Sooo… The Pepperidge Farms contest allows you to enter 3 items: an appetizer, main dish and a dessert. I had already submitted an appetizer, and a breakfast entree, all I needed now was dessert. So here it is!

Pineapple Upside Up Tart

For the tart:
Pineapple slices, thinly sliced and quartered
1/3 cp juice from the pineapple
1/2 cp pecans, chopped
2 Pepperidge Farms puff pastry sheets
1 cp Caramel Topping
1 1/2 cp Pastry Cream

For the Pastry Creme (adapted from Let’s Cook French recipe)
Ingredients (for 6 people):
1 cp milk
1/3 of a vanilla pod
2 egg yolks
2.5 ozs sugar
1/8 cp flour
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 tbsp bourbon (or your favorite liqueur)
Directions:
Bring the milk to a boil with the vanilla. Using your mixer, whip the egg yolks with the sugar until it stretches like ribbon when you raise it with the spoon, then add the flour. Bring the mixer’s speed to low and slowly pour the boiling milk on the mixture, being careful not to drop the vanilla pod.

Once you have incorporated all of the milk, put the mixture back into the pot you used to heat the milk and cook over medium low heat, stirring continuously. Remove from burner when thickened. Set aside to cool.

For the Caramel Topping:
1/4 cp butter
1/2 cp brown sugar
1/3 cp juice from pineapple
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp heavy cream
In a small saucepan, melt the butter with sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and juice (you may need to add a little water to measure 1/3 cp). Bring this to a boil and allow to cook until the sugar melts and it begins to thicken. Add the cream, stir and remove from the heat.

To assemble the tart:
Preheat oven to 400°. You will bake both pastry sheets.

First layer: On a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, unfold one sheet and bake as directed. Remove from oven and with a flat spatula, press the down on the puff pastry to collapse the layers. Set aside and allow it to cool.

Second layer: On a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, unfold one sheet and bend the edges upward to create a little dam. Add the caramel topping. Then spread the pecan pieces and top with the pineapple pieces. I used about 5 slices from a fresh pineapple, which I then quartered. You can use canned fruit. Bake at 400 for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool.

Place the first layer on your serving dish, top it with the chilled pastry cream. Then carefully place the second layer on top. Allow it to cool for about an hour before serving.

Enjoy!

Cookingly yours,
Anamaris

Fraisette

This is one of those pastries that falls under the category of too much. Beautiful to look at, but not entirely satisfying.

It’s a very thin layer of white cake, a layer of strawberry jam, a layer of cream and a very thick layer of vanilla meringue. Then the whole thing is covered with cream frosting and the thinly sliced strawberries.

When I dug my fork into it, I was surprised at how hard it was to cut…I thought it would be some light fluffy concoction. The meringue (while delicate and delicious in the chocolate macaroon) was like a chunk of crispy, sweetened styrofoam or a huge cube of sugar.

I would have been perfectly happy just eating the bottom layers of cake, jam and one layer of cream frosting which was only a sixth of the entire confection.

Me no likee.

Fortunately, I bought what I thought was yogurt at the grocery store earlier and it turned out to be a delicious creamy dessert. Phew! Disaster narrowly averted.

One of our first festive cakes for a x-mas bash,Crunchy chocolate/raspberry cremeaux with a Gingerbread biscuit base.

Hope you enjoy,

and Merry Christmas from PastryNetwork!!

Sebastiaan

Don’t ask me why I didn’t consult the weather report before getting on the train to Paris. Maybe it was destiny.

The plan was to start in the Canal St. Martin area in the 10th arrondissement. It’s supposed to be an up and coming neighborhood. From there I’d cut through the Marais, and cross the Seine to the 6th and 7th arrondisements (which is ideally where I’d like my future husband to have a pied de terre).

After a short sweaty walk down the Canal St. Martin I head for the Seine…maybe there’s a breeze there. There isn’t. Which leaves two options. Jump in the Seine or find a nice air-conditioned establishment to seek refuge from the imaginary global warming. The refuge just happens to be Dalloyau Patisserie. Here I will cool off, get something to drink and reassess my game plan.

In the Sex in the City version of my life, there would be a handsome Frenchman also seeking shelter in Dalloyau. It would just be him and me and the windows steaming up. We’d start to chat, the windows would steam up some more, maybe there’d be a hot pastry sharing scene followed by a thunderstorm. Of course, we’d run through the rain to his fabulous nearby pied du terre. That doesn’t happen. It’s just the pastries and me.

Since I have a short attention span and am easily distracted by bright, shiny objects, I immediately forget my game plan. Oooooo, pretty tart…pretty puffy thing with cream and berries…pretty chocolately square… Since I haven’t set foot into any sort of boutique for months, all my most shallow consumer cravings are bursting forth here and now and I’m not sure if I have the self control to stop them.

I’ve always been a little stand offish about French pastry. Sure, there’s your croissant, your tarts, your pan au chocolat, éclairs, panniers, beignets…all delicious. But there’s a whole world of pastry out there I’ve never tried. The custardy things with apricots on top, the huge chocolate bombs, the things that look like opaque green jello, the napoleons of many stripes. Frankly, I never thought I’d like them. Most of them look a little too gooey, too sweet, too much (although right now, I’m sure my life will never be complete without consuming each and every one of them).

It doesn’t help that I’m afraid of the women in the Auvers bakery. I pretty much buy my bread, catch a quick glance of the desserts out of the corner of my eye and get out of there. No hemming and hawing trying to decide between the cannonball sized snowball rolled in shaved dark chocolate, the tried and true fruit tart with plump perfect raspberries, the white creamy looking cakes with imbedded strawberries…nope, she’s giving me a dirty look…she’s gonna yell at me…’un bagette s’il vous plait…une Ooops, desolee, UNE bagette, s’il vous plait.’ I always wind up skulking out in shame.

The pastries here at Dalloyau look like jewels glimmering behind the glass. I get lost in them until reflexively, like a guilty dog, I look up at the woman behind the counter to see if she’s giving me a dirty look or about to smack me with a newspaper. She’s not. She’s smiling at me. I take this as a sign that fate brought me here for a bigger purpose than whatever my initial game plan was.

I should make it my business to try every pastry out there and write a thorough review. Sort of a verbal painting depicting the beauty of each pastry. I’ll be the like the Van Gogh of French Pastry description. If I try one pastry a day, I think I can still get every possible pastry in. There couldn’t be more than 90 french pastry varieties out there, could there?. I suppose if there are more, I’ll have to double up.

I know, it seems like an indulgence. A pastry a day can really add up. But it’s cheaper than lipgloss or a pack of cigarettes, both of which I’ve given up. And my efforts will serve mankind as a guide to what sort of pastries they may like and dislike. Yes, I’ll do it in the name of helping my fellow man navigate the intricate world of French pastry. And for art. Now that’s a lasting legacy.

Of course, the venture does involve critical risks. Like spending my hard borrowed money on deserts I may not even like (and where will that leave me when I crave something sweet and I blew my wad on some lavish frou-frou concotion that sickened me earlier?) And the capital risk is enormous considering that at this very moment, I only have 5 Euros. How will I afford a pastry AND get back to Auvers? And what about tomorrow? Will I be forced to beg for pastry? Will I become poor AND fat? Nobody feels sorry for a fat homeless person. Now I’m sweating out of pure stress.

But sometimes, you’ve just got to go for it. At least I know I won’t have to shoot myself in a field when my time here is up. I can just have a heart attack on my way up to the field. Nobody can say I didn’t consider all the angles.

I order a chocolate macaroon. A relatively safe bet being chocolate and only 3 Euros. Now, this isn’t your classic coconut cookie you think of in America. Not even close. It looks like a scooter pie. It’s two chocolate almond merinque cookies sandwiching a thick layer of dark chocolate ganache. I hold my breath and take a bite….ahhhhh, this is decadent.

It’s like the world’s biggest truffle, with a slightly crispy coating that crackles like a thin layer of ice and melts into the ganache. How could heroin possibly be more addictive than this? There’s that pure chocolate endorphin rush, but there’s also the taste…no, not just taste, it’s bigger than taste, it’s a feeling. It almost engulfs the brain. I’m in Paris and I’m eating the most chocolately delicious thing in the world and I’m soooooooooooo happy!

When I come to, I’m already wondering how when and where I’ll get my next fix. And do I really want to try those custardy things? Maybe I should limit myself strictly to macaroons. Seriously, I haven’t even dented the surface of macaroons. There are caramel, coffee, vanilla, strawberry, green ones, chocolate noisette.…

No, that would be the cowards way out. I must explore the entire pastry realm. But damn, I could go for another chocolate macaroon right now. Maybe I should marry a Patisserier. I nonchalantly check the back kitchen of Dalloyau to see if Mr. Right is back there. He’s not. I guess that would just be too easy.

I gather my remaining two euros, thank the girls behind the counter profusely and step out out into the torture chamber. I was going to walk back to Gare du Nord and save myself the Metro fare but I forgot how hot it is. I fear I’ll become one of those elderly woman heatwave death statistics if I do. And how tragic would it be to die after experiencing such happiness only an hour before? On the other hand, perhaps THAT’s my destiny. Nahhhh. The metro entrance is about 50 yards away.

As I walk briskly toward my train, I don’t even notice all the handsome men I’m sure must be checking me out. I’m deep in thought, ticking off my options methodically. I hope I could be mistaken for a high powered businesswoman (wearing “don’t socra-tease me” toenail polish) making a career altering decision as she rushes to her train for the burbs. Nobody has to know what I’m really thinking: “I could try the chocolate cannonball next, but maybe I should try something fruitier. Or would it be smarter to bite the bullet and get one of those things that look like jello with berries out of the way. Hey, there’s probably something for two Euros at the bakery in Auvers.”

I jump the turnstiles and head for my train.

When in Paris I suggest the following, and above all, follow the wise compass of your own palate and nose….

Veronique Mauclerc : Rue de Crimee : 75019 : Paris   quite possibly one of the best boulangeries in Paris

Blé Sucré : Square Trousseau : 7 Rue de Antoine Vollou : 75012 : Paris   perfect baguette, impeccable pain au chocolat, great setting alongside small neighborhood park just a stone’s toss away from the Marche d’Alligre

La Grande Epicerie de Paris : 75007 : Paris   extravagant food center sensory overload!

Art Home, Palais du Tokyo : 13 Avenue du Président Wilson : 75116 : Paris   working urban dining experience art installation through summer 2010  

Poilane : 8 Rue du Cherche Midi : 75006 : Paris   classis French boulangerie. Shipped all over Europe

Merci : 111 Boulevard Beaumarchais : 75003 : Paris   new concept store including flowers, home, entertaining, clothes and bookshop cafe; fair trade

Pierre Herme : 72 Rue Bonaparte : 75006 : Paris   delicious macaroons

Marche d’Alligre   bustling morning covered and street market. some organic.

Spring Boutique : 52 Rue de l’Arbre Sec : 75001 : Paris   hats off to this expat team. look for restaurant to be opening across the street in the springtime!

Du Pain et des Idées : 34 Rue Yves Toudic : 75010 : Paris  truly artisanal bread and only place with pain au chocolat avec banane

L’As du Falafel : 34 Rue des Rosiers : 75004 : Paris   quite possibly the best falafel sandwich ever to cross my lips

Rose Bakery : 30 Rue Debelleyme : 75003 : Paris   trendy British petite restaurant. all organic.

Pain Au Chocolat says: "Screw your diet. You can't resist me. Take another bite."

I’m feeling very French this week.  As in, all I want to write about are topics related to France.  C’est jolie, non?

As holiday jingles fill the brisk air and I walk along the sidewalks perusing shop front windows, I am always grabbed by the decadent scents of freshly baked pastries.  While my inner voice pleads “behave! behave!” the sweet aromas get the best of me.  There is something remarkable about the sensory pull of blended butter and chocolate.  It’s like I have rabies and I go rabid for baked goods (similar to zombie terror).

Of late, I have been having a croissant fetish, a particular craving for Le Pain Au Chocolat.  The perfect pain au chocolat combines a flaky croissant with a not to sweet chocolate hidden inside its fluffy center. Clafouti (915 Queen St. West or East) a neighbourhood favourite, bakes fresh croissants daily.  A newer french patisserie on the block, Nadege (780 Queen St. West) creates different varieties such as pear & chocolate or almond chocolate.  They also create guimauves (marshmallows) with flavours such as cassis or pistachio.  Your mouth is watering isn’t it?

My most nostalgic french dessert is profiteroles, a cream puff pastry filled with fresh whipped cream and drizzled with chocolate.   When I visited Paris in university, my friend T and I ordered profiteroles for dessert in a quaint sidewalk cafe complete with red gingham tables and wrought iron chairs.  Sharing this decadent dessert on a sunny summer afternoon, it was by far one of my favourite memories of that trip.

Delicious profiteroles waiting to be devoured.

home delivery macaroons – something dreams are made of? – why yes i hear you chant… but this time, no! the pastry gods have sent us a gift in the shape of ex-laduree chef pierre herme, complete with parisian patisserie (those in the know will already be able to name their favourite flavour).

if a voyage to paris is just not on the cards, indulge yourself and get them sent to you – it will cost the same as an air fare no doubt but without the stress of putting liquids into bags and without leaving the comfort of your own sofa…oh ok then bed. once again it is entirely acceptable to have sugar for breakfast, sorry mister G.I - i tried

77 rue bonaparte. paris +33 (0) 1 43 54 47 77

mon-sun 10am-7pm (sat -7.30pm)

..

185 rue de vaugirard. paris +33 (0) 1 47 83 89 96

mon closed. tue/wed 10am-7pm. thur-sat 10am-7.30pm. sun 10am-6pm

www.pierreherme.com

It all began in 1862, when Louis Ernest Ladurée, a miller from France’s Southwest, created a bakery at 16 rue Royale in Paris…

Louis-Ernest Ladurée, a miller, founded the bakery on the Rue Royale, Paris in 1862. During the Paris Commune uprising of 1871 the bakery was burnt down. A pastry shop was built at the same location and Jules Chéret was entrusted with the interior decoration. The chubby cherubs dressed as pastry cooks, painted by him on the ceiling, form the company’s emblem. The interior of the premises were painted in the same celadon colour as the façade. Ladurée’s rise to fame came in 1930 when his grandson, Pierre Desfontaines, had the original idea of the double-decker, sticking two macaron shells together with a creamy ganache as filling. Queen Catherine de’ Medici had brought the macaron to France from Italy in the 16th century, and the recipe for the biscuit had hardly varied over the years, but the amounts of the ingredients used and the appearance of the end product were up to the individual bakers.

Desfontaines also opened a tearoom at the pastry shop. In those days women were not admitted to cafés, which were the exclusive domain of men. This was a big success with ladies, who enjoyed meeting in the freedom of the tearoom rather than their homes.

In 1993, David Holder and his father Francis Holder, founder of the Holder Group decided to buy this Parisian institution, and promote and enlarge the famous “Maison”. In September 1997, a new prestigious Ladurée address both a restaurant and tea room opened on the Champs-Elysées. The mission of the President David Holder is thus to bring back the great classics, which have contributed to the reputation of this ‘salon de thé’, as well as create an environment for gastronomic creativity in Paris. With him, Ladurée will be a tea salon, pastry shop, restaurant, chocolate shop and an ice cream parlor.

-STORY OF THE  MACARON-

These small, round cakes, crisp on the outside, smooth and soft in the middle, are made every morning in Ladurée’s “laboratory”. With each new season, Ladurée pays tribute to this its most famous creation by creating a new flavour.

-SHOPS-

royale

bonaparte

champs elysées

harrod’s, london

dublin

burlington arcade

mitsukoshi ginznza, tokyo

-Chocolat-

-Other Goodies-

wedding cake

tarts n' pastries

pates fruits

preserves

marshmallows!

-Gifts-

shopping bags

candles

bath & shower gels

for xmas

christmas treat

gift box

LADURÉE also made the pastries featured in Sofia Coppola’s Marie- Antoinette.

Let them eat cake!!!

xo. Au Revoir! xo.

Estou em casa, um tempo feio de segunda-feira lá fora, mon amour chega e me traz uma surpresa!
Uma caixa de macarons da Boulangerie Paul, e pela primeira vez os experimento.
Logo mais trarei a receita
Por enquanto só a foto

I am at home, an ugly monday night outside, mon amour arrives and brings me a surprise!
A box of Macarons of the Boulangerie Paul, and for the first time, I try them.
Soon I’ll bring the recipe.
For now just the picture.

Les Macarons

Every year on 2nd of December,we celebrate UAE National Day,a huge fest were all the flags got hanged out,lights got lid and even prisoners got released!!

For this event we prepare every year a “date cake” which get placed in every room for our guests.

A very moist cake made with dates,prunes,dried pineapple,cashew nuts,brown sugar etc.

Dates of course we use because of the huge popularity here in the Middle East and the Arabic people see the date as a “gift of god”.

After the date cake is baked we glaze it with caramel and decorate it with,prunes,dates,dried mango/pineapple,gold leaf and a small chocolate plate with the UAE flag.

Best regards Sebastiaan

INGREDIENTS

485g (1 pound) Frozen/fresh raspberries

15g/1 tbsp granulated sugar

2 tbsp water

INSTRUCTIONS: Pulse raspberries through a food processor for a few minutes until well blended. Strain the mixture through a chinois or fine sieve, pushing mixure through with a spoon and scraping the juice from the bottom periodically. You will have a lot of residue mixture in the sieve, throw this away. Take the strained raspberries and simmer over a low heat for a few minutes. Add sugar to taste, a tbsp will give you a tart coulis with a sweet edge. If mixture is too strong, add the water. If you are happy with the consistency, leave as is.  To make a raspberry sauce, add 2 tsp of arrowroot powder to a tbsp of water, mix thoroughly then add in  thin stream to the sauce, whisking all the time until fully incorporated. Cornflour can be used but it gives a more ‘processed’ texture to the sauce.

Gruyère and onion pastry, originally uploaded by Jen Chan.

My particular favourite. Savoury, sweet, crispy and flaky. So good. SO GOOD. Rivals Tartine’s offerings… (gasp)

// Café Besalu 5909 24th Avenue NW, Seattle | Besalu vs Tartine on foodpr0n.com

Man, hier moet je gewoonweg van houden!
Julie’s House is een patisserie in Gent, waar je heerlijke zelfgemaakte cupcakes, stukjes taart… kan eten.
En dat allemaal in een soortachtig poppenhuisdecor.
Geweldig!

(jammer dat ik deze info pas wist toen dé Julie, mijn ex-overbuurvrouw al verhuisd was)

INGREDIENTS

Jocunde Sponge Base

Creme Anglaise

Raspberry Puree

Italian Meringue

INSTRUCTIONS

Prepare the sponge base and cook for 20 minutes at 180 C in an oval oven dish. Take the crust off with a knife and pour 200ml creme anglaise over the sponge and let it sit for 20-30 minutes. The sponge will absorb the creme, this is desired. Once the creme has been absorbed, spread 150ml raspberry puree/jam over the sponge and sprinkle with raspberries if so desired. Let it sit for another 15 minutes for the flavour to combine. In the meantime, fill a piping bag with the italian meringue. When ready, pipe large swirls over the raspberry puree in whatever design you choose, covering the dish. Turn the grill up to maximum temperature and grill the pudding until the meringue has caramelised slightly. This happens very fast so do not walk away, it takes roughly 2 minutes. Ensure that the meringue is evenly caramelised all over. Serve with the remaining creme anglaise.

November 23rd

The flavour is excellent, really lovely. The texture of the meringue compliments the soaked sponge and the sharpness of the raspberries goes wonderfully with the sweetness of the meringue. It should be served immediately once the meringue is browned, do not leave it as the meringue will lose its crunchy caramelised coating because of the humidity in the air. It could perhaps benefit from a layer of creme patissiere over the sponge before adding raspberry puree, to make a thicker vanilla layer.

To make individual servings, bake a sheet of jocunde sponge and cut out circles. Soak these in creme anglaise then pipe a small amount of creme patissiere onto each circle. Dribble on raspberry puree and top with 2-4 raspberries. Pipe meringue swirls over this so the raspberries and creme are completely covered. Caramelise using a blow torch and serve on a plate with fresh berries set in place with a dob of creme patissiere.

SPECIALISED EQUIPMENT

Bain Marie (bowl suspended over pan of hot water)

Electric Whisk

INGREDIENTS (Makes about 500 ml)

6 egg yolks (120ml)

145g granulated sugar

1/2 vanilla pod, split lengthways,

240ml whole milk

240ml double cream

1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

The night before, put the whole mik and double cream into a saucepan. Split the vanilla pod and scrape the seeds into the pan then put the pod in too. Bring this mixture to simmering point over a low heat the remove. Wait for the mixture to cool (no longer than 90 mins) and put in the fridge overnight.

The next day, reheat the milk to simmering point over a low heat, then remove from the heat and take out the vanilla pod. In the meantime, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together on a medium speed until ‘ribboned’. This takes 4-5 minutes. When the milk has cooled slightly, add it in a slow steady stream down the side of the bowl, whisking continuously, until all the milk has been incorporated. Transfer the mixture to a bain marie and cook slowly, stirring all the time until the mixture begins to thicken. Turn the heat down to the lowest setting and stir until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon. A good creme anglaise is delicate and light, it is not thick and lumpy like ‘birds eye custard’. If the cream is left too long, the eggs will curdle so do not leave the pan once you reach this stage. It takes roughly 5 minutes to make the cream over a low heat. Once the cream is ready, immediately remove the bain marie from the pan, as it will continue to cook if it is left over the heat, regardless of whether the ring is active or not. After a few minutes cooling time, set the bain marie in a bowl of iced water and stir every 10 minutes until completely cold. This helps to thicken the cream.  

NB If you do not have time to leave the mixture overnight, then simply proceed with the rest of the recipe, but add a half tsp of vanilla extract to the milk mixture when simmering.

November 23rd Overnight version

The vanilla flavour is really intense and deep, but delicate at the same time. No vanilla extract needed. I used  semi-skimmed lactofree milk because mother had to eat it. It did not adversely impact on the taste, the double cream has enough fat content to carry the creaminess. There is another version of creme anglaise which calls for whole milk and creme fraiche, which is a slightly heathier and ’zingier’. Good when the creme anglaise is used as an accompaniment as opposed to a base, excellent wih chocolate desserts. I slightly overcooked the eggs in this attempt as I could not see the texture of the sauce because of the sheer amount of froth, despite digging around. I suggest spooning the froth off before putting the bain marie over the pan and using it for coffee or hot chocolate. It tastes divine but it is a pain in the arse because it doesn’t dissolve and you cannot properly reach the actual cream with a spoon. If the egg has slightly curdled but not changed the taste, then the texture can be saved by putting it through a blender with 2-3 tbsp double cream. If however, it ressembles scrambled eggs then the best thing to do is start again. You can save the texture but you cannot change the eggy taste.

Crusty Lemon Cake – Book of Baking, Sue Lawrence

10 inch loaf tin

CAKE

175g softened unsalted butter

175g golden caster sugar

1 large unwaxed lemon-zest

2 large eggs

175g sifted self raising flour

TOPPING

juice of 2 lemons

100g golden caster sugar

INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat oven to 180 and grease/line cake tin. Cream butter, sugar and lemon zest together until much lighter in colour and fluffy, should take 7-8 minutes. Beat in the eggs one by one, then fold in flour and salt. Pour into cake tin and level the surface with a palette knife, cleaning off any splashes around the tin with a cloth. Bake for 25-30 minutes, when it is done a skewer should come out clean. While the cake is baking, mix together the lemon juice and sugar. Once the cake is done, as soon as it is out the oven make small holes with skewer/cocktail stick and pour the syrup over the cake. Cool on a wire rack and slice.

November 6th- served sliced with lemon fondant icing and candied lemon peel.

This cake is really quite yummy but the flavour is not quite there. It is missing a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’. It is like a daisy when it should be a buttercup. Not quite mellow yellow enough. The cake mixture needs more zest, try zest of 2-3 lemons. Also the topping does not add much crunch at all. Try using granulated instead of caster sugar as the sugar crystals are larger. This version needed the lemon icing to perk it up. The candied lemon peel with the slightly caramelised candy sugar syrup provided a nice contrast, consider including this in recipe.

Chocolate Glaze (simple) Internet, www.UKTVfood.co.uk

125g Chocolate melted

50g unsalted butter

1 tbsp golden syrup

¼ tsp vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS: Break the chocolate into small, roughly equal pieces and melt over a bain marie, ensuring that the bottom is not touching the water. When melted, add the golden syrup and stir until the mixture begins to thicken, then add the butter and vanilla extract and remove from the heat. The mixture should be thick and glossy. 

4^th November- luxury plain cooking chocolate

The golden syrup thickens and sets the melted chocolate. The butter induces a satiny glossy texture. Vanilla extract for flavour. Higher cocoa solids means slightly more butter is needed for a silky mouth. If using white chocolate, cut the amount of butter by a third, because of cocoa butter.

This depends heavily on the quality of the chocolate as to the finish. The chocolate used was low quality 45% cocoa solids and the finished product was not satisfactorily rich in taste. Use at least 70% cocoa because it needs to carry the golden syrup whilst not compromising on the richness of the cocoa. It sets reasonably firmly within 45 minutes. Pour onto cake, spread and leave to set before continuing with decoration. For a firmer glaze use more golden syrup. Try Lindt/green and blacks 70%, if not strong enough go to 85%. Add a small amount of acacia honey (tsp/200g chocolate) to improve the flavour. Try 40g butter instead of 50g.

November 6th- milk chocolate couverture

The first batch I made of this was an unmitigated disaster as the chocolate mixture overheated and turned into a very thick ganache with the addition of the butter. So I had to start again. You cannot rescue chocolate normally, only mourn it and sob inside. Then eat it. So the second batch had no butter because the kitchen for some bizarre reason is crass enough to only use margarine, lard and some disgusting vegetable shortening which I absolutely refuse to touch, even with a barge pole. So it became more like piping chocolate than anything else as it just had a reduced amount of golden syrup. Although the result was matte instead of glossy, it produced a satisfyingly crunchy layer to the cake which was quite pleasing. The downside was when slicing the cake it broke and so the presentation as sliced wasnt quite as good as I would have liked. Not that anyone seemed to notice or care they were enjoying it too much.

Piping Chocolate

200g chocolate

1 tsp golden syrup

INSTRUCTIONS: Melt chocolate over a bain marie then add the golden syrup. Once the mixture has thickened, remove from heat immediately and begin to pipe. This mixture continues to firm up once removed so you have to finish piping reasonably quickly. Run outs will harden in about 10 minutes. 

Sugar syrup to firm the chocolate mixture and set in place when piped.

Almost everyone has heard that the biological name of the cacao plant, the source of chocolate, is Theobroma which means “food of the gods”. And chocoholics have definitely felt better about giving in to their cravings for this sinful delicacy after discovering this little snippet of info. Even more so when you read little articles in the newspaper about how dark chocolate is actually good for the health and the heart and you-name-it.

You don’t need any kind of justification to visit Theobroma, the patisserie that marks the beginning of Colaba causeway. Maybe that’s why you primarily see women and girls in this place It might just be because of all the chocolate, though. If you come here on a Saturday, you can be sure that you wont find an empty table. And of course, Christmas and Diwali are really busy times.

The chocolate display

As the name suggests, this place is dedicated to the chocolate lover, although there are some amazing non-chocolate pastries on the menu as well. The blueberry cheesecake is pretty delicious, and so is the carrot cake. Apart from the pastries and cakes you get sandwiches (veg and non-veg), ice tea and other beverages as well. Stop here for a snack and dessert when you’re out shopping or just hanging around Colaba causeway.

The menu

Anything you order in this place is definitely worth it. We recommend the Chocolate opium or the Tiered temptation if you’re a hard-core chocolate lover. The brownies, all varieties, are really good if you don’t want to stuff yourself. And they’re good for gifting as well! Birthday cakes are available here, on pre-ordering.

The pastry display

The hummus and other condiments are pretty good, as are the breads. The Dense chocolate loaf is definitely a must-buy to satiate those sudden midnight chocolate cravings you might have. But be warned: this cake definitely lives up to its name, with a rich chocolate taste and definitely heavy feel!

Soak up the sweetness and chocolateness without thinking about the calories, and you’ll never regret it Eat a Theobroma pastry once and you’ll remember it for the rest of your life!

Details:

Location: On Colaba Causeway, next to the petrol pump.

Non-vegetarian: Yes.

Prices: Pastries ranging from Rs. 30-Rs. 90, Cakes ranging from Rs. 110-Rs. 500 depending on size.

Ambience: 7/10; Service: 7/10; Food: 9/10

Gurruchaga 2465, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, 4833.5383

Expectativas. El día de mi cumpleaños estuvo puntuado por muchos y sucesivos placeres culinarios. A la hora de la torta, debo confesar, me pareció mucho más práctico pedir una a domicilio que ponerme a cocinar, y pensé en Melanie Pâtisserie, una casa de tortas cuyos volantes pueblan el mostrador de nuestro DVD club. “El programa no está completo sin la torta”, creo que dice el flyer, y aunque para ver un video me parece algo excesivo, es cierto que para un cumple es en parte verdad. En la web todo se veía exquisito, y ya antes habíamos probado una cheesecake del mismo lugar, de modo que todo auguraba éxitos rotundos que, por suerte, tuvimos el placer de confirmar.

El pedido. La posibilidad de recibir una torta en casa, a la hora que pediste, con solo marcar un número, después de haberla elegido en una página web, me parece un avance extraordinario de la contemporaneidad que no pienso revisar ni discutir. Si el pedido te lo traen además bien frío, con indicaciones de conservación, y encima te llaman después para ver si todo estuvo bien, parece mentira y uno empieza a sospechar. Pero no hay mucha vuelta que darle: será que el marketing salvaje algo bueno tiene, cosa que dudo, o que hay gente que realmente quiere hacer las cosas bien.

La torta. Hay varias opciones de torta de chocolate en la carta de Melanie. Yo opté por la Krumlov: marquise con coulis de frutos rojos; pero hay muchas otras que me dieron ganas de probar. Cuando finalmente le entramos llegamos a la conclusión de que, aunque de apariencia simple y contundente, la Krumlov no es una bomba, sino un misil Exocet. Entre 7 que éramos no pudimos bajar ni la mitad, y eso que pedí la chiquita, supuestamente para 6. Recomiendo aprovisionarse de ingentes cantidades de agua para mitigar la sed que da el manjar, por lo demás una verdadera delicia, perfecta en su género: a temperatura casi ambiente adquiere la textura de una mousse; más fría es densa, de sabor intenso, y el toque bien dulce se lo da el coulis, no excesivamente líquido, lo cual es de destacar.

La verdad de la milanesa. En una confitería podría haber gastado fácilmente una pequeña fortuna en una torta como ésta, que me salió $45 con envío incluido (fuera del radio de entrega cuesta, creo, un poquito más). Quedamos muy conformes y estamos haciendo lo posible por llevarla a su fin, aunque creo que unos días más todavía va a durar. Ya estoy buscando la excusa para volver a pedir. Le daré 4.5/5 julinarios.

En ocasión de mi cumpleaños…

Torta de chocolate, coberturas varias e instrucciones para batir, desmoldar y glasear, de Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

Once in a while. we get so bogged down with everyday busy-ness in the bakery that we forget how much we love what we do. We slog through our days churning out the same old stuff. I was in such a state a couple of months ago, and I needed to snap out of it quickly. A new season was upon us and I was badly in need of inspiration. The start of the Fall season usually means cool summer desserts giving way to the warmth and comfort of apple and spice and pumpkin. But I was all out of fresh ideas, and everything in last year’s Fall menu seemed tired and stale.

What does one do to get inspired all over again? Sometimes all it takes is trying out that new place across town. Other times it’s having a really excellent meal or an exceptional wine that awakens all those dulled senses, and you rediscover your love of good food. Feeling unfamiliar textures in your mouth, being treated to a different array of colours, or tempted by new aromas. And sometimes, you actually need to get away. A change of scenery is always good, even if it’s only for a couple of days.

So when my boss said, “How do you feel about a weekend in San Francisco?”, my little foodie heart did cartwheels. It was officially a bakery and cafe hop – a research trip. But, we get to do it all:  try new things, get away to re-energize, eat good food, drink good wine and, more importantly for me, get my mojo back. Perfect!

SAN FRANCISCO

As you can imagine, we stayed well clear of Fisherman’s Wharf. No inspiration there. Instead we found little gems tucked in the oddest neighborhoods and were rewarded with buckets of inspiration. There’s so much to tell, but that would make this a very long post so here are the highlights. The pictures tell the story.

First stop: Blue Bottle Cafe

NO SIGNAGE, JUST THIS

Tucked in one corner of the Old Mint Building, the never-disappearing line-up that spills outside is the only clue that there’s good food and good coffee here. There are two other locations but this is the main one. Communal tables, sky-high ceilings, a light and airy feel – there are so many  little touches that  just made this place ooze coolness.

There’s not much baking, and the fresh sheet, which changes weekly, only has 7 items on it. But the well-though-out menu has the best of what the city has to offer: locally-sourced, seasonal ingredients simply presented. It’s a cafe so there’s nothing complicated about the food. For breakfast: steel cut oats, cottage cheese with a mixed berry compote, thick-cut toast, poached eggs.

YUM!

We loved this place so much we went back 2 other times for lunch and weekend brunch. The menu switches to lunch at 11am: fresh bun sandwiches with amazingly simple fillings but oh so good! Did I say how much we loved this place?

Next stop: Tartine Bakery

Tartine is actually well-known in these parts. You know it’s a popular place when they have their own cookbook. This neighborhood bakery is always packed, from morning till night. The atmosphere is a little less refined – more bohemian to fit the neighborhood. It’s not my kind of place to sit in and enjoy a bite to eat; it’s much too busy. But they churn out so much baking every day it’s crazy. Lots of good ideas here though, and everything we tried was very good. They know their stuff.

You’d think with all this bakery hopping we would have no appetite for dinner. Are you kidding? Eating was the order of the weekend!

Dinner at Bar Bambino

This exceptional, high-end Italian restaurant is hardly noticeable. It’s on a scary street, hidden among tacquerias and pawn shops. The neighborhood is awake all night and there are peddlers and bums on every corner. Inside, however, it’s a whole different story. Wood and concrete interior, a very attentive staff, and food so good, you want to cry! Salumi (cured meats), cheeses, red wine, a pappardelle with rabbit, and lamb shank cooked in a delicate cinnamon broth. I could have died that night and it would have been a fitting last meal.

Last but not least: Miette Patisserie

A bakery, in the truest sense, is a lot different from a patisserie and the contrast between Tartine (bakery) and Miette (patisserie) proves that.  On our last morning, tired and still somewhat full, we made the trek out to the Ferry Building. It’s a good thing I did not die because I would have missed seeing the wonderfully sweet creations at Miette. Everything here was dainty and pretty. And tasted divine. Who says you can’t have great-looking AND great-tasting desserts? We saw so many cool things in their display that I haven’t seen anywhere. It was definitely worth it.

Three days in San Francisco. A crazy whirlwind of food and drink. And just what the soul needed. Inspiration to last through all the dark days of winter. I, apparently, am easy to please

What inspires you?