Will My German Chocolate Filling Spoil?? (Coconut Filling)
Decorating By Sarsi Updated 26 Jun 2012 , 7:05am by Angfastic
a friend made one for my boyfriend's birthday since those are her specialty. It was in room temp the day she made it, in room temp the day given to him, and in room temp the following day. There was never any spoilage. I don't know about the egg yolks though since I don't know how she made it.
I wouldn't trust it. Seeing the ingredients, even without proportions, I feel strongly that it needs refrigeration.
Lemon curd is made with egg yolks, is highly acidic, and requires refrigeration.
Rae
I had a recipe for this type of filling (coconut, sugar, egg yolks, evap. milk) tested for pH and water activity (this determines if it requires refrigeration), and it came back as YES it requires refrigeration.
Incidentally, Rae, I also had a recipe for lemon curd tested, and it tested within the range of NPH (not requiring refrigeration) due to its very high acidity. I'm not saying every lemon curd is safe, but I was very surprised and happy to get that result.
It's one thing to do what you want personally, but if selling or donating, you should follow the guidelines of the official sites and your HD. The HD would deem that recipe to be a custard and it would require refrigeration. Even if you have been told a recipe tests ok for no refrigeration, you must still follow the guidelines of your local HD. Just like the butter issue... refrigerate, don't refrigerate... is an issue of rancidity, not safety, the local HD has the final say.
It's one thing to do what you want personally, but if selling or donating, you should follow the guidelines of the official sites and your HD. The HD would deem that recipe to be a custard and it would require refrigeration. Even if you have been told a recipe tests ok for no refrigeration, you must still follow the guidelines of your local HD. Just like the butter issue... refrigerate, don't refrigerate... is an issue of rancidity, not safety, the local HD has the final say.
The guidelines provided by Texas law are scientific. It is pH and aW that determines whether or not a food requires time and temperature control. Local HD personnel do not have the authority to contradict what is written in the law.
Anecdotal evidence can be compelling... "well I've done this for 20 years and never had a problem..." and similar stories. But I am most concerned with the science. I've spent a lot of time and energy studying and understanding the criteria for non-potentially hazardous food, and also quite a bit of my own money having recipes tested. I had 8 recipes tested, and the only two that came back in the potentially hazardous range (requiring time and temperature control) were the aforementioned coconut filling for German Chocolate cakes, and also IMBC. So refrigerate those IMBC cakes. 
It's one thing to do what you want personally, but if selling or donating, you should follow the guidelines of the official sites and your HD. The HD would deem that recipe to be a custard and it would require refrigeration. Even if you have been told a recipe tests ok for no refrigeration, you must still follow the guidelines of your local HD. Just like the butter issue... refrigerate, don't refrigerate... is an issue of rancidity, not safety, the local HD has the final say.
The guidelines provided by Texas law are scientific. It is pH and aW that determines whether or not a food requires time and temperature control. Local HD personnel do not have the authority to contradict what is written in the law.
Anecdotal evidence can be compelling... "well I've done this for 20 years and never had a problem..." and similar stories. But I am most concerned with the science. I've spent a lot of time and energy studying and understanding the criteria for non-potentially hazardous food, and also quite a bit of my own money having recipes tested. I had 8 recipes tested, and the only two that came back in the potentially hazardous range (requiring time and temperature control) were the aforementioned coconut filling for German Chocolate cakes, and also IMBC. So refrigerate those IMBC cakes.
This is good to know. Thanks for info. What about SMBC? have you tested that for refrigeration?
Kelley-
Out of curiosity...where do you have your recipes tested, and how much does it cost you? I wouldn't even know where to begin to inquire.
Not sure that my HD or Dept of Agriculture would be remotely interested in anything I turned up in an independent lab, but if they would be, it sure would be an interesting experiment!
By no means was I advocating not following rules, etc. I was just relaying my personal experience.
Thanks Kelly for the info regarding coconut pecan frosting and IMBC. I would have never imaged coconut pecan frosting being not allowed. I'll have to try the SMBC recipe you have posted on your site so if I do need to sell a cake with MBC I'm following the law. I don't want to mess things up for people who do this full-time. Thanks for all you have done for the home bakers in TX!
Kelley-
Out of curiosity...where do you have your recipes tested, and how much does it cost you? I wouldn't even know where to begin to inquire.
Not sure that my HD or Dept of Agriculture would be remotely interested in anything I turned up in an independent lab, but if they would be, it sure would be an interesting experiment!
We found a place in Texas called Food Safety Net Services, and they will test a recipe for pH and aW for less than $35.00. I was able to drive my samples to the lab, but you can overnight them on ice, too. There may be a setup fee for non-Texas residents. I caution you that you need to study your own state's definitions for potentially hazardous foods, so that you will be able to make meaningful use of the test results. http://texascottagefoodlaw.com/Resources/FoodTesting.aspx
This is good to know. Thanks for info. What about SMBC? have you tested that for refrigeration?
The recipe we tested for SMBC tested non-potentially hazardous by Texas law. I did not make the recipe personally, but it was made for me by a good friend who has owned her own cake shop and competed on Food Network Challenge. http://texascottagefoodlaw.com/Resources/Recipes.aspx
By no means was I advocating not following rules, etc. I was just relaying my personal experience.
Thanks Kelly for the info regarding coconut pecan frosting and IMBC. I would have never imaged coconut pecan frosting being not allowed. I'll have to try the SMBC recipe you have posted on your site so if I do need to sell a cake with MBC I'm following the law. I don't want to mess things up for people who do this full-time. Thanks for all you have done for the home bakers in TX!
Oh, I didn't mean to imply that! I just wanted to say that I know it's tempting to rely on your own experiences. Everyone does it. It was one of our supporters who found the food testing lab, and I was thrilled to finally be able to get some burning questions answered, in a scientific way.
I'm confused. I read the Texas document and at the bottom of page 11 it says that "potentially hazardous food includes
(i) an animal food (a food of animal origin), including fresh shell eggs, that is raw or heat-treated;...."
I was taught that all products containing milk, cream, and eggs were required to be kept at/above 40'C (160F) or below 4'C (39F) in food establishments. Doesn't the Texas CFL rule still say the same thing?
Yes, foods of animal origins like milk, cream, eggs, seafood, and chicken, are potentially hazardous. You cannot let a carton of milk sit out on the counter all day. We are speaking not of sole ingredients, but a finished product like buttercream, which may contain butter and milk, but also copious amounts of sugar, which adds acidity and acts as a preservative. We look to the final product, not each ingredient contained therein. It is the pH and aW of the final product which determines whether or not it is potentially hazardous.
But if you have been taught otherwise, then you should certainly continue to do things in that manner. Since you are not a Texas resident, our laws are probably irrelevant to how you operate.
We look to the final product, not each ingredient contained therein. It is the pH and aW of the final product which determines whether or not it is potentially hazardous.
But if you have been taught otherwise, then you should certainly continue to do things in that manner. Since you are not a Texas resident, our laws are probably irrelevant to how you operate.
You might be interested to know that my local pizza joint wouldn't let me buy a cool slice to reheat at home. They insisted that they had to reheat it onsite before they could sell it. They are a chain and I have to say that their food handling impressed me the first time I walked into one of their shops.
Wow! Great topic and sooo informative. I've always refrigerated after putting together only because I also glop the frosting all over the sides and refrigeration helps to hold it on. I think my cake is much more frosting than cake..lol. I don't normally refrig. after cutting, but will do so in the future. Thanks all for the info.
Wow! Great topic and sooo informative. I've always refrigerated after putting together only because I also glop the frosting all over the sides and refrigeration helps to hold it on. I think my cake is much more frosting than cake..lol. I don't normally refrig. after cutting, but will do so in the future. Thanks all for the info.
I also frost the entire cake with it. To me it is not a german chocolate cake with just a coconut pecan filling 
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