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Tartelette

Tartelette
Adventures of a French pastry chef, expat in SC

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Lemon Basil Lemon Tartelettes
2009-05-08 15:54:00
I know I talk a lot about my family back home and the times, desserts and events shared over there but I also have a strong sense of my being and living here in the States, in the present moment. And I am always very aware of things coming up this fine weekend of May. It's Mother's Day. Except it does not phase my own mother much because that special day is not celebrated until the end of the month in France. However she enjoys the fact that with my being here and celebrating Bill's mom, I can't wait another two weeks to tell her anyway. And I realized while making these lemon-basil infused lemon tartelettes that there was a whole of "mothers" going into them.My mother-in-law is "mama Ruth" to me. She welcomed me to the family like a daughter and she treats me as such and never refrains anything, the good, the bad and the ugly, just like a mom does. She also has what I call a very acute "pantry 6th sense". I can be thinking that I need sugar and Bill comes home with a bag courte...
More About: Lemon , Basil

Rosemary And Apricot Shortbread Cookies
2009-05-05 07:31:00
Tada! No strawberries! I can do this. A completely strawberry free post right in the middle of the season. Didn't hurt either. Ok, maybe a little but the pain was eased by the handful of blakberries gathered today in the yard and having a batch of these Rosemary and Apricot Shortbread Cookies while working through various deadlines. Crumbly shortbread specked with freshly chopped rosemary and filled with homemade apricot jam. Sigh...there is only one left.I realized that unless I am nicely bribed by friends to make cookies, I don't usually make or post many on this site, except for macarons but they are in a league of their own. I guess cookies are not in my DNA, I am more a tea cakes, and tarts kind of gal. Bill on the other hand has the reputation among his family and friends to be The Cookie Monster. I guess this was his lucky weekend.A few weeks ago I was asked to post links back to Better Home and Gardens and specifically to their Spring Dessert and cookie recipes, as did my ...

Powdered Strawberry And Vanilla Bean Macarons
2009-05-01 07:57:00
I think I have quite possibly turned this site into an ode to strawberries just by looking at my latest posts. Hmmm...Hope you'll still tune in for one more next week and then I might tempt you with the lovely wild blackberries I see appearing on the edges of the yard. Gosh I love Spring! It would be a shame not to take advantage of what is at my fingertips and right now the fridge is about to burst with local strawberries and lemons.It seems like I have a magic fridge these days. Just when I think I am reaching the bottom of the bowl of strawberries there is another one appearing from the other side. I did find out from B. that his mom dropped off some, as did a neighbor because "{I} would know what to do with them." I did ponder that thought while I was slicing strawberries for a tart. What to do with all these ugly little end pieces that I was not going to use? That's when the idea of dried strawberries popped into my head again and how to incorporate that into another dessert,...
More About: Strawberry , Bean , Vanilla

Daring Bakers: One Cheesecake, Two Cheesecakes, Three Cheesecakes....
2009-04-27 06:28:00
I giggle everytime I look a the picture above. It's Daring Bakers time today and my Cherry Blossom Strawberry Cheesecake looks like it is smiling. Maybe it's just me as I am eating some while typing this and smiling to know there is plenty left in the fridge.And when I mean plenty, I am not exaggerating! For a household of two people this month challenge just kept on giving and we had no problem with it! We were given a simple cheesecake recipe and let loose with our creativity. If you let me loose in the kitchen on a Daring Baker's challenge this can happen, or this.It might look like I did again but really I did contain myself (no snorting Jen). Somewhat...This recipe was really straightforward and the end result was smooth, creamy and not overly sweet which I really like. I started by making the entire recipe and used half to make 4 individual cheesecakes. Two were Cherry Blossom and Strawberry Lava Cheesecakes and two were Peanut Butter topped with a chocolate ganache. I pipe...

In The Kitchen With Lemonpi
2009-04-24 07:38:00
To say that I am thrilled to have Yuie from Lemonpi guest blog today is an understatement. I am honored that she jumped right in when I asked and look at that dessert she made for the occasion!We don't know each other much outside our blog but I have been following hers for quite some time and it is always a feast for the eyes and a delight for the brain. I love her sense of humor and the girl is extremely talented. Her ideas are always fresh and her plating is exquisite. Could I have a little bit of a blog crush? Oh yes...Everytime I visit her blog I want to scream "Somebody give this gal prime position in a pastry kitchen!" She is too good to be someone's assistant!Let your eyes wander upon her latest creation and recipe right after the jump, and please tell me you agree: talent...Where is your country? he said.I dont know, said John Grady. I dont know where it is.I dont know what happens to country.--All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthyI've been feeling nervous about guest...
More About: Kitchen

Strawberry Charlottes
2009-04-20 05:22:00
I know it's really Spring when strawberry season starts around here. I think I could live on strawberries alone until the end of June! I almost did on Sunday actually. We went to friends' house for brunch and as we were talking outside on their patio, I dawned on me that it was also the weekend of the Strawberry Festival when strawberry picking really kicks off. We hopped in the car and loaded our baskets! I have already baked a couple of things with local strawberries I got both there and at the farmer's market but in the meantime I wanted to share these Strawberry Charlottes.As you can guess, the little bit of fun we had today with our friends was extremely welcome. I have to say, with last Sunday I am loving how such good weekends are giving me so much energy during the week. Welcome Spring!! Sorry Jen...we are not making snow angels in the snow but rolling in wild flowers. I keep filling the house with all sorts of buds and flowers that I find in the wood across the house. Ba...

Chocolate Mango And Coconut Cream Cake
2009-04-16 07:42:00
When others were painting eggs for Easter last week, I was busy painting a cake. Well, applying brush strokes to a birthday cake would be a more accurate description. Carol and Fifi paint, very well I might add. I just fiddle with a pastry brush because I am short on time to come up with other things to decorate this delicious Chocolate Mango And Coconut Entremet Cake .I know, I know, being short on time and making a multi layer cake does not seem right in the same sentence. Well, welcome to my logic! It's true I am not the most logical person for "real life" things although I am improving with each year that passes. The only domain for which I am extremely logical is in the kitchen and with food. Do not ask why. And just in case you needed proof let me tell you a little story...I was about 10 or 11 and learning maths and how to solve logical problems starting such as "if train A leaves the station at 11.35 and train B..." and this was about as far as my brain would register. Two tr...
More About: Cream

Cardamom and Saffron Ice Cream
2009-04-13 06:39:00
I am usually pretty excited when Mondays roll around. New week, new things happening, new people to meet and things to discover. It's never quite the same and I look forward to the things learned and observed. Except this Monday. It has been such a splendid weekend, I hardly want it to end. We did have an Easter egg hunt for the kids next door and an improvised picnic in the yard with the neighbors. It just filled me with joy, hope and laughter. An instant battery charger for the soul.I am usually in charge of desserts when we get together but this time I only had ice cream ready. Actually, I could have cut tiny pieces of what was left of a chocolate coconut and mango cake I had made but that would have been like giving an elephant a thimble to drink from. (more on the cake this week). Instead, I brought down the container of Cardamom and Saffron Ice Cream I was saving for such warm and pleasant days.If I had shown you the inside of the cabinets during Jen's Kitchen Tour series, i...

A Pavlova And A Guest
2009-04-10 18:00:00
It's "Share Your Space Friday" here again!! I am loving having guest bloggers and not only because it gives me time to frolic in the sun (ugh...no not really...!) but also because it is like having a friend stop by and share with you a bit of their day, their personality, etc... And if personality had a name, it would be Kelly from Sass and Veracity. I knew from the first post that I'd be reading forever...I think it was her post on creme brulee and I found myself almost hugging the computer screen just staring at her stove. Meeting her last Fall was the icing on the cake....if only my mom and mother in law would let me adopted by this sassy gal...sigh... She's got verbage, she's got class, she's got ethics and an amazing sense of humor. Most of all, I don't know better person to cheer anybody on in anything they venture doing.I am thrilled to have Kelly pop by and share with you this amazingly refreshing pavlova. Read on for the recipe. Now....doesn't this look amazing for S...
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Kitchen Tour Series
2009-04-09 09:00:00
B. and I are hanging out with Jen today and opening up the kitchen as part of her Kitchen Tour Series . We even got the pupps to stay still for a photo op!Head over to Use Real Butter if you want the lowdown on our kitchen and pantry space.Thank you Jen for having us over. It's been a ton of fun doing it!On another (related) note, a recipe index is finally up although not complete yet. I am slowly working on it during break times but there is already a good bit to start off with!!

Grandma's Apple Tartelettes
2009-04-07 01:55:00
I know I have kept building this up since my mother's ratatouille and wrote a couple of other things in between. Part of me is thrilled to share my grandma's apple tart with you and part of me wants to keep it inside just a little longer. It's unlike me not to share so these past few days I kept wondering why it was so dang hard to write this very simple, very humble yet delicious recipe. A simple pate sucree topped with a vanilla bean apple compote and thin slices of apples. A sprinkling of sugar.You can guess that it is just not about the tart. It's the mamie behind it and telling "her" in a few paragraphs in a blog can't possibly explain why this recipe means so much to us and why we absolutely love to make it. I am willing to try though, because I know that my grandmother is very much like yours. Comforting, simple and sometimes complex.What can I say that could possibly do justice to my grandmother's heart and personality? She was married to my grandfather for 71 years (l...
More About: Apple

Guest Blogging: Mele Cotte's Ode to Macarons
2009-04-03 06:16:00
Be ready for a sweet post today! Actually, I am leaving this space to my friend Chris while I am knee deep working on the pictures for the book (selecting just one per recipe is not that easy!!).I wish I could find three words to describe Chris, but three are never enough for that. Talented, fearless, funny, heart of gold, bad ass Doctor, Italian, smart and beautiful... See, I could go on. Did I mention generous? And crazy busy...Thus, I am so glad she gave me the gift of her time this week to come up with a post that celebrates one of my favorite foods. I can't wait for her next visit to spend another fun filled baking weekend with us and the crazy pupps! Hope you guys enjoy today's post and will take the time to thank Chris for stepping in. I will be back next week with a dessert baked with my mom during their visit. To all who have volunteered to test recipes, I have not forgotten about you. I just have to weed out some kinks in backed up files before sending assignments out to...
More About: Blogging , Guest , Mele

Mango & Vanilla Bean Buttermilk Panna Cottas
2009-03-31 06:57:00
Interesting how even past 30 years old I still want mommy when I spike a fever and walk around with a box of tissues. Wondering why I never catch a 24 hour bug or never lose my appetite when sick. Sad to see my parents leave after such good times. Amusing to see the dogs go back and forth between both bedrooms looking for them. Funny how little mishaps can turn into creamy deliciousness like these Mango And Vanilla Bean Buttermilk Panna Cottas.The morning of my parents' departure, my father and I were up before anyone else as usual. We were reminiscing about the last few weeks spent together. We like to talk food while preparing meals. Surprise, surprise! When we were kids, my father taught us how to crack and juice a coconut, introduced us to the wonders of papaya simply sprinkled with lime juice, cooked the most fabulous Osso Bucco or rice pilaf. I guess he will be my other guest blogger when they come back!This past Sunday morning, the conversation fell on the wonderful meal my ...

Raspberry Pistachio Teacakes
2009-03-27 05:27:00
Well, I guess there has to be a first for everything...This is my first time missing a Daring Bakers' challenge. Ever. In over 2 years. And does it feel weird!! But there are thousands of wonderfully executed challenges to be seen there. Just too much discombobulation here to do it justice.My mother was thrilled to see your enthusiasm regarding her ratatouille and the fear of "being out there" for others to see quickly dissipated with yet another bite of it! My parents are living on Sunday and we have been packing activities, visits, friends and family in as much as possible. All this between work, shopping and a few baking sessions of course. Mom and I did find time to bake Grandma's apple tart as well as these easy and delicious little tea cakes filled with raspberries and pistachios.One thing we never fail to do as a family is to take time for tea. When 5 o'clock rolls around, the kettle is on and the cookie tin finds its place on the table. Even miles away, this is a little "...
More About: Raspberry

Ratatouille - In The Kitchen With Mom
2009-03-24 06:15:00
I have to say that I am enjoying the extra bit of time given by my mom cooking some dinners while I can work on the usual, the new and/or the collaborated. Spring has me "springing" but as I proofread I am also in the "oh my God this is not good enough" phase....forgive my freaking out!!! Fortunately mom is here to bring my sanity back with a bowl of warm soup, a piece of cake or her delicious ratatouille.It's not often you see or will see again a savory recipe on this site but when I asked mom what she wanted to make for a guest post, she immediately replied "Je pourrais faire ma ratatouille!" (I could make my ratatouille!). "Pourquoi pas une tarte ou un gateau plutot?" (why not a tart or cake instead?). She admitted being more of savory cook than a baker and made me blush by saying that she already uses my recipes for baking so no need for a redo. But after a little nudging from you guys, we are also going to make a tart before they leave and we will do it completely together.Ind...
More About: Kitchen , Ratatouille

Violet Macarons With Violet And Vanilla Bean Buttercream
2009-03-20 06:10:00
I know, in my last post I asked you what my mom should make as an upcoming guest blogger, ratatouille or apple tart and here I am giving you macarons! Remember discombobulated? We did make the ratatouille, styled it, photographed it and ate it but it will have to wait for next post. Still trying to find time for the tart. There is actual logic behind posting these delicious, Spring colored macarons filled with violet and vanilla bean buttercream and topped with crushed violet pearl sugar.Today is the official first day of Spring. Yeah! Aren't you just loving this lighter feeling in the air? Blooms are everywhere to be seen and I keep bokmarking a ton on my Flickr favorites. I am addicted! People seem to slowly shred their winter attitude. Smiles and random acts of kindness are more frequent. I am trying to savor each day this Spring. It won't be long before we melt under the scorching heat and humidity as Summer seems to start way too soon around our parts.It is also Macaron Day i...
More About: Violet , Bean , Vanilla

Meyer Lemon Curd and Chamomille Vanilla Mousse Verrines
2009-03-16 05:11:00
Discombobulated...New favorite word. It's always a bit of a struggle getting things organized with long term guests but there has been a lot of good work getting done. A lot of good meals and good times too. My parents are happily relaxing, talking walks in town, going to the beach, reading,.. with no particular agenda or schedule. Even the pupps are learning "discombulated". There is no telling who is going to walk them, feed them, play with them. All they know is that there are 4 more hands to pet them. Bliss...Even here it is bit "sans queue ni tete", posting the raspberry mousse tarts with pink macarons before posting about the macarons first. Indeed, a couple days after my parents arrived I made a small batch of pink macarons to go along with a verrine of Meyer lemon curd and chamomille - vanilla bean mousse. Then with the leftover macarons, I made the tarts. I think the mud cake cookie sandwiches were in their right place though. Imagine that!! See...discombobulated again.Wi...
More About: Lemon , Vanilla

Guest Posting: Cannelle Et Vanille's Flickr Favorites
2009-03-13 05:04:00
A few of you have left comments wondering how I find the time to bake, work, blog with my parents here for a month. Beside needing only a few hours of sleep, I have great friends willing to jump in here for a visit with you. I feel blessed to be able to count today's guest as one of my closest friends. We email each other anywhere between 5 to 15 times a day. She sends me pictures of her lovely boy and I of my crazy puppy (weird trade I know). I laugh out loud when one of us says "I made this today" and the other writes "get out! I just did that too!!" We can talk at length about our trade and not feel like complete pedantic geeks. She is been one of pillars of humor and stress relief (with Jen and Lisa) when I start freaking out about the book and everything around it. If we were neighbors, the key would be under the mat for her to come in anytime she wants. Scratch that...The door would be wide open, the coffee press and madeleines ready to go. I hope you enjoy her wonderful vi...
More About: Flickr , Guest , Favorites

Little Time, Little Chocolate Mud Cake Cookie Sandwiches
2009-03-10 06:29:00
I can hardly believe my parents have been here a week already. Actually, I can notice it rather clearly: I only had time to make cookies this week! But these little bites of heaven were enough to keep us talking and eating for a few days! Imagine a chocolate cake with a hint of coffee sandwiched between two dark chocolate shortbread cookies and held together by a dab of chocolate ganache. The combination of textures is just perfect.A good bit of time is spent around the dinner table catching up, making plans. It's like being on vacation at home. The weather has been gorgeous and we have spent most afternoons out and about, sightseeing, catching the first flower blooms and enjoying the warm, already summer like temperatures. I hope I don't sound like a broken record with my "parent stories" but it is one of the most important things on my agenda right now. I want to write it down and share so I can remember and be reminded. It's a good break for them and a good break for me.I know...
More About: Time , Cake , Chocolate , Sandwiches , Cookie

Rapberry Mousse Tartelettes and Pink Macarons
2009-03-06 08:43:00
I can't quite tell if it is my mother's warm hugs or Spring pointing its nose that has me thinking in all shades of pinks, purple and reds lately. Greens too. Colors are starting to pop everywhere and everyone around me seem to have that awakened sense of things changing around them.I have been sneaking some work time early morning and late nights but there is one particular thing I have been looking forward to when my parents said they'd come visit: sneaking into the bed with my mom after when dad gets up. Yep, I am slightly regressing and that is all fine by me! My dad gets up early and my mom likes to linger in bed just a half hour longer. When I hear his footsteps down the stairs, I fetch him a cup of coffee, kiss him "bonjour Papa" and make a rush for the bedroom. I love the morning sun there. It kisses you just so, making you want to roll over and just enjoy.I often told my mom that I like to pick up a book and start my day with a few pages up there, in the silence of the s...
More About: Pink

White Chocolate, Vanilla Bean Cardamom Mousse and Raspberry Layers
2009-03-03 07:10:00
Hugging my mom, joking with my dad. This is pretty much all I have done in the past 24 hours. It had been a year since I last put my arms around maman and two(!) since I was able to share some fun tidbits with papa. It had never been that long but such has been life on both sides of the ocean, with timing, responsibilities, projects and happenings that we have been this long apart since I moved here. After a long delayed connecting flight and one suitcase missing, I was finally able to kiss them profusedly and start planning some fun things to do in between work and more work while they are here.Once home, we sat down to a simple meal of quiche and salad and talked for almost three hours at the dinner table. Things don't change. Time slows down a bit when they are here and I am perfectly fine with that. Today felt like a Sunday and I have no doubt that tomorrow will feel like a Saturday...When they visit, I still cook as I would for B. and myself and try to give my mom a real vacat...
More About: Raspberry , Cardamom , White , Bean , Chocolate

A Daring Bakers' Flourless Chocolate Cake....Oh The Possibilities!
2009-02-28 06:58:00
I can't believe today is the last day of February! This month has flown by! Tomorrow, my parents will be here. March will be filled with more deadlines, assignments and anticipation of things to come. End of the month? Well, that must mean another Daring Bakers ' challenge. Yes indeed! A Flourless Chocolate Cake to be precise. And ice cream...hmmhmmm.As I do with many of the challenges, I read the recipe and walked away. I like to look at the structure of recipes and think about how I could play with them. This one was perfect for some afternoon fun in the kitchen. I like to take out molds and baking pans and ponder about how to make a recipe work with what I have on hand but I really had little time lately to play as much as I would have wanted to (manuscript due in about a month!). Once the cake batter was made, I divided it up in different ways: square silicone molds, round cake rings and a half sheet pan. For the ice cream, my MO these days is "one recipe-several applications" ...

Savory Tartelettes: In The Kitchen At Design*Sponge
2009-02-27 14:01:00
I live for the little things in life, the simple and little things that are enough to make us happy and brighten our day. Being contacted by Kristina, one of the editors of Design *Sponge was definitely one of them. I think I read her email about four times saying out loud "You would like to do a "In The Kitchen " feature with me?", "vraiment?", really? I love Design*Sponge, I love the articles, the features, the styles. I have discovered so many great talents and artists that I felt a little very nervous participating.Kristina asked if I could create something savory for the feature, to give their readers a bit of a change. Hmmmm....even if you are new here, it won't take long to notice that there is not one bit of savory on this blog...It's pastry, pastry and more pastry. It took about five seconds for me to decide I was going to make: savory tartelettes! After the initial nervousness disappeared, I did start to look forward to baking and photographing a savory item. I know, I kno...
More About: Savory

Strawberry Vanilla Ice Cream & Strawberry Thyme Shortbreads
2009-02-24 06:34:00
We have a winner! Beside the winning combination of Strawberry Ice Cream and Strawberry Thyme Shortbreads Cookies, I am happy to announce that Maryann from Finding La Dolce Vita is the winner of The Baker's Odyssey! Congrats Maryann! Shoot me an email with your address and the book is on it way!I realized last evening when someone called to hire B's band at the last minute for today that it was Mardi Gras! Ah! As a kid it was one of my favorite celebration in the year because I'd get to dress up and I loved to play dress up...ask my mother. I think I just about drove her crazy most years but she knew how much I loved becoming someone completely different even for just a day. So "Bon Mardis Gras" to anybody celebrating!This past weekend I had the opportunity to play dress up. A different kind though. I played the adult, hardcore. I held the hand of a person in pain and massaged her back. I read her stories and cooked dinner. I did someone else's laundry and folded someone else's...
More About: Vanilla Ice , Vanilla

Profiteroles With Chartreuse Ice Cream & A Book Giveaway
2009-02-20 20:11:00
(For the book giveaway, scroll down to the end of this post)I am really excited to introduce you to Anita from Married With Dinner as my guest blogger this weekend. When I first started blogging, there weren't as many blogs to get lost into captivated by delicious recipes and lovely photos. One lucky day 3 years ago, I landed on Anita's blog and I could not stop reading, still can't. We virtually met around a box of macarons and I can't wait for the day I bake a batch with her. As their "about" page states, "Married ?with dinner chronicles the continuing adventures of a couple of San Francisco food dorks. Cameron and Anita are both professional writers, amateur cooks, cocktail geeks, and avid diners." I am always in admiration of their mixology knowledge and creations, as well as their awareness of local artisans, food and produce. I can't wait for the day we meet when we can celebrate life and friendship around a good meal.When Tartelette asked me to take a turn at posting, I ...
More About: Ice Cream , Book , Cream

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