FSU Chefs Unite (Recipes Thread Part II)

[Gypsy]

I have a great recipe for ice cubes that I'd lurve to share with you all, but it's a secret family recipe that goes back several generations.

How can you tease us like that...I have been looking for a good recipe for ice cubes for years!!!!!

[Vagabond]

It's summer!

Last year, I learned how to make ice cream with fresh fruit (especially blueberries ). This year, I would like to try making some baked goods using fresh stone fruit and maybe berries and rhubarb.

I recently adapted a French friend's recipe for plum crumble. I had an extra peach, and I used it along with the plums, which were a bit tart.

Here's the recipe, as I made it:

Plum crumble

2 lbs. plums, sliced
1 peach, sliced
1 cup flour
¾ cup sugar
4 oz. sweet butter
1 pinch salt

Preheat the oven to 425∘.

Use a small amount of butter to grease the bottom and sides of a square baking pan. Place the sliced fruit in the pan.

Combine the flour, sugar, remaining butter, and salt in a mixing bowl. Mix together quickly by hand. Sprinkle the mixture over the fruit.

Bake at 425∘ for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Yield: About 8 servings.

The fruit was tart, but the crust was sweet enough to compensate without being too sweet. I suppose that if one wanted less of a contrast between the fruit and the dough, putting a quarter cup of the sugar in with the fruit instead of the dough would be a good alternative.

I'd love to read other people's suggestions -- not just recipes but your thoughts about how much sugar to use and whether to use it in the filling or the crust, how much crust to make, which fruit to use, and any other ideas you have on the general subject.

[Japanfan]

This year, I would like to try making some baked goods using fresh stone fruit and maybe berries and rhubarb.

And this is?

[Vagabond]

Plums, peaches, apricots, cherries, nectarines, pluots, apriums....

[Ajax]

Does anyone have a recipe for a good, butter-free white frosting? I've volunteered to bake a friend's wedding cake to help her save money and I have the cake part nailed down but the frosting is giving me trouble. I was recommended to try a Swiss meringue buttercream and found it disgustingly buttery - it basically tasted like eating cake slathered with sweetened butter. The wedding is in 2 weeks and I have to test the recipe beforehand, so I'm starting to panic a bit Another recipe I'm going to try is this white chocolate/cream cheese/sour cream frosting but if anyone has any tried-and-true frosting recipes that will hold up at room temperature for a few hours I'd love to hear them.

[TheGirlCanSkate]

Does anyone have a recipe for a good, butter-free white frosting? I've volunteered to bake a friend's wedding cake to help her save money and I have the cake part nailed down but the frosting is giving me trouble. I was recommended to try a Swiss meringue buttercream and found it disgustingly buttery - it basically tasted like eating cake slathered with sweetened butter. The wedding is in 2 weeks and I have to test the recipe beforehand, so I'm starting to panic a bit Another recipe I'm going to try is this white chocolate/cream cheese/sour cream frosting but if anyone has any tried-and-true frosting recipes that will hold up at room temperature for a few hours I'd love to hear them.

I use the Wilton buttercream. If you want pure white you will need all shortening(usually I do half butter to improve flavor). I like using it because it does hold up well (you can leave the cake out overnight if you use water instead of milk, doesn't melt in overly warm conditions). I use creme bouquet flavoring instead of clear vanilla. (Regular vanilla makes it less white as well). http://www.wilton.com/recipe/Class-B...ff-Consistency I leave off the meringue powder unless I want it super smooth (if you use the powder you can use a viva paper towel after it crusts to get an extra smooth surface).

It is not the best icing in the world for eating, but I make a nice cake and nice fillings so it doesn't really matter.

[BittyBug]

Assuming your aversion to butter-based frosting is because it will wilt and not because someone in the party is a vegan, how about a white chocolate ganache or fondant (or both)?

If the idea intrigues you, you can do a web search for "white chocolate ganache fondant" and you'll turn up a ton of tips, like these pages:

http://whatscookingamerica.net/PegW/FondantRecipes.htm

http://sugarsweetcakesandtreats.blog...n-ganache.html

[Ajax]

Assuming your aversion to butter-based frosting is because it will wilt and not because someone in the party is a vegan, how about a white chocolate ganache or fondant (or both)?

My aversion to buttercream was not because there'll be vegans or any wilting issues, but because it was disgustingly buttery. I'm making a chocolate cake and I need something lighter.

White chocolate ganache was what I used in my initial cake test. I often make a dark chocolate ganache using supermarket chocolate chips and cream and it works beautifully as a frosting. I tried simply replacing the dark choc chips with supermarket white choc chips and it was a disaster. The white choc seized and only a bit of it melted properly. Maybe I should give it another try using good quality white chocolate rather than a $2 pack of white choc chips? I love how spreadable ganache is and how it thickens to the perfect consistency when chilled, so if it works out I'd be the happiest girl in the room.

[BittyBug]

I'd definitely try it again, although you may need to adjust your proportions (I think the last link discusses this). Couldn't hurt to use higher quality chocolate as well.

Good luck! (And oh, don't I wish I could be a little elf in your kitchen while you're working up your test batch. Yummy. )

[Artemis@BC]

My aversion to buttercream was not because there'll be vegans or any wilting issues, but because it was disgustingly buttery. I'm making a chocolate cake and I need something lighter.

White chocolate ganache was what I used in my initial cake test. I often make a dark chocolate ganache using supermarket chocolate chips and cream and it works beautifully as a frosting. I tried simply replacing the dark choc chips with supermarket white choc chips and it was a disaster. The white choc seized and only a bit of it melted properly. Maybe I should give it another try using good quality white chocolate rather than a $2 pack of white choc chips? I love how spreadable ganache is and how it thickens to the perfect consistency when chilled, so if it works out I'd be the happiest girl in the room.

Yes, a good quality white chocolate makes all the difference. "Chocolate" chips have lots of filler, and they don't temper the same way as real chocolate.

Bear in mind, though, that white chocolate does have a slight yellowish cast to it. That may or may not matter for a wedding cake.

If you're happy with that, that seems like a good solution all round. But I'm surprised that your buttercream was so "buttery" tasting. I've never found that. Mind you, I use as much icing sugar as I can and still be able to stir it. And of course unsalted butter -- that makes a huge difference.

[Ajax]

Thank you for the input, Artemis and Bittybug! I've decided to try the white chocolate ganache again this weekend, using a good quality white chocolate and increasing the ratio of chocolate to cream from my usual recipe. I don't care too much about the yellowish color.

The buttercream recipe I used was the following: http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/07/pr...s-buttercream/
Basically, you beat egg whites and sugar, then beat in softened butter. Just look at the proportions: 3.25 sticks of butter for 4 egg whites! Yuck. Maybe it's just this recipe sucks, but I was more set on ganache anyway so I will definitely stay away from buttercreams.

Does anyone have experience with cream cheese icings? Do they hold up at room temperature for a few hours? The cake is sweet and rich (it's chocolate cake with a pastry cream & chocolate chip filling) and i was thinking the tang of the cream cheese might be a good counter, but I've never tried a cream cheese frosting recipe. I am also going to add a few salted pistachios to the cake batter to temper the sweetness.

[BigB08822]

If you want to add some amazing flavor to spaghetti sauces then do what I did tonight.

I took some sliced mushrooms and put them in a ziploc bag with a little olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette (just about a tablespoon of each) and salt and pepper. Shake them around and let them soak everything up for a little while (an hour or so) and then layer them on a roasting pan. Roast them in the oven on about 450 for 20-25 minutes. They will be so full of flavor. I could have eaten them all on their own but I am so glad I added them to my spaghetti because it added so much flavor!

[Matryeshka]

This doesn't rate it's own thread, but since it's chef-y--if any of you watch Chopped, my sister's boss (Richard Bond) is on tonight! It's a New Orleans themed show, and I've eaten all of the featured chefs' food. If he's out first, then GO CHEF LINDA!!!

[BigB08822]

We are watching right now! Now we have someone to root for.

I know there was supposed to be a chef from an amazing restaurant called La Thai on Chopped at some point. I don't know if we missed it or it has yet to air. I thought maybe she would be on tonight when I saw the theme was New Orleans but she isn't there.

[Gypsy]

If you want to add some amazing flavor to spaghetti sauces then do what I did tonight.

I took some sliced mushrooms and put them in a ziploc bag with a little olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette (just about a tablespoon of each) and salt and pepper. Shake them around and let them soak everything up for a little while (an hour or so) and then layer them on a roasting pan. Roast them in the oven on about 450 for 20-25 minutes. They will be so full of flavor. I could have eaten them all on their own but I am so glad I added them to my spaghetti because it added so much flavor!

I love mushrooms and these sound FANTASTIC!!!!

[Jenny]

For mushroom fans, here's how hubby makes his:

Slice or cut in quarters, saute in olive oil (or butter) with salt, pepper and a smashed clove of garlic Part way through, splash with vermouth (or white wine). Add a few sprigs of fresh thyme (the woodsy flavour matches well with mushrooms). Continue to cook until all liquid is gone and mushrooms begin to carmelize (brown). Can easily be done in a tin pan on the BBQ too.

Often he ends up eating half of them out of the pan before he adds them to pasta, over a steak or layers them in a sandwich of sauteed peppers and onions with herb salad and perhaps a layer of provolone or mozzarella.

[Angelskates]

oooohhhhh, mushrooms! I just learnt a dish for chestnut flour (we made it out of ground, dry chestnuts) tagliatelle with porcini mushrooms - divine! Also, gluten free and vegetarian.

[Artemis@BC]

Slice or cut in quarters, saute in olive oil (or butter) with salt, pepper and a smashed clove of garlic Part way through, splash with vermouth (or white wine). Add a few sprigs of fresh thyme (the woodsy flavour matches well with mushrooms). Continue to cook until all liquid is gone and mushrooms begin to carmelize (brown). Can easily be done in a tin pan on the BBQ too.

I do something almost identical, except with sherry instead, and add some finely chopped shallots. Then I'll use them in scrambled eggs or sandwiches. Oh so good. They also freeze well if you have any leftovers.

Or, to take it to the next level to make an awesome mushroom pâté: Do the above but chop the mushrooms finely instead of slice. When cooked, mix with some cream cheese or chèvre, few drops W. sauce, grated parmesan (the good stuff), and finely chopped walnuts or pecans. Great on wheaty crackers like Bretons or crusty rustic bread.

[Artemis@BC]

On a totally different note ... can you overdose on strawberries? I've been eating them 3 meals a day for the past week. The local berry season is so fleeting, I want to take advantage of it while it lasts. There are few things I anticipate more, seasonal-food wise. (Yes, you can get imported berries year round, but there's just no comparison to the real thing.)

The local cherries are starting to appear too, but that season last much longer so I don't feel the same urgency there.

[Jenny]

Or, to take it to the next level to make an awesome mushroom pâté: Do the above but chop the mushrooms finely instead of slice. When cooked, mix with some cream cheese or chèvre, few drops W. sauce, grated parmesan (the good stuff), and finely chopped walnuts or pecans. Great on wheaty crackers like Bretons or crusty rustic bread.

Interesting ... hubby does a mushroom bruschetta that has become an on-demand part of our parties because people love it so much we can't take it off the menu. Same as I described above, served on crostini (thin sliced ciabatta or other long loaf) that has been brushed with olive oil and grilled. As they come hot off the BBQ, guests scoop on the mushroom mixture - it's always gone in minutes.

One of our close friends is strictly vegan, so we are always looking for dishes that she can enjoy along with everyone else, and thankfully she loves mushrooms.

But I hate them.