These little guys aren't nearly as difficult to make as one might think by the prices they command in french patisseries. It is a sugared, egg white and almond powder exterior and then whatever interior you like. Here, I used both raspberries and raspberry jam. Also popular are caramel, chocolate ganache, pistachio ganache, and many, many more.

I won't put up a recipe now as I don't have it with me. If there is a bunch of interest, I will find the recipe I used and post.

Matt

We had some friends over for brunch the other morning and I was incredibly busy from around 6am on, baking bialys, russian coffee cake and this chocolate babka. Fortunately, they all came out of the oven in the nick of time and all got demolished by our ravening friends -- enough to warm the cockles of any baker's heart. Thought any and all might be interested in seeing what's left of a 2+ pound chocolate babka. The stuff on the top is streusel -- equal quantities of butter, sugar, flour by weight.

Help. My attemps at making oatmeal raisen cookies(my sons favorite) always turn out dry, hard & crunchy.I WOULD LOVE ANY ADVICE.

  TOPCHEF

Recipe posted on my blog under Buttermilk/Cranberry Holiday Cake.

Sylvia

Greetings -

Best o' the season to y'all.

Is there a significant difference between using freshly ground cinnamon or nutmeg, as opposed to the pre-ground variety?

And if fresh is that much better, what do you typically use to grind them?

Cheers,

- Richard

There are some things that take a special touch and experience to master.

Palmiers are a good example of something that looks so simple I could do it, yet so complex and delicate that I'll be lucky, without a sheeter, if I ever got a good batch. And, they are to die for with coffee. I know the process for making these delicious gems but this time I decided to purchase some from our friend Mark at The Back Home Bakery. As you can see they are the most fragile looking puff pastry treats with a buttery sweet crunch. Baking these perfectly seemed like a task I could wait until after the holidays to learn. Eating them and sharing with my family couldn't.

So today my box of Palmiers arrived from Montana and I'm thrilled to have them. It only took 2 days for the USPS to find our home in Wisconsin and they are perfect! Thank you Mark for all you do here and for shipping these goodies in time for Christmas dinner or New Year (haven't decided yet).

Is this the first time someone has posted another bakers work? Hope so!

Eric

I make a sweet bread for Christmas that is stuffed and shaped into a candy cane.  My husband would like to increase the sugar in the dough, currently it calls for 1/3 cup.

There is approximately 6 1/2 cups four.  If I double the sugar, does anyone thinks I must add anything more to the recipe?

Thanks,

Tanya

I'd like to try making Jelly and other doughnuts.  They are traditional at Hanukkah time.  I've never made any type of doughnut and don't fry foods ever, so any advice and ideas would be welcome.  I have a couple recipes, but thought some expert bakers here might have a tried and true recommendation.  Thanks!

Marni

I finally took a picture of one of the pies I make.  I made this Apple Pie on Sunday and it turned out very lovely and tastes wonderful

I'm trying my hand at danishes.  I used the straight dough formula out of Suas' book.  I added a bit of flour to the butter to make it more pliable.  During the last turn, the butter oozed out ever so slightly out of the dough, so I quickly put it back in the fridge to chill it before I could finish.  I refrigerated the dough over night, then finished the dough this morning.  When I took it out of the oven (and I admit I'm just using my kitchen oven with no stone or steam), the danish still were flaky with defined layers (although I think the flakiness was predominately in the topmost layers), but there was a huge pool of butter on the pan.  I assume this means I did something wrong, but I'm not sure what.  Can anyone help me?

SOL