The Interference Recipe thread

[MsPurrl]

I've never had much luck making fudge the old-fashioned way, where you cook it until it's a certain temperature. Found this recipe a few years ago, and it's easier and really good!

Never Fail Fudge

3 cups (18 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
dash of salt
1/2 to 1 cup of chopped nuts (optional)
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

In microwave, melt chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, and salt, stirring frequently until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Stir in nuts and vanilla. Spread evenly in wax-paper-lined 8-inch or 9-inch square pan.

Chill 2 hours or until firm. Turn fudge onto cutting board, peel off wax paper, and cut into squares. Store covered in refrigerator.

 

[corianderstem]

arw, those lemon bars sound amazing. You said you also made them as lime bars - are there any differences to the recipe other than using lime zest and lime juice as opposed to lemon? Same amounts?

 

[arw]

arw, those lemon bars sound amazing. You said you also made them as lime bars - are there any differences to the recipe other than using lime zest and lime juice as opposed to lemon? Same amounts?

no difference, same amounts. They're definitely worth it!

 

[corianderstem]

Awesome, thanks!

 

[redhotswami]

I just made a sexy thai soup. This is what I used...I'm not much for measurements:

2 cans tomato soup
some thai green curry paste
chopped cilantro
chopped scallions
1 can coconut milk
H20
tofu
crushed red pepper flakes
lemon grass
mushrooms

it's pretty fuckin awesome. i just threw that shit in a pot and watched it bubble. then i cooked it low for a bit. DELISH.

 

[TranceEnding]

I love soup This is my absolute favourite .. makes my mouth water just thinking about it!

Roasted Tomato Soup

450g (1lb) tomatoes
2 tablespoons oil
1 red pepper, cored seeded and chopped
1 carrot, grated
2 sticks of celery, sliced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or 3/4 tsp dried
1 tablespoon torn fresh basil or 1 tsp dried
750 ml (1 1/4 pints) hot water
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
basil and oregano leaves, or 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, to garnish

1 Preheat the oven to 200 *C/400*F and roast the whole tomatoes, turning frequently until the skins fall away (about 15 minutes). Cool slightly, then peel and chop them.

2 Heat the oil in the pan and saute the pepper, carrot and celery over a medium heat for a few minutes. Add the oregano and basil, stir well and cook for a few more minutes.

3 Add the water and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Half cover and simmer for about 20 minutes. Transfer to a food processor or blender and blend for a few seconds. Return the soup to the pan and reheat if necessary, then serve garnished with fresh basil and oregano leaves or chopped parsley.

~ For thicker consistency, add 200g (7oz) chopped cooked potatoes to the vegetables

~ For even heartier soup, add some cooked grain 10 minutes before the end of the cooking time

~ For creamier soup, add a little soya milk or cream just before serving

 

[anitram]

arw, do you think it's okay to use the pre-squeezed bottles of lemon juice that you can get at the store instead of fresh lemons for the lemon bars? I'm making them this Friday and I have to make a couple of other things so I'm just wondering if I can save some time.

 

[MooMoo!]

I have acquired a jar of honey.

Tell me what to do with it. Or more, tell me easy things to do with it.

 

[neutral]

Anyone have any recipes/tips for making meringue (for cream pies) that turns out really nice? Been using: 4 room temp egg yolks, half cup sugar, and 1/2 t cream of tartar.

 

[misfit toys]

You might want to use egg whites instead of yolks.

Here's one that I use:

3 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
6 tablespoons sugar

Beat egg whites, vanilla and cream of tartar till soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, one tablespoon at a time until peaks are stiff and glossy.

 

[neutral]

Oh yeah I meant to say whites

 

[MooMoo!]

Can I just ask, you know Soufflés? Well what proportion of cake to goo should they be? :/

As in, how gooey should they be? Or should they be all cake?

 

[arw]

arw, do you think it's okay to use the pre-squeezed bottles of lemon juice that you can get at the store instead of fresh lemons for the lemon bars? I'm making them this Friday and I have to make a couple of other things so I'm just wondering if I can save some time.

sorry...missed this. Yes, not a problem. I just like to use fresh squeezed because you have to buy lemons to zest.

Did you make them? If so, how'd it go?

 

[arw]

Can I just ask, you know Soufflés? Well what proportion of cake to goo should they be? :/

As in, how gooey should they be? Or should they be all cake?

it shouldn't be gooey. They're not done if they are gooey. It should be solid. I make souffles at a fine dining restaurant at the resort I work for so I'm very familiar with them. It should be like a cake when you eat them.

 

[arw]

Anyone have any recipes/tips for making meringue (for cream pies) that turns out really nice? Been using: 4 room temp egg yolks, half cup sugar, and 1/2 t cream of tartar.

I make Italian meringue which requires cooking the sugar to 242 degees and then pouring the hot syrup into egg whites. It's not something you should do unless you are familiar with cooking sugar on the stove to high temps. If you have a thermometer and want to give it a try I can give you some pointers.

What you have listed though sounds good. You really can use any amount of sugar and cream of tartar. They just help to stiffen the whites. The only thing is it probably won't hold up as well if you try to torch the tops of the meringue.

 

[redkat]

I have acquired a jar of honey.

Tell me what to do with it. Or more, tell me easy things to do with it.

baby carrots

saute the carrots in a little butter finish cooking them in orange juice and honey. I don't have measurements just use what looks right. maybe 1/2 cup of juice and 2 tbs of honey.

I'm going to go get my bag of spinach and open a carton of cottage cheese <dinner>

 

[neutral]

I make Italian meringue which requires cooking the sugar to 242 degees and then pouring the hot syrup into egg whites. It's not something you should do unless you are familiar with cooking sugar on the stove to high temps. If you have a thermometer and want to give it a try I can give you some pointers.

What you have listed though sounds good. You really can use any amount of sugar and cream of tartar. They just help to stiffen the whites. The only thing is it probably won't hold up as well if you try to torch the tops of the meringue.

I do have a thermometer, I have one I got when I started learning to make candy.

Lately I've been using a cornstarch mixture that's cooked until clear and added at the soft peak stage, it's definitely helped stabilize my meringue but I feel like it also makes it a bit gummy.

 

[arw]

I do have a thermometer, I have one I got when I started learning to make candy.

Lately I've been using a cornstarch mixture that's cooked until clear and added at the soft peak stage, it's definitely helped stabilize my meringue but I feel like it also makes it a bit gummy.

I have a sprained finger right now. It's gigantic ....not easy to deal with at work and home. So once my finger is better and I can type normal without have to correct typos I will type out what you need to do to with the hot sugar. For now, typing is difficult.

I've never heard of cornstarch with meringue. It's usually used to thicken sauces and creams...

 

[mad1]

can I ask here, if any of you wanna answer, esp if you like to bake a lot!

okay, do you do everything to whats written? (from mixing to pouring, etc)
or do you do it roughly? (maybe a little less/more of something, you dont prepare it in a 'perfect' manner to the book.)


over here, we do it rough.
its better too!

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

baby carrots

saute the carrots in a little butter finish cooking them in orange juice and honey. I don't have measurements just use what looks right. maybe 1/2 cup of juice and 2 tbs of honey.

I'm going to go get my bag of spinach and open a carton of cottage cheese <dinner>

That sounds so good to me right now, all of it.

 

[yolland]

What exactly was the problem with your meringue before, newt? I don't really use a recipe, but the proportions you gave look pretty much exactly like what I use. If it beads, I overcooked it; if it weeps, I undercooked it; if it does both, my pie filling was too cool when I put on the meringue (undercooking) and the oven was too hot (overcooking).

 

[arw]

Ok I'm able to type using all my fingers again so...

Italian Meringue:

2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water

1 cup egg whites (do not use the store bought whites...tried it, doesn't work.)

Basically what you do is put the sugar in a pot, pour the water in and then mix it up to coat all of the sugar. Boil it to 242 degrees. When you get to about 230, start to whip your whites. It helps if you have a standup mixer but I've done this with a hand held one as well. Once your syrup is made, pour it into the bowl with the whites. It's done when the bottom of the bowl is cool. You can put it on your dessert and put it in the oven or you can torch the top. A basic bbq lighter works perfectly if you don't have a pastry torch.

Now....it all sounds easy right? It's actually a little tricky. Cooking sugar can be tough because it crystallizes very easily. It took me a long time to master the art of this without having to start over so I'll give you some tricks of the trade: After you mix your sugar and water together, wet your hand and the run it along the inside of the pan to wash off any sugar that might have touched the sides. Make sure you get every single piece. It might take a few wipes of the the pan with a wet hand to make it perfectly clean. Some books will tell you to use a pastry brush but I think you have more control with your hand. Then if you add some sort of acid, such as lemon juice, that also help to stop any potential issues. Just a few drops of juice is fine. Can be store bought or fresh squeezed. Finally wrap the top of the pot with plastic wrap. Doesn't have to be anything fancy. The plastic wrap will form into a bubble over your pot and create steam. The condensation will run down onto the sides of the pot and continue to wash down the sides. The tiniest thing can cause your sugar to crystallize so these steps is going above and beyond to cover yourself. You can do one, two or all three. I do all three at work every single time I boil sugar and never have a problem.

Once you see that your mixture is boiling it's ok to take the plastic wrap off. But be very careful because the steam can burn you. After that, you can put in your thermometer. I'm assuming you have the long stick candy thermometer. If you have a digital probe one then you don't need to worry about taking the plastic wrap off and can just stick a hole through it with the probe. Your mixture needs to reach softball stage, which is roughly 242 degrees.

I hope this helps. Italian meringue is the most stable of all types of meringue due to the cooked sugar so it burns quite nicely once it's on the top of your dessert. It's also very smooth and shiny looking before you torch it up. It's definitely my favorite and the preferred meringue when I make a dessert.

 

[Carek1230]

I'd like to make a batch of BBQ pork or pulled pork for sandwiches for Super Bowl Sunday. Does anyone here have any tips or great family recipes for this?

 

[neutral]

Ok I'm able to type using all my fingers again so...

Italian Meringue:

Thank you, I think I may try this today, I have some leftover pie crust dough and have been to make some meringue tarts.
I've been reading through the candy-making section in "Joy Of Cooking" and trying to learn to cook sugar without crystallizing but it is tricky. I so hope I can go to school for this one day, like you did.

 

[arw]

Thank you, I think I may try this today, I have some leftover pie crust dough and have been to make some meringue tarts.
I've been reading through the candy-making section in "Joy Of Cooking" and trying to learn to cook sugar without crystallizing but it is tricky. I so hope I can go to school for this one day, like you did.

I hope you can go to school one day too! It's an expensive committment and not very rewarding financially at first. But going to work to bake everyday is the coolest thing ever. I still can't believe I get to do my favorite thing in the world and someone pays me to do it.

You know after rereading what I wrote, I just want to add to my top paragraph that once you pour in the hot sugar, you need to keep whiping until the bottom of the bowl is cool. I don't know if that was an obvious step but I just wanted to mention it.

Let me know how it goes! Post pics of some stuff too! I'd love to see what everyone makes.

 

[Varitek]

this is neither my recipe nor one i have ever made, but OMG it looks impressive

The Omnomicon: how to make a rainbow cake!

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

Omg that looks wow but I agree with the blogger - people will think it tastes awesome just cause it looks pretty. Or is colorful.

 

[Cin]

this is neither my recipe nor one i have ever made, but OMG it looks impressive

The Omnomicon: how to make a rainbow cake!

I'm in love
My Mum used to make cakes like that when I was a kid

 

[MooMoo!]

Sweet baby jesus, look at it. But why the heck are they using sprite in the recipe? Ive never known a box-mix cake to need lemonade...

Speaking of cake, the basic cake mix, like victoria sponge that is. I seem to have a problem of my cake raising too much in the middle, volcano effect if you will. Its a lot worse if you make fairy cakes (individual muffin size), and someone once told me it was to do with a certain ingredient, but I cant remember which.
Halp?


Oh, also any cake lightness tips?

 

[anitram]

can I ask here, if any of you wanna answer, esp if you like to bake a lot!

okay, do you do everything to whats written? (from mixing to pouring, etc)
or do you do it roughly? (maybe a little less/more of something, you dont prepare it in a 'perfect' manner to the book.)


over here, we do it rough.
its better too!

With baking, I really stick to the instructions or to my modification of the instructions (like less sugar, more nuts, etc).

With cooking, it's much more of a free-for-all.