Tested: Ladurée de ma patience Part II

So I went through with making the macarons. I made a batch of 24 vanilla macarons which were about 1.5" and I'm quite surprised at how well they turned out.

Tested: Ladurée de ma patience, Part I: Ingredients

I remember one Christmas back in highschool (ah youth!) when one of my dear friends presented me with a box of homemade confectioneries. I was touched. So, in lieu of store bought gifts this Christmas, I've decided to give out homemade boxes of macarons. Given their recent popularity and the wide range of flavours possible the idea seems reasonable. Also, for those of you who equate "homemade" with "cheap", check out Pierre Hermé's macarons which fetch a pretty penny. We're talking 25 Euro for a dozen macarons. You do the math.

Tested: When in Doubt, Bake Bread

Disclaimer: I regret to inform you that my camera has lost it's usb cable. Actually it's not lost, but sitting on a desk that is conveniently located in Melbourne, Australia. I (and my camera) reside in Canada. Therefore until I get another cable, this will have to do.

'Doodle bread' from design milk

I adapted this recipe from several recipes for plain bread. It's a white bread that is really good as a loaf or as rolls. There are no eggs or butter, but it ends up being really light and soft. I didn't expect it to turn out so well but it's now my official go to recipe for bread. It doesn't take long to make and it's pretty fail-proof!

IMHO: With lips but half regretful. Eating a whole Lemon

Justin Heideman "Sad Lemon"

While searching for ways to alleviate cold symptoms, I came across a "cure". Eat a whole lemon. When I researched this further, I found another account of how by eating a lemon in its entirety, seeds and all, you can get rid of any cold. Hmmm... sounds like a challenge.

Being at work, I rushed down to the cafeteria, and asked to speak to the chef. Yes, we have a chef in our caf. Foreign Affairs has its perks. He confusedly handed over the lemon and I rushed back to my office.

Here's what happened.

Tested: the Chocolate Brownie that made the world stop.

Speaking about Filippo Ioco got me thinking about brownies.

Ioco's Chocolate Heaven

Nothing's right. And I've just been told that I complain to much, so I'll leave it at that. I'm not going to worry about the fact that the sun is dying, and I'm going to prove that cooking is alive and well by taking the time to make delicious brownies as prescribed by Nigella Lawson (my goddess). They're proven to cure a broken heart, to flex all muscles required to smile, and to momentarily stop time. What's more, they're easy and they're flourless, which is good, because the last thing I want is to feel bloated after eating the entire tray.

Flourless Chocolate Brownies with Hot Chocolate Sauce
Ingredients:

FOR THE BROWNIE:
225g dark chocolate, 70% cocoa solids
225g butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
200g caster sugar
3 eggs, beaten
150g ground almonds
100g chopped walnuts

FOR THE SAUCE*:
75g dark chocolate, 70% cocoa solids
125ml double cream
2 x 15ml tablespoons
Camp coffee or 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder dissolved in 2 tablespoons water (optional)
1 x 15ml tablespoon golden syrup (optional)

Method:
For the brownie:

• Preheat the oven to 170°C/gas mark 3. Melt the chocolate and butter gently over a low heat in a heavy-based saucepan. 
• Take the pan off the heat, mix in the vanilla and sugar, and let it cool a little. 
• Beat the eggs into the pan along with the ground almonds and chopped walnuts. Turn into a 24cm square baking tin or, most sensibly, use a foil one. 
• Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, by which time the top will have set but the mixture will still be gooey. Once cooler, cut carefully, four down, four across, into 16 squidgybellied squares. 

For the sauce:

• Break up the chocolate and put into a heavy-based saucepan. 
• Add the remaining ingredients, then place the pan over a gentle heat and let everything melt together. 
• Once everything has melted, stir well, take off the heat and pour into a jug to serve. 

Makes 16

*If you are like me (a poor student), you might not have everything for the sauce. That's ok! Melting down chocolate and adding a little milk does just as well.

Foodie Fact: Slow Like Honey

Nick van Woert's Julius Ceasar, which sadly, isn't made of honey.

This actually describes a number of things in my life at present. After making the decision to return to my hometown, I realize that it may not have been for the best. I wake up late, I go to bed early. My cell phone has been dead for two days. I have no idea where the charger is and, to be honest, I don't care. I have no motivation to do anything. I'm jobless, boyless and in some ways I feel helpless. I start the morning, or rather afternoon, with a cup of tea sweetened with honey. I've given up on refrigerating it, because it becomes too viscous. I look back at the day, not really having accomplished too much. I wish for a better tomorrow and slam back a shot of Drambuie before calling it a night.

Lavender Honey

Absolutely one of the most beautiful things you will ever put in your mouth. I had it with deep fried chevre, and it was amazing If you find it, buy it. If not, make it yourself.

Ingredients

¼ cup lavender flowers

1 cup honey

Directions (there's only one)

1
Simmer lavender flowers in honey over a double boiler for 1 hour.

You must try:

Raspberry Creme Fraiche Tart With Lavender Honey Recipe

Lavender Honey Vanilla Creme Brulee Recipe

Five things to make you sound smarter:

1. Honey is as old as time, at least as far as I'm concerned. It's even attested in cave paintings in Spain from 7000BC show the earliest records of beekeeping.
2. The ancient Egyptians used honey as a sweetener, as a gift to their gods and even as an ingredient in embalming fluid, and it's no wonder with its indefinite shelf life.
3. Bees have two stomachs, a “honey stomach” which they use like a nectar backpack and a regular stomach. Honeybees must visit between 100 and 1500 flowers in order to fill their honeystomachs.
4. Legend has it that the mingled pain and delight caused by a wound of love is explained by the fact that Cupid's arrows were tipped with gall and honey.
5. Mead is one of the oldest alcoholic beverages of all time, and it's made from honey.