apronstrings

So here's my list of the desserts i prepared for the holidays. I will send some photos, but feel like a real chump after seeing Patrick's glorous photos!!! Russian Apple Cake Strawbery Marshmallows Mocha Marshmallows Pumpkin Caramel Cheesecake with Pumpkin Truffles Alfajores Mexican Brownies Chocolate Raspberry Rugelach Korova Cookies Key Lime Coconut Cheesecake Points Nutella Tart Chocolate Chestnut Roulade Cherry Cheese Strudel Banana Chocolate Strudel Dutch Almond Cookies Mini High Hat Cupcakes Italian Sesame Cookies Macadamia Praline Truffles

So I accidentally (heh heh heh) dropped a cookie after baking them off. Had to eat it, of course. Thanks so much for the recipe! They remind me of my father, who loved all things almond paste and marzipan. The cookies will earn raves tomorrow!!!! I also prepped the kofta rolls/balls. I inadvertantly added too many red pepper flakes, so I poured some pomegranate molasses into the mixture to balance the spiciness and keep the regional flavors. WOW! Great! If I have time tomorrow I'll try to get some pics for you.

Hi Chufi! I have always enjoyed all your eGullet entries. This year for my Thanksgiving for 75, I have included 2 of your recipes-- the Dutch Almond Pastries and the Kofte/Kibbe. I prepared the cookie dough and it is ready to bake off from my freezer. It was all I could do to not eat all of the luscious raw dough. I will be baking it at 350 rather than the 250 stated in the recipe. I think that makes more sense in my American oven. I will let you know. Can't wait.

Ah yes, the cream cake. People lined up at this lakeside restaurant to have a piece. At every booth and counter, sweet creaminess. It consisted of a top and bottom layer of puff pastry, then a thick pastry cream, and lighter than a cloud sweetened whipped cream. I'm writing to Bon Appetit so I can get the recipe. If I weren't on Weight watchers, I would have had a second piece. Some of our friends shared a piece---SISSIES!!!

Beautiful Burano. We had the best tremezzini here, with the crispest crust and most luscious prosciutto. It was hard to leave this dreamlike town.

Friendly Zagreb Butcher

Taste Better Than They Look!

VENICE MARKET

We just got back from our magical trip to Venice and the former Yugoslavia. Thanks to all at eGullet for your suggestions and tips. I ate EVERYTHING I planned - squid ink risotto with cuttle fish, every manner of squid, Croatian fish soup, lamb "Under the Bell", blood sauage, tremezzini, cichetti of every shape, style, and presentation, liver Venetian style, as well as their pasta fagiole,whole wheat pasta with sardines and onions, and croissants con marmellata... Then there was the gelato, torrone, that AMAZING Slovenian cream cake, walnut liqueur, pear brandy, the biggest, fattest juiciest tangerines at Zagreb, more pomegranates and persimmons than one could count. I will attempt to send some pics, but though I am REALLY good at eating, I seem to be impaired at eGullet picture posting. BURP!

You've motivated me to finally make these. Share your recipe? ← Thanks! Sure-- It's Epicurious' recipe for Fleur de Sel Caramels. I used twice the amount of salt called for in the recipe (as recommended in the reviews) and organic corn syrup from Whole Foods. I don't know how to do the hyperlink for you---duh! ← Apronstrings, I made the fleur de sel caramels this past weekend, coated in dark chocolate. My husband promptly labeled them crack and made me take the rest of them to work where my secretary promptly swooned and the boss and I finished off the rest. ← I know just what you mean!!! I have found that the caramels that are dipped in chocolate retain their shapes a lot longer than the plain fleur de sel caramels.

So how different is fleur du sel from regular salt, especially when cooked into candy? I'll probably go ahead and try it with regular salt anyway, as even if I could find fleur du sel here, it would probably cost an arm and a leg and several organs in between... ← Fleur de Sel is a crunchy, pure salt, and tastes less "salty" than regular salt. It has a nice aroma, like the ocean, I'd say. A very clean taste. It is so expensive because of the way it is harvested- on top of the salt beds, by hand, before it sinks to the bottom. I love the way the crystals look when sprinkled on food.

I cook for 75 people- a family dinner on Thanksgiving, and then friends for a left overs open house on Friday. Everone gets a dessert goody bag of their choice when they leave. Been doing this for 35 years. Here's my list, many recipes thanks to E-Gullet!! Thanksgiving 2006 Dill Dip in a Pumpernickel Bowl Assorted baked pita crisps Walnut baked goat cheese with mango salsa Texas Pecans Sweet Wasabi Cashews Curry Fired Cashews Stuffed Baked Wontons Jumbo Bollitas Fleur de Sel Caramels Chocolate Covered Caramel Squares Fresh seasonal vegetables Cocoa Dusted Chocolate Almonds Sugar Dusted Chocolate Almonds Halvah with Pistachio Nuts White Chocolate Bark with Caramelized Cocoa Nibs Butternut Squash Soup with Apple Cream Drizzle Flaky cream biscuits Salad of Mixed Greens Orange Vinaigrette Roast Turkey with Sherry Gravy Slow braised brisket Roasted onion gravy Fresh cranberry relish Cranberry sauce Corn pudding Vegetarian Kofte rolls Roasted asparagus Sauteed Button Mushrooms Spinach Balls Roasted Cauliflower with Garlic Sweet Potato Ravioli with Brown Butter Sauce Boursin Smashed Potatoes with Scallions Slow Cooked String Beans, Greek Style Apple Cake Strawberry Marshmallows Mocha Marshmallows Pumpkin Caramel Cheesecake Mexican Brownies Alfajores Chocolate Raspberry Rugelach Korova Cookies Key Lime Coconut Cheesecake Points Nutella Pie Chestnut Chocolate Pave Cherry Cheese Strudel Banana Chocolate Strudel, Russian Style Dutch Almond Paste Cookies Chocolate Malted Tartlets Lemon Cream Tartlets Mini High Hat Cupcakes Italian Sesame Cookies Macadamia Praline Truffles Strawberry Marshmallows Mocha Marshmallows Pumpkin Spice Coffee Kona Coffee Tea

No pics yet, but I was very busy today. I made Fleur de Sel Caramels again, but this time I coated them with bittersweet chocolate. Also, I made Michael Recchiuti's White Chocolate Bark with Caramelized Cocoa Nibs, my old fashioned Russian Apple Cake, and prepped a chocolate tart shell for Pierre Herme's Nutella Tart. And I didn't break one nail!

this one? After clicking the '""reply' or 'add reply' button, you'll be in the reply window. Click on the 'http://' button, paste the url in, click on 'OK' and then type in what you'd like the link to say (in this case, 'this one?'). Click 'ok' again. Then 'Add Reply" - hope that makes sense! ← Yes!! Let me know how they come out. And thanks for the tip!

You've motivated me to finally make these. Share your recipe? ← Thanks! Sure-- It's Epicurious' recipe for Fleur de Sel Caramels. I used twice the amount of salt called for in the recipe (as recommended in the reviews) and organic corn syrup from Whole Foods. I don't know how to do the hyperlink for you---duh!

Actually, no! The caramels are so buttery that it really counterpoints them beautifully!

I made Fleur De Sel Caramels today. They are Great! Next timeI will dip them in chocolate before sprinkling with salt.

This the Maida Heatter recipe I've wanted to make for umpteen years. Italian Sesame Cookies, just like they make in Little Italy--really!