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{Baking} CROQUEMBOUCHE with the Daring Bakers … time for ‘crunch in the mouth’!
“The smell and taste of things remain poised a long time, like souls, ready to remind us….” Marcel Proust The May 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Cat of Little Miss Cupcake. Cat challenged everyone to make a piece montée, or croquembouche, based on recipes from Peter Kump’s Baking School in Manhattan and Nick Malgieri. This month’s challenge recipe is for a Piece Montée, which means literally “mounted piece”, also known by another name – Croquembouche, or literally, “crunch in the mouth”. The piece montée is the traditional wedding cake in France, and are often served at baptisms and communions as well. The classic piece montée is a high…
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{Baking} VERLET’S APRICOT TART … with peaches & cherries too
“Do something you’re passionate about and keep tremendously interested in it.” Julia Child My first introduction to Julia Child came in Feb 2008 via the Daring Bakers challenge of her French Loaf, when I conquered my fear of yeast. Then last year, the film Julie & Julia ignited my love for French pastry, and in many way, most things French. The film won my heart for everything it offered – food, blogging, Paris, cookbooks; more so because I’m a huge fan of Meryl Streep. From my point of view, which might well be wrong, if it wasn’t for all that butter that makes French food as delicious as it is,…
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{Baking} MIXED CHERRY & BERRY PIE … the day dessert was on Jamie! Great for Mother’s Day!
“Yield to temptation; it may not pass your way again” Lazarus Long I really shouldn’t have stopped by. The minute I saw Jamie’s post title in my reader I was mesmerised but I knew I had to stay away. Yet, I reached there in a hypnotic trance following the strings of my heart! How they tugged, and not without reason. There she had posted the most gorgeous lattice crust Mixed Berry Pie, a pie I have long wished to try, but have never had the courage to. But when someone so close to you makes and blogs about the most perfect looking pie under the sun, you know it’s…
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Strawberry Galette with Vanilla Scented Frangipane
Strawberry Galette with Vanilla Scented Frangipane because it's pure joy to work with fruit, and a rustic, free form pastry makes it even better. The aromas of the tart baking were instantly mood uplifting, and it tasted delicious!
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Orange Patisserie Tartlets with Candied Tangerines … A Hand For Haiti
“We will be known forever by the tracks we leave.” Native American Proverb My days of orange seem neverending! Orange seems to be colouring my world with its refreshing colour and fragrance! I made these delectable little pastry tartlets a while ago when the tangerine season began. I had left over tangerines from making this fantastic Bitter Orange Marmalade, and the idea for the tartlets and candied tangerines was inspired by a post I saw at Helen’s @ Tartlette. The picture remained in my mind for long. Fortunately with left over tangerines on one particular day, I also had left-over egg yolks! From where? Where else? No prizes for guessing…
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FRESH FIG TART WITH VANILLA SCENTED FRANGIPANE… Inspired baking!
“Why are we surprised when fig trees bear figs?” Margaret Titzel They weighed heavy on my mind, and the pressure was killing me. My SIL who had been visiting for the past few days had bought me some fresh figs from Pune since she knew how fascinated I am by them. The fact that figs are highly perishable creations of nature didn’t make life any easier. But the past few days had been a race to the finish, and I never got a chance to pay attention to these unassuming looking fruit, rather plain from the exterior. Finally got some time one afternoon to sit and browse blogs and almost…
