TWD: Tiramisu Cake

I am very particular about Tiramisu.  I find that most of the recipes are rather mediocre.  I tend not to order it in restaurants or buy it in bakeries because I find I am almost always disappointed at their attempts at what I believe is one of the great desserts mankind has created.  This wasn't always the case.  They all tasted great.  However, once I tasted how truly wonderful this dessert could be (thanks to a recipe I found about 17 years - will post it at a later date), all others paled in comparison.  

So, given my feelings about Tiramisu, my curiosity was high about this week's selection (chosen by Megan of My Baking Adventures).  

  

Well, things didn't turn out as expected.  My cake never rose.  It smelled amazing but it sat flat.  Not sure why.  The frosting was way too soft once I folded in the mascarpone (which I think is one of the major food groups).  It never would have held the cake together if I frosted it as one would a cake. 

So, I ended up finishing it off in the more traditional way, which means my Tiramisu Cake didn't turn out to be a cake at all.  Still, it was quite good.  I find it to be a bit too sweet for me but overall it wasn't too bad.

TWD: Chocolate Cream Tart

Oh, wow. The chocolate custard is very addictive. The bowl, the whisk and anything else I used to make it was licked cleeeaaan. I kept sneaking a taste of it here and there - I started to worry I wouldn't have enough left to the fill the tart shell!

Since I was taking it to the office, I filled the tart shell with the custard the night before and let it sit in the fridge overnight (I put the whipped cream topping the next morning). I think this caused the slightly chewy texture of the bottom crust, which I liked very much. Yes, indeed. Yum.

I think I might try adding some coffee to the custard next time. Or use the crust for the Banana Cream Pie we baked few weeks ago. Hmm. Endless possibilities.

Looks a bit naked...I forgot the chocolate shavings. Didn't miss it though.

Kim of Scrumptious Photography, you sure picked a winner! My tastebuds send their heartfelt thanks. ;-)

TWD: Banana Cream Pie

The Tale of Two Pies...

When I was in New Orleans last month, I had dinner at Emeril's where I had the most eye-popping, mind-boggling, jaw-dropping delicious banana cream pie.  Not to be redundant but this pie was out of this world!  I began to obsess about it and would stop strangers on the street to tell them about it (well, not real strangers...this is NYC after all, the city of no eye contact).

It was so good, I assumed the recipe would be top secret, but never one to give up, when I got back home I did a search on the internet, and there it was right on Emeril's website! Woohoo! Happy dance!

When I saw the April lineup at TWD and saw the first entry was Banana Cream Pie, I knew I had to make both and put my Tasting Panel to work.  I asked them to check which version they preferred...

Dorie's...

or Emeril's.

There was some friendly bickering about which was better, but when the vote was tallied, Emeril's version came out ahead.  The consensus was that the cinnamon in Dorie's pie did not let the taste of the banana through (with which I don't really agree) while Emeril's did.

Well, I liked both equally.  They are quite different but both are out-of-this-world delicious!

Click here for the recipe for Emeril's Banana Cream Pie.

Thank you to Amy of Sing for  Your Supper  for this week's selection.

TWD: Coconut Butter Thins

I think I've misplaced my baking mojo.  Either that or it is a typo in the book.  It did say to bake for 18 - 20 minutes, didn't it?

I don't know what happened.  Everything was going so well.  The heady fragrance released from the lime zest when I rubbed it into the sugar made feel me giddy and happy (picture Snow White singing with the seven dwarfs giddy).  At the halfway mark, I skipped tra-la-la-la-lightly over to the oven to dutifully rotate the baking sheets.  The Coconut Butter Thins looked almost done but it had only been 9 minutes so I rotated the baking sheet and gently closed the oven door.

The timer on my iPhone went off 9 minutes later and lo and behold (aaahhh!!)...

...the Wicked Voodoo Queen of Baking Mishaps had struck.  She snuck in when I wasn't looking and wave her wand of misfortune.  I sit here in a pool of absolute puzzlement and disappointment.  I don't even have the heart to fetch my camera to take proper photos of these pitiful looking things.

The second batch turned out a bit better but the ones along the edges of the baking sheet didn't fare too well.  The disappointment remains but as I nibble on the least burnt cookies I am remembering the Blueberry Crumble and how that didn't turn out so well either.  (Btw, even burnt these cookies are pretty tasty.)

Well, Snow White is off to search for her baking mojo - better find it before next week because next month looks like some serious baking at TWD.

This weeks recipe was selected by Jayne of Barefoot Kitchen Witch.

TWD: Blueberry Crumb Cake

Oops!  I was so busy celebrating my birthday yesterday that I forgot to post my TWD blurb.  Well, better late than never.

This is the first TWD selection that got the better of me.  The crumb topping didn't turn out the way it should have.  I did not over mix but the cake came out tough, and I baked for only 50 minutes (350 degrees right on the dot) and it came out overdone.  Not sure if I want to try again.

But, I must say it still tasted good pan toasted with some French butter on top!  Gotta love those silver linings.

It looks rather smug and pleased with itself, doesn't it?

Thank you to Sihan of Befuddlement for this week's selection.

Can't wait for next week - Coconut thins!!