Making the world a little sweeter one pastry tip at at time.
I wish peanut butter cookies weren’t so addictive. They aren’t my favorite cookie, and if they are on a cookie platter, I might pass them up for something else (like a chocolate chip or any macaron). Having said that, peanut butter cookies have that flavor …read more
April’s email newsletter went out. Tips on organizing your pastry space. Pastry Sampler April Newsletter http://bit.ly/april-ps
Here’s a super easy recipe for glass tuiles. Glass tuiles are transparent, crisp, thin cookies and while they can be eaten alone, are typically used as a garnish for other desserts. The picture at the right is not the greatest for showing off these cookies, but I love to serve them with fruit desserts.
For the adults in the house, marinate segmented oranges with freshly squeezed orange juice and a little muscat or other dessert liquor, orange flavored is a great choice. When I want to splurge I go with a little Muscat de Beaumes de Venise. For the kids, try a vanilla bean-infused light simple syrup with a few ticks of grated orange peel.
Highly versatile. You can crumble the cookies and use them as a base for sabayon or zabaglione desserts and fresh berries, or lightly sweetened whipped cream served with fresh fruits. If you make them small, shape the warm but set cookies in a tuile former, over the rim of a wide-rimmed bowl, or in the bottom of mini muffin cups. Orange glass tuiles are also lovely when kept flat and used as a large garnish, as is, or broken up into small pieces and used for sprinkling on top.
All in all, orange glass tuiles are a great way to dress up a bag of roadside fresh oranges.
Orange Glass Tuiles
Sugar Baby is a comprehensive cookbook revolving around sugar. It all starts in the beginning with the first chapter ‘A Brief History of the World (As It Pertains to Sugar)’, and explores the world of sugar from there. It is written by Gesine Bullock-Prado and if …read more
Chloe’s Vegan Desserts is a different kind of vegan baking cookbook. Her finished products resemble non-vegan textures by using baking science rather than relying on simply substituting ingredients. Coscarelli is the author of Chloe’s Kitchen and was the first vegan winner of Cupcake Wars. The …read more
Chapters and Book Overview
The Icing on the Cake has 4 decorating chapters separated by the end result: Decorate to Indulge (treats for any day of the week); Decorate for Love (romantic cakes, weddings, anniversaries); Decorate to Celebrate (occasion cakes and parties); Decorate to Impress (special centerpieces).
Stallwood’s designs are all over the book and I always find it lovely when bakers sketch an idea and create something edible from it. The recipes include everything from macarons and decorated gingerbread cookies to chocolate dipped florentines and fancy tiered cakes.
The Best-Kept Secrets chapter is a visual on what the author likes in her bakeshop, as well as descriptions. It also contains her tips such as preparing cookies fro baking, lining shaped cake pans, dipping small cakes in fondant, and covering cakes and cakeboards with fondant. Her design templates can be copied from the book.
If you are looking for a book that specializes in the art of decorating other than baking, you would probably enjoy this read.
Book Information:
Disclosure: This book was provided by the publisher and any opinions are my own.
This auction is online only and is listing 7 different Electro Freeze machines and two Bunn coffee brewers with airpot. MSRP for freeze machines range from $1,420 to $13,710. Preview: Appt only, call to schedule; Virginia Commercial Services: 703 Howmet Dr. Suite H, Hampton, VA …read more
Quick Snapguide on torching a crème brûlée dessert with a hand-held blow torch for an even, caramelized crust. Check out How to Torch a Crème Brûlée for a Caramelized Crust by Renee Shelton on Snapguide.
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| Spiced Dutch Apple Pie with Savannah Smiles Girl Scout Cookie Oatmeal Steusel Topping and Hot Water Pie Crust |
Here’s another entry in the Girl Scout Cookie dessert recipes list. I used Savannah Smiles which are a crisp, shortbread-like cookie lightly coated in lemony powdered sugar. If you don’t have these cookies, try another crisp plainly flavored cookie. Avoid those with fillings, chocolate or candy coatings, or any kind of icing. You want a nice, dry cookie that will brown evenly in the oven. And if you have no cookies in the house to fit the bill, simply use your favorite oatmeal streusel topping for this pie. The hot water crust gives it a crumbly and flaky touch.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Stir the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and ginger together, and pour over the sliced apples placed in a large mixing bowl. Toss all the ingredients together until the apples are lightly coated with the mixture.
Pour the apples into the unbaked pie crust. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove pie from oven and reduce heat to 375 degrees F. Top with the Savannah Smiles Streusel Topping. Bake for another 50 minutes, covering with foil the last 20 minutes of cooking.
Serve chilled or warm.
1 box Savannah Smiles cookies, processed into crumbs (1 1/2 cups crumbs)
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
Mix all the ingredients by hand in a bowl until combined.
Place the shortening in a bowl, and pour the hot water over the top. Stir to completely melt; the shortening and water will be completely incorporated. Stir the flour and salt together and add to the shortening. Cut in the flour until the ingredients are combined. Form into a ball and flatten. Chill for an hour before rolling out.
This makes enough for one 9-inch pie crust.
In San Diego the first part of May with nothing to do? The Maritime Museum of San Diego is partnering up with Mars Chocolate North America to hold their 2nd annual Chocolate Festival in May featuring 3 days of chocolate fun, for adults and for kids. Friday …read more
