Italian almond star cookies

One of the best things about the holidays has got to be the cookies!  I love thinking about, looking at, making, eating, and sharing all the colorful, festive, lovingly decorated cookies we conjure up. 

I think you'll agree that this is the time of year when we pull out all the stops - out come the cookie cutters, the star tips and piping bags, the sprinkles, frosting, candied cherries, nuts, and all sorts of other embellishments.  It's just a fun time to savor!

As much as I love French patisseries, when it comes to Christmas, I think of Italian-American bakeries and those festive cookie platters wrapped in cellophane and ribbon that are ready to be brought to someone's home.  Growing up in Brooklyn, I would pass by many of these bakeries and admire their cookies.  So when I was thinking about trying one or two new holiday cookie recipes (new to me, at least), I tend to think along the lines of those Italian-American offerings.  So now, here's another one I can recommend: almond star cookies.

These cookies are like a mix between classic butter cookies (like the ones from the blue tins) and almond paste cookies.  I'd say it's like 60% butter cookie and 40% almond. They are quite similar to the Italian-American butter cookies I posted last year except these have almond paste in them.  If you love almond paste as much as I do, I think you'd expect deep flavor as well as moisture and a little chewiness from it in your baked goods.  True to form, it does that for these cookies.  

I dare say my family and I prefer these cookies over the plain butter ones.  The little guy was practically shoving them into his mouth at an alarming rate so I'm glad even a half-recipe made a lot (about 40) since they were so popular.  I shared some of this batch with a friend of mine.  She told me she especially loved them because they were soft as opposed to hard, like she's used to when she buys them from a bakery.  These cookies are buttery and almond-y, softer than what you'd expect, and with a slight chew, thanks to the almond paste. 

The recipe for these cookies comes from Saveur though my version is somewhat different since I made a few changes to suit my needs.  I reluctantly omitted the kirsch since I don't have it, and added a splash of almond extract.  And instead of maraschino cherries, I used candied cherries (sliced in half) on mine.  I also opted to make thumbprint impressions on some and filled them with a swirl of chocolate ganache.  I love Ferrera bakery in NYC's Little Italy and they have cookies topped with a round of piped chocolate ganache that always looks so good, so here is my take on it.

I don't know if I'll have time to try any other 'new' cookie recipes since there are many family-favorites to make but I'm glad I finally tried these since I'd bookmarked the recipe for years now.  I have a feeling I'll be making them again.

Chocolate eclairs

I made chocolate eclairs!  I've been wanting to make eclairs for a long time and these were one of my baking projects during the holiday break.  It was an interesting experience and I was happy that they ultimately turned out (quite deliciously, but it took two attempts) and we were able to enjoy them with my sister and her family during a relaxing little after-Christmas dinner at our place.

Eclairs filled with chocolate pastry cream and topped with ganache

Here's the story: Over a year ago, I made pate a choux and used it to make cream puffs and profiteroles.  They turned out nicely and I was pretty proud of myself.  I wanted to make eclairs next; after all, it's the same dough and all I'd have to do is make pastry cream and either a ganache or chocolate glaze for the topping - things I've done before.  But there was something about the idea of making eclairs (and even making cream puffs and profiteroles again) that seemed daunting and I put it off, and off.  I was reluctant for some reason...and I may now know why.

Maybe we sometimes have a gut feeling about these things.  I was worried about something - I thought maybe it was the steps involved or about wielding that piping bag with my naturally shaky hands.  Turns out...it was the dough!  The dough that should be simplicity to make and involving just a few ingredients.  

I made the pate a choux dough following the same recipe I used successfully last time and it turned out...watery!  I just stared at it, a little shocked because this kind of fail doesn't happen very often.  That's not because I'm "good" but because I'm a bit of a control-freak; I know what I like, and I research and pick reliable recipe sources.

Well, there was absolutely no way I could pipe the dough that sat in front of me; it was almost as thin as the consistency of soup and ran right through the pastry tip. What did I do?  I tried to fix it by placing it in the fridge and giving it some serious whipping with my wooden spoon every so often to see if it would stiffen up.  

I then remembered that the last time I made the dough for those cream puffs, I'd noted that the dough was thinner than I expected!  Looks like I was lucky last time! So while I was awaiting the fate of that watery dough, I started thinking maybe I should use less eggs.  But then I looked around some more...and consulted Dorie's latest cookbook (Jo's chouquettes recipe instructions helped me, too) and realized that I needed to cook the dough longer on the stove, on the heat, to remove the liquid from the dough to dry it out!  Not doing that was what made the pate a choux runny! I love David Lebovitz, the source for the recipe I used, but the instructions did not cite that.  

I decided to abandon that first attempt (the dough had thickened some but no where near enough and I didn't hold much hope for it) and make another batch.  By cooking the dough on the heat a couple of extra minutes, I had a wonderfully thick dough that was a world of difference from my first attempt!  It's a good thing I only sacrificed half a stick of butter and a couple of eggs for the re-do! 

So that was the little drama behind my eclair-making experience.  I feel really good about it after the fact because I learned something!  I also no longer feel a weird reluctance at the thought of making eclairs or pate a choux!

Dark chocolate pastry cream

After all that back story, we can finally talk about these actual eclairs!  They were worth the drama because these little eclairs were not only fun to look at but also so easy - and delicious - to eat!  

As you've clearly seen from all the pictures I threw in as backdrop to my story, I was true to form and went with a chocolate pastry cream for my eclairs.  While a vanilla pastry cream would be very good (I might try that), I can never get enough chocolate and that's just a plain fact for me.

Topped with chocolate ganache, I decided to sprinkle some of the eclairs with pistachios after Nigella reminded me that any cake becomes instantly more beautiful garnished with it.  I think she's right and the same goes for eclairs.  Interestingly enough, I think the eclairs tasted all the better with that bit of crunch and flavor!

My little batch of chocolate eclairs disappeared quickly at the dinner table that night I served them...and there is no better feeling!

Vanilla bean macarons with ganache filling

One of the benefits of starting this little blog 3 years ago is learning to make many things I'd otherwise buy. I've discovered lots of great recipes and I'm constantly craving something I've made before and itching to get in the kitchen to make it again.

Learning to make macarons has been one of the more memorable challenges.   It's not necessarily hard but a little unpredictable.  The learning process was a drawn-out one of trial and error (with a change in oven thrown in the midst) and to this day, I never know how a batch will turn out.  But, ironically enough, doing this blog has loosened me up a lot in the last few years.  I don't stress about things turning out perfectly (because they don't and you need to do things for the joy of it) though I'm obviously hopeful for a tasty outcome.  And with macarons, every time we spend $2.50-$3.00 buying one of them, I think to myself: I've got to make a batch so I don't get rusty! 

I won't be so silly as to compare my homemade macarons with the ones at the pastry shop but boy, you save so much money making them yourself - and a girl has to be practical sometimes!  Honestly, they taste great even if they don't turn out with perfect feet or in one uniform size.  

At home, I stick with the basics (chocolate, coffee, pistachio, etc.) and this time, I decided to make "plain" vanilla bean macarons with my default filling, chocolate ganache.  I attempted to fill some with strawberry preserves (and really, the almond-vanilla macaron shells are great to fill with just about any flavors you like) but I found it too thin as a macaron filling.  It's curious because I've often seen fruit jams as an option for macaron filling but I'm starting to think you'd need to reduce/thicken it a bit first, or stir it into some white chocolate ganache.  My mind always reverts to chocolate.

Macarons always make me think of Ladurée, the Parisian house where it all started. About 2 years ago, a Ladurée boutique opened in midtown Manhattan and earlier this year, another opened in Soho.  This location in Soho is not only a boutique but also a tea salon/restaurant.  Needless to say, I've been wanting to go and my fellas and I finally had a lovely breakfast there recently.

Living in New Jersey, we try to hop into Manhattan some weekends to do a little exploring and eating.  On this recent weekend morning, I had to be in the city for another appointment and having a quiet, early breakfast at Ladurée sounded like a great option since that rather-rambunctious 9-year old of ours would be in attendance.  We had tea, hot chocolate, croissants, breads, and dessert!  We had a lot to cover on my first sit-down visit.  And my, I had a lovely time - a better time than I expected, actually. Ladurée is a place that is somehow at once both whimsical and sophisticated.  I loved the ambiance and their signature color palette of pastels.  If I could convince someone to sell me those plates and cups, I would be in heaven.  

The visit to Ladurée definitely encouraged me to go home and "whip up" a batch macarons for myself.  

Almond-hazelnut cupcakes with ganache frosting

I don't make cupcakes very often but once in a while, I do get the urge.  I had all the ingredients I needed on hand so I decided to make these almond-hazelnut cupcakes with my favorite frosting - chocolate ganache - on top.  I kind of think that if I were a cupcake, I'd be something like this...a little nutty and full of semisweet chocolate flavor. 

I'm usually all about the cake and not a big fan of buttercream frosting,  icing, glazes and the like. But chocolate ganache is the exception.  That velvety smooth chocolate is hard for me to resist. Just stirring the cream and chocolate together, seeing that puddle of chocolate come together, and getting a whiff of that scent is like therapy for me.  And it tastes so good!

So in some ways, these cupcakes were an excuse for me to make and have some ganache frosting. And I'm happy to report that it all worked according to plan.  My husband and I really enjoyed these. The cupcakes are made with a combination of ground almonds and hazelnuts (two of my favorites), giving them interesting texture and flavor. The cupcakes themselves are relatively light, thanks in part to folding some beaten egg whites into the batter to lift them up.  I do realize I'm talking about cake and sugar so "light" is a relative term here but as far as cupcakes go, they are moist and spongy, not overly rich so they paired well as a balance to the decadent ganache on top.  

This is my kind of frosting!

The ganache frosting does hog a lot of the attention and take over a bit when you eat these cupcakes.  I'm totally okay with that.  For a more delicate touch, you could go with a fluffier butter-based dark chocolate frosting (part of the original recipe, actually) but I'm all for ganache, all the time.

* I'd like to send a "thank-you" over to Shannon at A Periodic Table.  As I was enjoying these very cupcakes with my husband a little over a week ago, she literally posted a recipe for almond cupcakes with ganache and said she had me in mind!  Thank you, Shannon!  Shannon's site is one of a treasured group of food blogs I've had the pleasure of discovering in the last year or so.  Thanks to her and many of you, I'm constantly being inspired and educated.  I eat better because of you and I'm not just sitting here talking to myself (like I figured I always would be) on this blog because of it, too.  Thank you all for stopping by occasionally and for your kind words and virtual pats on the back. I really appreciate it!  : )

Chocolate macarons - the final saga

The time has come for me to complete my chocolate macaron saga.

It all started last November with my very first attempt, which I dubbed a "delicious disaster" (those looked bad).  The second time around, they came out a little better but still a far cry from how they should be.  After those two tries, I learned a lot and did more research plus I got a properly working oven (the lighter needed to be replaced).  Subsequently, I successfully made coffee, hazelnut, and pistachio flavor macarons, with lovely "feet" to boot.  Now my chocolate macaron "trilogy" comes to an end with this batch...though I do fully intend to make chocolate macarons again since my family and I love to eat them.

Maybe it's my imagination but is there something about chocolate macarons in particular that makes them harder to master?  Is there some tricky chemical balance/imbalance between the cocoa powder and almonds?  It can't be but though I finally got a good batch of chocolate macarons after three tries, they still seemed a bit shaky, the foot a little less self-assured, than the other flavors I've made.  Maybe I'm just over-sensitive when it comes to chocolate macarons...

I'm still a little amazed by how finicky yet easy macarons can be to make.  But it's very satisfying to make a successful batch.  I love making my own where I get that lovely chewy texture that I love (we eat them within a couple of days so they don't have a chance to get too soft).  These chocolate macarons were delicious.  I filled them with my favorite, standby and simple chocolate ganache, and no one had any complaints. 

Pistachio macarons

Today, March 20th, 2012, is not only the first day of Spring but also Macaron Day in NYC.  I admit that I am far too lazy to participate in the actual event but I'm celebrating the occasion here with another macaron post.

This time, my French macaron-making continues with some pistachio macarons.  I'm really getting the hang of it.  I'm no longer slightly nervous about the prospect of making these.  Instead, I feel calm and ready, and the process is beginning to have a familiar rhythm to it.  So after successfully tackling the coffee and hazelnut flavors, I made pistachio ones.  I placed a few of them (below) in a gift box that I got from Ladurée, the iconic macaron maker.  I sometimes hold on to boxes as a memento.  It goes without saying that mine are no where near as good as theirs (that's laughable) but a girl can pretend.

The beauty of making macarons is you can essentially use one main recipe that works for you and tweak it for various flavors.  With pistachio, I used an equal mix of ground pistachios and almonds in the batter.  You can't really tell but I did use some food coloring (first time with macarons) to tint them a little green.  That was the intention but if there's one thing that does turn me off about macarons is when they have an artificially intense, almost neon-like, color to them.  So I tried to avoid that at all cost.  You can see the tinge of green in the wet batter but after baking, the color is more golden.  I could've used more of my green gel paste coloring but I'm satisfied with the results.  You really don't need to color them at all. 

In "real life," the macaron shells already have a subtle, natural tinge of green to them from the ground pistachios and you can see little specks of it on the surface.  Sprinkling some chopped pistachios on top of some of the shells is an easy garnish to show what they are.  Plus, it adds a bit of flavor.

I've mentioned before that I've decided to pair macarons I make with chocolate ganache.  That's because I love chocolate and I'm not generally a fan of buttercream.  Plus, I just don't have the skill to pull off a really good buttercream like the professional ones that blend so seamlessly with the shells. 

However, here's the thing about macarons.  Their flavor comes heavily from the filling.  I mean, we're really talking about a meringue cookie here so the overwhelming flavor coming from the macaron shells is sweetness - or sugar.  That's particularly the case if you're using pure almonds, which is rather mild.  The nuts (in this case, pistachios) do impart a distinct flavor but the filling can really go a long way towards underscoring and heightening the flavor or add something special if you want to get really creative.  I used semisweet chocolate for the ganache and added a light layer of filling so as not to completely overwhelm the pistachio shells.  But we love chocolate, period, so this works beautifully for us.

My son devoured that "macaron ice-cream sandwich" I made last time so I did play around again this time.  His had vanilla ice-cream (there is one particular brand of vanilla ice-cream he favors; otherwise, it's chocolate everything).  My husband and I shared the chocolate one you see above.  Since realizing macaron shells freeze well, I'm experimenting with it and have a couple in the freezer that I plan to defrost and use at a later date.  I'll let you know how that works out...