Pumpkin Season

After a hot summer, I always welcome the cooler, fresher air of Autumn.  These Roasted Pumpkin Macarons get me in the Thanksgiving mood.  After hand-piping thousands of macarons, I still love making this classic confection, but I must admit that I'm not the hugest fan of eating them.  I grew up on American style cookies, both homemade and of the boxed variety, so my palate craves a more intense crunch and chew than a tender, delicate macaron can offer.

That being said, I do love these macarons.  Filled with a fall-spiced pumpkin ganache with lightly bruleed cheeks, their cinnamon-y warmth makes them the perfect pairing for a hot apple cider.  When making your next batch of macarons, try kissing the surface with the flame of a blowtorch for an added roasty-smokey flavor that also cuts their inherent sweetness.  Just be sure to space them out on a non flammable surface beforehand, like a marble or stainless table.  As you can see from the photo below, I tried to get away with torching them on the paper lined sheet tray.  Needless to say, I learned my lesson.

Funny Looking Cake

Of the many things I love about pastry & desserts and all the techniques involved, I think I might enjoy the act of piping the most.  It is at once practical and artful and is, I believe, a mark of a skilled pastry chef.  Of course, having the correct (and sometimes expensive) tools on hand can make even amateurs look like they've been piping for years.

One such tool is the "sultan".  At about $30 and made of strong polycarbonate, it looks like a  wide mouth fluted tip with an inverted cone protruding from the center.  The prongs that hold the cone in place are set near the middle of the shaft so as not to interfere with the medium in the bag.  The simple act of piping  whipped cream using the kiss* method yields a striking, almost barnacle shaped garnish.

For a recent order, I wanted this chocolate mousse cake, layered with pistachio financier and caramel marshmallows, to also be decorated with flavors corresponding with the interior.  A smooth glaze of chocolate gave me a dark blank canvas from which to work.   Using the sultan tip, random and clustered droppings of green tinted pistachio cream lay the "sculpted" groundwork to the design.  The donut shape of the cream also serves as a vessel into which I dispense gooey salted caramel.  Pure white dots of white chantilly, piped with a plain round tip, add contrast and help to fill in some of the gaps.  A sparing sprinkling of pistachios and caramelized white chocolate pearls add an elegant finishing touch.

This tip is also popular with those who make "religeuses", where it easily creates a collar to connect the smaller globe of pâte à choux to its larger base.

*With the pastry bag and tip perpendicular to the cake or piping surface, dispense a dot of chosen medium with even pressure.  As your hand pulls straight up away from the cake, release pressure until the medium tails off to a point.  The finished pipe should resemble a Hershey's Kiss.

First Croquembouche

One might wonder how a pastry chef of so many years can go an entire career thus far without ever making a croquembouche (outside of school, of course).  As my wilting arms struggled to delicately maneuver the 38" tall tower of cream puffs to an off-site wedding venue, I completely understood why.  Because it's a pain in the a**!!  From the time consuming task of dipping each puff, to the next time consuming task of filling them, to the eye-crossing business of dipping & glueing them into place, to the hair-pulling anxiety of making sure the thing gets to where it's supposed to be in one piece.... honestly, no thank you.  Not only is it stressful and tedious, it's a burden on the body too; think sore back, neck kinks, and the "no way around it" burnt fingertips.

Funnily enough, as soon as the tower was put into place and ready for the party, all that previous angst just melted away.  And that's what true satisfaction can do... it makes everything worth it.

My version veers from the ultra classic in that it doesn't sit on a sugary nougatine pedestal, but instead on and around a foam base and cone plastered with the bakery's logo.  I felt this would drastically limit any possibility of collapse during transport, as well as afford us a little branding opportunity.

The amber baubles of caramel choux were set into 

demi-sphere silicone molds after dipping, which gave them their bon bon-like sheen.  This technique also keeps the shape of each puff more uniform and round.

If you've never made one, or it's just been a really long time since, go for it.  Just do a few push ups and arm curls first.

Sweet Hearts

"Cray cray adorbs!".  Those were the words uttered when one of my cooks spotted the multiple trays of these Valentine macarons.  I must say I have to agree!  We make A LOT of macarons at the bakery, so why not make heart-shaped ones too?  And while we're at it, why not stencil little love notes on them?  And while we're STILL at it, why not stack them on a bed of pink krinkeleen and put a bow on it?

We used a chablon to help us pipe the same chubby heart shape every time.  And just as every hipster has a tattoo "guy", we have a laser cutting "gurl" who helped us make itty bitty font stencils.  These "petits coeurs" also make great cake decorations, seen below on our "gateau for two".  Who's gonna be YOUR lucky Valentine??

"American Pie" Éclair Collection

I wouldn't blame you if you were to tell me you're sick of seeing éclairs on this blog.  I just can't help it!  Last one of the year, I promise!  There really is no end to the "playtime" one can have with this pastry.
For this holiday season, we are showcasing a collection of American pie inspired éclairs: fluffy lemon meringue, spiced apple (with requisite lattice garnish), sweet-salty pecan, and creamy key lime.  Of course, we will also be offering the traditional 9" crust variety, but these éclairs will definitely stand out on the Thanksgiving table.