I need some help, I am hosting a Rosemary's Baby themed baby Shower. I wanted to serve chocolate mousse for the dessert, but as my friend has developed an aversion to chocolate due to her pregnancy I am going to make a Strawberry Cake instead. However, I can't find a recipe that doesn't involve using gelatin (she doesn't eat gelatin either). I know I could just make a strawberry shortcake, but I'd rather do something a bit more unique.

If anyone has any strawberry cake recipes or suggestions for de-gelatinizing the strawberry cake recipes, I would be most appreciative.

I'll have to find it, but there is a cake recipe that uses a special pan that makes a slught depression int he top of thwe cake so that glazed fruit can be held there.. there is also an ice cream cake recipe I'll have to look up that would do.. glazed fruit is made with fruit, sugar, and corn starch with a little bit of water or juice.. cooked to bubbling and cooled.. no geletain.. per se.. but the fruit is glazed.. what is the resaon of her aversion to gelatin>

Rosemary's Baby???! Oh dear.. well you could also make strawberry sherbert (ginger ale and sherbert) drinks with dry ice cubes to both chill it a bit more and make a spooky fog

I did a very quick google and found two links to cakes without gelatin

http://www.recipezaar.com/36970
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/360513

Or if you have a jelly roll pan you could make a jelly roll using strawberry jam.

(seriously - Rosemary's Baby??)

Yes, Rosemary's Baby. She's not the type who will like a typical baby shower, but she will get a kick out of a horror movie themed baby shower.

Thanks to you both. The recipe on Chowhound looks good, although I would like to see Masque's ice cream cake recipe. The ginger ale and sherbet drinks are a great idea too!

No gelatin because she is a vegetarian. She'll eat dairy and eggs, but not something made from animal's connective tissue.

a rosemary's baby shower for a veggie? but then you can't serve raw chicken liver! nooooes!

quote:

Originally posted by Megsley:

I am hosting a Rosemary's Baby themed baby Shower.

*sits at the computer table for a while, jaw agape*

I would like to buy you a Buick.

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a rosemary's baby shower for a veggie? but then you can't serve raw chicken liver! nooooes!

I will unfortunately have to make some compromises due to the fact that she is a veggie and that certain smells/foods don't agree with her since she got pregnant. But it should still be awesome!

I am going to decorate the co-hosts apartment with black preambulators.

ETA: A buick?

quote:

Originally posted by Megsley:
Yes, Rosemary's Baby. She's not the type who will like a typical baby shower, but she will get a kick out of a horror movie themed baby shower.

Thanks to you both. The recipe on Chowhound looks good, although I would like to see Masque's ice cream cake recipe. The ginger ale and sherbet drinks are a great idea too!

No gelatin because she is a vegetarian. She'll eat dairy and eggs, but not something made from animal's connective tissue.

okies... gelatin nowadays is made with agar agar (seaweed) they stopped using animal parts in gelatin back some 20 years ago.. it is still possible to get beef gelatin, but the majority is vegetarian safe...

Hmmmm...last I checked she was still on a gelatin ban...

ETA: I guess gelatin would be okay then as long as I make sure it is the veggie variety...

Certainly in the UK anything labelled "gelatin" is still an animal product. "Gelling agent", perhaps, might mean agar-agar or carragenan, but not gelatin.

Does she like mock duck? (It's fried gluten, vegan and available very cheap in tins in Chinese supermarkets.) It would make an excellent liver-substitute, certainly visually, plus it's delicious.

ETA: I, too, boggle at your theme. I look forward to hearing what the other guests make of it.

Yeah, I was just researched and found that most gelatins, even kosher gelatins, in the US are animal based.

It will probably be safest to just stear clear of using gelatin products and find recipes that use fresh strawberries.

Thanks for the suggestion about the vegetarian duck.

I'm looking forward to peoples reactions, but especially my friends. I think she is going to have a good laugh over it.

quote:

Originally posted by Megsley:
Yes, Rosemary's Baby. She's not the type who will like a typical baby shower, but she will get a kick out of a horror movie themed baby shower.

she reminds me of me (I think I'm supposed to hate her now). I'm already dreading my sister's upcoming baby shower, as I normally manage to beg off. *sigh*

anyway, my mom has a fantastic strawberry cake, but I don't know when I'll have a chance to get the recipe from her. what's the expiration date on this thing?

You can get agar gelatin in any co-op or whole foods store. It comes just like the other kind but it says agar on it.

Awesome baby shower idea!

My kids had a black crib.

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anyway, my mom has a fantastic strawberry cake, but I don't know when I'll have a chance to get the recipe from her. what's the expiration date on this thing?

The shower is May 3, I'll probably have to make the cake part of the cake on May 1, and then do the frosting the morning of the actual shower.

quote:

Awesome baby shower idea!

My kids had a black crib.

Thanks.

ETA: I like that, a black crib.

I don't think her crib is black (surprising 'cos it's her favorite color), but despite the fact that she is having a girl there is no pink in sight.

yay! another pink-hater! I loathe pink, even when I was a kid. Hated that part of ballet class, everything was pink! I had copper coloured hair and very fair skin, I look ghastly in pink!

I dunno - could be a pink fetishist, and only save it for special occasions, a baby shower not (I hope) being one of those.

quote:

Originally posted by Megsley:

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anyway, my mom has a fantastic strawberry cake, but I don't know when I'll have a chance to get the recipe from her. what's the expiration date on this thing?

The shower is May 3, I'll probably have to make the cake part of the cake on May 1, and then do the frosting the morning of the actual shower.

I can probably get the recipe from her this weekend. it is the most moistest, yummiest strawberry cake evars! I think she uses a mix but puts strawberry juices in it? or some kinda suchlike. the icing is white, though, but it's so yummy.

anyway, even if you don't like it, I've just talked myself into wanting the recipe, so I'll procure it for us.

you can make a quicky strawberry jam "bloody gloops"..

to make a strawberry ice cream cake.. you need to make it "upside down". it reqires that you have a freezer and is more an assembly thing than an actual recipe.. doesn't hurt if you have a "bombe" mould either... but a metal bowl works too.. just have a platter the size of the bowl's rim for ease in plating

you'll need:
softened ice cream (strawberry, chocolate, or vanilla or all three if you want that layered "neopolitan" look)

Strawberry preserves or you can make a "quicky version" (gloop) with strawberies, sugar, white wine, and cornstarch... cook the first three down (crushing the strawberries) and add the fourth in a slurry of water, cook until thickened and remove from heat and cool.

Strawberries, slices with a little sugar sprinkled on top (mascerates)

Pound cake cut into 1" thick slices

whipped cream

Strawberry sauce

Assembly:
fill the bowl with ice cream, leaving about 2" from the rim and a "cup" in the center (you determine the size). Fill the cup with the strawberry preserves or "gloop". Put a layer of the sliced strawberries over the "top" of it all, then a thin layer of whipped cream and the pound cake. Lightly butter or spray non-stick cooking spray on the serving platter and place that on top of the bowl. Freeze for 4-6 hours. To remove from bowl: dip in hot water and turn over while holding the plate. Or could also use hot towels or a blowtorch for about a minute.. decorate with more whipped cream, strawberries and the sauce.

When the cake is cut, the preserves should "ooze" out like cool blood..

about the gelatin.. my sources were incorrect then.. I knew that back in the 70's and 80's there was a drive to use agar agar or carragean instead of animal gelatin, it is possible to find carragean, issenglas, or agar agar to use instead of gelatin though..

quote:

Originally posted by Maeve:
yay! another pink-hater! I loathe pink, even when I was a kid. Hated that part of ballet class, everything was pink! I had copper coloured hair and very fair skin, I look ghastly in pink!

Oh ditto on the pink!!!!!
although I do a pink-ish tie-dye shirt.. it was a hashing gift.. and since it has other colors on it, it's not pink.. I also have a couple of things that are pink.. but again they were gifts.. the only thing I like that is pink are certain foods and roses.