Sunday Suppers, Amy Atlas and an Inspiring Collaboration

Last week I gave you a little sneak peek into the amazing weekend I spent in New York City participating in one of the Sunday Suppers dinner/classes featuring the work of Amy Atlas and other fabulous artist women. I apologize for taking so long in posting the rest of the photos... Life has been crazy to say the least with traveling, small projects and even the chickenpox ( I will leave this for another time). This craziness is also the reason why I didn't complete this month's Daring Bakers challenge. I'm so sorry about that one too!



It's funny how life works sometimes and how I got involved with this Sunday Suppers event. Long story so I won't get into too many details, but all I can say is that I'm glad I did as I think I have found a group of super talented women I have made a lasting connection with.

The event took place in Brooklyn in the most beautiful setting and the most beautiful view of Manhattan. The table settings, the flowers, the graphic designs, the cake, Amy's vision... they were all breathtaking.



I arrived Saturday morning and spent all afternoon prepping and baking for the next day. The Moroccan theme with the acqua blue and orange colors inspired me to create macarons flavored with orange flower water, crisp white meringue cookies filed with orange buttercream and what seemed to be the favorite, panna cotta with fresh orange juice gelee. Very simple, but worked great.

Photo by Karen Mordechai Photography

Guests arrived around 4:30pm, mingled, enjoyed some appetizers and then everyone gathered around the kitchen to take part in Casey's cooking class. It was very interactive and she quickly engaged guests in the kitchen, asking everyone to participate in the prep process somehow. She is just too much fun!

The menu consisted of a first course of harissa brushed halibut over gazpacho and topped with a micro green salad; second course, chicken tajine with preserved lemons,olives and polenta accompanied by a roasted mini beet salad and finally dessert, fig and sesame compote tart with orange cardamom cream.

Afterwards, everyone sat at the beautifully styled table ready to taste the food. It was a great group of people and I even managed to snap this adorable photo of Alex and Joanna.



Of course, none of this would have been possible without the masterminds behind this concept, professional photographer Karen Mordechai and private chef Casey Solomon. The thought and attention to detail behind all of this really blew me away.

I also have to mention the rest of the artists involved whose work really contributed to the success of the night. Of course Amy (lovely, lovely, lovely... can't emphasize enough!), the flower arrangements (beautiful, beautiful garlands!) by Jessie Weidinger from Rountree Flowers, menu and graphic design by Erica Bohanon of Thoughtful Day, Archana Rao of Love Street Cakes created the breathtaking cake and Ali Kantor created a traditional moroccan cookie called kaab el ghazal.



Finally, I have to tell you that I will be going back to New York next month to actually teach one of these classes myself. I think the class is fully booked already, but you can get more information here. For those who are attending, I will see you then!

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Sunday Suppers, Amy Atlas and an Inspiring Collaboration

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Design*Sponge's "In The Kitchen With..."

I was so excited when Kristina Gill of Design Sponge asked me if I'd be interested in creating and photographing a recipe for "In The Kitchen With...". "Of course!", I said. It is one of the sections that I always look forward to visiting.

I was thinking of flavors for the recipe and lemons, and lemonade in particular, kept coming to mind. I thought it had to be something refreshing for the summer heat. And then, I remembered the photo of Claire Clarke's "lemon meringue" in one of my favorite pastry books "Indulge". I went with different components, but kept a similar look.



I started out with a lemon and almond paste sponge, topped with layers of lemon cream, buttermilk panna cotta and topped with baked meringue sticks. So refreshing. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.



You can see the full article, photos and recipes here. Thank you Kristina!

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Design*Sponge's "In The Kitchen With..."

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Sneak Peek into Sunday Suppers

Photo by Karen Mordechai Photography

As I mentioned before, this past weekend I flew to New York to participate in Sunday Suppers. It was a Moroccan inspired dinner hosted by the masterminds behind this amazing concept, photographer Karen Mordechai and chef Casey Solomon. Super talented and adorable stylist Amy Atlas created one of her infamous dessert bars for which I baked orange flower macarons, orange creamsicle panna cotta and baked meringue sandwich cookies.

It is remarkable all the work and detail that goes into these events. The tables and chairs were beautifully decorated with flower arrangements by Jessie Weidinger and all the amazing graphic design was the work of Erica Bohanon of Thoughtful Day. Thank you ladies!

More to come soon!

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Raspberry Palmiers and Red Currant and Raspberry Swirl Ice Cream Sandwiches

If you have been following my blog for quite some time, you might have noticed that I love laminated doughs. There is something about the whole process that I love, just like making bread. Not necessarily difficult, but it does require some attention, neatness and dedication.

After I tried experimenting with the tomato pate feuilletee, I started thinking about other ways to incorporate flavors into the dough. I came back from Europe with a bag of raspberry powder and I have been trying to incorporate it into different recipes. I thought, puff pastry would be another great way.



I followed the same pate feuilletee inversee recipe from Pierre Herme that I have been using and incorporated some of the raspberry powder into the butter lock. The final result was good, but I think I have to give it another try and perfect it. Once baked, the raspberry flavor was there but it was not intense enough for me. It was good, but I was hoping for me.



I have been anxiously waiting for red currants all summer long. Unlike other berries, it is not a fruit I like to eat fresh. Really makes me pucker up. However, it is one of my favorites to bake with. Tarts, ice cream or sorbet, inside cakes, combining it with other fruit for jams... So versatile really that when I get my hands on some, I use them in everything. Literally, in everything.

I decided to combine one of C.'s favorites, palmiers, with one of my favorites, red berry swirl ice cream. The perfect balance if you ask me.




Raspberry Palmiers

Follow the tomato pate feuilletee recipe but use 15 grams of raspberry powder instead of the tomato paste. As I said, I don't think it's enough, so you might want to increase it.

Roll the pastry to 1/8"-1/16" thickness and cut a rectangle that is 16" wide by 9" high. Let the pastry rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes after rolling.

Dust the work surface with sugar and press the pastry lightly against it. Sprinkle sugar on the top as well. Work quickly to prevent the pastry from getting warm.

Fold the left edge to the middle and do the same with the right edge. Now, bring the folded left edge to the middle again and repeat with the right. This creates a fan-like log. Cut this log into 1/4" to 1/2" palmiers.

Place these on a baking sheet and bake at 375F for 10 minutes. Flip the palmiers over and bake for another 7 minutes or so until they are slightly golden but not too brown.

Raspberry and Red Currant Swirl Ice Cream

500 ml whole milk
140 ml heavy cream
40 grams glucose
150 grams sugar
6 egg yolks
100 grams raspberries
75 grams red currants
30 grams sugar

Place the whole milk, heavy cream, glucose and half of the sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a light simmer.

In the meantime, whisk together the egg yolks and remaining sugar in a medium bowl. Temper the hot liquid into the egg yolks. Return this custard to the pan and cook until it coats the back of the spoon or about 184F. Strain the custard through a fine sieve into a clean bowl. Chill it over an ice bath and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

In the meantime, cook the raspberries, red currants and sugar for about one minute until the fruit breaks down slightly and sugar dissolves. Strain the fruit through a fine sieve and chill this fruit syrup until ready to use.

Churn the custard in the ice cream machine. When done, swirl in the red berry syrup, pour into container and freeze.

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Raspberry Palmiers and Red Currant and Raspberry Swirl Ice Cream Sandwiches

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Summer Berries and an Update

I think this is the longest I have ever let the blog go without a new post. I am just wrapping up a small project and getting ready to start another one (keeping my fingers crossed).

This weekend I am off to New York City to assist the super talented Amy Atlas with some items for her Moroccan inspired dessert table for Sunday Suppers. I am really, really excited about this one since I have been a long time admirer of her work. And not to mention that I will be able to attend one of the cool Sunday Suppers that everyone is raving about.

To top it all of, I hope I can catch up with my dear friend Deb over some delicious food.



I baked a lot over the weekend and I promise I will have a new recipe for you here tomorrow. Thank you!

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Summer Berries and an Update

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Peach, Pineapple and Kiwi Sorbet Trio and Some Summer Songs

While it has been hot and muggy outside, my little one and I have been on a sorbet making spree these past few days. It all started as a way to distract his attention and keep him away from destroying the furniture. "Let's make ice cream", I told him. His eyes wide open, he smiled... and that's all it took. Everyday after that, we have been making sorbet while listening to music.



It's the strangest thing how kids can enjoy music that seems too adult for them. When he was born, I bought all the children's music albums I could get my hands on and I played them in the car and at home. That's what I thought I was supposed to do. So for the first year or so, I really stopped listening to "my" music.

But as he got a bit older and was able to communicate, he started requesting the oddest songs in my iPod's playlist. It all started with The Beatles' "Get Back". "Get back Jo Jo", he would repeat over and over again. Then on to The Jam's "In the City", TV On The Radio's "Wolf Like Me" or Led Zeppelin's "Rock n' Roll".

So this week, we have been listening to Yo La Tengo's "Summer Sun" while making sorbet. Completely unexpected, but I have to admit that I love sharing music with him.



We had a bunch of fresh peaches, kiwis and a super ripe pineapple and that's what we used to make the fruit purees. The sorbet recipes below use ingredients that might not be readily available, I know, but the resulting sorbet has such great texture that I keep going back to these recipes.

Go here for peach sorbet, pineapple sorbet and kiwi sorbet recipes that use solely water and sugar syrups.



Peach Sorbet

500 grams peach puree
75 grams atomized glucose
110 grams water
65 grams sugar
3 grams sorbet stabilizer

Pineapple Sorbet

500 grams pineapple puree
70 grams water
75 grams atomized glucose
60 grams sugar
1.5 grams sorbet stabilizer

Kiwi Sorbet

500 grams kiwi puree
225 grams water
65 grams atomized glucose
120 grams sugar
2 grams sorbet stabilizer

Method is the same for all of them

Start by making the sugar syrup. Place the water and the atomized glucose in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer. In the meantime, whisk together the sugar and sorbet stabilizer in a separate bowl. When the water comes to a light boil, add the sugar and stabilizer mixture, whisk and bring to a boil. When it starts to boil, pour the syrup into a bowl and let it cool slightly before refrigerating. Refrigerate the sugar syrup overnight.

Add the fruit puree to the sugar syrup, mix really well and churn in ice cream machine. Freeze.

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