french yule log- a daring bakers challenge

this month's challenge is brought to us by the adventurous hilda from saffron and blueberry and marion from il en faut peu pour etre heureux. they have chosen a french yule log by flore from florilege gourmand.

it has been hard for me to sit on this entry!  when i first read this month's challenge i was incredibly excited.  i like making special and complex things for my family.  they are patient with my experiments and are quick to lay on the praise.  the second, third, fourth reading of the challenge?  that's when i started to get a little worried.  six separate elements?  a creme brulee insert?  what?  i wasn't sure if i could pull this one off.  

but i did!  while all six elements were required we were allowed lots of freedom with flavors. and that's where i feel i did the best work.  i chose to work with the basic almond dacquoise and dark chocolate ganache.  i flavored the creme brulee with ginger, prepared the white chocolate and coconut crisp and prepared a raspberry mousse.  a lot going on, yes, but the flavors and textures offset each other in a pleasing way.  

i served the dessert with the rest of the sweets on christmas day at my mother's. i really do feel like the pictures don't do the finished product justice.  

almond dacquoise....

white chocolate for the coconut crisp insert...

raspberry mousse...

mould lined with dacquoise...

mousse piped around creme brulee...

unmoulded... i like how you can see the ganache peeking out...

sliced (it had been sitting out too long; i think it would have looked prettier had it been half frozen!)...

daring bakers november challenge

this month's challenge was hosted by dolores, alex, and jenny, with natalie helping out with the gluten-free version.  the challenge was shuna fish lydon's signature caramel cake with caramelized butter frosting.  

i must start by saying i couldn't really imagine how great this cake would taste just by reading the recipe.  caramel is not one of my favorite flavors.  i got a bit more excited after looking at what others had done with the recipe.  so many beautiful cakes and cupcakes were posted, and i'm afraid mine pales in comparison.  those other daring bakers out there truly inspire me!

as many had noted, the frosting was very sweet so i cut back on the sugar and added salt.  but OH MY WORD.  this frosting is, BY FAR, the best i have ever ever tasted.  i kind of can't get over it.  i could take a bath in it.  i had to throw away the leftovers immediately or i would have eaten it all right up.  sort of sweet and dark and a little burnt (because my caramel syrup was a little burnt) but absolutely delicious.

and the cake?  i must say the flavor was sweet and caramel-y.  but what i liked best about the cake was the moistness.  very nice texture.  a sturdy cake that can certainly stand up to the sweet icing.  i took the cake to my mother's for thanksgiving and it made a lovely addition to the dessert table.  

i am embarrassed to say that i tried the bonus challenge TWICE and failed (golden vanilla bean caramels from pure dessert by alice medrich, artisan press, copyright 2007, ISBN 978-1579652111).  in my defense, i went through two candy thermometers in the process.  both broke.  so i think it was simply not meant to be.