trisham]

I’ve never seen that show. It may seem outdated to some, but I love quiche!

[trisham]

:)

[trisham]

That’s often how people begin, I think. They see a recipe that doesn’t look too difficult, and the next thing you know, they’re reading Gourmet magazine. ;)

[miss marmelstein]

It's amazing what people think when you provide a scratch cake! I just took a blueberry pie to a 4th event and you would have thought I discovered penicillin.

[Jane Long]

Lol...no, that's the Banana Cake recipe!

Here's the recipe for the bars...

1 box brown sugar (I like recipes that start off with 1 box of brown sugar)
⅔ C shortening, or oil
3 eggs
2 ¼ C flour
2 ½ t baking powder
pinch salt
1 C pecans, chopped

Cream sugar, shortening and eggs, add other ingredients and mix well. Pour into greased 13" x 9" pan; bake at 350º about 25 mins.

Frosting:
1 3oz package cream cheese, softened
3 T butter
2 C powdered sugar
1 t vanilla

Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed w/electric mixer, til fluffy; gradually add powdered sugar, mixing well. Add vanilla.

[Ditter]

MrD is the chef around this house, I am just the vegetable chopper and clean up crew. He made a fabulous Shrimp and Crawfish Bisque from a new recipe last weekend. YUMYUM,

Our gas is off after a tree fell on our garage a few weeks ago. Our son brought over an Induction Cooktop for us to use until the gas stove is back on. It works!!!

[momtothree]

I’m going to make it, Jane. I always name my new recipe after the person who gave it to me (been doing that for years). Thus.. the JANE bars have been born! Hugs and thanks, Mom

[Jane Long]

Sorry to hear you are still without your gas stove/oven, Ditter. How much longer until everything is fixed and back to normal? Hopefully, soon.

You have the same prep job that my hubby has....chopper and clean up. When I recently canned a ton of plum jam, he was the pitter. (He was really sick of seeing plums, there for a while. Me, too :)

[NorthstarMom]

Pavlova is about as “fancy” as I get for desserts. My kids love it and I have to restrain myself from eating the whole thing! It’s so good.

With six kids I’ve done a few of the fun cakes. The biggest hits were Angry Bird cupcakes and a campfire cake. Both were pretty easy and turned out really cute. I’ve done the campfire cake a few times as different kids have wanted it, it’s a pretty cool looking cake. Pound cakes make the logs, doughnut holes are the embers and you cut up fruit roll ups to make the flames.

[Jane Long]

Jane Bars...love it! Let me know how they turn out. Keep them covered, to keep them chewy.

Thanks and hugs to you, Mom :) (I’m probably old enough to be your mom....lol!)

[Stand Watch Listen]

A divinely decadent cake

HEAVEN & HELL CAKE (W. PEANUT BUTTER GANACHE) Stephan Pyles

INGREDIENTS: ANGEL FOOD CAKE
2/3 cup cake flour
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup egg white (about seven or eight)
1 pinch salt
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

INGREDIENTS: DEVILS FOOD CAKE
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 cup strong coffee
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups cake flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda

INGREDIENTS: PEANUT BUTTER MOUSSE
12 ounces cream cheese
1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
2 cups peanut butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup heavy cream

INGREDIENTS: GANACHE (FROSTING)
2 lbs milk chocolate, chopped
2 cups cream

DIRECTIONS:ANGEL FOOD CAKE
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Cut a circle of parchment paper or wax paper to fit the bottom of a 9" cake pan.
3. Do not grease the pan or paper.
4. Sift together the flour and powdered sugar and set aside.
5 Place the egg whites in the bowl of a heavy duty mixer.
6 Beat slowly while adding the salt and cream of tartar and continue beating for 1 minute or until soft peaks form.
7 Increase speed to medium, add sugar into whites by tablespoons until all is incorporated, then beat about 1-1/2 minutes longer.
8 When egg whites have stiff peaks, add vanilla and almond extract.
9 Remove bowl from mixer and sprinkle half of the powdered sugar-flour mixture and fold in again, using a minimum number of strokes so the egg whites do not deflate.
10 Gently spoon the mixture into the pan and bake for 40-50 minutes or until golden brown.
11 Do not over bake or the cake will sink in the center.

DIRECTIONS: DEVIL’S FOOD CAKE
1 Preheat oven to 350°F.
2 Oil and flour a round 9-inch cake pan.
3 Sift the cocoa powder into the mixing bowl, then drizzle in the coffee while whisking to make a smooth paste. Set aside.
4 (Might be more liquid than paste) Combine shortening, sugar, vanilla, and eggs and beat for 2 minutes on medium speed.
5 In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
6 add the cocoa-coffee mixture and the flour mixture to the sugar-egg mixture and continue beating until incorporated.
7 Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes. Test for doneness.

DIRECTIONS; PEANUT BUTTER MOUSSE
1 In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip the cream cheese until light and creamy.
2 Gradually beat in the powdered sugar, then the peanut butter.
3 If mixture looks lumpy, add 2 tablespoons of heavy cream.
4 Continue beating until thoroughly incorporated and fluffy.
5 Transfer mixture to another bowl and set aside.
6 Place heavy cream in the electric mixer bowl and whip until stiff.
7 Carefully, but thoroughly, combine both mixtures; set aside

DIRECTION: ASSEMBLY
1 Using a serrated-blade knife, slice each cake horizontally into 2 layers. Place 1 layer of the devil’s food cake on a cake stand and spread 1/3 of the peanut butter mousse over the top. Top mousse with a layer of the angel food cake and spread with half of the remaining mousse. Repeat with the remaining devil’s food cake, mousse, and angel food cake. Wrap cake in plastic wrap and freeze for 2 hours.

DIRECTIONS: CHOCOLATE GANACHE
1 Place chocolate pieces in a large bowl. Heat heavy cream on medium high until it comes to a boil. (heat it in the microwave, if necessary, at 10 second intervals Remove from heat and immediately pour cream over chocolate and stir until completely mixed and glossy. Allow ganache to cool before pouring over cakes as a glaze. The longer you allow the ganache to cool, the thicker it will set. Typically I stick mine in the refrigerator so it is slightly cold before whipping. For piping or frosting, allow the ganache to completely cool and set up. When you are able to spoon the ganache and it can hold its texture, it is ready for piping.. Refrigerate the cake for 2 hours before slicing.

[Ditter]

The way the rebuilding is going we won’t be back to normal for at least a month or longer. The rain that we had last week put everything off, they just started back on it today and only one man was here working.

( just between us I am tired of all the confusion, I need a trip). : )