Since I started this blog, hunting and gathering new props has
become a new pleasure. I really like spend hours in shops searching for unique
and beautiful pieces. Besides using them for food styling, they are also
a great source of inspiration. Weeks ago I was in an antique shop in
Chagrin Falls and I found a vintage Haviland & Co plate. I fell in love
with it immediately. I started to imagine a whole post inspired by the
graceful French rose pattern. So I created a little dessert table with painted
cookies and mini cakes.
Recently I bought the wonderful book Pastries by Pierre Hermé,
so I decided to try the chocolate cake recipe. It’s so rich and good. It
matched perfectly with the dark chocolate ganache that I used as filling and
frosting. I made one recipe and I cut it into 4 layers using a 3-inch ring
mold. So this way I could prepare two mini cakes. I used gel food coloring
for painting the fondant for the cookies and one of the cakes. For the other
cake I made a sugar rose.
Chocolate Cake
(from the book Pastries, Pierre
Hermé)
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
9 oz (250g) dark chocolate, 60%
cacao
2 sticks
(250g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups (220g) superfine granulated sugar
4 eggs (200g)
2/3 cups (70g) all-purpose flour
Preheat the oven to 360°F (180°F)
Butter a 9-inch (22cm) cake pan, flour it, then tap to
release any excess and tip it out.
Using a serrated knife, chop the chocolate. Melt it in a
bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water; the bottom of the bowl should not
touch the water. When the chocolate has melted, remove the bowl from the
bain-marie. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the wire whisk attachment,
beat the butter with the sugar and add the eggs one by one. Add the melted
chocolate, and mix well, then sift the flour and incorporate it.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Place the pan
in the oven and bake the cake for 40 minutes, wedging the oven door open with a
wooden spoon. Remove the cake from the oven and unmold it onto a wire
rack.
Have a wonderful weekend everyone!
You have incredible talent! I love the colors and the dessert table and the food is way too pretty to eat!! :)
ReplyDeleteWow, those are incredibly beautiful. I usually don't comment on food blogs, but I am blown away by that sugar flower and how beautiful and smooth your fondant looks. Do you have any advice for a beginner? (Or would you care to make a tutorial, haha?)
ReplyDeleteYour painted flowers are glorious. I would hesitate to eat these cookies and cakes because they are too pretty to eat and look like they should be put away as heirlooms. You really have an artist's hands.
ReplyDeleteI love everything
ReplyDeleteWoow, theese are soo beutifull!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! You are very talented!
ReplyDeleteYour post took my breath away while I was in the car. I saw your update came in and I was in awe! My husband asked me what happened and I showed him the pictures. He said you are amazing. I know you really are!!! Beautiful work!!!
ReplyDeleteToo stunning for words, inspiring indeed :)
ReplyDeleteThese are incredibly beautiful!
ReplyDeletejust found your blog and I am totally in love with it - this is what I aspire to become! Beautiful food and images - beyond amazing!
ReplyDeletewould be so honoured if you visited my humble blog and gave me some advice/ opinion!
kisses
http://cottoncandy-peaches.blogspot.com
just found your blog and I am totally in love with it - this is what I aspire to become! Beautiful food and images - beyond amazing!
ReplyDeletewould be so honoured if you visited my humble blog and gave me some advice/ opinion!
kisses
http://cottoncandy-peaches.blogspot.com
que coisa mais fofa!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThat vintage plate is truly lovely...no wonder you were inspired! And the creations you came up with are equally gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteHi. I've just come across your blog and, although I'm sure it's nothing you haven't heard before, I just HAD to tell you that this, here, is one of the most beautiful places I've found on the internet. It's absolutely amazing and I can't wait to go through it all. This is art, poetry and yummy goodness (I can only imagine) all rolled into one. So there, I said it :) Thank you for the lovely experience.
ReplyDeleteYou are so talented! This flowers look just amazing. I know that there's a chocolate cake inside, but I'd never tell.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to feature this in my blog's daily foodporn list called "Daily Foodporn For Your Inspiration". Check it out. You might get to find a new cooking and food blogs too. Don't worry, I will definitely link back here.
ReplyDeleteHi! Thank you for this opportunity. I would love to see my work on your amazing site.
DeleteUnbelievable ! Unbelievably Beautiful ... I've just this second come across your blog (hence the 'anon'profile ... will sort this bit out in a mo) and it's blown me away, you must be so proud to be so talented ... I can't even get a crumb layer right !! Your work is beyond stunning and very inspirational ! I'll definetely be saving your blog - Sess
DeleteThe pictures looks amazing! Every is so pretty and feminine. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteYour roses are absolutely beautiful. I found your blog from a repinned picture. Your cake looks very pretty. The recipe for the cake sounds yummy. What recipe did you use for your sugar roses?
ReplyDelete