Clue Crew Kitchen!

Recipe #121 - Cowabubble

The ice cream in the game is actually white and not bubble-gum flavored, but that's boring so whatever lol.

This was so satisfying to make! Very simple ingredients and when you fold them into each other you get this sort of pastel, tie-dye effect. Felt like I was doing arts and crafts rather than baking (is ice cream baking?) It's also fun to eat because the rainbow from the gumballs melts into the light blue ice cream. The bubble gum flavor wasn't overwhelming but wasn't overpowered by other ingredients either, as with most flavor extracts, a little bit goes a long way.

I feel like this gave me more gelato vibes vs. ice cream. Very soft and extremely sugary. The condensed milk brought on the sweetness and creaminess, while the whipping cream kept things fluffy and light. I gotta say, the gumballs, while cute, are rock hard out of the freezer, so I mostly just ate around them. Then again, I'm not a gum person to begin with.

Recipe:

Here is my source

This ice cream has major "kid's birthday party" vibes, but this 30 year old enjoyed it just fine ;)

Recipe 121 - Cowabubble

"Cowabubble" is the eighth recipe I’ve made based on the ice cream/milkshake flavors at Scoop in Alibi in Ashes. If you’d like to see the other seven you can find them here, here, here, here, here, here and here.

I know this is definitely more of a summer recipe than a fall one, but it took me a long time to gather the obscure ingredients involved. I've actually never had bubble gum ice cream, so I was excited to give it a shot. I was so relieved when it turned out really well because I've had some flop experiences with homemade ice cream in the past. The texture and flavor were everything I'd hoped for and no ice cream maker was involved! This gives me hope for future ice cream recipes.

((I just wanted to say “Congrats!” to all of the winners/runner ups of the 2022 Cook-Off that Her Interactive did. I kinda wish I had participated, but I was too crazy busy. Maybe next time! It’s always awesome to get evidence that the ND fandom is alive and kicking like this.)) 

Recipe #120 - Strawberry Tartlet

I really love itty bitty desserts. Perfectly portioned, adorable, and fun to share with friends. 

What I don’t get about this recipe and a lot of other recipes I’ve made is how off the yield prediction was. It told me I would get 30 tarts and I got 9. On the one hand, what a relief, but on the other, what the heck? I followed the instructions to a T! This seems to happen to me a lot with sweets. Like the back of the pancakes box will be like “yields 15″ and I get 3. The mysteries of life. 

Anywho, the strawberry curd that fills the little tart shells was a fun new experience for me. I’ve definitely eaten lemon curd in the past and it tastes very similar to that. I was surprised to see how many egg yolks go into it (six!) The amount of things you can transform eggs into in baking is pretty crazy. These tartlets are tart and pretty healthy tasting for what they are. The filling actually reminds me of greek yogurt a little bit. Would recommend if you need something light and fruity.

Recipe:

Here is my source

-1 1/4 cup flour

-1/3 cup sugar + 1/2 cup for curd

-Pinch of salt

-2 stick of butter

-7 egg yolks

-2 Tbsp water

-1 tsp vanilla extract

-1 lb of strawberries (plus extra for garnish)

-2 Tbsp lemon juice

-1 oz dehydrated strawberries 

Recipe 120 - Strawberry Tartlet 

“Strawberry Tartlet” is the 2nd recipe I’ve made based on the offerings at Lauren’s shop in Midnight in Salem. I’ve made two other MID recipes which can be found here and here. 

I kind of wanted to get this recipe out before spring was over, but oh well. I guess this can be my “goodbye” to spring (happy Summer Solstice Clue Crew!) When I pictured a strawberry tartlet in my head, it was definitely more like a little pie, but the recipe I opted to use is like a cookie. The dough is sugar cookie dough more or less. It’s very yummy, but I almost want to remake this with a flaky crust instead. I think something more buttery and pastry-like would really enhance the strawberry flavors.  

I guess Cluecrewcookin is in its dessert era right now because that’s what the games keep throwing at me! It’s nice to have an excuse to bake goodies for myself, so I’m not complaining. 

Recipe #119 - Cranachan 

I hand whipped the cream because I don’t own a mixer...my arm is still on fire. 

I’m really pleased with how this one came out! Also pleased with the fact that I was able to reuse some things from past recipes. I used the cups and spoons from my chocolate mayhem recipe to help with assembly, the oats from my scotch pies and the brandy from my black bun recipe. Always nice when that works out. 

This recipe called for “folding” the toasted oats into the cream and I couldn’t stop thinking about that scene from Schitt’s Creek where they argue about what folding means. You wouldn’t know it from looking at it but every layer of this thing has booze. Both the raspberry layers and the cream layers have brandy in them. I don’t drink because I don’t like the taste of alcohol, but I feel it was subtle enough here to work for me. I’m sure you could make this alcohol free as well, but it would be pretty plain if you did. The toasted oats were probably the most “traditional” part of this dish and I feel like they were the surprise MVP. They helped hold the layers together and gave a nice little crunch to each bite. 

Recipe:

Here is my source 

-1 1/3 cups oats

-1/3 cup whisky (I used brandy instead)

-2 cups of fresh raspberries

-3 Tbsp whisky

-3 Tbsp honey

-2 tsp sugar

-2 cups of heavy whipping cream 

Recipe 119 - Cranachan 

“Cranachan” is the tenth recipe I’ve made based on the food offered at the Deli Shuss in The Silent Spy. The other nine can be found here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here. This will be the final Deli Shuss recipe because I’m not going to make smoked fish or sheep intestines lol. 

This was so fun to make! Maybe it’s just because I have a lot of experience with layered desserts at this point, but I found it very easy to put together without smudging the sides of the glass. I think each layer is just the right consistency: not too light, not too heavy and very malleable. It’s definitely the booziest thing I’ve ever made (like you may actually get tipsy if you eat a big enough portion). I could see it being a big hit at cocktail parties. Since it’s light and fruity it could also be eaten close to breakfast/brunch too. Nice and versatile little treat. 

Recipe #118 -  Caramelized Onion & Pecan Tart

I always thought caramelizing onions involved actual caramel, but I guess not. Shows how much I know! (Now that I think about it, that sounds disgusting). 

As I said in my other post, this is kind of like pizza’s weird cousin. The addition of the pears is probably what pushes it over into “tart” territory. I felt kind of weird placing a bunch of dry(ish) ingredients on the puff pastry, it felt like there should have been some sauce or something to hold it all together, but it all works out in the end. It’s one of those “trust the process” kinds of recipes. 

For an extra bit of pizzaz, I recommend a drizzle of honey and sprinkle of salt before you bite into this. Also, if the gorgonzola turns you off, I think you could substitute a milder cheese. I’m thinking of trying goat cheese next time. 

Recipe:

Here is my source

-1 sheet of puff pastry 

-1 egg

-4-5 pears (I only needed 2?)

-1 medium onion

-1 Tbsp butter

-3 oz. gorgonzola cheese

1/4 cup chopped pecans 

Recipe 118 - Caramelized Onion & Pecan Tart

“Caramelized Onion & Pecan Tart” is the tenth recipe I’ve done from Ghost of Thornton Hall and the 4th I’ve pulled from Jessalyn’s wedding menu. The other nine GTH recipes I’ve done can be found here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.

This one was a bit obscure. When I went searching for a recipe I found a lot of pecan tarts and a lot of caramelized onion tarts, but not a lot of tarts with both ingredients. I always wonder if these in-game menus are just made up on the spot or if the staff at Her had real life food in mind. I did eventually find a good fit, which was a puff pastry, gorgonzola, and pear pizza-like thing, pictured above. A sophisticated mixture of savory and sweet. I think it fits in with the hoity-toity image they were going for.

I went a little out of my comfort zone with this recipe because I'm not the biggest gorgonzola fan. Luckily, I think its strong flavor was nicely balanced/complemented by everything else on the tart. Melting the cheese also mellowed it out a bit. This tart is a bit too heavy for an appetizer and too savory for a dessert. I think it would be best served as part of light lunch with some salad and tea. Easy to throw together, but definitely for a more adult palate.

Recipe #117 - Koffee Kandy

Coffee is a God tier flavor and I don't know why I don't buy it more often.

This was another fun and easy recipe where I just took the prompt from ASH and then saw what concoction I could come up with. The in-game description for the shake is that it has "koffee kandy pieces." The issue with that is that most coffee flavored candies IRL are hard and wouldn't blend well. To stay true to the game, I crushed some mocha KitKats and sprinkled them on top of the whipped cream. Close enough!

I think Oreos are the best milkshake ingredient, so I was excited when I saw that there was a java chip flavor. I guess Oreos and KitKats are the MVPs of wacky flavors, huh? When I was little we used to go to this family restaurant and get "Awful Awfuls" (awful good, awful big) which were huge Oreo shakes. This was like the slightly grown up version of that. Nice little mix of nostalgia and something new.

Recipe:

(I made this one up)

-2 cups coffee ice cream

-1/3 cup milk

-4 java chip Oreos, crushed

-1 mocha KitKat, crushed

-1 peep for garnish

-whipped cream

Recipe 117 - Koffee Kandy Milkshake

“Koffee Kandy” is the seventh recipe I’ve made based on the ice cream/milkshake flavors at Scoop in Alibi in Ashes. If you’d like to see the other six you can find them here, here, here, here, here and here.

I had to take a break between last recipe and this one because my tummy can only handle so much sugar. I have so many dessert recipes left at this point! I was inspired to do the coffee flavored milkshake when I saw that coffee-flavored peeps were a thing. Perfect for the Easter season :)

This was basically a frappuccino, which my brain puts into a separate category from milkshakes even though they're the exact same thing. I went for double the coffee by using coffee oreos and coffee ice cream and I think it was a big success. Surprisingly light and low in the guilt department. I'd 100% make this again.

Recipe #116 - Chocolate Mayhem

The simplest foods are definitely the best, I gotta say.

Death by Chocolate (this recipe's real name) has it all: fluffy, crunchy, creamy, and chewy. It's essential to get every layer in each bite to experience the synergy of the ingredients. The crunchy toffee on top really pulls it all together (I discovered I like heath bars thanks to this!)

Although this recipe was very easy from a baking perspective, assembling it was tricky. I've experienced this issue before when making the parfaits from Danger by Design, it's difficult to get a clean layered look, especially in a narrow glass. It requires a steady hand and patience. I kind of felt like I was building a ship in a bottle with the miniature coffee cups I bought. That was definitely the downside to downsizing this dish. I imagine if I made it in a giant bowl, it would have been pretty simple. My 2nd attempt was better than my first as I got the hang of things. The cool whip right out of the freezer was especially hard to work with.

This is a good dessert to make if you want to impress people with something visually interesting, but you're not an experienced baker. If you can make brownies, you can make this.

Recipe:

Here is my source

-1 Package brownie mix (requires an egg and vegetable oil)

-1 Package instant chocolate pudding (requires milk)

-English toffee, crushed

-1 Package frozen whipped topping

The weather is finally warming up where I am and I'm so here for it. Bring on the cookouts and picnics! :D

Recipe 116 - Chocolate Mayhem

This recipe is yet another dish pulled from Wickford Castle’s menu in Treasure in a Royal Tower. The six other menu items I’ve made so far can be found here, here, here, here, here and here.

Just like "Odyssey to Bananaland" I had to kind of guess what kind of dessert "chocolate mayhem" would be. I knew that "death by chocolate" was a thing so I googled what dessert had that name and found this trifle! Trifles are usually huge and serve up big punch-bowl like dishes. Since I'm just one girl, I opted for a miniature version of that.

This dessert is light and decadent at the same time! It seems like it's going to be a lot, but then you realize it's mostly pudding and cool whip and you're ready for a second round. It seems like it would be a fun recipe to assemble with kids because all of its components are very basic. Highly recommended for parties!

Recipe #115 - Pizza Bread

For full effect, listen to the Luca soundtrack.

Just in case you have no idea what this recipe has to do with Midnight in Salem, here is an image I received from Her to help me identify the food items on sale at Lauren's shop:

This was so fun to assemble! It really felt like I was making art because I painted the sauce on with a brush and arranged the toppings to fit the aesthetic I was going for. I added the fresh basil after the bread came out of the oven so it would keep its bright green color and make everything really pop. I could've gone for a normal pizza, but I just can't say no to fresh mozzarella so I went Margherita.

My two complaints about the results I got were the lack of sauce and the thickness of the bread. I think if I made this again I would spoon the sauce onto the bread instead of painting it on, the sauce layer was just too thin. The bread (ciabatta) was fine once I got it in my mouth, but it was very challenging to cut, even with a heavy duty steak knife.

The pizza sauce recipe I followed was very good, but it felt less "from scratch" than I had hoped. The majority of the sauce came from a big can of crushed tomatoes, so it didn't feel too different from just buying a can of sauce. Oh well, I tried.

Recipe for pizza bread:

Here is my source

-1 loaf of bread (I went with ciabatta because it has a wide surface area to work with)

-1/4 cup olive oil

-1 3/4 cups shredded mozzarella (I went with fresh mozzarella)

-1/4 cup finely shredded parmesan cheese

-Desired toppings

Recipe for pizza sauce:

Here is my source

-1 1/2 tbsp olive oil

-2 tsp minced garlic

-3 tbsp tomato paste

-1 (15 oz) can of crushed tomatoes (I used a 12 oz can and was fine)

-2 tbsp chopped, fresh basil

-1 1/2 tsp oregano

-Salt and pepper

Excited to be getting into some more MID recipes. Not my favorite Nancy Drew game, but it brought me a bunch of new cooking/baking opportunities and for that I'm grateful. Until next time, keep on cookin'!

Recipe 115 - Pizza Bread

"Pizza Bread" is the first recipe I've made based on the offerings at Lauren's shop in Midnight in Salem. I've only made one other recipe for MID which you can find here.

To be honest, I'm not 100% sure what "pizza bread" is, so I just found a recipe for French bread pizza and called it a day. Hopefully that's what Her was going for. This recipe is super simple so I added some self-imposed challenges to make things interesting. First, I went to a specialty Italian market (Eataly) so that I could get the most authentic ingredients possible. Second, I made the pizza sauce from scratch. In other words, I made a fun Saturday out of it! In the end I think my efforts were worth it because this was delicious and gorgeous to look at. A treat for the eyes and the stomach :)

I don't think I need to go into crazy detail about the experience of eating pizza bread. If you've had pizza, it's not much different, just thicker. This would be a great recipe for beginners, kids or guests at a party to make together. It's extremely customizable and all of the ingredients are easy to find.

Recipe #114 - Black Bun

From a distance, this kind of looks like a meat pie. It really throws my brain off.

I'm very pleased with how this came out even though it's not the prettiest thing in the world. It feels very medieval, like I could bring it as a snack to a Dungeons and Dragons hangout or something.

I had a terrible time getting ingredients together for this thing. Some of the ingredients are just not accessible where I live so I had to improvise. Also, I made it during fruit cake season so currants and candied peel were tricky (I tried 4 grocery stores one night before giving up). In the end, I'd probably never make this again, but I'm glad I got the opportunity to try something new.

This is a VERY dense cake that leaves you full. Between breakfast and dessert, I would say it works better for breakfast because it's not really sweet and is honestly more like a meal than a treat (rhyme unintended). Following the recipe, the dough came out a lot smaller than I anticipated so I couldn't fill the sides of my cake tin. I saw pictures of black bun online with gaps in the sides, so I just rolled with it.

Recipe:

Here is my source (I converted things to cups/tbsp and used brown sugar instead of muscovado/molasses sugar)

Once again, happy 2022 everyone. Hopefully we'll get a new game announced soon. I get the feeling that Her is doing better lately with lots of big name streamers promoting their games. MID was pretty "meh," but I'm not ready to give up on the franchise just yet.

Recipe 114 - Black Bun

“Black Bun” is the ninth recipe  I’ve made based on the food offered at the Deli Shuss in The Silent Spy. The other eight can be found here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here. For those keeping score, there are 14 food items you can buy at Deli Shuss so only 5 more to go! (Although I probably won't be able to make some of the remaining things).

"Black Bun" is a traditional, Scottish, New Year's fruit cake. I was very excited when I read that because I originally wanted to do the recipe for Christmas but ran out of time (couldn't find currants). Compared to the other fruit cake I made (Dundee cake) it is a lot more dense with dried fruit, in fact it's more fruit than cake. I saw someone compare it online to a giant fig newton and I think that's pretty accurate. Texture wise it's pretty gritty and dense and the dough is flaky like a pie crust. Definitely not a combo of tastes that's familiar to my American tongue. Since it's very dry, I recommend a generous lathering of butter and some salt for some zing. (I've been putting salt on all my sweets lately).

I gotta share the black bun lore that was attached to my source's recipe because it's both interesting and seasonally appropriate:

"‘First footing’ is an old Hogmanay custom: shortly after midnight, neighbours would visit one another to offer their best wishes for the New Year and take gifts such as black bun (a fruit cake wrapped in pastry) to symbolise that the household would not go hungry that year."

Happy New Year clue crew!