RuthWells

Hi Eileen, Have you been to Miel recently? I was there just a few weeks ago for the first time since Chef Bennett left, and was underwhelmed by the quality. I'm curious to hear whether you've noted any drop-off in quality as well, or whether it was a fluke. To Ohmyganache -- as a Philadelphian, I'm completely psyched about your new store! Do keep us posted!

Hi Fred, I was planning to make the tribute cake over the holidays and got as far as making and filling the layers. Never managed to ice or decorate it, though -- damn guests arrived on time and I got distracted. My memory is that the cake was very very moist, and that the layers were quite fragile. But delicious. I haven't tried a lot from her book yet, but the tiger cake is quite intriguing and different, and the saucepan fudge drops are dead-simple and delicious. What else -- last summer I made the mint chocolate chip ice cream, which was heaven.

I was knocking about Philadelphia with my SIL yesterday and we stopped in at Miel. She had a Linzer tartlet, about which she had no complaints. I had the fresh fruit tartlet, which was gorgeous but left me cold upon eating. The crust was thick and dense, there wasn't enough pastry cream, and the fruits were too heavily glazed. I know that the founding pastry chef left Miel in late summer of 2005; I think they've gone downhill. <pout>

I'll try to help! I made the white loaf bread last night for the second time (first time was a few years ago). So good I ate 4 slices hot from the oven at 11pm. Too piggy to take pix!

Thanks for the info, everyone. Sounds like a bit of a crap shoot.

Does anyone know this, off the top of their head? I have been put on very short chocolate rations to keep my caffeine intake minimal, and I'm going into withdrawal!!

For a change, right?! My doc has ordered me to cut out caffeine entirely, so I am on verrrrrrrrry short chocolate rations. I'm living vicariously through you and Patrick, Ling, so keep up the good work!

It should freeze okay if you want to wait for inspiration.

How'd you get the great feet? ← By accident. I hope I can replicate it in the future, though! The first batch I baked at the temps in the recipe, and got no feet and burned cookies. For the second batch, I knocked the inital temp back by 25* and, to my amazement, got feet. The temps on round 2 where 325* for 8-9 minutes and then 200* to finish. The batter was the same in both cases -- essentially an Italian meringue with a bit of cooled melted chocolate and coffee paste folded in. You pipe the cookies and let them dry (I let them sit for about 1.5 hours) before baking. I'm thinking that the next time I try macarons, I'm going to start with an Italian meringue and add the almond flour to that. Worth a shot!

They were indeed tough to pipe. I found that if I kept the bag filled to only about 1/3, it was easier than with a more full bag. As to whether they're worth the effort -- well, they're not my favorite chocolate sable for taste and texture -- I think Dorie's Korova cookies would win that contest. But they are awfully pretty on the plate!

Here are a few of the goodies I made for our annual holiday open house. Chocolate sables from Pierre Hermes chocolate desserts and the old-fashioned almond cookies from Dorie Greenspan's "Paris Sweets", with bottoms dipped in tempered chocolate. I could NOT stop eating them. Lemon meringue tartlets and soft caramels dipped in dark chocolate and sprinkled with coarse sea salt. Pistachio petits fours from Flo Braker and more lemon meringue tartlets. Swiss mocha meringue cookies from Rose Levy Berenbaum -- can you see the feet on them?! And some mini-bundts.

This one is in my file of things to try someday when I'm feeling ambitious. You may have just solved my dilemma of what to make for Christmas dessert....

A recent baking experience of mine can speak to the issue of Italian meringue and feet -- though I wasn't making macarons. I was making RLB's Swiss/Italian mocha meringue cookies from her Christmas cookie book. The recipe is basically an Italian meringue with some cooled melted chocolate added -- you pipe out the cookies and let them dry for 1-2 hours, and then bake at 350* to start and then lower the heat to 200* to finish. The first batch I made were overcooked, so I made another batch starting the heat at 325* (and cooking for slightly less time), and then lowering to 200*. What fascinates me is that the first batch were pretty much standard (if overcooked) meringues, but the second batch not only held their shapes better and didn't overcook, THEY DEVELOPED FEET!! Beautiful, perfect feet. I'm going to have to post a pic when I get a chance.

I looooooove the opera cake from Paris Sweets. Glad you enjoyed it too!

Gasp. Swoon.

I can't help re: tempering machines, but with for breaking up my 11kg bar of Callebaut, I left it in the wrapper and took a hammer to it. Great therapy.

That's gorgeous, Ling! For our annual Hanukah party (held yesterday) I made the old-fashioned almond cookies from Paris Sweets and dipped the bottoms in tempered bittersweet chocolate. I can't stop eating them.

There's a recipe from Fine Cooking that I like, and in fact just used last night. It makes a spicy/sweet combo that is very addictive. I'm going by faulty memory, here, but I think the proportions are 4 cups pecans, 4 Tbs melted butter, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp white pepper, 1 tsp allspice, 1 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp cayenne, and 1/2 cup maple syrup. Toss the nuts with the spices, drizzle with the melted butter and toss well. Spread flat on a lined cookie sheet and toast in a 300* oven for 9 minutes or so (give them a stir once or twice). Then drizzle the syrup over top and toast for another 10 minutes. Take the pecans out of the oven and let them cool on the sheet for 20-30 minutes (this is why you need the cookie sheet to be lined -- the maple syrup hardens up a LOT). Scrape the nuts off the sheet and break up any large clumps.

Patrick, your photos make me weak in the knees.

Yum yum yum! That looks smashing, FoodMan! If/when you make dacquoise again, a nice variation is to use mousse instead of buttercream between the meringue discs for a lighter flavor.

Mwaaaaa-ha-ha! (Insert maniacal smiley face here....) I started baking ahead several weeks ago. We do a fair bit of entertaining around the holidays (in addition to the usual family stuff) and I work full time, so the only way to get it done is to do it early. And even then I end up having to cut stuff from my list because I run out of time. Not counting the things I made for Thanksgiving, which are now only a sweet memory....... In the big freezer are currently residing: mini-gougeres, mini-ham croissants, more savory puffs that will be filled with a salmon mousse, mini-eclair shaped puffs for eclairs, tartlet shells, Viennese chocolate sables (from Pierre Herme), lemon curd, pastry cream, lots of chocolate glaze, a honey chiffon pie, cheese straws, and more stuff I can't think of. In airtight containers in the cool basement are hand-dipped ginger chocolate truffles, hand-dipped salt caramels, RLB's myrtles (caramel-pecan turtles), and raspberry pate de fruit. I still have lots of cookies to make and a few cakes. Better get off the 'puter and get cracking!

Just did this ganache last night with Cacao Barry Orange Milk Chocolate and a little Guittard semisweet. Lovely! But I'm confused about the third sentence - "don't let the mixture get too cold to incorporate air"? Does this mean we shouldn't stir it while it is cooling? ← Hi, Skyflier, sorry to have been unclear. No, you should definitely stir the ganache while it is cooling! What I meant was, don't let the chilling ganache get so cold that you won't be able to whip it. You want it to remain fluid (though quite thick and viscous). If you let it chill too far without continuing to stir, you're going to get a fairly solid mass (not very whip-able).

Slices of granny smith apple dipped in Nutella. Mmmmmmmmmm......

I was looking for low-carb desserts to make for my diabetic dad, and I did a double take at this recipe: Orange Spice Cookies First ingredient listed -- finely ground pork rinds.

Your tag line was a sure giveaway. Nice to see you!