So my uncle is a recent widower, trying to get back into things. One thing he and my aunt used to do was share a meal monthly with friends - they called it their "Gourmet Group". The group traveled to a different host house, but the dinner was potluck. Along with rotating the main dish, the salad, appetizer and dessert also rotates between couples.

Well this month it is his turn to bring dessert. He's so immersed right now with taxes and estate cleanup that he was fretting about not having time to "practice" on some desserts. He called me for advice (an almost daily occurance). I suggested death by chocolate but he can't eat chocolate at night (these folks are all late 70's by the way).

So I took the death by chocolate concept, and created a Gourmet Strawberry shortcake. Because he needs step by step, I video'd the process, and my skills are bad to try to build a dessert with one hand and video with the other.

So here goes, don't make fun of me. Would love to get your recipe in exchange, no you don't have to video it!

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Why don't you buy a really good dessert and pass it off as yours?
They won't know and probably be to polite to say.
You can guess i don't cook a lot,
Luv to help!
Colin.

My mouth is watering!  Let us know how the choir folks liked it and whether or not your Uncle is going to give it a go.

Great recipe - one I would try next time the gang is all here.

Thanks
Carol

Why in the world would anyone make fun of you????    That was great Christy..really.

  The only thing I might say is Joe could have at least held the camera for you.   LOL

I could do this. It really looks yummy.

Charlotte

Linda_Howell wrote on Mar 4^th, 2009 at 9:12pm:

Why in the world would anyone make fun of you????    That was great Christy..really.   The only thing I might say is Joe could have at least held the camera for you.   LOL

Yea I just got impatient waiting for him to get home from his errands so I did it my "own self".   I'll let you know how it goes!!!

I thought of some variations too: lemon cake, lemon pudding, cool whip and chopped up lemon drops... mmmmmm

First, all I can think of is one word ...  
TRIPOD!!!!   (Oh, wait ... You are a mere female, and would not be able to come up with THAT idea ...)
Heehee ...


That looks GREAT!

I came up with a recipe VERY similar to that, with a couple additions.  I started out with a layer of Nabisco Vanilla cookies, and then I added them for the second layer, too.  

The other addition was a layer of sliced bananas, for each layer.

The people I served it to, loved it, as I am sure your group will too!

And how cool is that, to do the video for your uncle!

Good job!

Chuck



PS:  Did you REALLY think I would add to this WITHOUT harassing you?  LOL!

ClusterChuck wrote on Mar 4^th, 2009 at 10:04pm:

First, all I can think of is one word ...   TRIPOD!!!!   (Oh, wait ... You are a mere female, and would not be able to come up with THAT idea ...) Heehee ... That looks GREAT! I came up with a recipe VERY similar to that, with a couple additions.  I started out with a layer of Nabisco Vanilla cookies, and then I added them for the second layer, too.   The other addition was a layer of sliced bananas, for each layer. The people I served it to, loved it, as I am sure your group will too! And how cool is that, to do the video for your uncle! Good job! Chuck PS:  Did you REALLY think I would add to this WITHOUT harassing you?  LOL!

Knew I could count on you Chuck dear!!!

What a delicious looking Demo! I think I'll try it with both the angel food cake and some grahm crackers. Then a few sprigs of mint leaves with the strawberries on top as a garnish.

Yummmm.

Thanks for posting this.

with warm regards,
Tony

The jury is back! Joe's choir did the taste test and said  [smiley=thumb.gif] [smiley=thumb.gif] [smiley=thumb.gif]

If I come out there and sing in your choir, will you make one for me? :)

So, is angel food cake gluten free??

That looks YUMMY !!!

And you have beautiful hands and nails, my dear  :)

Looks wonderful.  Great presentation!    

I think the Food Network is going to be knocking on your door  :)

Much Love,
Jackie

FramCire wrote on Mar 5^th, 2009 at 12:42am:

So, is angel food cake gluten free??

Not unless you buy it from a gluten free section and it's labelled gluten free. If it's made with normal flour then it isn't.

It's also worth bearing in mind that anything with a "thickener" isn't necessarily GF either so the lemon pudding and the cool whip would both have needed the ingredients scrutinising.

Gluten is found in wheat barley oats* and rye. Oat's are often included in this list as they are milled with the same machinery as wheat and are usually contaminated. If buying oats for celiacs you need to buy ones expressly labelled "GF"

Hard candy is often not Gluten free too - they "flour" the rollers in factories.

Cheese slices, alot of sauces, and even weird things like bouillon cubes can be unsafe for celiacs. It's a whole new shopping experience.

The most important thing people need to realise is the need for uncontaminated stuff at home, a separate knife and chopping board should be used for GF bread and cakes to a normal one and even toasters should be separate due to contamination. It's a big nightmare at first.

Sorry to interrupt your topic Christy but I wanted to answer Frammy's question and yours too! I do actually have a lot of really lovely GF recipes if anyone ever wants any and having had to be on a GF diet for a long time it's something I understand a lot about and will willingly help any time.

The dessert looked lovely and if you want to make a GF dessert next time to really gain brownie points I'd be delighted to help LOL

Thanks all! You're too kind. Yea we realized it wasn't GF but the little gal was happy just watching everyone else enjoy. I keep GF options for her but she was full from dinner anyways.

Yes Jimi - if you and Ruthie get your butts out here I'll make it for you...you don't even have to sing to eat here!

My cousin in WA thought it was great that I did the video for her dad. You might guess I enjoy using technology. Anyways, hopefully I gave him an idea that a dessert doesn't have to be complicated to be good.

Now I did see one or two recipes shared, anyone else?

Watching that made me hungry!  YUMMY!!  Great job making the video with one hand and the desert with the other.   :)

Beth

Here you go Christy - this is for you and for Pat (Mosaicwench!) if she sees it!


Milk Chocolate Mousse with Honeycomb

Ingredients

For the Chocolate Mousse

200g milk chocolate (at least 30 percent cocoa solids)
4 eggs , separated
142ml double cream

For the Honeycomb

5 tbsp granulated sugar
2 tbsp golden syrup
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Ready in 30 minutes + setting time

Method

To make the honeycomb, heat the sugar and syrup gently in a heavy saucepan until the sugar melts, then boil the mixture until it turns a deep, golden caramel.

Take it OFF the heat and whisk in the bicarbonate of soda (this will make it foam up) then quickly pour it onto an oiled baking sheet, set on a chopping board, and cool.

Melt the chocolate and stir in the egg yolks.

Softly whip the cream and fold into the chocolate mix.

Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold into the mix.

At this point you can go one of two ways and both are nice!

You can either break the honeycomb into small chunks and fold most of it into the mousse.

Pour into glass tumblers or teacups and leave to set in the fridge for 2-4 hours.

Just before serving, sprinkle the leftover honeycomb over the top.

OR!!!

You can break the honeycomb into large chunks and serve it with the mousse to use as “spoons”. I made it the first time in the normal way and was begged to change it for next time!

I used up any fragments to decorate the tops.

Enjoy - it's like crunchie bars LOL

Quote:

I think the Food Network is going to be knocking on your door

Oh yes....I agree.  Maybe you could take over for that irritating Rachel Ray.  

Looks great!

But I don't think you want to suggest the variation (lemon drops) to your uncle. Hidden pieces of hard candy don't usually play nice with older folks and their dental fixtures.

Brew it would be GREAT with lemon curd though - you could get Jr Brew to make it for Pat for mothers day!

wrote on Mar 5^th, 2009 at 4:15pm:

Brew it would be GREAT with lemon curd though - you could get Jr Brew to make it for Pat for mothers day!

I believe we still have several pints in the freezer! Outstanding idea!

One more recipe 'cos I remembered about it and it looks fantastic (and tastes even better!)

Cranachan   (Kra nack un!)


Ingredients


For  the Creamy layer
568ml pot double cream
284ml pot double cream
250g tub mascarpone
140g icing sugar, sifted, plus extra
6 tbsp Scottish whisky

For the crunchy oats.
140g butter
4 tbsp honey
200g whole jumbo porridge oats
100g golden caster sugar
100g hazelnuts, roughly chopped
85g plain flour

1kg frozen raspberries, defrosted


Serves 6-10 depending on dishes used!



First, make the crunchy oats.

Heat oven to 180C/350F /gas 4.

Melt the butter and honey in a large saucepan, then stir in the other ingredients until everything is well coated.

Spread out on a baking sheet, then bake for 20 mins until crisp.

Cool, crumble into pieces, then set aside.

Can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.



For the whisky cream, beat both pots of double cream with the mascarpone, icing sugar and whisky until it is smooth and holds soft peaks.


In a separate bowl, stir a couple tbsps icing sugar into the raspberries to taste.



To assemble, spoon some raspberries in the bottom of a glass bowl, followed by a layer of cream and a layer of oats. Repeat 2-3 times, depending on your bowl size, saving the final layer of oats to scatter over before serving with a dusting of icing sugar.

Looks really good served in biggish wine glasses!

Yes, replace Rachel (man-hands) Ray with Christy!

I thought you did a lovely and thoughtful job, Christy.  It was nice that you included the cost of several things as well as the sizes of the containers.

I've seen several variations on this recipe including the banana and lemon ones.  I've also seen chocolate pudding used with shavings of chocolate as a garnish.  Who could go wrong with cake, pudding and cool whip?

Helen - Dickinsen's lemon curd is now available on my grocery store shelves.  I may just give up making my own since I can't get decent lemons here.  And please dear, post your recipes in a language I understand . . . LOL.  What is caster sugar?  Golden syrup? Double cream?  I live in the Dairy state and have never heard of double cream . . . .  :o

Christy....  I think it is sooooo sweet that you did that for your uncle!  Looks yummy too!

Pat,

Your avatar is crackin' me up!

Brew wrote on Mar 5^th, 2009 at 4:11pm:

Looks great! But I don't think you want to suggest the variation (lemon drops) to your uncle. Hidden pieces of hard candy don't usually play nice with older folks and their dental fixtures.

You make an excellent point Brew. Probably not good for us folks without dentures either!

Dessert Recipes (anyone who has ever seen my butt knows I know my way around a dessert!)

World's Best Lemon Cake

1 box lemon cake mix
4  eggs
1 box (3.4 oz) lemon jello
3/4 cup corn or canola oil
3/4 cup water
2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

Combine first 5 ingredients in large mixing bowl. Beat until smooth. Bake at 350 degrees (F) in a greased 13x9 pan for 35 minutes. When cake is done baking and set on a rack to cool, combine powdered sugar and lemon juice - beat until smooth. With a fork, poke holes all over the cake and pour lemon juice mixture over the top, covering completely. Let cool.

Very moist, very easy, and unnaturally yellow.

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@@@@@ Now You're Cooking! Export Format

Salted Nut-Roll Bars

1 pound nutter butter cookies; coarsely crumbled
1 stick Butter; melted
 ++++
2 cups peanut butter chips
2/3 cup light corn syrup
4 tablespoons Butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups miniature marshmallows
2 cups dry roasted peanuts
2 cups rice krispies cereal

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 13 x 9 pan.

Pulverize cookies in a food processor until fine crumbs form. Add melted butter and process until crumbs clump together. Press crumbs into prepared pan and bake 15 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven.

While crust is baking, melt peanut butter chips, corn syrup, 4 tablespoons of butter and vanilla in microwave with 30 second bursts of power. Stir until smooth. Spread 1/2 cup of melted chip mixture over crumb base. Top with marshmallows and return bars to the oven. Bake about 2 minutes until marshmallows puff and then remove from oven. Do not let marshmallows brown.

Toss peanuts and cereal with remaining peanut chip mixture to coat. Drop spoonsful of the topping over marshmallows, then spread out with a spatula sprayed with non-stick spray (to prevent sticking). Cool bars before cutting with a knife coated with a nonstick spray.

Yield: 28 bars
Preparation Time:  00:45

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Coconut Crunch Delight

1/2 cup butter; melted
1 cup flour
1 1/14 cups coconut
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup almonds; slivered
1 package (3.4 oz) vanilla pudding mix (instant)
1 package (3.4 oz) coconut pudding mix (instant)
2 2/3 cup milk; cold
2 cups whipped topping

Note: If coconut pudding is not available, use another package of instant vanilla pudding and a few drops (to taste) of coconut extract. In a bowl, combine first five ingedients: press lightly into greased 13x9 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to make coarse crumbs. Cool. Divide crumb mixture in half, pressing half back into the same baking dish to form crust. In a mixing bowl, beat puddings and milk.
Fold in whipped topping and spoon over crust. Top with remaining crumb mixture. Cover and refrigerate over night. (I prefer to serve it immediatley while the crumb mixture is still very crisp)

Yield: 12-16 servings (if there are no teenagers present.  1-2 servings, if there are)

Great recipes Helen, sounds yummy  (like Pat I'm a little confused with some of it but would muddle through I'm sure).

Yea Pat - I originally suggested with chocolate cake, pudding and Skor bars but he cant' eat chocolate at night (acid reflux) so that's when I started experimenting. I thought about banana too but wondered how long before they turned yucky looking.

Now, speaking of lemons. My grandmothers tree is usually full of them. Can Michigan receive fruit from CA? I wonder if it's ok to ship? I'll have to check.   I know there are rules...

QnHeartMM wrote on Mar 5^th, 2009 at 5:01pm:

Now, speaking of lemons. My grandmothers tree is usually full of them. Can Michigan receive fruit from CA? I wonder if it's ok to ship? I'll have to check.   I know there are rules...

Don't know about Michigan, but I'm sure Wisconsin (where I live) ;) doesn't care . . . A lemon tree would pull up its own roots and run like hell once it felt the weather here . . . .

Mosaicwench wrote on Mar 5^th, 2009 at 4:50pm:

Yes, replace Rachel (man-hands) Ray with Christy! I thought you did a lovely and thoughtful job, Christy.  It was nice that you included the cost of several things as well as the sizes of the containers. I've seen several variations on this recipe including the banana and lemon ones.  I've also seen chocolate pudding used with shavings of chocolate as a garnish.  Who could go wrong with cake, pudding and cool whip? Helen - Dickinsen's lemon curd is now available on my grocery store shelves.  I may just give up making my own since I can't get decent lemons here.  And please dear, post your recipes in a language I understand . . . LOL.  What is caster sugar?  Golden syrup? Double cream?  I live in the Dairy state and have never heard of double cream . . . .  :o

I forgot! I usually DO change them - caster sugar is a finer grade sugar than normal granulated sugar but still granulated - ordinary sugar but slightly finer for baking. It's NOT powdered or confectioners sugar.

golden syrup is an inverted corn syrup - I don't actually know what that means but its a corn syrup about the consistency of honey.

Double cream is what we call heavy cream and thats it I think!

Icing sugar is powdered sugar

We have plain flour and self raising here - one has baking powder added to it already the "Plain" doesn't.

I agree with Chuck...  A tripod is a must... Although you covered the preparation of this delightful desert beautifully, and your video production skills are wonderful... we didn't get to see the loving face of the master chef. :'(

Take care,

V/R, Batch

Nice job, Christy, let us know how it works out for your uncle. I sure it will be fine with your video instructions.

Great Job!

Diane