Your Daily Sweets: What are you making and baking? (2012–2014)

[pquinene]

Chocolate Cream Pie !

This is a gorgeous rendition of a pie!!!

Today I made a couple of couronne des rois then a galette (thanks FrogPrincess!), tomorrow I'll bake 3 more

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WOW! Both are beautiful and I'd love me some pithivier!!!

I'm still aiming to bake at least one thing each week, but I'm WAY behind on updating things on my website. Here are a few that I've managed to upload...

Back in November, I made these chocolate-ginger cookies. I was hoping for a really chocolate-y cookie with a punch of ginger, but they're more like ginger cookies with a bit of chocolate. Still a good cookie, just not what I was hoping for when I chose it.

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Leading up to my Christmas baking, I made my usual peppermint marshmallows. I usually use the recipe from Greweling's Chocolates and Confections, but I've recently started using the recipe from his At Home book instead. The only real difference is the invert sugar is omitted and the quantities of honey and glucose syrup are adjusted to compensate.

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Then I tried these spiced cardamom cookies from Martha Stewart. I was really intrigued by the idea of using a texture sheet on the rolled cookie dough. I LOVE this idea. I'm kicking myself for not thinking of it on my own. I also really love this cookie. I'll definitely be making this one again.

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I made these lemon shortbread last year as well, and after making them this year, I got a request from a coworker to make another batch for her. They have a nice flavour and a soft tender texture, but not really the texture I expect from shortbread. I have NEVER been able to get them to turn out like the photo in the book though.

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And finally, some gingerbread caramels. They turned out a little softer and sweeter than I'd like. Next time, I'll caramelize the sugar a bit more first, but I'll definitely make these again too.

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Your assortment of goodies are so pretty. I'd love to bake at least once a week too...

Passion Fruit Tart !

I would love a serving of this!

[pquinene]

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[pquinene]

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[pquinene]

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[keychris]

Chocolate berry tart

[judiu]

keychris, the chocolate berry tart has me breathing heavy! My Gawd, that's beautiful!

[jmacnaughtan]

Just bought a new stand mixer, and I'm putting it through its paces with brioche dough. Works pretty well, makes good dough that even my crappy miniature oven can't screw up.

A classic, the brioche Nanterre:

[emmalish]

A classic, the brioche Nanterre:

Gorgeous. Once again, seeing photos like this makes me want to bake bread. :-)

[pquinene]

I made custard pie a few days ago. It is the most popular pie on Guam. There are so many bakeries on the island. It's really interesting how my father-in-law, husband and son all love custard pie.

Guam custard pie

Edited January 17, 2014 by pquinene (log)

[DianaM]

A few things I made recently: a cake for my friends' twins for their birthday, some coffee macarons and a cake for my son's baptism.

[jmacnaughtan]

Nice work, DianaM. What's the decoration on top of the baptism cake?

[DianaM]

Thanks! The deco on top is tempered white chocolate. I used a parchment cone to pour it over ice cubes in a bowl. When the choc was set, I brushed on it some luster dust, same as I used on the dragés.

[jmacnaughtan]

It makes a nice effect, very organic. I saw something similar here:http://www.playingwithfireandwater.com/foodplay/2008/10/black-forest.html

[DianaM]

Thank you for reminding me of her! I want to try making branches for Easter. Some people use freezing-cold alcohol as she uses the ice water, maybe I'll try both to see which gives better results.

[Rozin Abbas]

Pumpkin pie (for people that don't like pumpkin pie).

I'm sure the traditional is a great dessert with lots of history, but it's stodgy and heavy and will always remain in pecan pie's shade.

Here's mine: pâte sucrée, a butternut squash crémeux and spiced golden syrup meringue. It's nice to grate some spices onto the meringue before torching it, it amplifies the aroma. I used tonka, cinnamon and nutmeg.

I just saw this and it looks amazing. Any chance I could get a recipe, please?

[jmacnaughtan]

For Burns night, a slightly updated Cranachan.

From top to bottom:

Oatmeal tuiles

Whisky mini babas

Honey glaze

Honey vanilla Chantilly

Raspberry crémeux

Whisky-soaked genoise

Flapjack

Oatmeal milk chocolate crunch.

Goes down nicely with a dram

[jmacnaughtan]

Pumpkin pie (for people that don't like pumpkin pie).

I'm sure the traditional is a great dessert with lots of history, but it's stodgy and heavy and will always remain in pecan pie's shade.

Here's mine: pâte sucrée, a butternut squash crémeux and spiced golden syrup meringue. It's nice to grate some spices onto the meringue before torching it, it amplifies the aroma. I used tonka, cinnamon and nutmeg.

I just saw this and it looks amazing. Any chance I could get a recipe, please?

Thanks, I'll put it up on recipegullet when I get the chance.

[Blether]

For Burns night, a slightly updated Cranachan...

Yikes ! I want some.

[flourgirl]

For Burns night, a slightly updated Cranachan.

Cranachan.jpg

From top to bottom:

Oatmeal tuiles

Whisky mini babas

Honey glaze

Honey vanilla Chantilly

Raspberry crémeux

Whisky-soaked genoise

Flapjack

Oatmeal milk chocolate crunch.

Cranachan cut.jpg

Goes down nicely with a dram

You are extremely talented. I saw your pumpkin pie recipe, WOW!

[jmacnaughtan]

For Burns night, a slightly updated Cranachan.

Cranachan.jpg

From top to bottom:

Oatmeal tuiles

Whisky mini babas

Honey glaze

Honey vanilla Chantilly

Raspberry crémeux

Whisky-soaked genoise

Flapjack

Oatmeal milk chocolate crunch.

Cranachan cut.jpg

Goes down nicely with a dram

You are extremely talented. I saw your pumpkin pie recipe, WOW!

Thanks, you're very kind. I love doing the more elaborate entremets and preparations. Especially when serving specialties like haggis to non-British diners, you really need something memorable for dessert

[judiu]

Jmacnaughtan, what's the "flapjack" layer? I've only ever heard the word in its American context, as a pancake, and that sure don't look like a doughy pancake to me!

[DianaM]

I love doing the more elaborate entremets and preparations. Especially when serving specialties like haggis to non-British diners, you really need something memorable for dessert

Did you not once make a V8 entremet with 8 different layers featuring vanilla? Either way, this one looks fantastic as well. Can you recommend a good book focusing on entremets? I noticed you sometimes reference Philippe Conticini's Sensations.

[jmacnaughtan]

Jmacnaughtan, what's the "flapjack" layer? I've only ever heard the word in its American context, as a pancake, and that sure don't look like a doughy pancake to me!

Interesting, I thought this sort of flapjack was an American invention. It's just a very simple oat cookie made from rolled oats, golden syrup, butter and muscovado sugar. This is the first time I've used it as anything other than a petit four, though. Here's a recipe that's not too far off the one I used.

I love doing the more elaborate entremets and preparations. Especially when serving specialties like haggis to non-British diners, you really need something memorable for dessert

Did you not once make a V8 entremet with 8 different layers featuring vanilla? Either way, this one looks fantastic as well. Can you recommend a good book focusing on entremets? I noticed you sometimes reference Philippe Conticini's Sensations.

Haha, yes, that was a challenge. I saw that on Masterchef Australia and had to try it... For books with good entremet techniques and recipes, I like Francisco Migoya's "the Modern Café" and "Elements of Dessert" (although I find several of his recipes flawed, the technique is good), and Conticini's "Sensations" is a wonderful book. So many great techniques, flavors and preparations. I think it's only available in French, though. There are a couple of good entremets in Adriano Zumbo's "Zumbo", including the V8, but I'm not convinced it's worth shelling out 30€ for.

I find that entremets are technically easier than many "home-cooking" layer cakes. If you have a couple of metal cake rings, a freezer and a few basic recipes to adapt, it's feasible to make a professional looking cake at home. I know I'll never have the technical skill to pull off a perfect buttercream-coated cake, my spatula skills are just too weak.

[emmalish]

Jmacnaughtan, what's the "flapjack" layer? I've only ever heard the word in its American context, as a pancake, and that sure don't look like a doughy pancake to me!

Interesting, I thought this sort of flapjack was an American invention. It's just a very simple oat cookie made from rolled oats, golden syrup, butter and muscovado sugar. This is the first time I've used it as anything other than a petit four, though. Here's a recipe that's not too far off the one I used.

I'm with judiu – the only thing I've ever heard "flapjack" used to describe is a pancake (I'm Canadian, but I've heard Americans refer to them as such). That recipe sounds good tho!

[Blether]

If you say "flapjack" in the UK - maybe in commonwealth countries - you mean the same sweet caramelly oat bars that jmacnaughton's talking about. They're pretty good - you can bake to anywhere between crunchy like Nature's Valley bars, to soft and chewy.