A French Yule Log may be shaped like the traditional yule log we are familiar with, which is a rolled cake with a butter cream filling, but that is where the similarities stop. A french yule log is mouse based and contains several textural elements within. It has a cookie/cake like layer, a crunchy layer, a rich and gooey layer and a chocolaty strip of hardy chocolate flavor.

This was the Daring Baker challenge for December and it was a long, involved process; but like all challenges it was a learning experience and deliciously rewarding.

See the recipe and additional photos for the French Yule Log...

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So maybe these eclairs didn't exactly turn out the way I wanted them to; they were delicious anyway. Eclairs was the Daring Baker challenge for August and I was really looking forward to them because I've always loved cream puffs and have always wanted to try making them but was too intimidated to try. Well, this was my chance, but I had a couple of mishaps.

First, I didn't bake them long enough so they deflated as soon as they started cooling off. They weren't 'puffs' anymore, they were just good tasting pastries :( Second, I left them too long on the baking sheet and they lost all their bottoms. I could have cried!


Read the rest of my misadventures here...

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This was my attempt at being a daring baker last month. Again, I procrastinated and hem and hawed for nothing. After I buckled down and got started, I found that it really wasn't as bad as I thought. So I've determined that from now on, I'm not even going to subject myself to the anxiety and just get to it.

This cake turned out delicious! With the girls away in California this month, I hate to admit that my husband and I pretty much ate this whole thing by ourselves! All week long, I have been on a slice of cake a day. It was so good, but I don't even want to think how much I must have gained eating all that buttercream.

If you'd like the recipe for this cake that has a real fancy name of Filbert Gateau with Praline Buttercream, just click on the link.


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If you ever want to impress your friends of your baking prowess, you've just got to learn how to do a braid. I finally did, thanks to the Daring Bakers and my ten year old daughter. :) This is June's Daring Baker challenge, an honest to goodness make from scratch Danish Braid.

The dough, once you master the yeasted and laminated part, is a breeze to do and is sure to impress. It looks difficult on paper, but once you get started with the rolling and turning, you'll find a rhythm and you'll be baking and braiding like a pro before you know it.

Here's the detailed recipe with some photographs of the the various steps.

Read the rest of the recipe for Danish Braid...



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April's Daring Baker challenge were these beautiful and delicious cheesecake pops. Yep, you heard right, lollypop cheesecakes! What could be better than that, eh? The girls had a great time sharing these little treats with their friends. These pops would be perfect for a birthday party or any festive occasion where you want something impressive and fun.

I've never baked a cheesecake before much less work with melted chocolate, so this was a fun challenge. I was glad it came out pretty good.

Want to try making your own cheesecake pops? Just click on the link!


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I finally worked up the nerve to join the Daring Bakers and this was my first challenge, Dorie Greenspan's Perfect Birthday Cake! It was a perfect them and timely considering March is my daughter Jade's birthday and we've been celebrating all month :)

I made the cake twice, the first time just the way it came with lemon flavored frosting and raspberry filling. The second time, I made it with pineapple filling and flavored yellow frosting. Both versions were delicious! But between all that buttery frosting and the flan I ended up making to use up the egg yolks, I think I need to lay off anything fatty for a while.

Click on the photo if you'd like the recipe for this cake.



Visit our new blogs:
Amoores.com
Cooked from the Heart - our new food blog
Our New Backyard - garden & photo blog
Found Not Lost - about all the things we 'find' worth talking about