GeneralAsked Sep 16, 2020 by Walt G.
When I was growing up my grandmother, of Czeck descent, used to make a unique dessert for the holidays. The dessert is called dolecky (go to google translate for pronunciation). I have looked, but have not found any reference to this dessert. The dessert consists of the following. It starts with a raised sweet bread biscuit (about 3/4" thick) made with golden raisins. On this goes first, cottage cheese, followed by whipped prunes with unsweetened whipped cream on top. Most people hear these combinations and are not too impressed, however we were always excited when we had this dessert and enjoyed it very much-sometimes too much!!
I'm curious in your experience or travels if you have come across this dessert or something similar.
Thank you,
Walt Gessler
Watson, MN
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Walt - We've never come across anything called dolecky in our travels, but we have seen kolaches. These are sweet, raised buns - sometimes with raisins, sometimes not - that are filled/topped with cream cheese and fruit. Prunes are a popular filling in these, so I'm wondering if your dessert might be your grandmother's version of kolaches? If you do an internet search for kolaches you will find dozens of versions and recipes to determine if this is similar to your grandmother's dessert. Good luck and let us know if this is the same dessert! Best, Lynn C.
Read MoreAsked Sep 14, 2020 by ann B.
I'm sitting in a smoke filled house in Seattle. I put a pot of your chili con carne on as a kind of aroma therapy. It's working a little too well. My veg husband now wants the chili, but with beans and veg crumble. The seasonings in this smell gorgeous, so I can't blame him. Can I add two or three cans of black beans or kidney beans and use the same method? Or I could soak some dried beans? I wouldn't want them to become mush, but I'm out of my depth here.
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Ann - Although I think you could \definitely\ adapt this to a vegetarian chili, we haven't tested it so I can't offer a quick modification. If I were testing this recipe, I'd probably try to combine this recipe for Indian Spiced Kidney Bean Stew with the recipe for Chili con Carne to create a vegetarian chili in the Instant Pot. It may require some tweaking, but that would be my recommendation for where to start. So sorry I can't give you a quick fix! Best, Lynn C.
Read MoreAsked Sep 06, 2020 by Kathie R.
Hello
Posted this comment/question in the recipe comment section also. Followed this recipe to the letter and the cake came out a bit dry. I noticed another comment with the same issue. I used a glass loaf pan. Wondering if I somehow over baked it. My oven temperature is not significantly off. In contrast I just baked your Mexican Sweet Corn Cake which turned out great however I actually had to bake it a bit longer to get a clean toothpick. I had high hopes for this recipe and would like to give it another go.
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Kathie - I do think it's the glass loaf pan causing the cake to be overbaked. Glass is an insulator. It takes longer to heat up but, once it does, it holds the heat longer. And while that can result in more even baking, it can also mean that the edges and bottoms will brown too quickly, and sometimes before the inside has cooked through. Once out of the oven, your loaf will take longer to cool down, which can create a slightly drier cake. The standard advice for baking in glass is to lower the oven temperature by 25°F from what the recipe calls for and bake up to 10 minutes longer. I would also ensure that your loaf pan measure 9x5, which is what we use when testing our recipes. A slightly larger or smaller loaf pan can affect how quickly the cake bakes as well. I hope this is helpful! Best, Lynn C.
Read MoreAsked Sep 04, 2020 by Ron L.
Hello friends, I hope you don’t mind my sharing a food story.
Have you ever swallowed a machete? I have, many times! I enjoyed today's member email featuring Tlayudas and it reminded me of one of my favorite Mexican treats, The Machete, a massive quesadilla I've only seen in Villa de Tezontepec. Villa de Tezontepec is a small town north of the Valley of Teotihuacan in the state of Hildalgo.
Several years ago after an exhausting day of trolling the local leather shops, some friends and I stumbled upon a restaurant off the main square called (appropriately enough) "El Mexicano." For 65 pesos (about $3 these days) you can choose from a dozen different varieties of The Machete.
This massive quesadilla is a huge, handmade corn tortilla stuffed with griddled meats and vegetables and melted cheese. The picture barely does it justice... it's one of the best things I've ever eaten. I've been several times with my friends.
Thanks for having a great show, website, and recipes!
Ron
https://www.177milkstreet.com/discussion/uploads/581/OJWUB6R1HJCB.jpg
Answered by Lynn Clark
What a great story, Ron! Thanks so much for sharing. Best, Lynn C.
Read MoreAsked Sep 04, 2020 by Mei T.
I was curious about the water to rice ratio in the coconut rice with beans recipe in the Fast and Slow cookbook. Usually the water to rice ratio in the Instant Pot is 1 to 1. In this recipe, it asks for 1.5 cups rice to 2.5 cups coconut water. It’s not clear why this ratio is different in this case so I just wanted to make sure this is correct before proceeding with the recipe. Thank you!
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Mei - Yes, this amount is correct because we are not only cooking rice in water. In addition to the rice and the coconut water, we've got scallions, garlic, bell peppers, and cilantro stems, all of which contain some amount of water too. After testing the recipe multiple times we've tried to anticipate how much water those vegetables will release and adjusted the amount of coconut water accordingly. Hope that helps explain the difference. Best, Lynn C.
Read MoreAsked Sep 02, 2020 by Kevin M.
This question is not only for this recipe but for others. My broiler has two settings, high and low. When the recipe instructs to heat the broiler, I assume most ovens just have one setting. Would you advise the high or low setting as best match for the recipe?
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Kevin - I checked in with our Director of Recipe Development, Diane Unger, and she recommends using the "high" setting on your broiler to match the broilers in our kitchen. Good luck! Best, Lynn C.
Read MoreAsked Sep 01, 2020 by Barbara K.
It looks like Maid of Scandanavia is out of business. Is there a similar company that offers all the baking supplies that MOS did?
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Barbara - I'm not super familiar with Maid of Scandinavia, but in my quick research I think it was a cake supply company? Is that correct? If so, I think Wilton is probably the next best source. Hope that helps! Best, Lynn C.
Read MoreAsked Sep 01, 2020 by diana B.
Why can the dough rise and then fall? I have baked bread for many years, and falling is a no-no. Is it because of the high hydration? Doesn't the gluten over-stretch all the same?
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Diana - According to our science expert, the rise, collapse, and re-rise of the dough is beneficial because the process stretches and weakens the gluten so it is not so tough and helps to incorporate more air into the dough that also affects the strength of the gluten and texture of the bread. The lengthy rest produces additional gas and air pockets, much of which are retained within the dough resulting in the airy structure. The high ratio of water to flour also produces a significant amount of steam during baking that aids in expanding the air pockets, further adding to the airy open crumb structure. In addition, the fairly high amount of salt slows the rate of yeast fermentation and gas formation which works well with the long rest time producing a batter-like dough, while it also increases crust color and taste. Hope this helps! Best, Lynn C.
Read MoreAsked Aug 31, 2020 by beth S.
In the mexican cornbread recipe that was on the recent podcast, should I cook the corn prior to removing from the cob? Or does this recipe call for raw corn kernels?
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Beth- The recipe calls for cutting raw kernels off the cob. No need to cook it! Good luck and enjoy. Best, Lynn C.
Read MoreAsked Aug 31, 2020 by Mark R.
Hi. Is there a thickness that you would recommend for a pizza steel? Thanks
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Mark - The ones we use in the Milk Street kitchen (and what I use at home) are 1/4" thick. Hope that helps! Best, Lynn C.
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