July Daring Baker Challenge ~ Filbert Gateau With Praline Butter Cream

If you are a regular reader of my blog you will remember I blogged about visiting Chocolatier Jacques Torres' shop in DUMBO, Brooklyn, earlier in the month, where I bought one of his "Big Daddy" dark chocolate bars for a baking project.

Today is the day I can reveal the project! Ta Da!

It is a Filbert Gateau with Praline Butter cream, a Carol Walter recipe from the book "Great Cakes." It was the July Daring Bakers challenge, and I made it as my mother's 86 birthday cake.On July first I joined "Daring Bakers" group of Bloggers after seeing Proud Italian Cook's June Daring Baker challenge of a Rum, Raisin and Ricotta Danish Braid. It looked so delicious, and the idea of more than a thousand bloggers creating the same new recipe challenge every month and displaying it on their blog seemed like a lot of fun!

The July recipe was chosen by Chris of the blog Mele Cotte, and she will have the entire recipe on her blog, plus a "half" version if you would like to make this cake yourself.

The preparations for the Filbert genoise, praline Swiss butter cream filling and chocolate ganache glaze was four pages long when I printed it out, and took many steps and two days to make, but it was delicious and I learned so many new techniques by making it!

I did not have the proper tip to decorate the top as directed, with the leftover butter cream used in the filling, and it was a very hot day when I was decorating the cake so everything was melting slightly, so I wasn't completely satisfied with my initial decoration. I decided to sprinkle some of the leftover praline paste crystals, crushed filberts and some chocolate jimmies on top.

I liked the way this looked as I think it made it appear more festive for use as a birthday cake!

Of course I did not need to use the entire "Big Daddy" bar for the chocolate ganache glaze recipe, but I decided it would be nice to have the chocolate on hand for future baking endeavors.

If you would like to see wonderful versions of this magnificent gateau on other Daring Bakers web sites today check the Daring Bakers blogroll! There is also an open forum for general baking discussions here, but you have to be a member of Daring Bakers in order to register to log in for each month's challenge and discussions regarding it.

If you think you are up to taking the monthly challenge instructions are on the blog as to how to join! Don't delay, as there is only a 24 hour time limit to join evey month for the next month's challenge!

There is even an "Alternative Daring Baking group for gluten-free, lactose intolerant, allergy, vegetarians, vegans and bakers who use alternate ingredients due to other health concerns or life styles. "

I hope to see you all doing the August Daring Baker Challenge!

Aprons by "Vee"!

Vee, at one of my favorite blogs, "A Haven For Vee," had her one year blog anniversary on Tuesday, July 22, 2008, and offered to give a beautiful apron she had just hand made in a random draw from someone who commented on her blog that day.

She had her handsome new husband model her creation, which you can see here, and do the random draw.

I was the lucky winner!

I was so excited to hear I was going to soon be receiving an original Vee apron! I love aprons and I have a collection of them, but none that was an original!

Her package arrived yesterday and inside was this very beautifully lavender scented wrapping paper tied with a pretty shear bow.

Inside, wrapped so neatly in tissue paper, was this cheerful red plaid apron!

It also had a lovely note by Vee in the pocket, and shhhhh .... our secret forever, but now I know what the "V" stands for!

Vee, it was your blog anniversary and you celebrated as you always do in your blog, by sharing a part of yourself and being a good friend. Through the days and weeks that added up to a blog year you have been honest, entertaining, informative, inquisitive, sharing, devout, funny, questioning, encouraging, perfect, and imperfect :-)

I feel a sisterhood between us, and it has been wonderful to be your blog friend these past six months that I've been blogging.

Thanks so much for being you, and thank you for this special apron! I will always think of you when I wear it!

So here we are!



Me, and my hubby who is a "V" too, modeling the special apron as we cook dinner!




I'm glad it was made extra large, as you can see we both need it! :-)

Thanks Vee!!

We know this apron will be a favorite!