Thanksgiving Rush

Late again, but at least it's still technically November! Maybe next month, I'll be able to post three times! I know I keep saying this, but time passes so quickly! A very unhappy Sara-kitty and I went home to MA last Tuesday for Thanksgiving break. It was so nice to have Wednesday off! I spent it baking at the very busy Pastry Shoppe and then rushed home to go cheer on the Celtics with G! I had fun, even though we had some very drunk and clumsy people in front of us. And they won-- even better! By Thanksgiving morning, however, I was wiped out.. and on my own baking day. I ended up making Auntie Mary Mocha Cake with Ganache frosting and G's flourless Almond Torte with Raspberry Coulis. The cannolis didn't happen.. I'm fairly sure my second challenge fail has got me kicked out of the club :-( We'll have to see! In any case, a very nice day with fantastic food and great company (hi Mum! hi G! hi Dad!)

The rest of the weekend was spent at D's new house, where I think I might have overdone it on the friends and food and booze. Ah well. New Years Eve is coming soon enough with its resolutions... I can be a good girl in 2010 :-)

Here are some pics.

Mocha Cake with Chocolate Ganache

I love to make whirls!


Here's a cross-section. I need to figure out my camera a bit better next time!

Macarons!

Hey there!
Sorry for the long lapse between posts! Between Heather's beautiful wedding, a super busy Halloween and volunteering at Toot Sweet bakery in Hampton, the weeks have been flying by. I absolutely love it there-- the pastries are delicious and the people are so friendly and talented! I have definitely been learning a lot. It really makes the weekend go faster- time in that kitchen just flies! I can't believe we are two weeks into November. With Thanksgiving quickly approaching, I've only a short window to start working on recipes before Thanksgiving!

In the meantime, here are some tasty French Macarons to look at! People usually think that macarons are those big coconut-sugar concoctions, but in France they are delicate sandwich cookies. Made of almond flour and meringue, French macarons are known for having small 'feet': which are a sort of raised edge at the bottom. Mine came out okay, but I think I'm going to let them dry out a bit more next time.

These cookies are made with almond meal instead of flour (thanks, Mom! That stuff is expensive!) and sandwiched with a pumpkin buttercream.



You can kind of see the feet...


You can see the feet a bit better here... and all that tasty frosting.




...TASTY.