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Archive through January 13, 2009

Reality TVClubHouse Discussions: General Discussions ARCHIVES: Jan ~ Apr 2009: Cooking Corner: Cakes, confections, cookies, etc. (ARCHIVES): Archive through January 13, 2009 users admin

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Escapee
Member

06-15-2004

Wednesday, October 29, 2008 - 8:45 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Escapee a private message Print Post    
(notice I didn't say good, I have a long way to go, but I'm happy with decent)

Roxip
Member

01-29-2004

Wednesday, October 29, 2008 - 12:16 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Roxip a private message Print Post    
I love the fondant cakes!

Babyruth
Member

07-19-2001

Wednesday, October 29, 2008 - 12:18 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Babyruth a private message Print Post    
Wow! Simply beautiful!!!

Sugar
Member

08-15-2000

Sunday, November 23, 2008 - 10:31 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Sugar a private message Print Post    
Does anyone know if Starburst candies can be softened in the microwave and then rolled out to use cookie cutters for shapes? I saw a cake I want to make for Thanksgiving in a magazine and didn't see it until all the pumpkin/fall shape candies were gone. It does say one can use Tootsie Rolls for some leaves and to decorate the cornacopia. I thought Starburst might allow me some other leave colors. They are generally firmer than Tootsie Rolls but don't know if it would work.

Julieboo
Member

02-05-2002

Monday, November 24, 2008 - 7:32 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Julieboo a private message Print Post    
Where's Escapee? I bet she'd know. Otherwise give the Starbursts a try.

Costacat
Member

07-15-2000

Monday, November 24, 2008 - 8:48 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Costacat a private message Print Post    
Sugar, you don't need to soften them in the microwave, just start to roll them out.

That said, however, I'd probably make my own sugar dough (powdered sugar, egg whites, water, butter) and make my own. I'd prefer to color mine as I want and leave them unflavored.

Escapee
Member

06-15-2004

Monday, November 24, 2008 - 9:08 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Escapee a private message Print Post    
Gum drops and spice drops work really well for rolling out to cut for shapes. You can also get some colored fondant and different shaped cutters and cut them out, let them dry, then add them to your cake.

Escapee
Member

06-15-2004

Monday, November 24, 2008 - 4:00 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Escapee a private message Print Post    
I am looking for a recipe for Lemon Coconut Chiffon Pie. It was in a magazine, and dern if I can't remember which one it was. Any help would be fabulous.

Sugar
Member

08-15-2000

Sunday, November 30, 2008 - 8:39 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Sugar a private message Print Post    
Bummer, I have some nice photos of my Thanksgiving Cake, but apparently they are too big to post. Will try to have Hubby help me make them smaller tomorrow. I was rather pleased with how it turned out. We, (Hubby helped) had fun. I had to improvise a bit as not all the candies were available.

Roxip
Member

01-29-2004

Friday, December 12, 2008 - 1:18 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Roxip a private message Print Post    
One of our attorneys brought in this recipe this morning...it is called "Crack." Believe me, this is one kind of crack I could get addicted to...but are soda crackers the same as saltines?

Line a cookie sheet with sides with tin foil. Line sheet with soda crackers. Boil ½ lb of butter and ¾ cup of brown sugar until it bubbles.
Pour over crackers and bake 5 mins at 400 degrees F.
Pour 1 ½ cups of chocolate chips over recipe and heat in oven for 1 minute. Take out – spread softened chocolate chips with spatula. Add slivered almonds (optional).
Cool and crack into pieces.

Texannie
Member

07-16-2001

Friday, December 12, 2008 - 2:15 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Texannie a private message Print Post    
yes, same thing

Teachmichigan
Member

07-22-2001

Friday, December 12, 2008 - 10:08 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Teachmichigan a private message Print Post    
My mom just made this and used Ritz crackers (no saltines in the house). It was still delicious!

Roxip
Member

01-29-2004

Saturday, December 13, 2008 - 8:03 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Roxip a private message Print Post    
Thanks. I bought a package of crackers last night to make this stuff. You should have seen me in WalMart trying to read the fine print to see if there was any mention of soda crackers...LOL.

But I'll bet Ritz would be good too...and you wouldn't have to break it apart as it would be in individual crackers more or less...YUMMY!

Kaili
Member

08-31-2000

Saturday, December 13, 2008 - 9:02 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Kaili a private message Print Post    
best chocolate cake ever! it makes an absolute TON (three layers), but it's pretty easy. Last time I made it, I halved the recipe and made cupcakes.

Chocolate Stout Cake

link

Cake
2 cups stout (such as Guinness)
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)

4 cups all purpose flour
4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 large eggs
1 1/3 cups sour cream

Icing
2 cups whipping cream
1 pound bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped

For cake:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter three 8-inch round cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Line with parchment paper. Butter paper. Bring 2 cups stout and 2 cups butter to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.

Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in large bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined. Divide batter equally among prepared pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer cakes to rack; cool 10 minutes. Turn cakes out onto rack and cool completely.

For icing:

Bring cream to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chopped chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Refrigerate until icing is spreadable, stirring frequently, about 2 hours.

Place 1 cake layer on plate. Spread 2/3 cup icing over. Top with second cake layer. Spread 2/3 cup icing over. Top with third cake layer. Spread remaining icing over top and sides of cake.


Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in large bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined. Divide batter equally among prepared pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer cakes to rack; cool 10 minutes. Turn cakes out onto rack and cool completely.

For icing:

Bring cream to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chopped chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Refrigerate until icing is spreadable, stirring frequently, about 2 hours.

Place 1 cake layer on plate. Spread 2/3 cup icing over. Top with second cake layer. Spread 2/3 cup icing over. Top with third cake layer. Spread remaining icing over top and sides of cake.

Sugar
Member

08-15-2000

Sunday, December 14, 2008 - 5:19 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Sugar a private message Print Post    
It has been and will continue to be cookiepalooza at my house!!! I have a 3 yr old nephew nearby and he wants to come back to JJ's (his name for me) house and make cookies and decorate with sprinkles and eat cookies and take some home.
I just mailed a big box of cookies to my parents for them, a sister and nephew all in Omaha and another package to a brother, niece & nephew in Ia. And I still need to make more. Problem is they are so tasty that they do not last long. I have actually been pretty good at not eating too many this year. Correction, I have eaten less than last year , at least so far.

Texannie
Member

07-16-2001

Saturday, December 20, 2008 - 9:54 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Texannie a private message Print Post    
This is what my daughter and I making for our neighbors.

Cranberry Orange Chex Mix Recipe
This is so different from any other Chex mix I've tried and so simple to prepare. A co-worker shared this recipe with us after bringing it to a get-together. We all agreed that it made a great holiday munchie. The dried cranberries gives it a festive touch while the orange juice provides a refreshing citrus flavor. Be sure to use concentrate....not juice!
by ugogirl
40 min | 10 min prep

10 cups

3 cups Corn Chex
3 cups Rice Chex
3 cups Wheat Chex
1 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1/2 cup dried cranberries
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Mix cereals and almonds in a large bowl; set aside.
Microwave butter, brown sugar and orange juice*concentrate* in a 1 cup microwaveable measuring cup, uncovered, on high for 30 seconds; stir.
Pour butter mixture over cereal mixture; stirring until well coated.
Pour into a large roasting pan.
Bake uncovered for 30 minutes; stirring after 15 minutes.
Stir in cranberries; cool.
Store in an air-tight container or zip-lock bag.

And we are also doing peanut butter pretzels dipped in chocolate.

Julieboo
Member

02-05-2002

Tuesday, January 13, 2009 - 7:53 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Julieboo a private message Print Post    
My son is looking for ideas of how to decorate a cake. His cubscout pack is doing a cake decorating contest. Now I can't help actually decorate, bake or anything (ha ha little do they know that dad is so much better at baking/cooking than mom) but I can help generate ideas. (It is a feller's contest. Only cubscouts, dads, grampas, any males.)

They already baked the cake. They made two 8 inch circles. I think that limits them, then again it may make them more unique. SO any ideas?

Also any ideas on the decorations? All need to be edible. So far we have teddy grahams, sticks of gum, lifesavers, starburst and fruit roll ups (these can be molded into any shape, so that could be very helpful...), swedish fish, pretzels and goldfish.

We are not sure what they can do with the above, but they could be used somehow.

So if anyone has any ideas or links, that would be cool. Especially any cubscout related themes.

TIA!

Texannie
Member

07-16-2001

Tuesday, January 13, 2009 - 8:34 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Texannie a private message Print Post    
Under the sea theme?
Under the Rainbow. use fruit roll ups to make the rainbow, chocolate bars for the pot, yellow jelly beans or gumdrops for the pot of gold.

Julieboo
Member

02-05-2002

Tuesday, January 13, 2009 - 9:10 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Julieboo a private message Print Post    
DH liked the under the sea theme, and found this. DS is all about using teddy grahams so we think he'll like it. Any ideas abut how the water is made? Or the palm trees?



PS What size cake do you think this is???

Escapee
Member

06-15-2004

Tuesday, January 13, 2009 - 9:16 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Escapee a private message Print Post    
That's probably a 9 inch round. The palm trees look like they are made from Sour Punch Straw and sour apple rings. The water is just frosting a darker color.

Julieboo
Member

02-05-2002

Tuesday, January 13, 2009 - 9:19 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Julieboo a private message Print Post    
Really? It looks like it almost has a transparent quality? There is no cake expert secret or frosting (like some kind of fondant?) that would look more like water? THANKS!

Escapee
Member

06-15-2004

Tuesday, January 13, 2009 - 9:24 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Escapee a private message Print Post    
If you want to get into sugaring, then yeah, you can make it transparent, almost like glass, but that takes a lot of delicate work with torches, etc. and I am guessing Ryan isn't that advanced of a cake decorater yet.

If it were me, I would use two different shades of blue make the water look multi-dimensional. Or, yes, you can use fondant and paint it with food coloring to get the "water" look.

Julieboo
Member

02-05-2002

Tuesday, January 13, 2009 - 9:27 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Julieboo a private message Print Post    
no torches!!

So if we used blue food coloring in white frosting, are there any tricks to make it look more water like? (or do they have clear fondant?)

Thanks again!

PS Just went to go freeze the cakes that dh and ryan made last night. Ummm, guess dh is not as good as i thought. Guess what he didn't do???

Escapee
Member

06-15-2004

Tuesday, January 13, 2009 - 9:30 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Escapee a private message Print Post    
When you spread the blue frosting, you can take blue food coloring on a toothpick and make waves. You can also do the same with white food coloring on a toothpick and kinda do jagged lines (like ripples) through the blue. So you have a multi-dimensional water color.

There is no such thing as clear fondant.

Julieboo
Member

02-05-2002

Tuesday, January 13, 2009 - 9:34 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Julieboo a private message Print Post    
thanks Escapee!!

So can you guess what dh did not do that resulted in the cake(s) getting trashed already?? He will have to rebake tonight!!