Happy Halloween!

Chocolate Chip Cookies...with a finishing salt (fleur du sel)

...what's not to like?

I was asked to bake a few cakes for a Halloween Party of approximately 20 kids and parents.

To bring it up a knotch, (like Emeril Lagasse would say) I placed the cakes in a decoration of sorts.

I bought a plastic caldron and put the cake in the caldron. Added black tissue paper and creature features. Voila! A decoration for a cake presentation.

Check out the Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe from Jacques Torres.

I baked this for Trick or Treaters.

Really delicious! You've got to try these!

Sprinkled on these cookies is a finishing salt...Fleur du Sel.

Brand: Esprit Du Sel.

What's so great about adding the salt?

You experience the sweet, then the salty.

It's a YIN/YANG experience for your tastebuds.

His recipe calls for Valrhona chocolate. I used Ghiradelli. I also added walnuts.

Happy Halloween! Be Safe!

Peace in baking,
Carmen

Welcome to...BAKED by Melissa

BAKED by Melissa - a review by me (Carmen)

I am not posting a recipe today...just sharing with you a place you might want to stop by and enjoy some cute cupcake creations.

In my travels to NYC, I decided to stop by and try some of the cute mini-cupcakes offered by BAKED by Melissa.

I ordered three cupcakes: cost $3 bucks

1- Peanut Butter Cup

2- Red Velvet

3- S'mores







Cupcake Selections in box ~
top left: S'mores
top right: Peanut Butter Cup
bottom left: Red Velvet

The cupcakes were moist and delicious!

I was a very happy customer! It's just enough to satisfy a sugar craving.

I've taken pictures for you to enjoy. If you haven't visited

BAKED by Melissa

yet...put it on your to do list...Stop by after lunch or dinner...

BAKED by Melissa

is located in New York City's SoHo area:

529 Broadway
New York, NY, 10012
Phone:
212.842.0220
Mon - Sun:
11:00 am - 8:00 pm

Located on Spring St. between Broadway and Mercer.

Till next post,

Carmen

BAKING is my ZeN

Summer Breeze (like dessert) Makes Me Feel Fine

As the song from Seals & Croft goes,
"SUMMER BREEZE makes me feel fine"...
I would say desserts make me feel fine too!

The scent of lemons and limes remind me of summer.

I found a cookie recipe which included both lemons and limes.
The scent of lemons and limes as I zested away was absolutely heavenly.

Thumbprint Lemon-Lime
Meltaway Cookies

Recipe can be found in ~

"The Secrets of Baking"

by Sherry Yard
Spago's award-winning Pastry Chef

You can pick up Sherry's book at Amazon.com.

Just a Note: This recipe was a little labor intensive in that there were steps in the baking process that required a 'waiting' period.
- The lemon curd had to cool before use.
- The brown butter had to be completely chilled.
- The dough required chilling.
Save this recipe for a day where you have extra baking time.

~ ~ ~

On a trip to the shore this summer, I met up with my friend Larry. We enjoyed sites in Atlantic Highlands and Sandy Hook.

We stopped by the Sandy Hook Bay Catamaran Club , where Larry docks his catamaran.

Sandy Hook Point Lookout

The view was spectacular from Sandy Hook Point Lookout.

Sandy Hook Lighthouse...it's the oldest working Lighthouse.

Twin Lights was used as the primary lighthouse for New York Harbor and was known as the best and the brightest light in North America.

Sailing ~ Beautiful to watch...in the background is the Atlantic Highlands and The Highlands.

Francesco's Pizza Italian Restaurant

279 Bay Ave
Highlands, NJ 07732-1525
(732) 291-4729‎

We had Pizza...DELISH!
I enjoyed listening to the water flowing from the bamboo water fountain near us.

I love water fountains!
Mosaic of boats flower planter~

Had to take a picture of this...so fitting for the shore area.

Summer is nearing its close...hope your summer of baking was fun!

Peace in Baking,
Carmen

I'd like to leave you with a great song for your listening pleasure...

(click on the song title)

SUMMER BREEZE

by Seals & Croft