Your Daily Sweets (2005-2012)

[Patrick S]

Cinnamon-Ginger Macarons. Lots of them.

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Very nice. What recipe did you use?

[Stephanie Wallace]

I used Herme's (la patisserie) recipe and nicolekaplans technique. Incredibly happy with the results. The buttercream itself is not flavored, the insides are basted with syrup boiled with ginger and cinnamon.

[Patrick S]

I used Herme's (la patisserie) recipe and nicolekaplans technique. Incredibly happy with the results. The buttercream itself is not flavored, the insides are basted with syrup boiled with ginger and cinnamon.

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Does the recipe in la patisserie use Italian meringue?

[Stephanie Wallace]

No; I should rephrase: I used the proportions in la patisserie, and Nicole's method. (Which is actually Herme's method in the shop)

[RuthWells]

I had a lot of dessert today. 

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!

[racheld]

Bread pudding for two, in a small gratin dish. I sliced off the tops of two of those bought "honey diamond" rolls, cut them to fit, and arranged them tops-up for the pretty of it. We had bought a bag of the purplest, almost-black fresh cherries, so-dark-they-stained-my-fingers, and they were so huge, it took only four to punctuate the gaps between the bread. When I poured in the custard (one egg, one yolk, cup of half-and-half, sugar, vanilla), the cherries bled their burgundy juices, and made the most beautiful lines and swirls.

It turned out to be luscious, sort of a clafudding, I guess...just perfect after our spicy meal of ribs and salad.

[sazji]

sazji, have you ever had muhallebi made with cow rather than buffalo milk?  I'd be interested to know if they taste significantly different from one another.  I've only had it with cow's milk as that's all you can really get here, but it's one of my favorite desserts & I haven't had it in ages....

Yes, I've also made several traditional Turkish puddings (my favorite being keskul) with cow's milk. They are good and well worth making. Buffalo milk is different though; in a way that's hard to really describe. Also getting really *whole* milk in the US is a problem. If you used real whole cow's milk, the result would be a bit yellow; buffalo milk is pure white.

[Ling]

sponge cake...I'm going to serve it with candied kumquats after I get off work

Also did a side-by-side comparison of two fresh gingercakes today. I liked the second, more intensely flavoured cake better.

Fresh gingercake #1

Fresh gingercake #2

[Ling]

Yesterday was just more of the gingercakes I made....

Today, rum pots de creme with an oatmeal spice tuile.

I saved two pots de creme to turn into creme brulee for tomorrow's dessert.

[Patrick S]

I made a Napoleon with vanilla and Nutella pastry creams. I don't do these very often so I couldnt get it as pretty as I'd like, but it was actually very tasty. Next time I want to try rolling out the puff pastry layers really thin, and then filling them with thin layers of something firmer, like a ganache.

[Patrick S]

I have a ton of egg whites I need to use, so I made some caramel souffles. They puffed up a little more than I expected! They were good though.

[pissaladiere]

Hi Patrick,

I must confess that I look at this thread often just to see what you've made. Your desserts always look fabulous. I love the sound of the nutella, pastry cream napoleon. Only a perfectionist would comment that his souffles (absolutely beautiful, btw) have risen too much! Anyway, I look forward to your posts, and, perhaps, one day I'll have something worthy of posting.

[amccomb]

I have a ton of egg whites I need to use, so I made some caramel souffles. They puffed up a little more than I expected! They were good though.

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I would love to make these! Can you share the recipe? Is it from a book?

[Ling]

^Patrick, I love both your desserts! The napoleons look particularly good...they are perfect to me!!!

[Mottmott]

This is my favorite voyeurist thread. We need a leer smilie!

I hope y'all have as much fun working off those desserts as you do makin' and eatin' 'em.

[Chufi]

That napoleon looks so lovely. I might try something like that for my husband's birthdayparty!

I had the last of my fake oliebollen for dessert. Reheated in the microwave, spread with butter. Mmmm...

[Ling]

I just finished the extra ganache from this...

...which will be breakfast tomorrow!

[Anna N]

I rarely bake as most of my baking ends up looking rather like the dog's dinner but this one turned out so I had to share it.

It is the Apricot Almond Tart from the Jan. 2006 issue of Gourmet.

[Patrick S]

I would love to make these!  Can you share the recipe?  Is it from a book?

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The recipe is from yard's Secrets of Baking. They're really easy. The recipe from memory:

9 whites, room temp

5 yolks, room temp

1/2C caramel sauce, room temp

1/3C sugar

Pinch cream of tartar

Preheat to 425F

Thoroughly butter and sugar coat about 6-8 ramekins

Whisk yolks into caramel sauce

Beat whites till foamy. Add cream of tartar. Beat to soft peaks. Gradually beat in sugar. Beat to medium-firm peaks.

Fold caramel base into whites.

Fill ramekins. The recipe says fill them to the top, but you may want to fill them only 3/4.

Run a paring knife around the side of the ramekin. This creates an air pocket and allows the souffles to rise more evenly.

Baking 15-20 minutes. Drizzle with caramel sauce, powdered sugar, or anything else that sounds good to you, and serve immediately.

[Raquel]

There are so many beautiful dessert photos on this thread!

Went to a "trendy" place in LA with my sister and cousin to taste their famous cupcakes. We weren't really expecting much... but oh my, were they ever good!

The cake itself was super-moist and dense. The tops still maintained that crispy/chewy/shiny texture under the frosting. The frosting was really thick and smooth with a very nice flavor.

Clockwise from top: Red velvet cake w/ cream cheese frosting, Belgian dark chocolate cake w/ fudgy milk chocolate frosting, Madagascar bourbon vanilla cake w/ vanilla frosting, Belgian dark chocolate cake w/ bittersweet chocolate frosting.

Also eaten but not shown: Fragrant orange cake w/ orange-vanilla frosting & Spiced pumpkin cake w/ cinnamon cream cheese frosting

[Pan]

Raquel, I think you should name the place, since you praise it so highly.

[Raquel]

Raquel, I think you should name the place, since you praise it so highly.

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Sure thing. The place is called SPRINKLES and they specialize in only cupcakes.

It's on Little Santa Monica Blvd. right in the heart of Beverly Hills.

[Ling]

^I think that bakery was featured in this month's Bon Appetit! They were comparing it to Magnolia Bakery in NY. The cupcakes sure look good! Which was your favourite?

[Raquel]

^I think that bakery was featured in this month's Bon Appetit! They were comparing it to Magnolia Bakery in NY. The cupcakes sure look good! Which was your favourite? 

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Thanks for the tip, Ling! I'll have to check out Bon Appetit. I haven't seen this month's yet...

I would say that the only thing in common this place has to Magnolia is that they picked up on the big cupcake trend. I've had the Magnolia cupcakes and (to me) they are different - drier, looser cake texture and a more gritty frosting that hardens on the outside as it dries.

Sprinkles cupcakes are moister - both cake and frosting. And the flavor combinations are more involved, using top-notch ingredients. They do things like Chai Latte or Ginger Lemon.

I tend to like the more simple flavors. My favorites were the Plain Vanilla and Orange flavors. The next time I'm out there I'll have to pick up a bigger box! But at $3.25 a pop, it can get pretty pricey.

[Patrick S]

Flourless orange-almond cake. I'll be honest -- I think this cake looks much better than it tastes. The batter uses whole oranges, which are simmered for 2 hours and pureed. The puree is mixed with almond meal, sugar, eggs and baking powder. Recipe