We had such big plans for the weekend--with another birthday and an anniversary to celebrate, but I was down for the count through most of it with a crude stomach flu. I'm 90% over it today, but the head-banging headache still lingers, along with a renewed appreciation for pepto bismal. Oh-boy. If I'm lucky, I'll squeeze a nap in later today. Preferably outside in the warm sun, if it happens to come out. Anyway...we've moved the festivities out to mid-week, which actually works better for everyone's schedule and will give me more time to rebound.
I must say though, the weekend wasn't a total loss: I'm talking cream puffs here. Something special for the birthday girl. I haven't made them in a long time, and I've never made them using spelt flour, so that was a first. They surprised me by turning out extremely light and delicate. (The no-fail recipe I use can be found in, The Fannie Farmer Baking Book, by Marion Cunningham--page 181, I think.) These are filled with freshly whipped cream: 1-1/2 cup heavy whipping cream + 2 T. sugar. And the perfect chocolate drizzle, in my opinion, is a warm ganoche: 1/2 c. heavy cream + 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate bits; heat the cream to a scald over a double-boiler, remove from heat and add the chocolate. Let it "temper" a few minutes, then whisk gently until it becomes dark and shiny. Let it cool a little before spooning over the puffs. (for extra yum--stir any remaining chocolate sauce into your coffee!) These are best eaten right away, but, if you have more will power than we do, keep them cold in a covered container--up to 24 hours.
Ours, however, never seem to last that long.
