End of a Season

Even though it's been shorts and sandals type of weather the past few days, summer officially ended about a week ago.  To say farewell, my last project with summer's harvest...

Nectarine Cheesecake w/ Blackberries [09.03.2010]

Usually cheesecake is rich and heavy, but using nectarines as a flavor base allowed me to lighten this one up both in flavor and texture from its tang and juice.  The crust is made with brown butter and infused with sage.  It's finished off with fresh blackberries and blackberry glaze.  My boyfriend really ate this one up!

Now let's see what autumn has to offer!

Fun with Fondant

 Lauren Decorating Cupcakes [08.26.2010]
 



















Our family friends were visiting from Vancouver last month.  Lauren (12 years old) wanted to play with fondant.  I thought of two mini projects we could decorate together.  Ahead of time, I baked two dome cakes and a dozen cupcakes.  I showed her step-by-step how to make a ladybug out of one dome and she decorated her own.  She is awesome - you could barely tell the two apart!  Most of the people in culinary school aren't as good at following an example as she is...we should hire her at the restaurant for sure!  :)  We also decorated some cupcakes with flowers - she picked and created the colors herself.  


Unfortunately I don't have any hi-res photos of Lauren's work since it was night time, but here are my finished products...


Ladybug Cake [08.27.2010]

 













Fondant Flower Cupcakes [08.27.2010]

 



















I had an amazing time working with Lauren in the kitchen.  I can't wait for her next visit - hopefully she'll still be into baking!

Always on the hunt...

for the perfect Peanut Butter Cookie!  After my friends made a couple batches for me, I tried one of my own.  I liked flavor and the texture of the first batch, but they came out flat.  The second batch was too cake like and wasn't peanut buttery enough.  The flavor was there for the one I made, but I would like them a bit chewier.  So, still looking.  I suppose anything classified as "perfect" shouldn't come easy.  And yes, Crease and I ate that spoonful of peanut butter!

Peanut Butter Cookies [08.08.2010]

BTW, thanks for the cute plate Sarah!

Fiesta Cupcakes

I was enlisted to create 100 cupcakes for a fiesta themed party.  The result - the absolute best cupcakes I have ever made!  These babies are my pride and joy...

Coconut Dulce de Leche Cupcakes [07.30.2010]

 





































This cupcake consists of a coconut cake, homemade dulce de leche filling, dulce de leche french buttercream and toasted coconut flakes.  It was sweet, silky, light and fluffy with a slightly chewy texture from the coconut.  Oh, and  love the way they look - simple, classy and clean.  I also tried to carry those characteristics through in the photograph.