The Sweet Life

Seems cream puffs are all the rage these days. At least among the chefs I admire. I remembered something from my days back at Trump when my pastry chef Hichem was working on  pate a choux with a "streusel" top. He had conversations with a French chef, and experimented at work. I'm not sure if he was testing the other chef's recipes, or if they were sharing ideas and working on a technique. But in any event, I used this technique for my Raspberry Cream Puff, one of the new desserts at AIC. I got the recipe, which I call cassonade dough, from a French recipe. I rather like these, though they're becoming more commonplace at many bakeries and restaurants across the US. But at least I can say that I was a witness during the development stage! Raspberry Cream Puff Raspberry Cream, Lemon Curd, St Germain Chia Seeds,  Micro Lemon Balm, Freeze-Dried Raspberries

These are two more desserts on the menu, realized for the first time.  After plating these samples for a tasting today, I've rethought some of the elements.  And while they're good enough to serve, I still want to tweak them a bit. Creme Fraiche Bavarian, Lemon Curd (insert and sauce), Raspberries, Streusel, White Chocolate Decor Classic  L'Opera with Mocha Sauce