Before I Say Goodbye to 2010

Now that I have a moment to look back, the past few months feel like a blur - time just seemed to go by so fast.  In that blur however, the moments that do stand out are the awesome times I've spent with family and friends - both new and old.  I even experienced something completely new and foreign - someone making dessert for me to enjoy!

After my family's Christmas dinner, I crashed the celebration my BFF's family was having.  Her brother Jimmy was making chocolate souffle and I didn't have to lift a finger!  It was entertaining to say the least...for you kitchen folk out there, he whipped the meringue by hand!  What a workout - I was tired just watching...

Here's the finished product - it tasted as good as it looked!  The warm chocolate souffle was served with vanilla bean ice cream - delicious!

I really love the feeling of making desserts for others to enjoy, but wow, it is even more amazing to have someone make dessert for me to enjoy.  Good times - thanks for the hospitality! 

So, goodbye 2010 - Thanks to all my friends and family who actually read my ramblings.

Have a fabulous 2011!

Not Just Any Christmas Cookie...

Christmas Macarons for all! 

I had a friend show me a different formula she had been using...we made A LOT.

 

Blackberry Macarons [12.24.2010]

Christmas Macarons [12.24.1010]

The purple blackberry macarons were a trial batch.  

We then made the Christmas colored ones:

Red - Blackberry

Green - Pistachio

White - Chocolate

The texture came out great - a crispy shell and a chewy inside.  I got a lot of positive feedback from the lucky recipients.  That always makes the hard work worth it! 

While waiting to pop our macs in the oven, we even had time to make Devil's Food Cupcakes topped with Cream Cheese Frosting...

Lucy's Tree Lot Cupcake [12.24.2010]

Photo ops always come first, so all precautions must be taken to deter empty tummies...

Lucy's Note [12.24.2010]

Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas!

It's a Small World...

Earlier in the month, I was commissioned to make desserts for a vow renewal by a family friend for her younger sister and brother-in-law Millie & Richard.  I ended up making 3 types of cupcakes and a recreation of the top tier of the original Tiffany Box wedding cake.  Here's the finished product...

Millie & Richard Cupcakes [12.11.2010]

 

Tiffany Box Cake & Cupcakes [12.11.2010] 

The cupcake flavors:

Kahlua w/ Cream Cheese Frosting

Lemon Meringue w/ Lemon Curd Filling

Vanilla w/ Chocolate Buttercream and Monogram Sugar Cookies

I was happy to hear from Millie that everyone enjoyed these treats!  One of her good friends even asked me to make cupcakes for her daughter's birthday party the following weekend!  After a few emails to settle on details, we came to realize that my newest clients are also good friends with my best friend's older sister!  

It really is a small world after all.  

I ended up making the Kahlua and Lemon Meringue cupcakes for the birthday party with the customized sugar cookies pictured below.  

Cori's 3rd Birthday Sugar Cookies

I hope Cori had an amazing 3rd Birthday and that everyone enjoyed the sweets!

I'm a Slave...

to Pastry!  It's been non-stop the past few weeks with a heavy workload at the restaurant and lots of side projects.  I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel and not a moment too soon!  Don't get me wrong - I love doing what I do, but I have never felt so tired and rushed.  I can't remember the last time I had any ME time.

Here are the pictures of the sweets I made for my Mom's Book Club...

Gingerbread Marshmallows [12.12.2010]

Hot Chocolate & Peppermint Marshmallows [12.12.2010]

Unfortunately, I couldn't find a gingerbread cookie cutter that was small enough to make non-obscene sized gingerbread marshmallows...maybe next year. 

Mom had originally requested the peppermint marshmallow and one day on the drive home, it dawned on me - why not layer the marshmallow to look like peppermint candies?  To my surprise, it worked!  Yes, to my surprise, because there have been numerous times where my "bright ideas" turn into horrendous catastrophes.

Hope eveyone at book club enjoyed!