August is here, bringing some imposing hot weather to the Bay Area. The flavors this month are bright and seasonal – you might think you were at a farmer’s market with these chocolates! The names are all synonyms for august, meaning respected and impressive. The word play is too easy this month! May you be suitably awed by these chocolates.
The cookies this month are my take on the current Barbenheimer trend. With the simultaneous Barbie and Oppenheimer movie releases, the internet decided that instead of rivals these two disparate films should be a sort of double feature. So, which side do you fall on?
Mango Pâte de Fruit with Tajin Dark Chocolate Ganache
This chocolate is based off a very common Mexican treat. Tajin is a spice mix of mild chilis, lime, and salt. It is wonderful with perfectly sweet fruit! Here in California, you often see fruit carts with mango, pineapple, watermelon, and other fruit in a cup with Tajin sprinkled on top. In chocolate form, you get big mango sweetness first followed by dark chocolate and smokey chili, finishing off with salt and lime. Basically, I made fruit fancy for you!
Plum and Tarragon White Chocolate Ganache
Plums are so juicy and wonderful this month. I love stone fruit in general, but it is so wonderful to have a bite of super sweet and tangy plum on a hot day, Tarragon isn’t used all that often in American cooking, but it is one of my favorite herbs. Taste-wise, it kind of reminds me of licorice or fennel, but more bitter. Paired with plums, this chocolate is refreshing and elevated.
Corn and Miso White Chocolate Ganache
This year, the US is actually having a small corn shortage. Because of massive rain, it was planted later and the yield is a bit smaller. But to me, corn is integral to summer. I love the feeling of eating it off the cob, so sweet and crunchy. In this ganache, you will almost thing you are eating buttered corn! The miso adds a lovely depth and saltiness that enhances the summer feel. Definitely a more complex version of your BBQ corn!
Peach Jam with Peach and Earl Grey White Chocolate Ganache
Peaches are the fruit I look forward to the most in the summer. I truly cannot get enough. By pairing the delicate white peaches with Earl Grey tea, this takes it to a new level of refinement. The jam is bursting with flavor and texture, followed by the wonderful creaminess of the ganache. Like an afternoon high tea distilled into a bite!
Basil Caramel
With all the wonderful vegetables lining the farmer’s markets, it is hard to ignore basil’s summer domination. This wonderful herb pairs to beautifully with tomatoes, corn, zucchini, and so many more summer treasures. By combining it with a lovely dark caramel, each bite is herbal, bitter, and sweet at the same time. Truly an innovative take on a single herb!
Nettle and Lemon Milk Chocolate Ganache
Nettles are often overlooked. However, they make for wonderful tea, salads, and other culinary goodies! They taste very herbal, and somewhat like a punched up spinach. Paired with lemon, this ganache is bright and herbal. What a lovely way top beautify an often maligned green!
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The Barbie cookie – pink, sparkly, swirly. The look feels fairly 1960’s, which is when the Barbie doll really came into being. These cookies are pretty awesome, honestly. Each bite is a little different as you get each of the berry doughs mixing together. A little crunchy, soft in the middle, and very summer appropriate!
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The Oppenheimer cookie – this recipe was adapted from Cooking with Rations, published in 1943. When butter and sugar were being rationed, cooks had to turn to alternative sources for both! In this case, the honey is both the sugar and an important flavor along with nutmeg and lemon zest. Cakey and surprisingly light, these cookies are timeless.
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May is blooming all around us! With all the citrus trees and jasmine in full flower right now, all my walks smell absolutely heavenly. Mother’s
