D'Amici's...take two!

This week has been a long, AWESOME week.  The highlights were obviously the BRUINS WINNING THE STANLEY CUP  (I'm in recoup mode from the parade this morning) and me getting a new job!  To celebrate, hubs and I got sushi and decided to give D'Amici's in Melrose another try.  While the service hasn't changed, our desserts definitely got better grades this time around.

We got mini-versions of five different things and had a couple bites of each.  First up, mini mocha cake.

Mini Mocha Cake
Grade: A-
Comments: Awesome mocha frosting, good consistency but bland cake.

Almond Cream Cookie (can't remember the actual name of this one)
Grade: A+  this was our favorite!
Comments: Chewy almondy cookie, pastry cream filled chocolate dome--- awesome!  We inhaled this one.

Pecan Diamond
Grade: A
Comments:  Pretty much what we expected.  Good, but not extraordinary.

Mini Chocolate Torte
Grade: B-
Comments: Super soft cake that tasted okay, frosting tasted like it came out of a can from the grocery store- very unimpressed!  If they used real, high quality dark chocolate for this it would be amazing.

Coconut Mound
Grade:  A-
Comments:  Very dense, great coconut flavor, balanced sweetness with toasted coconut and chocolate topping.  Slightly dry, and would have been an A+ if there was just a little more chocolate.

Mini Ricotta Cake
Grade: C
Comments:  Our least favorite.  This was dry, bland, super light lemon flavor, and turned thick/pasty in our mouths when we were eating it.  Pretty gross actually and definitely do not recommend this one.

PS-- What do you think of the pictures on this post?  Hubby took them all- I think he's a great photographer and I might make him take them all for me from now on.  Thank you hubby!

Coconut Macaroons

So this may seem unbelievable, but until just last week, I'd never tasted a coconut macaroon.  No one in my family makes them, I've never noticed them in a bakery (my eye is always trained on CHOCOLATE), they've just never crossed my "plate."

That is, until a family friend requested them in place of French Macaroons that I had promised.  This was exciting to me, I love trying new recipes and this is one I definitely would not have thought of.  I searched for the perfect recipe and to be honest, the one from Cook's Illustrated sounded the BEST with different types of coconut.  However, I went with my limited supplies and followed a recipe I found on Allrecipes.com.

The recipe is quick and easy, and according to the ratings on the site, these come out pretty amazing if you follow the recipe exactly.  Remember my mention of limited supplies?  I used evaporated milk instead of sweetened condensed milk.  Coconut macaroon (small) fail.  Hubs said next time I should make them sweeter.  Lesson learned.  He's good though, he's eaten almost all of the batch that we kept here at home!

Happy baking!

"Coconut Macaroons III Recipe" - by "Fratcook" on AllRecipes.com. 

Need:

• 2/3 cup all purpose flour
• 5.5 cups flaked coconut (I used sweetened)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Do:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line cookie sheets with parchment paper and SPRAY WITH COOKING SPRAY (learned this little factoid the hard way)
• Stir together flour, coconut and salt in a large bowl.
• Add in sweetened condensed milk and vanilla, stir with hands until well combined
• Scoop and drop dough in golf-ball sized balls onto baking sheets
• Bake for 10-15 minutes or until coconut is toasted and is a nice golden brown

Pink Coconut Cupcakes - They could be YOURS!

It's time!  The Bloggers Bake for Hope online bake sale is live and open for bids until midnight on May 6.  I've donated the Frost Yourself cupcake kit, which includes the following:

-12 coconut cupcakes
-1 tub of pink coconut icing
-1 disposible piping bag
-1 star tip
-1 baggie of shredded coconut for decorating

A few notes about the auction:
-Minimum bid is $15.00
-I will ship anywhere in the United States (shipping is covered/donated by me)
-100% of the proceeds go to the MA Komen for a Cure organization for Breast Cancer research
-There are more sweets up for auction than just my cupcakes!  Check out the full list here.
-This cause is very near to my heart, if you're interested, you can read why here.

One last incentive - if you are the FIRST person to place a bid on my item, but don't end up winning, I will bake you a batch of French Macaroons - cookie & filling flavor choices are yours!  I'll also ship the french macaroons anywhere in the country.

Click here to bid on the Frost Yourself cupcake kit and show your support for breast cancer research and awareness!

Coconut Cupcakes...For You??

Light and moist coconut cake, topped with a smooth coconut icing and delicate coconut flakes... this delicious treat by Boston Sweetie could be all yours!

In less than one week, Bloggers Bake for Hope online bake sale goes live!  I will be participating by auctioning off a "Frost Yourself!" Cupcake Kit!  If you visit the site between May 4 and May 6, you can place your bid on my kit, and if you win you'll receive:

• 12 freshly baked coconut cupcakes (recipe from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes)
• 1 tub of freshly whipped pink coconut icing
• 1 disposible piping bag
• 1 plastic star tip
• 1 baggie of coconut flakes for decoration

I will ship the winner's treats anywhere in the US, and pack everything up nicely so that when it's received you can put on your apron and frost yourself!

All of the funds raised in this bake sale will go to a great cause, the MA Komen for a Cure foundation.  Please check out Bloggers Bake for Hope, and make sure to save the date and place your bids starting next Wednesday!!