My Grandmother's Recipe Box

I used the less fussy pate de choux recipe that I made growing up before I knew the correct french term for cream puff dough.   I have made it the fussy way and the way I will describe below and I don't really notice much difference.   Here is is:  Put one stick of butter in 1 cup of water and bring to a boil; add 1 cup of flour and stir until combined; remove from heat and add 4 eggs one at time making sure that each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next. If you have never made these before, the dough gets slimy when you add the add and then you keep stirring and in a blink it incorporates into the dough.     For this bake, I made chocolate eclairs with chocolate glaze and regular cream puffs with a cardamom cream filling.   Pipe eclairs or puff onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment and cook until golden.  Cook time depends on the size of the puff but make sure to not take them out too early so they are able t...

I have always wanted to make a Buche de Noel and this year I finally decided to jump in.  It wasn't perfect but it looked pretty darn good and tasted great.  And it was even gluten free so that everyone could enjoy it on Christmas Eve. Again, I did not find one recipe that fit the bill for what I was making so I used pieces of different recipes to make: A gluten free chocolate sponge, a french chocolate buttercream (so delicious) and meringue mushrooms as well as just regular whipped cream for the center. The "ribbons"  Add the chocolate and in the oven.   It is a very thin cake so make sure you watch the timing  Dust with cocoa powder and sugar to roll it up while it is still warm  Cool the cake completely while rolled up  Fille with cream and.... re-roll.   This was tricky and the cake was sticky.  I am not sure if that is related to the gluten free cake or if it is just tricky.  Even if it looks messe...

I have been inspired by binging the British Baking Show.  Though this recipe was not in my grandmother's recipe box, I know she would have approved and loved trying this French dessert.  I don't have the exact recipe as I usually search for recipes and then use part of several.  You can find recipes for all of these components so pick your favorites and put them together.  Poach the pears with sugar, cinnamon stick and lemon peel.   (Leaves you with a great simple syrup to make a cocktail with if you are so inclined) Make a sweet short crust and blind bake.   You can buy baking beans or just use regular beans. Slice the pears and fan them out a bit  Make frangipane Fill the tart with frangipane  Place the pears on the tart and bake.  Cover the crust with foil so it doesn't burn.  Share and Enjoy!

Finally, I made a recipe from the box that someone actually remembered Mom making before.    Mom would be what I called my grandmother  not to be confused with my Mom.  I don't know why but it was never confusing as to who I was referring to when I said it to me or to Mom and Mom.  So this recipe is for lemon pie though the recipe for the pie crust and for the meringue was not actually included on the card so I had to do those on my own.                                                                 The lemon custard was very sweet and did not set up like my grandmothers did.   I would probably adjust the recipe if I made it aga...