Your Daily Sweets (2005-2012)

[jumanggy]

Today is GTO's birthday, everyone (happy birthday)! I made cake (did I really just need an excuse just to make cake?). It's La Fleur from Flo Braker (Honey Genoise filled with Pears and frosted with Milk Buttercream). It was my first time to make buttercream, so I was hoping I'd do something right and it wouldn't taste like sweet butter. It did. So I was a bit turned off for a while, but applied thinly on the cake, it strangely works. Also, I learned to ice with buttercream in an air-conditioned room, because it was starting to melt on me while I was making my really grungy "basketweave" on the side, in an effort to hide an even grungier application of icing. I also learned to start lining the side of my cake pans from now on..

Nina: someone touched your camera lens! Anyway, what's in the pies on top? I don't know what's in them, but I feel like they could go directly into my mouth just about now

Joe: I'm not a big fan of biscotti or pistachios (except when they're roasted and salted), and lavender doesn't exist here, but I think your biscotti may make me want to try them!

Ruth: I looked at your website, everything looks good! (There's an abundance of zucchini I see ) I see you're close to your goal of $3,000, keep up the good work. I hope you and your family are well.

Edited September 5, 2007 by jumanggy (log)

[DanaG]

Today is GTO's birthday, everyone (happy birthday)! I made cake (did I really just need an excuse just to make cake?). It's La Fleur from Flo Braker (Honey Genoise filled with Pears and frosted with Milk Buttercream). It was my first time to make buttercream, so I was hoping I'd do something right and it wouldn't taste like sweet butter. It did. So I was a bit turned off for a while, but applied thinly on the cake, it strangely works. Also, I learned to ice with buttercream in an air-conditioned room, because it was starting to melt on me while I was making my really grungy "basketweave" on the side, in an effort to hide an even grungier application of icing. I also learned to start lining the side of my cake pans from now on..

Nina: someone touched your camera lens! Anyway, what's in the pies on top? I don't know what's in them, but I feel like they could go directly into my mouth just about now

Joe: I'm not a big fan of biscotti or pistachios (except when they're roasted and salted), and lavender doesn't exist here, but I think your biscotti may make me want to try them!

Ruth: I looked at your website, everything looks good! (There's an abundance of zucchini I see ) I see you're close to your goal of $3,000, keep up the good work. I hope you and your family are well.

←

I've always wanted to make this cake from Flo Braker's book. How did the cake taste overall??

[jumanggy]

Really good, Dana.. My family finished it in 24 hours which is rare for my family. But if it were up to me, as I'm not a butter fan, I'd substitute whipped cream for the buttercream, I like the subtlety. I'm not yet well-versed in all the BC recipes to substitute italian meringue buttercream or mousseline.

EDIT for Ruth: Milk Buttercream - is milk syrup (1/2 cup milk and 1 cup sugar boiled to 220°F) added to the eggs (1 yolk and 1 egg to be exact) instead of plain sugar syrup. Then 1-1/2 cups butter. Then throw in your aorta. Anyway, it's supposed to maintain its satiny consistency when whipped even after refrigeration, which is true, but I don't know if regular BC doesn't do that..

Edited September 5, 2007 by jumanggy (log)

[RuthWells]

Your cake looks yummy, Jumanggy -- what is "milk buttercream"? I am a devotee of Italian meringue buttercream, and always eager to learn new tricks.

Ruth: I looked at your website, everything looks good! (There's an abundance of zucchini I see ) I see you're close to your goal of $3,000, keep up the good work. I hope you and your family are well.

←

Thanks for peeking at the blog. YES, the zucchini is threatening to take over the world, or at least the yard! The fundraising has been phenomenal, but I'm ready to finish it up. It's one full-time job too many in my life. : )

[monavano]

Nectarine, sour cherry and blueberry cobbler (a la mode)

[Darcie B]

Coconut cupcakes with coconut buttercream. Very coconutty!

[gfron1]

Very cute Darcie.

I'm home sick today and I'd love a big bowl of Nectarine, sour cherry and blueberry cobbler (a la mode).

[GTO]

No Birthday cake this year.

Whatever, I filled some Croustades with Ganache instead. Served 'em with some strawberries poached in Damson liquer.

Edit: Thank you Mark, for the cake dedication, very, very cool!

Edited September 6, 2007 by GTO (log)

[RuthWells]

Coconut cupcakes with coconut buttercream. Very coconutty!

←

So purty!

[dystopiandreamgirl]

that fig galette with gorgonzola is triggering a homer simpson-style drool.

white chocolate birch leaves and red currants.

[RuthWells]

that fig galette with gorgonzola is triggering a homer simpson-style drool. 

white chocolate birch leaves and red currants.

←

Wow, gorgeous presentation! You did the leaves yourself, I assume?

[GTO]

dystopiandreamgirl - That's a beautiful cake. The leaves are astonishing. How on Earth did you manage to place them so neatly without them melting!?

Rather more humble, I made David Lebovitz's Orange cake. It's great - Tastes like carrot cake.

Alongside, it some simple almond honeycomb.

Edited September 10, 2007 by GTO (log)

[dystopiandreamgirl]

dystopiandreamgirl - That's a beautiful cake. The leaves are astonishing. How on Earth did you manage to place them so neatly without them melting!?

thanks, I did make the leaves, and as long as the temper is a good one, they can tolerate several seconds of handling. They were placed in soft italian meringue buttercream so it was pretty fast work to jam them in.

[gfron1]

Tonight I cleaned the freezer out and found things I didn't even know were still in there. I had a bag of fig puree from last season, two discs of pastry dough (I have no memory of these), and then in my cupboard some bloomed 70% Scharffen Berger and remnants of my candied ginger...and viola! Ginger Fig Tart with Chocolate.

[patris]

Oh, man. I'm not a particular fan of figs, but that looks amazing!

[CanadianBakin']

Rob, I love the look of the big random-sized chunks of chocolate in your tart.

[gfron1]

Thanks - laziness pays off

[GTO]

I'm going back to University tomorrow, so I only had time for something really simple.

Little almond sponges with honey-poached apples. They were delicious.

[gfron1]

Pineapple cake as chronicled HERE.

[DesertCulinary]

It was pretty cold outside (26 degrees!) this morning, so I warmed up the kitchen to make these Chocolate and Cinnamon Chip Blondies which we enjoyed after dinner tonight!

[Domestic Goddess]

Dessert was peach cobbler pie... (with peaches given by hubby's boss).

Plated for my hubby (who had seconds)....

[milgwimper]

Wow everyone's dessert looks go delicious, and I think I am getting fat just reading this forum! But thanks to everyone on this forum I have so much to think about for an end of the meal treat. Hopefully I can get my house together to whip something up and post here, but I am still in the middle of moving.

[apronstrings]

Here is the Bittersweet Mexican Torte I made for our book club yesterday.

Edited September 19, 2007 by apronstrings (log)

[apronstrings]

And this is the Rice Pudding Cheesecake (from Rosa Mexicana) for the second dessert. I've been dying to make this ever since I found the recipe.

Very unusual!

[GTO]

Oooh, apronstrings! They're like dream sequences in cake form.