Cooking Challenge v3.0: Olympics

Started by Trilt
Veterinary Science Graduate Programs from U. of I.
This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Get help with your application

Use all the free resources available to you from SDN: articles, guides, expert advising, forums discussions, and school research.

Browse articles Compare schools My application plan Read Interview Feedback
Practice for interviews Ask an Advisor
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
Doctor-S said:
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.
Click to expand...
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. 😍
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
Home-made Tahitian Vanilla Cinnamon Sweet Rolls.

TahitianVanillaCinnamon Roll.jpg
 
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.
 
PrincessButterCup said:
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??
Click to expand...
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.
 
Last edited:
Doctor-S said:
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.
Click to expand...
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. 😀
 
Doctor-S said:
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.
Click to expand...
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.
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
PrincessButterCup said:
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. 😀
Click to expand...
Microwaving butter for cookies usually ends up with flat crispy cookies

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

6KcH1bR.jpg


BcsH80X.jpg


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

buns hon.jpg


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!
 
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
 
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.
 
strider144 said:
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.
Click to expand...
So when are you inviting me over for ice cream?!
 
Skimble said:
So when are you inviting me over for ice cream?!
Click to expand...
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.
 
strider144 said:
Just need 24 hours notice for the ice cream maker bowl to freeze 😉
Click to expand...
The worst part about making ice cream...
strider144 said:
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!
Click to expand...
So, March 15-17th of next year. See you then. (if I decide to go...)
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
Trilt said:
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:

6KcH1bR.jpg


BcsH80X.jpg


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. 🙂
Click to expand...

This looks like quiche to me.
 
Trilt said:
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
Click to expand...

Now I want soup dumplings....And I had tapas for dinner last night but at a restaurant....can I count that? Haha
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

CoffeeQuestionMark
OT What are you cooking?
19 20 21 22 23
Replies
1K
Views
110K
vampyrica
vampyrica
Kota1000
Early Admissions Challenges
Replies
11
Views
1K
Kota1000
Kota1000
Trilt
Indian - Cooking Challenge v2.0
Replies
4
Views
2K
Trilt
Trilt
Trilt
Fusion! Cooking Challenge v2.0
Replies
11
Views
2K
wolfspeaker
wolfspeaker
H
What didn't you know going in?
Replies
19
Views
3K
Posey
Posey