Aebleskiver AKA Danish pancake AKA Pancake puff

Your word is Aebleskiver. 
Can I get the definition please?
An Aebleskiver is a traditional Danish pancake in a distinctive shape of a sphere.
Can you use it in a sentence please?  
An Aebleskiver is a pancake puff that filled with jams and jellies.
The country of origin?
Denmark.
A-bel-ski-ver. Did I pronounce it correctly?
No. The correct pronunciation is A-blah-ski-wah.
A-blah-ski-wah. Are there any alternate pronunciations?
No.
A-blah-ski-wah. D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S!

R-E-A-D-Y? ( You will need an aebleskiver pan and can purchase one here).

The first and most likely last time I work with fondant.

There's something you should know about me. I am not only addicted to baking I'm kinda sorta also addicted/obsessed with all things COACH (don't judge me). COACH whiskey colored leather gets my blood pumping like a thick slice of triple layered chocolate cake. No joke.

Tonight, I express my love for all things COACH through these cupcakes...inspired by two of my favorite pieces, the Koi charm and the Asia exclusive floral skinny. I used white fondant and edible pearl dust diluted with vodka and painstakingly formed and painted fondant for hours. HOURS. This explains the title of this post. The first and most likely last time working with fondant. The end :)

Custard Filled Cornbread

Look at this face...the gentle eyes and mysterious smile. He's like the male equivalent of the Mona Lisa. I spent some quality time with Quaker Corn Meal this morning and learned a few interesting things about him. He has several brothers but is closest to his brother Quaker Grits. You may of heard of his older more popular brother Quaker Oats. He and Mr. Corn Meal don't get along very well. (A long convoluted story involving the Sun Maid Raisin Lady...which is a little awkward because she's like half their ages). He prefers his hair down rather than tied back and he enjoys a good game of Scrabble.

But what do you hide behind that smile Mr. Quaker. Dost thou hide under all that dark clothing skull tattoos and body piercings? He looks hardcore like that. Hardcore like this custard filled cornbread recipe.

Shall we begin?

Dark chocolate cupcakes with ganache

Now that you know how to make ganache let's do something extreme. You've heard of OD (over dose) and after a good steak you may OB (over beef). I have three words for you friends. Chocolate on chocolate. Is there such a thing as OC (over chocolate?) No, I didn't think so. I knew we'd be good friends :)

Let's have the pictures do all the talking (recipe to follow). You will need a shot or two of milk after this.

Ganache it

Hello again. What's with the glazed look? Oh. In need of a chocolate fix are you? Well, I have just the thing. Ganache.

Let's talk about ganache. Mini lesson (quiz to follow. kidding). Ready?

Ganache pronounced /gah NAHSH/ is a glaze or filling for cakes and pastries. It's made from a combination of chocolate and heavy cream melted slowly together. When used warm, ganache is poured over cakes or cookies to form a smooth glossy coating. If chilled, it can be formed into chocolate truffles.

For a good and reliable recipe, I turned to my home girl, Ina Garten. She never lets me down.

Ganache: nocoupons

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 8 ounces good semisweet chocolate
  
• 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules

Heat the heavy cream, chocolate chips, and instant coffee in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth and warm, stirring occasionally.

Easy peasy, right? Commence ganaching (is that a word?) berries, cupcakes, marshmallows, bananas, ice cream, and pound cake. Make a few truffles while you're at it. Me? I'll be saving it for my next recipe...

Strawberry Cream Cake

The best compliment I have ever gotten went something like "Oh wow. Aw (long pause). Aw man. It's like there's a party in my mouth!". It's definitely the most memorable compliment I've gotten on my goods. Ahem, baked goods. And it was that same thought I had when I took the first bite of strawberry cream cake. It's a mouth party. It has the basic assemblage of strawberries, whipped cream and sponge cake but what made this cake different was the addition of cream cheese in the whipped cream filling. This pairing worked out perfectly because the cream cheese gave the whipped cream more stability and was able to hold up better between the cake layers and strawberries. Cream Cheese + Whipped Cream = BFF's with a heart around it.

Let's get this party started.

What's the story morning glory

So what happened was...
I've been distracted by things other than baking. Things like food gawking, hanging with my homie, Yoshi the Corgi and checking in on TMZ for updates on Jesse and Sandra (don't judge me). So I'm a little behind on the strawberry cream cake.



Care for a pastry? A bear claw perhaps. Maybe some peaches and cream with a touch of cinnamon. Yes, I am trying to distract you with an arsenal of pastries. Is it working? Are you rendered helpless? Listen. Grab a highly caffeinated beverage, enjoy the sunrise and meet me back later. I have wonderful things in store for today. Wonderful things that will make the kitchen smell like heaven. And don't forget to bring a spoon. I intend on sharing.