What are you baking? August 2023

Thanks for the recommendation. Hes baked with me several times and i only bake recipes that have weights. They will be here soon. I’m excited because they live 500km north from us and we dont see them that often.

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I’ve taken some courses from her! She is excellent…

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It’s that time of year! Made the Marian Burros plum torte… https://smittenkitchen.com/2013/10/purple-plum-torte/ taking into work tomorrow for a colleague’s last day ( she is going back to school)…

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Happy plum torte season to all who celebrate :clinking_glasses:

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Blueberry whole wheat muffin tops, by request. This was a repeat of a recipe baked last month, but baked in smaller “ice cream sandwich” / muffin top pans and I got 22, baking 15 minutes at a slightly lower 350 degree temp. I froze most of the batch, but it hasn’t slowed us down much. We promptly finished off the 4 I left out of the freezer - after lunch then another round after supper.

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Here’s what epicurious has to say about the origin of the Philly Fluff Cake:

Named for the iconic cream cheese brand, the Philly fluff cake can be found at bakeries across the Northeast. Far less dense (and far more flavorful) than a traditional pound cake, the Philly fluff is known for its ethereally light, fluffy texture. The cake batter starts with a trifecta of fat—cream cheese, butter, and shortening—each playing an important role in the cake’s flavor and structure. The cream cheese gives the cake its signature tang; the butter adds richness and flavor; and the shortening is key to the cake’s light, springy, soft crumb.

The original Philly fluff cake was created by Harry Zipes, onetime of Bruce’s Bakery (named for Zipes’ son, Bruce) in Great Neck, Long Island. “My father, Harry, was constantly trying to make every item in his bakery just a little bit better,” Zipes writes in Bruce’s Bakery Cookbook, where he published the recipe for his father’s signature Philly fluff cake. “In this case, he took a basic pound cake and added extra cream cheese and lots of real butter.” Shortly after its introduction to the menu, the ultrarich Bundt cake—which also featured a chocolate ripple in the batter—became a best-seller. Its instant popularity prompted bakeries across the tri-state area to create their own versions. This recipe is inspired by the one at Natale’s Bakery in Summit, New Jersey, famous for their all-vanilla, tender-crumbed Philly fluffs. It keeps the original triple-enriched base but skips the chocolate swirl and bakes in a tube pan rather than a Bundt. Once cooled, the cake is inverted so the thicker ring faces up, providing more surface area for the generous layer of powdered sugar on top, a signature of many Philly fluff cakes.

This is one of those rare confections that only gets better with time: As the cake sits, its flavor concentrates and the crumb softens, making a slice just as enjoyable (if not more so) the next day. Eat it for breakfast, a snack, or dessert—it’s the ideal have-around-the-house cake.

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Tres leches cake with whipped topping: can this be frozen? I’m getting mixed information online, some say no, cake should be frozen without topping; but other sites say you can freeze a cake even with whipped topping. I’ve come across frozen cream pies, frosted (buttercream) cakes.

Thoughts?

Asking because my fav Mexican restaurant sells cakes whole and instead of buying pieces, I was thinking of just getting an entire cake. The daughter translated for me and asked her dad about refrigeration and freezing but he only said that I could refrigerate for 3-4 days.

Frozen whipped cream gets really gummy and weird. Not recommended.

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I just remembered that i received a photo of himwith a chocolate eclair
IMG_1980

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My second and final pie of peach season. For this one, I swapped out 20% of the peaches for freshly picked blueberries. Looks like the BB mostly floated to the top. Will post a pic of the inside after we cut into it tonight.

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These are always gorgeous

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Thank you!

I don’t think Paul Hollywood would accuse me of pursuing style over substance. :laughing: My pies are typically messy, but if they taste good and have a pleasing texture - who cares? :peach:

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Looks great; nicely browned crust! But I don’t like the texture of sugar crystals between the teeth. Anyone else like that?

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As far as I’m concerned, pie is meant to be homey as well as delicious, especially fruit pies.

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We love those crunchy bits.

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Here’s the glamour shots.


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I do. I like the crunch from Demerara sugar.

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We used to freeze florets of leftover whipped cream on a cookie sheet, then drop them into coffee.

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September thread is here.

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I’ve made one a couple of times from pizza crusts. It is suprisingly tasty and better received than in the og pizza.

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