How do I cope with an uber busy catering schedule? Take off for a weekend get away in New York City smack dab in the middle of the chaos, of course. 🤣 I was actually really hesitant about leaving during such a busy time but we had an opportunity that we just couldn't pass up. We were invited to attend the wedding of a very special man who also happens to be a very special guy. 🤵🤣 The wedding was in Jersey City, New Jersey and it was an absolutely magnificent affair. It was an honor to be guests and to witness the union of these two special people. We had so much fun at the wedding and before and after the nuptials, we spent our time taking in the sights of Jersey City and New York City. 🍎 My vacation motto: the best vacations are the ones where you arrive back home - completely exhausted. 😂 There's never any shortage of adventures with these friends. We walked a LOT, ate way too much delicious food, took lots of pictures and most importantly, made lasting memories with lifelong friends. I have plenty of pictures from the wedding but I'll save those for another post. 😅 Weddings are special and they remind me of how lucky I am to be married to the love of my life. Sometimes we process things differently and we have vastly different definitions of term "organized" but despite all of that - there's no doubt in my mind that he's my person. 🤣 There's just something about being around young love and newlyweds that's infectious. The union between two people who were just meant to be together. Two people as compatible as peanut butter and jelly, cookies and milk ... coconut macaroon and lemon squares. 😂😂 (Arguably, that was my worst transition to a recipe EVER.) 😅 Yes, I just compared this lovely, young couple to a coconut lemon square. 🤦🏻♀️ Regardless, this tart lemon square on top of a coconut macaroon inspired crust is a match made in heaven. Coconut Lemon Bars with Marshmallow Frosting Crust 2 large egg whites 1 Tablespoons sugar 2 cups sweetened flaked coconut Lemon Curd 1 1/2 cups sugar 1/2 cups flour 2 Tbsp. cornstarch 1/2 tsp. salt 4 large egg yolks 1 Tbsp. grated lemon zest 1 cup fresh lemon juice Marshmallow Frosting 4 large egg whites 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Top each with meringue. I love macaroons. I love lemon squares. So naturally, I love these Coconut Lemon Bars. Add a dollop of marshmallow meringue and you've got quite possible the most perfect Springtime dessert ever. 🍋
Ciao!
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I have a lot of hobbies and food blogging is one of my favorites. I think the joy in blogging stems from the fact that I'm not dependent on it as a source of income. I blog for the pure enjoyment that I get from it. With that being said - sometimes my blog has to temporarily take a back seat when life gets busy. That's not an excuse for why I've been absent from the blog world for a while - just an explanation of what's going on in my world this month. May is the month of graduations, weddings, showers, end of school celebrations and all things mom, which means it's also the time of year for cakes, cookies, pies and dessert boards. That's my role in all of the May festivities. I'm so thankful for my little business and the people that allow me to play a small role in their big celebrations. Mini pastry tarts are the cupcakes of the pie world. And turns out - these bite sized, hand held beauties are perfect for birthdays, showers, graduations and moms. They're great for brunches, lunches, dessert parties and after dinner dessert trays. Sooooo, I've been making a lot of these yummy pastry tarts this month. Giving each batch a unique twist by changing up the fresh fruit combinations. 🍓🫐🥝🍋 One of my secrets for getting through my busiest catering days, is to make a few things that I can prep ahead of time. These little tart shells are the perfect make ahead treat. They can be baked in advance and frozen for up to a month. I also make the pastry cream a couple of days in advance and store it in the refrigerator. Just before I want to serve the tarts, I pipe the cream into the shell, top it with fresh fruit and add a sprig of fresh mint. Easy peasy. Mini Pastry Tarts Crust 1-1/2 cups unbleached flour 1/3 cup powdered sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup butter, chilled 1 egg yolk 1 Tablespoon heavy cream Pastry Cream 2-3/4 cups whole milk 2/3 cup sugar 1/4 cup cornstarch 1/8 teaspoon salt 4 egg yolks 2 tablespoons butter 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Fill each tart with cream. Top with fresh fruit and brush with apricot preserves. I made this recipe so many times this month that I've already made a few modifications to simplify things. First of all, I roll all the pastry dough out in one big piece before cutting the circles with a cookie cutter. I also learned that I only have to make one set of foil crumples to use for baking, because they're reusable. Just a few time saving tips from your friendly food blogger. 😉
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