To wash it all down, Kim puts a simple twist on the classic brunch cocktail: MIMOSAS! An orange juice infused with Mango and some raspberry champagne makes for an exquisite experience!

I must warn you, this is 28 minutes long, but it is SOOOOO worth it to watch the entire thing! The winning recipe is featured below:

SPOILER!

Do not scroll past here if you don’t want to know who won!

Chocolate-Coconut Cream Pie

by Joshua Alan Burgin-Eaton

Graham Cracker Crust:

2 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs

6 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup Cocoa Powder (Valrhona – Click here to buy)

Pie Filling:

1 cup Whole Milk

1 cup Cream of Coconut

2/3 cup Sugar

3 Egg Yolks

5 tablespoons Cornstarch

5 tablespoons Whole Milk

1 teaspoon Vanilla

1 tablespoon Butter

1 cup Toasted Coconut

Whipped Topping:

1 Pint Heavy Whipping Cream

1/4 cup Powdered Sugar

3 tablespoons Cream of Coconut

Garnishments:

Toasted Coconut Shavings

Dark Chocolate Shavings

Directions:

Pie Crust:

1. Melt butter in microwave.

2. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.

3. Press into a baking pan. Pack FIRMLY!

4. Baking at 350 for 7-8 minutes.

Pie Filling:

1. On medium heat, place a medium pot. Add in sugar, 1 cup of milk and 1 cup of cream of coconut. Bring to a simmer.

2. Place egg yolks in a small bowl. Begin whisking.

3. While whisking, add about 1/4 cup of hot milk-sugar mixture. This will temper your eggs instead of cooking them.

4. Add egg yolks to the medium pot, whisking continuously.

5. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and 5 tablespoons of milk to make a thin past.

6. Add paste to medium pot.

7. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 3-4 minutes.

8. Remove from heat, add butter, vanilla, and toasted coconut.

9. Place filling in prepared pie crust, then cool for 2 hours in the fridge.

Whipped Topping:

1. In a medium bowl, place whipping cream and begin to whip at the highest speed on the hand mixer.

2. Once stiff peaks form, add powdered sugar. Whip until stuff again and fully combined.

3. Add cream of coconut. Whip until stiff and fully combined.

4. Place whipped topping on cooled pie.

5. Top with toasted coconut shavings and chocolate shavings.

I hope you all enjoyed the episode, and be sure to tune back next week for another edition of Thirsty Thursday! I would like to thank my mother for being such a good sport throughout the entire competition, I love you!

Until next time, à bientôt!

Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Recipe (Click Here)

Love Potion Cocktail

Ingredients:

1 part Orange Juice

1 part Cranberry Juice

1 part Amaretto

1 part Vodka

1 park Peach Schnapps

Directions:

1. Place ice in a cocktail shaker.

2. Add ingredients.

3. Shake & Serve!

Tetris, much? What didn’t fit was sold or taken back to Maryville. I would say that I purged at least half of everything that I owned in this move… I feel like a hoarder!

As some of you may have seen, Thirsty Thursdays has started here at Just Eat! Each Thursday, Kim de LaCrème and a guest co-host bring you a delicious cocktail recipe and a finger food to go along with it! The web series is offered in full 1080p HD video, and each episode runs 10-15 mins, depending on the actual recipes. Kim is one-of-a-kind, you must watch her in her Thirsty Thursday debut with Kimberly Summers! Click here for the first episode.

To become Kim de LaCrème, it takes a lot of work and tutorials from makeup professionals. As often as I can, I watch videos on Youtube, practice, and seek help from the makeup artists at MAC Cosmetics and Sephora! My favorite MAC lady, Alicia, did my makeup for this upcoming episode of Thirsty Thursday! I am in love with it! I couldn’t just stay home and show it off, Kim went to Kroger to strut her stuff in the juice aisle, haha! (See above photo.) Want more? Here is a teaser of Thirsty Thursday:

To thank Alicia for her hardwork, I made her a batch of macarons using one of her favorite flavors: coconut! My coconut macarons are simply to die for, and I am usually fairly humble. Ha! These natural colored macaron shells are topped with a little coconut before baking to get a hint of toasted coconut flavor and the buttercream in SINFUL! Prepare yourself!

Macarons à la noix de coco

Ingredients:

Macaron Shells:

• 310 grams Powdered Sugar (~2 4/5 cups)
• 190 grams Almond Flour (~1 1/3 cup)
• 150 grams Egg Whites -Room Temp- (~5 eggs)
• 95 grams Sugar (~7 tablespoons)
• Flaked Coconut

Coconut Buttercream:

• 1/2 cup Butter -Room Temp-
• 2 cups Powdered Sugar
• 1/3 cup Flaked Coconut

Directions:

1. Sift powdered sugar(310 grams) and almond flour into a large bowl. Stir after to evenly combine.

2. Using an electric mixer, start beating egg whites.

3. Beat until foamy and peaks begin forming.

 4. Add sugar in three installments, beating until stiff peaks form each time.

5. Once final installment of sugar is incorporated, move egg whites to the almond flour mixture.

6. Fold egg whites into mixture until combined.

7. Using a pastry scrapper, or anything with a flat surface, gently press on top of mixture and go back and forth a few times across. (This forces air out of the batter. Air will RUIN them while they bake and result in cracked tops. Warm air rises!)

8. Move batter to pastry bag fitted with a round tip.

9. On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, hold piping bag in one spot and hold at a 45 degree angle. Gently squeeze batter out of bag, when you have piped the size you want, simply stop pressing and move bag forward to release the remaining batter to make it a perfect circle and avoid a tail. (See example here.)

9b. Top with coconut, just a pinch on each.

9c. Let the shells sit for 45 minutes while oven preheats to 300 degree Fahrenheit.

9d. Bake for 11 minutes, then remove and cool.

10. Using electric mixer, cream butter on medium speed.

11. Slowly add in powdered sugar, mix for 3 additional minutes.

12. Add coconut, and mix.

13. Match macaroni shells with another of the same size. Using your thumb, make a small indention in the bottom of each shell.

14. Move buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a round tip, pipe a tablespoon (or more/less depending on size, mine were 2″ in diameter) in the center of one shell from each pair.

15. Place shell top shell on each macaron pair, then let them sit for 24 hours. After that, enjoy with some coffee or milk!

Biting through that crisp macaron shell into the pillow of buttercream underneath will bring tears to your eyes, just fyi.

All kinds of coconut flavor flows through these babies! They are delicious! Beware, since it is mostly sugar, they can be too sweet to consume whole if they are too big. I would keep them at 2″ or less! They are perfect with a glass of milk to end a long day!

As for Alicia, did she enjoy them? We think so! Haha!

 Alright, I must get back to finishing all of my packing! Be sure to check back on Thursday for Kim’s newest episode of Thirsty Thursday, word has it that it is a special event for her and her guest co-host!

]]> http://www.chefjoshuaalan.com/?feed=rss2&p=1934 1 http://www.chefjoshuaalan.com/?p=1929 http://www.chefjoshuaalan.com/?p=1929#comments Thu, 26 Jul 2012 12:53:02 +0000 JoshuaAlan http://www.chefjoshuaalan.com/?p=1929 …

As some of you may know, I am in the process of packing and moving out of my LOVELY (said sarcastically) neighborhood. Since we have moved in, there have been almost a dozen shootings, one murder, and every house surrounding us has been broken into and robbed, including our own. This is such a cute house and has a great price for students, but we now know why! The apartment that we are moving into is COMPLETELY furnished, so I am having to sell almost everything I own. It wasn’t that hard to let got of my dining room set, the loveseat, or my bed. I am fighting with all that is in my to keep almost everything from my kitchen! If I have to sleep on my prep table, so be it!

If you read the last entry, Financiers aux fraises, you will remember my involvement with the local film scene. My university’s Film Guild just started prodcution on a feature film titled Juicy Mooshu, an action comedy. I started out as a Production Assistant, but apparently got claimed by the grip/electric team. I am learning a lot, but it is QUITE tiring! Working on set from 1 pm to 3 am straight, then working my real job starting at 8:30, is proving to be challenging, but I can do it. Seeing this kitchen when we are on break totally makes up for it!

One last thing before we get to our delicious pastry recipe, THIS Thursday, we will be returning our video portion of this blog experience with a NEW host! Mrs. Kim de LaCreme will be showing us new cocktails every Thursday, along with a quick and easy finger food or amuse-bouche. Be sure to tune in, Kim knows her alcohol and is always a delight on screen! There is also a rumor of a special guest!

I hope you all had a grand Bastille Day, French Independence Day, last Saturday! I spent all day in the kitchen singing along to my French playlist on iTunes, which includes Barbara, Yelle, Jacque Brel, some Celine Dion, and a whole herd of others. While singing along, I whipped up a batch of my late grandfather’s favorite pastry: Éclairs! I assume most pastry junkies reading this know what an éclair consists of, but for those who are not familiar: a long puff pastry filled with pastry cream and topped with chocolate. When I wasn’t consuming baguettes, macarons, or pain au chocolats, this was my go-to in France! I had attemped puff pastries once before in the kitchen while I was living in Normandy, but they just didn’t turn out. This time, I perfected it! It’s SUPER easy to do, as long as you are precise and quick. So don’t be afraid, this will work for you at home, and it is even easier than it looks.

Eclairs au chocolat

Makes 1 dozen pastries

Ingredients:

Chocolate Pastry Cream

2 cups Whole Milk (We need the fat for the cream, so YES, whole milk)

6 egg yolks

1/3 cup Raw Sugar

7 tablespoons Bread Flour (Unbleached King Arthur, preferred)

4.25 ounces Dark Chocolate (Valrhona 61%, preferred)

Puff Pastry:

1/2 cup Water

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 3/4 tablespoons butter (cubed)

3/4 cup Bread Flour (Unbleached King Arthur, preferred)

2 Medium Eggs

1 Medium Egg Yolk

1 Egg Yolk

1 teaspoon Water

1 teaspoon Raw Sugar

6 ounces Dark Chocolate (66% preferred, anything a little higher than the chocolate used in cream)

Directions:

Pastry Cream

1. In a medium pot, pour milk in and let it begin heating over medium-high heat.

2. In a clean mixing bowl, combine sugar and egg yolks.

3. Chop chocolate and place it in a heat-proof mixing bowl.

4. Bring milk to a boil, then remove from heat.

5. Slowly add 1/3 of boiling milk to egg-sugar mixture.

6. Whisk very quickly while adding milk and for about a minute after milk in in the bowl.

7. Place milk back on heat on low, then add egg-sugar mixture. Whisk continuously until it become thick like a pudding.

8. Transfer thickened cream to the heat-proof bowl with chocolate and combine until smooth.

9. Let cream cool, then transfer to the fridge for 1 hour.

Pastry:

1. Place water and salt in a medium pot over medium-high heat, once dissolved add butter and bring to a boil.

2. Remove from heat and add flour all at once.

3. Whisk immediately until a spongy dough begins to form. (Place on low and whisk if too liquid)

4. Move dough to large mixing bow, whisk in eggs and egg yolk one at a time until completely combined each time.

5. Place in piping bag and pipe 4″ logs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

6. Combine sugar, egg yolk, and water. Using a pastry brush, brush all éclairs with this mixture.

7. Bake for 10 mins at 450 degrees, then 5-10 minutes at 400 degrees. Do not open oven until time to remove them or the pastry WILL fall.

8. Remove and cool completely.

Assembly:

1. Melt chocolate and dip each pastry top in it.

2. Cut two small holes big enough for a piping tip in each bottom of the pastry.

3. Place cream in a piping bag fitted with a medium circle tip. Place tip in each pastry hole and fill completely, wipe excess when completed.

4. Store in fridge if not consumed the day of making them.

How can I describe the joy these little pastries bring me? The aroma of dark chocolate fills the nostril before it even hits the lips, releasing every single endorphin, which only heightens the upcoming experience of the palate. A quick snap through the layer of dark chocolate topping the delicate cream puff and then the discovery of the cool chocolate pastry cream that isn’t too sweet or overpowering. All of this combines and transports you straighten to Heaven/France, at least it does for me. Each bite is followed by a swig of my French-pressed coffee.  It is simply magical.

These are perfect for a morning coffee date with friends or late night indulgence. The pastries can freeze, so by all means, make ahead or keep a regular stock in the freezer. There will be pastry cream left over, might I suggest a quick chocolate-strawberry/raspberry tart? Take/bake a pie crust, spoon in the chocolate pastry cream, and top with fresh raspberries/strawberries. SINFUL and simple!

Alright, that will do it for this edition of Just Eat! I do hope you all have a great week and be sure to check back on Thursday for Thirsty Thursday with Kim de LaCrème! À bientôt!

So, where have I been? What have I been doing? Well, I am here to fill you in before we get to the featured recipe! Filmmaking has crept back into my life, and in the past couple of months, I have made two short films! The first is a class project, a comedy titled “The Scheme of Things.” Here is a copy of it:

The second was done at a 24 hour film festival, where you write, shoot, and produce a film in just 24 hours. This psychological thriller is titled “In The Shade,” which was written by Andi Morgan, an amazing local actress and star of the film. Enjoy!

On top of filmmaking, I have also been teaching myself to sew and DRAG! Before 3 or so months ago, I had never touched makeup, and I have come so far! Kim de LaCrème is my drag queen personality, and she is a cooking diva who loves food and BOOZE! You will see her regularly on her in her own video segment, Chez LaCrème, with her husband, Nathaniel(Rachael, my roommate). In the picture with the dress, that is actually one of my sewing creations. My dear aunt has been teaching me how to use the sewing machine, and this was my first solo project! Not too shabby!

Alright, friends, the time has come for us to get cooking! When I was living back in France (where I will return in just 1 year!), my host mother and I made these spongy little cakes called “financiers” as they were first created near La Bourse, France’s stock exchange, and looked like gold bars. At least that is what she told me! I have been craving these things for a while, and after some searching, I finally found the right silicon pan for the job! For just a few dollars, Amazon had one shipped straight to me. Goodness, I love Amazon! (The pan is now available in my Amazon store, click here!)

To be seasonal, and to satisfy both my cravings for strawberries and financiers, I have decided to makes financiers aux fraises/strawberry financiers! This recipe is super simple and makes about 1 dozen little 3 inch cakes.

Financiers aux fraises

Ingredients:

1/2 lb Strawberries
3/4 c Butter
4 Egg Whites
3/8 c AP Flour
1 1/8 c Powdered Sugar
3/8 c Almond Flour

Directions:

 1. Over medium heat, place the butter in a pan. Let it begin to melt and separate.

2. While butter is beginning to brown, combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl.

3. When the solids begin to separate and burn slightly, creating a brown color, remove the brown butter from the heat. (You should get a nutty smell from the brown butter)

 4. Add brown butter to dry ingredients.

5. Mix well, and cool.

6. Add egg whites.

7. Mix until completely combined.

8. Move batter to silicon financier mold, and cut strawberries in half. Place two halves in each mold.

9. Bake at 320 degrees F for about 20 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Remove, cool, and serve!

Financiers go perfect with a pot of hot tea in the afternoon or late at night! These are just sweet enough without feeling heavy, and the nuttiness from the brown butter is heavenly!

 I have a whole box of these babies boxed up for my co-workers tomorrow, I am sure they will not last very long! They are too cute and delicious! You can definitely tell they look like gold bars after cooking, haha! I love it! Such great memories with my host mother!

Alright, that does it for this edition of Just Eat! I shall be back in a few days with another entry and featured recipe! While you wait, don’t forget to comment, Pin this post, “like” us on Facebook, and subscribe to the email list to receive posts directly to your inbox! It’s great to be back, y’all!

Lovely job, these look great! A couple of questions came up as some macarons did not turn out.

I ALWAYS stress the importance of oven temperature. It should be exactly 300 degrees during the entire process or you will end up with a disaster. To do this, I heat my oven to 340 before placing my macarons in as the oven will lose temperature when opening to place baking trays, then keep at 300 degrees by monitoring with a thermometer I stick inside the oven and track outside of it. Click here for a very inexpensive one from Amazon!

I have also been asked how to store macarons. They should be kept in an airtight container, either in the fridge or freezer. They will last up to a week in the fridge and 3 months in freezer. Just let come to room temperature before serving!

Alright, the time has come to announce the winner of the BIG giveaway! Congratulations to Lisa S. from New York! You should be receiving your prizes shortly!

With winter on it’s way out, the old man is bringing some of the coldest weather and snow before he goes. All this chilly weather has me making grilled cheeses and soup quite a bit. However, there is another way to get some quick warmth: BOOZE! When I think of a warming drink, I think of my time in Sicily and the limoncello my host handmade from a lemon tree in his yard. For those that don’t know what limoncello is, it is a high-proof alcohol infused with lemons and combined with a simple syrup.

Every night, the owner of the B&B I stayed at brought out the limoncello as a digestif for the guests and me. It is delicious! All you drink is about a shot glass full, no mixer. You barely taste the alcohol, but get all the warmth as it goes down. Three shots of limoncello and I was playing the guitar with the owner… I have no clue how to play guitar. Haha! Like I said, very “warming.”

As I an now thousand of miles away from Sicily, I decided to try my hand at making this delicious and dangerous drink.

Ingredients:

• 10 Lemons
• 750 ml Vodka or Grain Alcohol
• 3 1/2 cups water
• 2 cups Sugar

1. Wash lemons and pat them dry.

2. Using a vegetable peeler, peel the skin off the lemons.

3. With a pairing knife, carefully remove as much white pith from the skins.

4. In a large clean bowl, place lemon peels and vodka.

5. Cover and leave at room temperature for 2 weeks.

6. Once two weeks has passed, place sugar and water in a pot over medium heat.

 7. Heat and stir until sugar has dissolved.

8. Cool syrup, then pour over vodka and lemon peels. Let it sit at room temperature over night.

9. Remove lemon peels (Don’t discard, see below!) and place limoncello in clean bottles. Be sure to insert a few peels into each bottle.

10. Chill, then enjoy! Serve as an aperitif before a meal or digestif after a meal!

Bonus Recipe:

 Once you have removed the lemon peels and stuffed a few in the limoncello bottles, toss the extras in some sugar and dry instead of discarding! Instant Candied Lemon Peels!

Think back to our Candied Orange Peel recipe: You cook in a simple syrup and then coat in sugar. That is exactly what we are doing here. Just let them air dry overnight and store!

A small sip of limoncello transports you from the icy winter days to the peak of summer in Sicily! So fresh and delicious! The lemon peels also retain some of that limoncello flavoring, so it makes for a great quick snack! We are already making another batch to keep it always in stock in our fridge.

I hope you all have a great rest of the week and be sure to return for another video blog in just a few days! I leave with one final picture, a tribute to one of my favorite films Steel Magnolia and a quick attempt at the memorable cake. À bientôt!

I have some exciting news to share with you! I just got called back for another season of Snack Break!, the television show that I have posted on here for previous Tasty Thursday entries. I am so excited to do this again! We start shooting in a week and half… I have to start finding my recipes! EEK! Be on the lookout soon for more episodes on here.

Alright, let’s get to the video and recipe! Today’s entry is actually dedicated to our furry little friends: DOGS! As most of you may know, since our break-in last month, we beefed up our security (somewhat) in various ways, including a dog. (Enter the 3-pound chihuahua) My adorable little chihuahua, named Fergie, is absolutely the highlight of coming home everyday! She is ferocious and barks her heard off when she hears cars outside, yet never barks at my car or when I am trying to unlock the door. She just knows it’s me! Fergie lived with my sister and brother-in-law for a long time, but since they just had a baby, could not give her all the attention I did every minute I visited their home. After years of threatening to kidnap her, they eventually gave in.

They only thought Fergie was spoiled when I visited, now that she lives with me… it is worse. She is by my side at almost all times, sleeps in my bed, and gets constant belly rubs! One thing I am trying to break from spoiling her is giving her table food. She always looks at you when you are eating with the cutest eyes ever and you have no choice but to give her food. I know this isn’t great for her health, so it is time to stop, except for the occasional cheese slice(her drug of choice). In order to do this, I want to be sure she is eating food that gives her the taste of the table food without the negative consequences.

After doing some heavy research on canine diets and restrictions, I finally came up with a great recipe! Super simple and makes TONS of treats that I can give her should those begging eyes find my plate. Like all dogs, Fergie loves peanut butter, so it was only natural to do a peanut butter dog biscuit. My twist? Shredded apples for that needed moisture and a hint of natural sweetness. Heck, add in some more sugar and I would gladly eat them for dessert! They smell great, too! Without further comment, I present my Peanut Butter-Apple Dog Biscuit video entry and recipe:

I hope you all have enjoyed this edition of Tasty Thursday! Be sure to check back on Monday for a new pictorial entry here at Just Eat! (One word: BOOZE!) Have a great end of the week and weekend!

[amd-recipeseo-recipe:6]

Things around here are picking up pace with the big V-Day holiday and various other events coming up this week and next. Cake orders, macaron orders, and much more! I just finished up a cake with the German flag for a going away party:

As I am busily prepping for the rush, we shall be revisiting Snack Break, a local cooking segment made by my university for one of my favorite indulgences: Oreo Truffles. For those of you who are not familiar with this delicious treat, it is insanely easy to make and tastes like HEAVEN! 3 ingredients, no baking, and tons of options. You may use the vanilla Oreo cookies, mint Oreo cookies, etc. Use white chocolate or any color candy melts to fit your party/theme. Dress them up with some coconut, cocoa powder, chocolate drizzles, whatever you like. The options are endless!

I make tons of these around Christmas time and V-Day for those holidays were it is acceptable to pig out on all things chocolate, which I am fine doing any day. Oreo cookies alone are fantastic, but add some cream cheese and more chocolate… rich, satisfying, and delicious! Make sure to bring some milk!

Alright, that does it for this edition of Tasty Thursday! Next week, I will be back to making my own videos instead of the TV segments. Be prepared to have a barking good time! Also, be sure to enter the giveaway before it is too late! Entries will be stopped tonight at midnight! Click here to enter!

[amd-recipeseo-recipe:5]

 When I think of Paris, I think of my daily visit to get a macaron from Pierre Hermé, Ladurée, Pain du Sucre, Carl Marletti, and everywhere else!

 With this logic, I feel the only way I can show my love for all my readers is through the MACARON! We can’t just have any plain ‘ole macaron, not that there is anything wrong with that. We need one that screams Valentine’s Day, love, and all that jazz. I have it!

 Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Macarons! Yum!

These babies are traditional macaron shells filled with strawberry preserves and dipped in dark chocolate! Oh my, they are DELICIOUS!

For those that have never attempted macarons, do not me intimidated! They are very simple to make, just watch the oven temperature. 

Macarons à la fraise couvert de chocolat (Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Macarons)

I have included cups for those without scales, but results may vary! It is best to measure by weight.

Ingredients:

• 190 grams Almond Meal (~1 1/3 cups)
• 310 grams Powdered Sugar (~2 4/5 cups)
• 150 grams Aged Egg Whites (Leave at room temp for a day in a cool room or place in fridge for 4 days) (~5 eggs)
• 95 grams Sugar (~7/16 cups)
• 1/2 tsp Red Food Coloring (Gel, not liquid)
• 1.5 cups Strawberry Preserves
• Dark Chocolate for Melting/Dipping (I used Wilton’s Candy Melts)

Directions:

1. In a large and clean bowl, sift almond meal and powdered sugar.

2. Stir mixture with a wooden spatula to distribute ingredients evenly.

3. In a bowl, place egg whites and beat on high using a hand mixer or Kitchenaid mixer.

4. When you are able to lift the beaters up and see that stiff peaks are forming, stop beating.

5. Add sugar in three installments, beating on high after each.

6. Once all sugar has been added, beat until still peaks form again.

7. Add food coloring and beat until stiff peaks reform and color is even.

8. Add meringue to almond meal mixture and begin folding in.

9. Fold in until just combined.

10. Using a pastry scraper or something with a grease-proof straight-edge, slowly pass over the batter going back and form, press lightly. (This reduces air in the batter by forcing them out and popping air bubbles.)

11. Pipe macaron shells onto parchment-paper lined sheets using a piping bag with medium round tip. (You can also make heart shapes for added Valentine’s Day flare!)

12. Bake at 150 degrees Celsius or 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes. (Be careful about temperature!)

13. Let cool, then flip over and gently press your index finger into center of each, making a small indention.

14. Match shells up to another similar shell.

15. Pipe about 1 tsp of preserves into the center of 1 macaron shell from each pair.

16. Close shells and press gently to distribute preserves.

17. Melt chocolate in a heat-proof bowl.

18. Dip half of each macaron in chocolate and let dry.

19. Macarons need to sit for 24 hours for optimal flavor. Then, enjoy!

 These in a little cute box tied with ribbon or served on a pretty platter make such a great gift for that special someone! The crispness of the outer macaron shell and chocolate with the soft and moist center of the macaron’s strawberry preserves mimic the chocolate-covered strawberry so well! The flavor is on point, too! The preserves keep the strawberry flavor and juiciness and goes so well with the dark chocolate! I am just in LOVE with them! I literally ate almost a dozen myself! This recipe will make about 3 dozen 1.5″ macaron, so I put the rest in precious little brown boxes and tied them with blue string for some of my other single friends for the holiday. We single ladies help each other out! Haha!

 Alright, that does it for this edition! Be sure to return on Thursday for another Tasty Thursday video entry and recipe! Be sure to enter the big giveaway going on right now!

I am giving away a Fujifilm Finepix S2950 and HOMEMADE vanilla extract! Click here to enter!

À bientôt!

The other day, I was browsing through Pinterest, as usual. Dozens upon dozens of delicious cakes and savory dishes filled my screen, then I just so happen to catch a glimpse of an image that looked very familiar. When clicking on it, I realized it was mine! Someone had posted one of my pictures! I was flattered just to see one person, then I decided to look at all pins for my website and this is what I saw:

Needless to say, I was ecstatic! One of my recipes and pictures got almost 100 repins in 24 hours! My Dark Chocolate Ganache is my secret weapon in the kitchen, and it is the one most pinned on Pinterest! I use this baby for almost any cake recipe and looks amazing under fondant for anyone wondering.

Since my ganache recipe was getting so much attention, I decided to revisit my old standby and tweak it with every college student’s favorite: Alcohol. I originally wanted to get some Chambord to use in the ganache, but apparently EVERY liquor store in Murfreesboro was out of the smaller bottles. So, I substituted it was Raspberry Schnapps, which is delicious on it’s own! So, I now present to you my recipe for the Raspberry Schnapps Ganache Chocolate Cake!

This video is a tad on the long side, but it is full of step-by-step instructions for the entire ganache, which takes a bit of time but not much effort!

[amd-recipeseo-recipe:4]

Oh my. The aroma alone from this cake is enough to kill for. It doesn’t have a strong alcohol flavor with subtle dark chocolate and smooth raspberry flavoring. I took this to work for my co-workers, they devoured the ENTIRE thing within minutes. Success!

Alright, thanks for joining me on this edition of Tasty Thursday! I am sorry that it was a bit late, but YouTube was being troublesome today!

If you haven’t already done so, be sure to enter the BIG giveaway! I am giving away a Fujifilm Finepix S2950 14mp Camera and 8oz of HOMEMADE vanilla extract! Click here to enter!

From a very basic blog to force myself to cook new things known as New Day, New Way to a food blog featured frequently in Foodbuzz’s Top 9 and seen around the world on every continent, we have come a along way. I could not have done this without the amazing support of my family, friends, and readers. I thank you all so much, this has been one of most amazing experiences of my life.

Out of all the inspirational people in my life, one of my biggest was my grandfather. As some of you may have read last Monday, he passed away earlier this month. He hadn’t been in great health in a long time was diagnosed with cancer a few months ago. We knew our time would be short, but it still was not something I could have imagined happening. The most honest, generous, and adventurous man I have ever known. I strive to be more like him everyday! Some of you may have noticed a last name change from “Burgin” to “Burgin-Eaton” last year. I am the last grandson on my father’s side and one of two on my mother’s side, of whom did not have the last name of “Eaton.” For years, we talked about adoption with my Papaw so that I could carry on the Eaton last name, but I turned 18 and the only way to change would be a legal name change. So, to carry on his name and legacy, I have changed my last name to use both of my family names, instead of just Burgin.

In his youth, my grandfather served in the U.S. Navy for several years. During his service, he taught electronics in Iran and was sent all around the world. One of his most interesting/disturbing stories was that of a dinner in Asia. Living life as the locals did, he would eat pretty much everything they gave him… even unknown meat. He didn’t know it at the beforehand, but a dish served to him actually contained dog. :O     A man daring to live as the locals, willing to try any food at least once… sound familiar?

Shortly before my departure to France, my grandfather requested one thing. Upon my return, I must make him homemade cannolis. I have to admit, I was pretty nervous as I had no clue how to make them and they aren’t even French. Haha! There could only be one solution: GO TO ITALY! So to Sicily, the home of the cannoli, I went!

If you followed my blog last year while I was in Normandy, you will remember I took a few weeks to travel through the rest of France, Italy, and Greece. My final stop before going home was the land of the cannoli: SICILY, more specifically the city of Trapani. I did not expect to fall in love with Sicily… it happened, though! The gorgeous weather, exquisite food, and beautiful surroundings just sucked me instantly. Within my first couple of days, I was climbing the mountain on the island of Favignana just to see even more of the place, which says a lot as I am not an nature person. Just breath-taking.

Before leaving, I started my research for my cannoli recipe to take to my grandfather. Right near my bed and breakfast, there was this little gelato and pastry shop. I popped in and stumbled through my very few known Italian words to order one. I stood there for about 5 minutes as the lady whipped up a fresh cannoli for me… then the big moment came: MY VERY FIRST REAL CANNOLI. I quickly thanked her and ran around the corner to dive in. The first thing I noticed: the size. Look at that thing in my hand! It’s huge! With my quick snapshot, I took my first bite. Oh my. I still remember it. The crisp crunch of the shell with a hint of cinnamon and marsala with the slightly citrus ricotta and chocolate…    …      …      …    …   I’m sorry, I went off into a day dream and had to clean the drool off the keyboard.

Now, here is my attempt at recreating the experience of that cannoli for all of you and my grandfather, to whom this entry is dedicated to.

Do not be intimidated by the number of steps, most are “mix this ingredient in” and nothing more. Very simple and can be done over several days, which is great for those of us with only a little bit of time each day!

Shell Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour

1/3 cup Sugar

1 tsp Salt

2 tsp Cinnamon

4 tbsp Shortening

5 tbsp Marsala Wine

2 Whole Eggs, plus 1 Egg White for Sealing

Oil for Frying

Filling Ingredients:

2 cups Ricotta Cheese (Drain Overnight in Cheesecloth)

2 tsp Vanilla Extract

1/2 cup Powdered Sugar (Sifted)

1/2 cup Dark Chocolate (Chopped)

Directions:

1. In a clean bowl, add the salt, sugar, cinnamon, and flour.

2. Mix well.

3. Add shortening and cut in until it resembles breadcrumbs with a pastry cutter or fork.

4. Add the 2 eggs and wine.

5. Mix until dough starts to come together,

6. On a floured surface, begin kneading dough.

7. Once a smooth ball has formed, wrap in plastic wrap and let it sit in the fridge overnight.

8. Remove from fridge and knead until just pliable.

9. Using a pasta roller or rolling pin, roll dough to about 1/16 inch thick or setting 6 on the roller.

10. Using a 4-inch round bowl or so, cut dough into circles.

11. Using cannoli forms, wrap dough around them and seal overlaps with egg white.

12. Heat your oil to about 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

13. Remove shells from oil once they turn golden brown.

FILLING:

14. In another clean bowl, add ricotta and vanilla. Mix well.

15. Add powdered sugar and whip well.

 16. Zest about 1 tsp of lemon and mix well.

17. Add chocolate and mix well.

18. Load filling into a pastry piping bag/Ziploc bag with hole cut in corner and pipe into cannoli shells. Tip: Push bag in as far as it will go, then squeeze. Let the bag come out on it’s own, do not pull. Repeat on other side and finished!

 These with a spot of coffee/espresso are divine! The richness of the shell with it’s crunch and creamy center with a pop of citrus is welcomed at any time of the day! I finally made these for him right after Christmas as I had promised him. He devoured them! There is no greater compliment in the world to me!

Alright, now, the moment you have all been waiting for: THE GIVEAWAY!

Two years ago, when I began this food blog, I started with a dinky little digital camera and some college student quality ingredients. Now, I want to give one lucky reader quality handmade ingredients and a fabulous digital camera! Wether you are another blogger, avid foodie, grandmother, bird watcher, whatever, you will thoroughly enjoy the prize! The vanilla is absolutely to die for! I gave these out as presents for Christmas, everyone has complimented their flavor. The camera is an absolute beauty and takes superb pictures and HD video. Great for photos of kids, parties, and, of course, food! A winner will be announced in the blog coming on the 13th of February!

 The Giveaway Prize:

1 Fujifilm S2950 14 Megapixel Camera (Retail: $200)

1 8 oz Jar of Homemade Vanilla Extract (Retail: $20)

How to enter: (Up to 5 Entries Per Person)

1. Submit a comment to this entry telling me what your favorite Italian dish is.

2. “Like” Just Eat! on Facebook. (+1 Entry, you must submit a separate comment)

3. Follow Just Eat! on Twitter. (+1 Entry, you must submit a separate comment)

4. Tweet this entry using #JustEat or click here. (+1 Entry, you must submit a separate comment)

5. Pin a photo on Pinterest. (Use the button below that says “Pin It!”) (+1 Entry, you must submit a separate comment)

You must create a new SEPARATE  comment for each entry to count and supply a Twitter/Pinterest/Facebook name for verification should you win. Example: “I tweeted this at @TwitterFoodie” & “I liked you on Facebook, my name is LaCretia Bonafutoo.” Best of luck to you all!

Disclaimer: Entries are open to all countries, though the winner is liable for any taxes or fees from their respective country, should there be any. This giveaway is not sponsored by any company, all products were made or purchased by myself. A winner will be elected using a random number generator and will be notified by email of their prize. Should the winner not respond within 24 hours, another number will be drawn and so on. The giveaway closes entries on February 9th at 11:59 PM CST.

Before I begin to talk about today’s video, I first want to thank all of you for making my Orangettes entry one of the Top 9 on Foodbuzz! I am so pleased to be back and this just reassured me that I am back on the right foot. Once again, a HUGE “thank you” to all!

As some of you may or may not know, film/video production has been a huge part of my life for the past 8 or so years. Currently, I am a video production and French student at my university. At the end of last semester, one of the studio production classes asked me to take part in a production that they had never done before: COOKING SHOWS! Of course, I hopped on the opportunity! Our studios are equipped with the best HD equipment and they always produce quality work. A production like this would cost THOUSANDS of dollars to do on my own! Shortly after coming on board, I was hit with a minor setback. Since it was their first time, we had no real set, no oven, almost nothing to cook with. Luckily, we found a two-plate burner. Most of my recipes involve an oven as I bake, but I came up with the idea to do something quick, simple, and delicious that all college students can make in a dorm with no extra equipment.

One of my first thoughts went straight to my French roots: la crêpe! I ate crêpes and galettes all the time in Normandy, and now was my time to share the ease of cooking them with the world!

Coincidentally, there is an ENTIRE crêpe day in France, it is called Le Chandleur. It’s a Christian holiday celebrating the presentation of baby Jesus. What better way to celebrate with a crêpe?! This is an annual event taking place every February 2nd, just next week for this year! Legend also has it that on that day, if you hold a coin in your hand and flip the crêpe successfully, your family will be happy and healthy the entire year. Last year, my host mother prepared DOZENS of crêpes for us… I was in Heaven. Her crêpes were filled the Normandy way with apples, cinnamon, walnuts, and sugar! YUM!

For this demonstration, I went back to the classic: Nutella and Bananas. You can change it up anyway you want. Try jams, applesauce, chocolate, anything you want!

 

Without any further comments, I present the video: (Recipe will be posted in text at the end)

 

 

(So, yes, I know that letting it sit overnight is to relax the batter’s gluten so that it isn’t tough, I just choked! Haha, it was my first time doing this on camera. It got better as we went on, though!)

After many of my entries, I am often asked where to get a certain pan or item I talk about in my recipe. To further help all of you, I have partnered with Amazon to create a store just for Just Eat! readers! I will list any special pans, gadgets, favorite cookbooks, etc for you to browse and you may purchase the items through Amazon. To access the store:

Click “Store” in the menu at the top.

You will be taken to the Just Eat! store. Browse, add to to cart, then begin the checkout process. All orders are processed and shipped by Amazon, so it is great for those of us with Amazon Prime!

[amd-recipeseo-recipe:3]

As some of you may or may not know, the past few weeks have been particularly interesting/crazy for me. From a break up to two wedding cakes to a break in to finals to the passing of a family member, needless to say I got sidetracked. I made it through just fine with all these curveballs and I am so excited to be back blogging. I never stopped cooking/baking, so I definitely want to share a few highlights of the past few months with you, we shall start with my cakes:

A client of mine was getting married on Winter Solstice and having a holiday/winter-themed wedding. She gave me complete control and I took it! Here, we have a 3-tier cakes (Chocolate, Vanilla-Rapsberry, Chocolate) covered in blue fondant with white fondant ribbons/bows and royal icing snowflakes to make it look like presents. This was probably one of the hardest cakes that I have ever made, but I did it! The bride absolutely loved it and I was so happy to be a part of her wedding.

On New Year’s Eve, another client was getting married. Her mom has placed the order a few months before and gave me a picture of 3-tier cake and wanted me to convert it down to a cake for 16 people or so. Taking the basic concept, I came up with this design and totally rocked their socks. I am so proud of this cake, too!

Shortly after I made this cake, my grandfather passed after his battle with cancer. On my way home to his services and while my roommate was picking up her diploma from her recent graduation, a burglar broke into my house. He took a piece of firewood, broke my window, and climbed through. He trashed our bedrooms, opened all my kitchen cabinets and took a Xbox 360, her laptop, our backpacks, and 3 almost empty bottles of alcohol. It’s bizarre. He left my house waving at a neighbor and fled over our privacy fence. Even more bizarre. No one has been caught or identified as a suspect, yet. This town/part of town is crazy!

Since the break in, we have decided to beef up security and add alarms to all points of entry and get a dog. We originally had our sights set on a sheep dog, but that fell through. Those that know me outside of blog know that I have had a 3-pound chihuahua that lives with my sister. She isn’t much of a guard dog, but we brought her home last weekend! She is absolutely adorable and I love her to death! Dog treat recipes, anyone?

 Besides cakes, thefts, and furry creatures, my break included lots of sugary sweets being made in my kitchen! Today, I am sharing one of my favorites that I picked up recently: ORANGETTES!

Probably one of my biggest successes over the past two months was finally figuring out how to make the elusive Orangette, a French candy made from the peel of an orange and usually accompanied by some chocolate. I first discovered them in Lisieux, a town just a few minutes by train where I lived in Normandy.

At a food festival there, there were mounds of Orangettes in every style, but this chocolate bark covered in Orangettes caught my eye. Since then, I have dreamed of making them! For Christmas presents, I decided to do baked goods this year… some vanilla extract, truffles, and Orangettes! I wasn’t sure how they would go over with my Southern family and friends, but they fell in love! Some people devoured two to three bags by themselves.

Ingredients:

6 Navel Oranges

4 1/2 cups Water

1 1/2 cups Sugar

Dark Chocolate

Directions:

1. Wash and dry the oranges.

2. Cut off tops and bottoms, just enough to reveal the meat of the fruit.

3. Make cuts top-to-bottom every 1.5 or so inches, cutting only the skin and pith.

4. Peel off the skins by gently sliding a thumb underneath between the meat and pith.

5. Place the skin flat on a cutting surface.

6. Cut the skins in 1/4″ thick slices.

7. Over medium heat, place the orange peels and just enough water to cover.

8. Bring the water to a boil.

9. Drain the pot, then repeat steps 7 and 8 two more times for a total of 3 boils. Drain and set aside.

10. Over medium-high heat, place a pot with the water and sugar.

11. Stir until sugar has dissolved.

12. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat.

13. Add peels and cook for 45 minutes on a gentle simmer.

14. Drain peels and toss in sugar. Dry on a wire rack for a couple of hours.

15. Once dry, melt chocolate and dip orange peels in the chocolate half-way. Let harden, then consume!

These guys are absolutely delicious! Still retaining the orange flavor without the bitterness and the added dark chocolate… HEAVEN! So easy to make and this recipe yields more then just Orangettes.

The syrup you cooked the peels in? Save it and use for cocktails/teas!

The sugar you tossed the peels in? Save it for some baked goods with a hint of orange!

Don’t forget to squeeze those oranges, too!

Alright, that does it for this edition! I am so glad to be back and promise to be blogging more often. Later this week, I will spotlight some of the new features of the website and announce a BIG GIVEAWAY to celebrate my 2nd anniversary here at Just Eat!

With it being almost December, my classes for the semester are coming to an end. If you recall, I am taking a wine appreciation class at my university. One of our assignments is to visit a winery and report back with photos and details. I was quite excited by this as there is a great little winery just down the way from where I live! Recently, Brandon and I took an afternoon there, and now I am sharing it with you!

Arrington Vineyards is located just outside of Franklin, TN, a suburb of Nashville. It is owned by one of the members of Brooks & Dunn, the famous country duo. The vineyard is just gorgeous, even after the harvest!

 Of course, you cannot visit a winery without sampling their products. We both started with white wines, he had a Riesling and I a Gewurtztraminer. Both were fantastic. I proceeded onto the reds, my preference, while Brandon stuck with the whites and rosé. He is not a fan on red, I am working on that. Our last wine was the dessert wine. Again, we got different things, he sampled the Blackberry and I tried the Port. They were served with handmade truffles from a local town. Oh my goodness, they were fabulous! So smooth and delicious! Using my charm, I worked another sample out of the lady providing the samples. I was dying to try the Raspberry… I am so glad I did! It had every character of a big juicy raspberry, and it wasn’t too sweet! Perfection!

After getting our wine buzz on, a stroll around the vineyard was in order. We were practically the only people there, so it was very nice! There was a pond, barn, plenty of woods, swings, grapevines, and facilities to discover.

Throughout the property, large barrels of wine are out aging and incorporating their warm and oaky vanilla flavor! I want to go back!

I couldn’t leave without a bottle of my favorite wine, the Raspberry Wine! At 20 bucks for a split (375 ml), I only bought one bottle. I shall cherish it like GOLD!

 After being in the Fall and Thanksgiving mood at the vineyard, I couldn’t help but begin to crave Thanksgiving food! I just so happen to swing by Kroger, where I found Camembert, a cousin on Brie and specialty of Normandy, was on clearance! An idea then struck me… We back Brie with figs all the time, why not Camembert with a fruit? Enter Baked Camembert with Cranberries!

 Camembert fondant aux canneberges

(Baked Camembert with Cranberries)

Ingredients:

• 1 wheel of Camembert
• 1/2 Onion
• 1 1/2 cups Fresh Cranberries
• 1 cup Water
• 2 tablespoons of Chopped Hazelnuts
• 1 Baguette

Directions:

1. Chop onion, set aside.

2. In a frying pan, add some olive oil over medium-low heat.

3. Once hot, add onions and begin to caramelize. Add a pinch of salt at about 8 minutes in.

4. In a small pot, add the cranberries and water over medium heat.

5. Stir berries to break them and let it reduce.

6. Cut the top wax off the Camembert, then place on parchment paper over a pan.

7. Add cranberries to top of cheese.

8. Once caramelized, add onions.

9. Finish off with nuts and a drizzle of olive oil. Bake at 325 for 20-25 minutes.

10. Remove and serve with baguette slices

This is such a great French-American twist on this Brie appetizer craze hitting America by storm this season. Camembert is so underrated, and so much better tasting, in my opinion. The acidity from the berries help cut the creaminess from cheese, ’tis delicious!

I have already cooked a turkey this weekend, it was for a family picnic, so I am thoroughly enjoying this appetizer with leftover turkey! It makes for a great sandwich!

That does it for this edition of Just Eat! I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving full of friends, family, and food! Until next times, mes amis!

For the longest time, I could never see myself falling in love with America enough to want to move back after culinary school in France. The city of San Francisco changed that! It is the most gorgeous city that I have seen in the USA. Between the Gold Gate Bridge, Downtown, Fisherman’s Wharf, the many parks, and so much more, how could I not fall in love?

It also helped that I had an amazing time at the festival. Within minutes of arriving, I was greeted with this swag bag:

Two bags of Godiva coffee, a tumbler, Duncan Hines mix, cocktail book, and tons of other things.

While in line, I also met up with a fellow blogger that I had been talking to for a while, Debbie aka The Foodie Wife from A Feast for the Eyes. I knew we were going to be good friends when she suggested a cocktail on the 36th bar to celebrate, haha! She, myself, and Ally (A Girl and Her Fork) had a wonderful round of drinks at the hotel, and many more as the weekend progressed.

My new blogger friends: Amy from My Veggie Table, Debbie from A Feast for the Eyes, Monica from Everything Awesome Food Blog, myself, and Dorothy from Crazy for Crust at the farewell brunch.

The weekend was also full of festival dinners, which were quite delicious! I had scallops for the first time! I know, it’s sad! They were delicious, though!

My favorite course is, of course, DESSERT! This year, the macaron took over. There were mulled wine macarons, gingersnap macarons, and more! My favorite desserts were the chocolates, though! Friday’s dinner included a glass of strawberry wine from Jason (Ancient Fire Wine Blog). It was delicious!

Speaking of macarons, I went to Miette in the Ferry Building per the recommendations of fellow guests. They had tons of macarons, so I had to try them. Boy, I was disappointed. They DENSE. The shells didn’t crack at all, had no air, and were ridiculously chewy. Sigh.

To make up for this traumatic event, karma brought me celebrity chef Tyler Florence! During our gala dinner, he cooked literally feet in front of me! The entire room smelt like HEAVEN! He has such talent and is such a sweet guy!

It was sad to said goodbye to San Fran and my lovely new friends. After arriving home at 8:20 am to Nashville on Monday, I had to film a TV show, then I relaxed with some baking.

Back to the swag bag: Being a baker, box cake mixes are not my ideal product. Not one to waste, I took it anyway! When I got home, I started to think of ways to doctor it up and make it unlike the intended product. Then, I started thinking about the Godiva coffee… that is how I came up with this:

I have wanted to use hazelnuts for a while, and it really is a French flavor combo, the dark chocolate and hazelnut. I know I would add nuts, but how can I take it to the next level? Ganache and coffee-infused whipped cream! It is to die for! Ready for some?

 Ingredients:

1 Duncan Hines Triple Chocolate Cake Mix

3 Eggs

1/3 cup Vegetable Oil

1 1/3 cup Water

1 1/2 cup Heavy Cream

1/4 cup Godiva Hazelnut Cream Ground Coffee

1/2 cup Chopped Hazelnuts

1 cup Dark Chocolate

(Optional: 1 tsp Sugar)

Directions:

 1. In a clean bowl, add 1/2 of the cream, place a coffee filter on top, then place ground coffee. Cover and let it set in the fridge for 4 hours.

2. In a clean bowl, add eggs, 1 cup water, and oil to the large mix in the cake mix box. Mix well.

3. In a separate bowl, add small bag of mixture from the cake mix and 1/3 cup of water. Mix well.

4. Combine the two mixtures, mix well.

 5. Add 1/4 cup of hazelnuts to cake batter. Mix well.

6. Move batter to greased small and tall cake pan, mine is 7″ x 4″. Bake at 350 for about an hour.

 7. Cool cake, then cut in half.

8. Over medium heat, bring the rest of the cream to boil.

9. Pour the cream over the dark chocolate in a heat-proof bowl, stir only in the center until smooth. Stir in rest of the hazelnuts.

10. Remove cream from fridge, discard coffee/brew like I did, whip cream until stiff peaks form. You may add some sugar to the whipped cream.

11. Assemble. Place one layer of cake, half of ganache, another cake layer, and more ganache.

12. Pipe whipped cream on top. Add more hazelnuts, if you like.

Best the next day! Remember to keep in the fridge!

I took this cake to school the next morning for my French literature class. As I walked down the hall, every study could not take their eyes off and it almost caused a riot.  Everyone loved this rich cake! It isn’t really sweet, as it is slightly more bittersweet from the dark chocolate, which is my favorite.

The Godiva whipped cream was a rockstar. There were students who hate whipped cream that licked their forks clean because of it!

Overall, I have had an amazing week! It is hard to believe it has been 6 days since I first landed in San Fran! I am going back in Spring for sure! Have a great weekend!

Last weekend, Brandon treated me to an amazing audience-participation showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show! It was so much fun! I absolutely adore this film, it was one of the only movies I took with me in France. We all dressed up like characters from the movie, he was a party guest and i was Dr. Scott, wheelchair and all!

However exciting and fun, my Halloween festivities did not stop there. This weekend, Brandon, my roommate, and myself threw a grand Halloween party at my place! We invited out friends in their best costumes to come and enjoy music, cocktails, and spooky foods. Here are some of the costumes from out party:

(Left to Right: Diabla from Scared Straight, Jeffree Starr, Frankenstein and A Mad Scientist, Redneck and Vampires!)

Even our foods were disguised for the occasion! A skull covered in deli meats made for some “Flesh Meat” with cheese and crackers. A frog made from pizza dough, cut open, sprayed green, and stuffed with guacamole made for a gruesome treat with chips. Another pizza dough creation in the shape of a spider, filled with marinara, and served with handmade baguette is an eerie delicacy! Since we had a mad scientist them, there was a signature cocktail called “The Full Lobotomy” served it test tubes. So much fun!

For the desserts, cruffles(cake balls to some people) with an M & M and red coloring were definitely some eye candy for our guests. Inside, there was devils food cake with red vanilla icing.

Our other treat were some fresh witch fingers made from sugar cookies and almonds, each served with a bit of raspberry blood sauce!

All in all, this was probably my best Halloween, so far! I cannot wait for next year, I am already planning!

Since Halloween is just about over, this week’s recipe is simply fall inspired! Prepare yourself for…

Macarons à la cannelle

(Cinnamon Macarons)

I absolutely adore macarons, and any chance to bake them and be creative, I will take it! During the Fall, my favorite flavor is cinnamon, in Winter, too. Curious to see how it would be a in a macaron, I made a test batch and filled them with apple butter. The first time, the cinnamon was overpowering, but good. The apple butter was fabulous! After some tweaking, I present my Cinnamon Macaron!

Ingredients:

• 190 grams Powdered Almonds
• 310 grams Powdered Sugar
• 95 grams Sugar
• 150 grams Egg Whites
• 2 grams Cinnamon
• Brown Food Coloring

Filling:

• 125 grams Powdered Sugar
• 80 grams Apple Butter

Directions:

1. Sift the 310 grams of Powdered Sugar, powdered almonds, and cinnamon in a clean bowl.

2. Mix the three together after sifting.

3. In another bowl, add egg whites.

4. Beat on high until peaks form.

5. Add sugar in 3 installments, beating well each time.

6. Add about 4 drops of coloring, then beat until stiff peaks form.

7. Add egg whites to dry ingredients.

8. Fold in gently.

9. Take a pastry scraper or something long and flat, then press it lightly against batter and brush back and forth a couple times to remove air.

10. Ready a piping bag with a round tip.

11. Place batter in bag.

12. Pipe batter on parchment paper-lined pans. Let them sit for 1 hour at room temperature.

12. Bake in a 300 degree oven for 10 minutes. Cool completely.

14. Match macarons by size, then made small indention with finger in underside of each.

15. Mix powdered sugar and apple butter, then pipe onto one macaroni of each pair. Close, then eat(best the next day)!

These are so tasty! Great with a cup of coffee or a cold glass of milk! YUM!

I took these to my ladies at work and the positively fell in love. Such a great season treat, and they are very easy to make!

Alright, that does it for this edition! I am off in a few days to San Francisco from the annual Foodbuzz Blogger Festival! I am quite excited! There will be tons of photos and stories to share. I am taking my laptop and camera, so expect coverage while I am there!

While also constantly thinking about this party, my mind has also been wandering back to France daily. Lately, it has taken me back to a specific town: Bordeaux. I traveled there during my 2 week backpacking tour of Europe during my 9 months in Normandy. It was a beautiful town full of history, beautiful sites, and possess a rich history of food.

 I absolutely loved the sweet specialty of the town: le canelé bordelais. It is a little brown cake that is chewy on the outside and rich and moist on the inside. Legend has it that les canelés were first made by nuns who were given egg yolks by monks in the area. The monks only used the egg whites to make the infamous Bordeaux wines. Not wanting to waste, the yolks found their home in the future pastry of Bordeaux. Today, there are stores that only sell le canelé and nothing else in Bordeaux.

Seeing as there is no baker who makes this delicious treat around Murfreesboro/Nashville, my only option is to bake them myself!

Le Canelé Bordelais

I found a great recipe in my pile of French recipes in the native language. This recipe has been adapted and translated just for you, my wonderful readers. This is a long process, but not difficult. The batter must rest overnight, so plan ahead!

Ingredients:

• 2 cup Heavy Cream (or Fat-Free Half & Half for low-fat versions)
• 1 Vanilla Bean
• 2 cups Powdered Sugar
• 1 cup All-Purpose Flour
• 3 1/2 tbsp Butter
• 2 tbsp Dark Rum
• 2 Whole Eggs
• 2 Egg Yolks

Directions:

 1. In a medium pot over medium heat, place the cream/half & half and the vanilla bean split in half with seeds scraped into the liquid.

2. Bring to a boil.

3. Remove from heat for about an hour to infuse vanilla flavors, remove bean.

 4. Melt the butter, then let cool.

5. Sift flour and sugar in two seperate bowls.

6. Add eggs to sugar and mix.

 7. Add rum, then mix.

8. Add butter, then mix.

9. Add flour, then mix.

 10. Add cream, then mix.

11. Mix until smooth.

12. Cover and place in fridge overnight.

 13. Butter and flour molds. Chill slightly.

14. Place batter in molds, then in a preheated oven at 350 for about 60 minutes.

15. Canelés should have dark brown color when done, adjust time accordingly. Remove from oven, cool, then eat.

While the crust on the outside was not exactly the same, it is still chewy with moist and rich inside. These little guys definitely bring me back to Bordeaux! I loved them during my trip so much, I saved the container it came in, and placed my canelé in it just to pretend for a minute I was back in France! Sad? I think not.

Everyone who tried them fell in love! My boyfriend, my roommate, all have different taste, and still enjoyed these pastries. They are best kept in an airtight container, btw! Don’t hold onto these guys for too long, they should be consumed within a couple of days.

Alright, that does it for this edition! I am off to finish the preparations for my upcoming party and to get everything ready for my upcoming trip to San Francisco, expect more details soon! Have a great week!