Carmel Apples - Page 2

I love making miniature pastry, I find it very zen. If the idea on a tart or a cake the size of a quarter doesn’t appeal to you stay away from this book.

I received the book yesterday. I did a first quick read and now I am going through it slowly, making a recipe selection. Whenever I get a new cookbook, I always put little piece of white paper on each page that has a recipe I’d like to try. Once done, if there are only a few pieces of paper I tell myself it’s not worth the price of the book. So far there are many little white paper so it’s a keeper.

The book is divided into eight sections (cookie bites, cake bites, creamy bites, candy bites, frozen bites, chocolate bites, fruity bites and cheese bites). Sometime you can question the organisation of the book but it’s just a detail really. Who cares if coconut chocolate bars is in the candy section instead of the chocolate chapter. The important is that the recipes are good, and they seem to be.

What would I try first? The Milano cookie looks good. So does the ginger snappers and the whippets know as marshmallow moons here. Let’s not forget candies or cakes. Apple spice cakes, raspberry ruby jelly. As you see there is quite a selection of recipes, something for everyone.

There is one thing that really bothers me in this book. There are many chocolate candy recipes but the author never advice to temper the chocolate she just say to melt it. This goes against everything I know. How can you make chocolate and not temper it?

The book has over 25 colour pictures of finish products. Not essential but it helps. I don’t quite understand this new fashion of having the background blurred, specially not when there are other items in the background.

Wendy, your not alone. Once in a while it is good to think up of new groundbreaking creative stuff, but I'm one of those people that prefers plain ole coffee ice cream over sevruga caviar with a saffron sorbet-kinda-dessert. However, I would love to try one of Claudia's desserts because she's highly touted in the pastry world. I would love to try and be more creative about flavor combinations and possibilities with spices not commonly used in desserts, but that also depends on the type of clientele one has and if they are willing to try new different flavors.

Wendy,


The online bookstore in Canada was selling Gale Gand’s book this week. I had a gift certificate so I bought it.

I was looking forward to Claudia Flemming’s The Last Course. I can’t believe it won’t live up to it’s expectations. Basil ice cream is not my cup of tea. I do want to try chocolate infused with fines herbes. I hear it is very good.

You’ll like Gale’s book she is more traditional in her dessert. Don’t expect traditional French either. I don’t know why but on second thought I’m a bit disappointed. Can’t figure why at this point though. Could be that it is not as exciting as I was hoping, not that it’s not a nice book. Guess I can't make up my mind tonight. Do you have Gale Gand's other book? If so how is it?

What chocolate book are you talking about? Is it Alice Medrich? Is it good? I must go to the bookstore soon, all those new books just waiting….

Have you looked at In The Sweet Kitchen Wendy? I’m quite sure you would like the book. It’s classic “dessert flavouring” except for a few unusual pairing. She does not use too many flavours in her dessert. Nothing I hate more than a dessert with five or six different flavours, you end up not tasting anything.


Alice Medrich new book isn’t available here yet it’s probably a good thing. The last thing I need is another chocolate book. I already have a few, four or five… My favourite is The Chocolate Bible. Among other things it contains quite a few chocolate candies. And the cakes, too die for really.

I wouldn’t know where to start Wendy, I think I like all the recipes, eventually I’ll make them all I’m sure. Have you tried any of his cakes? Or chocolates? And the petits fours, a fantastic book.

Now for Claudia Fleming, I got it this afternoon, couldn’t resist it, I haven't read it all but so far I am impress. I think Gale Gand will go back. I’m more stimulated by The Last Course. Wait I’m having a vision…. I see Kimmie buying a copy.

I couldn’t believe my eyes when I opened it. Really have another look Wendy. It’s great. I’m trying to see it as you did, lots of compote and ice desserts. True but look at the flavours. I just can’t help being fascinated by the audacity of some of her pairing, I can understand where she is coming from and where she is going and it does make sense. Strangely enough I am attracted by the strawberry and tarragon. The pineapple and pink peppercorn. It’s a book that stimulate you, pushes you forward with new ideas. I could talk about all her recipes, pine nut tart with rosemary, lavender honey cake, coconut tapioca soup.... She is not the first pastry chef to incorporate herbs in her desserts, it must be good otherwise I certainly wouldn’t stay on her menu.


P.S. What did you think of her chocolate recipes? Chocolate caramel tart with fleur de sel, white chocolate espresso tart, earl grey truffles, can hardly wait to try them all.

The Last Course...

I did, I did purchase it. Yep! A new kitchen requires at least one new book!!! ;)

- Chocolate caramel tart with fleur de sel
- White chocolate espresso tart
- Earl grey truffles
- Pineapples and pink peppercorn

and a few of her recipes with apples are all on my "ToDo List"!


Isa: I've made strawberry jam with tarragon a few years ago and it's amazing.

I always knew I had psychic abilities. ;)


I can understand your point of having no one to sell those desserts to. It’s not a consideration for me. By the way how are things going for you since you quit your job?


I find this book challenging and exciting. It takes a certain audacity to mixes herbs like she does and it makes me curious what will bay leaves taste of in a creme caramel? I don’t know why but I want to try it.


Yes Kimmie the roasted pineapple looks great, so do the apricots with chamomile. I’m curious about the black pepper ice cream. And I could go on and on.

I’m so glad you’re enjoying yourself Wendy. Must be nice for a change to have the time to cook what you like when you want. Plus you get to sleep in.

I do try to imagine the taste in my head. To help me visualise it, I can’t resist licking the spatula once I’m done. An habit I got as a kid, my mother always let us lick the bowl clean…

If you like saffron I’m sure you’ll try the saffron rice pudding. The recipe that trouble me the most, I can already hear Kimmie disagreeing with me, is the truffled rice pudding. I could understand truffle with chocolate, a more earthy flavour mind you it would probably be too overpowering so I guess she’s right to use it with milder flavours.

If you think of wines, and all the different aromas you can find it in from spices to fruits and vegetables. Why not push it a bit and use those flavours in your desserts. It’s not too far fetch, is it?

Not everyone will agree with her uses of herbs with desserts, most people won’t be willing to try. But then would it stay on the menu if it wasn’t selling? I tried to get my mother to taste chocolate with fleur de sel, to see if the idea appealed to her, it didn’t. She said she didn’t care for it. I think it makes the chocolate tastier. With her reaction I’ll never get her to try a bay leaf creme caramel or pepper ice cream.

I need to get an idea of how it taste. I will try to seep a bay leaf in a bit of milk to see how it taste. I’ll do the same with pepper. As you get older your taste buds loose some of their abilities, keeping this in mind, those people might enjoy having stronger flavour in their dessert. My father might be a good candidate for pepper ice cream. I’ll have to run the idea by him.


Now I really need to go make some fruitcakes…..

Disagree? Moi?

Absolutely not, Isa.

Concerning the Truffled Rice Pudding, I would try just a very tiny batch, like 1 portion or 2 at best!






:rolleyes:

Let me know when you try it Kimmie, I'll want a full report. ;) I forgot to steep milk with bay leaf this afternoon, I will do it eventually.


All this discussion reminded me of a similar one about vanilla in savoury dish. If lobster can be served with vanilla how far fetch is it to think spices and herbs traditionally used with savoury food can be used with sweets.


This whole topic is really getting to me, in a good way. I'm very curious about this whole approach.

Isa,

When I make it, I will make sure you taste it...

BTW, even though I really do prefer lobster in it's most simple form, I must admit that lobster with vanilla sauce is really quite good, especially the one made by Chef Normand Laprise at Le Toqué! Restaurant.

:lips: