Weekly Cooking (and related issues) Thread

Probably the most famous of all the Pillsbury Bake Off recipes is the ‘Tunnel of Fudge Cake', which was one of the winners in the 1966 contest. This cake also led to a boom in sales for the Nordic Ware Bundt pan, which then became the most popular and most-sold baking pan in the US.

(Ella Helfrich’s cake was actually the second prize winner that year; the grand prize appears to have gone to Mari Petrelli’s Golden Gate Snack Bread, a savory cheese bread.)

The original recipe for Tunnel of Fudge used a packaged Double Dutch frosting mix which Pillsbury later discontinued, but here is the new recipe, using a cocoa powder glaze (a cake like this will only be as good as the cocoa used, so I'd be interested in hearing your brand suggestions for that ingredient):

This looks incredible!

Dark Chocolate Bread Pudding

Ingredients:
1 cup (240ml) heavy cream*
2 and 1/2 cups (600ml) whole milk*
two 4-ounce bars semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped*
4 large eggs
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 loaf day-old challah bread, cut into 1 inch cubes*
1 cup (190g) chocolate chips or 4 extra ounces chopped chocolate
optional add-ins: 1 cup of chopped pecans, dried cranberries/cherries, peanut butter chips, etc
optional toppings: salted caramel, fresh berries, homemade whipped cream

Directions:
Over medium heat, heat the heavy cream and whole milk in a medium saucepan until simmering. (Do not let it come to a rapid boil— that’s too hot!) Pour over chocolate and let it sit for 2-3 minutes to gently soften the chocolate. Then stir until completely combined and chocolate has melted. Set aside for a few minutes to slightly cool down so as not to cook the eggs in the next step.
Whisk the eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt together in a large bowl. Pour in the chocolate cream mixture and whisk until smooth. Divide this chocolate custard mixture in half. Add the bread cubes and chocolate chips to one half and stir to evenly coat.
Grease a 9x13-inch (or similar size) baking pan. Spread the soaked bread evenly into the pan. Pour the remaining chocolate custard evenly over the top. If you have extra, dot a few chocolate chips on top too (this is for looks and extra chocolate taste!). Cover tightly and allow to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes so the bread has a chance to soak up some of the custard. This is crucial. You can also chill the unbaked bread pudding in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
Bake the bread pudding for 45-50 minutes until the edges appear set. Use a toothpick to test for doneness. It will come out with a few moist crumbs, but won’t be overly wet.
Garnish with toppings and serve warm.
Cover leftovers tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Serve leftovers warm, room temperature, or cold. We found that the bread pudding had a slight texture change when reheated. The custard was a little more solid and not deliciously soft. The bread pudding is best eaten right out of the oven.

Make ahead tip: You can prepare the bread pudding through step 3 and refrigerate for up to 1 day before baking. You can also freeze the baked bread pudding for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator then reheat in the oven until warm throughout. See the last step in the recipe with notes on the taste/texture after reheating. I do not suggest freezing the unbaked pudding as the custard will separate when thawing/baking.

Recipe Notes:
*I found the best combination of liquid to be 1 cup of heavy cream/heavy whipping cream with 2 and 1/2 cups of whole milk. Alternatively, you can use 3 and 1/2 cups of full-fat half-and-half. I do not suggest all whole milk or anything lower in fat. If you buy a pint of heavy cream, you can use the leftover 1 cup to make whipped cream to top the baked bread pudding. See step 6 in this strawberry shortcake recipe for how I usually make homemade whipped cream.

*Since you’re essentially making a thinned-out ganache, it’s best to use real chocolate. You can find the 4 ounce baking bars in the baking aisle. I like using Ghirardelli or Baker’s brand. You can use 8 ounces (heaping 1 and 1/3 cups) of quality chocolate chips instead, such as Ghirardelli brand. I tested this recipe with unsweetened chocolate as I knew I wanted to top it with salted caramel and sweetened whipped cream. It was extra dark and not overly sweetened; we loved it. You can use semi-sweet, bittersweet, or unsweetened chocolate. White chocolate will work as well, though I would reduce the granulated sugar to 1/4 cup.

*You need around 1 lb of bread. I suggest a rich sweet bread like challah or brioche. You can also use a baguette. I don’t suggest a heartier bread or sourdough bread as their flavors don’t pair well with sweet bread pudding. Whichever bread you use, slice and leave it out overnight so it’s stale and can really soak up the custard. Moist bread creates a soggy bread pudding.

You can bake the bread pudding in several individual ramekins. Adjust the baking time as needed.

https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2018/02/12/dark-chocolate-bread-pudding/

I have a perfect bowl for it, just lightly grease the bowl and lid. I can always put the lid on loosely or not seal and put a little off-center..

But I never thought of the microwave which I hardly ever use any more except to put my KFC debris in to dry out with the door slightly open (it way on top of the fridge which isn't very safe but I like it there). That's so my cat won't get the bones in the garbage and won't stink up the garbage because since I started recycling, it can take one to 3 weeks to fill it up. I'm freaky about anything wet in it though.

That's a good idea for bread rising, hadn't thought of it. With some hot water. I'd have to change it. I have tried putting the oven on to get a little warm but putting hot water in there works better. For a brief time, I will use the door ajar/oven light method but like to go easy on my light as it's tricky to change.

And some things rise in the fridge overnight, but I usually punch that down.

The Eastern Europeans seem to like to make cakes with yeast; it sounds good. Here is one I'd love to try, look at the richness of that dough, but I'll never get to all the neat stuff I've collected.

http://centerstagewellness.com/plum-cake/

She didn't like plums as a kid either. I didn't hate them but not my fav.

Now I've left a couple of people hanging I should reply to, get caught up in the latest, and wonder if I'm the only one who does that?

In any case, I'm sorry for it and if I never get back to it, I dislike myself for it.

But isn't that cake beautiful? Even the top that golden crustiness which gets flipped upsidedown and ends up on the bottom anyway.

My microwave was a really nice one, only one I ever have had, and I used to put a glass pie plate because it had a metal rack which was supposed to be safe but started sparking. Then the pie plate broke but it still worked for awhile. Now I don't have anything to set stuff on. And I hate to clean the thing.

One summer, I opened it and saw a bunch of dead carpenter-type ants all cooked up. Ick. They must have crawled all the way up the fridge to get in it and gotten zapped when one of us turned it on. I don't like to run it on the same circuit as the fridge so unplug the fridge and pull out the adapter and plug the microwave in which is a huge hassle. Then remember to switch back and plug the fridge in again.

I got those beautiful peppers my daughter got, the green banana ones. In prepping them to broil to char the skin, I tasted a piece; no bite at all. But I thought I could handle the seeds, which don't burn my skin until I touched my lips. It wasn't bad at all but does have a little kick to it. Would say they are between bells and jalapenos on the heat scale. So I still have to peel them which can wait a little bit. Would be nice stuffed the traditional way, too.

I roasted two green bell peppers which were starting to go bad (wrinkle a little) and the 6 green pasilla or whatever they are. A real nuisance to deseed and take the membrane out of the latter. I still have six jalapenos but may just put them in my chili cut up, dunno.

Now I don't think they are pasilla, don't know what they are, beautiful green banana peppers about 8 inches long. Wow would they be gorgeous if allowed to turn red if they will. I am drying the seeds just in case because I never saw any like that even on the heirloom seed site I refer to. Seed Savers Exchange. Decorah, Iowa.

I should roast peppers more often because certain things I cook would like a much greater pepper flavor without the heat which I can adjust.

I had some overripe tomatoes, don't know if I mentioned it, but saw a video you can cook (simmer) for 10 minutes then run through a food mill. That's what I did on some hot house ones and grape ones that were definitely not good for anything else. It worked great, so I will put the juice in my chili and add some V8 and stronger tomato stuff.

Now I still have a lot of work ahead of me. And taxes to get to my guy. Never ends.

OK, since I've gone on overdrive again, I'll share what's been bugging me today. Picking out a replacement for my burned shed on the farm, saw a couple cute buildings but they will be way more expensive than what I had my shed insured for $10K minus 500 deductible. Luckily I didn't take the outbuildings off when I took over the farm in 2010. I upped a couple more things. I couldn't depreciate them according to my tax guy; now I read you can so I'll take that up with him.

I'm toying with putting a combo medium-large equipment storage and hoop-type house. Then growing some vanilla orchids. Vanilla has gotten so expensive. Just a pipe dream.

The other matter was making cinnamon rusks. You can still get them in Galva, IL last I knew but never get down there. We have loved those Jacobson rusks all of us. So once I bought some frozen sweet roll dough and made a cinnamon sugar syrup, brushed it on and dried the bread in the oven. They weren't bad at all but I think I could do better. But probably won't. We buttered them and dunked in hot chocolate or coffee.

Blah, blah & blah.

I meant to answer you and then go off on one of my tangents. I may have said, have at least 1/8 German ancestry but never liked the guttural sounds of the language. And was upset because I didn't want any German because of the Holocaust. It's a pretty country but never wanted to go there.

Yes, they put caraway seeds in rye. If I have a choice, I will buy plain. I don't cook with them but have some in the cupboard. Saw a recipe, Chief John I think, put them in maybe a cabbage dish. The light rye bread from the delicatessen I asked how it was made but not for the recipe. Think I said they told me a lady made it for them.

I like the vanilla and marbled Jewish halvah. I think I first tried it in a little bar at that delicatessen, wasn't like I would think it would taste but liked it, a little crunch to it. Oh yes, my sister majored in ME studies and knows lots of Arabs and Palestinians in Minneapolis, taught college there. That's where I first got onto hummus (I was making it regularly but haven't for awhile), pita made some of that it split in the middle but I didn't brush all the flour off and it gets a burnt taste and some burns in the pan as you fry several batches. Too much work, will just buy it. I have grown to love eggplant one way, fried breaded in cracker crumbs. I tried making the Greek lamb with layers of eggplant and cheese or something but didn't care for it, might like it better now. Oh tabbouleh I LOVE that stuff. First had at my sister's, made it a lot. Haven't made any for years but should because it's so delicious and good for you. I will only want it with Bulgar wheat even though I might like the quinoa or another grain. Thank you for reminding me, would be good for fiber which I need more of. And just plain tastes good. It keeps for several days; maybe you shouldn't keep it that long but it still tastes ok.

You didn't mention sharwarml or whatever they are called sandwiches, Arab version is a mixture on a spit of lamb, beef and goat I think it was. Then served in pita bread with lettuce?, tomatoes probably a little onion with a cucumber sauce. The Greek gyros are similar. Thanks for the memories!

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