Back in the Saddle…or how I turned “Franpanese”!

Anyone remember the the song “I think I am turning Japanese” by the Vapours?

Anyone realize this is going to be a Daring Baker post?

Anyone wondering what my psychosis today might be???

Alright, let me attempt to lead you down this twisted path.

As stated above this a Daring Baker post and… This month’s challenge is brought to us by Karen of Bake My Day and Zorra of 1x umruehren bitte aka Kochtopf. They have chosen Tuiles from The Chocolate Book by Angélique Schmeink and Nougatine and Chocolate Tuiles from Michel Roux.

As some of you may be aware, I missed both november’s and december’s challenges.  Both of these months are excessively hectic for me and I could neither have wrapped my mind or overly tired body around these to finish them.  I did attempt the caramel cake on december 26th for Ray’s b-day but after baking and letting rest, when I turned it out, it stuck and well…. I flipped.  The Yule Log, there was no way this side of hell, that I was even thinking about it.  So it was bite the bullet and get back in the saddle for this month or else get the boot…not a fan of the boot, so here I am!!!

“Tuiles” is francaise for tile, as in roof tile, as in those wavy terra cotta tiles on many a roof across the globe.  I did little research other than what I read on the Db forum so I am assuming this cookie ( I did the sweet version) gets it name because it is malleable and can be shaped like a tuile!!!

I had no fear of the recipe, nor of the shaping but I was absolutely at a loss for a creative shape.  I thought and I thought and then I thought I came up with the perfect bit of creativity, something completely of the moment that it just couldn’t lose.  It did….honestly it was a one in a million shot but someone posted that they would do this exact thing….arg!!!  Although, hers, Diary of a Glad Housewife,  is the first post I am reading!  So again thinking cap time.

Nothing, emptiness, the void of space…only these words can describe the progress of my thinking.  I gave up and headed over to youtube for a diversion.  I have been feeling nostalgic as of late and I have been listening to alot of 80’s and early 90’s music.  I was never a rocker, I went from Disco to punk to house to techno…always been a “clubby” kinda music listening guy.  So I was following link after link and then I came upon, as mentioned above, “I think I am turning Japanese”.  I never really got into this song as  I always thought it was rather nonsensical; but it did have the kind of beat that always caught me, so I listened.

I swear to you, I have never before used youtube as a menu-planning device nor was it my intent to do so but alas……..I started thinking……Japanese…….sushi…..wrapped…….malleable……tuiles………viola!!!

Yes, I agree, dark and twisted this thing called my brain!!!!!

That was the “why” now here is the “how” I did fruit sushi.

First I started with some leftover white rice (approx. 1 cup) to that I added a 10 ounce can of coconut milk and cooked that down as one would do with risotto.  Before all the liquid was absorbed, I added some vanilla and about 3/4 cup sugar and finished the process.  I would sooo love to tell you my local market had all the tropical fruit that I wanted to use but of course not, it is january and not really the time for peak ripeness, so jarred Dole Tropical fruit cocktail it was.  I then spread the rice on a buttered sheet of parchment in a rectangle, down the middle I placed the diced tropical fruit.  I rolled this all up and popped it in the fridge overnight.  The next afternoon I whipped up my batter, which I colored with green and brown food color paste from Wilton.  My template was cut the night before, I really should have made it a little longer, a simple rectangle 1 inch by 5.5 inches.  As suggested, I baked one just to get a feel for the timing, mine took a bit over 5 mins.  I had cut my stuffed rice log into 1 inch sections and had them waiting for the tuilles.  I did find it to be an easy process but it needed to be very fast as the rice was chilled and that hardened the cookie too quickly and the first few cracked before they could make it all the way around.  I had some leftover rice and I shaped that into smallish logs and decided to do a piped lattice wrap for those;  initially I used a #4 round tip and that was just too thick and the batter spread too much, a #2 created the effect you see below.

This was a fantastic get back in the saddle challenge for me…the recipe was straightforward and more than easy enough.  The free-for-all creativity was just what I needed to set my mind on the year ahead.

And now that I have turned Franpanese, I present you with my Tuiles wrapped fruit Sushi!!!!

A Compendium of Cakes!!

Ok, ok so I have been busy, apparently too busy to visit here and let you all know of what has been going on in my kitchen.  Well it is a New Year and I am definitely going to find the time to post more frequently.  Aside from not posting here I have also fallen behind on my Daring Baker challenges, which was how this blog started….

For Shame

For Shame

For Shame!!!

…. I am pleased to say however, that today I completed my January Challenge, although you probably know you will have to wait on that!!!!

In order to play a bit of catch up, I am now going to throw at you for your viewing pleasure a few of the creations from the past couple of months.  I hope you enjoy!!!!

Amber and her burger or is it a cake?????

so you want a burger Beeotch??

Foster’s birthday cake, this one I am particularly proud of, as I can’t pipe very well and this is the first cake I have done with only frosting that I thought could actually be in a bakery window!!!  BTW, hope all is well in L.A. Foster!!!!!!!

Foster's B-day cake.

Miss Tina’s Birthday cake!!  She is another reason this blog started!!!!  Love ya!!!  This cake was a wonder to taste but was a little less than to be desired on the visual…I attempted praline sheets as a covering with less than stellar results!!!  Although, the idea came from “The Cake Bible” which I received from Ivonne of Cream Puffs in Venice fame!!  Thanks “cous”, I love the book and plan on using it often!!

Praline sheets can be a pain!!!

There was one cake of the last few months that I had no hand in making but it was a most memorable cake for me.  Just hours prior to getting a fat piece of this marvel I was privileged to meet some very lovely ladies, Lis of La Mia Cucina; Helene of Tartlette and Kelly Pea of Sass and Veracity.  Hugs girls, I hope all is well!!!!

Now! That's a Wedding Cake!!!!!

I have actually been approached to do cakes for other folks, you know the kind that actually pay for ’em!  Here is the first.

My first "gig"!!!!!

Here is a spooky halloween cake courtesy of the Diva herself, Martha!!!  I can’t be sure but Madonna may have been at the party to eat my cake!

boo!!!!

Moe Moe is that you???

Like a Prayer!

My last cake of 2008 was also for a paying customer, she works in the building where Ray’s and my store is located and she had heard tell of my cakes.  Her friend was turning 60 and also retiring from the railroad and this is what I came up with.

The "Cobb" Express

There were a few others tucked in here and there that of which I was not able to get photos but obviously 2008 or at least the last few months was most definitely the Year of the Cake for me!!  Again, I promise to be more faithful to this here space on the ole www. and I hope to see you all often in 2009!!!