Pastries and Sweets

Crème Brûlée

One of my most favorite desserts ever.

Not too sweet at all.

Crunchy top.

A couple raspberries...

Voila!

(Found a great photo plus recipe below, here)

Crème Brûlée

2 cups heavy cream

8 large egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar plus extra for the caramel crust

3/4 tsp vanilla

Heat the cream almost to a simmer over medium-low heat.

Stir the egg yolks and sugar with a wooden spoon until just blended and gradually stir in the heated cream, taking care not to scramble the eggs. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl or a large measuring cup with a pour spout. Stir in the vanilla.

Carefully pour the custard into four 6-oz or 6 4-oz custard cups or shallow ramekins and place on a baking sheet with a lip around the edge. Add enough water to go about halfway up the sides of the ramekins and carefully set the whole pan in a 325 degree oven.

Bake until the custards are set but still slightly quivery in the center when gently shaken, about 30-35 minutes. Remove from the water bath and let cool to room temperature.

Cover each custard with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours or up to 2 days. Just before serving, gently blot away any liquid that has formed on the surface of the custard, sprinkle 1 1/2 to 2 tsp of white sugar evenly over the tops of the custards, and caramelize with a kitchen torch or by placing the custards under the broiler for a minute or two.

 

ps:  Cute option? Use heart ramekins for Valentine's day.

 

 ♥

 

Homemade Pretzels {In 30 Minutes!}

Every so often, we have to throw some savory baked treats in with the sweet.

Wouldn't you agree?

I love baking with oat flour and wheat flour...

So, when I spied these at Sally's Baking Addiction, I was smitten!

Aren't they pretty?

Pretzels made with wheat flour.

I think this is a must try for this evening.

All warm and lovely.

Mmmm.

Recipe here.

♥

S'mores Pie!

The other night I was thinking...

I bet a s'mores pie would really be something?

So, I went on a hunt, and lo and behold, I found s'mores pie galore!

This recipe looks lovely, yumms and easy...

I personally like making my own graham cracker crusts etc.

So, I found a second recipe (image below) that looks like a real MUST also.

It's from Pixelated Crumb, with incredible photos and recipe.

I think this would be a hit with guests, don't you?

Yumm! 

 

♥

 

Churros!

Have you ever eaten churros?

I sure hope so, they are pretty awesome.

(recipe for image above here)

I remember being a little girl, walking on super thick Mexican sidewalks, to the churro shop.

Going inside, into a simple room, painted in yellow, usually with two women whipping out churros at lightning speed.

Your would pay a small amount, and receive a huge ring of churros, the size of a tire.  Wrapped perfectly in paper.

Warm, crunchy, sweet, tender inside.

Perfect.

I don't think there will ever be any churros on earth, that will come close to those.

Still, it's fun to try some at home as a super special treat.

I looked for a recipe with good reviews, and found this one here.

(image)

There is also an excellent tutorial here.

Now I have churros of the brain, great, haha!

(image)

 

Yumm!

 

♥

 

Heart Cakes + Happy Birthday David Bowie!

I love heart shaped cakes.

No matter the time of year.

I have a couple intricately detailed heart shaped Williams-Sonoma cake pans.

They are so much fun!

When I saw this picture of reliquary ex votos, I immediately thought they would be amazing as cakes!

Then I remembered that my friend Rosie, at Sweetapolita, had once made gold heart cakes!

And I thought, this might be do-able.

To look like the ex votos, a little silver dust painting perhaps?

Or, frosted and covered with edible pearls and/or silver dragees?

I get super sparkly edible glitter, silver/gold dust and dragees at Kitchen Krafts.

I think this is on my next project list for sure.

Also, it's David Bowie's birthday, so heart shaped cakes are a must!

Dance Magic Dance!

Random, but true!

 Happy Birthday David Bowie!!!!

You remind me of the babe!!! < click there

 

♥