Italian night (full sweet table)is coming up for me and I'm trying to think of two ideas I can use for pastry centerpieces in that theme. I'm stuck so far...I don't want to do anything too crazy it's a very busy month so I won't have much time.
Maybe a decorated cake like what? Or something classic Italian with some height to it?

Can anyone help me?

P.S. Also looking for favorite Italian pastries for a buffet??? I've already made the obvious ones last year, maybe new twists to the old???

By momoreg on Friday, January 28, 2000 - 06:27 pm: Edit

Do you want your centerpiece to look like something edible, or does it just have to be something in an Italian theme? Will people be eating it at all? For pastry,you might like to try tosca: prebaked sweet dough, with a mixture of caramel and sliced almonds on top. It can be cut into any shape or size, it's easy, and elegant. You can pour it into a tart shell as well.

By W.DeBord on Friday, January 28, 2000 - 09:18 pm: Edit

Boy I've never heard of tosca, what is it?

Yes totally edible, I may need to serve it if needed, but hopefully not. I've thought about a 3D bottle of wine( can't spell the name). I don't know much about Italy, I can't think of anything famous that is easy to reproduce.

Non-centerpiece I was wondering about chocolate or fruit leather ravoli, but it has to be reasonable to make. I've seen these in books but never tried to make them.

I'm going to buy Nick Maligeri (sp?) book on Italian desserts tommarrow. Anyone know if it's a good book?

By me on Friday, January 28, 2000 - 11:02 pm: Edit

i have 2 of malgieri's books- How To Bake and Perfect Pastry. They have some good ideas but I don't really like many of the recipes. However, I am always using the books as a reference.

By momoreg on Friday, January 28, 2000 - 11:25 pm: Edit

When do you need the recipe? I can get it for you, but probably not until Tuesday.

By W.DeBord on Saturday, January 29, 2000 - 07:36 pm: Edit

Momoreg next week is fine thank-you.

By momoreg on Tuesday, February 01, 2000 - 05:25 pm: Edit

W. or anybody else who's interested,
This is the recipe for tosca, which I acquired quite a few years ago in pastry school:
1 # butter
1# sugar
14 oz. lt. corn syrup
12 oz. lt. cream

Boil mixture to 220 F., and toss in 1# 4 oz. lightly toasted sliced almonds. Pou over prebaked sweet dough. Chill and cut. I don't have a yeild for this. Sorry. But they're tasty and versatile. Good luck.

By W.DeBord on Wednesday, February 02, 2000 - 07:29 am: Edit

Help...don't we have any Italian chefs here????


Momoreg is this a breakfast pastry? I'm not familar with it...would you serve this at night? Sliced bread?

By momoreg on Wednesday, February 02, 2000 - 08:46 am: Edit

No, it's not a breakfast pastry. It's too sweet for that. I assumed you were looking for evening buffet desserts,, aren't you?

By tj on Wednesday, February 02, 2000 - 03:44 pm: Edit

w.
unfortunatly, the italian pastry kitchen is not as diveresed and colorfull as the other european ones.although there are quite a few recipes that i like, like the cassata, gelatos, many cookies, and tiramisu.it is dificult to come up with too many good ideas that would not be old fassion,most people have seen them befor and it is dificult to surprise them with something italian that is new or different cause the italian style is in many ways old fassion and a little limited...i dont see how you can avoid remaking all the old classics favorites...but whats wrong with that?

By tj on Wednesday, February 02, 2000 - 03:51 pm: Edit

i dont think you will find too many new or inovative ideas in malgiegi`s books.it is all classic preperations and quite basic in the general aproach.which is fine.but i think you are looking for new ideas on an italian theme ,and that is a chalange...how about a large cone shaped styrofoam covered with mini canoli all over ,stuck with tooth picks?sprinkle the cream ends with green and red sugar...

By d. on Wednesday, February 02, 2000 - 07:05 pm: Edit

I have a great recipe for anise cookies if you'd like. I made them once for something Italian and they loved it. I recall making mini tiramisus, mini cannolis, espresso cream puffs and biscotti. Or what about making puff dough squares filled with ganache(or something else) and make it look like ravioli? The Mrs. Fields book does have a cookie that resembles that, if I remember correctly.

By W.DeBord on Wednesday, February 02, 2000 - 07:07 pm: Edit

Well I didn't buy his book after all, wasen't as interesting as I thought at first glance.

I did see something using meringue, whip cream and strawberries building it up into a tall cone shape. Kind of simplistic.

It's confusing because some books that contain alot of Italian recipes seem to be making anything and titling it in Italian. I'm tempted to do the same???

Nothings wrong with classic. Alot of the old classics are very simple I kind of wanted a more elegant buffet table or to suprise them with something clever.

By Ramodeo (Ramodeo) on Wednesday, February 02, 2000 - 08:03 pm: Edit

W.- Sorry it's taken me so long to respond.

One of the basic philosophies of Italian eating is to savor the very best ingredients at their peak. This is true of sweets as well. With desserts in the Italian restaurant where I work, I try to find an "Italian" flavor that I can present at it's best. This time of year is tough for fruit in the midwest, but citrus is good now. This week I did a pine nut lemon tart. Sweet short pastry with chopped toasted pine nuts, prebaked and filled with lemon curd. Could be done as a finger pastry, add just a litle gelatin to the curd. I've topped it with either meringue or cream before. Also very good with orange curd or better yet - blood orange curd! mmmmmmm

Mini canoli are always popular, I prefer the ends dipped in choc. shavings mixed with sliced toasted almonds. We make a ricotta, sugar, choc chip and lemon zest filling that is very easy. I prefer it to the cooked custard fillings.

Cassata can be very elegant. The most popular one we do is a rum soaked almond sponge cake with sweetened ricotta filling, whipped cream frosting with marzipan layer around the sides or on top, or just sliced toasted almonds around the sides. Brightly colored candied fruit is traditional, but it's hard not to get gaudy looking with that stuff.

One of our regular desserts is and espresso crostada. Prebaked almond pastry (basically short pastry made with almond paste) filled with ganache in which the cream is steeped with ground espresso, topped with almond whipped cream.

Panna cotta is another possibility. Or pane dolce - our version is a baked custard with bread pudding layer on the bottom.

Italian cream cake is a buttermilk/walnut/coconut cake with creamcheese white chocolate frosting. (as much as I hate selling a chunk of cake in the dining room, people LOVE it)

Sicilian do many fried pastries, plain and filled.

There are innumerable cookies, many nut based, of course all the hard biscotti, but also many others...

There's a few ideas, hope they help. Let me know if you need more details on any of them.

By W.DeBord on Thursday, February 03, 2000 - 07:28 am: Edit

Thank-you Ramodeo!!! I'm not familar with a cooked custard filling for cannoli. It must be like a mouseline adding usual ingred.?

The fried pastries look familar in cookbooks (not Italian looking?) can you serve them with dinner?

Do you know of any books I could look up for assistance? Any source you turn to?

By Ramodeo (Ramodeo) on Thursday, February 03, 2000 - 09:46 am: Edit

The cooked custard filling is usually milk steeped with lemon rind, sweetened and thickened with cornstarch and occasionally a little yolk. My mother in law mixes this type half and half with sweetened ricotta. The ricotta filling for canoli and cassata are the same. Drain 5# ricotta overnite, blend in 3 cups sugar and 1 cup chocolate chips and zest from 1 or 2 lemons. Sometimes the cooked custard is used to ice the top of the cassata, too.

The fried pastries in Italy are quite varied, everything from raised doughnut types to just fried leftover bread dough to ricotta/breadcrumb fritters to battered fruit fritters...One type that I saw in Sicily is called Pignuccata. It's a mountain of tiny fried pastries (dough is flour, sugar, yolks, cinnamon) fried, probably in olive oil, and then soaked with a honey and orange flower water mixture and sprinkles with chopped nuts.

Another one we had is called Sfinci (sfeen-gee). I don't have an exact recipe, but the experience of watching them being made, sitting around with about 25 family talking and waiting for them to rise and then taking part in eating literally hundreds of them as they came out of the oil was one of the most memorable of our trip. They are a yeasted dough made with very fine semolina flour, milk, olive oil, wine, eggs and honey (the oil, wine and honey must come from your family olive grove, vineyards and beehives ;-).....). It is mixed and beaten by hand to a very smooth and elastic state, allowed to rise, then fried in more of that fragrant olive oil and then rolled in cinnamon sugar. Needless to say I haven't been able to recreate them exactly here!

OK...sorry for my diversion there....As for books, the most readily available ones that I go to for inspiration are the Italy The Beautiful ones. There's at least three of them. I think. I can't vouch for the quality of the recipes, I don't think I've actually used any unaltered, but they have good ideas. I have a cookbook from Sicily - Sicilian Cookery by Eufemia Azzolina Pupella, published in several languages by Casa Editrice Bonechi. Very authentic, but probably impossible to find here. Another great book is called Bitter Almonds. I don't have a copy, I get it from our library. Last I checked it was out of print. It tells the story of a woman who grew up in a convent in Sicily. Convents were where some of the finest pastries were made. Lots of absolutely authentic recipes.

By Ramodeo (Ramodeo) on Thursday, February 03, 2000 - 09:50 am: Edit

Another recipe I love is from Baking With Julia - a raspberry-fig crostada made with sesane senolina crust. Sells very well here. Figs are a good flavor, too. If you make a filling with dried figs, sugar, orange rind and a little orange juice, you can put it into a pasta frolla (basic pastry) and make lots of little shapes. Ive used it to make a very luxurious bar cookie.

If you need exact recipes, let me know, I will get them tomorrow at work.

By Panini (Panini) on Thursday, February 03, 2000 - 06:27 pm: Edit

W.DeBord
I missed this whole thread. been busy. You have been given alot of great items and thought by Ramodeo. Rustic and earthy would probably be the way to go. pistachio,pinenut,walnut,custards,figs,fruits.
Wine bottle, good idea, how about a chocolate or pastillage wine press with marzipan grapes and fruit spilling out. this sounds hard but its a drop kick. I do them all the time.
Do you have a basket board? Chocolate baskets filles with things are also good.
I prefer unsalted ricotta in my recipes.Whole grain pies are very nice to.
I also do alot of chocolate tarrines. White,dark and milk,layered, served like pate.garnished with choco disc,florentines,
cutouts.
let us know which way you are going

By W.DeBord on Friday, February 04, 2000 - 09:13 am: Edit

Thank-you Ramodeo for all you effort!!! I'm not familar with Pane Dolce or an Italian cream cake that is like a reg. cake. Would you mind sharing your recipes for those items? I don't need them right away (next week)if your very busy.

I have never made a ricotta cheese cake do you make them? If so do you have any tips (like don't you have to drain it first)? I'm not crazy about dried fruits other than raisins, how would you flavor an Italian cheesecake with-out heavy fruit?

I would like to make the fig recipe from Julia but I don't believe I can get fresh figs at this time. Since your familar with that recipe how could I adjust it with dried figs or use something else??

Panini I don't know what a wine press looks like to reproduce it. You lost me on the basket board could you explain that again?

Never thought of choc. terrines working into an Italian theme? Great, I have several, I could even adjust them. What would you add...would pistachios and raisins combine well?

By Nicz (Nicz) on Friday, February 04, 2000 - 11:54 am: Edit

This isn't necessarily an Italian dessert, but a friend pastry chef of mine just ran a special dessert - it was a chocolate fettachuine (spelling is wrong I am sure) and he served it with a vanilla sauce and raspberry compote. I'm sure it's something you could play with and have a lot of fun with. As for an Italian cheese cake, my grandmother used to make one and she added either citron or chocolate pieces. Hope this was somewhat helpful. I also have a good recipe for dried cherry and pistachio biscotti if you are interested. Good luck.

By Panini (Panini) on Friday, February 04, 2000 - 08:10 pm: Edit

a basket board is a board with different patterns on it.Round.oblong,diamond. these patterns have holes drilled along the lines to accept stainless steel rods.You weave choco plastique, pulled sugar, around the rods to form a basket.pull rods make a bottom and a handle and you're in business.
I think jbprince carries them?
Do you hav e pistachio paste? you can even roll the pate ion nuts.
A wine press looks like an old fashioned sausage press.
Pear almond custard torte?

By W.DeBord on Saturday, February 05, 2000 - 12:04 am: Edit

O.K. now I follow you, I never knew the name for that, only have seen them in books.

Panini I can think of how to make that combination work but how do you envision finishing it? Marzipan?

Believe it or not my mother mentioned chocolate fettucine to me. She sliced chocolate crepes for the noodles. Then she couldn't remember how she finished the rest. Anyway I'm not sure about that idea, I'm not fond of cold crepes. I'd have to think of a different item to represent the noodle.

By tj on Saturday, February 05, 2000 - 04:50 pm: Edit

about the basket board,
they can be expensive, so if you want to use one ,its easy to make: 10"x10" styrofoam about 3" thick.wrap with plastic food wrap( so the sugar dont stick), use thick metal wire from the hardware store, cut to lenth, use strait or bend ,stick in to styrofoam all the way in through the plastic wrap ,strait or in a light angel (use odd numbers of rods) ,lightly oil the wires and weave the sugar or choco plastique.you can make what ever shape basket in any size you want...very cheap...and reusable..

By Panini (Panini) on Sunday, February 06, 2000 - 08:07 am: Edit

Maybe life size marzipan fruits in the baskets and minis surrounding them for consumption? Italians seem to put more emphesis on the food than table decoration.Some Europeans will spend alot of time making beautiful edible showoieces for the table, where Italians will spend alot of time finding the freshest fruit and a hand thrown bowl to display.

By Ramodeo (Ramodeo) on Sunday, February 06, 2000 - 07:38 pm: Edit

W.-
Ricotta Cheesecake - I don't usually make them. I've tried, but between the recipes I've got and the ricotta we have access to, they just haven't been as appealing to me as cream cheese or mascarpone cheesecake. Draining usually helps most mass produced ricotta, also pureeing the drained stuff improves the texture. I would stick with lemon or orange flavor, maybe add complementary fruit topping.

The raspberry fig crostada - I have made it with dried figs and fresh raspberries. I cut the dried figs in quarters, plumped them in warm port with a little brandy til soft. Drain and boil down the liquid with honey to sweeten and a little balsamic vinegar to spark the flavor. Blend plumped figs with an equal volume of fresh raspberries and the warm syrup. Use this mixture as filling in the recipe in the book. I've also made this filling with pear chunks in place of the raspberries.

By Mikeh (Mikeh) on Sunday, February 06, 2000 - 07:50 pm: Edit

I think Ricotta cheesecake is a traditional easter dessert in Italy. Personally, I don't like low-fat cheesecakes. I've been reading Zachary Schat's "A Baker's Trade", and he has an interesting sidebar about low-fat cheesecakes. They tried to market a pretty good tasting (compared to other low-fat cheesecakes) version and after four months of heavy marketing it still didn't sell. Schat then interviewed a bunch of other bakeries and found that nobody has successfully marketed a low-fat cheesecake. I guess it falls into the same category as 'healthy' biscuits or puff pastry made with shortening.

By Ramodeo (Ramodeo) on Sunday, February 06, 2000 - 07:52 pm: Edit

Pane Dolce - for 32-8oz.ramekins
cut 32 circles of stale white bread to fit into ramekins. Toast on one side, brush both sides with melted butter. Place in sprayed ramekins.
Custard:
14 cups heavy cream
4 cups whole milk
2# 6oz. white choc, chopped
2 cups sugar
8 eggs
3 cups yolks
4 Tbsp. vanilla
Heat cream and milk to a boil. Remove from heat, stir in sugar, then choc. Liason eggs and yolks in, add vanilla. pour over bread into ramekins. Bake in a waterbath @350 F for 55-60 minutes. Chill thoroughly, loosen w/knife to unmold.

I forgot to bring the Italian cream cake recipe home. I'll try to remember but I won't be back at work til later this week. It's very basic. Shortening and butter in equal proportions, creamed with sugar, egg yolks added, flour and soda blended, added alternately with buttermilk, vanilla, walnuts and sweetened coconut stirred in, whipped whites folded in. Frosted with cream cheese frosting, chopped walnuts on the sides. You probably have a buttermilk cake you can adapt to this.

By W.DeBord on Sunday, February 06, 2000 - 10:32 pm: Edit

Ramodeo thanks for the recipe! I'm confused, Italian cream cake is a buttermilk cake? I thought it would be a custard filled cake, like so many Italian desserts. I also appreciate the help on the fig tart it will save me time.

Off the topic I have a question for you about the chocolate molton cake recipe you helped me with. I made them last week and I'm having a problem with all the centers sinking in like belly buttons. They changed the fan in my oven so there could be a temp. change in my oven since the first time I made them. Have you ever experienced what I mentioning?

By W.DeBord on Sunday, February 06, 2000 - 10:55 pm: Edit

Mikeh who wants low fat desserts? It's like ordering an icecream cone and not wanting icecream in the cone.

We come to sin and be pleased, otherwise we'd order a carrot stick.

By pam on Monday, February 07, 2000 - 01:48 am: Edit

hi, here is an "italian Cheesecake"(no citron,i hate citron)make a shortbread crust(pate sablee) w lemon zest & amaretto.9" springform(pre bake)
30 oz ricotta
4 eggs
2/3 c sugar
1/4 c flour
1/4 c amaretto liqueur
3 tbl golden raisins
1 tbl finely chopped candied orange rind
1 tbl finely chopped candied lemon rind
press ricotta through sieve. beat w eggs,sugar & flour. stir in fruit & liqueur. pour into prepared crust,bake at 325 for 1hr. cool to room temp. chill.it has a different texture,not as smooth. thats how it's supposed to be.you can decorate w toasted almond slices.

By W.DeBord on Monday, February 07, 2000 - 09:41 am: Edit

Thank-you Pam! It looks good, I give it a try.

By tj on Monday, February 07, 2000 - 12:01 pm: Edit

here is an interesting italian item....
its called CIOCOLATA ,and its the best chocolate drink i ever had.serve it warm in small glasses:
1 qt+3 oz milk
8 yolks
3 oz sugar
7 oz bitter sweet chocolate
some nutela or praline paste.
make it like cream anglais .pour the hot milk+yolk+sugar over the chopped chocolate to melt.mix well.serve worm with 1 teaspoon of nutela or praline paste mixed in the glass.absolutly incredible drink!

By tj on Monday, February 07, 2000 - 12:04 pm: Edit

and to make it even happier, add 2 oz of either grand marnier,( or amaretto for that great italian aroma and vlavour.)

By Ramodeo (Ramodeo) on Monday, February 07, 2000 - 12:30 pm: Edit

About the choc cakes - I get that sinking too. We always serve it bottom side up. The bottom and sides should get cooked enough to hold their shape when plated warm. My process of cooking ahead, chilling and microwaving to serve may affect that, tho.

I think it's called Italian cream cake cuz of the cream cheese frosting. I don't know how widespread this cake is. Could be very local here.

By W.DeBord on Monday, February 07, 2000 - 02:53 pm: Edit

I'm certain I've seen that exact name (Italian cream cake)or very close in one of my books.

Back to choc. cakes have you ever played with the oven temp. to see if you could eliminate the dimple? The bottom is setting more/faster than the top for me. The problem is pronounced enough now that I can't unmold with-out the center dripping out when it's upside down. I guess I'll have to experiment.

By Doucefrance (Doucefrance) on Tuesday, February 08, 2000 - 07:18 am: Edit

Ramadeo,
When cooking ahead the chocolate molten cake do you freeze it or simply refrigerate immediately, and how long do you microwave it?

Has anyone heard of the "erbazzone" cake, not the salty version but the sweet dessert version with almonds? I had it several times when I was in Italy in Emilia-Romagna, but I can't find the recipe.
Helene

By W.DeBord on Tuesday, February 08, 2000 - 08:27 am: Edit

I refrid. only, usually not RIGHT away. Then I microwave 1 min. 1/2 power which gets it pretty warm, not hot. It's the cooking process that is not working the same. My top isn't setting leaving a whole for the sauce to run through when I unmold. I've tried baking it on a higher shelf and that didn't do anything to help. So now I have to play with the temp. don't you think?

Some books describe Zucotto as a florentine cream cake.

By momoreg on Tuesday, February 08, 2000 - 09:29 am: Edit

What would happen if you covered up the hole with a small dollop of batter during the last 5 min. of baking?

By Nicz (Nicz) on Tuesday, February 08, 2000 - 12:13 pm: Edit

A COLLEGUE OF MINE RECENTLY RAN A DESSERT SPECIAL THAT HE CALLED A CHOCOLATE FETTUCCUINE - HE SERVED IT IN A BOWL WITH VANILLA SAUCE AND A RASPBERRY COMPOTE. I KNOW IT'S NOT A TYPICAL ITALIAN DESSERT,BUT IT DOES SEEM LIKE SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD PLAY AROUND WITH AND HAVE SOME FUN. ALSO, MY GRANDMOTHER USED TO ADD CHOCOLATE PIECES OR CHOCOLATE CHIPS TO HER ITALIAN CHEESECAKE - JUST A LITTLE VARIATION.

By W.DeBord on Tuesday, February 08, 2000 - 07:38 pm: Edit

Mormoreg it's not an open whole it's a soft spot of raw batter. Which I do want, but only in the center of the cake. It needs to "set-up" on top to invert and unmold cake.

Thanks everyone I now have alot of ideas to work with!!!!

By ramodeo on Tuesday, February 08, 2000 - 11:30 pm: Edit

Here's some more detail on those choc cakes...I put the batter in flexipans (mini brioche, 24 per sheet).Refrigerate it til the batter is solid. Put the flexipans on a perfectly flat dark sheet tray and place it directly on the floor of the oven ,375F, no fan. Bake for a total of 18 to 20 minutes, turning once to get even cooking. When they are done, the edges are definitely set, the center is just a little puffed up but still liquidy. Putting them directly on the oven floor seems to allow the bottoms and sides to set up without the center cooking. I do get the batter sinking inthe center upon cooling, but if the sides and bottom have set enough, they hold their shape when reheated. This does seem to work better with the mini brioche shape than when I was baking these in ramekins. I cool them about 30 min at room temp, then into the cooler til completely set again. They are stored either refrigerated or frozen. Reheat 15 seconds at full power, or 30 to 40 seconds at med power.

By W.DeBord on Wednesday, February 09, 2000 - 07:50 am: Edit

After making the batter and filling my cups (I have to use soup cups) then I cover them with plastic and refid. I just realized I have condensation on the plastic. I suppose the droplets of water are causing this problem. Doesn't that make sense?

By Ramodeo (Ramodeo) on Wednesday, February 09, 2000 - 07:11 pm: Edit

It doesn't seem like droplets of water would cause the kind of indent that I get....When I cover mine I press the plastic right down onto the batter, is that possible for you?

By W.DeBord on Thursday, February 10, 2000 - 07:33 am: Edit

Well I made a fresh batch yesterday and didn't cover them while cooling. Then baked them off. They were worse then ever. I don't know what's happening.

By Ramodeo (Ramodeo) on Thursday, February 10, 2000 - 04:52 pm: Edit

I baked some off today. I had an actual temp of 390F in the oven. They set up perfectly, with the sides and bottoms done and the center very liquid. I had been using a lower temp for a while and the center was setting too much before the sides were done, and I tended to take them out before the sides had set enough to hold the shape. I unmolded one while it was still very warm and the shape held perfectly even though the center stuff was flowing out the bottom onto my hand. Is there a way you can increase your direct bottom heat?

Do I remember you saying that you have alot of humidity in your cooler? When I have that situation (like when 50 gallons of hot tomato sauce has been put in there in shallow containers to cool) I have to put my stuff into a closed door rack to keep the moisture and odors away. Are you putting them away while the batter is warmer than room temp? If so, would cooling them to room temp and then covering them directly on the batter with plastic wrap help?

Of course, it could be that you haven't made the appropriate sacrifice to the pastry gods lately. Maybe you better burn a tray of nuts for good measure! :-)))))

By W.DeBord on Thursday, February 10, 2000 - 07:57 pm: Edit

Is that the trick, if so I'm willing to make a sacrifice. Today they really had open centers, not pretty. I don't have time with Valentines coming up to play with my oven temp. but that is the only thing that has changed. I have souffles on Sat. night, sure hope the temp isn't too off.

By pam on Friday, February 11, 2000 - 12:56 am: Edit

i have such a problem w these i never make them, i used to have to make them,it was on the menu. it never was consistant. one time 1or2 would stick & sometines some would just collapse like they weren't cooked. i always turned them in the oven & never had a problem w anything else. it was a convection.the only difference was i changed chocolate from blocks that i cut to chocolate drops(bigger chips), butit still was the same chocolate company.but why would some be good & some would collapse when i unmolded them. i didn't microwave them. i cooked them, unmolded,kept at room temp& when i got an order i put them covered on a tray on top of the oven to melt the inside. it would be when i unmolded them that some would tear or collapse.i haven't made them in a few years because i had no idea how to fix them.

By momoreg on Friday, February 11, 2000 - 09:54 am: Edit

I'm not sure if this will help, but when my molten choc cakes come out of the oven, only one thing will get them out of the little molds in one piece. (By the way, I use brioche molds). I have to freeze them, then torch each one, and tap it on the corner of the table. They pop out every time. P.S. I told you about my love for the torch!

By Ramodeo (Ramodeo) on Friday, February 11, 2000 - 06:19 pm: Edit

I only unmold these cold - when they're solid. After they're warmed up in the microwave they don't get moved, so they don't have a chance to collapse if they were going to. I think the recipe I use is particularly suited to this method.

I've had a couple batches back in the beginning that went wacky and I didn't know why. I finally had to attribute it to the butter I was using. I had used the restaurants regular butter - nasty cheap stuff that has so much milk solids that it crumbles! When I went back to my normal Plugra, they were fine.

By W.DeBord on Sunday, February 13, 2000 - 06:10 pm: Edit

I've never used Plugra, is it expensive? Well Romodeo I can assure you your recipe unmolds well when it's hot too. When my centers were open I put a small piece of wax paper on top to prevent the chocolate from running down my arm.

This is a wonderful recipe! If any of you need to make a molton cake this is the best and most sure recipe around (I tried MANY other recipes).

By Panini (Panini) on Sunday, February 20, 2000 - 09:34 am: Edit

it's 121.95 a case here!Check all of your purveyors, you should be able to find good butter at a reasonable price.