good luck deluxe

Elegant and refined, Donsuemor Madeleines, The Original American Madeleine, are a true French-inspired indulgence — just the right size to satisfy the craving for something sweet and decadent.

These delicately fluted, shell-shaped cookies have a rich buttery taste and a soft moistness that make them more like small cakes than cookies.

Or, for the Madeleine connoisseur who wants it all…

The Donsuemor Sampler contains:

1. 24 rich, buttery Original Madeleines, flavored with a whisper of vanilla.

2. 12 Chocolate-Dipped Madeleines, which is made even more indulgent than the original variety, with a dip in sexy dark chocolate.

3. 12 refreshing Lemon Zest Madeleines, kissed with lemon zest.

4. 12 deep, dark Rich Chocolate Madeleines.

Serve your very best coffee with your Madeleines, and remember what your mother taught you about sharing!

Long live the coconut!

These macaroons (bagged or boxed) are a wonderfully chewy, crispy coconut delight. Like almond macaroons, these cookies are prepared in the classic old-style tradition, and are made with real coconut. They’re sweet and oh-so-necessary to eat.

Hooray for MACAROONI!

Speaking of mangoes…

It’s time to enjoy a refreshingly tropical mango cheesecake, made with lots of
mango pulp!

Baked on a spiced Chai cookie crust, this exotic cheesecake is reminiscent of rich Indian spice tea. The butter cookies are flavored with fresh ground cardamon, ginger
and cloves for an exciting taste journey.

All natural ingredients produce a sophisticated bite. A delight for the adventurous palate!

The 10-inch Mango Chai Cheesecake is nice.

But the 3 lb. Mango Chai Cheesecake is even nicer.

Many of you could kiss me for this one…

Introducing The Diabetic Pastry Chef - a cool blog by a (you guessed it!) diabetic pastry chef, where she shares all of her best baking tips with readers on how you can prepare delicious, diabetic-friendly and carb-sensible desserts that can rival their sweeter, naughtier counterparts.

This is NOT your average chalky protein bar type of deal. I’m talking real pastries, cakes, pies, cookies, custards, etc. You guys know how finicky I am about my food.

It’s a very unique site, with a huge readership following this lady from various online forums that prompted her to start her own blog. Her readers have tried her recipes and totally rave about them on the forums. The proof is in the pudding, so to speak.

The Diabetic Pastry Chef updates her blog frequently, so you’ll want to stay tuned to it daily for the latest awesome diabetic and lower-carb dessert tips!

SWEET - in more ways than one!

I love berry trifle! Even though trifle is pretty simplistic to execute in the kitchen,
I have found an even easier recipe…using Little Debbie Pound Cakes!

English Berry Trifle
Serves 6

6 Little Debbie® Pound Cakes
10 oz. Pkg. Frozen Raspberries in syrup
10 oz. Pkg. Frozen Strawberries in syrup
1 Pkg. Instant Vanilla Pudding
1 Tbsp. Cornstarch
1/4 C. Fresh Blueberries
1/4 C. Fresh Raspberries or Strawberries

Prepare pudding according to package. Cover and chill.

Thaw packages of raspberries and strawberries. Drain off syrup and set aside. Place fruit in bowl and set aside. Measure the syrup. You should have about one cup. Transfer one quarter of the syrup into a small saucepan. Fold in cornstarch. Stir in remaining syrup. Bring to boil over medium heat. Cook until juice thickens and turns clear.

Cut cakes into bite size pieces. Place half the cake into large glass bowl. Next, layer with half the fruit and juice. Top with half the pudding. Repeat. Garnish with fresh fruit. Cover and refrigerate for two hours and up to six hours before serving.

That’s my kinda dessert — easy!

This recipe is courtesy of the United Dairy Industry of Michigan. It’s the best of both worlds - nourishing and sweet!

The only modification I would make to this recipe is topping mine with some toasted pecans or oats. But you know me - nothing is ever simple in my world. Ever.

Baked Apples with Cinnamon Yogurt Topping

Recipe created by Chef Michael Bussinger of San Francisco on behalf of 3-A-Day™ of Dairy.

Makes 4 servings
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:
4 Granny Smith or Gala apples (with or without skin)
¼ cup unsweetened apple juice or apple cider
¼ cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon salt

For the cinnamon yogurt topping:

2 ½ cups low-fat plain yogurt
1 tablespoon honey
¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray an 8×8-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

Core and thinly slice apples. Place apples in a medium bowl and toss with apple juice. Mix brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together in a small bowl. Sprinkle over apples and stir gently until apples are coated.

Pour apples into prepared baking dish. Bake 40 minutes or until apples are slightly browned at edges and sauce is bubbling.

For the cinnamon yogurt topping: Line a colander with several paper towels and place over a bowl to catch drips. Pour yogurt into colander and allow to drain, refrigerated, about 30 minutes. Spoon yogurt into a small bowl and stir in honey and cinnamon.

For each serving, top ¼ of the warm apples with ¼ of the yogurt topping.

Back to naughtier sweets next Sunday. Promise!

This fabulous recipe comes from the highly-talented Croatian chef, Dennis Valcich.

I received permission directly from Mr. Valcich to post this recipe, so have a go at it and let us know how you like (love!) it.

You could even serve this as a wedding cake!

Wine and Ricotta Torte with Grapes

130 gr butter, softened
130 gr icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla sugar
grated lemon skin
4 eggs
3 Tbsp. milk
170 gr strained flour
200 gr icing sugar
Soft butter and bread crumbs for baking tin

Filling

250 mil Treminer Riesling wine
40 gr gelatin powder
250 gr fresh Ricotta cheese
80 gr icing sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla sugar
500 gr white and black seedless grapes, mixed
250 mil thickening cream
grated almonds for dusting

Directions
Preheat the oven to 180 C. Take two cake tins without the bottom part. Place them on backing tray, on top of greased paper, lift excess paper to outside the tins.

Inside part of the rings, spread with butter and dust with bread crumbs.

Separate egg yolks from whites, and smoothly beat butter with sugar, vanilla sugar and lemon rind. Slowly keep adding one egg yolk at the time, add flour and milk; mix well. Divide mixture evenly and pour into both tins.

Beat egg whites until hard, slowly adding sugar. Evenly add egg whites to mixture in the tins and smooth over.

Bake the mixture for 25 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool, and remove the paper. Cut mashed seedless grapes in half. Dissolve gelatin in warm wine, leave to cool down, add Ricotta, sugar, and vanilla sugar.

Thicken the cream and add to the mixture together with grapes. Return one baked base to the tin lined with greased paper, add half filling, spread evenly, sit second baked base, which you cut in half and add the rest of the filling. Sit other half of base, place torte in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours. Remove the tin ring and paper. Spread same cream around the torte, dust with minced almonds and decorate top with cream and grapes.

This dessert will leave your guests speechless. Speechless, I say!

I had been wondering what the heck happened to Asian chef Ming Tsai, who used to be on the Food Network almost 24/7. I loved watching Ming’s East Meets West show, and I would look SO forward to watching it!

I used to hate Chinese food (hated it!). Ming was the one chef who got me to explore that cuisine and learn to enjoy it. Although Ming’s Asian style of cooking is more fusion and experimental, that was the closest I could get to eating Chinese anything.

Japanese sushi, teriyaki, tempura and udon I’ll certainly do. I will be the first to order coconut lemongrass soup, Pad Thai, and Thai spring rolls at a Thai restaurant. Vietnamese food is incredibly pretty, and I love phở. Mongolian and Malaysian specialties - bring it on!

But for some reason, I just couldn’t get with Chinese food. Maybe because here in the U.S., Chinese food tends to be so Americanized and greasy.

Or perhaps it was all the heavy pseudo-Chinese food I inhaled in my late-night, bar-hopping college days that did me in.

Anyway, this post isn’t even about Chinese food. It’s about a wonderful French pear tarte tatin by amazing pastry chef Gale Gand. Ming featured this recipe on his web site. It was snag-worthy.

Gale Gand’s Pear Tarte Tatin

Serves 6 to 8

1 sheet puff pastry
1 recipe Jasmine Caramel Sauce, reduced by 50 percent
1 cinnamon stick
2 tablespoons vanilla brandy
2 tablespoons orange juice
4 to 5 ripe pears, peeled, halved and seed packet removed with a melon baller
Whipped cream or ice cream for serving

Preheat oven to 425ºF.

Thaw the sheet of puff pastry and cut a round disk out using a 9-inch cake pan as your guide but cut it 1-inch bigger all around. In the same 9-inch cake pan, warm the caramel over medium heat until it starts to bubble. Add the cinnamon stick and stir to combine. Stir in the brandy and orange juice to deglaze the pan and continue cooking until it becomes a smooth caramel. Remove the cake pan from the heat and then place the pear halves in the pan in a spoke pattern.

Return the pan to the stove and cook on low for 20 minutes to tenderize the pears somewhat. Top the pears with the round of puff pastry, draping it over the edge of the pan (don’t worry, it will shrink during baking). Bake 20 to 25 minutes at 425ºF, or until the pastry is golden brown. Let cool in the pan to set the caramel. The pectin the fruit has given off will help set the juices. Turn upside down onto a plate and remove the pan to serve. You may need to warm the bottom of the pan slightly over a hot burner to allow the tart to release from the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature, in slices, with a dollop of whipped cream or scoop of ice cream.

Serve with Ambazillac Cuvée Mademoiselle or a pot of dark roasted coffee.

I deserve some sort of reward for sleuthing this one out for all of you cupcake enthusiasts. I have finally found a bakery that ships frosted cupcakes!

Yes, I’m a genius, I know.

You’d think this would be a simple proposition: You like cupcakes. You see some
frosted ones that you’d like to inhale. You order. They’re shipped to you. BUT NO!
Not even Sprinkles cupcakes will ship!

Introducing Mrs. Beasley’s Shippable Cupcakes!

Per the Mrs. Beasley’s site:
“Each Beasley shippable cupcake is handmade, weighs approximately 4.5 ounces, and has ½ inch of frosting evenly distributed on the cupcake. Each Beasley shippable cupcake is topped with a special goody or ornament.

The Beasley shippable cupcakes are available in special 6 or 12 packs and in a variety of seasonal and themed boxes and towers. They are packed in dry ice so that the frosting arrives cold and firm. The cupcakes should be refrigerated upon receipt and brought to room temperature for consumption. For a special treat, place the cupcake in the microwave for 5-7 seconds and you’ll have a restaurant quality dessert.

Please note that this product is shipped with dry ice and therefore special shipping rules apply. Due to the hot weather, Overnight Shipping is only available. Overnight shipping can be done anytime Monday through Thursday. Please see our disclaimer for more details. Cupcakes cannot be shipped to P.O. Boxes.”

But it’s THESE unshippable mamma-jammas that I want!

Sorry Strawberry Colossal cupcake with bits of strawberry, perhaps in another lifetime…

Some of you might think I’m being facetious, but this was a REAL problem for a lot of us. The answer to the age-old question of, “Who ships cupcakes?” has been found, right here, on my wonderful blog. I told you I’m a wealth of information!

In other cupcake news…
Many of you cupcake addicts already know about CUP-A-CAKE, the revolutionary plastic cupcake shipping device. From reading various reviews online, CUP-A-CAKE actually works without smooshing the cupcakes’ frosting. Your cupcakes arrive intact!

But you can’t withhold vital information such as this. E-mail this article to all of your friends!

I’m sure you remember the delicious excursion we took when I raved about Vosges Haut-Chocolat.

Well, today I visited the Vosges web site to see what they’ve got cookin’ - and boy - they really are cooking: bacon-chocolate bars! This sounds kind of kinky…like some sort of culinary perversion.

I don’t know whether to cheer or sneer.

I love the flavor of Applewood smoked bacon, and I think the entire universe and the outer galaxies know that I have a lust for good chocolate, but I’m not so sure this combo sits well with me.

But then again, I have a strange palate and I do find myself combining all kinds of “wrong” foods and secretly savoring them…so maybe I’ll relish this concoction!

Per the Vosges site…

Bacon Exotic Candy Bar

Applewood smoked bacon + Alder smoked salt + deep milk chocolate

Deep milk chocolate coats your mouth and leads to the crunch of smoked bacon pieces. Surprise your mouth with the smoked salt and sweet milk chocolate combination.

“Crisp, buttery, compulsively irresistible bacon and milk chocolate combination has long been a favorite of mine. I started playing with this combination at the tender age of six while eating chocolate chip pancakes drenched in maple syrup. Beside my chocolate-laden cakes laid three strips of fried bacon, just barely touching a sweet pool of maple syrup. Just a bite of the bacon was too salty and yearned for the sweet kiss of chocolate syrup. In retrospect, perhaps this was a turning point, for on that plate something magical happened: the beginnings of a combination so ethereal and delicious that it would haunt my thoughts until I found the medium to express it–chocolate.”
–Katrina

Hey, I’ve been your guinea pig for long enough, folks. How about you come back here and comment on this post after you try it and let us know the deal?

We’ll be waiting for your report!