Thumbprints

I had never eaten thumbprint cookies before making these. I have to admit I have found a new love. I tweaked the recipe just a bit because it is against my religon to follow the rules every time. I added chopped dried cherries into the cookie dough to give another flavor without trying to add to the jam filling. They turned out perfectly. They had good flavor balance and great texture.
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I made the lemon curd from scratch, it was heavenly!

I recommend getting an electric juicer like the one in the photo I posted or even a fancier one if you so desire. Hand juicers take FOREVER

Like I said, I put these cherries into the dough, they are delicious! I chopped them up into very small pieces and just folded them in to the original recipe.

Here are the cookies before baking...they are dipped in egg whites then rolled in crushed almonds. I left some big chunks of almonds becuase I feel like the chunks gave them a more home-made, rustic look.

When you take them out of the oven you may have to remake the indentions for the filling, I just used the end of a wooden spoon while they were still hot. Don't use your thumb again!!!! (Duhhhh!!)



I took these to the restaurant and they were gone in a few hours!
There is just something about lemons that everyone loves!

Chocolate Cupcakes...Need I Say More??

Im sure that there are not many people in the world who when offered a chocolate cupcake would say, "No thanks, not a fan." It's CHOCOLATE, in a cup! It's a simple, beautiful thing. I made some the other night that are probably the best cupcakes I have ever had.

For those of you that don't know, I am a big-time professional Chocoholic. I obviously have a stash I keep in the pantry for baking purposes, but I also keep a hidden stash that I share with NO ONE! MUAHAHAHAHAHAH! I am a little snobby as well as stingy with my chocolate...I dont like to snack on or bake with anything that is not Grade A perfect chocolate...if it's some funky off brand....just, no. Not happening. I want it to taste like REAL chocolate, not something overly-sweet and over-processed in a factory somewhere.

My most recent favorite chocolate is the Ghirardelli w/ Sea Salt. It's the perfect chocolate for snacking if, you ask me. The salty after taste is so interesting with the smooth chocolate!

I did not use the Sea Salt chocolate in these cupcakes, however. I used Ghirardelli 60%  Cacao baking bars.

Here is my process via photos...

I don't know if you can tell from this picture, it is a little hard to see, but this is the most beautiful cake batter in the world. The melted chocolate and cream I folded into it gave it a mousse-like consistancy that was so fluffy and light I could have eaten it with no baking.

Can you believe that I do not have a cupcake plunger? What self-respecting wanna-be baker doesnt?
I used a regular knife and cut the middles out of my cupcakes. I fed the scraps to myself and my oldest kiddo...he is always with me in the kitchen...he loves to help!!!

He is mixing flour and cocoa powder in this photo...

I am ashamed to say that I forgot to get a close up of me making the filling...it is a Strawberry Cream...I pureed some frozen strawberries and folded them in to cream I had whipped with some powdered sugar, then folded some whipped egg whites in to the strawberry-cream mixture. It is not a mousse....the ratio of cream to egg whites was about 5:1...I just added the whites for a tiny bit of fluff.

I frosted them with a basic Chocolate buttercream using a big star tip. I got the cups at Walmart, they are Wilton flower cup liners. Here is a better pic...they are adorable and perfect for spring!

Happy Baking! xoxo

Birthday

Here is a picture of the cake I want to make for my oldest baby's second birthday. He loves crayons  and he loves to color. His birthday is march 30th so I have plenty of time to practice.  I don't plan on making specialty cakes like this in my bakery, but it is too cute and I think it would be interesting to learn how to make the shapes out of gumpaste and use fondant.

Old Town Second Saturday's

I have a new venue for selling my baked goods!! I am so excited!! There is a market here in San Angelo in the downtown area called Old Town Second Saturday's. They have vendor booths of all kinds...mostly nick-naks and odds-and-ends, but there are a few canned food and other food booths. I have my sales tax permit application ready to be filled out and I am meeting with a packaging sales rep tomorrow. Wish me luck!

Last night, I made the Pear-Goat cheese Tart (previous post), but I also made some White Chocolate Almond Meringue Cookies...I tried the put them in the oven-turn it off-leave them overnight method and it didn't quite work for me. This morning when I got up to check them they were still gooey and not crisp and golden on the outside. Perhaps I made them to big? Going to have to have a meringue rematch. They still tasted fantastic, but you all know that food is just as much about presentation as taste. Soo they are going to meringue heaven this morning. RIP!

Goat Cheese Tart

Whoever first made cheese from goat's milk is now my favorite person in the world. It's smooth, creamy, slightly tangy, and pretty to look at. I could eat it with a spoon and be a happy mamasita. But how boring would that be?? So, tonight I made a Pear and Goat Cheese Tart. It is so beautiful I almost don't want to cut into it! I beat an egg, 6oz of Goat Cheese, some heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla together, spread into a tart pan I had pressed some pastry dough into, topped with thinly sliced pears, brushed the pears with honey-butter, and baked for 30min at 375. I cannot wait to try it! I also found a recipe for a savory Fig and Goat Cheese tart that looks divine, I am anxious to make it. Where does one find Figs in West Texas??? Where I am from it is unbelievably difficult to find any thing more exotic than bananas...I have no idea how to get the fancy fruit I want (aside from online ordering) but I will not rest until I have some! When I eat elegant French food like these recipes I feel like I should have wine in a goblet and a hot man-slave fanning me.

Also, I am thinking about telling my husband I want to buy a goat.

Vanilla Bean Love Affair

Today when I went by SugarBaker's, a local kitchen/baking/school/yummies store, I picked up some Vanilla beans....I have never smelled anything as sensual, smooth, or delicious in my life. I can't believe it has taken me so long to indulge in something so beautiful! With these beans I decided to make Vanilla Bean Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream frosting. This is by far the best cake I have ever made. Husband said the cupcake he tried was the best he has ever eaten. The cake is light, fluffy, and delectably heavy on the vanilla.  I have also been practicing my decorating skills, as you can see. I made the buttercream rosettes the day before and kept them in the fridge until I was ready to decorate.

What the heck is a Galette???

Galette! Pie's and Tart's weird cousin from Oklahoma :) I am OBSESSED with Galette's, they are rustic, elegant, unusual (by American standards), fun, easy, delicious....what's not to love? This flaky pastry is basically a pie without the fancy edges and no pie plate. You just fold the dough over to gently envelope your fruit, vegetables, cheese, etc...bake, and enjoy! I made two Galette's this morning and there are only 5 slices left. Yeah...they're THAT good.

Cherry-Rhubarb Galette
I used frozen fruit in my galettes becuase it is still the middle of Winter here and even though the weather here is insane ( 20 degrees one day, 60 the next) there is not a stock of good spring fruit at the supermarket yet.
I made a basic pie crust dough that I use for all my pies and galettes. Use whatever recipe you are most fond of.
I rolled the dough into a large circle, artfully positioned my defrosted rhubarb and cherry slices.
Then I made a mixture of vanilla sugar, granulated sugar, and butter, placed it in small dots over the top of the fruit.
I folded the pastry over the sides of the fruit, brushed with butter, sprinkled everything with a healthy palmful of sugar, and baked at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.


The result was AMAZING!!

This is one of the Galette's pre-bake.
Even looks good raw!

And here they are golden and flaky! I had a little juice leakage as the fruit cooked, but I let them cool and when I sliced them all the fruit stayed on the slices and the bottom pastry was still nice and flaky!

Galette's will be something I will make everyday in my bakery!