A Dessert Knock-Off

Dear Gumdrop-

My relief at coming to a peaceful compromise of Dorie Greenspan's Peppermint Cream Puff Cream for our Boxing Day dessert didn't last long once it came time to make it.

You know in high school there was always that girl who was effortlessly perfect? She was pretty and smart and everyone liked her? And no matter how hard you tried to emulate her style, her easy, breezy way of flirting with the brawny hockey player and the alt-rock poet, you could just never be like her? I have woefully concluded that Dorie Greenspan is her culinary equivalent.

Ravenous to be like her, I flip through Dorie’s books, I devour her blog and yet my attempts at replicating her recipes never quite come out as gorgeous, as effortlessly chic, as hers. At best, my Peppermint Cream Puff Ring was like a knock-off Calvin Klein dress your mom made you for a semi-formal (or maybe that was just me): pretty enough, but a little misshapen and more homemade than handmade.

My first attempt at the cream puff ring fell flat. A perpetual fear of over-baking was the culprit. Sometimes ‘golden brown’ really does need to be deep golden brown to come out right. So, on the second attempt I baked that thing until it was the colour of unpolished brass just before it turns green. And hurrah, a ring that stayed puffed.

The steeped mint leaves and cream was a lovely silky surprise. The mint was vibrant yet not obnoxious. Peppermint whipped cream may become one of my hostess tricks for 2010. Of course, I failed to whip it to a stiff enough peak, so it fell a bit when I placed the top on. But it was the day after Christmas, so did anyone really care?

And while the chocolate topping was delicious (so that’s the secret of bakery éclair tops – corn syrup!), it did end up looking a little homely, which meant my toasted almond skepticism quickly turned into appreciation. They were the pearls that transformed a basic black dress into something worthy of Coco Chanel (or at least her premiere d’atelier de couture).

Even though my little cream puff ring didn’t quite match the lavishly styled one in Dorie’s book, it was a terrific success with both sets of parents. With just the right post-Christmas light touch of chocolate, pastry and cream, it was a chic dessert to follow the heavy comfort of copious amount of holiday sweets.

Here's to a whole new year of challenges, culinary or otherwise!

xo
Pickle

P.S. Sorry about the lack of picture. My mother hasn't figured out how to download the pictures from her digital camera yet and my current state of baby brain prevented me from doing it for her this weekend.