Hello hello! What’s this? It’s not Monday, you say! Well, I wanted to drop a wee mid-week entry to share some of my favorite recent bakes!
Item 1: Hazelnut blackberry macarons! I experimented with using different nut flours for macarons, and thankfully was met with success! Since I was just playing around, the hazelnut flour I used was pretty course and had specks. Generally speaking I’d look for a smoother finish, but I’m gonna go with calling them “rustic” and saying it’s a win. The flavor was very nice! Earthier than almond, but I loved it.
Considering how well this went, I’d like to try some other variations and see how they do. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a pecan macaron before, and I have to admit that sounds intriguing. You’ll be first to know how my experiments go!
I’m also figuring out more about food photography, and finally got around to building a light box. What do you think, better right?
Secondly, a scrumptious pumpkin pie with toasted pecans and rum whipped cream. I actually made this for my family during my Germany trip. Pumpkin pie is not well known at all over there, so I was curious to see their reactions. The verdict was overwhelmingly positive with the adults, though one of the kids seemed put off by the idea of pumpkin in a dessert. Since that’s pretty unusual in Europe, I say fair enough! I’m just pleased he gave it a try.
My toddler cousin, though, packed away two slices. Go figure!
I did like how the presentation turned out, and the rum chantilly was right up my alley. I’m working on developing this into a recipe for the blog, so keep a lookout!
