Chocolate Truffles

These chocolate truffles are SO easy to make, and insanely delicious! 

They're basically ganache chilled, rolled and covered in cocoa powder.

Marshmallows

Today we made Marshmallows, which was pretty easy, but very messy.  

These were peppermint flavored, which are delicious.

These are vanilla bean.  You can never have enough powdered sugar to cover the sticky exterior!

They're so pretty!! 

Petit Fours

These all turned out well, but it's certainly harder baking smaller things!  They tend to dry out faster, and clean lines matter.  These little chocolate covered Petit Fours ("little ovens") had freshly made jam in the middle and were my favorites.  Clockwise, I made Vanilla Madeleines, Pistachio Financiers, Orange Zest Tuiles, and tiny Madeleines.   

Soufflés

Today in class we made soufflés, which were a little tricky but turned out well.  

The only problem is you have to eat them RIGHT away so they don't store well at all.  

This was a cheese and chive one, which was super sharp and smoky because of the gouda but pretty great.  

This was a classic chocolate soufflé which is never my favorite dessert, surprisingly, but it turned out well.  We poured creme anglaise over it which was delicious. 

Trip to New Orleans

I went to New Orleans for my birthday and had cake every single night.  This Baked Alaska from Antoine's was by far my favorite dessert of the trip! I wish I took photos of the inside but it was so perfectly sweet, fluffy and creamy.

Antoines in the oldest restaurant in the city, and completely haunted.  It has so many beautiful rooms each with their own stories.  This emerald green room was my favorite. 

My last meal in New Orleans was at the famous Commanders Palace, where we ate an amazing three course brunch while Jazz musicians played in the courtyard.   This Pecan Pie was my favorite!

Their strawberry short cake was pretty great too.



You can't go to New Orleans without eating at Cafe du Monde.
I had their begneits almost everyday. They are my favorite! 

Happy Valentines Day

These are a few of my favorite things...

Savory Breads

This week in class we made whole wheat pita, cheese and herb crackers and foccacia.  This was my first time making any breads like these and they all turned out great!  

Foccacia before the oven...

After! Topped with Rosemary. 

My 30th Birthday

Had a small birthday game night for my 30th, with lots of pretty girly details. I'm obsessed with these paper plates that look like nice tea china! 

How adorable is this cake my friends gave me!!  I Love LucyBean! 

I cried when I saw this, Cake & Art always kills it.  

A close up, so cute.  This will live forever on my counter.

A couple days later I was surprised AGAIN with another insanely cute Lucy cake by my other favorite bakery, Hanses Cakes.  I love the palm print background so much!

Sweet Breads

Sticky buns, ready for glaze and the oven...

Out of the oven, flipped over... Pecan Cinnamon sticky buns, SO GOOD. 

Chocolate Babka I made in class, it was pretty but not nearly enough chocolate!

I made the Babka again at home with lots of chocolate and hazelnuts and it was much better. 

Strawberry Mousse Cake

In class last week we made Genoise cakes in the egg-levening segment and refrigerated them to use this week with the mousses.

Using gelatin to make a stable Pate a Bombe mouse with strawberry puree, we filled the top of the cake, held together with cellophane and refrigerated it until it hardened a little.

It looks SO cute, and tasted great! Light and fluffy like a strawberry short cake .

Marjolaine & Chocolate Soufflé Cake

Today's Pro Pastry class focused on egg-levened cakes.  AKA a lot of beating egg whites and using their fluffiness to structure the batters. 

I had no idea what a Marjolaine was before we made them so I wasn't even sure what it was supposed to look like, but when it came together i was so impressed.  This may be one of my favorite new desserts.  And coincidentally gluten free, for those who need something tasty without flour!  Using almond and hazelnut flours, this cake has an almost wafer-like texture with a delicate nutty flavor.  The coffee vanilla swiss buttercream layers and frosting makes it all melt in your mouth.  Seriously incredible. 

This chocolate soufflé cake, also gluten free, was super easy to make.  Tasted like a flour less chocolate cake but a little drier, less fudge.  The glaze was my favorite part. 

Pro Pastry Level 2 !

Back to School!  

Last month I began my Pro Pastry level 2 series at The Gourmandise School, 

my favorite place to spend my Sundays! 

Merry Christmas

It's that time again!  We had our annual Holiday party, and as usual had way too much food. 

I love the little boxes of candy from Sugarfina. They have so many options of colors and flavors it's out of control. 

Easy to make festive cookies and cupcakes. 

Stuffed Cookies

After trying these Stuffed cookies at Cookie-Con, I had to order a box of my own.

Love the packaging and flavors!

Reeces: Chocolate Chips, Potato Chips, Peanut Butter and Pretzels

Cereal N Milk: Frutti Pebbles and Marshmallow, so good!

Japanese Cookies

Everything in Japan has a face.  Thats a fact, and probably why I love it all.  I walked into a small convenience store and was in awe of the hundreds of different cookie and candy packages in every shape and color.  These little panda cookies were my favorite!  They're made of pretzel, butterscotch, and white and milk chocolate.  I love how they each have a different expression, so cute!

@Home Cafe, Tokyo

While in Tokyo I went to @Home Cafe, a Maid Cafe in Akiharaba and it was the most unusual experience.  All the waitresses are dressed as maids, call the guests "master", kneel to take the food orders, and draw faces on EVERYTHING! 

I ordered these pancakes because it looks like my dog Lucy, it was so cute and really tasty!  I think I slipped into a sugar coma this afternoon. 

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!!! 

How adorable is this log cake from Eli Zabars in NY.  Somehow this was the first log cake I've ever had, and it was so rich, dense and delicious!  

LaDurée Christmas

LaDurée strikes again.  I can't ever go to NYC without stopping by the store, but when I saw this packaging collaboration with the New York City Ballet I got so excited.  Two of my favorite things all together looking perfect.  

French Macaron Pastry Class

Back at my favorite Gourmandise School! I learned how to make the adorable, and incredibly labor intensive French Macarons.  This was the cream caramel for one of the fillings.

They turned out really well! I made four flavors: Vanilla cream, caramel cream, strawberry and passion fruit.  

I'm nervous to try these again at home, for now I just have a massive supply in the freezer.