Imagine my surprise when I went to bake my second loaf of Chris' bread in what I thought would be a pre-heated oven but instead was a dead oven.
Now, perhaps it will be fixed in a few days (although the oven is circa 1968 so I'm not holding my breath) but if it's not, I'm supposed to bring desserts to two gatherings this weekend. Since I'm a baker, I'm drawing a blank as to what I should bring that doesn't require an oven.
Any ideas of something somewhat special that doesn't require baking? Some of the attendees at both gatherings will be in the four and under crowd so I'm sure rice krispie treats would fit the bill but I'm hoping for something more! And of course I could just buy something but....
You can make all sorts of creams. Budino is an excellent no bake dessert. I don't have exact ingredient proportions, since I usually make it gauging them out of habit. You will need milk (half a liter or more), sugar, bitter cocoa, potato starch (or another starch of your choice), and a pinch of salt. Just combine a tablespoon or a tablespons and a half of starch with two tablespoons of cocoa, sugar, and salt in a small pot, dissolve with the milk adding it bit by bit and stirring well to prevent clumps, put on the fire ald, stirring continously, let it boil for about 5 minutes. Now pour the hot mixture in individual cups or moulds, or in a large mould, slightly wetted with water (if you are making it for adults you may use cognac, or rhum, or any other strong spirit, and add a litle of it in the boiling budino as well). If you like you can line the moulds with hard amaretti, for adults sprayed with the spirit, for children you may want to soften them with some other liquid. Let cool, move to the fridge overnight and serve in the cups (you may cover the top with a little whipped cream) or on a plate, spooning it in individual portions. This is the basic idea, but like all of my favorite recipes it's wonderfully modular. The basic mixture is milk, sugar and starch, combined, boiled and refrigerated. You can add to this mixture about any flavoring: cocoa but also coffee (for adults, again), citrus rind (spear the rinds two by two on toothpicks and remove them after boiling) or anything else that fancies your mind, and even make it richer with one or two egg yolks (egg yolks and some vainille make a wonderful dessert). You can also decorate it with about anything: chocolate chips, or drops dusted on the individual portions, jams, marmelades, anything, really!. You cam make a cocoa budino and a white one, maybe flavored with vainille, and layer them with some cookes (actually I use petit bisquits lightly soaked in a liquor or coffee, for children you may use something else) to divide the white and brown layers... it's a bit grannylike, it's actually something straight out of the 1950's, but I love it all the same.
Or, if it's warm down there in California (SIGH) you may consider making my granny's semifreddo. Again, you may make two, one for adults with the amaretti soaked in Amaretto di Saronno, rhum or cognac, and one alchool free for the children. it's done whit whipped cream, egg yolks, chocolate, sugar, amaretti and Amaretto di Saronno and it's a sort of gelato: the ingredients are simply combined and frozen. I have the recipe at home, I will knot the tip of my nose so that I remeber to take it along tomorrow.
Palma's panna cotta (in a thread down below) is based upon a recipe in either Food and Wine or Bon Appetit - it was amazing! I've made it four times. The recipe makes enough for about 12 people so it might do for both dinners. I like it because it is cool, and light - perfect after gorging on a meal!
Because of its wonderful contrast between the white panna cotta and the pomagranate gelle it will be the dessert of choice for Valentine'S Dinner.
Jerry
The traveler sees what he sees. The tourist sees what he has come to see. ~G.K. Chesterton
Alice, I'd love your granny's semifreddo recipe. Though it's a bit cool and overcast today in my part of Northern California, we've been having some warm sunshiney weather too. And, actually, I never let cold weather stop me from eating ice cream and ice cream-like foods! Btw, is "knot the tip of my nose" translated from Italian? Just curious as I've never heard it.
Jerry, panna cotta is a great idea. I had always assumed it was baked like flan so this has been a revelation. For some reason I had a hard time finding Palma's recipe but there are many on epicurious.com so I should be set.
If anyone else out there has ideas I'd love to hear them though these three categories give me enough to go on for sure.
Here is the recipe from the kitchen goddess AKA Palma:
Pomegranate Panna Cotta
Red Layer: 3 T. unflavored gelatin 1 quart juice (cranberry or pomegranate ) 1/4 c. honey
In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin evenly over a cup of juice. Let stand for 5 minutes.
In a small saucepan, bring the remaining juice to a simmer. Remove from heat and whisk in honey. Whisk in gelatin mixture.
Let cool for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. (I let it cool at room temp, but put the mixing bowl in a larger metal mixing bowl full of ice water, to help the jelling process. It was starting to set when I put it in the martini glasses.)
Panna Cotta: 1 T. plus 2 t. unflavored gelatin 2 T. cold water 6 c. heavy cream 3 1/4.c. plain whole milk yogurt 1 1/2 c. sugar 2 vanilla beans split and seeds scraped red currants and mint for garnish
(This makes MUCH more panna cotta than you need, so you might half the recipe. I made the whole amount, as I have an army of healthy eating houseguests coming tomorrow, and they will polish it off!)
In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over water, and let stand for 5 min. In a large metal bowl, whisk yogurt with 3 c. cream.
In a saucepan, heat remaining 3 c. cream with sugar and vanilla beans, and bring to a simmer over moderately high heat. Remove from heat and add gelatin mixture. Strain the hot mixture with a colander into the yogurt/cream mixture. Whisk. Let cool 45 min.- 1 hour. (Again, I used an ice bath).
When panna cotta has thickened and cooled, ladle into glasses where red layer has jelled. Now keep glasses upright and chill. (I made them the day before the dinner party.) Garnish with currents and mint just before serving.
Cantaloupe balls served in martini glasses with Lemonicello (or some other type of liqueur).
Raspberries with zabayon.
Grapes half-dipped in sugar.
Maybe do a cheese course instead of dessert? Three types of cheese (ranging from mild to pungent), served with interesting flatbreads, a handful of walnuts and some fig conserve. (Might not suit children, but could they survive on some ice cream creation -- like vanilla ice cream served with chocolate-dipped cherries?)
I don't bake. I have spent a lifetime avoiding white flour, white sugar, white potatoes and all of those other whites. I am trying to prevent Type II diabates. I have a long, long list of fruit-based desserts so if this appeals, let me know what is in season in your area and I'll happy provide suggestions.
Jerry, thanks so much for posting the recipe. I found Palma's picture of it but for whatever reason didn't see the recipe so it was really thoughtful of you to post it for me. The other recipes I saw didn't call for yogurt so I'm intrigued (let's face it, I was intrigued after hearing the words pomegranate and panna cotta together).
Marion, thanks too for your wonderful ideas. I'm actually in the process of making limoncello and can't wait until it's ready to try it with fruit. I'm also intrigued by the grapes. I'm assuming you dip them in some sort of liquid to make the sugar stick?
If you happen to have some favorite lemon recipes I'd be happy to have them (though I realize they probably usually have sugar). We have a tree in our yard and so far I've made preserved lemons, limoncello, lemon poppyseed bread and olive oil cake. I'm on the verge of making lemon curd.
Perhaps all too obvious, but how about tiramisu? Unless you insist on baking your own ladyfingers (and I do not!), that is no baking, easy & quick prep, and must be done in advance.
Marcy - I was surprised at the recipe containing yoghurt as well - it added a wonderful layer to the flavour of the panna cotta - I actually had people licking their dish (not that I encourage that type of behaviour LOL).
Jerry
The traveler sees what he sees. The tourist sees what he has come to see. ~G.K. Chesterton
Hi Marcy! How are the babies? How about getting a prebaked tart shell, put some vanilla pudding in it and adding some fruit on top? OR...how about going to Acme Bakery(I was just there yesterday morning having a coffee at Fanny's) and getting some apple turnovers? The kids might like that.
gloria
Posts: 976 | Location: San Francisco bay area | Registered: 12 May 2003
Note that the recipe calls for dipping the frozen grapes into egg whites so that the sugar adheres. Not a good idea for pregnant woman or people with impaired immune systems.
Sorry, I don't much have of a repetoire of recipes with fresh lemons. But if you have access to a BBQ, you would slightly grill them and add slices as a garnish to a dessert plate. They taste almost sweet when they have been grilled.
Grilled fresh pineapple slices are divine. You can make a little "tower" of slices and decorate the plates with fresh herbs (mint would be nice). Here again, you could marinade the slices in either an orange-based liqueur like Cointreau or a lemon-based liqueur like Limoncello.
But do you have access to fresh figs at this time of the year? I can't think of a nicer dessert than fresh figs with a bit of warm honey poured over them and a few walnuts on the side. For those who indulge in dairy, a bit of whipped cream or a sweet flavoured ice cream (maybe walnut?) might be added to the plate.
One of the easiest no bake cookies around, and one that's been a favorite since my kids were little: Fudge Quickies. The original recipe called for shredded coconut, but since none of us liked coconut we didn't even include it. I'm guessing that you could easily add 1/2 cup at the end.
Here's the recipe as I make it:
Fudge Quickies
2 cups sugar 1/4 cup cocoa powder 1/4 cup butter 1/2 cup milk 3 cups rolled oats 1/2 cup chunky peanut butter 1 tsp vanilla
In a large saucepan combine the first 4 ingredients. Boil ONE minute. Remove from hear and add remaining ingredients. Mix well and drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper.
I know it's too late for your party but here are 2 spectacular recipes I inherited. Literally they go back 3 generations that I know.
The first is Caramel Dumplings
CARAMEL SAUCE 2 tbsp butter 1 & 1/2 c brown sugar 1/4 tsp salt 1 & 1/2 cups water Bring to a boil in a big pan
Dumplings 1 & 1/2 cup flour 1 & 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/3 cup sugar 1/4 cup butter 2/3 cup milk 1/2 tsp vanilla
Blend until the dough is smooth then add 1/4 cup chopped pecans. Drop by heaping tablespoons into the boiling caramel sauce. Cook 20 minutes. The dumplings should be done and the caramel fairly thick. I serve with additional chopped pecans and straight cream.
The other is cold Lemon Souffle
This recipe fills your average soufle pan plus so cut a collar.
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin 1/2 cup water 1 cup sugar (splenda works but I use only about 1/2 - 3/4 cup of splenda) 1/4 tsp salt 10 egg yolks 1 cup lemon juice (it is so much better with fresh lemon juice than real lemon) 1 tbsp lemon peel grated.
Soften the gelatin in the water in a medium sauce pan. Add above ingredients and cook over moderate heat stirring continuously. It will eventually get like lemon pudding. DO NOT BOIL, gentle simmer is all you need. Chill stirring occasionally so it doesn't get a skin.
In a separate bowl whip 1 cup whipping cream. Then in a second bowl whip your 10 egg whites until soft peak stage. Add 1/4 cup sugar (or splenda) and whip to firm peaks.
Fold the thoroughly cooled lemon mixture into the whipped cream then fold all of this into the egg whites. Put in souffle mold and chill for several hours.
Topic Closed
I forgot to bring along the recipe! 
