Dessert - The Polyphonic Dessert Blog

[lperry]

Rhubarb galette w cornmeal pâte brisée: Martha's recipe.

Highly recommend. Adjustments: sub half an organic Valencia orange for lemon juice, adding zest, too. Cut down salt in dough slightly, otherwise it is perfect for a galette. I cut amount of sugar slightly, too and once rolled out and placed on parchment-lined baking sheet, the dough was sprinkled w ground flax seeds to absorb the juices. I didn't bother to chill the assembled galette for 15-20 mins. before popping it into the oven. Not at all soppy, probably due in part to thin slices of the rhubarb. Having loved baked rhubarb compotes for ages, I can't believe I haven't tried this before. Great warm w generous dollop of tart Greek-style yogurt. Omega-3 in flax seeds, whole grains in crust, organic sugar and a vegetable for dessert!

I haven't made anything with rhubarb this year. I need to remedy that situation.

This question may seem odd, but do you not taste fish when you eat ground flax seeds? I can't eat them because of the fish taste.

[Anna Blume]

This question may seem odd, but do you not taste fish when you eat ground flax seeds? I can't eat them because of the fish taste.

Are you a supertaster? Question does seem odd because I don't taste the flax seeds when eating this galette (didn't use gobs) and I've never found flax seeds to taste fishy when I've used them in making granola. Mine were packaged ground (Bob's Red Mill), but when I've toasted and ground my own, nothing struck me as crisp salmon-skin like--or even evocative of steamed halibut.

[DC Deb]

This question may seem odd, but do you not taste fish when you eat ground flax seeds? I can't eat them because of the fish taste.

Me too! I don't like things with flax seeds (e.g. Smart Balance peanut butter) because it tastes fishy to me.

[lperry]

Are you a supertaster?

Yes, and I'm also blessed or cursed, depending on the situation, with a highly sensitive sense of smell. Flax is the worst - strong fish - then walnuts, which are a little fishy, and sometimes green tea, particularly Japanese kinds. And by fishy, I mean offensively so. I never tried the Smart Balance because I try to avoid anything marked Omega 3. They may as well mark it, "tastes like nasty fish."

[porcupine]

^Sigh! I can't believe no one has contributed to this topic for so long

Buttermilk ice cream with blueberries, black raspberries, and red raspberries. I think summer fruits are my favorite foods ever... except ice cream.

[Pete]

Buttermilk ice cream with blueberries, black raspberries, and red raspberries. I think summer fruits are my favorite foods ever... except ice cream.

I've got buttermilk and blueberries to use up and have been thinking of doing a buttermilk ice cream. Do you have a recipe that you recommend?

[porcupine]

I've got buttermilk and blueberries to use up and have been thinking of doing a buttermilk ice cream. Do you have a recipe that you recommend?

My basic formula; just substitute whole milk buttermilk for the regular milk. It won't work very well with lowfat buttermilk, though - gets icy.

A note: this recipe makes an ice cream that best when eaten right away, or after no more than two hours. The point is to enjoy the fresh cream taste. It doesn't keep well. If you like custard-based ice creams it might not be up your alley.

Beat 2 eggs until pale and thick, then slowly beat in 3/4 cup sugar. Mix in 2 c heavy cream and 1 c whole milk. Add vanilla to taste.

Pete, if all you have is lowfat buttermilk, you could try compensating for the lack of butterfat by using a very rich cream (like Lewes Dairy or Clear Spring Creamery - awesome stuff), or even using some Devon double cream. If your buttermilk in no-fat just skip it.

[Xochitl10]

We just churned our second-ever batch of ice cream in the wedding-gift ice-cream maker from 14 years ago. We made the cinnamon-black walnut recipe out of the Rival manual. The flavor is wonderful, evoking memories of the Range Cafe's (Bernalillo, NM) oatmeal with cinnamon ice cream, walnuts, and strawberries. It's gritty (icy?) rather than creamy, but delicious.

[porcupine]

Peach prosecco semifreddo with fresh blueberries.

[Anna Blume]

Whole-wheat buttermilk cake w Italian prune plums and figs

[Anna Blume]

Warm ricotta custard w ripe persimmon purée.

Baked dessert is from Deborah Madison's Local Flavors. Other Panisse alum have variations on it, including Suzanne Goin's savory version w chile pepper.

[porcupine]

A few nights ago I tried making tiramisu for the first time. I didn't really follow a recipe - kinda winged it based on what I like and what I've had in restaurants. One thing didn't turn out quite right, though, and I was hoping someone would have a suggestion. Instead of buying ladyfingers I made a genoise, and instead of piping the batter I baked it whole and then cut it into ladyfinger-size slices. The problem was that they soaked up the coffee-liquor mixture immediately and they got soggy. The overall texture was okay the next day, once the cream mixture had soaked in, too, but still a little wetter than I like.

So, the question is, how to keep it from being soggy. I have a few ideas: deliberately overbake the genoise; let the cut slices sit a day in the open so they become stale; or instead of genoise make savoiardi (recipes for which are hard to find). Or would piping the batter really make a difference? Any thoughts?

[zoramargolis]

IMO the best ladyfingers for use in tiramisu are the crispy ones, so I can understand why your genoise cake fingers turned out too wet.

[porcupine]

IMO the best ladyfingers for use in tiramisu are the crispy ones, so I can understand why your genoise cake fingers turned out too wet.

Crispy ones? The only recipes I've found for ladyfingers are genoise-based. Maybe I do need to pipe them so I get crust on most sides. hm. Or do you mean the savoiardi?

[Heather]

Crispy ones? The only recipes I've found for ladyfingers are genoise-based. Maybe I do need to pipe them so I get crust on most sides. hm. Or do you mean the savoiardi?

Piping does give you the crust on both sides. What was the proportion of egg whites in the batter, and did you whip them then fold them in? I made lots of genoise & ladyfingers once upon a time, and as I recall the lady fingers had more egg whites and they were added separately instead of the whole egg, fold the flour in process of a true genoise.

[porcupine]

Heather, I used the "ladyfinger genoise" recipe from Baking with Julia, which "[is] even sturdier than the classic" with a little more flour and egg yolks. It calls for 2 whole eggs and 4 yolks for 1 1/4c flour. ...though rereading the intro, it does say "additional egg yolks for moisture." The "perfect genoise" in the same book has 4 whole eggs for 1 c flour. So perhaps I should leave out an egg yolk or two, whip the whites separately then fold them in. I can see that resulting in a drier cake.

I think I'm going to try making the savoiardi just to see how different they are. I'm going to be swimming in tiramisu soon.

[zoramargolis]

Crispy ones? The only recipes I've found for ladyfingers are genoise-based. Maybe I do need to pipe them so I get crust on most sides. hm. Or do you mean the savoiardi?

I've only made tiramisu with storebought lady fingers. There are two types that I've found: spongy ones and crispy ones. I've used both kinds. The best tiramisu that I've made was with the crisper ones, which are able to absorb more without becoming waterlogged. I've watched Giada diLaurentis and Lidia Bastianich make triamisu on t.v. with those crisper ones, as well.

[Heather]

Heather, I used the "ladyfinger genoise" recipe from Baking with Julia, which "[is] even sturdier than the classic" with a little more flour and egg yolks. It calls for 2 whole eggs and 4 yolks for 1 1/4c flour. ...though rereading the intro, it does say "additional egg yolks for moisture." The "perfect genoise" in the same book has 4 whole eggs for 1 c flour. So perhaps I should leave out an egg yolk or two, whip the whites separately then fold them in. I can see that resulting in a drier cake.

I think I'm going to try making the savoiardi just to see how different they are. I'm going to be swimming in tiramisu soon.

Whip egg whites with a little cream of tartar, add half the sugar (you're essentially making a meringue), then beat the egg yolks with the other half of the sugar until thick and light. Fold the two egg mixtures together, then fold in the flour. Pipe out. I'll have to go back and look at a recipe to get the amounts.

I'd be happy to help you out with tiramisu disposal.

[porcupine]

Thanks, Zora and Heather. The method you posted (Heather) is very similar to what I've found for the Italian ladyfingers (savoiardi), so I think we're on the right track. Crispy it is. Oh, and Zora, what is this word "storebought"?

[zoramargolis]

Oh, and Zora, what is this word "storebought"?

Occasionally, I channel my inner Sandra "Semi-Homemade" Lee.

[porcupine]

For attempt #2 I did actually purchase the Italian ladyfingers (from Cornucopia in Bethesda). The result was unpleasant: the cookies soaked up the coffee fine and held their shape, but in the finished dessert they had disintegrated, so the overall texture was just weird.

Attempt #3 is setting up in the fridge now. I followed Heather's advice (whipping egg whites separately) and used a less yolk-intensive formula. The resulting genoise is definitely drier and sturdier. Hopefully it will be dry and sturdy enough...

[Barbara]

For attempt #2 I did actually purchase the Italian ladyfingers (from Cornucopia in Bethesda). The result was unpleasant: the cookies soaked up the coffee fine and held their shape, but in the finished dessert they had disintegrated, so the overall texture was just weird.

Attempt #3 is setting up in the fridge now. I followed Heather's advice (whipping egg whites separately) and used a less yolk-intensive formula. The resulting genoise is definitely drier and sturdier. Hopefully it will be dry and sturdy enough...

I've always made tiramisu with Savoirdie that I bought at Vace in Cleveland Park. No problem with them disintegrating because I dip them just slightly in the coffee mixture. This is one of those things that I think is just too much trouble to make at home when perfectly good ones are available commercially. YMMV.

[porcupine]

I've always made tiramisu with Savoirdie that I bought at Vace in Cleveland Park. No problem with them disintegrating because I dip them just slightly in the coffee mixture. This is one of those things that I think is just too much trouble to make at home when perfectly good ones are available commercially. YMMV.

I'm sure you're right, but... genoise is easy-peasy to make, I love to bake, and I do seem to enjoy making culinary mountains out of simple-food molehills. Nonetheless, now I have a reason to visit Vace. Thanks.

...and I just tried a bite (it's been sitting overnight): the modified genoise is holding up just fine.

[lperry]

Inspired by the little peppermint sticks dipped in chocolate (that I call Christmas Pocky), candy cane - chocolate chip ice cream.

Butter toffee with Valrhona Manjari chocolate and toasted almonds.

[bettyjoan]

Bread pudding with salted caramel sauce

Sauce needs work from a texture standpoint, but the flavors were YUM and the bread pudding itself was just how I like it (not too goopy/wet, but not bone dry either).

[Xochitl10]

Brown sugar/bourbon ice cream made with Woodford Reserve. Yum.

[porcupine]

Last night I made chocolate sorbet (http://food52.com/recipes/17877_david_lebovitzs_chocolate_sorbet), and since a simple recipe recipe like this demands top ingredients, I used Valrhona all the way: cocoa powder and 66% and 70% feves. The resulting sugar rush was unbelievable, but the chocolate flavor was out of this world. So I think I'll be making it again soon, using strong brewed coffee in place of the water. The sugar + caffeine rush will probably have me running in circles all night (picture Eric Cartman in "Gnomes"), but what the heck.

If you love chocolate do give this one a try.

[Anna Blume]

Went a trifle overboard this weekend, it being that time of year for reincarnated fruit bats like moi: figs, blackberries, red raspberries, blueberries, apricots, semi-cling peaches & Methely plums. Oh, and first cantaloupe. More than a couple nectarines. Could have picked up half a dozen other types of berries, crisp, dense and pucker-y summer apples, or pale, yellow plums but a little restraint's a good thing.

Finally plunged and chose Nigel Slater's Ripe over another book on my list, Alice Medrich's Pure Dessert, leaving the dreary, largely tome-free interior of Barnes & Noble downtown for Politics and Prose to make the purchase. You are a ninny if you don't follow suit. Come on. Apricot couscous. Black currant and apricot terrine made with crushed meringues. The length of the apricot chapter alone is enough of a reason. Savory and sweet, much more of the former than one might expect. Mackerel and rhubarb. Fig and blackberry tartlets. Blackberry focaccia. Hazelnuts. Currants. Gorgeous photos to go with the prose. Simple and homey and a bit crusty and dark around the edges when roasted or braised.

Raspberries most fragile and since pools don't open till after noon, I plan on baking the apricot cake with almond flour and raspberries as soon as I log out.

Since this week will probably be the last when the year's meager crop of apricots can be found at the farmer's market, I plan on buying a couple of quarts more.

[zoramargolis]

I wish I could love the local apricots more than I do, because I do love apricots. Having lived for 12 years in an old cottage in Santa Monica with an ancient apricot tree in the yard, I have vivid memories of the ambrosial, sweet juicy orbs that it ripened. Nothing I've tasted from local growers even comes close. I find I have to cook the hell out of them with a lot of sugar for them to taste good.

[Anna Blume]

I wish I could love the local apricots more than I do, because I do love apricots. Having lived for 12 years in an old cottage in Santa Monica with an ancient apricot tree in the yard, I have vivid memories of the ambrosial, sweet juicy orbs that it ripened. Nothing I've tasted from local growers even comes close. I find I have to cook the hell out of them with a lot of sugar for them to taste good.

Not just a region-thing, though I am sure just-picked is always best. It's also a time machine thing and I suspect has a lot to do with the same sort of whittling down of varieties that we've seen affect other fruits. However, as much as I don't find apricots worth eating out of hand, cooking them always satisfies. I roasted some last week w a tiny sprinkle of turbinado sugar, a pat of butter and a speck of vanilla, 12 mins. at 375 and they were wonderful chilled in thickened yogurt. That said, the dried Bleinheim (?) apricots from CA at Trader Joe's that cost far more than the alternative are worth the price. I know one farmer in S. PA who has planted some recently and wonder if there are others producing this varietal locally.

[lperry]

Last night I made chocolate sorbet (http://food52.com/re...hocolate_sorbet), and since a simple recipe recipe like this demands top ingredients, I used Valrhona all the way: cocoa powder and 66% and 70% feves. The resulting sugar rush was unbelievable, but the chocolate flavor was out of this world. So I think I'll be making it again soon, using strong brewed coffee in place of the water. The sugar + caffeine rush will probably have me running in circles all night (picture Eric Cartman in "Gnomes"), but what the heck.

If you love chocolate do give this one a try.

I've made that one before and loved it. Please share how it works with the coffee!

[porcupine]

^made it again with strong brewed coffee; the coffee flavor was noticeable but in the background. Also used a good shot of cinnamon in the coffee; was surprised how strong the flavor was. Nice combination of flavors. Next time I'm trying it with ancho chili powder. Or maybe orange.

[porcupine]

Black pepper cardamom ice cream with strawberries and blueberries. Heaven.

[dcs]

A few nights ago I tried making tiramisu for the first time. I didn't really follow a recipe - kinda winged it based on what I like and what I've had in restaurants. One thing didn't turn out quite right, though, and I was hoping someone would have a suggestion. Instead of buying ladyfingers I made a genoise, and instead of piping the batter I baked it whole and then cut it into ladyfinger-size slices. The problem was that they soaked up the coffee-liquor mixture immediately and they got soggy. The overall texture was okay the next day, once the cream mixture had soaked in, too, but still a little wetter than I like.

So, the question is, how to keep it from being soggy. I have a few ideas: deliberately overbake the genoise; let the cut slices sit a day in the open so they become stale; or instead of genoise make savoiardi (recipes for which are hard to find). Or would piping the batter really make a difference? Any thoughts?

Restaurant that invented Tiramisí¹ to close down

[porcupine]

This thread sees too little action.

Last night: black pepper Tahitian vanilla ice cream with strawberries.

[ktmoomau]

Chocolate lactose free ice cream with some dark chocolate Hershey's because well I don't really love this particular lactose free ice cream.  The problem with lactose free ice cream is there isn't one good brand you can trust, different brands make certain flavors that are very good and certain flavors that well just DTMFA (Thanks Dean!).  

[lperry]

Making Mr. lperry's birthday cake this afternoon.  Coconut cake with passionfruit curd filling and a seven-minute frosting encrusted with shredded, unsweetened coconut.

[squidsdc]

Making Mr. lperry's birthday cake this afternoon.  Coconut cake with passionfruit curd filling and a seven-minute frosting encrusted with shredded, unsweetened coconut.

Oh, definitely want this recipe! And Happy Birthday wishes to Mr. lperry!

[lperry]

Oh, definitely want this recipe! And Happy Birthday wishes to Mr. lperry!

Thanks!  The cake is Paula Deen's recipe, which is a pretty classic southern coconut cake.  (I de-glutened it.)   Don't use the sour cream/coconut filling unless you like things really sweet.  I have filled it with mango lime and pineapple date preserves with success.  All I had on hand was fig, so I made a passionfruit curd using Alice Medrich's lemon curd recipe as a guide.  You need two egg whites for the frosting, so use one whole egg and two egg yolks in the curd.  The tartness will balance out the divinity icing.  Edited to add, unsweetened coconut is nice on the outside, and toasting it a bit helps with flavor balance.

[squidsdc]

Thanks! I love toasted coconut on the outsice and are really most interested in your fillings, though we were just looking for a coconut cake recipe last weekend. When you fill with other preserves, do you make them yourself, or adapt from some that have been purchased? I love the idea of all the fillings you have used and adapting for those is where I lack the most experience. So specifics are greatly appreciated!

Also for the passion fruit curd, did you have preserves, or a paste or gel? I have some guava paste that I would like to turn in to a filling and would use your adaptation as a guide for that as a filling as well.

[lperry]

^  I use homemade fillings, but I'm not sure what you mean by "adapting."  Do you mean trying something that isn't a recipe?  The only advice I have is, ignore the recipes.   I have a few basic cake recipes I use, and I fill and ice with whatever is on hand or sounds good at the moment.  So if you happen across a basic chocolate, yellow, or whatever type of cake that works to your liking, save the recipe as a building block.

Coconut cake is nice with anything tropical, so pineapple, mango, lime, passionfruit - think Tiki cocktails.  Chocolate cakes can be filled with raspberry, blackberry, or marmalades, and I've used ginger preserves with good results.  A little Grand Marnier never hurts chocolate, either.  Regular yellow or white cakes can be filled with anything you have, and it's sometimes nice to make the flavors of the fillings go together with extracts in the batter.  For example, you can add a little almond extract to a cake that will be filled with peach preserves, or brush it with an amaretto syrup.  Or add lemon extract or oil for one with lemon curd filling.  If the fillings are sweet, think about a bitter chocolate icing to balance things out.

For the guava paste, I would heat it on the stove or in the microwave to get it softer, then add a little water to thin it out a bit.  That's another nice, tropical flavor that would work in a coconut cake.

For the passionfruit, I substituted thawed pulp for the lemon juice in the lemon curd recipe, cooked it on the stove, then chilled it.  You can sub out any type of highly acidic juice you want in a basic curd recipe - lime, grapefruit, orange, passionfruit, etc.  If you hit it with a good immersion blender like a Bamix before cooking, it won't even need straining.  Goya and La Fe are the brands of frozen fruit pulps I usually find around here.  I've been thinking about guanabana lately.

I'm firmly on the Cake side of the Pie Vs. Cake debate.   I hope this was helpful. (?)

[porcupine]

cherry galette (páte brisée crust)

I love working with páte brisée

tomorrow: blueberry and/or black raspberry

[bettyjoan]

I made a key lime pie for a colleague's birthday, and even though it's not a dessert I normally love, I had a piece myself - it was awesome, if I do say so myself!  It's amazing how something so easy can be such a crowd-pleaser.  I suppose I could up the ante by making my own graham cracker crust and maybe putting some lime zest in there, but I think the difference between that and a store-bought crust would be negligible.

I also tried a Martha Stewart recipe for orange cornmeal cake - simple, and it turned out great!  Though, in my house, it went over better as a breakfast than as a dessert.

[ktmoomau]

Made a peach pie with candied ginger.  Will use my other crust which is in the fridge right now for the squash galette. 

[ktmoomau]

Cake question... because I am not really a cake person.  I will freely admit I don't tend to bother with many cakes they just aren't my thing.  But my husband really loves cakes and is pretty good at making them at least from a box.  He bought a strawberry cake mix and strawberry icing.  I find plain cake and icing a bit dull.  Could one put fresh cut strawberries in the icing or between layers somehow and any advice on how to do this.  In the alternative, could you put a fruit jelly between one of the layers instead of icing to jazz it up a bit?  

[Pat]

Cake question... because I am not really a cake person.  I will freely admit I don't tend to bother with many cakes they just aren't my thing.  But my husband really loves cakes and is pretty good at making them at least from a box.  He bought a strawberry cake mix and strawberry icing.  I find plain cake and icing a bit dull.  Could one put fresh cut strawberries in the icing or between layers somehow and any advice on how to do this.  In the alternative, could you put a fruit jelly between one of the layers instead of icing to jazz it up a bit?  

I'd put strawberry jelly/jam between the layers and then sliced strawberries on top of the cake.  Would either your peach or blueberry jam/jelly seem appealing for that middle layer instead of strawberry?  Or is that too many flavors?  (I think I'd find it too much, but YMMV.)

[ktmoomau]

I'd put strawberry jelly/jam between the layers and then sliced strawberries on top of the cake.  Would either your peach or blueberry jam/jelly seem appealing for that middle layer instead of strawberry?  Or is that too many flavors?  (I think I'd find it too much, but YMMV.)

I also probably have strawberry somewhere in the cabinet... but the lavender blueberry might work, I will have to open it and try it.  I haven't opened the jar yet.

[lperry]

You can put whole strawberries on end, pointy side up with others filling in the spaces between, pointy side down, between layers, then fill in any spaces with whipped cream.  The strawberries will support the next layer of cake. 

[porcupine]

you can use fresh fruit in mousse-based fillings between cake layers.  The advantage is that the cake won't get soggy.  I have some recipes around somewhere but am really pressed for time the next few days.  Let me know if you're interested. I'll try to post one for you.

[ktmoomau]

So I made the banana cake with penuche frosting from Food 52 here:  https://food52.com/recipes/20123-banana-cake-with-penuche-frosting

I used normal AP flour and I added vinegar to the milk as I didn't have buttermilk.  It turned out lovely.  And tastes great.  I really recommend it.  I didn't think it was very complicated.  The only complication I had is that my hand mixer broke so I have been using my kitchen aid for everything.  I had to whip the whites first and then put them in another bowl as I only have one bowl for my stand mixer.  But even then it was a pretty easy cake.