off-topic Culinary Kitchen

[sfoster]

Today we're making GINGERBREAD MILKSHAKE Smoothies

Ingredients

1.5 Cups chilled water
1 Scoop Vanilla Protein Powder
150g Roasted, Frozen sweet potato
100g Frozen overipe banana
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
Pinch of salt
Pinch of stevia

The frozen sweet potato and banana are very thick like a milkshake, and all the spices and stevia completely obliterate any trace of sweet potato or banana flavor.

Instead of empty calories and saturated "heart attack" fat, you're getting healthy beta carotene from sweet potato and potassium from bananas.
It doesn't taste like sweet potato. It doesn't taste like banana. It tastes like a fucking ice cream gingerbread milkshake!

Enjoy this healthy & delicious Holiday Smoothie!

Pro tips:
I roast a batch of 6 sweet potato at once, then peel the skin off and MASH THEM allowing the steam to escape as they cool at room temperature.
This process of mashing and releasing the steam will prevent your frozen potato from looking freezer burned or covered in frozen ice.

I then place these room temp clumps of potato, uncovered, in the freezer for a few hours, before finally transferring them to my airtight silicone bag.
This process of uncovered to covered prevents them from sticking together in the silicone bag, so it's easier to retrieve 150g in the future.

 

[sfoster]

Today we're making Hot Chocolate Covered Cherries - Yum!

Yes, that's right - a hot chocolate tasting of cordial cherry.

Ingredients

Step 1:
1 Cup unsweetened Almond milk
75G frozen sweet cherries - blend completely into the milk
5G cacao butter
15G cocoa powder
30G sugar
1 drop of Liquid Sunflower Lecithin
-------
Step 2:
2 drops of LorAnn Cherry Flavored Bakery Emulsion
1 serving Heavy Cream
Splash of Almond Extract
Splash of Vanilla Extract

The secret to hot chocolate - here it is...
Use a blender with the top off, spinning milk at low speed, slowly pour in the cocoa powder and accomplish an otherwise difficult to achieve smooth blend - this will avoid clumping or sticking that cocoa powder is wont to do.

Take the chocolate cherry milk up to 190F (just below boiling - "occasional bubbles rise to surface") with all the Step 1 ingredients, then lower heat to desired drinking temperature and add the Step 2 ingredients.

Fun Fact:
Chocolate Milk, Hot Cocoa, and Hot Chocolate are 3 different beverages - Hot Chocolate is the only one with Cacao Butter.

 

[Spike]

I impulse bought a pumpkin, at the grocery store, that claimed it was for a pie. I'll as my AI robot friend how to do it. And for hot chocolate -- I used to get bars of white baking chocolate, and put them in the super-blender with hot milk and a splash of heavy cream, until it's all liquid. Easy and, kinda best ever.

 

[sfoster]

I impulse bought a pumpkin, at the grocery store, that claimed it was for a pie. I'll as my AI robot friend how to do it. And for hot chocolate -- I used to get bars of white baking chocolate, and put them in the super-blender with hot milk and some heavy cream, until it's all liquid. Easy and, kinda best ever.

A "Hot white chocolate" sounds intriguing! Have you tried dipping an Oreo into white hot chocolate instead of milk?

I've been thinking about making a sweet potato pie for thanksgiving using japanese sweet potato.

 

[indietalk]

I've been thinking about making a sweet potato pie for thanksgiving using japanese sweet potato.

Sweet potato pecan is my fave. It's a sweet potato pie on the bottom and the top "crust" is literally pecan pie and it's awesome.

 

[sfoster]

Sweet potato pecan is my fave. It's a sweet potato pie on the bottom and the top "crust" is literally pecan pie and it's awesome.

I love Pecan pie so that sounds like a match made in heaven

 

[indietalk]

I'm sure you can google lol but it's basically THIS

Paul Prudhomme's Sweet Potato Pecan Pie Recipe

This recipe came to The Times in 1983 from the renowned Louisiana chef Paul Prudhomme Like its traditional pecan cousin, this pie is very sweet, so serve it with a little Chantilly cream on top.

cooking.nytimes.com

 

[indietalk]

If that's a paywall go here

Sweet Potato Pecan Pie

Your first thought will be that this pie will be too sweet…but I beg to differ with you. This confection is a well balanced downhome recipe compliments of Paul Prudhomme which brings out a w…

www.trudysfoodies.com

 

[sfoster]

I'm sure you can google lol but it's basically THIS

Paul Prudhomme's Sweet Potato Pecan Pie Recipe

This recipe came to The Times in 1983 from the renowned Louisiana chef Paul Prudhomme Like its traditional pecan cousin, this pie is very sweet, so serve it with a little Chantilly cream on top.

cooking.nytimes.com

Fuck that looks good

 

[sfoster]

I made a batch of White Hot Chocolate - It's essentially same recipe as hot chocolate but without the cocoa powder, just the cocoa butter.
If you're wondering what it tastes like imagine drinking a cup of sweetened condensed milk with a splash of heavy cream and youre 90% of the way there. It basically takes like super extra delicious milk, it goes down very easy.

I had a cup of white hot chocolate and five oreos for dinner ( in the name of science and culinary exploration )
Dunking the oreos didnt have enough cling but using a spoon like some kind of oreo cereal was very tasty.

 

[CelticRambler]

... and this occupies what place exactly in the weight management programme ... ?

 

[sfoster]

... and this occupies what place exactly in the weight management programme ... ?

 

[Spike]

I made a batch of White Hot Chocolate - It's essentially same recipe as hot chocolate but without the cocoa powder, just the cocoa butter.
If you're wondering what it tastes like imagine drinking a cup of sweetened condensed milk with a splash of heavy cream and youre 90% of the way there. It basically takes like super extra delicious milk, it goes down very easy.



I had a cup of white hot chocolate and five oreos for dinner ( in the name of science and culinary exploration )
Dunking the oreos didnt have enough cling but using a spoon like some kind of oreo cereal was very tasty.

And if it's not rich enough. Can throw in a tablespoon or two of malt powder. And if not sweet enough, of course, on top--marshmallows!

 

[Spike]

... and this occupies what place exactly in the weight management programme ... ?

(Spoil-sport)

 

[sfoster]

Today we're making our own Double Fold Vanilla Extract with Bourbon
The typical Vanilla Extract you buy at the store is grain alcohol watered down to 35% ABV

Double Fold means it's created with two times more vanilla pods than typical Extract, giving it a much stronger vanilla flavor that professional bakers prefer. I've also opted to add an additional layor of flavor by using Bourbon instead of Vodka for my homemade extract.

I sliced open and chopped up all 50 of these vanilla beans and submerged them into the Kentucky Straight Bourbon.
Now I will shake the bottle weekly for a month, then afterward I will shake it monthly for a year.

I'll let you know how it tastes thanksgiving in 2026

And if it's not rich enough. Can throw in a tablespoon or two of malt powder. And if not sweet enough, of course, on top--marshmallows!

Nice! I gotta try some malt powder in hot chocolate one day!

On my todo list: Adding hazlenut paste, brown butter, or instant coffee powder and explore the flavors.

 

[Spike]

My pumpkin pie. I asked my AI robot friend for instructions, and got a good recipe. It was fun, being able to talk to the recipe, to ask it whatever dumb minute question that came to mind. Like:

ME: Do you think one pumpkin, about five inches tall, will be enough for one pie?

ROBOT: Great question! A 5-inch-tall pie pumpkin is on the smaller side, but it might just squeak by.

- **General rule**: A typical pie pumpkin (about 2.5 to 4 pounds and 6–8 inches in diameter) yields **2 to 3 cups** of purée.
- **Your pumpkin**: At 5 inches tall, it's likely closer to **1.5 to 2.5 cups** of purée, depending on its girth and density.

Most standard pumpkin pie recipes call for **1¾ to 2 cups** of purée.
- So if your pumpkin is dense and not too hollow, you might just have enough.
- If you're short, you can:
- Supplement with canned pumpkin.
- Make a slightly smaller pie or tart.
- Bulk it out with a bit of mashed sweet potato or butternut squash (they blend beautifully).

Want to weigh it for a more precise estimate? I can help you calculate yield based on weight

Can your recipe do that?

Anyway, after deciding on how to roast the pumpkin (is there a difference between "roast" and "bake?" ) What kind of crust (I like Marie Callanders frozen pies. Does she make a crust?) Spice (I found a bottle of "pumpkin spice" can I just use that? Do you think it's too old?) Etc. (Etc?.), I finally put it together, from the step by step instructions.

But i didn't read them carefully, especially the part that said: "slowly whisk." I just threw everything into the blender. When i realized my error, I thought it probably wouldn't make any difference.

It did. The robot had called the mix "the custard," and I realized what it is that I like about a pumpkin pie--its custardyness. Mine was kind of floofy. It tasted OK but the texture was weird. Oh well.

Marie Callander does make a good frozen pie.

Anyway.

 

[sfoster]

Can your recipe do that?

I gave AI the nastiest recipe I coul think of and asked it's opinion

Me: "I was thinking of making a hot chocolate, but substitute eggnog instead of using milk, how do you think that will taste."

2025 AI: "Using eggnog instead of milk for hot chocolate will make it richer, creamier, and sweeter, with that signature nutmeg and vanilla flavor that eggnog has. The chocolate will be more decadent, and you’ll get a bit of a holiday-y, custardy vibe."



If you actually make this you will vomit before you finish a cup.
Having said that - I am also having fun talking to AI about cooking, learning about NEW things I didnt even know existed.. like ruby chocolate.

Wtf man there is a RUBY RED CHOCOLATE?? And the cacao bean fruit actually tastes fruity??

 

[Spike]

I decided to test your "absurd recipe" idea, s, and asked, at the end of the pumpkin pie chat: "What do you think about substituting broccoli for pumpkin?"

It answered: "I love your adventurous spirit — but broccoli in a pumpkin pie? That’s a bold move! "

And it went on to explain why it probably wasn't a great idea, in a bullet-point list. "Flavor clash," Texture mismatch" "Custard conflict."

It did suggest a quiche. Actually, that's a good idea. I do have a left-over pie shell and some eggs.

Anyway.

 

[Spike]

...and then felt bad about trolling my robot friend:

ME: "I was just testing you. To see if you would answer: "Great idea!" You passed, lol. However, now: A quiche recipe?"

ROBOT: " You got me on my toes, Spike — and I’m glad I passed the broccoli test! Now let’s turn that leftover pie shell and those eggs into something savory and satisfying.

 

[sfoster]

I decided to test your "absurd recipe" idea, s, and asked, at the end of the pumpkin pie chat: "What do you think about substituting broccoli for pumpkin?"

It answered: "I love your adventurous spirit — but broccoli in a pumpkin pie? That’s a bold move! "

And it went on to explain why it probably wasn't a great idea, in a bullet-point list. "Flavor clash," Texture mismatch" "Custard conflict."

It did suggest a quiche. Actually, that's a good idea. I do have a left-over pie shell and some eggs.

Anyway.

Ah - you picked what is perhaps the most notorously unpallatable food of picky eaters everywhere - Broccoli - I'm not surprised that one didn't pass the sniff test lol. Pick something else that goes with dessert in general, but clashes, like ... pumpkin pie with hot fudge sauce.

Actually tonight AI got me to roast powdered milk... FML... ChatGPT convinced me that by roasting dehydrating whole milk, I could caramalize with the Maillard reaction, and then reconstitute the caramalized powdered milk into a glass of CARAMEL MILK.

Dude it was so gross, it had some nutty flavors, but gross.