11th LTH Dessert Exchange - Monday May 3 @ 6:30pm

I'll be hosting the next LTH dessert exchange at my home in Budlong Woods (just north of Lincoln Square.) I'd like to stick to 10 or so people, although I'm a bit flexible on the number.

Edit: After I posted, I got to thinking how much fun the frying-themed dessert exchange was last year. I think we'll try that again. As last time, feel free to bring any type of dessert, but if you want to bring something to fry, I'll have my fryer ready for use.

Dinner will be some kind of salad (I'm thinking fennel and citrus at this point), cheese and bread. It will be pretty light, but we want to have room for all the desserts.

Basic exchange rules:
1) I will provide a light dinner and drinks. (When you sign up, let me know if you're vegetarian or have other food restrictions, so I can be sure to make something everyone can eat.)
2) Bring one dessert, no need to double or triple the recipe, there's always plenty!
3) Bring containers for taking your portions of each dessert home. You'll probably need at least a few good sized containers.
4) Come hungry!

Edit: My daughter will not be around after all.

Attendees:
eli (host) - doughnuts w/ cream cheese sauce and rhubarb compote
Pie Lady - dates stuffed with bacon and dark chocolate and honey/lime truffles
msoma97 - lemon bars
justjoan - sugar brioche cake w/ rhubarb and candied kumquat buttercream filling
Nancie - lemon cake
aschie30 - maple cheesecake
LauraS - bakewell tart
pairs4life - banana pudding w/ homemade vanilla wafers

I'll be there with my mystery rolled truffles. Some will come unadorned so we can see what fine chocolate does when deep-fried.

So far I'm thinking dark or milk chocolate spicy, white chocolate coconut, white chocolate mint, and dark or milk rum balls.

Yay, the date and location work for me! I'm coming in from the dessert exchange wilderness and will be there. Dessert TBD.

Finally get to make it this time. Put me down for lemon bars. I'm vegetarian, but don't go out of your way to make anything special. Desserts for dinner - really how bad could that be???

eli- count me in. i was sorry i couldnt make this month's exchange. i'm really not that into fried foods, so whatever i bring, it will be ready to eat! justjoan

Ah, you had to mention the fryer. I've been so busy lately, but I think I'll squeeze this one in. Dessert is TBD.

I'm glad we're already getting a mix of fried and non-fried. As much as it's fun to fry things, there's only so much fried food you can eat at once - even those of us who are that into fried foods

msoma97 - glad you can join us. I'll be sure to make something vegetarian for dinner. (There was a good chance it would have been vegetarian regardless.)

Boo hiss. I've got a hearing the next morning. I sure hope I can make the next one after this.

I can make it that day, too! Not sure what I'll make yet, though.

I'm not 100% sure yet, but I think I might try my hand at doughnut holes. I've never made doughnuts at home, so this could turn out beautifully or horribly

Pie Lady wrote:I'll be there with my mystery rolled truffles. Some will come unadorned so we can see what fine chocolate does when deep-fried.

So far I'm thinking dark or milk chocolate spicy, white chocolate coconut, white chocolate mint, and dark or milk rum balls.

I thought some more. My truffles will be: Dark Chocolate with Honey & Lime (Bon Appetit recipe) and Milk chocolate truffles, possibly stuffed with dates, rolled in bacon (product of my own evil mind). There may be more, who knows!

Would love to attend.
As to what I will bring I am still not sure.
Maybe some candies.
I will have to put my thinking cap on.

My missing-the-dessert-exchange streak must continue, alas. We have a work program that night that I have to attend. So sorry to miss again!

Sorry to hear you can't make it. Hopefully next time will work out for you.

We do still have several spots open, if others are interested.

i'm thinking of trying a sugar brioche cake with some kind of filling. i might try something with rhubarb... justjoan

justjoan wrote:i'm thinking of trying a sugar brioche cake with some kind of filling. i might try something with rhubarb... justjoan

I know you are on a rhubarb tryst these days, last night I was at Lula cafe & they had a drink special, that my friends adored... rhubarb sangria. I think that would make for a tasty sweet offering at the exchange, even though I don't drink alcohol & will not be able to attend.

pairs4life wrote:I know you are on a rhubarb tryst these days, last night I was at Lula cafe & they had a drink special, that my friends adored... rhubarb sangria. I think that would make for a tasty sweet

yes, i love rhubarb, but dont love pie, which is the obvious thing to do with it. did your friends' sangria have actual pieces of the fruit floating in the drink? it sounds strange, but interesting.... i think i'm going to fold rhubarb puree into a mousseline filling(which is custard combined with buttercream), to fill my cake. it might be messy, but i think it'll taste good. sorry you'll miss another dessert party. justjoan

Joan, I was thinking of doing a rhubarb compote to go with the doughnut holes, although it's almost a whole week away - that's plenty of time to change my mind. That's two different rhubarb things, but then this time of year, can you really have too much rhubarb?

eli wrote:That's two different rhubarb things, but then this time of year, can you really have too much rhubarb?

I think the more the merrier.

eli, please dont change your plans-- we can't have too much rhubarb. plus, i havent really decided what filling to make for the sugar brioche cake. rhubarb might not work-it might be too moist. so please proceed. (and dont forget to PM us your address!) joan

Thanks for the reminder. I've sent a PM to everyone with my address. Please let me know if you don't get it.

I love rhubarb, so I agree with Pie Lady, the more rhubarb the better. There was a recipe in this month's Bon Appetit that was for rhubarb brioche bread pudding. Guess I won't make it for Monday, but maybe another time. I'm trying to decide between a Bakewell tart (pie bottom, jam middle, almond topping), a gooey butter cake (St. Louis favorite), or a pear and almond tart.

eli, is there room for one more person? my friend nancie, not an LTH'er, would like to come. she attended the event when i had it at my house, so dobra, jenny and laura have met her. thanks, joan

My big hearing got cancelled. Can I still come? I will figure out something to make.

There's plenty of space for both. In fact, if there are any other late additions, just send me a PM so I know to send out my address info.

eli wrote:There's plenty of space for both. In fact, if there are any other late additions, just send me a PM so I know to send out my address info.

Sweet. Pun intended.

Having a hard time finding a fried recipe that won't drive me crazy or is too a la minute (was thinking about cannoli, but decided against it). Maple syrup was harvested early this spring, so I will make a maple cheesecake with local maple syrup. I hope you like maple syrup!

thanks eli, see you all monday. my first attempt at a sugar brioche was not great. i might change my dessert.... justjoan

my friend nancie is bringing a lemon cake, i believe. justjoan

Let's just say that to this literal person, the directions to the crust for my Maple Cheesecake recipe (which I followed literally) were incorrect, if you follow them literally. Anyway, the botched graham cracker crust, after being spread out in a greased sheet pan, turned out to be a pretty killer maple fudge. But don't worry - I won't bring that. My second try at cheesecake crust turned out fine.