Sunday, 21 March 2010

A Spoonful of Sugar Cafe!

Sarah and I did some French inspired baking today. After a wonderful lunch at the Choux Cafe last week and watching some inspiring cooking shows, we both had a recipe we were dying to try.



I made up a batch of Chocolate Macaroons filled with dark chocolate ganache (a recipe from "How to be a Domestic Goddess"). Perfect for our afternoon tea and not bad for my first effort.  I let the macaroons rest for 15 minutes before cooking to develop a skin as suggested in the recipe. I have since seen other recipes that say to let the macaroons rest for an hour. (Any tips would be appreciated). I plan to experiment with some different flavours next time.



Sarah made up some petit chocolate eclairs that she filled with Crème Pâtissière - they were delicious and were a great effort for her first attempt at choux pastry. 


What is your favourite French recipe? I can see more French inspired baking in our future:)


After seeing the gorgeous Japanese Washi Masking Tape Eggs at To Be Charmed, we were totally smitten. Yesterday Sarah and I decorated some eggs and displayed them in some little liqueur glasses (I don't have any egg cups)- they will be perfect for our Easter table. 




Posted by Lisa and Sarah

57 comments:

Posie Patchwork said...

Oh, drewel!! They look delicious.
Lovely tips on the Easter Egg decorating, i'm on duty in a week's time for Creative Clubs at school for Easter Craft/ Egg Decorating. That looks a whole lot prettier & manageable than paint. Love Posie

Heleen said...

Hmm it looks yummie!!!
Love decorated eggs!

clare's craftroom said...

Right on tea time , now I'm really hungry looks so delicous !

Janellybelly said...

Your macaroons look just like Emmanuels, I bet they tasted just as yummy too Lisa.
Sarah, my DH says you did a much better job with choux pastry than he did the first time!
Love the eggs too.

texmorg said...

All of your cooking looks yummo. Bakerella.com last month did a whole blog about macaroons it was really interesting and you should see the colours she came up with.
Your eggs look great and will make a beautiful easter table decoration. I made your banana caramel cake today-a big hit with everyone, i had about a half an inch piece.
xx Linda

Anita said...

Lisa, oh yummy those things smell nice from here. I love your eggs, they look so special. You and Sarah are very clever girls. Kind regards, Anita.

meri said...

Hummmmm! Sweet pictures!lol

suzitee said...

Well done girls! Your macaroons are perfect Lisa, and the eclairs....YUM! My only French recipe is Palmiers, which are too too easy for you clever chickies :)
The eggs look fantastic too...a most productive weekend!

barb's creations said...

My mum used to make the best cream puffs.She'd sit in front of the oven timing the temp to turn it down etc....then filled them with fresh cream from the farm down the road,yummo! the only downside was all us kids had to beat in the eggs to make the choux pastry.Lucky there were seven of us lol :) Barb.

K-Sue said...

Those look yummy! I have no favorite French recipe, but love their fancy desserts and pastries.

Here's a favorite French-type memory: years ago, my husband and I spent the day at Disney's EPCOT. An afternoon rainstorm made for miserable touring. We waited it out eating dessert at the French pavilion outside (indoors being reservation-only). When the clouds broke, most of the tourists were gone, and we felt like we had the park to ourselves.

Sarah said...

Your cooking creations look sensational. I was drooling over yours Sarah!

Stephanie said...

Yum! You ladies always make my mouth water. I took a washi egg class in Japan. I made one egg. I think we used a different technique than you're showing. I have a bowl of blues and a bowl of Spring/Eastery eggs. Love your diplay.

Michele Seraphim said...

Oh boo whoooo.... after all that and those delicious photos I was waiting for the recipe! Well... I'll just have to get out the cook books and spend some quality time with Julia!
Ha!

They look lovely... Yum Yummy!

peppermintpatcher said...

I had never had a macaroon until I went to Paris. For some reason I thought they were made with coconut and didn't really appeal to me. I wasted soooo many years of my life not eating them!

I'm so impressed wtih you for making them that I wish you lived next door so I could call and visit to chat (while I ate your delicous macaroons!).

Jenni said...

I think I just put on a kilo!!!

jacquie said...

i've never seen an easter egg that i really liked...until now...those are gorgeous! i'm off to make some for myself!

Vintage from the Village said...

Hey- love the eggs !!
and the cakes !
Sue x

Terriaw said...

Eclairs are really popular in the area I live, so I adore them. Sarah's look delish! I have always wanted to taste macaroons, and try making them. These look delicious too! What a fun baking day.

Chocolate Cat said...

Oh my goodness, these look SO good! Macaroons are on my list to try, I have seen so many brightly colored and different flavored ones. Chocolate eclairs would have to be my all time favorite cake.

Rumi said...

You two always bake up supremely yummy looking treats!

Dogwood said...

Those cookies look way "over the top" delicious. Yummy~yummy. I have the most active sweet tooth. And, you are making my mouth water!

sewkalico said...

Yum! The baking looks sooo good and the eggs look super too!

shahana said...

Perfectly baked cookies!

Jenny said...

Everything you to bake looks so professional and delicious! And those eggs turned out beautifully:)

Renee said...

I've always wanted to try making French macarons, but I always end up going to Adriano Zumbo to buy them instead! Yours are looking pretty good! Try this blog for some serious macaron inspiration http://melangerbaking.com/recipes/

And those eclairs are making my mouth water!

Knit Sew City Girl said...

Wow! The chocolate macaroons and eclairs looks so delicious. I love French food. The Japanese themed easter decoration looks great too.

Afternoon Tea Fan said...

1st time making macarons? I'd say you have quite a bright future ahead of you.

Shannon said...

I am so impressed with your french baking! I may have to get brave and try those macaroons... the last time we were on the coast I had some (raspberry and chocolate!) for the first time, and have been dreaming of them ever since. Yours look soooo yum!

Luisa said...

Those eggs are cool and not as messy as dyeing.

Diane said...

Oh i sure do love the Eggs, and the baking is beautiful yummy! Hugs, Diane

Elizabeth said...

I love the eggs! You guys did such a great job! Can't wait to see what other Washi tape creations you come up with :)

Cheers,
Elizabeth
www.to-be-charmed.com

Fiona @ Dragonfly-Crafts said...

All that needs to be said here is YUM YUM YUM !!!!

Michelle said...

Macaroons yum!!!
My sister is the "baker" and very good at it I will say...
and she had trouble with macaroons until I told her about the "blackapples" recipe...she swears by it...
you might have to search emily's blog to find it she does love her macaroons and has lots of posts about it...
www.theblackapple.typepad.com

Tracy said...

Oh those Chocolate Macaroons...*SWOON*... mmm... such a yummy post, girls! :o) Happy week ((HUGS))

Angel.Pearls said...

Delicious, and beautiful eggs!Thanks for your comment on *Clean up the mess..*! Have a great week! Love//Eva

Handmade in Israel said...

OMG! I am drooling over those macaroons and eclairs! They look wonderful!

LizzieJane said...

My diet goes right out the window when I come to your blog! These look super yummy. Anything with chocolate and I'm your girl. Love your decorated eggs. They are so lovely and colorful.
x

Rae Ann said...

Oh, my word! How Heavenly this all looks! Thanks for sharing! :)

Karin said...

Oh my, that looks delicious. And it reminds me that I should get started cooking instead of reading these kind of lovely blogposts.

Those eggs are very beautiful. Perfect for the easter table,indeed.

Sandra Evertson said...

Love the eggs!
Sandra Evertson

Kleiner Berliner said...

Hmm macarons, I sometimes bake them with strawberry flavour or white chocolate. Very yummy! Warm greetings from springtime Germany, Julie

Carrie P. said...

Yummy and sweet!

Jelly Wares said...

Wow, those chocolate cookies look absolutely delicious!!!!!

Hugs - Jodie :)

Peggy said...

Hello Lisa & Sarah,

Today I received a blog award called the Sunshine Blog Award. I must pass it on to 12 other bloggers. I love your blog, although I don’t know that I have commented on it as I am kind of shy — although I am learning that commenting is not as hard as I thought lol.

Anyway, your blog is one of the ones I picked- it inspires me, and is always one of the ones I return to.

To pick up the blog award, please visit my blog at: http://tryingtolivemyfaith.blogspot.com/

Thanks for your lovely blog!

Sincerely, Peggy

Thimbleanna said...

Your little eggs are so cute in the liqueur glasses! I'm not sure what my favorite french recipe is, but I've been dying to try macarons!

Mom's Place said...

Oh yummmmmm!!!

Carole said...

I want to put hot pink frosting in those macaroons so bad!

Jill and Michelle said...

Those macaroons and Eclairs look so yummy. Eclairs are one thing I'm wanting to have a go at! I hope mine turn out that well!

I like your new 'header' on the blog too!

em's scrapbag said...

The eggs look wonderful. What a fun idea. You guys are so good at fun ideas. The French cooking looks to die for. Julia and the Sugar Girls.

Deanna said...

Everything looks SO good! I remember as a tween I used to make eclairs from scratch. Have no idea why, but I remember they weren't much to look at, but oh so good. I've been thinking recently I should have a go at them sometime. Seeing these makes me want to make some NOW! :)

Eva's House said...

French pastry is the best I ever cook! I have a Parisian friend who helps doing them, but one of my best are Cannelées. Have you ever heard about it? They are simply amazing ;)

Suzie said...

They look delicious! I have never made macaroons so I have no idea about good recipes. Your Ester Eggs decoration are pretty, I'll take a look at the tutorial, thanks.

Bev C said...

Hello Lisa and Sarah, Yes I will be coming for afternoon tea!!! It all looks so yummy. Happy cooking.
Bev.xoxo

Rustic Tarts said...

I will be doing a macaron class in Paris in 25 days time! I'm totally NOT excited....lol
Yours look very yummy!

Cottage Cozy said...

Congratulations, Lisa on becoming part of the Quilt Fabric Delights Creative Team..totally awesome and well deserved!

silverpebble said...

Good grief, I MUST make some of those macaroons, they look stunning, as do your eggs. What a delicious post x

Rachael Rabbit said...

Gosh - I love those eggs. I'm trying not to look (drool) at the macaroons. ;-)

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Lisa and Sarah

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