Pasteurized Semifreddo

semifreddo
semifreddo
Wrap it up and it’s ready for the freezer.

Okay, we’ve written about semifreddo in this post and this post, both really easy ways to make a homemade ice cream-like treat. So, why are we doing another post, especially since this will also be vanilla semifreddo? Well, the previous two posts used raw eggs, and we know that some people are wary about using raw eggs in their food. From what we’ve heard about industrial eggs, we really can’t blame them. So, we thought we’d show you how to make this treat, but in a way that the eggs are pasteurized. It’s more difficult than the other posts, but it uses important cooking techniques that are widely used, so let’s start scratchin’.

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Cauliflower Gratin

cauliflower gratin

old-computer-thumbSorry about the hiatus, but we had a slight problem with our computerized filing system here at Scratchin’ It Central. Fortunately, we were quickly able to upgrade to something newer, and, we hope, more reliable.

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Chocolate Pots de Crème

chocolate pots de creme
chocolate pots de creme
Chocolicious!

Okay, has this ever happened to you? You open the refrigerator, take a look inside and see a pint of heavy cream that will be out of date in a few days, and you have no idea how you’re going to use it. Yeah, us, too. One of the hazards of scratchin’, we guess. So, what did you do?

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Lavender Crème Brûlée

Fancy!
Fancy!

So, do you ever wonder how restaurants choose their house-made desserts? Think it’s based on flavor? We think not. We think it’s based on how easy the dessert is to make. After that, it’s how much profit the dessert produces. Then, probably, how good it is. So, we think, the tastiness factor comes in third on the list. If that’s the case, why is crème brûlée so often found on upscale menus? Simple. It’s simple to make!

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Pastry Cream or Crème Pâtissière

whisking in chocolate
puff pastry stacks
Puff pastry held together with pastry cream.

Making pastry cream is one of those basics that everyone needs for making all kinds of desserts, from cream puffs to éclairs to tart fillings. Sometimes it’s thinned for a sauce, sometimes folded with whipped cream to make a lighter filling. It’s the all-purpose mixture for filling the pastry case. Bakeries make this stuff by the bucketful; it’s that useful! No, we aren’t going to be making a bucketful; instead, we’ll just scratch up a few cups.

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Chocolate Semifreddo

semifreddo slice
semifreddo slice
Like ice cream, but better!

When we made Vanilla Semifreddo, it was such a hit that we received a number of requests in response for us to figure out how to make a chocolate version. And, why not? Semifreddo is like homemade ice cream, only creamier, and doesn’t require any churning; basically, you mix it up and freeze it overnight to enjoy the next day. Figuring that the result of anything involving chocolate and cream would be good regardless of how it turned out, we forged ahead.

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Corn and Okra Pudding

corn and okra pudding
corn and okra pudding
A Southern treat!

No, it’s not a dessert; instead, it’s more like a small casserole that combines two great vegetables in a thickened cream sauce. Now, if you haven’t heard of such a thing, it might be that you haven’t eaten too many Southern meals. Fortunately, that can change, and, once you try this one, you’ll be looking for more Southern treats to try!

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