Starting A Thanksgiving Fight
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I'd still be thankful. I mean I've yet to taste a good pumpkin pie over here. Yet to make it to USA and certainly not in the fall (see I've got the lingo already) to find it if there is such a thing.
Could be worse. Have you seen those Halloween pumpkins where there's a 3D relief face carved into it using the two colours of the outer and the inner pulp wall? Your could come back to see the filing removed to create a face with the pastry. Or for the more adult a rude gesture.
Could be worse. Have you seen those Halloween pumpkins where there's a 3D relief face carved into it using the two colours of the outer and the inner pulp wall? Your could come back to see the filing removed to create a face with the pastry. Or for the more adult a rude gesture.
They're not that great over here either. The best I can say is 'they're edible' and there's almost always several other pies and desserts available.
I start with a scratch recipe, I have to cook pumpkin first.
We can buy canned pumpkin and also canned pumpkin pie filling.
Neither one is any screaming hello even if the pumpkin variety is named on the label.
At least 2 heaping tbsp very fine dice candied ginger spread in the bottom of a pre-baked crust before the custard mix gets poured in.
It can be done.
Just as haggis seems plain without gravy to me,
pumpkin pie MUST have whipped cream.
Santaman: that's brilliant. I gotta cut a piece out of the middle of the next one.
We can buy canned pumpkin and also canned pumpkin pie filling.
Neither one is any screaming hello even if the pumpkin variety is named on the label.
At least 2 heaping tbsp very fine dice candied ginger spread in the bottom of a pre-baked crust before the custard mix gets poured in.
It can be done.
Just as haggis seems plain without gravy to me,
pumpkin pie MUST have whipped cream.
Santaman: that's brilliant. I gotta cut a piece out of the middle of the next one.
Over the years I have tried to make these and have them be something my family likes. I used to bake daily, now it's still a couple of times a week, so it's not new to me, iimmc ? to use different recipes, etc., but these pies are just a sweetened mush kind of stuff. Better spiced up, but still, hmmmm
I don't buy pumpkins anymore, though we do like the seeds
Rather reassuring to hear an American think much the same though
Mary they should be a bit stiffer than 'mush.' As counter-intuitive as it seems, the canned pumpkin is better than fresh usually. The simple reason being that all the pumpkins developed fpr eating get harvested and canned. The fresh ones are edible but they're really developed for looks (Autumn decorations and jack-o-lanterns)
That said, I'm still not fond of the pies. I eat them (and as RV says, topping with whipped cream is a must) but they'll never be a craving or a childhood comfort food for me.
That said, I'm still not fond of the pies. I eat them (and as RV says, topping with whipped cream is a must) but they'll never be a craving or a childhood comfort food for me.
In theory, my recipe comes out of a very old Moosewood cookbook. Needs good spices to compliment the pumpkin.
As such, I find the taste of the pumpkin custard (because that's what it is) very attractive, any time of day.
I made pumpkin pie this year from the "eating variety" pumpkin. It was really BLAH mild. Not buying those again.
I made pumpkin pie this year from the "decorator" variety and it was far better, stronger taste, as I have done for years.
Firmly convinced that a big slice with whipped cream and a dark roast coffee is a true breakfast.
As such, I find the taste of the pumpkin custard (because that's what it is) very attractive, any time of day.
I made pumpkin pie this year from the "eating variety" pumpkin. It was really BLAH mild. Not buying those again.
I made pumpkin pie this year from the "decorator" variety and it was far better, stronger taste, as I have done for years.
Firmly convinced that a big slice with whipped cream and a dark roast coffee is a true breakfast.
Maybe mush was the wrong word; just a thick set kind of pressed through a coarse sieve paste? custard to me is the runny stuff I pour over cake
The best I could manage was with the stem ginger, as Robson Valley suggested. It was better I found if I used some allspice and then sugar glazed the surface and roasted that to a crisp caramel under the grill though
It's still not something I'm inclined to try again. I think pumpkins, and butternut squash make good soups though and are okay roasted in the oven.
M
The best I could manage was with the stem ginger, as Robson Valley suggested. It was better I found if I used some allspice and then sugar glazed the surface and roasted that to a crisp caramel under the grill though
It's still not something I'm inclined to try again. I think pumpkins, and butternut squash make good soups though
and are okay roasted in the oven.M
Custard to me is an eggy sort of a dish, well seasoned with spice and baked in the oven. Has much the same cooled texture as a jelly.
The eggs set up and you can stand a spoon in it.
The pure' of pumpkin gives my pie a coarse granularity which you can see in Santaman's picture.
Once the chopped pumpkin is cooked and the milk, eggs, etc added, I blast the whole thing with a stick blender.
I prebake the crust. Fill the pie shell with dry beans and into the oven.
When it begins to brown, it is not burning. Those are the complex Maillard reactions
which make it taste good. The crust in Santaman's picture needed another 10-15 minutes for me.
This is terrible. Time to take out some frozen pie dough and make a couple for breakfasts!
The eggs set up and you can stand a spoon in it.
The pure' of pumpkin gives my pie a coarse granularity which you can see in Santaman's picture.
Once the chopped pumpkin is cooked and the milk, eggs, etc added, I blast the whole thing with a stick blender.
I prebake the crust. Fill the pie shell with dry beans and into the oven.
When it begins to brown, it is not burning. Those are the complex Maillard reactions
which make it taste good. The crust in Santaman's picture needed another 10-15 minutes for me.
This is terrible. Time to take out some frozen pie dough and make a couple for breakfasts!
Yeah, I thought the pic I posted had an underdone crust as well.
"Custard" for us is closer to the consistency of very firm butter.
Robson, have you ever tried an egg custard pie? My grandmother used to make them when I was a kid but I haven't had one since. I'll try to get her recipe later but for now this one is as close as I can find:
"Custard" for us is closer to the consistency of very firm butter.
Robson, have you ever tried an egg custard pie? My grandmother used to make them when I was a kid but I haven't had one since. I'll try to get her recipe later but for now this one is as close as I can find:
- 1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg white
- 2 1/2 cups scalded milk
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3 drops yellow food coloring (optional)
- Prep15 m
- Cook 35 m
- Ready In50 m
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).
- Mix together eggs, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Stir well. Blend in the scalded milk. For more yellow color, add few drops yellow food coloring.
- Line pie pan with pastry, and brush inside bottom and sides of shell with egg white to help prevent a soggy crust. Pour custard mixture into piecrust. Sprinkle with nutmeg.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on rack.
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Maybe so. But I've had a flan over there and in the Mexican restaurants here and they really don't seem quite the same. Very similar, yes, but now quite the same. I just lifted this recipe so i couldn't begin to understand the difference. Possibly nothing more than my grandmother's recipe is a little different?
Looking it up, flans here don't have a crust and do have cream caramel added apparently. Below is the article and recipe I found:
Flan is a vanilla-infused custard with a sweet caramel top layer, but--like all custards--it easily embraces other flavors. Chocolate, coffee, orange, and coconut are all delicious variations.
Making the Caramel
Sugar can be cooked two ways: "wet" or "dry." Wet cooking is the easier method, because it gives you greater control over the degree of caramelization.
Making the Custard
Some recipes call for sweetened condensed milk while others use cream or whole milk. A flan made with sweetened condensed milk will be slightly denser than one made with milk or cream. Likewise, flan made with milk rather than cream will be slightly lighter than a cream-based custard. Experiment with different ingredients and recipes to find the one that suits your tastes.
Baking custards in a water bath is crucial, due to their delicate nature. The water insulates the custard and keeps it from cooking too fast, which causes cracks in the finished flan and a rubbery texture. Lay a dishtowel on the bottom of a roasting pan, place the flan dish or dishes on top of the towel, and then fill the pan with boiling water about halfway up the sides of the custard cups.
Out of the Oven
The flan is ready to be removed from the oven when it has begun to set. Gently shake the pan: the centers of the custard should jiggle slightly. You can also insert the tip of a knife into the custard near the center; if the flan is still liquid, it needs more time in the oven. When the flan has begun to set, remove the roasting pan from the oven, being very careful not to spill the hot water. Let the flan cool while sitting in the water bath, until the ramekins are cool enough to handle. Refrigerate before serving.
Serving the Dessert
The caramel, which set up hard in the bottom of the dish, will have softened due to the moisture in the custard. You should be able to slip each custard out of its cup with ease: run a butter knife or the tip of a paring knife around the edge of the ramekin to release the flan. Invert a small dessert plate over the ramekin, turn it over, and gently remove the dish. You should have a creamy, picture-perfect flan crowned with a syrupy golden caramel.
Flan is a vanilla-infused custard with a sweet caramel top layer, but--like all custards--it easily embraces other flavors. Chocolate, coffee, orange, and coconut are all delicious variations.
Making the Caramel
Sugar can be cooked two ways: "wet" or "dry." Wet cooking is the easier method, because it gives you greater control over the degree of caramelization.
- Sugar and water are brought to a boil; the water boils away and the sugar changes from pale gold to amber to brown.
- You can stir the pan to help dissolve the sugar, but stop stirring once the mixture boils.
- Toss the lemon juice with the sugar until it's the consistency of wet sand.
- Heat the sugar until it melts. Don't stir, which promotes crystallization--the caramel will seize up and be grainy, not clear--but you may swirl the pan slightly to help redistribute any sugar that's starting to brown.
Making the Custard
Some recipes call for sweetened condensed milk while others use cream or whole milk. A flan made with sweetened condensed milk will be slightly denser than one made with milk or cream. Likewise, flan made with milk rather than cream will be slightly lighter than a cream-based custard. Experiment with different ingredients and recipes to find the one that suits your tastes.
- Place the milk, solid flavoring--vanilla bean, cinnamon stick, citrus zest--and sugar into a large saucepan. (Liqueurs and extracts are added after the mixture cooks).
- Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
- While the milk mixture heats, whisk the eggs until pale yellow. Don't over-mix the eggs: you don't want the eggs to become foamy, because the air bubbles affect the texture of the finished product.
- In a slow stream, pour the hot milk mixture into the bowl of eggs, whisking constantly.
- Pour the custard base through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl to ensure a silky smooth texture in your flan.
- Stir in extract or other flavorings.
- Divide the custard equally between your caramel-coated dish or ramekins.
Baking custards in a water bath is crucial, due to their delicate nature. The water insulates the custard and keeps it from cooking too fast, which causes cracks in the finished flan and a rubbery texture. Lay a dishtowel on the bottom of a roasting pan, place the flan dish or dishes on top of the towel, and then fill the pan with boiling water about halfway up the sides of the custard cups.
Out of the Oven
The flan is ready to be removed from the oven when it has begun to set. Gently shake the pan: the centers of the custard should jiggle slightly. You can also insert the tip of a knife into the custard near the center; if the flan is still liquid, it needs more time in the oven. When the flan has begun to set, remove the roasting pan from the oven, being very careful not to spill the hot water. Let the flan cool while sitting in the water bath, until the ramekins are cool enough to handle. Refrigerate before serving.
Serving the Dessert
The caramel, which set up hard in the bottom of the dish, will have softened due to the moisture in the custard. You should be able to slip each custard out of its cup with ease: run a butter knife or the tip of a paring knife around the edge of the ramekin to release the flan. Invert a small dessert plate over the ramekin, turn it over, and gently remove the dish. You should have a creamy, picture-perfect flan crowned with a syrupy golden caramel.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flan
By Kim - French Flan, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=41972201
https://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/type-of-dish/tarts-and-flans
M
By Kim - French Flan, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=41972201
https://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/type-of-dish/tarts-and-flans
M
Ah, no, sorry, I ought to have found one that's clearer.
Flans are usually sweet, but savoury ones are popular too.
The very egg based ones are just called quiches now, but they were known as 'egg flan' in the past. Bacon and egg are popular, but broccoli and cheese, etc., are commonplace.
Some of the sweet flans have a sponge base rather than pastry....baked in a 'flan tin' and then filled with sweet stuff like fruit and jelly....that's firm jelly, not jam, iimmc ?
Flans are usually sweet, but savoury ones are popular too.
The very egg based ones are just called quiches now, but they were known as 'egg flan' in the past. Bacon and egg are popular, but broccoli and cheese, etc., are commonplace.
Some of the sweet flans have a sponge base rather than pastry....baked in a 'flan tin' and then filled with sweet stuff like fruit and jelly....that's firm jelly, not jam, iimmc ?
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