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Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Handmade Chocolate Truffles


This holiday season I am offering 5 varieties of truffles and you can order just one flavour or up to all 5 kinds. I start by making a ganache, made with top quality chocolate and cream, then I vary the flavours by adding different excellent ingredients.
"Mocha Truffles" are a perfect blend of rich chocolate and coffee flavours.

"Peppermint Truffles" are not only flavoured with real peppermint extract, but are studded and rolled in bits of crushed peppermint candy - yum!

"Hazelnut Truffles" - think high end Nutella!

"Grand Marnier Truffles" - the liqueur made with true cognacs and distilled essence of bitter orange makes this truffle extraordinary.

"Praline Truffles" - first I make praline by cooking sugar into candy and stirring in almonds. Then I chop the praline and stir it into the chocolate ganache and roll the finished truffle into the chopped praline. These are my favourites!

My handmade truffles are a really special gift for friends and family and are available year-round in boxes of 15 or more.  Contact me to discuss pricing.

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Bûche de Noël

The origins of the bûche de Noël, or yule log, may be traced to celebrations of the winter solstice. On this night, the longest of the year, logs were brought indoors and burned in the hearth, not only for warmth, but to symbolize the sun's return. This beautiful dessert will wow your guests when you place it on the holiday table, but the best reaction you will get will be when they take their first bite!
My delicious bûche de Noël starts with a delicate Chocolate Génoise cake rolled around my spectacular Milk Chocolate Mousse. The log is glazed in Bittersweet Chocolate Ganache and Bittersweet Chocolate Splinters and decorated with Sugared Rosemary and Meringue Mushrooms.  This dessert will provide a generous slice to approximately 15 people. 


Contact me early to discuss pricing and to guarantee this outstanding dessert makes it onto your holidays table!

Friday, November 5, 2010

80th Birthday Cake with Gum Paste Flowers


When Patricia contacted me to make her mother's 80th birthday cake, I was thrilled for the honour.  It wasn't a large gathering, so a simple one tiered cake was requested, cream coloured with coral flowers.  It was a joy to design and create these flowers, leaves and berries; all crafted from gum paste and brushed with petal dusts.  I placed them atop the smooth Swiss Meringue Buttercream cake and was thrilled with the final outcome.

Happy Birthday Sophie - and may you have many more happy and healthy years!

Monday, November 1, 2010

Monkey Cake for Lucas!


Sweet Lucas turned one and a delicious and extremely special cake was in order.  After a consultation, Lucas' mom and dad decided that this super cute monkey design (inspired by Whipped Bakeshop) was perfect for their "little monkey"!  The flavour for this two tiered cake was double almond (dense almond cake, almond dacquoise, apricot preserves and rum Swiss meringue buttercream) and the cake was decorated with chocolate and vanilla fondant circles, stripes and monkeys!


Of course, children would be in attendance and they needed something special too!  These adorable mini chocolate cupcakes were frosted in chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream and topped with chocolate and vanilla fondant monkeys, in keeping with the theme.

Lucas' mother was thrilled with the outcome and told me "the cake was delicious!  It was definitely a highlight of the party, and had my guests talking."  It was a pleasure to create such a sweet cake for such a sweet boy.  Happy birthday, Lucas!