November 2014 Daring Bakers Challenge: Paris-Brest

The November Daring Baker’s challenge took us for a ride! Luisa from Rise of the Sourdough Preacher challenged us to make Paris-Brest, a beautiful pastry celebrating the Paris-Brest bicycle race. 

This was for me a great challenge as I always enjoy making choux pastry and everything that has to do with it. It seems though that I have to post late once more as my computer decided not to work lately.

Semlor

Yesterday it was Fat Tuesday or as it is known in French: Mardi Gras. Here in Sweden the ultimate treat on Fat Tuesday is semla, a sweet cardamom bread roll, filled with almond paste and cream. It is supposed that you eat a semla on Fat Tuesday and every Tuesday until Easter. It is so delicious, even King Adolf Frederick of Sweden died after consuming too many in the 1700's.

Every year before Fat Tuesday, bakeries, cafes and supermarkets are filled with semlor, but I couldn't resist making my own. Try it and you will not be disappointed. Accompany it with a cup of hot coffee or tea, or you can eat it like in the old times in a hetvägg, that is in a plate with hot milk around it. You will enjoy it any way you eat it.

So, here is the recipe I used:

Vanilla Pannacotta with Raspberry coulis

Valentine's day is almost here and everything is dressed in the colours and shapes of love <3. Even though it is a holiday for the shops and the restaurants I think your love deserves to be celebrated. For those of you who will make a dinner home this is a very nice dessert to finish it and super easy to make. It is as sweet as it s needed and the raspberries give it just the amount of tartness to create a nice balance. This is a basic recipe for a pannacotta that I don't remember where I found ( I use it for years) and the raspberry coulis I put it together and cooked it in Martha Stewart's way. If you find it too sour, add more sugar, because it depends on how sour is the fruit you are using. So, here is the recipe.

Chocolate terrine with praline wafer sticks

I am posting this recipe a little late, since I made it for New year’s eve but better late than never. It is once more, one of the recipes of my favourite pastry chef in Greece, Stelios Parliaros. It is very chocolatey and a little piece is enough to send the sense of your taste to another level. So, here is the recipe and the link is for the video of the recipe where Stelios Parliaros is making it.

Anders Birthday Trilogy: #1 No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake

On Sunday it was Anders birthday, so, we had a party on Saturday to celebrate among friends and family. I made strawberry cheesecake, cupcakes and nutella-chocolate balls. This cheesecake is my boyfriend’s favorite and it is also very easy to make. I have made it a few times and experimented with the ingredients, until I managed to achieve the proportions we prefer. So, here is the recipe: