Daring Bakers: Saint Honorè

When last month I’ve seen all around the internet a wonderful tower of chocolate crepes (something I’m dreaming/dreading to make since ages), I knew I wanted to be part of this exclusively club!!! So I’ve pulled some strings of well known V.I.P. food bloggers 😉 and the next day I was part of it… And just in time to discover the May challenge: Saint Honorè!!!!!!!!!
I run to the kitchen, looked at my husband and said: “I’m afraid! I have to make Saint Honorè!!!” He looked at me in disbelief while I was telling him the whole story, and he began to refer to us, Daring Bakers, as “the crazy people on the net that bake”… And at the end is what we are: find me somewhere else so many people that are all exited to bake, all together, from the same recipe, a Saint Honorè, and publishing it on the same day… Find me a “secret” place where all this people (and this month we are almost 50!), from all over the world, meet and chat about the making of one of the most known cake in the world, and put in the open if they made a mistake, if they had a bad time or a good time, and seek for help, advices, support… And they get all that!!!
I’ve made my Saint Honorè (the first and probably the last) the weekend after the under covering of the May challenge: I had some friends coming over to dinner, so I thought it was the best time to try something so scary!
I was honestly scared by the task, especially the decoration part of it, as I’m not much of a decorator…
Anyway, let’s go back to the beginning…
I’ve decided, as the rules permit me to, to use ready made puff pastry: sorry, but puff pastry is one of the biggest fears I have in baking and I need more than that to get over it!
So, having already set the problem puff pastry, I could concentrate on the rest. I’ve already made cream puffs in the past, and that gave me to much confidence, and I screw the first batch, making the dough too liquid, so I made it again, and this time it turned out nicely…
The cream was ok, as I have my own way to make cooked cream (and sauces in general): I use a hand mixer directly in the cooking cream, so you can cook it for shorter time at high temperature, it doesn’t stick to the bottom, and you don’t have to keep stirring all the time…
The assembly was ok… Until I arrived to the caramel part…
I admit it: I’m a caramel challenge person… I’m afraid of it, I don’t have a caramel thermometer, it just never caramelized in my hand…
Ok, I’m a bad daring baker: I’ve used my husband! He made caramel for me, and it was a wonderful caramel!!! All this while the pan I’ve used to make it in the first place was doomed in the limbo of caramel sticky pans…
The overall product was a success! They all loved it, they all eat it twice!
The cream was very very good, and while at the beginning I was a bit sceptic for the jelly, it was absolutely necessary, and I thing I will put jelly in other creams too from now on…
I’m so so happy to be part of the Daring Bakers: if it wasn’t for you I would never made a Saint Honorè!
And now I can’t wait to see what the June challenge will be!!!!!!!!!!!

Daring bakers rule and rock!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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27 Comments

  1. Freya and Paul

    Another fabulous creation! Congratulations on your first Daring Baker challenge – you completed it with aplomb!

  2. Ilva

    It looks perfect, I should have used Marco for the caramelized sugar…

  3. Meeta

    Sara! I think your husband and my husband should get together – because that is exactly how my Tom refers to us!! But as you said we rock and YOU ROCK! fantastic step by step pics. Great job!

  4. Anne

    Beautiful post and pics! I had a wonderful time reading your post 🙂 Lovely gateau you have there!

  5. gilly

    Just gorgeous, Sara! I really enjoyed your slide show… congrats on completeing your first challenge in such a sweet and enthusiastic way!

  6. Kelly-Jane

    It looks great! I’m a first timer this month too – and I was a bit scared initially too 🙂

  7. Robyn

    Byoootiful! I would never attempt to make a Saint Honore. But I’m not a daring baker. .__.

    NOW I WANT A BUCKET OF CREEAM!

  8. Ivonne

    Bravissima, Sara!

    First of all I love the way you put your photos together to illustrate the step-by-step making of the gateau.

    And your final result is just a thing of beauty! Congratulations on completing your first Daring Baker challenge!

  9. breadchick

    Sara, what a perfect puff pastry and congratulations on your first Daring Baker Challenge. We can’t wait to see what you come up with next month!

  10. Canadian Baker

    Beautiful job! You’re going to have lots of fun being a Daring Baker!

  11. Elle

    That is one gorgeous gateau! Great photo too. I love it that you just kept going no matter what and created one of the best looking cakes of all. Glad you are part of the Daring Bakers!

  12. Mary

    Sometimes I think that we are “the crazy people on the net that bake”. I’m glad you’ve joined us in the madness.

  13. kellypea

    Yah, the puff pastry was my big fear, too, and clearly, with my outcome, I have a lot to still learn. But onward and upward. No pain, no gain, and all that sort of stuff! Congrats. Yours looks lovely.

  14. Patricia Scarpin

    Sara, you are a Daring Baker and we are lucky to have you! Your gateau is fantastic and I love the step-by-step photos!

  15. valentina

    Sara, you have finished your first challenge in style. your cake looks so wonderful.congratulations!!

  16. Anita

    I love the awesome slide show and seeing your gateau come together. Fantastic job!

  17. Lis

    Awww Sara – could you be any cuter? hehee I loved reading this and I am so glad you accomplished your first challenge so wonderfully!

    And hey, there is no rule saying we can’t get our husbands to take on the more “dangerous” parts! heheee

    Well done, honey!
    xoxo

  18. Cheryl

    Congratulations on a beautiful gateau , from another new member of the club.

    I love your slide show. It is so cool to see all the steps you took. And your husband did well with the caramel.

  19. Cynthia

    Your last statement is exactly what I said on a blog. You Daring Bakers rock! Rule, yeah ok, you rule 🙂

    I am so happy that you have successfully completed your first task.

    When I read your post, I could hear myself speaking about the fears, not being a decorator etc. And the challenges, gosh, they sound exciting but scary, that is the only reason I have not contacted any Daring Baker/VIP food bloggers about joining (lol).

  20. Veron

    Beautiful …just beautiful. I like the photo slideshow.I use my hubby all the time for “dangerous” stuff.

  21. Culinarily Curious

    Wow… what a stunning slide presentation. Looks to me like your fears were unfounded; your cake is sensational!

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