Tarte Tropézienne

While this tarte appears amazingly sophisticated, it is actually not all that hard to bake.  Just a tremendous exercise in patience, planning, and allowing plenty of time.  Maybe I had extra confidence in my ability to bake this because when Dorie Greenspan was on a book tour in September 2014 with Baking Chez Moi, I was lucky enough to see her in Seattle.  And this was one of the wonderful samples that we were able to taste!

Dorie speaking in Seattle

My sample Tarte Tropézienne with the book that Dorie later autographed.

I didn't take many pictures when I baked this time, but here is the beautiful brioche dough, the lovely--albeit not perfectly round-- cake out of the oven, and the finished product.  I loved using the pearl sugar which somehow made this look unusually special.

Interestingly, not long after I baked this I was in a fancy local bakery and saw tiny slivers of Tarte Tropézienne being sold for $4.50!  They looked good, but I found myself feeling quite satisfied that I had baked this lovely dessert myself.

To see what other Tuesdays with Dorie bakers had to say about this recipe, check out the Tuesdays with Dorie web page.

Betty's Chocoholic Cake

Who wouldn't want to bake (and eat!) a beautiful chocolate cake from Dorie Greenspan's book, Baking Chez Moi?  This cake has lots and lots of chocolate and lots and lots of butter.  It is therefore intensely chocolate-y . . . and much enjoyed by my guests.

Dorie suggests decorating the cake with white chocolate curls.  I am never completely pleased with the result of my chocolate curls.   I use a vegetable peeler that is sharp and I try to warm the chocolate a bit before attempting to cut the curls, but the result seems to resemble shavings rather than curls.  Any suggestions?

Melting butter and chocolate.

Beating the egg yolks.

I love the technique for making the ganache:  pour  boiled cream over chocolate, let sit for 30 seconds, then gently stir in concentric circles.  Baking is so much fun!

Beautiful ganache.

Working on spreading the ganache.

Cleaned up plate and white chocolate curls added.

Two of the folks at our dinner.  I managed to get a photo before the cake was entirely consumed!

For more examples of this lovely cake, check out the blogs of other Tuesdays with Dorie bakers.

Cocoa Crunch Meringue Cookies

Sometimes I think that I like Dorie Greenspan's cookies the best.  At least I think that until I make a lovely tart, or cake, or scones, or muffins.  This week, the Tuesdays with Dorie bakers chose between the Jammer Galette and Cocoa Crunch Meringue Cookies.  I just finished baking the cookies and my husband, the always-willing taste tester, says:  "I REALLY like these cookies!"

They are lovely gems--two cocoa, crunchy meringues sandwiching a delightful chocolate ganache.  The recipe only makes 8 sandwiches, which is just as well because we would have eaten as many as there were available.

Whipping up the meringue

Cocoa mixture and chopped almonds, ready to add

The circles I drew to serve as a guide for the cookies.

The ganache, coming to room temperature to be spread on the cookies.

The meringues out of the oven (minus two "rejects" which were eaten before they could be spread with ganache.)

The finished sandwiches!

Jammer Galette

I really liked this recipe!  And if you plan ahead, it is super simple.  Basically, it's a big shortbread cookie topped with preserves and heavily covered with a lovely streusel.  You can make the crust and streusel ahead of time and how hard is it to open a jar of preserves?!  I actually made it twice in the past couple of weeks--once with raspberry preserves and the second time with 4-berry preserves.  Sorry I didn't get a photo of it on the serving plate, but I shared each of the galettes at events with friends and before I knew it, it was all gone!  I'm sure I'll be baking this again.

To see how other Tuesday with Dorie bakers fared this month, be sure to check here.

Matcha Financiers

I'm so glad there is a make-up Tuesday this month because it gives me the opportunity to bake the Matcha Financiers which I hoped to get done this month!

We were away for two weeks, visiting sons in Seattle and Portland.  While in Seattle, I looked for matcha tea and found it in a beautiful tin at Remedy Teas.  However, the beautiful tiny tin of tea cost $30 and that seemed too pricey when I only needed 1 1/2 teaspoons!  Happily, I found a bin of matcha in the bulk section of the Central Co-op and was able to buy just the right amount for the reasonable price of $0.85!  I had to transport that tea back home, however, so as to be able to use my favorite mixing bowls and pans.

The little bit of matcha that I bought from the Co-op for $0.85!  It may look like there is a lot in the bag, but that's because the inside of the bag was coated with the fine powder as it traveled from Seattle, WA to Rochester, NY.

All my ingredients ready.

Stirring in the matcha and flour.  

Not really pea-green, but definitely shiny.

Going into the oven.  I decided to make just enough for this evening and more tomorrow.

Mine didn't turn out as green as some of the pictures I saw.  Difference in the matcha?

I meant to take a picture of the split level pudding but didn't remember until it was all gone!  It was scrumptious!

There are still some posts up of other baker's Matcha Financiers.  Check them out here:  https://tuesdayswithdorie.wordpress.com/2016/03/22/bcm-lyl-matcha-financiers-or-odiles-fresh-orange-cake-2/

Odile's Fresh Orange Cake

The picture in Dorie Greenspan's book, Baking Chez Moi, is absolutely beautiful and I was delighted to bake this lovely fresh orange cake.

It was an easy cake to prepare and I enjoyed cutting up the oranges for the topping.  Dorie says you need 3 oranges--I used 2 1/2.  She's right:  you need three oranges.  While my cake looked pretty fantastic, covering the whole top would have been even more so!  I guess I'll just have to bake this one again!

Getting ready

Straining the oranges for the topping

Oranges on

A sprinkle of powdered sugar

Hot Chocolate Panna Cotta

I was hoping that this month's choices for Tuesdays with Dorie would be something that I could easily serve to a big crowd of guests.  We continue with our once-a-week soup nights and generally about 25 people have been showing up each Monday night.

I baked the Sunday in Paris cakes (my son was traveling to Paris and it seemed like the appropriate thing to bake), and they were a big hit.  But making Panna Cotta or the Soft Centered Chocolate Teacup Cakes for 25 just wasn't going to work.

Sunday in Paris Cakes

So this week I made the  Hot Chocolate Panna Cotta to take to a brunch with a few friends and it was delightful.  

Heating up the milk, cream, and cocoa

Melting the chocolate

Bubbling around the edges

The chocolate is melted and ready to be added to the cream

Allowing the gelatin to bloom

I almost forgot to take a picture of the finished Panna Cotta!  This is the last one.

We enjoyed this recipe:  my husband is a big fan of Panna Cotta and its smooth texture.

Check out the results of the other Tuesdays with Dorie bakers  here.