by | Jan 24, 2012 | Home, Mousses and Pudding
DF is a chocoholic, he adores almost any chocolate dessert, but his ultimate favorite is chocolate mousse. Between the intense rich flavor and the mousse’s light texture he is in heaven. He has been having a trying few weeks, between traveling, missing his...
by | Jan 23, 2012 | Cakes, Home
Sydney and I wanted to create a dessert with an extra special desert to represent Valentine’s day; the first thought we both had was champagne. We had already designed a bubbly fun Champagne Pudding. I wanted to create a romantic elegant dessert, but found my...
by | Jan 17, 2012 | Home, Mousses and Pudding
Every year, we have champagne left over from New Year’s Eve; each year Sydney and I create unique romantic desserts with the remaining champagne. This year, 2012, we were able to use the champagne in three separate recipes; Champagne Pudding was the first. The...
by | Jan 13, 2012 | Family Hour, Home, Inspirational
For 43 years of my 46 year life I have been a faithful fan of One Life To Live; yes, the soap opera. If you are not familiar with the daytime show it debuted in july 1968; All My Children, in 1970, was a spin of One Life To Live. As I mentioned I was three when I...
by | Jan 7, 2012 | Cakes, Home, Mousses and Pudding
As I finished yesterday’s post, L’Opéra Cake Gâteau, I realized I might have given the wrong impression. Opera cakes have a few steps and generally is best to give yourself two days from start to finish, but the cake is exhilarating to create. Besides feeling...
by | Jan 6, 2012 | Cakes, Home
Last Christmas, 2010, I introduced Sydney to a white opéra cake, with a crème bavaroise filling; she became an admirer from the first bite. I can still see her eyes wide and the glow of complete palate satisfaction. She normally prefers bittersweet chocolate over the...
by | Jan 4, 2012 | Candies, Home
This past December Sydney and I created a heavenly Very Cherry Berry Coffee drink. As I sipped on my warm delicious spirited coffee I asked Sydney if she thought we might be able to turn the flavor into a Dreammallow (the marshmallows are so light they taste like a...
by | Jan 3, 2012 | Cakes, Home
Sydney and I had the unexpected fortune to meet the most optimistic person in Colorado, if not the nation. He knew I was a pastry chef and began questioning as where he might buy copper cannelé molds for his girlfriend. (He happens to be vegan, but his girlfriend is a...
by | Jan 1, 2012 | Candies, Gluten Free, Home, Inspirational
As the New Year’s Eve Night approaches I find myself reflecting on the past 12 months and realizing even through the toughest times there was joy. I’ve written only one line and my phone started ringing..It was my 98 year old grandma wishing me and my...
by | Dec 29, 2011 | Cakes, Home, Pastries and Viennoiseries
Well the rum soaked dried fruit, the Glacé Citron and Glacé Orange, and the panettone rested overnight; hopefully you are well rested too. It is time to finish our panettone project, but I thought you might enjoy a bit of food history first. Panettone is rich...
by | Dec 28, 2011 | Cakes, Home, Pastries and Viennoiseries
Every Christmas, New Years, and Easter I buy a panettone for our holiday special breakfast; this year I completely spaced out ordering the flavor we enjoy. When Sydney and DF started talking about Christmas French Toast; I figured I could go online and overnight a...
by | Dec 27, 2011 | Cakes, Home
Every year between the week of Christmas and New Years Sydney and I prepare a Bûche de Nöel; this year it was part of our Christmas dinner, the main dessert. I remember the first year I chose to bake a Bûche de Nöel, I felt nervous and a tad overwhelmed; until I...
by | Dec 24, 2011 | Drinks, Home
DF, my husband, brought we a wonderful bottle of Black Forest Cherry Brandy for a recipe Sydney and I are working on; once we tasted the brandy a plethora of ideas began pouring out of our mouths. It was quite the scene, both Sydney and I tossing out ideas at the...
by | Dec 21, 2011 | Candies, Home
Truffles are one of my favorite guilty pleasures; in fact Sydney was barely walking when she had her first truffle. She adored the truffles so much she shared a truffle with my closest nephew. She proclaimed they were to die for and he must try one. My nephew, who was...
by | Dec 20, 2011 | Candies, Home
Holiday time is filled with glistening lights, beautifully decorated towns, and inviting city streets. It also happens to be the time Sydney and I raise the baking bar; it is the time of year we spend hours upon hours designing exquisite desserts that challenge the...
by | Dec 17, 2011 | Home, photography
The days of winter become shorter and shorter, actually we do not lose hours, but daylight. For a photographer natural lighting is optimum, however it is not always available when you need to photograph. How do photographers make up for the lack of daylight? Our...
by | Dec 12, 2011 | Cakes, Home
While organizing my pantry I found a christmas tree cake pan, I just could not resist preparing a tree cake or 4. I love this time of year, Sydney and I bake our hearts out and give treats to everyone we know. I relish watching friends and family as they realize a...
by | Dec 11, 2011 | Cookies and brownies, Home
There is something about the crisp clean snow and the smell of warm gingerbread cookies baking in the oven that screams the holidays are here. The week after Thanksgiving is when Sydney and I start the gingerbread baking; hot apple cider and gingerbread cookies warm...
by | Dec 6, 2011 | Home, Pastries and Viennoiseries, Recipes
It is thought of that Stollen originated in 1329 as a result of a contest offered by the Bishop of Nauruburg. Bakers in the Dresden region produced a wonderful bread baked with the finest butter, sugar, raisins, candied citron and other specialty ingredients....
by | Dec 6, 2011 | Pastries and Viennoiseries, Recipes
Some traditions in our family are 7 to 9 generations old, while others are only a year or two. Traditional stollen joyously came into our lives last year, the moment Sydney realized almond paste was rolled into the center, it became an instant favorite. We created it...