Boxes and twine

Over the holidays, my wife made some cream puffs for some friends.  She decided to use boxes and some twine to package her pastries.

The boxes looked good and the cream puffs looked great and it was safe to say, a total hit during the holidays.  The shipping tags were perfect for writing down notes and greetings.  We also put a reminder to refrigerate the cream puffs.  I just have to perfect how much twine to use and my knot technique.

She's currently working on her piping skills.  Currently, she slices the puffs in half and scoops the pastry cream into the hollow puffs.

Also,  we have to figure out how to keep the puffs looking like the ones in the photo.  A problem came up during transport... the puffs slipped to one side.  A different lining? Some food grade paste?

Back to the drawing board.

Croquembouche

My wife and I got married in the summer of 2011.  

Being a Francophile and a cream puff addict, my wife suggested we get a Croquembouche as our wedding cake.  She found this excellent bakery in San Francisco called Gerhard Michler.  This vendor was a dream to work with and the cakes and choix pastries (cream puffs) were just awesome.  In fact, I fell in love with their desserts I (not my wife) insisted on getting both a croquembouche and a sheet cake for our wedding.  We also ordered some Petit Fours as our wedding favors.  So girls, if you want your man to get what you want and then some, be sure your vendeor is awesome.

The croquembouche was well-received by everyone, even our caterer.  Oh yeah, our wedding was in the Los Gatos hills (1 hour and a half away from SF) and it was around 70-80 degrees and it held its shape and freshness.  

photo by Stephanie Tan of stephtan.com

My wife had been experimenting with cream puff recipes even before the wedding but I think after seeing this cake, her desire to perfect her recipe got a boost and I have to say, now, she has it down to a tee.   Her cream puffs are now consistent and her Amaretto flavored cream puffs are just little bits of heaven.

Thank you, Gerhard Michler, for the awesome sweets and service!