CanadianBakin'

D90, thanks for taking the time to post all the pictures! It looks like a fantastic place to eat.

I was also surprised the toptables opted out this year (from the looks of it). ← I know West is participating...I just got a 9:30pm reservation for the 27th. ← I feel like an idiot but I can't find West's menu anywhere. Are they just using their Early Price Fixe menu?

Ahhhh....You changed your menu from the one listed originally, eh? Hm.... ← That menu was perhaps from last year. I edited my menu some time ago but it would appear that the gremlins got to it. I had not gone back to the TVan website to double check until today. I had to re-post it today, after trying many times to get into the slooooooow system. I was finally to later on this afternoon. What is up is what we are serving. You can go to www.diningoutguide.com for the full picture. Cheers Neil ← Neil, tourismvancouver.com only has you listed with a $25 menu. Should there be a $35 menu as well?

Icecream!!

You know what though... often pictures of things that didn't quite turn out help us to trouble shoot and also help each other get better. Someone posted in the macaroon thread a picture of macaroons that didn't turn out but they looked exactly like the ones I had made. So between the picture and the advice of a few who knew better, both the picture poster and I were able to improve.

Pavlova all the way! So delicious with cream and raspberries.

They look fantastic! I'm definitely going to give them a try. Just have to make a trip out to get some ground almonds. How do you find they compare to the PH ones you like?

I was looking at a site that had something called Tiger brownies which I figured I could create. It was blondies and brownies alternated in strips over a shortbread crust. I managed to get that all done no problem but then I figured it needed a chocolate glaze. Never been a problem before but this time I didn't notice the twist tie that fell into the bowl along with the chocolate pieces. I put it all into the microwave to melt and all of a sudden there were major sparks going on!! I pulled it out and removed the burnt twist tie and let it finish melting. After it was melted I tasted it and all I could taste was charcoal. I got my husband to try it and he said it was fine so I figured it was just me and went ahead and used it. I took them to a family event where they were enjoyed. They noticed a unique flavour but couldn't quite place it. I told them it was a secret! To me they still taste like "campfire".

I would grease the top of your muffin pan and fill them right to the top. I think this will only work with a thick batter-like dough such as Yellow Cupcakes by Cooks Illustrated. A runny cake dough will just make a huge mess.

A couple days ago I tried Chufi's Sugar Bread. Very delicious!! Unfortunately I was watching a movie in the basement at the same time it was rising and cooking and I ended up underbaking it a bit. It was still good and I'll definitely make it again. My husband even liked it and he's not a big fan of cinnamon roll type flavours unless there's lots of cream cheese icing but the rock sugar just gave it that bit extra that made it delicious just toasted with butter.

icing or confectioner's sugar

My favourite of the new recipes I tried this season is Spicy Twin Thins by Flo Braker. They are a crisp butter cookie cut in small stars. They have an amazing flavour which is a combination of ginger, black pepper, cinnamon, allspice and lemon zest. While they are still hot you sprinkle a bit of finely chopped white chocolate on the tops. You sandwich them together and then sprinkle chopped pistachios on top of the melting chocolate on the top cookie. I used little silver balls and opal sparkles to make them more festive. It was really hard not to eat the whole batch... and I'm not a big spice cookie fan.

Excellent demo! Thanks for taking the time. I haven't tried them with an Italian meringue yet but I'm excited to try. Is the recipe in recipegullet yet?

Could you just go at it with an ice pick and use it for chocolate chips?

I'm not an expert but if it's going to be at room temp for that long I think you're going to have to use an Italian Meringue Buttercream or just a basic icing made with confectioner's sugar.

...also watch it for a minute or so to make sure it doesn't move.

I use a tall rubbermaid container that is sold at the large grocery stores for pet food. I'm pretty sure it was less than $10 and it seals.

I totally screwed up my post by trying to edit it...anyways, I was asking for the Haas recipe but a quick google provided this link.

Patrick, it looks gorgeous as usual! I've noticed lately that you haven't been posting if you liked the desserts. Maybe you're posting the pictures before you get a chance to try them...I'd love to know how it tasted.

It would probably work best if you used it upside-down. Just put a bit of pan spray under your parchment so it doesn't slide off. I don't think they would brown or crisp properly with 3"sides.

You might need to get some shiny aluminum pans to use with parchment. The commercial grade 18x13 sheet pans at Russell Food Equipment (in Vancouver) are around $9.

I can't remember where the thread is, but someone painted their mixer to match their decor.

My buttercream almost always separates at some point. I bet if you had just kept the mixer on at low speed for a couple minutes it would have smoothed out.

I'm a bit behind but saturday night we had Opera Cake from Dorie Greenspan's Paris Sweets and Spiced Pumpkin Cheese Cake from epicurious.com. Both were delicious. I was especially pleased with the Opera Cake. I've made it twice before using different recipes and neither were anywhere near as good as this was.

I had the same thought. I think I'm going to add a couple Cadbury Flake chocolate bars to the mix.