2 in 1

A girl gotta do what a girl gotta do. At the moment, this girl has to deal with (way too) many papers and exams growing on my desk. Sometimes you just have to keep going, and think that better days will come, eventually. I'm a bit tired but I don't have time to think about it. The only thing that makes me move forward is that by the end of next week I'll be through, and packing my bag... But that's another story. ;)

It's 2 recipes in 1 post today! Because Hay Hay it's Donna Hay had a couple of brilliant winners in its last edition, we're having a couple of themes for this one: Sugar-grilled Fruit, hosted by Tartasacher from Mil Postres, and Chicken Satay Skewers, hosted by Meeta from What's for Lunch, Honey?. I've used Donna's recipe for sugar-grilled fruit (provided by our hostess) with little twists to make a round of waffles.



Sugar-grilled Date Mango with Maple Ricotta and Vanilla Waffles

Serves 4

2 ripe but firm medium mangoes, cut into slices
8 dates, stoned and chopped
1/3 cup (60g) brown sugar

Maple Ricotta

1/2 cup (125ml) ricotta
1/4 cup (60ml) single cream (or whole milk)
1½ Tbps maple syrup
1-2 Tbsp maple flakes (optional), to sprinkle

Press the cut sides of the sliced fruit into the brown sugar. Heat a non-stick frying pan over high heat. Cook the mangoes a few pieces at a time for one minute each side or until golden. Wipe pan clean and continue with remaining mango slices. Add chopped dates, and cook for another minute. To make the maple ricotta, place cheese, cream, and maple syrup into a bowl and mix to combine.

Vanilla Waffles
Adapted from Jacqueline Malouf's Breakfasts, p. 48.

Serves 4

2 large free-range eggs, separated
1 cup (250 ml) milk
1/4 cup (60 grs) butter, melted
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup + 2 Tbsp (180 grs) all-purpose flour
pinch fine sea salt
1 1/2 Tbsp caster sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder

Whisk egg yolks with milk, butter and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl. Sift the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder together. Combine liquid and dry mixtures, until the batter is thick and smooth. Beat the egg whites until stiff. Gently fold into the batter.

Preheat a waffle maker. Place some of the batter in the waffle maker, and cook according to the manufacturer's instructions. Remove the cooked waffle. Cover with a tea cloth to keep waffles warm while you prepare the rest.

To serve, pile the fruits onto the waffles, and top with the maple ricotta. Scrap any caramel left in the pan. Sprinkle with maple flakes to serve.



Turkey Mushroom Satay Skewers
Lightly adapted from Kate Belcher's recipe.

Serves 4

Satay Sauce

200g peanuts
1 tbsp light muscovado sugar
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
juice of 1 lime
1 can (200ml) coconut milk

Put the peanuts, sugar, soy sauce, lime juice, and coconut milk in a food processor. Process, until combined (add a dash of cold water if too thick). Season with black pepper. I’ve served it with skewered turkey breast strips, and mushroom skewers.

Turkey Skewers

Soak 8 wooden skewers in hot water. Mix in turkey strips (about 2-3 strips per skewer) with ½ the sauce in a bowl and set aside to marinate for 10 minutes. Preheat the grill. Line a baking tray with foil. Lay the finished skewers on the tray. Grill for 8-10 minutes, until cooked through (turn halfway).

Mushroom Skewers

Place mushrooms onto soaked (and drained) skewers - I've made 4. Sprinkle with sea salt, and grill together with the turkey skewers, until golden.

Serve turkey and mushroom skewers with the remaining satay sauce and lime wedges.

HHDD#23 - It's Pesto!

I'm very fond of Hay Hay it's Donna Hay, and usually try not to miss any round. It's a food event I keep close to the heart. When Joey from the ever wonderful 80 Breakfasts chose Pesto, I was delighted with the theme: easy, and with so many open possibilities! Coincidentally, one year ago from this day I was making Minted Walnut Pesto after having tried a Cilantro Almond Pesto. So what now? Rocket! Although rocket is not very usual, it has to be my favourite green for pesto.

I've used Donna's recipe Joey has provided, replacing the basil with the rocket, and omitting the lemon zest. Because it's cold in Lisbon, and comfort foods are in season, I've served my rocket pesto as a topping to a bowl of White Bean Soup, recipe courtesy of - the one and only, the lady herself - Donna Hay! ;)



Rough Chop Rocket Pesto*
Slightly adapted from Donna Hay Magazine, issue 35, p. 104

1 cup roughly chopped rocket
2 Tbsp roughly chopped toasted pine nuts
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
3/4 cup olive oil (I like virgin extra with mild flavours for this recipe)

Place the basil, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan, salt, pepper, and oil in a bowl and stir to combine. Makes one cup.



White Bean Soup
Adapted from Donna Hay Magazine, issue 33, p. 104

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 stalk of celery, sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
450 grs cannellini beans, re-hydrated
4 cups (1 litre) chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste

Dried cannellini beans must be soaked in water for at least 4 hours (best overnight). You'll need about 175 grs of dried beans.

Heat a large soup pot on medium heat. Add the oil, onion, garlic and celery, and stir about 2-3 minutes or until they are translucent. Add the beans and stock, and bring to a boil, stirring to ensure the beans don’t stick to the bottom. Reduce the heat, cover and let cook for about 1 hour, or until the beans are very soft. Stir the soup occasionally during this time.

Blend the soup. If you have one, use a hand blender. Otherwise, a food processor or standing blender will work too. Puree the soup until it is smooth. Season to taste. Continue to cook, uncovered, until thick. Serves 4.

Serve soup topped with a tsp or two of rocket pesto.

* Original recipe is topped with chorizo.

Hay Hay Its Donna Day is a food event created by Barbara from WinosandFoodies and now taken under the wing of Bron Marshall.

HHDD#23 - It's (flavoured) yoghurt!

Why do I make the choices I do about my cooking and baking? Research, thinking, personal taste - 90% work, 10% inspiration. Of course, each recipe has a story behind. And I don't always work it that much! It's just my designer's mind, and method, taking over. If we're talking about ice cream flavours, you're allowed to choose 'vanilla' just because. But if you're discussing a project with me that just won't do! I'd love to have years to live as I've repeated these couple of sentences to my students. Because that would mean a very long life for me! Training young people to become designers is not always an easy task but can be quite rewarding.

All this talk? Bordeaux chose a challenging theme to the 23rd edition of Hay hay it's Donna Day: Yoghurt. My first compulsion was to make stracciatella yoghurt. Then I thought, why stracciatella? Er... just because. And it didn't feel right! The choice you make about something can be just a gut feeling. But you have to know why you choose what you choose. Enough cheap talking! Bear with me, I had a tough week at work. ;-)



Pomegranate Yoghurt with Toasted Pistachios
Slightly adapted from Donna's recipe, via Marita Says

Serves 4

1/2 cup pomegranate juice
1/4 cup sugar (or a little less depending on how sweet the pomegranate is)
1 cup chilled plain yogurt
1 cup chilled cream

Prepare a syrup by placing the juice, and sugar in a saucepan and stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Let it simmer for another 4 minutes and then let it stand for another 5. When the syrup has cooled, add it together with the other ingredients in a mixing bowl and beat until light and creamy.

Serve with pomegranate seeds and toasted pistachios (about 2 Tbps of each per person or to taste).

Notes

Use an old apron to work with pomegranates. If possible work outdoors. (You'll want to remember this. Pomegranate stains are FOREVER!)

Check how to peel and seed a pomegranate here.

For the juice, I used a very large pomegranate. Scoop out the pomegranate seeds with a spoon. Place them in a cloth bag and squeeze out the juice. Strain the juice through a second cloth bag. If you don't have enough juice for the recipe, add a bit of water to the leftover pulp, and adjust the sugar.

To toast the pistachios, place in a dry skillet large enough so they are in one layer, over medium heat. Cook, shaking the pan often, until nuts start to darken, about 5 minutes. Cool slightly before using. Chop.



This is my entry for this round of Hay Hay it’s Donna Day, an event originally created by Barbara of Winos and Foodies and now taken under the wings of Bron Marshall.

Hay, hay, it's Bordeaux again!

We have a winner for this round of Hay, hay it's Donna Day. [insert drums here] Please have a look at Marita Says and drool over the awesome nutella panCAKE that took most of the votes. Congratulations Bordeaux for a deserved second win!

Thank you to everyone who submitted delicious pancakes to an amazing roundup. Once again you made me a very proud host! Obrigada!

HHDD#22 - the Roundup!

Ready for the pancakes? Get some tea, coffee or juice and join me for the fun. We have a awesome bunch of lovely recipes that, I'm sure, will provide the perfect pancake or crepe for everyone! Thank you all for submitting your entries to this event.

THE Pancake EDITION!

Once again, I'd like to start this roundup with the creator of Hay Hay it's Donna Day, Barbara of WinosandFoodies made some good looking, and for sure delicious, pancakes. Have a look at Donna's Pancakes with Blueberries and Raspberry Sauce, and tell me if that's not a beautiful way to have pancakes.




From southern France, Dhanggit of Dhanggit's Kitchen made a great stack of Rhum Raisin Almond Pancakes. I've never had alcohol for breakfast before but I'm now willing to add some Rum to my pancakes!!







From Utah, USA, Holly of Phe/MOM/enon made spectacular sweet crepes, two ways: filled with a spread of chocolately Nutella and folded then drizzled with some warm Burnt Caramel Hazelnut Praline Sauce. No further comments!



From my neighbor Spain, Tartasacher of Mil Postres made simple, but surely delicious, American Pancakes with Dark Chocolate Sauce... Mmmm, dark chocolate. Can I please (pretty please) have a couple of those with my coffee?



My good friend Rita from Clumbsy Cookie joined with truly adorable, tiny pancakes which are vegan too. Plus, they're low in sugar and low in fat, but most of all they're delicious and with a nice texture. Not a simple reason not to try those cuties.



Lisa of Spicy Ice Cream from Sydney, Australia joined with a delightful plate of Cinnamon Pancakes for a yummy morning ritual.






From beautiful Asia, Bordeaux of Marita Says came up with a Nutella PanCAKE... Should I or shouldn't I accept this variation on the theme? or is that really a question? Bring on that decadent, extremely rich and heart-attack inducing entry! ;) (And feel free to borrow my kitchen for the next HHDD events)







Chichajo of lovely 80 Breakfasts joins from Manila, Philippines for a round of Chocolate Filled Crepes with Cinnamon Crust. As joey herself says The combination of the dark chocolate and the subtle cinnamon flavour was perfect! Of course it was!!






Kazari of I think I have a recipe for that... from Canberra, Australia made yummy wholemeal Apple Pancakes, perfect to go with a cup of whatever-you're-having-for-breakfast!










SilverMoon Dragon from Dragon Musings in Australia, made Triple Choc Pancakes for her first Hay Hay it's Donna Day. What's better than double chocolate? Triple Chocolate, of course!!





Andrea of Cooking Books from Manhattan entered not one but to great recipes! First, have a taste at Ataïf with Eishta (Arab Pancakes with Middle Eastern Clotted Cream) for an exquisite version of delicious sweet pancakes.


Andrea also entered an intriguing savoury recipe for Squash Blossoms on Summer Squash Pancakes. This one got me really curious! Not to mention the pretty presentation. I'll have to try it!








Dee from choos and chews, cooking and posting from Malaysia, made some early morning Vanilla Buttermilk Pancakes with Pear and Cardamom Compote. Did you just say cardamom and pear in the same sentence? Sounds like an awesome combination of flavours! Plus, instant pancakes are a great finding to save you time in the morning.



From New York, Alexandra of Addicted Sweet Tooth had some Honey Walnut Pancakes with Marinated Citrus Fruits my way. (Alexandra also sent a lovely gift to celebrate my Tiramisu winning entry. Thank you!)



Based in Chicago, IL, Jude from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pâté made a pile of Old-Fashioned Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes to show how whole grains are beneficial to one’s health particularly during breakfast, the most important meal of the day. Breakfast is THE meal for me!


And that's all folks! Thank you all for sharing and taking part. I hope you enjoyed it. Me? I had a supercalifragilisticexpialidocious time once more!

Voting begins today, September 15th, and runs until midnight (GMT) next Monday September 22rd. Email your choice to me at gourmetsamadores [at] gmail [dot] com before the deadline. Participants only. The winner will be announced shortly after.

Hay, hay, pancake away!

Pancakes anyone? Just a little reminder about this month's Hay, hay it's Donna Day. This proud hostess is willing for your entries until next Monday, September 8. That's the last day to send your pancakes, crepes or pikelets. As usual, late entries will have to invite me for brunch. ;)

HHDD#22 - It's Pancake Time!

cream coloured ponies and crisp apple strudels
doorbells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles
wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings
these are a few of my favorite things

Surely you've recognized the lyrics from Julie Andrews' favourite things in The Sound of Music. As much as I love apple strudel, I love pancakes more! So... my choice for this 22nd edition of Hay, hay it's Donna Day is Pancakes! I LOVE pancakes the American way (especially plain fluffy ones with fruit and honey or maple syrup) but I'm also a sucker for crepes French style (crisp and thin, folded with chocolate). All I ask is for you to use your pans any way you like, be it pancakes, crepes or pikelets, sweet or savoury, with scrumptious fillings and decadent garnishes or simply dusted with cinnamon and sugar - you choose it!



Caramelized Pear Pancakes
New Food Fast, p. 138, 162-164*

For the pancakes:

Makes 15

2 cups (250 g) plain flour, sifted
3 tsp baking powder, sifted
1/3 cup (85 g) caster sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup (375 ml) milk
75 g butter, melted
pinch of salt

Place the flour, baking powder and sugar in a bowl. Place the eggs, milk, and butter in a separate bowl and whisk until combined. Combine mixtures and whisk until smooth. (Add extra milk to get the right consistency, if necessary).

Heat a greased medium non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Pour 1/3 cup of the mixture into the pan and cook, in batches, until bubbles appear on the surface. Turn the pancakes and cook for 1 minute or until golden. Repeat with the remaining mixture.

For the caramelized pears:

Sauté some sliced pears (I used 2 large ripe but firm pears) with 60g of butter and 3 tablespoons of light brown sugar, until soft. Arrange in layers with the pancakes. Add 3 tablespoons of light brown sugar to the saucepan, and 1 cup of single or pouring cream. Boil until thick. Pour over the pear and pancake stack, and serve.

*I own the Portuguese version of this book. Apologies if the pages aren't the same from the original, also the recipe may be slightly different as it's my translation.

Donna Hay's recipes:
Pancakes (From Modern Classics 2), p.56
Crepes (From New Food Fast), p.165
Pikelets (From Modern Classics 2), p.62
Blueberry Banana Pancakes (From Simple Essentials Fruit)
Hoisin Pork with Onion Pancakes (From New Food Fast), p.36

RULES FOR HAY HAY ITS DONNA DAY:

Hay Hay Its Donna Day is open to all food and wine bloggers.

Entries submitted for HHDD must be made specifically for this event, although photos may be submitted to Does My Blog Look Good In This.

The host will select, make and post the original Donna Hay recipe without any changes. Participants may make the same recipe as is, or put their own spin on the recipe by altering the ingredients whilst remaining with the theme or if they prefer to share a well loved recipe within the theme. Entrants must include a link to the host in their post.

Entries can be made at any time once the event has been announced but must be posted and emailed to the host by the closing date.

Deadline for all posts to be up and submitted is September 8, 2008. I will be posting the round up a week later (September 15) and voting will then begin!

Please email all your entries to gourmetsamadores[AT]gmail[DOT]com from now on till September 8. In your email, please include the following information: your blog name, your name, your location, your recipe name, and the permalink to your entry.

Hay Hay Its Donna Day is a food event created by Barbara from Winos and Foodies and now under the wing of Bron Marshall.

Get your pans ready!

Hay, hay, I won again!!

I won Hay, hay it's Donna Hay! Wooohooo! Now that's what I call great news! For those of you not yet familiar with the event, Hay, hay it's Donna Day was started by Barbara from WinosandFoodies, and it's now under the wing of Bron. Hay, hay it's Donna Day has to be my favourite food event, and certainly feels special to have won it twice!

Thank you to everyone who voted for my Almond Caramel Tiramisu. You sure did pick me up!! And a big, big thank you to Alexandra from Addicted Sweet Tooth for being the perfect host to the Tiramisu Edition!

Check this space, I'll be posting HHDD#22 theme pretty soon!

HHDD#21 - It's Tiramisu!

You're not named "pick me up" for no good reason. And the reason is it makes people happier just by looking at it, not to mention taste it! Yep, it's Tiramisu!

I love Tiramisu. When Alexandra from Addicted Sweet Tooth, the brilliant winner of HHDD#20 - the Choux Edition hosted by this truly yours, announced the theme I was jumping on my chair. But then I got a little scared: what should I do with an already perfect dessert? Maybe I could make a plain tiramisu with just a little twist...

Tiramisu is fairly recent, supposedly invented in Treviso, in the north of Italy, only a couple of decades ago. This italian dessert has many variations, with the only constant ingredient being the mascarpone - a creamy soft cheese made from crème fraîche. The basic traditional recipe is made in Italy using raw eggs, with little variations except for the ingredient quantity. My own recipe, pieced together over the years, calls for raw eggs instead of whipped cream - mascarpone and whipped cream seem somehow redundant to me, and the eggs add the perfect texture to the zabaglione - just my 2 cents. ;) Using fresh eggs is crucial. Not a problem to me since my Dad retired to become what a call Hen Chief Executive Officer... but that's another story I'll tell some other day!

First things first.



Almond Ladyfingers

Makes about 4 dozens

3 large eggs, separated
3 Tbsp + 2 Tbsp sugar superfine
1/2 Tbsp almond extract
1/2 cup (about 65 grs) cake flour, sifted
1/2 tsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp sliced almonds, coarsely chopped
extra sugar to dust

Preheat oven to 180ºC (360ºF). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a mixing bowl, using an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, beat 3 egg yolks with 2 Tbsp sugar, until thick and doubled in size. Add the almond extract and the chopped almonds, and fold. Mix in the sifted flour with a spatula, folding just 4-5 times. In another bowl, whip the egg whites with the lemon juice, until soft peaks form. Add 3 Tbsp sugar, one at a time, and continue whipping until stiff peaks form. Fold in the yolk mixture, making sure not to break the meringue but mixing until completely incorporated.

Spoon the batter into a large pastry bag, with a round tip (about 1,5 cm) and pipe the ladyfingers onto the parchment paper. Make sure to allow enough space around each one. Use a wire strainer to dust the ladyfingers with the extra sugar. Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove from the oven. Using a flat spatula, release the ladyfingers from the parchment paper onto a wire rack to cool completely.



Almond Caramel Tiramisu

Serves 6-8

Praline
Adapted from Donna Hay, Modern Classics 2, p.124

Preheat oven to 180ºC (360ºF). Place 1/3 blanched almonds in a baking tray lined with parchment paper, and bake for 10 minutes or until golden. Place 1/2 cup superfine caster sugar and 1/4 cup water in a saucepan over low heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Increase the heat and boil the mixture until a golden colour. Remove from the heat, allow the bubbles to subside and pour over the almonds. When set, break the praline into chunks, and process in a food processor.

Mascarpone Cream
300 grs mascarpone cheese
4 large fresh eggs, separated
4 Tbsp + 2 Tbsp sugar superfine
pinch of salt
2 Tbsp Amarguinha (Portuguese sour almond liqueur), or more to taste
40 almond ladyfingers (see recipe above)
1/2 cup (125 ml) strong espresso, cooled
2 Tbsp sliced almonds, toasted

In a mixing bowl, using an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, beat 4 egg yolks with 4 Tbsp sugar, until thick and doubled in size. Gradually, add the liqueur and the mascarpone cheese, and mix until fully incorporated. In another bowl, whip the egg whites with the pinch of salt, until soft peaks form. Add 2 Tbsp sugar, one at a time, and continue whipping until stiff peaks form. Fold in the cheese mixture, making sure not to break the meringue but mixing until completely incorporated.

Assembly
Soak each ladyfinger in the coffee. Place it in a large or individual dish or bowl, and arrange into a layer. Cover with a layer of mascarpone cream. Sprinkle a couple of Tbsp of praline on top. Repeat until you run out of ladyfingers, making sure you finish with mascarpone cream and praline. Sprinkle with toasted sliced almonds. Refrigerate for 2 hours, as it's best chilled.


So this is my entry for HHDD! Hay Hay It's Donna Day is a food event created by Barbara from WinosandFoodies and now taken care by Bron Marshall.

Hay, hay, it's Alexandra!

I know it took ages but please welcome the wonderful winner of HHDD Choux Edition: Alexandra of Addicted Sweet Tooth!! Her perfect & delicate Passion Fruit Cream Puffs got the hearts (and the votes!) of many participants. Congratulations Alexandra!

A big thank you to everyone who took part in this round of HHDD! I had so much fun choosing the theme, making choux, waiting for the awesome entries, and having this brilliant winner. Obrigada!

HHDD#20 - the Roundup!

I'm sorry it took so long to post the Roundup. It's being hectic with the end of the school year, my weekend in Paris approaching and my (working) trip to east Europe. But wait no more! Ready for the fun? I hope you all had a great time with the theme I chose for this edition of Hay, Hay, it's Donna Day, because I did! Choux pastry can be tricky, and I knew choosing Choux could be a little scary for some of you. But, as I hoped, you rose to the occasion with some great creations, and made me a very happy host!! Thank you all for taking part of this event.

THE CHOUX EDITION!

I want to start the roundup with mastermind and creator of HHDD, Barbara of WinosandFoodies made some lovely Green Tea Choux Pacman for Donna. She thought the choux looked like little pacman, but I always found the little ghosts to look more cute than scary, and I think the same about the choux. Just adorable!






From New Zealand, Arfi Binsted of HomeMadeS sent delicious looking Gougères, flavoured with raclette cheese and Italian parsley, and sprinkled with ground smoked paprika. Definitely the right appetizer for any occasion. Yum!









Talida from Talida Bakes sent these good looking Matcha Profiteroles from New York. The green tea is such a clever addition to the choux pastry, and I would be more than happy with a cream puff that not only is light but also tastes light!






From sunny Aix en Provence, France, Dhanggit of Dhanggit's Kitchen joined with a delightful creation: Profiteroles in lychee ice-cream with cherry chocolate sauce! Does that sounds great or what?? Not to mention the lovely photos that make you want to lick your computer screen.







Y of Lemonpi from Sydney, Australia (Oh one day, I'll make it there!) made another great Gougères. If you're like me, you never have enough of these beauties! plus, Y added the most fitting soundtrack to go along: To build a home, by The Cinematic Orchestra. Perfect!




From Spain, Tartasacher of Mil Postres brought an awesome classic with choux pastry: Cake Saint Honoré. The cake is named after St. Honore, the patron of bakers, and it's a must for any baker. I'm yet to try it myself... Great entry to celebrate choux and bakers in May, since the 16th of May is St. Honore day!


Fellow Portuguese pastry chef Rita from Clumbsy Cookie joined with a pair of adorable Choux Shoe! Made me sing "these boots are made to walk", and think these shoes have to be great to bite!





From Victoria, Australia, Pam of Backyard Pizzeria sent her delightful version of Chantilly Cream Puffs. She made the most beautiful, not even a bit tacky, Chantilly Swans. Wow!






Lisa of Spicy Ice Cream from Sydney, Australia added the luscious Chocolate and Ginger Profiteroles to try something new. Did I just write Ginger?? Ginger and Chocolate has to be delicious with choux pastry... I love the idea!





From dreamy Thailand, Bordeaux of Marita Says served Thai-inspired Profiteroles. Kaffir lime, Thai iced tea and Pandanus make the most amazing collection of local favorites that I'm dead curious about. The Thai Profiteroles not only sound great but also look great, and beautifully photographed. What else can I say? I’d been hoping for creative recipes, and this certainly fits the bill!



Chichajo of my favourite blog 80 Breakfasts joins from hot Manila, Philippines. What's better than chocolate? Double Chocolate, of course!! Joey sent over the one and only Donna Hay's Double Chocolate Choux. Double cool!









From Auckland, New Zealand (another place I'm yet to know), Tammy of Wee Treats by Tammy made simple gruyere gougeres simply perfect for nibbles to go with drinks to welcome some friends. I’m sure they loved it! Looks great!




Angela W of A Spoonful of Sugar from Bristol, UK offered the most fitting Profiteroles Alla Gelato Di Fragole All'Aceto Balsamico (or Profiteroles with Strawberry-Balsamic gelato) to welcome British summer. Strawberries & Cream are synonymous of Wimbledon for me, and Profiteroles with Strawberry-Balsamic gelato sound equally appealing now that the major tennis championships are almost here!



From Utah, USA, Holly of Phe/MOM/enon made spectacular Choux Funnel Cakes. Doesn’t it sound funny and like something you’d like to try? And don't they look stunning? The low is the cakes really aren't figure-friendly but who cares, right?





New York based Alexandra of Addicted Sweet Tooth surprised me with her lovely photos of perfectly adorable Cream puffs. Alexandra showed how pastry choux versatility can be truly yummy in its simplicity!









Melody of Fruit Tart played with choux pastry to 'choux' us some really cool stuff. Look at the awesome Chocolate Cream Puffs the perfect ice cream cookie sandwiches! She also made another version to combine white chocolate mousse leftovers (daring baker on board!!), and created a nice little package with some drippings on top!



From The Netherlands, Linda of make life sweeter! (isn't that an amazing title??), sent over some pretty Éclairs with lavender white chocolate mousse that Linda thought tasted a bit like soap due to a very strong lavender extract. The lavender lover I am bookmarked the recipe for further use. Wish I thought of that before!



Over from Australia, Ellie of Kitchen Wench made a break from her new hobby of crocheting to bake a batch of Sugary-Almond Mocha Profiteroles to join us. I am so glad Ellie chose to join the fun with this event, sharing her beautifully photographed Profiteroles!





Rachel of Fairy Cake Heaven is based in Ireland, and shared Choux filled with Orange Honey Cream and Cardamom Icing. The photo may not do it justice but the thought Orange, Honey and Cardamom makes me want to have at least a couple of those choux. It has to be delicious!







From San Francisco, Denise & Lenny of Chez US made lovely Sweet Choux to add to this event. The sugar pearls give the right classy touch to a simple classic. Love it!




And last but (not at all the) least, Bron Marshall the fantastic caretaker of HHDD offered beautiful Snow Choux, together with the most fitting wintertime and awesome snow photos. Not to miss for nothing in this world!








And that's it! Thank you so much for sharing and making my first-ever event so enjoyable!

Voting begins today, June 16th, and runs until midnight (GMT) on Monday June 23rd. Email your choice to me at gourmetsamadores [at] gmail [dot] com before the deadline. Participants only. The winner will be announced shortly after, depending on how it goes with my trip since I'll be on the move from Paris to a city in East Europe*.

*The reason of all the fuss about where I'm going is because I want to play a little guessing game with you. More on that later! ;)