November 8, 2011 | 2 Comments 
I won't be offended if pumpkin pie is left off of the Thanksgiving Day menu. Weird, I know.
But I can get behind replacing it with some pumpkin cheesecake. Add some caramel bourbon sauce and I'll be back for seconds.
February 13, 2011 | 2 Comments 
Lavender Madeleines
3 oz unsalted butter
2 oz egg yolks (about 3-4 yolks)
1/2 oz sugar + 2 1/2 oz sugar
1/2 oz honey (sage)
1 T fresh lavender flowers
2 oz egg whites
3 oz cake flour
1/2 t baking powder
1/8 t kosher salt
Thoroughly brush madeleine molds with melted butter and dust with flour. Make sure there are no unbuttered patches, otherwise the madeleines could stick to the pan
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Brown the butter in a saute pan. Transfer to a bowl to cool and stir in the lavender flowers. Let steep for 15 minutes; strain out flowers and discard.
Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt, and set aside.
Place the yolks, 1/2 oz of sugar and honey in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and whip on high until pale yellow and holds a ribbon. Transfer to another bowl.
Clean the bowl thoroughly and add the egg whites. Whip to soft peaks and then rain in the 2 1/2 oz sugar. Continue whipping to firm peaks.
Fold half the egg whites into the whipped egg yolks and then fold in half the flour. Repeat with the rest of the egg whites and remaining flour.
Temper the butter with a spoonful of the batter and blend well to emulsify. Fold the butter mixture into the batter and transfer to a piping bag. Fill the molds 3/4 full and chill in the refrigerator 10 to 15 minutes. Bake for 12-13 minutes, until the cookies are golden brown and firm in the center.
Remove cookies from the oven and immediately flip the cookies out of the pan. Let cool.
For the glaze, mix powdered sugar and water in a bowl until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is very liquid. Dip the tops of the madeleines in the glaze and brush off any excess. Let glaze harden before serving. Cookies are best the day they are made, but will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
December 9, 2010 | 5 Comments Because I've accepted that I'm not going to get a 'proper' recap up anytime soon.
Because I've logged more kitchen hours in the past five weeks than...ever.
Because looking at these pictures makes me smile uncontrolably.
November 24, 2010 | Post a Comment Baking during my childhood was very holiday centered. Aside from the occasional German chocolate cake that my dad would make, baking for me was associated with Christmas. Every year, right after Thanksgiving, my mom would plan her holiday baking schedule and every year I knew I could look forward to the same array of soul-warming treats. There was fudge, of course, and no less than three kinds. Cookies came in the spritz and sugar cookie varieties, the spritz cookies topped with red and green sprinkles and the sugar cookies slathered with cream cheese frosting, tinted festive red and green.
And then there was pasta frolla.
November 14, 2010 | 1 Comment 
So it's a lot tougher keeping up on these weekly posts than I thought. We are on something like week seven now, with the last three weeks covering everything from genoise to butter cakes, bavarian mousse to crepes.
Those recaps will have to wait, however, until after our midterm exams next week. Oh yes, we have tests, both written and practical. So I've spent the weekend reviewing all my notes (six pages typed!) and making various things all in the name of practice.
I'm hoping to use the much needed break to catch up on the recaps, because we covered some really cool recipes using gelatin that I am very eager to share.
But until then, wish me luck next week!
