jygach wrote:

pairs4life wrote:

jygach wrote:I'm thinking of making a guiness gingerbread.

Is that the one in CI? I've been looking for a non-alcoholic stout to try in that recipe.

This is the Gramercy Tavern recipe.

OMG! Do you have a copy of Fleming's Last Course?

I plan to bring kouign aman.

This is a fairly new recipe for me, so I might wind up bailing on it for something I know I can make work.

Chouxfly wrote:I plan to bring kouign aman.

This is a fairly new recipe for me, so I might wind up bailing on it for something I know I can make work.

I love kouign aman so hope the recipe works out.

Chouxfly wrote:I plan to bring kouign aman.

This is a fairly new recipe for me, so I might wind up bailing on it for something I know I can make work.

Hi,

Even if it does not turn out the way you expect, it can often still taste good. I'd be willing to eat it.

Regards,

I never had it before, so I wouldn't know the difference. Bring it anyway! Caramel is always welcome.

Chouxfly wrote:I plan to bring kouign aman.

This is a fairly new recipe for me, so I might wind up bailing on it for something I know I can make work.

Lebovitz? I've been thinking about that, please do it. I think you have a way with pastry.

Chouxfly wrote:I plan to bring kouign aman.

This is a fairly new recipe for me, so I might wind up bailing on it for something I know I can make work.

It sounds wonderful. I did a test run of the Apple Tart. You could do the same; your family would appreciate it.

I've made David Lebovitz's recipe a couple times, and while it was delicious, it wasn't the form factor I am after. This is the closest picture I've found to the one I had at the 2009 eGullet gathering.

So, I'm using Lebovitz's proportions of sugar to butter (and his method of sprinkling it on during each turn), but I'm laminating it into a white flour croissant dough base (using the P&PB recipe) instead.

Then, rather than forming the dough into a square cake, I'm going to roll it into a log and slice off crosswise rounds, baking them inside crumpet rings (i got that idea from here).

I'm doing a test run for breakfast tomorrow morning... hopefully any problems can be identified and worked out to repeat the recipe this weekend.

Chouxfly wrote:I've made David Lebovitz's recipe a couple times, and while it was delicious, it wasn't the form factor I am after. This is the closest picture I've found to the one I had at the 2009 eGullet gathering.

So, I'm using Lebovitz's proportions of sugar to butter (and his method of sprinkling it on during each turn), but I'm laminating it into a white flour croissant dough base (using the P&PB recipe) instead.

Then, rather than forming the dough into a square cake, I'm going to roll it into a log and slice off crosswise rounds, baking them inside crumpet rings (i got that idea from here).

I'm doing a test run for breakfast tomorrow morning... hopefully any problems can be identified and worked out to repeat the recipe this weekend.

Hmm, whatever I bring always ends up being the test.

pairs4life wrote:

Chouxfly wrote:I've made David Lebovitz's recipe a couple times, and while it was delicious, it wasn't the form factor I am after. This is the closest picture I've found to the one I had at the 2009 eGullet gathering.

So, I'm using Lebovitz's proportions of sugar to butter (and his method of sprinkling it on during each turn), but I'm laminating it into a white flour croissant dough base (using the P&PB recipe) instead.

Then, rather than forming the dough into a square cake, I'm going to roll it into a log and slice off crosswise rounds, baking them inside crumpet rings (i got that idea from here).

I'm doing a test run for breakfast tomorrow morning... hopefully any problems can be identified and worked out to repeat the recipe this weekend.

My mouth is watering looking at the photos.

Hmm, whatever I bring always ends up being the test.

Normally, mine is too. But I figured with Julia's recipe, I could run into problems.

pairs4life wrote:Hmm, whatever I bring always ends up being the test.

Ditto!

i was surprised that lebovitz's recipe for kouign amann had so little butter in it. while i've never made it, i've read plenty of recipes and as lebovitz mentions in his recipe intro, k.a. have about as much butter as any pastry can hold. yet his recipe has only a single stick of butter... chouxfly, i can't wait to try yours. i bought some carmelized monkey bread the other day at red hen, using a groupon, as a small rectangular loaf was $8.75! i'd never had it before, and it was amazing. sticky on one side, but very chewy as well. i actually wondered if it might be almost like kouign amann. justjoan

justjoan wrote:i bought some carmelized monkey bread the other day at red hen, using a groupon, as a small rectangular loaf was $8.75!

Monkey Bread was a staple growing up in my house, but based on that price, Red Hen's version must be quite a bit different than the one I'm used to. My mom's recipe: Take 4 cans of refrigerated biscuits (not the flaky ones, the super cheap, $0.50 a can kind) and cut or tear each biscuit into quarters. Toss biscuit pieces in 2-3 Tbsp cinnamon mixed with 1/2 cup sugar. Put biscuit pieces in a bundt pan. Make a simple caramel sauce by bringing 1 1/2 sticks butter and 1 cup brown sugar to a boil; pour over the biscuits. Bake about 45 min at 350.

I have seen a few make the dough from scratch recipes floating around the internet lately (most notably one on Smitten Kitchen) but I can't quite decide if that would ruin it for me...

eli wrote:

justjoan wrote:i bought some carmelized monkey bread the other day at red hen, using a groupon, as a small rectangular loaf was $8.75!

Monkey Bread was a staple growing up in my house, but based on that price, Red Hen's version must be quite a bit different than the one I'm used to. My mom's recipe: Take 4 cans of refrigerated biscuits (not the flaky ones, the super cheap, $0.50 a can kind) and cut or tear each biscuit into quarters. Toss biscuit pieces in 2-3 Tbsp cinnamon mixed with 1/2 cup sugar. Put biscuit pieces in a bundt pan. Make a simple caramel sauce by bringing 1 1/2 sticks butter and 1 cup brown sugar to a boil; pour over the biscuits. Bake about 45 min at 350.

i'm pretty sure red hen made a laminated yeast raised dough which makes it a little more time consuming than your mom's recipe. and the texture was more complex than a simple biscuit recipe would be. jj

eli wrote:

justjoan wrote:i bought some carmelized monkey bread the other day at red hen, using a groupon, as a small rectangular loaf was $8.75!

Monkey Bread was a staple growing up in my house, but based on that price, Red Hen's version must be quite a bit different than the one I'm used to. My mom's recipe: Take 4 cans of refrigerated biscuits (not the flaky ones, the super cheap, $0.50 a can kind) and cut or tear each biscuit into quarters. Toss biscuit pieces in 2-3 Tbsp cinnamon mixed with 1/2 cup sugar. Put biscuit pieces in a bundt pan. Make a simple caramel sauce by bringing 1 1/2 sticks butter and 1 cup brown sugar to a boil; pour over the biscuits. Bake about 45 min at 350.

I have seen a few make the dough from scratch recipes floating around the internet lately (most notably one on Smitten Kitchen) but I can't quite decide if that would ruin it for me...

I'm thinking you need to bring "Mom's Monkey Bread" to the dessert exchange. Or, perhaps one of our future exchanges can be "Desserts We Grew Up With."

Any thoughts?

That sounds like fun to me. I was thinking of that too when I made the Heinemann's cake last month.

Ms. Ingie wrote:

eli wrote:

justjoan wrote:i bought some carmelized monkey bread the other day at red hen, using a groupon, as a small rectangular loaf was $8.75!

Monkey Bread was a staple growing up in my house, but based on that price, Red Hen's version must be quite a bit different than the one I'm used to. My mom's recipe: Take 4 cans of refrigerated biscuits (not the flaky ones, the super cheap, $0.50 a can kind) and cut or tear each biscuit into quarters. Toss biscuit pieces in 2-3 Tbsp cinnamon mixed with 1/2 cup sugar. Put biscuit pieces in a bundt pan. Make a simple caramel sauce by bringing 1 1/2 sticks butter and 1 cup brown sugar to a boil; pour over the biscuits. Bake about 45 min at 350.

I have seen a few make the dough from scratch recipes floating around the internet lately (most notably one on Smitten Kitchen) but I can't quite decide if that would ruin it for me...

I'm thinking you need to bring "Mom's Monkey Bread" to the dessert exchange. Or, perhaps one of our future exchanges can be "Desserts We Grew Up With."

Any thoughts?

Actually, the dessert exchange would be a perfect excuse for me to try out one of the recipes using a homemade dough. I think I'll plan on bringing that this time.

Thanks for the encouraging words, here's how it went.

I baked the first six in crumpet rings, which didn't work out so well; most of the butter leaked out the bottom. The second six were baked in muffin tins, which got closer. However, in both cases, the lamination broke down, and I had a pastry that was more cakey than flakey. It was delicious, and the caramel effect was quite good, but it still wasn't what I wanted.

There were a few things I think I can improve, and I'll try again this weekend. Unless it's a total disaster, I will make this for the dessert exchange.

...a little update on the fantastic pastry i bought at red hen bakery. i went back today for a healthier treat, their terrific whole wheat bread twists, and found out that what i had bought last week and which they had referred to as monkey bread, really isn't. it is their croissant dough rather than biscuit dough, which, as eli pointed out, is what monkey bread is made of. red hen actually labels the loaf 'cinammon crisp', but the person who waited on me had referred to it as monkey bread. never having had monkey bread before, i hadn't realized that it actually wasn't. it will be a new experience tasting true monkey bread on sunday. (though the stakes are high, as the RH loaf is incredible). jj

Thought I would check in with my fellow exchangers. I know that several of you live on the north and northwest side of the city or close in suburbs to the NW side. I'm not sure what the state of your streets are, and what your parking situation might be. I know that mrsm fears that if she takes her car out next Sunday, she may never get another spot to park in when she arrives back home. I'm wondering if some of you might want to carpool. So, talk amongst yourselves or on the boards. The streets are fine out here and we'll have places to park off of the street for everyone.

Unfortunately I'll be visiting either my parents or the cat shelter beforehand so I won't be able to car pool.

Hi,

I can drive through the city to pick up people, if needed.

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:Hi,

I can drive through the city to pick up people, if needed.

Regards,

Thanks Cathy. We'll see if anyone would like to catch a ride. For those who are wondering, mrsm is my sister.

I know how much we all hate having big feasts and lots of eats, but I just received an email update from the 101 Cookbooks lady that I would really like to try: Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie. I have a ton of whole wheat flour to use up in my quest to clean out the larder, so I'd like to bring that as an amuse to my Victoria Sandwich Cake.

Pie Lady wrote:I know how much we all hate having big feasts and lots of eats, but I just received an email update from the 101 Cookbooks lady that I would really like to try: Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie. I have a ton of whole wheat flour to use up in my quest to clean out the larder, so I'd like to bring that as an amuse to my Victoria Sandwich Cake.

Sounds O.K. to me. We'll be getting out fiber that way. By the way, your link to the recipe is not working.

That's what I figured. It's totally health food. I like that it uses only dark brown sugar. None of that namby-pamby light brown stuff or a mixture of white and brown. The hard stuff! Man sugar!
I think I fixed the link.

Hi,

I would like to change my contribution to Red Velvet Cake.

It just seems so right for the pending holiday.

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:Hi,

I would like to change my contribution to Red Velvet Cake.

It just seems so right for the pending holiday.

Regards,

Darn it!

I'm working on a "Newspaper Cookie". Let's see what happens.

pairs4life wrote:

Cathy2 wrote:Hi,

I would like to change my contribution to Red Velvet Cake.

It just seems so right for the pending holiday.

Regards,

I never met a Red Velvet Cake I didn't like.

Darn it!

I'm working on a "Newspaper Cookie". Let's see what happens.

Newspaper cookie? Do tell.

Ms. Ingie wrote:

pairs4life wrote:

Cathy2 wrote:Hi,

I would like to change my contribution to Red Velvet Cake.

It just seems so right for the pending holiday.

Regards,

I never met a Red Velvet Cake I didn't like.

Darn it!

I'm working on a "Newspaper Cookie". Let's see what happens.

Newspaper cookie? Do tell.

hehehe