Almond Croissants

The first time I tried this delicious pastry was when I was at Patrick's Bakery and Cafe inside Bachman's in Richfield. 

This is a light pastry was filled with ground sweetened almonds and dusted generously with powdered sugar nothing more, nothig less.  You can eat this delicoius pastry as it is or by picking up it's layers of buttery pastry mixed with sweet almond filling.  The dusting of sugar gives eough sweetness that it won't overwhelm you taste buds. It also is a great accompaniment for coffee or tea.

So next time you go to Bachman's to pick up some flowers, try this delicious almond flavored pastry. 

Raspberry Filled White Cake

Today I will share with you how to make a delicious fruit preserve filled cake in no time at all.

You should start with a white cake from package.  Bake it according to package instructions in a circle cake pan.  Slice the cake in half, so that you end up with 2 circles from one cake. 

Frost the top of one circle with heavy whipped cream and top with raspberry preserves.  Layer the other half of the cake on top of the frosting and preserves, so that it looks like a sandwich.  Frost the top and sides with more whipped cream or whipped butter cream. 

Drizzle lightly with storebought strawberry or raspberry ice cream syrup.  Refridgerate until ready to use. 

This is an easy, elegant dessert that you can whip up in very short notice.

Éclair (pastry)
 

Éclairs are most commonly served as a dessert and it could be bought at any bakery or patisseries.

It is made with choux  pastry dough filled with a cream and topped with icing, preferably chocolate.  The dough is piped into an oblong shape with a pastry bag and baked until it is crisp and hollow inside. When cooled it is filled with, custard or whipped cream and the top iced with chocolate butter cream or fondant icing.

The word éclair comes directly from a French word meaning "lightning".  Probably because of the lightness of the cream puff and its soft filling, and or because of its oblong shape.  You can easily hold it in one hand, and eaten in a flash.

Either way this dessert is sure to please anyone with or without a sweet tooth.

Jelly Roll or Swiss Roll

A Swiss roll or jelly roll is a type of sponge cake roll. This is a light thin cake made of eggs, flour and sugar and baked in a sheet pan. The cake is removed from the pan and spread with jam, butter cream, or whipped cream, rolled up, and served in circular slices.

The cake originated in Central Europe though the origin of the term “Swiss roll” is not clear. It seems to have been invented in the nineteenth century, along with Battenberg, doughnuts and Victoria sponge.

So next time you head out to your favorite bakery, just try the swiss roll.  I'm sure you'll love it.