The August 2008 Daring Bakers' challenge was brought to us by Meeta of What's for Lunch, Honey? and Tony of Olive Juice

Chocolate Éclairs from Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Hermé

Éclairs consist of 3 elements:

- Pâte à Choux, also known as Choux Pastry or Cream Puff Dough
- Pastry Cream
- Chocolate glaze

First the modifications:

Under the motto - Culinary Liberty For All, Tony and I thought we should give enough leeway for creativity.

What’s the point in cooking if not to cook what YOU want to eat?

To download the recipe in .pdf format, click HERE

The August 2008 Daring Bakers Challenge is brought to us by Chris of Mele Cotte

Filbert Gateau with Praline Buttercream

I have had Great Cakes by Carol Walter for a long, long time. Its one of those cookbooks I am a bit fearful of. Honestly. The cakes are so lovely and elegant, I am not worthy. Heee!! When the opportunity to host the DB challenge came along, I knew exactly where I would head to choose a recipe. This Filbert Gateau with Praline Buttercream is one cake that I have looked at with a raised eye brown because it looked perfect. Just look at the picture! So, I am excited to see what everyone comes up with for this month.

To download the recipe in .pdf format, click HERE

The June 2008 Daring Bakers Challenge is brought to us by Kelly of Sass & Veracity, and Ben of What’s Cookin’?

Technique: Making and working with yeasted laminated dough
Recipe: “Danish Braid” from Sherry Yard’s The Secrets of Baking

Why Danish Braid?
• Danish dough is in the family of butter-laminated or layered doughs with puff pastry being the
ultimate. Danish dough is sweet and yeast-leavened, however, where as puff pastry is not.

• The process of making Danish dough is less complex than that of puff pastry, but equally as important
to achieve best results, and a great starting place to begin to learn about laminated doughs in general.

To download the recipe in .pdf format, click HERE

The May 2008 Daring Bakers Challenge is brought to us by Ivonne of Creampuffs in Venice, Fran of Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie and Lisa of La Mia Cucina

A Taste of Light: The Daring Bakers Sing the Praises of Opéra Cake And One Lovely Woman – Barbara of Winos and Foodies – for all of the hard work she does for Lance Armstrong’s LIVEstrong organization AND for being a TRUE Daring Woman and Baker

This recipe is based on Opéra Cake recipes in Dorie Greenspan’s Paris Sweets and Tish Boyle and Timothy Moriarty’s Chocolate Passion.

To download the recipe in .pdf format, click HERE

The April 2008 Daring Bakers Challenge comes to us from Elle of Feeding My Enthusiasms and Deborah from Taste and Tell

These cute little bites of cheesecake, held on a stick and dipped in chocolate and, if you like, decorations, are sure to make you smile. The cheesecake is New York style, the pops can be jazzed up with different toppings, and they are FUN…just right for a party. They are from Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey by Jill O’Connor. Isn’t that an alluring title for a cookbook?

We wanted to pick something that had potential for putting your personal stamp on. We like them for a challenge because the recipe for the cheesecake part makes use of the concept of a water bath, an essential tool for bakers, plus there are many ways to personalize them. And they are cheesecake!! The photo in the book showed the lollipop sticks twined with pretty ribbons and bows, too.

To download the recipe in .pdf format, click HERE

The March 2008 Daring Bakers’ Challenge was brought to us by Morven of Food, Art and Random Thoughts

PERFECT PARTY CAKE
From Dorie Greenspan’s Baking from My Home to Yours (pages 250-252)

Words from Dorie
Stick a bright-coloured Post-it to this page, so you’ll always know where to turn for a just-right cake for any celebration. The original recipe was given to me by my great dear friend Nick Malgieri, of baking fame, and since getting it, I’ve found endless opportunities to make it – you will too. The cake is snow white, with an elegant tight crumb and an easygoing nature: it always bakes up perfectly; it is delicate on the tongue but sturdy in the kitchen...

To download the recipe in .pdf format, click HERE

The Daring Bakers’ February 2008 Challenge is brought to us by Breadchick Mary of The Sour Dough and Sara of i like to cook

Pain Francais (French Bread)
(From Mastering the Art of French Cooking: Volume Two by Julia Child and Simone Beck)
Daring Bakers Challenge #16: February 2008

Posting Date: February 29, 2008

Recipe Quantity:
3 - baguettes (24” x 2”) or batards (16” x 3”) or
6 – short loaves, ficelles, 12 – 16” x 2” or
3 – round loaves, boules, 7 – 8” in diameter or
12 – round or oval rolls, petits pains or
1 – large round or oval loaf, pain de menage or miche; pain boulot

Recipe Time: 7 – 9 hours

To download the recipe in .pdf format, click HERE

The Daring Bakers’ January 2008 Challenge was brought to us by Jen of The Canadian Baker

Lemon Meringue Pie
(from "Wanda's Pie in the Sky" by Wanda Beaver)
Daring Bakers Challenge #15: January 2008

Posting Date: Monday January 28, 2008

Challenge Requirements:
1. Pie flavor must be lemon

Allowed Modifications:
1. You may make either the pie or the Lemon Meringue Free Form Tartlets (recipe follows Lemon Meringue Pie)
2. You can compliment your pie with a sauce. For example, you can serve it with raspberry or white chocolate sauce.
3. You can use a piping bag to apply the meringue if you like

To download the recipe in .pdf format, click HERE

The final Daring Bakers' challenge of 2007 was hosted by Lis and Ivonne.

You can read their challenge posts here:

Lis - Yule Be Happy to Know I Made It!

Ivonne - 'Tis the Season!

For a .pdf version of the recipe, click here.

For the second Daring Bakers' challenge, Lis and Ivonne were joined by Helene of Tartelette, Peabody of Culinary Concoctions by Peabody and Brilynn of Jumbo Empanadas.

Together, they decided to try Chocolate Toffee Biscotti.

The recipe chosen is from Dorie Greenspan's Baking: From My Home to Yours.

To download the recipe in .pdf format, click here.