Baking F-ups...

tesskerr · May 2011

Anyone have any to make me feel better?

I just made 2 batches of macarons, which is something I can make well! I made strawberry white choc filling, in a pink macaron with gold glitter, they turned out soo pretty. I also made white choc and toasted coconut, with a little bit of Malibu.

I had 2 trays to bake, I would usually always bake 1 tray at a time, but I decided I was too lazy to wait, and put both trays in. One tray in the regular tray slot, and the other just underneath, on top of another tray, so they could both be as close to the centre of the oven (macarons are fussy wee creatures)

Long story short, they trays were too close together, and I didn't realise they were actually pretty much sitting on top of each other, and the bottom tray of macarons stuck to the top tray, and made a big, melted, gooey macaron mess.

I am so mad at myself for being so impatient (and so dumb). Why couldn't I just wait 20 mins? And now I have a whole bowl of coconut filling (guess I will freeze it). Not to mention Almonds and eggs are expensive!

nda_roxybabe · May 2011

Oh no! I'm a good baker now but in HS I once forgot to drain Kraft mac n' cheese so it was like nasty soup. Then another time, I put a plastic margaine lid on the hot stove and it melted.

Nebb · May 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_baking-f-ups?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:2f872ff2-8d8b-4c02-ab03-613bcd42a70dPost:d6c90cd1-fbbc-4bc0-bb99-cb6b5595a93c">Re: Baking F-ups...</a>:
[QUOTE]Oh no! I'm a good baker now but in HS I once forgot to drain Kraft mac n' cheese so it was like nasty soup. Then another time, <strong>I put a plastic margaine lid on the hot stove and it melted.</strong>
Posted by nda_roxybabe[/QUOTE]
I used to do shiit like that, a lot. I once drunkenly made french fries and didnt realize the plastic kettle was sitting on top of the vent burner and it literally melted itself onto the burner. That was pretty balls of me.

tesskerr · May 2011

Haha, that reminds me of when FI was making this high protein gym meal (basically fried rice). It smelt really good, then he comes over and says "babe, is the rice supposed to be crunchy?" He had just added raw rice to the sauce and eggs...hehe. The recipe DID say "1/2 cup brown rice" not "1/2 cup cooked brown rice", so really the recipes fault.

And also, one time he baked m&m cookies, and commented that most burnt. I asked what temp he had the oven at, and he said the recipe said 350 but the oven didn't go that high so he had it at 240C (which is about 465F, we don't use F at all in new zealand). That was funny too, because he is a welder and should kinda know about this sort of thing...

Hey maybe I will just think about all his baking F-ups haha...

nda_roxybabe · May 2011

Hahahaha eww, raw rice!
Macarons sound amazing. I need to attempt them.

tesskerr · May 2011

They are usually easy haha, if you can use an electric beater, know how to fold nicely and how to measure, you can make them. I use this recipe http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2007/10/how-to-make-macarons-recipe.html

and they (ususally) turn out perfect.

tesskerr · May 2011

Oh, and they always turn out bigger than you expect, I draw on non stick cooking paper, around a shot glass, then turn in over. Then grease the paper, and pipe the macarons. They have a tendancy to stick really bad even with the paper. I usually bake mine a little lower heat, for more like 20 mins, then let them cool completly on the tray. If they stick, pop them in the freezer for 10 mins, then they should come off easy.

nda_roxybabe · May 2011

I can do all that! I'd give me achance to use my new food processor.

tesskerr · May 2011

Def try them! Coconut + white choc are a household fave, as well as salty caramel buttercream and mocha. I love them so much more than cupcakes, they are almost like a chewy, creamy fudge, inside a thin meringue. I'm so sad we won't be eating coconut ones today.

nda_roxybabe · May 2011

I've had them just once in SF and I LOVED them. I really want to try the famous ones in Paris but...I'm not there!

tesskerr · May 2011

It actually makes me want to go to Paris. Just to try macarons. I want to try (maybe not make) some crazy flavours, like earl grey, lily of the valley and black sesame. Beat that cupcakes!

nda_roxybabe · May 2011

I've had early grey, it wa good!

ConKFA319 · May 2011

Lily of the valley macarons??? I'm intrigued. I've never had lily of the valley-flavored anything.

Also, macarons in general. NOM.

Once DH and I got a Pyrex bowl to explode by putting it on the stove. We're still finding pieces, and this happened like 2.5 years ago, ha

tesskerr · May 2011

Oh wow that is crazy! I can't imagine what lily of the valley will taste like, but if you were in paris you would pretty much have to try them all.

I have had earl grey icecream, that was divine!

nda_roxybabe · May 2011

I had violet one too, it was...flowery. I now really, really want some freaking macarons!!!

tesskerr · May 2011

I hate stuck cakes, especially when you do everything right. i had a choc brownie stick big time the otherday, broke in half. Still ate it though haha! That garlic reminds me of guacamole I made, and accidently put cinnamon instead of cayenne. It was... interesting. It doesn't sound like it would be too bad, but it was pretty gross really (it was a lot)

arwo · May 2011

I'm not sure this counts as a "baking" exactly, but it's what always comes to mind for me.

I used to be the night baker for a small, family-owned bakery. I worked graveyard shift, and for the most part, I worked by myself. There were a couple of recipes that I made every night that used honey, which I would measure out of a 60 pound bucket. One night, I grabbed a fresh bucket by the metal handle to lift it down to the floor so I could get the lid off--and the handle broke. The bucket fell over, the lid popped off, and fully 30 pounds of honey spilled onto me and the floor. For a few seconds I just stood there, staring; after all, how the hell do you clean up 30 pounds of honey? And the puddle of honey just kept spreading...

I ended up scooping it into a dust pan with my hands, and putting it down the sink. Eventually I got enough of it off the floor that I could mop the remnants up with a string mop, but the floor was sticky all night. (As was I.) Plus, I had wasted all that honey, about $50 worth of it. I almost started crying when I told my boss the next morning...