2011-12-06

December has arrived already!



This year has been really warm; as a consequence,  the foliage didn’t change its colors properly. It’s dull all over. Quel domage! On the contrary, tastes of autumn fruits are sweeter and better this year due to the long hot summer. Apples are yummy, so I made a simple apple pie with a ready-made pie sheet and Kogyoku (red ball, if I translate in English.) which is similar to Mackintosh. I sprinkle some brown sugar and cinnamon for the taste.




And it’s a season for juicy succulent pears in different shapes and flavor.  In Japan, the most popular pear is called La France. We bought three boxes of it. And I made Pear & Parmigiano Reggiano tart and also this Pear-Caramel Entremet. This is my favorite cake which was served as our wedding cake as well.



I’ve made some cookies without butter (now in Japan, butter is scarce) , stollen,  some birthday cakes, a few anniversary tarts, French macarons, and madeleine with organic lemon zest.



Yuzu is in full season now. This fragrant citrus fruit is wonderfully flavorful. The scent is awesome! We usually use its skin to enhance a flavor, but this time I squeezed Yuzu to get some juice. The rest of its skins became home-made Yuzu peels. Anyway, its juice along with grapefruit and lemon juice has converted into pate-de-fruit. It’s somewhat like a gummy in texture (softer), and fruitier than that.



Another birthday cake. The cake is made of Damask-rose flavored white chocolate mousse with raspberry-lychee mousse and raspberry ganache (chocolate cream) inside.



This is a pastry called Religeuse in French. It’s made out of puff-pastries and cream and sugar fondant. I put strawberry cream in the bottom and the top with pistachio custard cream decorated with a collar-like chocolate disc. It has to be looked like a nun in a way like its French name.



When Fall comes, we make Cannele de Bordeaux which is a regional pastry of Bordeaux in France. Its unique shape is from a particularly-made copper Cannele mold. It needs to be baked in dark brown to enhance its flavor.



And the rest, preparation for Christmas! But in rural areas in Japan, Christmas atmosphere/spirit is a far-cry from the one in Western countries. I don’t feel any Christmas spirit at all here, which is sad…


3 comments:

  1. I love your pictures. They are so beautiful.
    And your cakes look delicious.

    写真を見てすごく勉強になります。

    ドイツの Mari でした。

    ReplyDelete
  2. Mari san,

    Sorry that I didn't reply to you quickly.
    I love to take photos but I have to studay how to take better pics!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Everything looks so yummy!
    I now have a craving for a cake. I am settling for some girl scout cookies.... LOL

    とてもおいしそうで目の保養になりました。

    ReplyDelete