Author Topic: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread? (Read 22626 times)

hellymedic · « **Reply #25 on:** 10 September, 2017, 07:04:21 pm »

It's a veritable gold mine! There's a HUGE database of recipes in the left margin and lots of still pictures to instruct for individual recipes.
Anyway, using Google translate made short work of the few ingredients I didn't recognise immediately from being a compulsive label reader!

TimO · « **Reply #26 on:** 22 October, 2017, 01:38:37 pm »

I attempted to cook a soft apple cake, with a gel like texture to the filling, similar to the cake a friend had bought.

It wasn't a great success. I didn't use enough gelatin (or used too much liquid) with the filling, and the pastry was harder than I intended. The entire cake 'slumped' when I removed it from the cake tin. Having said that, it tastes OK, so the failure will still be eaten.

hellymedic · « **Reply #27 on:** 22 October, 2017, 01:54:32 pm »

Looks tasty!

I use raisins as 'osmotic sponges' to mop up excess moisture in fruit cakes.

TimO · « **Reply #28 on:** 22 October, 2017, 05:51:22 pm »

Quote from: hellymedic on 22 October, 2017, 01:54:32 pm

I use raisins as 'osmotic sponges' to mop up excess moisture in fruit cakes.

That's useful information, although there were obviously not enough to soak up the moisture in my mix !

Next time ...

TimO · « **Reply #29 on:** 30 October, 2017, 11:01:21 am »

Lemon Meringue Pie according to the recipe on the Jamie Oliver site, together with the sweet pastry recipe on the same site, rather than using bought pastry, as the lemon meringue recipe suggests.

It's very good, and recommended. The only thing you seem to have to be really careful with, is the lemon curd mix, where things like the amount of cornflour and gently cooking it, are important. Similarly with making sure that you've just got egg whites in a clean bowl, when making the meringue, but that's a general beating egg whites issue. The texture seems to be just right, solid enough to stay in place, but soft enough to easily eat and enjoy it.

pcolbeck · « **Reply #30 on:** 30 October, 2017, 02:20:26 pm »

I made my first cake yesterday a Mary Berry Victoria Sponge. Nom nom nom it turned out rather well.
I do cook just never made a cake before for some unknown reason.

Mrs Pingu · « **Reply #31 on:** 02 November, 2017, 10:55:00 pm »

Courgette & lime cake. Amazeballs. Why yes, I *do* say so myself.

2017-10-31_11-14-22 by The Pingus, on Flickr

pcolbeck · « **Reply #32 on:** 03 November, 2017, 08:02:28 am »

Courgette cake ? Thats one of those things that sounds horrible but probably tastes wonderful. Much like carrot cake. What's the recipe Mrs Pingu I might have to try this one?

Mrs Pingu · « **Reply #33 on:** 03 November, 2017, 06:01:05 pm »

Yes, a bit like carrot cake, very moist.
I think this is the original recipe http://blogs.warwick.ac.uk/hcha/entry/the_baking_of/
FYI, 250g is only about 2 courgettes, so you don't need hundreds. The quantities for the lime curd and the icing are also way too much, probably 1/2 to 2/3rds would be nore than enough.

TimO · « **Reply #34 on:** 05 November, 2017, 10:43:56 am »

A sort of brownie with a mascarpone based cream. It looks good, but I've yet to let it cool enough to slice it up and try.

It was made according to this recipe.

(For some reason, the pictures don't render in the translated version, so this is the untranslated link).

TimO · « **Reply #35 on:** 01 April, 2018, 02:10:38 pm »

Since it's Easter, I cooked some Pască. It collapsed a little in the middle, but tastes OK, so that's not a big problem.

I actually made half the recipe quantity, so it only used a single egg, but I now have spare feta, cream cheese and sour cream to do something with!

Made using this recipe.

TimO · « **Reply #36 on:** 17 February, 2019, 12:34:23 pm »

I made Lemon Meringue Pie again, using this recipe, which is more straightforward to follow since it doesn't send you off elsewhere for pastry and curd recipes, but it is very similar, to the Jamie Oliver one.

I do like making Lemon Meringue Pie, it's far better than anything you can buy in the shops.

Ham · « **Reply #37 on:** 17 February, 2019, 06:35:49 pm »

A couple of weeks ago I made one and, as I often do, I look for the Felicity Cloake meta-recipe. Even if I don't cook her "ultimate" choice, the recipe discussion often has some interesting options and touches. In this case, the lemony-ness achieves close to perfection IMO - 3 zest and 6 juice.

L CC · « **Reply #38 on:** 17 February, 2019, 10:57:09 pm »

I do tarte au citron meringuee which is nearly, but not quite, the same.

Ham · « **Reply #39 on:** 25 September, 2021, 10:10:23 pm »

Choo choo!

or is that chew chew?

citoyen · « **Reply #40 on:** 27 September, 2021, 10:28:42 am »

Very nice! I'm looking forward to becoming a grandparent just for the excuse to do stuff like that. Not going to happen any time soon though.

Thanks for reviving this thread too - I have cause to make a cake this week but was lacking inspiration. Several great ideas here...

Snakehips · « **Reply #41 on:** 12 March, 2022, 12:15:24 pm »

I am delighted to say that there is a growing trend in my family to send 'Artisan' cake by post to mark special events. It's too early yet to call it a tradition , but I hope it will become so. A particular favourite of mine is the Meg Rivers Ginger Cake. If anybody is interested they offer a discount on your first order, code NEWBIEFORTY

https://megrivers.co.uk/

Ham · « **Reply #42 on:** 26 August, 2022, 06:57:37 am »

One year on (or almost, because (a) he's leaving his nursery and (b) in one month he'll have a new sister)

Ham · « **Reply #43 on:** 24 September, 2023, 01:13:35 pm »

Now he is 5i think I have to put a little more effort in, this is what recent baking was about

Mrs Pingu · « **Reply #44 on:** 19 November, 2023, 05:22:27 pm »

I made Earl Grey & dark chocolate torte
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/chocolate-earl-grey-torte
I'm not really one for 'chocolate cake' but this is very good. And moist.
It does make quite a lot though.

Ham · « **Reply #45 on:** 02 March, 2024, 06:32:37 pm »

Quite pleased with how this has turned out

barakta · « **Reply #46 on:** 03 March, 2024, 11:48:36 pm »

I must have forgotten this thread. Loving the photos from Ham of various cakes from recent to less recent. Works of art all of them, top grandparenting!

Ham · « **Reply #47 on:** 04 March, 2024, 08:44:04 am »

Funny ol' thing, I was only thinking to myself how Cake Expectations have changed over the years, most likely along with the coming of Teh Age of Teh Internets.

My online archive only goes back to mid-2000's, I think one of m favourite was the one I did for my daughter's 21st, unfortunately in a damn poor show, I don't seem to have any pictures of the rear (caricature carry on around the cake)

In the advanced stages of making

As finished

Other gleanings of varying quality include Annie's 1st birthday

Thomas' 1st

Mrs Ham's mum's 90th

Showing various incarnations of, what must be considered, my favourite tin.

If I get a moment I may go back to the film prints, to do a bit of archakeology

rogerzilla · « **Reply #48 on:** 04 March, 2024, 08:55:18 am »

I remember the Great Cupcake Craze of 2013-2015, when all anyone wanted for Christmas was a recipe book and a set of silicone cupcake moulds. Like loom bands and fidget spinners, now consigned to the dumpster of "what were we thinking?" cultural history.

L CC · « **Reply #49 on:** 04 March, 2024, 11:12:30 am »

Colleague's birthday.