Creme Brûlée
I keep forgetting how easy this is to make. A few years ago, my Sweet Lady Wife and I went to a small French cafe in PHoenix. For dessert my wife ordered the Creme Brûlée. As she finished it she…
Madeleines
I'm going to a networking event tonight that is really a small gathering of friends. I have a reputation as a foodie and so I thought, "You know, I should bring something." The question was what? Then a little voice…
Salmon Wellington
One morning a few days ago Teddy and I were hanging out in the living room. I was laying on the floor surfing the web. Teddy was watching 'Cat TV' (starting out the window into the back yard watching the…
Sous-Vide Cherry Cheesecake in a Mason Jar
Souse Vide makes this cheesecake so easy it is almost worth buying the Anova Precision Cooker just for it. Everyone thinks cheesecake is difficult. Entire books are devoted to the topic of making cheesecake right. This recipe makes it easy…
Cherry Turnovers
Cherries are in season. Cherry turnovers, made with fresh cherries, still warm from the oven. Excuse me while I take another bite. MMMMMM. The really best part is that they are so simple to make that anyone can do it.…
Chaussons aux Pommes (Apple Turnovers)
I was flipping through one of my French pastry cookbooks and I spied a picture and recipe of apple turnovers. I was hooked. Still warm from the oven, the scent of apple, cinnamon, and pastry dough reaches your nose just…
Cheesecake Cupcakes
I'm the most popular guy on the block. My neighbors love me. Sweet Lady Wife and I cannot eat the entire batch of these so I pass them out to my neighbors.The favor is starting to be returned. The other…
Pâte à Choux – Choux Pastry Dough
Pâte à choux (choux pastry dough) is used in cream puffs, eclairs, profiteroles, etc. It is a wonderfully light airy dough that rises to many times it's original height when baked. I've heard people say that making choux pastry is…
Crème Pâtissièrie – Sweet Vanilla Pastry Cream
Crème pâtissièrie is a rich vanilla egg custard. Use this in a profierole (creme puff) or eclair and your guests will be rolling their eyes with pleasure. I'm going to show you a trick that will enable even a beginner to…
Sugar – Superfine, Ultrafine, Granulated, Confectioners
Almost all pastry recipes use sugar in one form or another. Superfine / Ultrafine Superfine or Ultrafine sugar (also called Baker's Sugar) is granulated sugar that has been ground into smaller/finer crystals than granulated table sugar. Confectioner's Sugar / Powdered…