2017 Fall Baking Thread

[Phoenix]

Oh no, I didn't mean that the shops here would pass off fakes as Japanese produce! Just that the more reasonably priced produce here is from China due to the proximity, and Japanese produce is so expensive. With Oisix, it means I only pay US$5 for a peach instead of $10! Plus the 1 yen specials are amazing!!

OK I'll stop taking over the baking thread now.

Haha, thanks again for all this lovely infor. I'd so travel to Japan just to eat! and the fruit, OMG!!

I'll stop thread-jacking this baking thread now too.

 

[Loves Vintage]

What's four recipes among friends? This is my Mom's recipe--likely from her 60's Sunbeam (mix master) book cook.

1/2 cup soft butter
1 1/4 cups berry sugar
2 eggs (beaten)
1/2 cup (pure) cocoa
1 cup boiling water
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla

I'll preface this by saying and only use 1 cup sugar and use a bit more than 1/2 c butter. If I don't have cake flour I use all purpose and if I don't have berry sugar I use regular granulated. I no longer sift my flour. My results are consistently good. This cake is not really "sweet".

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Add boiling water to cocoa, whisking until smooth. Dissolve cocoa completely. Let cool.

Cream butter, add sugar, mix until light and fluffy. Blend in well beaten eggs and add vanilla.

Combine dry ingredients.

Alternating with cocoa/water, add dry ingredients to creamed mixture, until all combined/smooth. (I usually alternate a 1/3 of each at a time)

Grease pan(s). 8 inch square, bake 50-55 minutes. Layers 25-30 minutes.


cheers--Sharon

Sharon - I'll be making this at my next opportunity. Thank you for sharing!

And, Siamesearoo - that pie is stunning. I will definitely make the crust, but not sure about roasting my own pumpkin. That is ambitious, and I am a firm believe in from scratch baking, but . . . canned pumpkin, I think, will have to do.

 

[AGBF]

I'll stop thread-jacking this baking thread now too.

Please do not stop contributing about any food topic (or any topic) you like! This thread has been so juicy and interesting with some food information that was new (at least new to me). I have been learning and enjoying it so much! It is not a threadjack to bring the joy of food to others.

Deb

 

[mochiko42]

Deb, that's so gracious of you

I hope it's OK, if I share some photos of food from my trip to Tokyo a few months ago, including some pâtisserie. Just to share with fellow food lovers.

Cakes at a 'depachika' (food hall in the basement of department stores, originally modeled on the food halls in European dept stores like Harrods and Galeries Lafayette). Japanese pâtisserie tend to be mildly sweet (less sweet compared to American cake, there is more emphasis on the natural flavors of ingredients such as fruit) and light in texture.


Chicken ramen and the pot of soup stock (the fish are niboshi, dried sardines).


Brown butter banana Souffle pancakes from Bill's Ometesando (Bill's is an Australian import from Sydney). Brunch (especially Hawaiian style breakfast like macadamia pancakes) are super popular.

Traditional Japanese grilled sticky rice dumplings called dango (one with purple sweet potato and one with soy butter glaze).


Sushi at a cheap standing sushi place in Shibuya.

Sea urchin (uni) and fatty tuna (chuutoro)

Japanese sakura (cherry) salmon, a rare seasonal specialty.


Yakitori (grilled chicken skewers, everything from breast to liver and tail)


Cappuccino coffee in an ice cream cone.

 

[canuk-gal]

Hiya Sharon! I'm not familiar with berry sugar - can you explain what it is? TIA.

Berry sugar is much finer in texture than granulated sugar...

http://edmontonjournal.com/life/foo...-granulated-sugar-berry-sugar-and-icing-sugar

cheers--Sharon

 

[AGBF]

I hope it's OK, if I share some photos of food from my trip to Tokyo a few months ago, including some pâtisserie. Just to share with fellow food lovers.

Simply gorgeous photos, mochiko. I never especially wanted to visit Japan...or any of Asia. I do not know why. Limited cultural curiosity due to limited intellectual exposure and limited intellectual capacity, I assume. I am now ready to visit Japan purely for a gastronomic tour, however. My stomach is clearly bigger than my brain. C'est la vie! But I truly appreciate your efforts.

Hugs,
Deb

 

[kenny]

Oh, to be able to eat anything again.

 

[happybear]

I love this thread!
Mochiko, Japan is one of my favourite country to visit too! DH just love the food there.

How I wish we can buy fruits directly from there and ship them over to Singapore. Hope that will become a reality soon...

 

[Phoenix]

Please do not stop contributing about any food topic (or any topic) you like! This thread has been so juicy and interesting with some food information that was new (at least new to me). I have been learning and enjoying it so much! It is not a threadjack to bring the joy of food to others.

Deb

Thank you, Deb.

 

[Phoenix]

This may not look like much, but I've been trying to make banana bread forever! Even though I can make quite a few desserts and multiple savoury dishes, for some reason banana bread eluded me...til now, that is!!

 

[mochiko42]

This may not look like much, but I've been trying to make banana bread forever! Even though I can make quite a few desserts and multiple savoury dishes, for some reason banana bread eluded me...til now, that is!!

Ahhhhhhh that looks totally worth the carbs!!!

 

[Phoenix]

Ahhhhhhh that looks totally worth the carbs!!!

Lol. It's sooo sinful!

 

[valeria101]

@mochiko42 @Phoenix Everything about Japanese fruit markets is news to me ! The sort of quality you mention is exactly why I love living with one foot in the countryside ...

 

[mochiko42]

One last diversion to Japanese produce and cuisine. Japanese peach! This one's for you, @Phoenix & @happybear I am glad it's persimmon season now but my favorite time is that 2 to 3 week overlap when it's lychee season in Southern China AND peach season in Japan.

 

[Phoenix]

@mochiko42 , I'm officially jealous!!

 

[gemgirl]

Back in 2010 when we had our original Favorite Cake Recipe thread, I asked for a recipe for rum cake, hoping to find something that looked a lot like the one my mother used to bake every Christmas. April was sweet enough to provide me with this link. The main difference between this recipe and my mothers is that the entire top and partially down the sides of my mom's was encrusted with sliced almonds. The heat and the stickiness of the ingredients made the nuts become "one with the cake". The nuts partially sunk in and hung on to produce a hardish sticky "crust" on the top. Frankly my mother's was one to sacrifice calories in advance for, and realistically, if eaten with a dollop or two of freshly made whipped cream, it would probably equal my calorie intake now for a day.

Here is the Bacardi version from April. https://www.thespruce.com/bacardi-rum-cake-recipe-304451

 

[Loves Vintage]

I made these Oatmeal Cream Pies for a bake sale. I should have taken photos before I packaged them up, but completely forgot. There are tons of recipes on blogs for these, and I would try another one if I ever make these again. I felt they could have used MORE filling, but they were super good. So good, I was glad that I gave all but one away!

 

[AGBF]

I made these Oatmeal Cream Pies for a bake sale. I should have taken photos before I packaged them up, but completely forgot. There are tons of recipes on blogs for these, and I would try another one if I ever make these again. I felt they could have used MORE filling, but they were super good. So good, I was glad that I gave all but one away!

So where is the recipe?

Deb

 

[AGBF]

This may not look like much, but I've been trying to make banana bread forever! Even though I can make quite a few desserts and multiple savoury dishes, for some reason banana bread eluded me...til now, that is!!

This is the sort of quick bread that is my usual fare: cranberry bread; banana bread; pumpkin bread. Do not get me wrong. There is a reason it is a staple! The breads are scrumptious. However, I have been very pleased to see things in this thread that are new to me this year. If I were eating carbs, though, I would beg for a piece of this, Phoenix! Is there sour cream in the recipe?

Deb

 

[Phoenix]

This is the sort of quick bread that is my usual fare: cranberry bread; banana bread; pumpkin bread. Do not get me wrong. There is a reason it is a staple! The breads are scrumptious. However, I have been very pleased to see things in this thread that are new to me this year. If I were eating carbs, though, I would beg for a piece of this, Phoenix! Is there sour cream in the recipe?

Deb

I just had another morsel of the bread today. OMG!! That my TWO cheat meals this week gone!! It's reaaaally scrumptious!! I will try and make pumpkin bread - that sounds yummy too. Deb, there's no sour cream in my banana bread - I'm afraid to try!

 

[AGBF]

Deb, there's no sour cream in my banana bread - I'm afraid to try!

Fear is your friend, Phoenix. That's why you look the way you do.
Good luck with the pumpkin bread. And, by the way, sour cream in banana bread makes it even better!

Hugs,
Deb

 

[AGBF]

PS-here is the one I found and was thinking I would try.

Pumpkin Pie Cake

Ingredients

• 1 (29 ounce) can canned pumpkin puree
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease one 9 x 13 inch pan (preferably metal).
2. In a large bowl, combine pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Mix well. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
3. Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the pumpkin mixture. Melt the butter or margarine, and drizzle it over the cake mix. Sprinkle walnuts over the top.
4. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until done.

When I was in Maine I made this with some variations. I used 5 large (not Jumbo) beaten eggs with the evaporated milk and Libby's pumpkin pie mix (a 29 oz can). I added cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla although it is not necessary if you use the pie mix instead of the purée). I used carrot cake mix, not yellow. Before I put the chopped walnuts and butter on top I threw on some raisins, too. I might also use coconut if I did it again. My best friend's husband loved it. He said it was better than a pumpkin pie. The cake appeared to have a "pumpkin pie" filling. Don't eat it right after baking; let it set. I served this with vanilla ice cream. I bet whipped cream would also be great. (Why not both?)