#113 - Therapy...

Every once in a while I get seized by an inexplicable attack of insomnia - which is ironic since it's usually the opposite problem.  Luckily, "therapy" consists of (almost) instant gratification.  Normally my parents hear "I didn't sleep well, I'm cooking tonight" but since I'm not home, the guinea pigs - um, I mean, beneficiaries - of my cooking adventures are now drawn from my circle of friends.

The most recent foray was for the Opera cake - yes, Intermediate patisserie strikes again!  I remember being so excited when I found out we were going to make it because I've always loved this cake - there's just something about the coffee and the chocolate combination...

I also found out that my oven needs a lot of time to warm up and it cooks unevenly.  And the oven makes my kitchen nice and warm - no heater needed, even on a cold, winter night.  Actually, winter is best because I could open the windows and let the fresh air in to cool the place as well as speed up the cooling of my ganache.

There were a few mishaps (like taking the sugar for the buttercream too high and having to fix the syrup) - you lose the touch so very quickly.  Anyway -the end result (and morning tea) - the big cake for the office and the little mini-cakes for friends who work nearby.

Coincidentally, it was also the last day for someone in our office, but I want to emphasize, it was not for the actual going away.

My perfectionist side was a bit annoyed by some things (uneven layers, forgetting the melted butter in the joconde...don't tell, but it turned out ok!) and some pathetic piping.  An ok effort but needs work.  However, it was shared and enjoyed by friends so a happy outcome.

So until next time - enjoy sharing what you love with those you love!