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French Word A Week – Pamplemousse & A Giveaway

Grapefruit


Planning this edition of French Word a Week was a complete "house" collaboration this time around. My dad picked the word, my mom got tickled pink when I got her involved into styling the picture. What did B. do? What he does best: ate the props! A little family project is always a fun when there is French and English simultaneously flying around. I just watch and take it all in.

I admit I drew a blank when picking this week’s word (too many options I guess) until I stripped it down to the bare essential of something we see or eat daily. It has to be grapefruit for us. My dad eats half a grapefruit daily, B. drinks a glass every morning and I nosh on grapefruit sections in the afternoon for a little vitamin pick-me-up. Mom? She buys them. By the crate. Especially when we are all together!

Grapefruit


Today’s word, pamplemousse, makes me think of plump, ample, soft, sunshine. It’s one of those words I love to hear B. say outloud. It makes me giggle. You can listen to the pronunciation here.

Thanks to my mom I recently discovered the artist Catherine Martini who dedicates her work to painting all sorts of sweet things. I love the burst of colors, the shapes and subjects she choses to illustrate. Visiting her site always brings in some sunshine in the house. I wanted to share her work with you and thought a giveaway would be fun.

Catherine Martini's Card Set


But…it’s not all. I am throwing in a copy of "Unforgettable Desserts" by Dede Wilson which contains 140 thorough recipes for desserts you can make all year round. The handful of recipes I made from it were a hit with everyone so I am confident you will find something tasty in it also.

To enter to receive a set of 3 cards from Catherine Martini and "Unforgettable Desserts": leave a comment on this post (one entry per person) between Friday March 26th 2010 and Monday March 29th, 11pm (US Eastern time). Anyone can enter, I’ll ship worldwide.

We will be out of town this weekend and since I moderate the comments manually, bear with me if you don’t see yours appear right away.

Have a great weekend!

Special Edition – Two Cookbooks Giveaway!

Strawberries 'N Cream


I’m coming here empty handed today. Well almost…Looks like I won’t be around here much this week and I apologize for that. I was hoping to have pictures of some of the behind the scene moment of the work for Carrie’s cookbook but I got to tell you, when 2am rolls around…I have no more energy left to bake and write.

Carrie is here, staying at the house for a few days working with me on her book. It’s the first time we meet in person and it really feels special to be part of making her dream come true. Above is an out take of one of the dessert for a her book. I was putting things together and wanted to check the morning light in the studio one morning.

I fall asleep flipping through pages of other people’s cookbooks knowing that I am never going to have time to bake or cook anything from them. Instead of seeing them collect dust, I thought about holding a giveaway for a couple I have enjoyed reading so far. More like salivating as I read! I have two wonderful books up for grabs for you today: Amy’s Bread and Unforgettable Desserts.

All you have to do is leave a comment here (one entry per person) between Tuesday February 9th and Friday February 12th midnight eastern US time. I’ll ship anywhere in the world. My dear B. will pick at random a winner for each cookbook.

I really am bad at having a pool of recipes ready to go for busy times. I wish I was as organized as my buddy Jen. Sigh…I have a post in draft mode. I don’t have things properly aligned in my head yet. Ha…that could be a goal for 2010 right – a sort of late resolution. Hmmmm. I promise to work on that.

Thank you for your patience!

Pinch Cake Lemon Mousse Strawberry Trifle And A Giveaway!

Lemon Mousse Strawberry Trifle


I’m in Atlanta for the next few days and very excited to be meeting a whole bunch of bloggers and foodies I only know via the screen. I’ve left early to prepare a workshop and also to take time to visit with friends there and put my brain cells to rest a bit. I was off to a good start by catching up with my blogging pal Chris around a delicious bowl of Thai noodles as soon as I landed. Sweet long weekend indeed.

It’s funny but without being a homebody, I am extremely happy in the "here and now" and very comfortable where my derriere was on the couch last night. Meaning, I wish it all could happen closer to me so B. could attend too. Although not surprised, I am very grateful for his mending the fort while I am away for work and he’s stuck here with two crazy dogs and a pile of papers to grade. I’ve left a fridge full of home cooked meals and a tray of these Pinch Cake Lemon Mousse Strawberry Trifles.

Everytime I set out to leave things for him in the kitchen, you can bet that I never forget to leave dessert. This time, I went straight to the source and asked what he most wanted to have. "Something retro like a trifle or strawberry shortcakes."For the occasion, I wanted to try something different and figured it was high time I picked something from Rose Levy Beranbaum’s Heavenly Cakes. I used her recipe for Pinch Cake and layered it with lemon curd mousse and fresh strawberries. They’re in season in Florida which is just a skip and a hop from us (and tasty).

Strawberries And Lemons


I was attracted to this particular cake recipe for two reasons, how easy it was to convert as it contained very little flour and also because I loved the story behind the name, Pinch Cake. Paraphrasing Mrs. Beranbaum: in Spain, the cake is originally known as pinch bread and the name is partially derived from the way of eating it: by pinching out pieces between your fingers. Mrs. Beranbaum calls this version Salt because it was created in 1985 by Miquel B. Costabella, pastry chef of Salt Bakery, named after the village of Salt, close to Girona, Spain. History, baking. Happy.

But wait! While I am away rolling in sugar in Atlanta, here is a chance for you to bake it at home too: I am giving away one copy of Heavenly Cakes.

All you have to do is leave a comment (one per person) here between today and Sunday January 17th (midnight Eastern time) when the winner will be chosen at random. The giveaway is open world wide. Why not tell me what your favorite retro dessert is while you’re at it? Would love to know!

Lemon Mousse Strawberry Trifle


Some updates before I leave: the macarons workshops in L.A are both sold out, but I’ve been asked to teach a third class on Food Photography in L.A, Saturday March 6th 2-5pm. Email rachael{AT}lafujimama{DOT}com if you are interested.

I did say I was working on one more surprise: I figured Seattle was so close to L.A not to go visit a couple of dear friends. Well, thanks to the organization skills of Viv from Seattle Bon Vivant, I am now teaching 3 workshops there. Two will be on photography and one on macarons. [Update: all classes SOLD OUT]. Can’t wait to meet Seattle, its wonderful community and thrilled to be staying on Shauna’s couch. After that trip I’ll have two days to get the house ready for 3 weeks with my parents. Phewee…!

Gimme cake…!

Pinch Cake Lemon Mousse Strawberry Trifle

Makes 6 to 8

Catalan Salt Pinch Cake, adapted from Rose’s Heavenly Cakes:

1 cup + 2 tablespoons (112gr) unblanched sliced almonds
3/4 cup plus 2.5 tablespoons (180gr) sugar, divided
6 large eggs
2 large egg whites
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoons white rice flour

Preheat the oven to 325F/160C.
Line a quarter sheet pan with a sheet of parchment paper and slightly spray with cooking spray. Reserve.

Toast the almonds on a separate baking sheet until pale golden, about 7 minutes.
Cool completely and pulse the almonds with 2.5 tablespoons sugar until finely ground. Stop before the nuts start to form a paste.
Place the eggs into a 2-cup measure with a spout and whisk them just to break them up.
In a stand mixer fitter with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium low speed until foamy. Increase the speed and whisk until soft peaks. Gradually beat in the remaining cup of sugar. Continue beating until the meringue is thick and glossy. With the beater off, stir in the almond mixture until evenly incorporated.

Reattach the whisk and with the mixer on medium speed, add the beaten eggs to the meringue, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating for 2 minutes after each addition. It should take a total of 20-25 minutes but be sure to beat for a minimum of 20 minutes. Add the lemon zest.
Sprinkle the flour over the batter and fold until completely incorporated. Pour the batter onto the prepared baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

For the lemon mousse:
grated zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup (125 ml) lemon juice
1/4 cup (50gr) sugar
2 eggs
1 cup (250 ml)heavy cream

4 cups fresh strawberries

Combine the zest, sugar, juice in a saucepan, and bring to a simmer. In a small bowl, beat the eggs until light. Beat some of the lemon mixture into the eggs to temper. Scrape the mixture back into the saucepan and cook stirring constantly until it thickens up, about 5 minutes. Strain and let it cool to room temperature, covered with plastic wrap until ready to use.
In a stand mixer, whip the cream to medium stiff peaks. Incorporate the cooled lemon curd in three additions. Place in a piping bag.

To assemble:
Cut out rounds in the baked caked that will fit inside the glasses that you wish to use. I got enough rounds for 2 layers for six 3-inch wide glasses.
Place one round of cake at the bottom of the glass, position strawberry halves inside facing out on top, pipe some lemon curd in the middle and repeat the layers. Top with some extra whipped cream if desired.

Le P’tit Coin Francais:

Pour le gateau:
112gr amandes emondees
180gr sucre
6 oeufs
2 blancs d’oeuf
1 cuilliere a cafe de zest de citron
80gr farine de riz

Prechauffez le four a 160C.
Mettez une feuille de papier sulfurise sur une petite plaque a biscuit a rebords. Beurrez legerement et mettez de cote.
Faites toaster les amandes sur une autre plaques jusqu’a ce qu’elles deviennent dorees, 7 minutes environ.
Laissez les refroidir completement et reduisez les en poudre dans un mixer avec 2 cuillieres a souple de sucre. Arretez la machine avant que les amandes ne forment une pate.
Mettez les oeufs dans un grand verre mesure et les battre legerement a la fourchette, juste pour les casser.
Montez les blancs en neige en ajoutant le reste de sucre au fur et a mesure afin d’obtenir une meringue ferme. Ajoutez les amandes et melangez.
Ajoutez les oeufs entiers battus, 2 cuilleres a la fois et tout en battant l’appareil pendant 2 minutes apres chaque addition. Le procede devrais prendre environ 20 a 25 minutes (au moins 20). Ajoutez le zest de citron.
Ajoutez la farine en pluie et soulevez a l’aide d’une maryse jusqu’a ce que la pate soit homogene.
Versez la pate sur la plaque preparee et faites cuires 15 a 20 minutes.

Pour la mousse au citron:
le zest d’un citron
125ml de jus de citron
50gr sucre
2 oeufs
250ml de creme entiere liquide

Amenez le zest, sucre et jus de citron a fremissement a feu moyen. Dans un bol de tailled moyenne, fouettez les oeufs pendant 2 minutes. Ajoutez en filet le jus de citron chaud tout en continuant de fouetter. Remettre la mixture dans la casserole et cuire a feu moyen jusqu’a epaississement. Passez a la passoire et laissez refroidir.
Pendant ce temps, montez la creme en chantilly et quand la preparation au citron est refroidie, y melanger la chantilly.

Assemblez:
Dans 6 a 8 verres, faites des couches successives de gateaux, mousse au citron et fraises.

Potato Leek Pizza and A Giveaway

Potato - Leek Pizza


When I ask my father what vegetables he wants with dinner, his response is often "potatoes" to which I reply "Dad! We already have a starch. What vegetable would you like?" He then looks me with an obvious smirk and repeats "potatoes". I am very much my father’s daughter in that regard. Love them. And noodles. I hope I never have to chose between the two. As much as I am a potato gal, I never thought of putting them on pizza, until last week that is. This Potato-Leek Pizza from The Pioneer Woman has surely changed my mind. "More!" I say!

I remember very distincly the first post I read on Ree’s site. I was on the phone with a friend back home who wanted to know how to make cinnamon rolls. We may have many a delicious pastry back home but I think we sorely miss out in the cinnamon rolls department. As a very occasional baker, she needed visuals. I searched step-by-steps online and stumbled on Ree’s site. Bingo! My friend had an official teacher, willing to take her by the hand through the whole process. I had found a treasure trove of All American classics that my husband grew up on. He never says so but it’s good to split my cooking between my French and his American. Makes for a fun relationship. Much like potatoes and pizza actually.

Ree lives on a ranch in the middle of vast great lands. I live in a house on stilts in the middle of marsh land. She has four 2-legged offsprings, I have two 4-legged companions. She married a cowboy who herds cows for a living. I married a man of the last frontier, history teaching. In her cooking, Ree makes do of what is available in her neck of the woods. I had to learn quickly what is Lowcountry cooking. Her cookbook is #1 in the New York Times Best Sellers list. Mine is still being edited (more on that later, promise) See…completely the same. Ahah!

Pizza Ingredients

Don’t these fancy baby leeks look like glorified green onions?

I don’t know Ree. Sure I have met her at BlogHer Food in San Francisco and exchanged a few words but that’s about it. Yet, and I don’t know how she does it, she is one of the most kind hearted ladies, taking time in her incredibly busy schedule and many roles to make you feel like what you say did not get lost in the big emptiness of the internet. I can guess it has got to be mind boggling for her how life has changed for her family in the last few years. It would make people feel uneasy, others would get the big head. Yet, Ree remains her natural, super nice, dorky self. I do need to say that she made me blush bright red when she put me in the same sentence a Matt Armendariz at BlogHer. Ugh!

Ree’s cookbook reads like a novel. There is food and there is life on the ranch, life with the kids, daily thoughts and aspirations. The one most excited about getting the book was my husband however. He can relate to the recipes, they were part of his mom’s stapples. He thought that whereas I fought the generation gap with his mother and the can of Ro-Tel, I would relate to Ree’s fresh approach to life and cooking as she was trying to adapt to her new territory. He was right. Copies of my mother-in-law’s Little League cookbooks are collecting dust but The Pioneer Woman Cooks is being earmarked by the both of us. He seldoms cooks so he loves the step by step pictures while I skip those for the stories. I like stories.

Ree’s book does not need another review, yet I can tell you that B. is extremely excited to eat "Pioneer Woman" this weekend while I am away. I have been invited by the great folks of The Grove Park Inn in Asheville to be a judge in their annual National Gingerbread House Competition. I am not only extremely honored but thrilled to be in a group comprising Colette Peters and Chef Lodge to name a couple. I thought that B. would be able to accompany me but he’s stuck with gigs this weekend. Instead, gal pal Tami from Running With Tweezers is coming up from Atlanta to share some of the fun and mountain air. In preparation of the trip, I made a few things that Bill loved and that he could easily reheat at night. One of them was this potato-leek pizza except it was devoured the moment it came out of the oven (well, after a few pictures).

Potato - Leek Pizza


I felt a bit pioneer-ish shopping for the ingredients when the only leeks I could find were fancy baby ones (did not have time to get to another store). Despite the double price tag, they looked a lot like green onions to me and I think I even aggravated the store clerck when I said so. I hate to aggravate them because they do order fancy stuff for me when I ask them. They are indeed green onions and they did taste like leeks however so all’s well. The combination of potatoes, leeks, bacon ang goat cheese made me think of Frenchified loaded American baked potatoes meeting their Italian cousin on a bed of mozarella and tender pizza crust. Awesome…and I am packing two slices for the road.

I hate to tell you I’m going to frolic in gingerbread goodness in a paradise like retreat while some of you have to work, play hard or are stuck sick at home. That’s why I am psyched that Ree generously offered to giveaway THREE copies of her book to three readers. If you want a chance to win, here is what to do:
– leave a comment on this post
– ONE entry per person – if you don’t see your comment right away, give me a few hours before re-posting as I have the moderator on.
– Enter until Wednesday November 18th at midnight, US eastern time.

Have a great weekend!

Potato - Leek Pizza

Potato Leek Pizza, with permission of Ree Drummond:

6 slices thick bacon, cut into 1-in pieces
3 leeks, sliced thinly
Extra virgin olive oil
5 small red or Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced paper thin
16 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced thinly
4 oz crumbled goat cheese (I used twice that much:))
Parmesan cheese, grated
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Unbaked pizza crust

Preheat oven to 500 degrees
Begin by frying bacon pieces in a skillet over medium heat until cooked but not crisp. Remove bacon from pan and pour off most of the grease. Set bacon aside.
Return skillet to stove and turn heat to medium-low.
Slice leeks very thinly. A sharp knife helps.
Add leeks to the same pan and sauté over medium-low heat until soft, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Using a sharp knife or mandoline, slice potatoes very thin.
Prepare pizza crust according to directions, and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Arrange potatoes in a single layer all over crust, slightly overlapping edges. Sprinkle potatoes lightly with salt, then lay mozzarella slices in a single layer over the top of the potatoes.
Place sautéed leeks over the top of the cheese.
Next, sprinkle the fried bacon pieces over the top, followed by a generous addition of crumbled goat cheese.
Finally, sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper.
Bake pizza for 8 to 11 minutes, or until edges of crust are golden brown and cheese is melted and bubbly. Cut into wedges or squares and serve immediately.

Pizza Crust
Makes two pizza crusts
1 ½ cups warm water
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Extra olive oil for drizzling

Pour warm water into a mixing bowl. Sprinkle yeast over the water.
Stir together flour, olive oil, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add water/yeast mixture and stir together until just combined. Dough will be very sticky.
Drizzle a little olive oil into a clean mixing bowl. Toss the ball of dough in the bowl and turn over to coat in oil. Cover bowl and place in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours, or cover in plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Chai Coffee Cake And A Giveaway

Chai Coffee Cake


It won’t be a surprise to say that there is always cake at the ready in the house. Whether it be for B. as a late night snack after a music job, friends dropping by on a late saturday afternoon, or simply as a quick snack as we pass by the kitchen. It’s usually a variation of my grandma’s yogurt cake. Always good. Always comforting. One cake I never make enough is coffee cake. You know, the kind with the lovely strudel top that is both crunchy and soft as you bite into it. But then Nicole’s Chai Spiced Coffee Cake entered my life. Twice in one week. Three times a day, once.

I did not make it twice just for us and just because. You see, a couple of weeks ago, I received an email from a high school senior here in town, Haley, whose senior project was to recreate the Julie-Julia project but with David Lebovitz' Room For Dessert book. Haley asked if I would have a bit of time to give her some tips about running her blog chronicling the project, photography, writing, etc… I said yes. I remember when I started blogging that I was often looking up to my seniors for pointers (I still do at times) so I thought it was a great opportunity to give back to the blogging community. I am no expert but I have been at this blogging thing for a while now, eheheh.

And I love when life on the screen brings about wonderful little happenings like this!

Chai Spices


Anyway, I thought we’d have some cake and tea and get right into the nitty nifty gritty of blogging and pictures. Well, schedules got out of hands and I never got to make that Chai Coffee Cake for Haley. We did meet this week and spent a great afternoon. I hope I answered her questions, at least until next time we meet. I gave her tips on how to operate her point and shoot camera to the best of its capacity, tips on light, focus, etc…and let her play with my props. Hopefully, there will be cake next time we do this!

I love this cake on so many levels but first and foremost because it is one of the recipes that Nicole included in her newly released first cookbook, "The Baking Bites Cookbook". Nicole’s Blog, Baking Bites is one of the handful of blogs I started reading prior to starting my own. We were "blog friends from afar" until we finally met at BlogHer Food in San Francisco. Nicole is as delightful and true as she is on her blog. I am so proud that she achieved one of her lifelong dreams by writing this book.

Chai Coffee Cake


I bluntly asked her if I could feature one of her recipes and introduce some of you to her blog if you did not read it already and to her "baby", The Baking Bites Cookbook. She agreed. I bluntly added "hey! Would you be ok to give a copy to one reader?" and she said yes. So here you go: there is one free copy of this delicious book up for grabs. All you have to do is leave a comment on this post. The giveaway runs until Monday November 2nd, midnight US Eastern time and a reader will be chosen at random to receive a copy.

Given how good the Chai Coffee Cake was, I can’t wait to bake more from Nicole’s book!

Chai Coffee Cake

Chai-Spiced Crumb Coffee Cake, from The Baking Bites Cookbook with permission of Nicole Weston:

Cinnamon is the standard spice for topping a crumb coffee cake. This coffee cake keeps the crumb topping and spices it up a little more by using some of the same flavors that are found in chai, including cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and allspice. These spices really help to make the coffee cake memorable – and they also make you want to come back for a second slice.

Note: the only change I made to the recipe was to fill my baking pan with half the batter, sprinkle some of the topping and add the remaining batter and topping.

Topping:
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled slightly

Cake:
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup sour cream, full or low fat

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper or lightly greased aluminum foil.

Make the Topping:
In a medium bowl, combine all topping ingredients except butter. Whisk to blend.
Gradually stir in the melted butter, using a large fork or spatula to mix. When all the butter has been incorporated and the mixture looks like wet sand, squeeze small clumps together to make large crumbs ranging in size from that of a pea to that of a grape. Set aside.

Make the Cake:
In another medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light. Beat in eggs, one at a time, followed by vanilla extract. With the mixer set on a low speed (or by hand), alternately add in flour and sour cream in two or three additions. When no streaks of flour remain, pour into prepared pan. Top evenly with crumb mixture.
Bake at 350F for about 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool on a wire rack before slicing.
Serves 9-12

Vanilla,Salted Butter Caramel and Chocolate Mousse And A Giveaway

Vanilla, Caramel & Chocolate Mousse


When I asked Bill what he would like me to prepare for him while I am gone for a few days, his answer was an unequivocal "Mousse please!". Yes, he is a softee and I know his mom spoiled him with homemade desserts pretty much all his life so his answer did not come as a surprise. I did prepare a few things to warm up after work during the five days I’ll be gone but I know Bill. When I showed him where everything was in the fridge, his eyes immediately landed on these Vanilla, Salted Butter Caramel and Chocolate Mousses. And they were all the way in the back. Of course.

So where am I going for 5 days that he needs a fridge full of goodies? San Francisco! I am attending the 2009 BlogHer conference which will be held on Saturday. I am also one of the speakers at the conference! I am so psyched about this event for so many reasons. For starters just take a look at the program here. All these amazing bloggers giving of their experience and expertise, I am honored to be among them and hope to contribute as much as they are.

Then there are all these attendees that I will finely get to meet in person and finally hug silly until they call security because Tartelette is cutting their air supply from excitement! Friends kept tweeting they wanted to meet me, well I want to meet them just as much.

Making Mousse


Last May, I was supposed to join Bill on a working trip near Jen from Use Real Butter and we immediately made the plan that I’d stay with her a few days while he’d work. That plan fell through. We were both upset at the circumstances and she asked if I’d be coming to San Francisco for BlogHer. She was. Maybe we could meet up there. This summer has been financially sucky so we were pretty much tied down not going anywhere for a long time. She emailed back the same day and said in her usual ways "Damn it Helen! You’re going! Here are Frequent Flyers miles we are not using and you are sharing a room with me. Get a conference ticket and we’ll figure something out."

Yes. That is the kind of chick Jen is and I am proud to call her my friend. She rocks. Period.

Man! Those tickets were hotter than the best Nutella crepes on a street cart in Paris. They sold out before I could even log on the computer. So waitlist it was. Drats! Then my name got tossed in the hat for potential speaker and the wait began. Either a ticket would come open or I’d be a speaker in which case I would not need one. Nothing happened on either front for a very long time. Then, I finally scored a ticket and three days later got an email about being a speaker (in case you are wondering, that ticket went back in the ticket pool).

Vanilla, Caramel & Chocolate Mousse


So here we are…On Friday I get to squeeze silly one of the best gals I know and on Saturday I will be talking about "Your Blog is Great…now what? Letting your blog lead the way to new opportunity". I am honored, ecstatic and nervous all at once. Sharing this panel with Jaden and Amy gives the chance to see three different people with different opportunities, different paths and at different pit stops on their careers. I have no doubt this panel will be informative and fun. Did I say I was psyched already? Ok, ok….

Well, I am not done being psyched because my friend Anita from Married With Dinner extended an invite to stay with her a couple for a few days passed the conference and of course I jumped on it! Finally we get to hang out! We have plenty of fun things planned and I can’t wait to tell you about it through pictures and emotions. There will be plenty of dinners, lunches and stories shared with friends and strangers and I hope to post a few fun shots while I am gone.

I know by now you must be pretty tired about me gushing about the next five days, so I will shut up and give you back some of the "good schtuff" I am lucky to experience everyday by hosting a little giveaway.

Aprons sample, for more colors and motifs, check The Hip Hostess website.

To win one of these adorable demi style aprons by The Hip Hostess (winner’s choice) all you have to do is leave a comment on this post between Thursday September 24th and Sunday September 27th, midnight Eastern Time. My dear husband will draw the winner at random and I will put her/him in contact with The Hip Hostess to pick the preferred demi style apron. But that’s not all! Deborah from The Hip Hostess generously offers all the readers of Tartelette a 15% discount on any order throughout October 15th 2009. Use the promo code TART (all caps) at check out. Very cool!

Enter Jen’s to win an Ipod Nano and enter here to win a fabulous apron handmade by The Hip Hostess, so you can bake and groove in style. And no, we did not plan it, would not have worked, ahah!

Now you can understand why I loaded the fridge with tons of good things for Bill to eat while I am gone. I am sad he won’t be able to walk around SF with me but I know he is not yet prepared for a room full of people saying "Oh my god it’s you!" and hugging you every 5 minutes. He said mousse was just fine. Especially one that starts with a soft and silky Bavarian cream and combines delicious layers such as vanilla, salted butter caramel and chocolate…

Vanilla, Caramel & Chocolate Mousse


Vanilla, Salted Butter Caramel and Chocolate Mousse:

Serves 4 to 6 depending on the size of your ramekins

Notes: you want to prepare the caramel part of this triplr mousse first as it needs to cool down properly before being incorporated to the rest of the base.

For the caramel:
1/2 cup (100gr) sugar
2 tablespoons (30ml) water
1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel or fine sea salt
1/4 cup (60ml ) heavy cream
2 teaspoons (10gr) unsalted butter

For the chocolate:
4 oz (120gr) dark semisweet chocolate

For the vanilla mousse base:
4 egg yolks
1/4 cup (50 gr) sugar
1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
1/2 vanilla bean
1 Tb (7gr) powdered gelatin, sprinkled over 3 Tb water
1 cup (250ml) heavy cream

Prepare the caramel:Place the sugar and water in a medium heavy bottomed saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Continue to cook until caramel in color. Remove from the heat and add the salt, heavy cream and butter. Stir with a wooden spoon until completely smooth. Let cool to room temperature.

Prepare the chocolate:
In a medium bowl set over a pan of simmering water, melt the chocolate until smooth. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.

Prepare the mousse base:
In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until very pale. In the meantime, in a large saucepan set over medium heat, bring the milk and the vanilla bean (split open and scraped over the milk) to a boil. Slowly pour the milk over the yolks, whisking constantly. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan over medium low heat and cook until the cream coats the back of a spoon (as if making creme anglaise). Add the softened gelatin and stir until melted completely into the cream. Let cool to room temperature.
Whip the heavy cream to soft peaks and fold it into the cooled cream base. Divide the base into three equal portions (one will stay untouched).

Assemble:
Add a couple of tablespoons of the base to the caramel to lighten it a bit and stir with a spoon. Gently fold the rest of the alloted mousse base into the caramel with a spatula.
Do the same for the chocolate portion.
Layer all three parts evenly into dishes or ramekins and refrigerate for an hour.

Confetti Cakes For Kids Book Giveaway

It looks like you all are going to get a break from my raspberry desserts this weekend….and have the chance to win one of 5 copies of Elisa Strauss' new pastry-cake book "Confetti Cakes For Kids".

I have been given the chance by the sweet and super efficient Anna from the Hachette Group to get a copy of the book before its official release on November 5th and she graciously offered to have 5 copies available for you!

Don’t know Elisa Strauss? She is the owner of Confetti Cakes in New York, and the author of The Confetti Cakes Cookbook where her signature Handbag Cake is featured on the cover. She has made countless appearances on TV in Good Morning America, Food Network’s cake challenges, etc…Check out this little video if you would like to put a face on the name. Well, she has now written a cake book especially for kids…although I got to say that the Gift Box Cake is something I would like for my own birthday!!

Do not be intimated by her level of expertise, designs or ideas. The instructions to reproduce her witty and fun cakes are extremely detailed. I admit I am not the most patient cake decorating person but the projects are so fun and the results so beautifully detailed, they make me want to get started pronto. I already have my eyes on the "Pajamas Cookies" …so cute! "The Candy Factory Cake" or the "Beach Pail Cupcakes"….so fun! Everything you need to know is spelled out in the book so both novices and seasoned bakers.

The pictures are fantastic, sharp, crisp and there are tons of shots of all the little details you need to reproduce such cakes.

Yes…I am excited about that one…I need to check in the neighborhood whose birthday is coming up…or I’ll just make the mini pumpkin cakes for us soon.

So…all this to say that if you would like to receive a copy of this book:

leave a comment in this post. One entry per person, more will be automatically deleted. Thank you!
– the giveaway runs until Tuesday October 14th midnight (US eastern time) and winners will be announced shortly after.
– Even if you wish to remain anonymous, sign at least a letter or a pseudonym so it is easier to announce if you win
– As always, mom, you can’t enter this one…

There are 5 copies available for readers in the US and Canada. I am sorry for readers overseas but I have had issues in a previous drawing and some books never made it abroad and I would hate for the same thing to happen again.

Check out Elisa’s blog for more pictures of her latest creations!

Prize Winning Shortbread Cookies – A Giveaway

Before you think that this "book thing" is knocking me silly on zee head that I should post "just" about shortbread cookies, I want to tell you about the little gadget that makes cookies a lot more fun….and your chance to WIN IT !!!

One of my little pleasures is to read French blogs, for the recipes as much as keeping in touch with food trends there and more importantly what is the cool slang to use these days. One late (late) night I was reading away I stumbled on a post (can’t remember where, sorry) about this ubber cool toy: the Brigitte-Keks, to imprint on Petit Beurre like cookies.

Allright I have lost you…all that French, English and German in one. Petit Beurre are the simplest most traditional all butter cookie you will find in France. The Brigitte -Keks is one smart cutter that not only will cut to almost the exact shape as a Petit Beurre but will also imprint words like these: WIN ME !!

So there I was….wishing away I could get my hands on one of those. A couple of days later, I was reading Autour De Ma Table where Cathy was organizing a group order to the manufacturer since they are not everywhere. Light Bulb! Call mom, put my name in the order and ask mom to write up the check in the proper Euro amount and tell her I will pay her back 10 times over in kisses, that was a joke because the gadget is really not expensive. Then it just dawned on me that one of you guys might also want to have fun with one of these, so I called mom again and she was happy to help as it meant that I shall pay her back 20 times over now!

You can imprint anything and everything, you can be silly or serious, creative or to the point. We have been having fun playing with it the other day, leaving love notes, to do lists, grocery lists…Imagine that, walking down the store aisles, munching away on your grocery list. I also added "Happy Anniversary" cookies to the loot as B. and I are celebrating 10 years together today! Woohoo! The cutter and imprint are a breeze to use after you separate the little letters apart from their grid. Maybe I should have done so with butter free hands, eh?!! So long story short…

I have one extra – brand spanking – new Brigitte-Keks cookie cutter/imprint for one lucky reader. All you have to do to take this little toy home is to leave a comment between today Friday July 11th and Sunday July 13th (and why not tell me about your favorite cookie while you are at it). You can enter from anywhere in the world, and I will ship anywhere. No rules, just a couple of requests:
– please, please, please, even if you register your comment under anonymous, leave me an initial, a pseudonym, an X…anything. It’s nicer to announce if you win!
– try not to enter twice, it makes it easier for the random drawing
– Mom: you can’t enter the drawing, I’ll make you some cookies with your name on it.

Before I forget, I have tried many versions of Petits Beurre recipes but none that came close to the original so I am giving you my next favorite cookie recipe for Shortbread Cookies. They are not like the Irish shortbread cookies you might purchase at the grocery store, but more like "sables" from Brittany. Use orage flower water for a Provencal twist!

1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 stick butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder

In a stand mixer or with hand held electric mixers beat together the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Add the egg yolk and beat until well incorporated. Add the vanilla extract, flour, baking powder and salt and mix until the dough just starts to come together and form a ball. Stop the mixer and gather the dough with your hands. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a least 2 hours. Flour your work area lightly and start rolling.

To roll dough easily (works with pretty much all pastry dough) : start from the center and roll away from you, then close to you, repeat, lift the dough, flour your area, rotate the dough 1/4 turn and repeat the rolling process. Make sure to sprinkle the flour you work with, not dump it on. A little goes a long way. I usually sprinkle about one teaspoon and brush it away with my fingertips and repeat as a go along. If you try to roll the dough flat in the minimum of moves possible and you keep rolling away, you will warm up the butter too much and the dough will stick and you’ll get mad and you’ll swear off making dough forever…..

So I hope this helps because your homework when the book comes out is to make dough….! Ok, that’s not true but there will be some dough to get rolled!

Anyways…Once your dough is rolled to about 1/2 inch thick, and cut squares or rectangles with a sharp knife or other shapes with the cookie cutter that you like. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Let cool on wire rack.