The Personal Pie from Breville Part II

This device is amazing! My family and I had a pie making party and it turned out great! Everyone had fun with their fillings and I couldn't get them done fast enough before the next order came in! And it only took about 6 1/2 minutes to make 4 pies! This is totally worth it!

Fillings we made:
Bobotie (curried ground beef dish)
Chipotle Shredded Chicken
Onion and Cheese
Apple Pie

Just a casual observation: I do not understand why Meat Pies is not a huge think in the US. We were after all a British colony at some point. Most of the other former British colonies still eat meat pies and have them freely available. I know we kicked them out, but who doesn't like meat (or anything for that matter) in puff pastry? I wonder, would a pie shop (that sells savory pies) make it here in Houston? Your thoughts?

The Personal Pie from Breville

I saw this pie maker just before Christmas last year and it was apparently such a good seller that they immediately ran out of stock. I've been on a waiting list for months, and it finally arrived today. Of course I didn't have any fillings prepared, so I decided to use packaged pie dough and whip up a filling of peanut butter and whipped cream. (probably not the best idea for a filling...the whipped cream fell flat...but I had to do something) The first two items were a little too dark on the edges, but that may have just been because it was the first two. The next batch came out much better. I am so excited to try some new fillings and puff pastry instead of pie crust. I will keep you posted as I try new things.

This item is a Williams Sonoma exclusive and I believe that's who the picture is from. I will post my own next time I make pies.

Bacon Maple Sundae

It's Sunday morning, and I am watching some documentary when the new Denny's ad comes on. They start talking about some new campaign that they are running called Baconalia, most items seem pretty normal, bacon sampler, bacon and pancakes even the bacon in meatloaf, BUT then they mention something that breaks the barrier between yummy and totally absurd...a Bacon Sundae! First I thought that it was just a joke, something to make the ad more funny...meant to be absurd so that you'd remember the ad and go have the more normal bacon dishes. I did however feel the need to visit the Denny's web site...and low and behold...it's REAL! Vanilla ice cream, maple-flavored (yes...flavored, not actual maple syrup...yuck!) and bacon! I totally love bacon, don't get me wrong....but has this gone too far? Definitely....but for some strange reason, I really feel this strange need to try this! I will resist, I must!

If I ever cave, I'll be sure to post the review. If you have tried it, I look forward to your comments!

Mighty Leaf Tea

I've been really into tea lately, and the more I drink the more picky I am getting with my selections. I am very focused on Mighty Leaf Tea at this moment. I currently have the variety pack, but one of my absolute favorites is the Orange Dulce.

You can get this almost anywhere by now and the prices are reasonable.
Check out www.mightyleaf.com to see what they have to offer.

Custard slice in South Africa

I traveled to South Africa in March, and always kept an eye out for yummy pastries. I found something called a custard slice...which is pretty much what a Napoleon is. I of course had to get one, BUT unfortunately it didn't even come close! They used something called cream crackers which is a flaky, fairly tasteless cracker instead of puff pastry. The filling was very gelatinous and seems like it came from a mix. It really was a disappointment.
I did find a pastry that I liked and it was just as I remembered. I had an elongated doughnut rolled in fine sugar and filled with fresh whipped cream. Yummy!
Unfortunately I don't have any photos of these.

Penguin Party

It was my mom's birthday last week and she decided to have a themed party. There were lots of penguins (plush, decorations, etc.) and people dressed like penguins...I can't believe she actually got so many people to dress up! :)

I baked the cake and wanted to share how it turned out. I haven't done that many carved cakes and I wanted to stay away from using fondant on this one. It got good reviews, though and I am glad everyone liked it.

French Riviera Bakery

I just had to go get one again! So far it's the best one I have found, so it was worth getting another. They had SO many other pastries to choose from, but I only got the one....and yum!
We did have lunch there, it was nice, however, we were met with the typical European style sandwich....NOT ENOUGH MEAT!

Petit Fours

In my search for Napoleons I've come across quite a few places that also sold what they called Petit Fours. For me the definition that I grew up with is that a Petit Four is a small cube of layered cake covered with a fondant or poured icing. I didn't try one each time I saw it, but was enticed at Moeller's Bakery after driving all the way there and NOT finding a Napoleon, so I bought one....bit into it, and it was nothing more than a cube of sponge cake with icing poured over it. My 2 year old niece could have done that! I gave HEB Central Market a chance too...and what do you know? The same thing!!!! Why is it SO difficult to get a well made, true to your expectations pastry around here....the 4th largest city in the USA?

I will give Moeller's some credit....they had awesome cookies!

HEB Central Market

I am finally writing again, and it's long overdue. I picked up a Napoleon at the HEB Central Market in Houston. It was pretty good, good pastry cream consistency and the pastry itself was still pretty flaky. It did have the required icing on top, though it could have been thinner.