Recent breads, cakes, tarts and confections (picture heavy)
It has been on my mind for a while to put a post together - my last one is from nearly two years ago! I better get this up before the winter semester starts on Monday.
I always get so inspired from all the wonderful things you are putting up on this site and cheer you on from the sidelines.
These are a few things I have been making in the last months.
My son has been home from university over the Christmas break, and it has been so much fun feeding him. He lost about 6 pounds during the end-of-semester stress and I was more than happy to put those back on his ribs! :)
Below: Four Galettes des rois for this afternoon. We had friends over for this typical Epiphany celebration (January 6th), but since everyone was working then, we got together today for champagne, coffee, tea and galettes. The 3 in the back are the typical French ones, the Brioche in the front is a F/Swiss crossover. All of them have the frangipane filling. Picture top right: this is the 'fève' that you bake into the cakes - whoever gets the piece with the 'fève' will be king/queen for the day! Lots of fun for everyone, not just the kids.
I often make David's baguettes; for me it's the best recipe out there. I have tried so many and always keep coming back to this one.
For one of the holiday parties I brought this spinach-ricotta filled sun.
On the right: Walnut focaccia with Gorgonzola.
Before the semester was over in December, I brought the following stuffed breads into one of my French classes.
A yeasted 'rose' brioche.
I LOVE these crisps! An upscale deli in our area sells this type of artisan crackers (like the Raincoast crisps) for the price of gold, or nearly. So I studied the list of ingredients and with a Google search found an excellent recipe. I have been making them at least once a month. I use mostly WW and some AP flour, and add prunes, cranberries, raisins, pecans, walnuts, almonds, pumpkin, sesame and flax seeds.
A cake for my kids, it's one of their favorites: Bienenstich (bee sting).
Bottom: fruit bread and vegetable tart.
Bread experimentation with some herb and veggie decorations.
I need to make macarons at least once every two months so that I don't forget how to be successful with them, since they are so finicky.
Chocolate pretzels for my kids.
Cinnamon-sugar pull-apart breads for when our neighbors came over for coffee.
A pumpkin torte for Thanksgiving.
Tartine breads
I made several Nutella brioches during the Christmas season as gifts. Each of my neighbors got one as well as several friends.
An army of teddybears, from a Japanese blog. Cute but also really delicious. Very crisp.
Four Swiss Zöpfe for the office assistants of my college department.
Bottom left: This is the cookie plate I gave to each of our neighbors for Christmas, together with the Nutella brioche shown above.
Two more gifts: A chocolate-chip Zopf and a chocolate Fougasse with an epi baguette for good décor.
Happy baking in 2015!
Comments
Wow!!
Incredible baking and so many beautiful breads and baked goodies. Which of David's baguet recipes did you us?
happy baking in 2015 to you.
Regards,
Ian
What a gorgeous array of baked goods. Thank you so much for sharing Them with us.
Sjadad
for your comment. Nice of you!
It's the San Joaquin Sourdough Baguettes that work so well for me. Great crust and a nicely open crumb every time. And we love the taste and chewiness so much!
What an amazing array of delicious looking breads, cakes, cookies, and pastries! Strong work, chouette!
And I'm happy you find the San Joaquin Sourdough Baguettes as reliably delicious as I do! I just made a couple SJSD bâtards this afternoon.
David
I appreciate your feedback very much! I am sure your bâtards are wonderful as ever.
to shame. Lucy wants to move next door to you so she can apprentice with a real baking,master. All of the baked goodies are fantastic and belong in an upscale bakery!
Well done and happy baking in 2015!
for your enthusiastic comment! Very much appreciated. And I would love to have pretty Lucy next door! She could teach me all she knows about sprouting, now that would be amazing!
i am in awe. Would love lots of these recipes but particularly the cracker ones as the ones I like, which look like these, also cost more than gold!
crackers are crazy expensive, aren't they? The recipe I used is this one: http://dinnerwithjulie.com/2009/01/27/rosemary-raisin-pecan-crisps/ however I upped the salt to 3/4tsp and since I weigh my ingredients, I use 200g of whole wheat flour and 135g AP. Instead of just raisins I use a mixture of raisins, cranberries and prunes, and for the nuts I use pecans, walnuts and almonds. The crisps are really, really good!
crackers are crazy expensive, aren't they? The recipe I used is this one: http://dinnerwithjulie.com/2009/01/27/rosemary-raisin-pecan-crisps/ however I upped the salt to 3/4tsp and since I weigh my ingredients, I use 200g of whole wheat flour and 135g AP. Instead of just raisins I use a mixture of raisins, cranberries and prunes, and for the nuts I use pecans, walnuts and almonds. The crisps are really, really good!
Thank you, will give them a try. Esp grateful for the measurements, I am in the uk and find this whole cups thing in the US to be a strange way of baking!
Your baking is just so scrumptious looking and would've tasted accordingly.
Recently I made a Nutella bread and it was a real hit. Looks spectacular on a buffet table.
Well done you!
I agree that the Nutella bread wins the people eating it as much by its looks as by its taste! :)
and it's so easy to make!
chouette22: This is outstanding. Everything looks fantastic and professional quality. You certainly were busy. You did a better job on David's baguettes than me. I will keep trying! Your family and friends must have really enjoyed this selection of treats. I was trying to pick out a favorite, but everything looks so good. Congratulations and thanks for sharing. Best, Phyllis
How did you make the Nutella brioche? It looks delicious, it is a beautiful piece, and I am sure delicious.
Cheers-
Dave
I used this recipe https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwvYmBo_bN4.
It also shows how to make it - very easy!
By the way, I used my breadmachine to make the dough.
Great photos, everything looks delicious...
Would love to know your crisps recipe -- I can't believe how much those go for at the grocery store, would love to have a go-to for making them at home, yours look spot on
The price for these is insane, agreed! This is the recipe I use: http://dinnerwithjulie.com/2009/01/27/rosemary-raisin-pecan-crisps/
I have fine-tuned it a bit: 200g WW flour + 135g AP, I up the amount of salt to 3/4 tsp and have adjusted the ingredients according to my description above. 1st bake according to instructions. 2nd bake (I have two sheets full of crackers) with convection setting on for 13 min at 290, then I switch the sheets but don't find it necessary to turn the crackers around, bake another 10 min without convection. They come out perfect! Let me know if you attempt them.
I appreciate the helpful detail, will post any attempts I make on these!