We were closed this past week. I didn't bake anything, except a batch of chocolate chip cookies for my boys to take to an X-boxathon. Jay broke down and baked a small batch of bread one day, just enough for us and to give away to some friends. We did however, talk a lot about baking and what we will bake next. I received several new cookbooks, a set of round cutters destined to make fondant polka dots, and a bench brush for brushing the flour off pastry after rolling it out ( something I told Jay about after my pastry class). We both received new aprons, which turned out to be a disappointment after washing.
Tonight for New Year's Eve, I was thinking of making something really special, but the day has lingered on, or I have lingered on the day and so dessert will be a simple apple tart in puff pastry. Maybe I'll make some pastry cream now, and enjoy the bright blue sky while the sun sets behind the mountains. Tomorrow I will think about resolutions, and then we will be open again. The mixers will be humming and the ovens will be hot, and the smoke from the wood oven will twirl around the hut.

I've had so much fun with my son Jordan making marshmallows. What a kid thing to have a whole pan of sticky gooey marshmallowy goodness? We added a little peppermint oil and red and green swirls for that extra holiday festiveness. Having them everyday in hot chocolate has become the afternoon snack in our house. Although this may sound a little indulgent, my boys eat very healthy meals to balance it out. We're selling them in little packages as Marcia Mallows, so you all can enjoy them as well.
Our little buchettes de Noel look like little hunks of wood, but are much tastier. It's fun to try to make the ends look like the rings in a tree, and to add the little meringue mushrooms. The small size ( 3") make them much easier to handle than a whole log.
I made a beautiful yellow buttermilk layer cake filled with raspberry jam and lemon curd, and then frosted with vanilla buttercream snoflakes. Since no one bought it last week, we had to eat it outselves. I hate to see a good cake go to waste.