Life is Like a Box of Chocolates...

Sometimes I get the distinct impression that I'm just not the sharpest tack in the box. I mean, why does it take me so much time to figure out how to do things that everyone else seems to be doing with ease? Well, yes, it might have something to do with me not liking to read and follow directions. Still, I do wonder, why I have been given the nickname "Dumb Bunny Bilkins." Why does my husband tease me when I say I am going to do running at the gym: "Run Forest, ruuuuuuuuun!" ??? Well, today Dumb Bunny Bilkins made a bit of a breakthrough. You see, for a long time, I have been able to make very good looking macarons (see Lucky Number Seven post). The problem is they only looked good on the outside. On the inside they were empty (... much like a particular girl I know whom I refer to as "Skeletor"). When you bit into them, it was obvious that the texture was totally off. To put it simply, they were kinda yucky.

I decided I was going to go on to the Italian method of meringue making after attempt number 12 proved a failiure. Because of Royal Mail's complete ineptitude, however, I did not get the candy thermometer I ordered on time, so I was forced to continue with the French method. I switched my normal recipe to David Lebovitz's recipe for chocolate macarons. As for the method, I've used some techniques that I learned elsewhere on the internet. Here's how that went down:

Attempt 13: hollow macarons

Attempt 14: a little less hollow macaroons

Attempt 15: Not hollow :D

While I don't attribute the success to the new recipe, I must say that Lebovitz's recipe does produce quite a flavorful chocolate macaron , so I do recommend it. Also I love it that he doesn't make you weigh the egg whites (which is a nuisance).

I attribute my sucess to the following:

1)Finding the optimum temperature for my oven and correct placement of the macaron tray within the oven. In my case, it was the lowest shelf at 150 degrees. I have a fan assisted oven and it is quite powerful. Following Lebowitz's instructions of 180 degrees would have totally burned mine. For invaluable tips on finding the right temperature for you, read Syrup and Tang's post.

2) Once feet are achieved I cover the macarons with another sheet of greaseproof paper. This prevents macarons from becoming overly brown. It wouldn't have mattered so much here, because these were chocolate, but browning of the delicate macaron shells can totally ruin the look.

3) I have drastically improved my folding technique.

4) I now use a double boiler method to start the whisking stage. Really, I think this step is the one that makes such a huge difference.

Steps 3 and 4 came from an extremely helpful video I found on the internet. Please check it out if you are struggling with your macs too.

So for my Mac Tweets challenge for this month, I present to you the best macarons that I've made so far. I haven't reached the kind of Laduree quality I am striving for, but I am definitely moving in the right direction. Also, truth be told, these macarons had a new problem: after sitting in an airtight container, after one day they got rather hard and crunchy, much to my dismay. Any ideas as to why that might be?

The mac tweets theme for this month is Valentine's Day. Rather than trying to make heart shaped macarons, I just wanted to focus on making "good" macarons. After all, one shouldn't try to build the Sistine Chapel without knowing how to build a good foundation!

For the butter cream, I am just using the same buttercream that I used in my Lucky Number Seven post with the addition of some pink food colouring. While they are not really themed macarons, I hope they are somewhat Valentine's-ish. I mean, they are chocolate :), and I specially coloured them a custom shade of pink which I shall now trademark as "Very Valentine" (all rights reserved)--just kidding ;).

And now my darling readers, I have a question for you, as I know a lot of you are simply fabulous bakers. How do I convert Lebovitz's recipe from chocolate to plain macaroons? He uses 25g of cocoa powder. Would I replace that with 25g of almond meal, or should I just leave it out next time and not replace the weight of the cocoa with another ingredient? You guys always give me such good advice (*kisses*) :D.

The Art of the Afternoon Nap

Ah, its not easy being a fabulous housewife. It takes work being this bone idle, you know. I would go so far to say that it's a gift, and Moi, my dears, is truly gifted. This is why I like to take what I call a "mid-afternoon nap." According to an article in the Guardian it not only helps your mood, but it makes you smarter (alright then, how come my nickname is Dumb Bunny Bilkins and not Einsten then?).

I know there are a lot of people out there who find it hard to fall asleep. I've got to admit, this has never been a problem for me. I'm the type of person who will actually fall asleep right in the middle of a conversation if I'm tired (talking to plebs is just soooooo tiresome). So anyway, I thought I'd give you some tips on sleeping.

1. Have a bath (not a shower) and make the water a little hotter than you are used to. You can also put a couple of drops of oil, if you are into that sort of thing. Lavender is a good one, and there are also some others.

2. There are actually foods that make people sleepy, and no, I'm not talking about one of my notorious food comas that happen after a trip to my dear friends at Krispy Kreme, and perveyors of what I call "Housewife Crack." There is actually an amino acid called Tryptophan, which is found in certain foods that can have a narcotic like effect. Turkey actually has very high level of tryptophan and so do dairy products like milk and ice cream.

3. Try and give yourself a sleep schedule. You can train your body to be ready for sleep if you go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. This is why people who work often wake up early on the weekends. The body's internal clock can be a nasty bedfellow on a day off (or could that be a snoring partner who likes to talk your ear off before bed? LOL... maybe).

4. Clear your mind: Okay, yes, now you can figure out why it's so easy for me to fall asleep. But actually, this is where the whole counting sheep thing comes from. Sometimes when you go to lie down, your mind gets bombarded with all your worries and problems. Think about that stuff tomorrow. As my favourite movie character Scarlett O'Hara says, "Tomorrow is another day."

5. If all else fails, you can actually invite me over for some intellectual coversation. I think that should do it.If that doesn't work, I think you might have a problem ;). DrAdvice has more tips on getting a good night's sleep, just in case my sage advice doesn't do the trick.

Having a Snog in Soho

There we were, Mr. P and I, in the middle of Soho (a notorious "red light district" in the heart of London). What where we doing there? We were having a snog! Oh, daaaahlings, get your minds out of the gutter LOL, I can assure you, there is no monkey business afoot (sigh). No, Mr P and I are trying out a relatively new fad to the UK: frozen yogurt.

Hard to believe right? I mean, in America frozen yogurt has been around for a really long time, but it's pretty new here. This one, was very different to anything I've previously had. In America, the taste of frozen yogurt "attempts" to mimic that of ice cream. Not so at Snog. At Snog it taste like frozen Greek yogurt. There is only a touch of sweetness, which I was told comes from Agave nectar. Despite the sweetener, its very tangy. Being that I am someone who goes through tubs of Greek yogurt like nobody's business, I thought it was fab. I'm not going to lie to you, it's not as good as real ice cream, but actually, I don't think you can really compare this to ice cream, because it is very different. It just happens to also be a frozen desert.

The people behind the counter at Snog are very friendly and helpful and willing to give out samples (yes, Soho is famous for that). There is also loads of little treats to put on your desert that range from healthy options like fruits and nuts, to more "naughty" choices of Oreos and brownies. Quite frankly though, after realising what a Snog tastes like, I don't think it would pair well with Oreos. I mean, who wants Oreos with Greek yogurt? Yuck! That being said, it does go fabulously well with fruit and nuts. Oh and they also have stuff like honey that you can have on it too.

Hmmm... should I be naughty or nice?

The venu is absolutely adorable and is very kind of Hello Kitty. The tables are shaped like little toadstools, and the whole place is just really bright and colourful.

If you are looking for a delicious fat-free low calorie snack, and you like the taste of Greek yogurt, you are just going to love Snog. I'll definitely be coming back. So if you see a fabulous Dior clad housewife with an uber large designer handbag in one hand and some pepper spray in the other, in the Soho area, let me assure you, I'm not up to no good, I'm just looking for a Snog.

Chocolate Dipped Rosemary Shortbread Hearts

The Victorian language of flowers is one which I find very intriguing. They were known for making bouquets with different flowers, and that bouquet would actually tell a message based on which flowers were given to you! Rosemary, however, has a significance which dates back even further. There is a famous line in Hamlet:

"There's rosemary, that's for remembrance”

Rosemary was used in all kinds of religious ceremonies that ranged from weddings to funerals. At weddings, a twig of rosemary was entwined in the bridal wreath, after being dipped into scented water. Individual rosemary branches were richly decorated and tied with multicolored silk ribbons. They were presented to wedding guests as a symbol of friendship and love. Rosemary was also given as a New Year’s gift.

Sprigs of Rosemary were carried at funerals, and distributed to the mourners, to be thrown on to the coffin after it had been lowered into the grave. This custom of giving mourners a twig of rosemary before leaving the house for the funeral still prevails in many parts of Wales.

You learn something new every day, right? I bet if you give these darling cookies to someone, they will remember you too. Perhaps, in return they will buy you a giant designer bag, no? Well, one can hope. I am making these for Mr P. Maybe they will jog his memory :). Aside from that, I think this would be a really yummy cookie for Valentine's Day.

So do you have any special plans for Valentine's Day this year? I'd love to hear them!

Rosemary Shortbread Hearts Dipped in Chocolate

Ingredients

• 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 90g cup butter, chilled
• 2 tablespoons sifted powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
• 100 grams of melted chocolate for dipping

Preparation

1. Process first 4 ingredients in a food processor until mixture forms a ball.

2. Roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut with a 2-inch cookie cutter; place on lightly greased baking sheets.

3. Bake at 325F/160C for 18 to 20 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

4. Melt your favourite chocolate using a double boiler method. Dip shortbread hearts into the chocolate, let cool on wax paper. Do not let them cool in the fridge, however, because this will cause the chocolate to discolour.

Breakfast at Claridges

A while ago I told you guys about how Hubby and I spent his birthday weekend at Claridges and had afternoon tea there. What I didn't tell you was we also had breakfast there. It was, in fact, the most expensive breakfast we've ever eaten. The bill was very close to £100. Do you know how many McDonalds hash browns I could get for that??? So, was it worth it? Read on daaaaaahling.

Hubby and I woke up from our luxurious Claridges marshmallow bed and of course, our first thought of the day was: breakfast. I wish I had other interests besides food sometimes. I try to cultivate other hobbies, but in the end, it really is all about the food. Mr P and I went back downstairs to the same luxurious foyer where afternoon tea was served the previous day. This time, the atmosphere was different. It wasn't as buzzy or bustling. This Sunday morning, it was quite subdued and relaxed. Truthfully, I preferred it that way. When I am all dressed up (as one is supposed to be for afternoon tea) I have a tendency to be a bit self conscious. For breakfast, things are more casual. There's no need to get all dressed up (though some people were), and I felt more at ease.

Hubby and I were seated in a cozy little nook in the corner of the room. We were offered our menus, and a feeling of happiness washed over me: the feeling of knowing that I would soon be fed.

Here's what Mr P and I ordered:

Toast (which comes with little jams and honey)

A pot of English Breakfast tea for me

A pot of coffee for Mr P

We both ordered scrambled eggs with Daylesford Organic smoked salmon

A basket of assorted viennoiseries (that's just a fancy word for buttery flaky pastries)

Tidbit: Did you know that Marie Antoinette's breakfast of choice was coffee and a viennoiserie? Well, that's what it said in a recent edition of the Times.

First came the tea and coffee. It was served on the same kind of three tierd stand that was used during afternoon tea with the same Limoges green and white striped china. I ordered the standard English Breakfast, and Mr P had Claridge's house blend of coffee. My tea was nothing unusuall, but the coffeee was particularly lovely. Smooth and mellow.

Next came the little toasts. We got a mixture of white and wheat. This came with about 6 different mini jars of preserves (including strawberry, marmalade, black currant, and honey). Oh, and it also came with an adoreable baby butter dish. I am happy to say the butter was at room temperature (it is such a peeve when the butter is too cold to melt on the toast).

As for the scrambled eggs, they were lovely and creamy. Although very tasty, they weren't on the same level as my favorite scrambled eggs in the whole wold: those at Fortnum & Mason. The salmon was good, but I wouldn't expect anything less from a place like this. All in all, very pleasant, but not particularly memorable.

But, my dears... I have left the best for last. So far, Claridges had ticked all the boxes, but except for the fabulous environment, I wasn't wowed. Quite frankly, when you spend this kind of money, you really do expect food with some wow factor. That was until I partook of the veniosserie. Yes, you must include "viennoiserie" into your vocabulary, it's an essential ;). It is a word that can be included in any conversation.

Example: "Check out my new Prada bag daaaaaahling, imagine all the viennoiseries that Moi can fit in here!"

Anyways, back to the subject at hand. The viennoiseries are actually made in house. There is someone in that kitchen who really knows what they are doing. We had an almond croissant, a plain croissant, a raspberry muffin, a pain au raisin, a sugar topped baby brioche, and the best pain au chocolat I have ever tasted (and I am not really into those). This platter of goodies really was the piece de resistance of breakfast. I highly recomend it should you ever find yourself in Claridges. If, lets say you came for breakfast and just had these and a hot drink, I think it would be moderately affordable, and, dare I say it... good value for money! If I am not mistaken, I think that all of those viennoiseries, were only about £8 or so.

So daaahlings here's my recommendation: if you are looking for some of the best viennoiserie in London, in a superb environment, take yourelf and your biggest designer bag (to take stuff back home in LOL) to Claridges! Just have that and a nice hot drink and slowly savour your sweet pastries and the luxurious surrounds--leave the other items on the menu for when someone else is paying ;). Smug satisfaction awaits you!