I am super duper excited that Dorie's new book,
Baking Chez Moi, has finally been published, and I'm thrilled to bake through it from the start with the Tuesdays with Dorie group. One of these days, I'll even get to hold the book in my hands and look at it. It is currently sitting in the military mail system.
What was a little less exciting to me was that the very first recipe chosen was for Palets de Dames, Lilles Style, which I baked two weeks ago when the French Fridays with Dorie gang celebrated Dorie's birthday. I understand and appreciate that TWD chose a recipe that was available online so that people who don't have a book yet (ahem, me) could bake along, but it did make my first foray into the book a bit less exciting.
It's week 1 of the new group! First recipe from the book! There's no way I was going to sit this one out, just because I posted about these so recently.
Last time, I stuck to the recipe. This time, I decided to play with flavor a bit. I replaced the vanilla in the batter with almond extract, and replaced the icing's lemon juice with orange zest and juice. Charlie had just as much fun decorating on Round 2 as he did the first time.
The cookie and the icing were separately delicious, but the flavors competed when eaten together. Don't get me wrong, they're not bad. Next time--and these are so easy to make that there will be a next time--I'll either do a vanilla cookie with the orange icing, or an almond cookie with a vanilla icing. I'm pretty sure I'll work my way through all my extracts on these cookies. Hmmm...peppermint icing for the holidays? Yes, please.
These were very dangerous cookies.
ReplyDeleteI have a feeling that decorating may have been the highlight for your helper :-) Glad your book finally arrived though. It's lovely, isnt' it?
I love how you were game to bake another batch of these instead of reposting. Charlie and you will have the best time working through these recipes. :-)
ReplyDeleteYou made these twice??? Now that's a dedicated Dorista!! Glad to be baking with you, my friend!
ReplyDeleteI can see why you would want to bake these again! These are yummy!
ReplyDeleteWe love these cookies too!
I love that Charlie get to help you bake. Such a great activity to do with kids. Yours looks yummy. I need to try the almond flavor…sounds lovely!
ReplyDeleteGood to know about the flavor combinations. Glad you'll be baking along with us!
ReplyDeleteYou are a total trooper for making them twice! That's commitment. :) So glad to have you baking with us.
ReplyDeleteIt's great that we are baking together, it should be fun. Your helper seems to enjoy this,
ReplyDeleteit's always nice to see the little ones get involved. Loved these cookies.
I would like to go on record as saying I thought of you and Charlie as I made these cookies !! I remembered your sweet post about how he helped out for Dorie's birthday. My younger son was also helping me as I made these but he now bench presses 250 and was moving my fridge to the new kitchen while I cooked :) We all help in different ways. And yes, he loved them. Here's to our new adventure and fingers crossed your book arrives soon !
ReplyDeleteI hope your book gets there soon so you can bake the Cranberry Crackle Tart. If its not on line I would be happy to copy and email it for you! I love little boys in the kitchen. Pulls at my heart because it reminds me of my boys being small and wanting to be near me. Those days are gone but I hope at some point they want to be near their mama again:)
ReplyDeleteI love your little helper in the kitchen. I have to say I like that your little boy has a light hand on the sprinkles. My 5 year old believes that there can never be too many sprinkles on a cookie!
ReplyDeleteYour cookies are adorable with those brightly coloured sprinkles and I understand why you would make them again....they were delicious.
ReplyDeleteYour cookies look great! So glad that Charlie could help make them.
ReplyDeleteOh, I love the way Charlie decorated them this time!!! That is so fun that he enjoyed making these with you. All 4 of my older brothers cook, most better than their wives, so it's a good thing to have a boy in the kitchen learning things!!! These were still fun the 2nd time around. I didn't do flavors, but I can see that they would be good with a bit of spin.
ReplyDeleteI can see how you'd be disappointed--I'd have been a tad disappointed as well if I'd made the palets des dames already. BUT! I'm so glad you tried out some new flavors! Great tip on the competing almond and orange and yes, please, I'll take some peppermint!
ReplyDeleteI haven't acquired the book yet either, on my to do list. Kudos to you for making them again. I look forward to baking with TWD.
ReplyDeletemmmm almond extract! That sounds delicious! I am glad you baked along even though you made these already! :)
ReplyDeletePeppermint, "yes!". I am going to copy you.
ReplyDeleteIt sure looks like you had fun!!!
These were so much fun for Charlie the first time, I can see why you baked them again! You are going to love this book, when you finally have it in your hands. So beautiful and reading the headnotes alone is like having a companion volume to the recipes. I love your ideas for flavourings - you would have a wonderful holiday cookie box if you make them all at once.
ReplyDeleteohhh...an almond version sounds like it would be nice!
ReplyDeleteKudos to you for making these again. I would have just posted my original link. Love seeing kids in the kitchen!
ReplyDeleteI am so impressed you made them again! I struggled getting going despite being so excited to start. If I was to do them again I'd like them more zesty! Your batch looks great and cute helper :)
ReplyDeleteI need Charlie to come to my place and decorate!! Your cookies look wonderful.
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