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Who can only eat one? Not I. These tasty little cookies (almost a crisp sponge cake), are so very chewy and moist and just plain divine in your mouth. I found this recipe supper easy to recreate, however I did follow some great tips provided here on Tartelette’s blog.
I did let my egg whites sit in the fridge for 5 days, which required plenty of planing ahead. I did not bake my macaroons at 2 different temperatures. I live in the South and it is still in the 90’s here at least twice a week, and having my oven on that long and that high is just not an option. So I used Tartlette’s baking instructions, with Claudia Fleming’s ingrediant list. I added some color, but not enough to make them actually orange like pumpkins which is what my daughter and I were going for, instead they look like a Georgia peach! We then filled half with some whipped ganache and the other half with fresh whipped cream and vanilla.
These macaroons were amazing and I will be visiting this page on Tartelette’s blog to try some other variations for the holidays. Thanks Daring Bakers, for another marvellous challenge!
The 2009 October Daring Bakers’ challenge was brought to us by Ami S. She chose macarons from Claudia Fleming’s The Last Course: The Desserts of Gramercy Tavern as the challenge recipe.
The April 2009 challenge is hosted by Jenny from Jenny Bakes. She has chosen Abbey’s Infamous Cheesecake as the challenge.
We love cheesecake, the hubby and I. This challenge was definitely for us, but not a challenge in the least. I have over the past few years perfected my cheesecake baking process to a T, so that is now the easy part. That leaves me plenty of time to do what I love, alter the recipe. Thankfully this month we could do just that, Jenny even encouraged us to “alter” the recipe and make it our own. I am calling this one American Cheesecake. It takes diversity to make it work, and oh how it works!
Kaighty was my assistant daring baker for this challenge, as she was on spring break. We first crushed 20 Oreo cookies in a bag (counting to 20 is my 5 year olds speciality). Added the butter, spread the mixture in the pan and baked our crust for about 10 minutes. Now to mix the base recipe. I used Abby’s recipe but added a few extras such as flour and one more block of cream cheese, as well as omitted the lemon juice. Once we had our base mixed up, I poured 2/3rds of it into our cooled spring-form pan and crust. The we doctored up the last third with some instant espresso and a smidge of cocoa powder.
To ensure and even layer, I pipped on the espresso layer. Into the oven it went, for about an hour and half. I do open the oven door long enough to test the cheese cake, then close it back up and turn it off. I leave it in the oven until the cake is at room temperature, this will prevent a crack in the top. I realize I am about to top mine, so a crack could be covered. At this point I carefully remove the cake from the pan, then put it right back in the pan. pour the prepared ganache over it and place it in the fridge overnight.
Overnight is the key to a good cheesecake. For some reason it continues to meld together and comes to it’s creamiest point at about 36 hours out of the oven. Don’t skip this step, as it is crucial for optimum taste!
The following evening, we cut and served it. My girls ate the ganache off the top, and that was it. The hubby and me, oh, we ate the whole thing, it was divine. Like fresh cold watermelon in the summer, just amazing on your tongue! Thank you Jenny, it was a wonderful challenge and a wonderful April in our house!
Vote: A formal expression of preference for a candidate for office or for a proposed resolution of an issue. The right to participate as a voter; suffrage.
This quilt was handmade by Elizabeth of “oh fransson” and can be found here. Vote, it is what started history last year!
America, Red, White, and Blue is my theme for this challenge!
This month America changed. In honor of our 44th President, and all of Americans, who made History happen on January 20th 2009, I made flags, American Flags. My 4 old voted during this past year’s election at school. Weekly readers are used in class to teach the children about current events, science, art and history. On November 4th it highlighted both nominees and allowed the children to vote. Obama won the election in her class at 2:15pm with a 13 to 7 vote. The class got to watch his Inauguration and were sent home with another weekly reader highlighting Obama’s family and his new job. She was so pumped up about the whole thing, as were we. We decided to have a celebration after dinner that night. I made American Flag Tuiles and served them with some mocha buttercream, and whipped cream with sugar crystals. They were fantastic. We loved the way they tasted, almost like a sugar cookie mixed with a fresh waffle cone, but better!
Traditionally, tuiles are thin, crisp almond cookies that are gently molded over a rolling pin or arched form while they are still warm. Once set, their shape resembles the curved French roofing tiles for which they’re named. The Dutch angle: traditionally this batter was used to bake flat round cookies on 31st December, representing the year unfolding. On New Year’s Day however, the same batter was used. But this day they were presented to well-wishers shaped as cigars and filled with whipped cream, symbolizing the New Year that’s about to roll on. And of course the batter is sometimes called tulip-paste….
This month’s challenge is brought to us by Karen of Baking Soda and Zorra of 1x umruehren bitte aka Kochtopf. They have chosen Tuiles from The Chocolate Book by Angélique Schmeink and Nougatine and Chocolate Tuiles from Michel Roux. Thank you for allowing us the freedom to make almost anything amazing. I had so much fun with this challenge! I have also made these lovely hearts topped with Mocha Buttercream roses, served on a bed of sugar crystals. I learned a few tricks from a fellow DB’er here and here, on making Tuiles. Thank you Zoe of Zoe Bakes.
The Daring Baker’s October 08′ Challenge, Peter Reinhart’s Pizza Dough
Ok, I skipped September’s challenge because I have not been in the mood to bake extra things lately. My business is really taking off, and I am always in the kitchen making cakes or cake like items. With the Holidays here I have been extra busy baking for parties and school events. I am also teaching two nights a week and things are just getting too busy! HOWEVER, I am in love with what is happening. I am a BAKER! I can’t say it enough, I love it! When this months challenge was posted, I just had to make it. We love pizza (my husband and I), especially when it is fresh. Tossing it was a little harder than I thought, and I did get lazy and use caned sauce on one pizza. The other pizza was topped with my all time favorite homemade white sauce, fresh tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil from my garden and leftover bacon. The dough was great and we will be making this again! Thanks, Rosa’s Yummy Yums
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My first ever. First DB Challenge. First Pâte à Choux. First Pastry Cream. I was so excited! I took my eldest to school, went shopping for all my ingredients (I heard fresh is best for Choux dough), and put the toddler down for her afternoon nap— 3 whole hours to myself and my Eclairs. Heaven!
Making the Choux dough was much easier than I thought it would be. I think I was a little short on flour because I sifted first. I have since learned it is best for this dough to sift after measuring.
The dough itself resembles goopy hair gel from the 90’s when dropped from your wooden spoon. Loading it into the pastry bag and piping it onto the cookie sheet was also very easy. HINT: Do not copy my step of piping onto the cookie sheet directly, use parchment or a silpat. I watched 2 You-Tubers do this and it worked fine for them. Nonetheless, mine stuck to the pan. When you remove them from the oven to poke a hole in them, it is critical that you get them right back in the oven. If they stick to the pan, like mine, they will fall before you get them back in.
-I was very happy with the way my dough puffed up. About 80% of my Eclairs were hollow in the middle and took the cream filling very well. I will cook them an additional 3 minutes next time to ensure the exterior of the “bun” stays crisp. The recipe for the Choux dough did not yield enough for me to make large Eclairs like I had hoped, in fact it only made enough for 18. When finished, two Eclairs side by side were no bigger than a business card. I love to share what I bake with family and friends. This was hardly enough to go around. For all the effort and dishes, I will double it next time.
I decided to alter the filling. We were allowed to alter either the filling or the glaze in this challenge. Even though I changed the cream, I followed the amounts and instructions exactly. The only substitute I used was white for dark chocolate and once my cream was cool, I added 1 tablespoon of Hazelnut Liquor. I found that once I filled my Eclairs, I was only left with about 1/2 cup of cream. That being said, I believe the recipe for the Choux and the cream are spot on. However, I was left with more than 1/2 of the chocolate glaze. Therefore, I will need to scale that down before my next attempt.
I sliced my Eclairs lengthwise, per the directions, and used a star tip to pipe the cream into the open Eclairs. The cream was not quiet stiff enough to hold its shape once the top was put on. I dipped the tops in the chocolate glaze instead of spooning it on. This gave my Eclairs a much more finished look.
They tasted wonderful! We ate them all in less than 24 hours and I am salivating right now wishing I had just one more to eat! I think Pierre was right on with this recipe, and I personally can’t wait to make them again.
In conclusion, the Daring Bakers are a wonderful network of knowledgeable, sportive people who make this experience wonderful. I am proud to now be one! Thanks Daring Bakers for the beginning of a journey I can’t wait to travel!
Follow the MORE TAG for Pierre Hermé’s Chocolate Éclairs Recipe.
Bonobo Cakes is now a member of The Daring Bakers! Watch for the post of my first challenge on August 31st. It is top secret, so please no inquires. Some of you may be fortunate enough to taste some prior to the post, as for the rest of you …… don’t forget to check back!
