LEMON TART

I made these for a client for her dinner party.  Lemon is one of my favorite flavors for a dessert.  Here is my recipe for Lemon Curd.  I use a combination of regular lemons and Meyer lemons.  This gives your curd a little sweeter less acidic flavor.

LEMON CURD
12 Large Eggs
12 Large Egg Yolks
2 Cups Sugar
1 Cup Meyer Lemon Juice (fresh)
1 Cup Lemon Juice (fresh)
1/2 Cup Lemon Zest (fresh)
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
8 Ounces Unsalted Butter (prefer Plugra)

1.  Whisk the eggs and yolks together in a saucepan. 
2.  Zest the lemons before you squeeze the juice from them.  Rub the zest into the sugar.
3.  Add the zest, sugar, lemon juices, and salt to the saucepan with the egg mixture.
4.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches 180 degrees.  Remove from heat and strain through a fine mesh strainer.
5.  Let the mixture cool to 130 degrees then add the butter in pieces while mixing with an immersion blender.
6.  Cover with plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming.  Refrigerate overnight.
Note:  3 re hydrated gelatin sheets can be added to the curd while it is still warm.  Stir them in well.  This is useful in the event you want to use the curd in a larger tart that will be cut into slices and served on buffet etc.

Place the curd into a pre-baked tart shell and smooth the surface. Place 4 raspberries in the middle and whipped cream around the edge.  Garnish with a white chocolate chard.

PEANUT BUTTER CREAM COOKIES

These cookies are addicting and a little more work than a scoop and bake cookie but well worth the time.

Peanut Butter Filling
1 1/2 Cups Smooth Peanut Butter such as Skippy or Jiff
1 Cup Sifted Powdered Sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla

Mix the peanut butter and powdered sugar together.  If the powdered sugar does not completely dissolve into the peanut butter to make a smooth paste put it in the microwave for 15 seconds and stir.  Add the vanilla and stir it in.  Set aside.

Use your favorite shortbread cookie recipe and cut out cookies using a 1 1/2" biscuit cutter.  Before baking make a small indentation in the center of the cookie with your thumb.

Once the cookies are baked dip the bottoms in tempered milk chocolate or milk coating chocolate.  Let dry.

Using a #100 truffle scoop, place a ball of peanut butter filling in the center of each cookie.  Flatten slightly so the filling comes about 1/4" from the edge of the cookie.

Put the cookies on a glazing rack and pour tempered milk chocolate or milk chocolate coating over them to cover the filling and cookie completely. 

Sprinkle some chopped salted peanuts in the center of each cookie.

Best eaten at room temperature and can be stored in the refrigerator.

COLE'S BIRTHDAY CAKE

This cake was for a special little boy turning 10 and it was made to reflect all of his interests, i.e. X-box video game, baseball, football, army guns etc.  When I delivered the cake he was on his way home from a baseball game and was running late so I didn't get to see his reaction. 

It was a fun cake to make.  My favorite element is the baseball and football border I made for the second tier. 
The flavors were chocolate cake, hazelnut crunch and chocolate mousse.

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY



Decorated Heart Cookies & a Fudgey Brownie

 I'm a day late posting these cookies for Valentines Day.  I do have a good reason!!  I was spending the day with my husband who is my number one Valentine.  He had the day off so we decided to spend as much of it together as possible.  We went to a very late lunch, did a little shopping, and went to see the movie The Vow.  I think it is important to set aside at least one day a week to re-connect with him and our day this week just happened to be on Valentine's Day.

All Bagged Up & Ready To Go

PASTRY CHEF IN TRAINING

My friend Velvet brought her granddaughter over to meet me. She really wants to become a pastry chef so I thought I would show her how to do a few things. She is a very quick study and what a personality!! I loved her and believe she will be able to do whatever she wants in life including becoming a pastry chef. We will probably see her someday on the food network, and oh by the way her name is Julia. What a natural!!

CASSIDY'S 10TH BIRTHDAY CAKE

Another fun topsy turvy cake for an adorable 10 year old.  Her favorite colors are purple, yellow, and pink and she loves polka dots.  Her mom surprised her with this cake and her eyes almost popped out when I brought the cake into her party.  That's why I do what I do.

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY 2011

I made these fun 4th of July cookies.  My husband said they looked like fireworks!!