Cream Puff Baby Duckies

"Shampoo is better. I go on first and clean the hair,"
"Conditioner is better. I leave the hair silky and smooth,"
"Oh really fool?"
"Really,"
"Stop looking at me swan."

I cannot see a swan without quoting Billy Madison. Yeah, it's a problem.


(blog checking lines) Kat of the Bobwhites was our August 2012 hostess who inspired us to have fun in creating pate a choux shapes, filled with patisserie or Chantilly cream. We were encouraged to create swans or any shape we wanted and go crazy with filling flavors allowing our creativity to go wild!

Pate a Choux Swans. One of the Daring Bakers members says in the forum, "I was probably only 12 or 13 when I oogled a recipe of choux swans in a very 70's style cookbook. These gorgeous swans sat on a mirror and I always thought they were the height of elegance!" The height of elegance indeed. Somebody call the Beejees.

I was going to make swans, but I decided to make them for my brother and (almost) sister-in-law's baby shower, so I made little baby ducks. I think they kinda look like Peeps. Only better. Cause they are cream filled. Yum.

Nobody believes me, but I swear these are easy to make. Please try it. The piping takes a few practice ducks (I meant to take a photo of mine but I was trying to get them in the oven, get showered, and get the toddler dressed in under an hour). Even if they don't look perfect when baked just put little eyes and they'll be cute any way.

No eyes = boring blob

Eyes = cute baby duckie!

To pipe the little ducks, use a piping bag with a large round tip. Or use a Ziploc bag like I did- snip a little off the corner to fit the piping tip into. Use a freezer bag though- sandwich bags burst at the seams. I know from experience. Not pretty. Moving on.

Pipe a two inch oval, making one end a bit higher and pull up the piping bag at the end leaving a peak standing up. When the duckies bake the dough really pulls up and leaves you with a hollow middle to fill with delicious, delicious cream.

To fill the duckies put the cream in a piping bag or Ziploc (see above). Insert the tip into the bottom or side of the duck. Fill with cream, slowly pulling out the piping tip as you fill so that the duck doesn't explode. To make the eyes, dip the end of a toothpick in food colouring, then poke a little hole where you want the eye.

Get the recipe from Daring Bakers HERE

Bookmarked

Photo from Food and Wine

I like doing these Bookmarked posts because they are great to go back to when I'm looking for something new to make. Stuff gets lost in the quagmire of recipes I have in my favorites.

I have a few recipes photographed and ready to blog about, but for now here are some recipes I've bookmarked recently.

5 Veggie Burger from Today's Parent Hopefully these are dense enough to eat like a burger. Usually these type of recipes yield super soft patties that you have to eat with a spoon.

Rum Punch from Food and Wine For the parties I always plan in my head and then never have

Maple Chile Popcorn from Cooking Light This looks super yummy

Spicy Crab Cakes with Mango Puree from Food and Wine This is one of those recipes that looks delicious but in all honesty I will probably never make. I mean, who eats crab cakes at home on a regular basis?

Pizza Style Soft Pretzels from Yummy Mummy Club Yes, please

Open Faced Roasted Tomato Sandwiches with Goat Cheese and Parmesan Crisps from Bake Eat Repeat The photo makes me want to lick the screen. I think I'll make these for lunch next Saturday

Charred BLT Salad from Cooking Light I may have to subscribe to Cooking Light again.

"Special" Brownies

Apologies for the photo. Brownies are hard to photograph.

What does it say about your family when you bring a pan of brownies to a BBQ and they ask if they are "special brownies"? It says that your family is awesome? That's what I thought.

The funny thing is, these are special brownies. Special in that there are lentils in them. And you wouldn't even know it. These are honestly the best brownies I've ever had. They are dense and supremely chocolaty, with a crunchy top layer. I made them twice in two days. Yep. Twice. In two days. Hey, I shared, ok?

I'm telling you, this is the perfect brownie. Who says you need a cup of butter to make a pan of brownies (and why are there so many question marks in this post)? You do, however, need two cups of sugar. Oh well. You win some, you lose some. Lentil brownies are a win in my book.

One Year Ago: nothing

Two Years Ago: Slow Cooker Brisket 

+ 

 Best Chocolate Chip Cookies 

+ 

Greek Shrimp and Tomatoes with Feta and Crostini

LENTIL BROWNIES

Adapted from Lentils.ca via Yummy Mummy Club

The original recipe says this makes 20+ servings. Elf servings, maybe. I'd say 10 servings. Tops.

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup lentil puree

3/4 cup cocoa

2 cups sugar

3/4 tsp salt

3 eggs

1 tsp vanila

1 cup flour

1 cup chocolate chips (optional, I didn't use any)

1 cup walnuts (also optional, didn't use these either myself)

Mix together butter, lentil purée, cocoa, sugar and salt. Add eggs, one at a time. Mix in vanilla, flour, chocolate chips, and walnuts, if using.

Bake in a greased 8 x 8 pan at 350° F (175° C) for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.


*Lentil Purée: Place cooked lentils (drained and rinsed if using canned) into a food processor. For every 1 cup lentils, add ¼ cup water. Blend to make a smooth purée with a consistency like canned pumpkin. If needed, add additional water 1 tbsp at a time.