Valentine’s Day Noms!

I finally got some time to post about the treats I made for Valentine’s Day. It began with two types of brownies: first, some square shapes brownies, with chocolate–espresso ganache, and the second are über moist heart shaped brownies. Next, I put on my chocolatier hat for the first time to make very simple chipotle-sea salt chocolates. The only molds I had were hearts and plus signs! I also made yummy heart–shaped sugar cookies. I frosted some, and used sugar crystals on others. I completed the day with homemade oreos, which were fun and easy to make.

Brownies with Chocolate–Espresso Ganache

Heart Brownies

Chipotle-Sea Salt Chocolates

Heart Shaped Sugar Cookies

Homemade Oreos

Nuit De Français

We had an impromptu French themed night! It began with French onion soup, followed by my own quiche recipe and boeuf au vin. It ended with Pow Pow’s proud attempt of chocolate strawberry macarons.

French Onion Soup

Quiche (With bacon, potato, spinach, onion, and lots of cheese!)

Boeuf Au Vin

Chocolate Macarons!

French Table Set! Macarons are done!

The Sheboygen Burger Night With Bûche de Noël

PHEEEEEWWWW!!!!!!!

Last week, we all got together after being apart for the holidays and had a feast at my place! Pow Pow and I decided to make try our hand at the somewhat elusive Bûche de Noël. It actually wasn’t that difficult! We used the recipe from Saveur: Bûche de Noël. It was interesting to discover that this cake is actually gluten–free. Unfortunately, time was not our side and we couldn’t do the meringue mushrooms. After all, I still had a feast to cook. It began with simple real Wisconsin rielsing cheddar and 3–year–aged cheddar, served with crackers, Wisconsin summer sausage, and cranberry mustard. I then served a large amount a roasted brussel sprouts, which were in inhaled, it seemed. Then came the most time consuming course of the night, homemade poutine! I fried up some potatoes, mixed in some gravy, and melted in some Wisconsin cheese curds! NOM NOM NOM!! Finally, the main artery clogging course… the Sheboygan…. look….. if you don’t know what the Sheboygan is, go here: The Cheese And Burger Society (#26). That’s right. A burger with Wisconsin cheese curds, sauerkraut, a split bratwurst, and homemade beer mustard. Take THAT arteries!!

Best image I could get of the Sheboygan, poutine, and brussel sprouts while Pow Pow and I enjoy.

Bûche de Noël!!

Our bûche de noël slice.... not a bad job rolling for first–timers.

The bûche de noël is oozing out chocolatey goodness!!

Almond Cupcakes w/ Blackberry Frosting for NYE!

Unfortunately, the iPhone’s camera cannot show how good these are! Here are some almond cupcakes that I had to tweak a bit after adding too much cachaça to the recipe!

Almond Cupcakes with Blackberry Frosting

Original recipe from Love & Olive Oil.

(ps…. as far as I can tell, baby food works!)

Christmas Desserts!

Home for the holidays and it’s time to bake and eat!!! For Christmas Eve dinner, there was plenty of delicious noms. I helped my father a bit with some crème brûlée!

Crème Brûlée

We also had two Brazilian desserts, torta de bolacha (a sort of Brazlian tiramisu) and bolinho de aipim (tapioca cake?).My aunt brought Jesus’s birthday cake, complete with a baby Jesus!!!

Christmas Desserts

Jesus Cake!!

Today, I made some gluten-free, sugar-free chocolate chip cookies (recipe thanks to Babycakes NYC cookbook). I then made them into chipwiches with vanilla frosting.

Gluten/Sugar Free chocolate chip cookies

Chipwiches!

Birthday Cakes for Kai!!

I made two cakes for my dear friend Kai this past weekend. When she described what kind of cake she wanted, it was a bit confusing with talks of jello, gummi bears, frosting, and super cupcakes. Then she also wanted my sweet potato cupcakes but in cake form.

So, while in Vegas, along with my pastry special conceptual specialist Bridget , we came up with an idea for Kai’s first thought and I progressed with turning the sweet potato cupcake recipe into a cake recipe for the second cake.

These are crappy iPhone images. I’m trying to get better images from the party.

Sweet Potato Cake!

And…. for the special concept cake….

Sushi Cake with "Fish Roe"

It’s a sushi cake! It’s a yellow cake with buttercream frosting. The nori (seaweed) is black fondant that stained my hands purple for the party . The best part is the fish roe. They’re all gummi bears!!!!!!!!!! And one GIANT ONE!! (Yes…. it’s made of gummi, too)

Sushi Cake With Gummi Bear!

Chocolate Macarons and Quiche (+ 1)

I made chocolate macarons for my French class tomorrow! The first batch was a wtf!disaster. D: But the second batch came out great! I also made quiche in between the two batches (also for French class). From bits and pieces I’ve been munching on, it seems like it’ll taste good? I won’t know until tomorrow though.

I tried making Panda Bread last…Sunday? It didn’t turn out too great though. I threw them out. My heart broke a little.

failed macaron

burger macaron

quiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiche

failed panda bread

Buffet at the Bellagio in Vegas!

I was in Vegas for work and I had to check out the buffet at the Bellagio. Though it was amazing, I will say the buffet at the Wynn was more memorable last time I was there. Nevertheless, the desserts were amazing!! I grabbed a bunch and took as many bites as possible from each. They are clockwise, starting form the bottom right: cheesecake, peach/raspberry sorbet, chocolate eclair, chocolate cake, chocolate pie, oatmeal cookie, and flan!!!

Gingerbread w/ Cinnamon Cream Cheese (Gluten & Sugar Free)

Gluten free and sugar free gingerbread with cinnamon cream cheese frosting. Noms!

Sweet Potato Cupcakes w/ Maple Syrup Frosting (gluten free)

I made a gluten free version of these yummy sweet potato cupcakes for my mah. I also put a lot if this orange flavoured rum in the mapple syrup frosting. Nom nom nom.

Original recipe from Love & Olive Oil