Toasting Hazelnuts 101

Here's me walking around aimlessly at our bulk food store in search of chopped hazelnuts

Photo courtesy of http://www.jbroadbentphotoblog.com/2010/10/i-am-finally-coming-up-for-air.html

They don't have any.
WHAT!?

Guess I'll have to figure out how to get the skins off and chop em myself.
Easy!
I'll tell you too.

Toss your nuts on a baking sheet in a single layer. 
Resist the temptation to add oil or grease the sheet - its not needed.

Place in your oven at 275F for about 20-25 minutes.
You are going to want to toss them around every 5-7 minutes so they don't burn.
Remove and let cool slightly.
Place them into a tea towel and rub back and forth - this will help to remove the skins.

To chop them, place into a large Ziploc bag and pound with the side of a meat tenderizer.
Easy peasy and super tasty!

Chocolate Hazelnut Mousse Cake

Hey guess what?!
I made a cake and actually got paid for it!!!
That usually doesn't happen, no congrats needed.
If anything I simply request the cost of extra special ingredients that I may otherwise not have on hand.

I'm not going to take email requests so don't bother.
I suck really, there are WAY better cakesters out there and I just like to make them for myself,  family and the occasional friend (and only special ones at that, like Fred, who turned 65.  He's the father of  one of my peeps!). 

Pretty sure I have a case of the OCD's when it comes to caking decorating.  I get really frustrated when my piped stars are different sizes, when fondant cracks or when my cake breaks a little.  I could NEVER decorate cakes for a living, either that or there would be a lot of waste in my belly!
I give decorators mad props for their creativity and understand why they are so expensive.

So when I tell you this took a mere 4 hours it should amaze you!  Actually, it only takes that long because you need to cool your cake and chill your mousse completely and then assemble.  Stages people, stages.
3 layers of cake, 2 layers of hazelnut mousse topped with a ganache then surrounded by chocolate and hazelnut rolled wafers!  (thanks Jo for the inspiration)

I wish I could tell you how wonderful it was, I didn't eat it (although I tasted the mousse and the cake and the ganache separately and they were all wonderful!) but I did hear that there was NOTHING left over, not even crumbs - that's gotta tell ya something.
And if that doesn't maybe this will

How bout this one?

Yup
De Licious!
Enjoy

I'm Listening to: Paper Planes - M.I.A

Banana Boston Cream Pie? No, Cake

Ever grab a cookbook you got as a present years before and realize you've never actually made ANYTHING from it?
Actually, I am pretty sure I only thumbed through this particular one a handful of times and then set it back on my rack. (I have A LOT of cookbooks)

I swear those books chirp at each other behind my back, hoping, wishing and praying for me to pick one of them up, use and abuse them.
"today's gonna be the day, she just HAS to pick me"
"not a chance, she's craving pasta, its for sure me"

Well, today  From Emeril's Kitchen, its your time to shine!
Your Banana Boston Cream Pie peaked my interest, I will dust your pages with flour and leave thumbprints of batter so you know I was there :)

Alright, back to seriousness.
I really thought this would be a great dessert.
It was, although the title lies, its a cake and even the description suggests it is more of a banana sponge - more lies, its a cakier version of a banana bread - not that I am complaining! 

If you like bananas, chocolate and pastry cream you will enjoy this - trust me.
I however screwed up my pastry cream, I didnt let it thicken to the optimum viscosity before cooling so it was a bit runny, still tasty, but not what it should have been  *note for next time, let thicken a little longer on the stove*
Enjoy!

I'm Listening To: Friends - Whodini Thanks Tobias!!