Cooking Challenge v3.0: Olympics

[Trilt]

Hey, if you zoom to my home, I'll make one for you.

I use true Tahitian vanilla beans when I prepare pastries ... you know ... scrape the tiny seeds out of the vanilla pod.

If I get some extra time this week, I'll prepare some Tahitian Vanilla Cinnamon sweet rolls and post photos on this thread.

I have a happy medium between vanilla extract and keeping beans on hand... I usually keep a jar of this stuff on hand. It's cheaper than Amazon at my local store, and just fantastic. Puts the little flecks of vanilla in things.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[SkiOtter]

Hey, if you zoom to my home, I'll make one for you.

I use true Tahitian vanilla beans when I prepare pastries ... you know ... scrape the tiny seeds out of the vanilla pod.

If I get some extra time this week, I'll prepare some Tahitian Vanilla Cinnamon sweet rolls and post photos on this thread.

oooo tasty!!

 

[Doctor-S]

Can confirm, was phenomenal.

I will add ... BRAVO to Mr. Coopah for being a phenomenal pastry chef - impressive! Lucky you Mrs. Coopah!

 

[Doctor-S]

Home-made Tahitian Vanilla Cinnamon Sweet Rolls.

 

[SkiOtter]

Home-made Tahitian Vanilla Cinnamon Sweet Rolls.

View attachment 221397

I need this too please

 

[Frozenshades]

Okay I give in. Gonna bake a cake. Cause I can. Pics to follow later

 

[Frozenshades]

Well vanilla extract will have to do. I didn't feel like hunting around town and the cheapest one at my usual grocer was $8 for one vanilla bean. Riiiight lol. I see you can buy them for $1.50-$3ish on Amazon, so maybe for the future.

 

[Frozenshades]

Maple vanilla apple cake

 

[PrincessButterCup]

Home-made Tahitian Vanilla Cinnamon Sweet Rolls.

I can never make my cinnamon rolls look right. The dough is so sticky and sticks to everything and it won't roll up correctly and then they look sad and it's all just one big sad mess.

But yours looks ABSOLUTELY perfect. Is there a secret to this??

 

[Doctor-S]

I can never make my cinnamon rolls look right. The dough is so sticky and sticks to everything and it won't roll up correctly and then they look sad and it's all just one big sad mess.

But yours looks ABSOLUTELY perfect. Is there a secret to this??

Take your time and remain patient (and do not become impatient and rush).

I don't know if you're already doing these things, but here are some of the things I do when I'm working with yeasty dough:

1. I don't add cold ingredients to the yeast mixture. Instead, I add warm ingredients to the yeast mixture. This means if I need to add an egg to a yeast mixture, I first warm the egg in a cup of water. Yup, that's what I mean by being patient and not rushing through the recipe.

2. Many times, I refrigerate dough for a short time so that I can slice or shape the chilled dough much more easily. By the way, I also refrigerate cookie dough for the same "shaping" reason.

3. This last suggestion might sound weird but it works well: when I slice the cinnamon roll dough, I don't use any knives. Reason: when I used a knife to slice or cut dough, it often left jagged and uneven marks on the dough and squished/squeezed the dough into uneven slices. Instead, I use strong dental floss because the dental floss cuts through the cinnamon dough cleanly and smoothly, and doesn't squish or squeeze the loaf of dough. This leaves each roll with an even and clean appearance.

 

[TheGirlWithTheFernTattoo]

Dr S those look amazing.....

Also FS that cake looks awesome.


My contribution is that I ate vanilla yoghurt this morning. Traveling hotel breakfasts don't leave much room for cooking creativity lol.

 

[Frozenshades]

Dr S those look amazing.....

Also FS that cake looks awesome.


My contribution is that I ate vanilla yoghurt this morning. Traveling hotel breakfasts don't leave much room for cooking creativity lol.

Thanks. I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out

 

[PrincessButterCup]

Take your time and remain patient (and do not become impatient and rush).

I don't know if you're already doing these things, but here are some of the things I do when I'm working with yeasty dough:

1. I don't add cold ingredients to the yeast mixture. Instead, I add warm ingredients to the yeast mixture. This means if I need to add an egg to a yeast mixture, I first warm the egg in a cup of water. Yup, that's what I mean by being patient and not rushing through the recipe.

2. Many times, I refrigerate dough for a short time so that I can slice or shape the chilled dough much more easily. By the way, I also refrigerate cookie dough for the same "shaping" reason.

3. This last suggestion might sound weird but it works well: when I slice the cinnamon roll dough, I don't use any knives. Reason: when I used a knife to slice or cut dough, it often left jagged and uneven marks on the dough and squished/squeezed the dough into uneven slices. Instead, I use strong dental floss because the dental floss cuts through the cinnamon dough cleanly and smoothly, and doesn't squish or squeeze the loaf of dough. This leaves each roll with an even and clean appearance.

I never thought to warm my eggs! (Though, half the time when I'm supposed to let butter set until it's room temperature I just throw it in the microwave . . . Patience and planning ahead are things I need to work on). Refrigerating is a great idea. I do that with sugar cookies, I just never thought to apply it the other dough. Dental floss sounds absolutely genius. Thanks, Dr S! I'm going to try some rolls this week and I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[cowgirla]

I never thought to warm my eggs! (Though, half the time when I'm supposed to let butter set until it's room temperature I just throw it in the microwave . . .

This is why I'm a good cook but a horrible baker :-D I do the same thing. I also think measurements and leveling are just suggestions....

 

[cdo96]

Take your time and remain patient (and do not become impatient and rush).

I don't know if you're already doing these things, but here are some of the things I do when I'm working with yeasty dough:

1. I don't add cold ingredients to the yeast mixture. Instead, I add warm ingredients to the yeast mixture. This means if I need to add an egg to a yeast mixture, I first warm the egg in a cup of water. Yup, that's what I mean by being patient and not rushing through the recipe.

2. Many times, I refrigerate dough for a short time so that I can slice or shape the chilled dough much more easily. By the way, I also refrigerate cookie dough for the same "shaping" reason.

3. This last suggestion might sound weird but it works well: when I slice the cinnamon roll dough, I don't use any knives. Reason: when I used a knife to slice or cut dough, it often left jagged and uneven marks on the dough and squished/squeezed the dough into uneven slices. Instead, I use strong dental floss because the dental floss cuts through the cinnamon dough cleanly and smoothly, and doesn't squish or squeeze the loaf of dough. This leaves each roll with an even and clean appearance.

I...


I bake TollHouse Break n Bake cookies, and sometimes I'm still so impatient, I just eat the cookie dough, and hope I don't get salmonella.

 

[SkiOtter]

I never thought to warm my eggs! (Though, half the time when I'm supposed to let butter set until it's room temperature I just throw it in the microwave . . . Patience and planning ahead are things I need to work on). Refrigerating is a great idea. I do that with sugar cookies, I just never thought to apply it the other dough. Dental floss sounds absolutely genius. Thanks, Dr S! I'm going to try some rolls this week and I'll let you know how it goes.

Microwaving butter for cookies usually ends up with flat crispy cookies

And for the floss, make sure you get Unscented and not something minty

 

[Trilt]

By far the least attractive food I've made for these challenges, but this is delicious. Vanilla cheesecake with vanilla caramelized asian apple pears on top:

Chocolate graham cracker crust, this cheesecake recipe, and then just made caramel and cooked the apple pear slices in it. Could probably be made much prettier with a lil effort, but yuuum.

I'm gonna update the thread later tonight/tomorrow, because I know we have a couple recipes pending. Gonna make the theme "small plates" instead of specifically dim sum to broaden the scope a little.

 

[TheGirlWithTheFernTattoo]

Yum, that looks amazing Trout!

 

[genny]

Since my plans to play WW were ruined today, I figured I'd pack two challenges into one:

Used the dough recipe from here: Vegan Char Siu Bao - The Woks of Life
but I added vanilla extract to the wash over the buns before baking, and didn't glaze the buns after.

The filling is all the stuff I needed to use in my fridge before it went bad. A bunch of fresh but wilting spinach, 1/4 of a red onion left over from making guacamole, a little bag of sweet red/yellow/orange peppers that I've been meaning to use for a week. Diced everything really tiny. Cooked the onion first in butter, then added the peppers. Spices were ginger, sriracha, and maple syrup. Added spinach. Cooked off as much liquid as possible. Chilled the filling while the dough finished rising. Mixed the chilled filling with some feta I forgot I had until today.

I made 12 buns even though the recipe is for 10. Sweet and spicy!

 

[Filly Bay]

Vanilla Brownies with Vanilla icing!
(Brownie recipe)
(Icing recipe)

Only thing I would change is using a larger pan so they were a little thinner.

 

[Karabiner13]

Vanilla Fudge
Have to cool it in the fridge yet but tasted while cleaning up and it tastes great!

 

[scb44f]

I don't know how I missed this thread. Apparently I need to stop by SDN more often. These look delicious!

My husband and I have been working our way through several cookbooks plus recipes from his grandmother. Highly recommend the America's Test Kitchen books to anyone wanting to make amazing food with perfect instructions. I appreciate a good meal and those books have taught me what I've been doing right and wrong and how to fix/prevent mistakes.

Also, it doesn't help that I have VERY poor senses of smell and taste, so if I make things that aren't a recipe, I usually F up the seasonings. So far, following ATK recipes, I've gotten major compliments on my food. I even decided to make a lemon-lime bundt cake based on their lemon bundt recipe and it turned out lovely! I am finally not making disgusting food

 

[Mr. Coopah]

Homemade vanilla ice cream. I then used it to make mudslides

 

[LadyOtheFarm]

Homemade vanilla ice cream. I then used it to make mudslides

*Looks on drooling as she thinks about how soon the cow will pop...*

 

[strider144]

It's been too hot to exist the past week and a half, so instead of cooking I've made ice cream. Last week it was vegan cardamom-coconut milk ice cream with a sour cherry swirl. Today was a super refreshing ice cream / sherbet hybrid flavored with tarragon and basil (and a tiny bit of thyme, dried lemon peel, and coriander). It is seriously, unbelievably amazing and was very popular with company tonight so it's not just me. I had tarragon soda in my travels in the Caucasus recently so I knew it would behave in a sweet dish. Five stars, would make again.

It maybe wouldn't hurt to occasionally choose flavors based on something other than what happens to be lying around in the kitchen or garden, but so far so good.

 

[Skimble]

It's been too hot to exist the past week and a half, so instead of cooking I've made ice cream. Last week it was vegan cardamom-coconut milk ice cream with a sour cherry swirl. Today was a super refreshing ice cream / sherbet hybrid flavored with tarragon and basil (and a tiny bit of thyme, dried lemon peel, and coriander). It is seriously, unbelievably amazing and was very popular with company tonight so it's not just me. I had tarragon soda in my travels in the Caucasus recently so I knew it would behave in a sweet dish. Five stars, would make again.

It maybe wouldn't hurt to occasionally choose flavors based on something other than what happens to be lying around in the kitchen or garden, but so far so good.

So when are you inviting me over for ice cream?!

 

[Trilt]

Had a recent laptop disaster and editing this thread is not the easiest from phone, sorry for delay.

This week is Dim Sum, and/or more broadly, small plates such as tapas. You don't have to go crazy and make a whole assortment, but poke through the links and maybe try something a little bit new.

Dim sum - Wikipedia
Tapas - Wikipedia

 

[strider144]

So when are you inviting me over for ice cream?!

Just need 24 hours notice for the ice cream maker bowl to freeze

Spent about a day trying to figure out if that sounded creepy. Whenever that single-Allegro's-pizza pizza party discussed in the WWzoo game happens, y'all can all come over after for ice cream. I'm sure my roomie wouldn't find that at all weird. I mean, we even have two ice cream makers in this household to allow for two concurrent batches!

Off on a road trip tomorrow, which either means making amazing vegan tapas with my VT friends or declaring some single-serve gas station snack a small plate. Only time will tell.

 

[SkiOtter]

Just need 24 hours notice for the ice cream maker bowl to freeze

The worst part about making ice cream...

Whenever that single-Allegro's-pizza pizza party discussed in the WWzoo game happens, y'all can all come over after for ice cream. I'm sure my roomie wouldn't find that at all weird. I mean, we even have two ice cream makers in this household to allow for two concurrent batches!

So, March 15-17th of next year. See you then. (if I decide to go...)

 

[strider144]

The worst part about making ice cream...

So, March 15-17th of next year. See you then. (if I decide to go...)

Yep. It'll be <1 pizza slice and two bowls of ice cream per person. Sounds like a party to me!

 

[SkiOtter]

Yep. It'll be <1 pizza slice and two bowls of ice cream per person. Sounds like a party to me!

YAAASSSSSSSSSS ALL THE ICE CREAM

 

[strider144]

YAAASSSSSSSSSS ALL THE ICE CREAM

Gotta have priorities.

 

[sheltermed]

By far the least attractive food I've made for these challenges, but this is delicious. Vanilla cheesecake with vanilla caramelized asian apple pears on top:

Chocolate graham cracker crust, this cheesecake recipe, and then just made caramel and cooked the apple pear slices in it. Could probably be made much prettier with a lil effort, but yuuum.

I'm gonna update the thread later tonight/tomorrow, because I know we have a couple recipes pending. Gonna make the theme "small plates" instead of specifically dim sum to broaden the scope a little.

This looks like quiche to me.

 

[SkiOtter]

This looks like quiche to me.

Quiche would be egg and not cheeeese though, no?

 

[sheltermed]

Quiche would be egg and not cheeeese though, no?

I think most quiche has cheese in it??

 

[SkiOtter]

I think most quiche has cheese in it??

No I mean the base of the filling. Quiche is an egg base and cheesecake is a cream cheese or ricotta base. Cheesecake does have a smidge of egg in it unless it's no-bake, but it's not he main part of the base.

 

[Trilt]

I mean, no, it isn't quiche. It is cheesecake. Not sure what this argument is for.

 

[WildZoo]

I mean, no, it isn't quiche. It is cheesecake. Not sure what this argument is for.

Are you sure?

 

[SkiOtter]

I mean, no, it isn't quiche. It is cheesecake.

That's what I'm sayin' trouty pants

 

[Trilt]

Are you sure?

Mah tummy isss~

 

[orca2011]

Had a recent laptop disaster and editing this thread is not the easiest from phone, sorry for delay.

This week is Dim Sum, and/or more broadly, small plates such as tapas. You don't have to go crazy and make a whole assortment, but poke through the links and maybe try something a little bit new.

Dim sum - Wikipedia
Tapas - Wikipedia

Now I want soup dumplings....And I had tapas for dinner last night but at a restaurant....can I count that? Haha

 

[JaynaAli]

It's only one dish so maybe not on theme, but I made huevos rancheros for dinner. It also might not be the most photogenic thing I've made, but it did taste good.

 

[Trilt]

Theme-adjacent at least.... a teeny tiny caprese salad. Difficult without scale, but this plate is less than 6" in diameter, and I used pearl sized mozzarella balls.

 

[Trilt]

Theme-adjacent at least.... a teeny tiny caprese salad. Difficult without scale, but this plate is less than 6" in diameter, and I used pearl sized mozzarella balls.

(and then the lazy version for the rest)

 

[JaynaAli]

Theme-adjacent at least.... a teeny tiny caprese salad. Difficult without scale, but this plate is less than 6" in diameter, and I used pearl sized mozzarella balls.

Caprese salad always looks amazing...then I remember I don't really like raw tomatoes.

 

[cowgirla]

I'm at a ce conference. This was dinner.

 

[cdo96]

@Trilt probably just did tiny plates as an excuse to use her tiny waffle maker

 

[hazelmoo]

I love this thread so much

 

[WildZoo]

I had to google the theme and I'm still not sure I get it...is it just...meat?

 

[cowgirla]

I had to google the theme and I'm still not sure I get it...is it just...meat?

Meats, cheese, nuts, grapes/fruits, olives, fancy crackers/toasts, sometimes jams/marmalades that pair with the above. Anything you might see on a cheese plate or sampler plate at a fancy restaurant. That's my interpretation anyway!