Cookie #3 and New Classes!

Greetings!

I couldn’t wait! I was planning to share this on Monday, but you’ll want to make these over the weekend. This cookie is the favorite in our house each and every Christmas. These are my dad’s all time favorites. It’s just not Christmas without them. They’re light, crunchy, sweet and a little messy! I’m overdue to make them this year. I have to time it so we have them soon enough, but also so they last until Christmas. I guess I can always make more!

Yesterday was our 32nd wedding anniversary. We worked together in the bakery preparing kits for this weekend, and just hung out,. Then we ordered take out, and watched a new episode of Grey’s Anatomy. It was a great day with a great guy!

New Classes are open!

In case you haven’t heard, there’s a Scandinavian Baking Class coming up on December 28th over Zoom. Jacqui Sharpe from Fika Bakery in Three Lakes, WI and I will be co-teaching. She’ll be teaching a few from her kitchen and I’ll be in mine. It’s a Monday evening, starting at 6:30 PM. She has SO much great information on Sweden’s love of pastry and customs.

We’re really looking forward to teaching together. We met over Instagram when we were both vacationing in Door County. We followed each other’s posts, then one day when I had traveled to Wisconsin’s north woods, I popped in to say hi. Well, as they say, the rest is history. I hope you’ll join us for this cozy baking spiced evening.

I’ve also added more classes in January. These are new. There’s a class all about CHOCOLATE!. History, tempering, ganache, and more. It’s a new class and one you’ve been asking for!

I’ve also scheduled a Macaron Class and a Croissant Class for those wanting a refresher or ready to jump into the world of French Pastries! These are great classes for giving. Just head over to the CLASSES page to register.

Pecan Crescents

Pecan Crescents

I’ve been baking at the holidays since I can remember. As we got older our job in the baking changed. One of my first jobs was shaping the crescents. Make a double batch, these will go fast!

Makes about three dozen

Ingredients:

1 cup shortening

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/4 cups pecans, chopped

2 cups all purpose flour

1 Tbsp water

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

powdered sugar for rolling the warm cookies

1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F.

2. Mix the the ingredients together to form a dough.

3. Pinch off a walnut sized piece of dough. Roll between your palms to make a log shape. About 2- 2 1/2 inches in length.

4. Place on the parchment lined baking sheet. Bend the log to form a crescent shape.

5. Bake 12-15 minutes, until barely golden brown.

6. When cool enough to handle, roll in powdered sugar.
   

Stay tuned for Cookie #4!

Stay healthy, be safe & kind

xo

Looking back…

Cookie #1 Toffee Bars & Spotify Holiday Play List

Cookie #2 Rolled Sugar Cookies

Tomato Bisque Soup for a Cozy Day

Everyone is Successful in a Cooking Class

Cooking classes have been part of The Little French Bakery for over ten years.  The age of students has ranged from seven to seventy plus.  Topics have covered the food gamut.  The one thing they've all had in common is everyone has been successful.   As the class unfolds, I learn about the people and why they've decided to spend the day at The Little French Bakery.   I've learned it's not always about the food...

Students sign up for a class for many reasons.  Some want to gather with friends and family for a day together.  They laugh, talk, eat, eat some more, and learn a little about pastry or bread along the way.  I love these classes because for that day, I'm part of a new family or group of friend.   A not-so-invisible fly on the wall.  I learn of family dynamics, old family secrets, and share the bond that brought the group together.  Success!

Others come to pursue the art of bread baking.  They've tried at home, and are ready to master the techniques for great breads.  We talk a lot about ingredients and the role that each ingredient plays in the concert of final loaf.   My favorite part is the moment when the light bulb goes on for each person.   They realize when they may have been going wrong, and how to improve the bread they've been making.   We mix, knead, shape, bake and produce warm, wonderful loaves at the end of the day.   We've bonded with each other and the big hunk of dough we've spent the day with.   Another day of success.

Children arrive for a birthday celebrations.   They walk into the building unsure of exactly why they're there, and enter the world of pastry.  We wash hands, tie on the aprons and create frosting masterpieces around little cakes.   You can't use enough sprinkles.   Each child leaves with a unique cake and a memory that will last a lifetime.  I learn the latest in pre-teen pop culture.  Success!

Last weekend, I had a group of co-workers spend the day making soups.   They divided into groups of two and created three delicious soups, and six variations of scones.  Each person had different skills in the kitchen.  Some cooked often, some rarely.   They shared an interest in being together.  At the end of the day after the recipes, were complete I realized that each person felt successful, each for a different reason.

I can't wait for the upcoming classes this fall to see what new lessons my students bring me!