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Discussion Boards => Recipes & Cooking => Topic started by: hezzier on December 07, 2016, 09:32:38 AM

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Title: Dessert for a 50th birthday
Post by: hezzier on December 07, 2016, 09:32:38 AM
Ok ladies, what have you got?  The restaurant told BIL that we can bring something in.  I made the mistake of asking him if he wanted store bought or home made, he said he likes my desserts...mind you, he now works near a nut free bakery, although he doesn't know this yet. 

I just made a cheese cake for thanksgiving, we also had pumpkin pie and apple crisp.

Any one have any great ideas?  Maybe some sort of specialty cake?  I have some skills in the decorating area but not like Hedgie.
Title: Re: Dessert for a 50th birthday
Post by: hedgehog on December 07, 2016, 09:51:13 AM
What flavors does he like? Is he more of a chocolate lover, plain vanilla, fruity, traditional, funky flavors?
Title: Re: Dessert for a 50th birthday
Post by: hezzier on December 07, 2016, 09:57:35 AM
It's for my sister.  She likes chocolate, could be with fruit or without. Funky would depend on what it was.
Title: Re: Dessert for a 50th birthday
Post by: hedgehog on December 07, 2016, 10:20:40 AM
OH, ok, you had mentioned BIL in your first post.  Got it.

Going with chocolate, some ideas are: chocolate salted caramel, chocolate raspberry, anise chocolate, chocolate chai, chocolate orange, Oreo.  Any of that sound good? I can share recipe ideas and decorating tips if you like.
Title: Re: Dessert for a 50th birthday
Post by: momma2boys on December 07, 2016, 10:53:14 AM
Tiramisu?
Title: Re: Dessert for a 50th birthday
Post by: hezzier on December 07, 2016, 12:07:12 PM
BIL is a dork, I sent him a msg to see if she has a favorite dessert these days so of course he texts her and then she calls me to find out if  I'm having a conversation with her husband about dessert.  He's trying to keep stuff from her but she picked the date and the restaurant so it's weird.

I would love the chocolate salted caramel and the chocolate raspberry recipes.

She probably likes tiramisu, but I'm not a fan (I should make it to save myself some calories, ha).
Title: Re: Dessert for a 50th birthday
Post by: GoingNuts on December 07, 2016, 12:30:57 PM
Who could resist a flourless chocolate cake with a berry sauce?  Certainly not me!
Title: Re: Dessert for a 50th birthday
Post by: hedgehog on December 07, 2016, 03:00:15 PM
I will give two options for chocolate cake, and the recipes for fillings.

Easy option for chocolate cake: use whatever chocolate mix you like, but sub out coffee (I usually use decaf, for the who may not want or need caffeine) for half the water.  The coffee makes a big difference.

Scratch option for cake:
3 cups AP flour
3 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups cocoa powder
1 tbs baking soda
1 1/2 tbs baking powder
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 1/2 cups warm water or coffee (I would use about 1/2 water, 1/2 coffee)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla

Heat oven to 350, grease and flour pan.
Mix flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and baking powder to combine. Add wet ingredients and mix until combined. Pour into pan and bake 30-35 minutes.

I use a pan that is I think 11"x15".  If you wanted to do smaller layers, the bake time should be a bit less.

Title: Re: Dessert for a 50th birthday
Post by: hedgehog on December 07, 2016, 03:08:40 PM
Salted caramel:

1 2/3 cup sugar
1 tbs light corn syrup
1 stick unsalted butter, cubed
1 cup heavy cream at room temp
1 1/2 tsp course sea salt

Combine sugar, 1/3 cup water, and corn syrup in small sauce pan. Stir with wooden spoon and bring to simmer over medium heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture is a beautiful Amber color. As soon as colir is reached, Immediately add butter and stir until incorporated. Remove from heat. Add heavy cream and stir to incorporate. Stir in salt. Let cool.


Raspberry sauce/filling

I don't use a recipe for this.
Pour enough chambord into a small saucepan to cover the bottom of the pan.  Add two cups or so of raspberries (fresh or frozen), and sugar to taste ( I usually start with about a tablespoon, then taste once it is is cooking, maybe adding more). Simmer until it gets bubbly and raspberries fall apart. Let cool.
Title: Re: Dessert for a 50th birthday
Post by: hedgehog on December 07, 2016, 03:10:52 PM
I would either make two layers, and fill the cake with either the caramel or raspberry.  Or you can bake one larger layer, and cut into two layers with a cake leveler.
Title: Re: Dessert for a 50th birthday
Post by: hedgehog on December 07, 2016, 03:13:12 PM
And I have found that an easy, and delicious, way to do a scratch coat is not to use frosting for that first application. Make a chocolate ganache, pour over cake and spread evenly, the refrigerate to harden. Then frost with buttercream, or whatever frosting you like.
Title: Re: Dessert for a 50th birthday
Post by: hezzier on December 07, 2016, 06:12:18 PM
I'm drooling just thinking about it!
Title: Re: Dessert for a 50th birthday
Post by: Macabre on December 08, 2016, 12:22:29 AM
I haven't read the posts yet, but first thought was:

Cake by Hedgie
Title: Re: Dessert for a 50th birthday
Post by: becca on December 18, 2016, 09:59:39 AM
Ganache under buttercream?!  YUM!
Title: Re: Dessert for a 50th birthday
Post by: hedgehog on December 18, 2016, 10:13:52 AM
Ganache under buttercream?!  YUM!

Oh, yeah. That poker cake I made for A's birthday. I made a mocha cake, coved it with a mocha ganache, chilled it to get the ganache firm, then frosted with a coffee buttercream. I just wish I was there to have a piece.
Title: Re: Dessert for a 50th birthday
Post by: GoingNuts on December 18, 2016, 11:50:02 AM
***Swoon***
Title: Re: Dessert for a 50th birthday
Post by: hezzier on December 18, 2016, 12:51:07 PM
Making my grocery list...do you think I need chocolate buttercream frosting too if I coat it with the chocolate ganache as a glaze?
Title: Re: Dessert for a 50th birthday
Post by: ajasfolks2 on December 18, 2016, 01:04:14 PM
I just did a Boston Cream Pie (really a cake, for those not familiar) and did a fab ganache using Scharffenberger chocolate (semi sweet).  I don't think choc buttercream on top could improve a high-quality choc ganache.  Just my opinon!  (And ganache is so fast and easy . . . pour it over cake and so pretty).

Yum!
Title: Re: Dessert for a 50th birthday
Post by: hedgehog on December 18, 2016, 01:57:46 PM
Depends on whether you are going for a particular look, or just good flavor.  If just flavor, I would only do the buttercream if it is for a frosting person (I don't usually like fristing, but your sister might love it). If for looks, just the ganache can be pretty, or it can be dressed up with sprinkles, sparkly sugar, or something like that. But if you are going for a certain look, or trying to tie into a theme, you might need the buttercream to accomplish that.
Title: Re: Dessert for a 50th birthday
Post by: hezzier on December 18, 2016, 07:23:41 PM
Going for flavor, this group could careless what it looks like.
Title: Re: Dessert for a 50th birthday
Post by: hezzier on December 18, 2016, 07:24:13 PM
And I should say they are not particularly hard to please...my sister and I will be the most critical of it.
Title: Re: Dessert for a 50th birthday
Post by: hedgehog on December 18, 2016, 08:41:26 PM
Then the ganache should be just fine.
Title: Re: Dessert for a 50th birthday
Post by: hezzier on December 19, 2016, 08:42:39 PM
It was delicious!  That cake recipe is huge, I ended up making 3 nine inch rounds (thankfully I have that many pans) and they were good size layers.  The salted caramel was incredible!  Then I did chocolate ganache instead of regular frosting.  Everyone loved it.  Definitely something I would make again.

I wrote out all the recipes that HH posted here so they are all titled as "Hedgie's ______________"

Thanks so much for sharing your recipes.
Title: Re: Dessert for a 50th birthday
Post by: hezzier on December 20, 2016, 08:52:14 PM
I brought home enough for the kids to have a sliver today...and it was even better than yesterday.
Title: Re: Dessert for a 50th birthday
Post by: hedgehog on December 21, 2016, 07:06:15 AM
Oh, I am so glad you liked it!