Thermapen

Last night I tried to make half a recipe of Praline Silk Meringue Buttercream. I used my smallest pan to cook the syrup, but overcooked the first batch because the instant read CND thermometer I was using doesn’t seem to give an accurate temperature reading unless the syrup is about an inch deep. I’ve encountered this problem before when making small test batchs of recipes. I’m wondering is the Thermapen would be a solution to this problem. Does anyone know how deeply the Thermapen needs to be submerged into syrup (or other liquid) to get an accurate reading? I’m reluctant to purchase so expensive a thermometer without knowing in advance if it will solve the “small batch” problem.

Lehman’s Best Food Mill

Raspberry season is upon us and I love Rose’s raspberry conserve recipe, but I loath having to push the raspberries through a mesh sieve to remove the seeds. In RHC Rose recommends the Lehman’s Best Food Mill for seed removal. Currently, there is no product by that name on the Lehman web site. The site does show a product called the “Roma Food Mill.” Does anyone know if the “Roma” is the same product, by another name, as the “Best” food mill Rose recommends?

Many Thanks,

MarieG

Marie, u can always write to thermapen and I m sure your scenario is addressed.  I love mines.  it reads in seconds!  near instantly.  and the sensor tip is one of the smallest on the market.

MarieG - 06 July 2011 01:43 PM

Does anyone know how deeply the Thermapen needs to be submerged into syrup (or other liquid) to get an accurate reading?

I’d say you’d need to allow 1/2 inch.

I love my Thermapen and would be crippled without it.

It looks like the Lehman’s folks did change their branding…I considered getting their food mill last year, but ended up going with the OXO good grips food mill—it is a joy to use to get those pesky seeds out when you are pureeing raspberries.  After I had tried in vain to make raspberry puree using my fine strainer (ended up wasting half of the raspberry puree because I just couldn’t separate it from the seeds), I sucked it up and spent the $50, and have been so glad I did, even though I’ve only used it about 3x in the past year!!

http://www.amazon.com/OXO-Good-Grips-Food-Mill/dp/B000I0MGKE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1310016712&sr=8-1

And yes on the thermapen…it is so essential and the tip needs very little coverage to work.  With very small amounts I just tilt the pan a little to get 1/4 - 1/2 inch or so of liquid.

If you have a Kitchenaid mixer I recommend the food mill attachment. It does a great job with berries.

http://thermoworks.com/products/thermapen/splashproof_thermapen.html

For sugar syrups, you can tilt the pan to increase the depth of the syrup to get a more accurate reading.

How did you like the buttercream?  Praline silk meringue is dreamy stuff

1/8”!!!!!!!

http://thermoworks.com/pdf/user_manuals/Thermapens/Thermapen_Splash_Proof_User_Manual.pdf

I also use the ka food and vegetable strainer for the cr rasp conserve.  it leaves the right amount of seeds.

Thanks for the fantastic advise! I can’t figure out how to do multiple quotes, to thank you individually.

I’ve been lusting after the Thermapen - and now I have my excuse. I’ll just have to protect it from kidnapping by the more scientifically-minded members of the family.

Thanks for the heads-up on the Kitchenaid food mill attachment. The funny thing is that last night, as I was wiping off the kitchen counter, and cleaning around the Kitchenaid, in my not very large kitchen, I thought: “Why doesn’t this large, powerful, space-occupying beast do more than “mix.” I actually own the food grinder, so I just need to buy the fruit strainer attachment.

Julie - I’ve been wanting to make praline buttercream for ages, but couldn’t find praline paste locally. But my local cake supply store has started purchasing praline paste in bulk and repackaged it in pint containers. Praline paste is food for the Gods and makes an amazingly rich buttercream.

MarieG

I agree with Loopy.  I also purchased the OXO food mill and I love it.  I strained 6 bags of thawed frozen raspberries in no time flat.  I have the Cusinart 7 quart stand mixer ( which I also love ) and it doesn’t come with a strainer attachment.

My thermapen has been one of the best investments I have made.  I couldn’t make mousseline buttercream without it.

Liza - 07 July 2011 07:07 PM

I agree with Loopy.  I also purchased the OXO food mill and I love it.  I strained 6 bags of thawed frozen raspberries in no time flat.  I have the Cusinart 7 quart stand mixer ( which I also love ) and it doesn’t come with a strainer attachment.

My thermapen has been one of the best investments I have made.  I couldn’t make mousseline buttercream without it.

Liza—in fact, I think I went out and bought the Oxo precisely because you told us about how well it worked on the board!! So thanks!