Your Daily Sweets (2005-2012)

[Alinka]

Absolutely delicious 

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It certainly looks that way!

[Megan Blocker]

Pille - that looks great!  I have a huge soft spot for blueberry confections of any and every kind...any chance you could share the recipe with us?

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Thanks, Megan I've posted the recipe on my foodblog - hope you'll like it!

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Thanks!!!

Today I made some cupcakes to take into the office tomorrow...on my friend Louisa's recommendation, I used the buttermilk cupcakes recipe from the Gourmet Cookbook. I made both kinds of frosting (cream cheese - one chocolate and one lemon), but, true to Louisa's word, the lemon is better. I only frosted two with the chocolate, but had enough leftover to frost the rest with the lemon.

The cupcakes themselves are really good - rich in flavor but light in texture, and nice and crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. I used regular flour instead of cake flour, but it all worked out!

Edited April 9, 2006 by Megan Blocker (log)

[gfron1]

I had PH's Plaicir Sucre...

[lexy]

Sultana cake for Sunday dinner:

This thread's giving me a craving for rhubarb … rhubarb crumble especially, yum!

[Ling]

Awesome pictures, everyone!

I just got back from my gluttonous San Francisco vacation...here's what I've been eating for dessert the last few days....

Today:

-selection of Recchutti chocolates (is it just me, or is there A LOT of vanilla in those 70% ganache squares?) The fleur de sel one was especially good.

-bouchon (these dense chocolate brownie-type things from Bouchon bakery)

-twice-baked almond croissant, sticky bun, lemon cream cheese danish, almond pain au chocolat...all from Bouchon bakery (hey--this was my last breakfast in Napa! )

Yesterday:

-dark chocolate ganache and mint cake, creme brulee, pots de creme, and a peanut butter and caramel chocolate dome, selection of chocolates, chocolate-covered macadamia nuts...all from The French Laundry

-Paris Brest and almond croissant from Bouchon bakery

Saturday:

-again, Recchutti chocolates, various chocolate from SB and Valrhona

-orange and tea creme brulee at this place in San Fran on the 52nd floor...the Carnelian Room? known more for the view than the food

-banana cream tart, twice-baked almond croissant, and a morning bun (like a sticky bun, but citrus and cinnamon flavours) at Tartine Bakery

-various desserts at Michael Mina (I think I had 9 in total)...along with chocolate ice-cream bonbons and Oreo ice-cream bonbons

[Ling]

I know you are having a lovely time in San Francisco. It is my favourite city in the States.

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I had an amazing time!

To keep this post (kind of) on topic, I am kind of sad b/c I now realize that there's such a huge difference between the bread and baked goods in Vancouver and in San Francisco. Especially the bread. The best bread I had in San Fran was at Acme, followed by the bread at Chez Panisse, and then the bread at Bouchon Bakery. They were all excellent.

The twice-baked almond croissant at Bouchon was even better than the almond croissant I had the day before at Tartine, which was already much better than the twice-baked almond croissant from Sen5es in Vancouver. (I think Sen5es does the best croissants in our town.) I couldn't believe how crisp and buttery that pastry was at Bouchon Bakery, and the filling was so rich. The almond filling at Tartine was more generous, but there was too much of it. Also, I didn't like the texture of the sliced almonds in the filling as much, and the pastry was so big that there is proportionately less of the crispy crust when you bite into it. But still...so good. I will dream of those almond croissants for a long time.

[Grub]

Canteloupe-lime granita, with mint garnish.

[Shalmanese]

Canteloupe-lime granita, with mint garnish.

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Ha! I love how you artfully arranged it so it looks like the newspaper is saying "Melon".

[oli]

I know you are having a lovely time in San Francisco. It is my favourite city in the States.

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I had an amazing time!

To keep this post (kind of) on topic, I am kind of sad b/c I now realize that there's such a huge difference between the bread and baked goods in Vancouver and in San Francisco. Especially the bread. The best bread I had in San Fran was at Acme, followed by the bread at Chez Panisse, and then the bread at Bouchon Bakery. They were all excellent.

The twice-baked almond croissant at Bouchon was even better than the almond croissant I had the day before at Tartine, which was already much better than the twice-baked almond croissant from Sen5es in Vancouver. (I think Sen5es does the best croissants in our town.) I couldn't believe how crisp and buttery that pastry was at Bouchon Bakery, and the filling was so rich. The almond filling at Tartine was more generous, but there was too much of it. Also, I didn't like the texture of the sliced almonds in the filling as much, and the pastry was so big that there is proportionately less of the crispy crust when you bite into it. But still...so good. I will dream of those almond croissants for a long time.

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Sounds like you had a great time. I am wondering if you had a chance to see everything while you were in S.F. it just didn't seem like you were away long enough. I have yet to get to Chez Panisse, the last time I was in S.F. I was within 2 blocks of the restaurant and I still didn't drop in. It is great though to see and taste the differences in baked goods that you are familar with between countries.

[Ling]

^No, we didn't get a chance to see everything. I wish I could've spent more time down there! We did get in plenty of good food though. Here's a link to what we ate down there in San Fran. Lots of dessert pics, including ones from French Laundry.

Trip to San Fran

[filipe]

You may not believe me, but I had never opened this thread before!

Here's what I had for dessert tonight :

I've made two cakes using the same base - a lemon sponge and a cocoa genoise.

Assembling (1st one)

Lemon sponge

Pierre Herme's Dark Chocolate Mousse

Cocoa genoise

Chocolate Mousse

Lemon flavoured italian meringue

Yuzu-Chocolate ganache

Assembling (2nd one)

Cocoa Genoise

Pierre Herme's Chocolate Whiped Cream

Lemon Sponge

Chocolate Whiped Cream

Yuzu-Chocolate ganache

the 2nd one hasn't been sliced yet....

Edited April 12, 2006 by filipe (log)

[gfron1]

Absolutely beautiful as always Filipe! I love the chocolate citrus combinations. Thanks for finding this thread

[Alinka]

Pille's blueberry tart made with pie dough.

Pille, thanks for translating the recipe! Although from Russia, I speak no Estonian .

[Pille]

Pille's blueberry tart made with pie dough.

Pille, thanks for translating the recipe! Although from Russia, I speak no Estonian .

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Looks great, Alinka! I think you should give it another go with the original pie crust - it's quite different with all those oats/porridge flakes inside - crumbly in a very special way. And as you say in the dinner thread, as long as you have flavoursome ripe berries (raspberries work well, too!), there's no need to up the sugar content.

I'm very flattered to have inspired you

PS The original recipe was translated from Finnish to my Estonian recipe site and then into English for my English foodblog:) So it's a very multilingual recipe

[Swisskaese]

Here are my desserts from Passover last night:

Orange and Ginger Cake

Valharona 70% chocolate-covered Weesper Moppen

[Alinka]

Swisskaese, lovely cookies! And I love ginger, so I just can imagine how good the cake is.

Pille, I was intrigued by the crust and was curious to try it, it looks really yummy, but I did not understand the "porridge" part. I think "porridge" is what we call hot cereal here. But I am not sure where to get rye flakes. Even your explanation did not help: "various flaked cereals that are used to make breakfast porridge in the Nordic countries. I used 4-cereal flakes (50% rye, 30% oats, 10% barley, 10% wheat)" Can you show the picture of what it looks like so that I can see what we have here that's similar?

By the way, a friend of mine who lives in Tallinn saw the pie, and she asked for your Estonian blog address .

[Alinka]

And, if you don't mind, I'll perform further translation: people on the Russian cooking forum have asked for the recipe .

Edited April 13, 2006 by Alinka (log)

[Pille]

Pille, I was intrigued by the crust and was curious to try it, it looks really yummy, but I did not understand the "porridge" part. I think "porridge" is what we call hot cereal here. But I am not sure where to get rye flakes. Even your explanation did not help: "various flaked cereals that are used to make breakfast porridge in the Nordic countries. I used 4-cereal flakes (50% rye, 30% oats, 10% barley, 10% wheat)"  Can you show the picture of what it looks like so that I can see what we have here that's similar?

By the way, a friend of mine who lives in Tallinn saw the pie, and she asked for your Estonian blog address .

And, if you don't mind, I'll perform further translation: people on the Russian cooking forum have asked for the recipe

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Hi Alinka - sorry if this remained unclear. Porridge flakes are precooked and sliced grains that you use in the morning to make the breakfast porridge. Just checked Foodsubs.com, and indeed it looks like they're called hot cereal or rolled grains in your parts of the world Here is some information in English, and here in Russian, especially for you

Of course you can translate the recipe into Russian, and your friend can check out my Estonian site (which is not a blog, just a recipe database with some 7000+ recipes). I only blog in English..

[Alinka]

Wow, that's what I call individual approach - even in Russian! Thank you, Pille. They say that flakes are the same as rolled grains. I've used rolled oats to make these cookies before, so I know it works great.

[lexy]

I baked some almond-lemon butter cookies yesterday as a gift. I think I ought to have let the dough chill longer - they rather lost their shape in baking.

[Pille]

Wow, that's what I call individual approach - even in Russian! Thank you, Pille. They say that flakes are the same as rolled grains. I've used rolled oats to make these cookies before, so I know it works great.

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You're welcome, Alinka

As it is Easter weekend, I made the typical Easter dessert, pashka, which is a kind of unbaked cheesecake using curd cheese. I used blanched pistachios, dried cranberries and candied orange peel in the dessert, and cape gooseberries and chopped pistachios to decorate. Very nice and creamy

[MamaC]

Not much, but I made them for yesterday. Had a small get together and 5 boxes were just not enough.

[Abra]

Wow, Mama C. - very pretty!

Alinka, I'm dying over your cookies. Would you post the recipe, or a link?

I'm making pashka too, as well as capirotada and Osterflade. It's a dessert trio for a little party, so I'm doing three desserts from different parts of the world that use a lot of the same ingredients - eggs, cheese, raisins, almonds, and so on.

Actually, maybe Pille or Alinka will give me pashka advice. I've had it weighted in the fridge for a day and a half now, and very little liquid has come out. I used cultured whole milk cottage cheese, which should have a lot of water, but it's not dripping. I did the sort with the cooked egg yolks, as opposed to the custard version. No butter, just cream cheese. Any ideas what I can do before tomorrow night to help it hold together better?

[Alinka]

Wow, Mama C. - very pretty!

Alinka, I'm dying over your cookies.  Would you post the recipe, or a link?

I'm making pashka too, as well as capirotada and Osterflade.  It's a dessert trio for a little party, so I'm doing three desserts from different parts of the world that use a lot of the same ingredients - eggs, cheese, raisins, almonds, and so on.

Actually, maybe Pille or Alinka will give me pashka advice.  I've had it weighted in the fridge for a day and a half now, and very little liquid has come out.  I used cultured whole milk cottage cheese, which should have a lot of water, but it's not dripping.  I did the sort with the cooked egg yolks, as opposed to the custard version.  No butter, just cream cheese.  Any ideas what I can do before tomorrow night to help it hold together better?

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Abra, it is my great pleasure to share the recipe with you: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/106179

These are some of my favorite cookies. Always popular. And so easy to make, I almost feel guilty .

Regarding the paskha, I think Pille will be able to help you more than I can: I've heard about it, but never made it...

[Chufi]

More rhubarb:

Rhubarb compote layered with whipped cream, homemade meringues, and crystallized ginger. The combination of the tart, zingy rhubarb, spicy ginger, crunchy sweet meringues and soft cream is absolutely heavenly. The recipe (although it's more an idea, really) is in May's issue of Good Food magazine, they call it Rhubarb Eton Mess.