Some cakes I've done

My first wedding cake! It was a project in baking class:

And a cake I did for my mother's collegue last summer:

A scientific birthday

About a month ago I was asked to make a cake for the 50th anniversary of Bell Science Fair. They wanted a cake for around 30 people that would be impressive on television and picture. I was inspired by their different logos.

DB challenge #1: Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies or....Whippets?!?

The July Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Nicole at Sweet Tooth. She chose Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies and Milan Cookies from pastry chef Gale Gand of the Food Network.

It was my first Daring Bakers Challenge and what a surprise: I had to make Whippets. Those marshmallow cookies are really popular In Québec where I live and have been a favourite of "québécoise" family for over 50 years!

Here is the recipe:

Mallows(Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies)

• 3 cups (375grams/13.23oz) all purpose flour

• 1/2 cup (112.5grams/3.97oz) white sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder

• 3/8 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 12 tablespoons (170grams/ 6 oz) unsalted butter

• 3 eggs, whisked together

• Homemade marshmallows, recipe follows

• Chocolate glaze, recipe follows

1. In a mixer with the paddle attachment, blend the dry ingredients.

2. On low speed, add the butter and mix until sandy.

3. Add the eggs and mix until combine.

4. Form the dough into a disk, wrap with clingfilm or parchment and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.

5. When ready to bake, grease a cookie sheet or line it with parchment paper or a silicon mat.

6. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

7. Roll out the dough to 1/8-inch thickness, on a lightly floured surface. Use a 1 to 1 1/2 inches cookie cutter to cut out small rounds of dough.

8. Transfer to the prepared pan and bake for 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Let cool to room temperature.

9. Pipe a “kiss” of marshmallow onto each cookie. Let set at room temperature for 2 hours.

10. Line a cookie sheet with parchment or silicon mat.

11. One at a time, gently drop the marshmallow-topped cookies into the hot chocolate glaze.

12. Lift out with a fork and let excess chocolate drip back into the bowl.

13. Place on the prepared pan and let set at room temperature until the coating is firm, about 1 to 2 hours.

Note: if you don’t want to make your own marshmallows, you can cut a large marshmallow in half and place on the cookie base. Heat in a preheated 350-degree oven to slump the marshmallow slightly, it will expand and brown a little. Let cool, then proceed with the chocolate dipping.

Homemade marshmallows:

• 1/4 cup water

• 1/4 cup light corn syrup

• 3/4 cup (168.76 grams/5.95oz) sugar

• 1 tablespoon powdered gelatin

• 2 tablespoons cold water

• 2 egg whites , room temperature

• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. In a saucepan, combine the water, corn syrup, and sugar, bring to a boil until “soft-ball” stage, or 235 degrees on a candy thermometer.

2. Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water and let dissolve.

3. Remove the syrup from the heat, add the gelatin, and mix.

4. Whip the whites until soft peaks form and pour the syrup into the whites.

5. Add the vanilla and continue whipping until stiff.

6. Transfer to a pastry bag.

Chocolate glaze:

• 12 ounces semisweet chocolate

• 2 ounces cocoa butter or vegetable oil

1. Melt the 2 ingredients together in the top of a double boiler or a bowl set over barely simmering water.

And since I had marshmallow leftover....miam!

I'm a Daring Baker

So I finally did it. I'm now a proud member of the Daring Bakers. For those of you who don't know the concept of the Daring Kitchen, here is it history (frow the Daring Kitchen website).

"In November 2006, Lisa of La Mia Cucina and Ivonne of Cream Puffs in Venice decided to challenge themselves to bake pretzels for the very first time using the same recipe. They each went ahead and posted about it on November 18, 2006.
Having enjoyed that experience tremendously, they decided to try it again the next month, this time choosing to bake biscotti. And to make matters even better, they were joined by a few more food bloggers.
As the months went by, their baking group continued to grow, until it was finally decided that this "little baking group" had to have a name and The Daring Bakers were born!
Today, The Daring Bakers span the world as bakers of all nationalities come together once a month to try something new in the kitchen!"

I will receive my first challenge in June and post the result as soon as I can. Make sure to come back and see for yourself!

My Products

Like I said before, La dent sucrée (http://www.ladentsucree.etsy.com/) is a small business that was started in 2008. I specialise in everything sweet. Fow now we have caramels with salt (so delicious!), chocolate caramels and sponge toffees (regular or dipped in chocolate). Here a some pictures.

Hello!

Hello!

Welcome to my first blog: La dent sucrée (a.k.a The sweet tooth). La dent sucrée is not only the blog of a girl passionate by food but also a small business created by a Pastry Making student at the Institut de tourisme et d'hôtellerie du Québec in Montreal. If you want to take a look at my products go to http://www.ladentsucree.etsy.com/ !