Pastry with Jenn

June 7, 2013 Post a Comment

Patrick Roger Chocolate

This post is one of many documenting my week in Paris, a present to myself for graduating pastry school in the fall of 2012. Every moment was spent eating and one post wasn’t enough. It’s now a short novel. Kidding. I hope.

Staying in an apartment a mere couple of blocks from Patrick Roger’s chocolate shop was such a treat. Every time I passed by I was tempted to press my face up against the window to admire these chocolate hippo sculptures. Patrick Roger is the artist behind these creations. He treats chocolate like a raw material that can he transforms organically into life-size models or with incredible precision to make truffles and bars.

May 21, 2013 11 Comments

Bouchon Bakery: Palet d’Or

The gold disk or palet d’or is a rich chocolate dessert made up of alternating layers of cake and chocolate cream, covered in a chocolate glaze. So yes, A LOT of chocolate. Traditionally a few flecks of gold leaf are placed on top, hence the d’or part of the name. It was the first recipe out of the Bouchon Bakery cookbook where I felt like the challenge was more in the execution and presentation rather than the technique.

May 17, 2013 Post a Comment

Blé Sucré Citrus-Glazed Madeleines

I’m on a madeleine kick having made four different versions recently, determined to find a good recipe. I’ve never been fond of madeleines because they were so dry, that is until I had one from Ble Sucre in Paris. Fortunately the recipe is available courtesy of Bon Appetit Magazine and last year’s Paris issue with a cover shot of baguettes so delicious, I bought the magazine because of that.

May 8, 2013 Post a Comment

Gelato in Italy

In Paris I seek out macarons. In Italy, it’s gelato. Any excuse I had to stop for a 1-2 euro scoop I’d take it. Pre-dinner snack, post-dinner palette cleanser, or because I successfully got through a mob of tourists, time for gelato. Its so refreshing in the middle of the hot summer and there is nothing like the creamy, rich custard. Sorry froyo.

Having been to Italy twice now, it’s a game of mine seeing how many flavors I can try each trip. My latest count is 17 flavors in 2 weeks traveling from northern to southern Italy. Because it’s been unseasonably warm in San Francisco, I thought I’d reminisce and share my favorites from Rome, Tuscany and Cinque Terre.

May 8, 2013 Post a Comment

Bouchon Bakery: Madeleines

Photo courtesy: Valerie Lu

I was pleasantly surprised with the pistachio madeleines I made from the Bouchon Bakery cookbook so I decided to try out the traditional madeleines for my sister’s bridal shower dessert table.