I feel so classy, serving Parisian cookies sandwiched together with ganache on a Wedgewood platter. The DH would say snobby. Whatevs! It’s tasty!
So I’ve been trying different ways to boost traffic to my site. I like to think that I have some tasty, easy recipes and hopefully write about them in an entertaining way, so I think I’ve got the content bit somewhat covered, although of course I always want to improve (and always have a to do list of improvements to make, particularly around website design). But I want to have a higher traffic even though I’m kind of happy with how things have gone over the few months since I started the site (thank you, google Analytics!).
I cross-post on instructables.com (changing content slightly), and on craftster.org as well. I submit photos to foodfoto.com and am part of bloglovin.com, as well as a member of the Food Bloggers of Canada. I’m planning on submitting recipes to contests as well. My goal? To win, of course! Because that would expose me to potential new readers and subscribers!
My latest thing is trying to be a host for an on-line bake-along. A friend introduced me to the Tuesdays with Dorie blog (a clever bit of cookbook marketing), and they’re doing a Baking Chez Moi cookbook release bake-along (at least as far as I understand it). They bake a recipe from the book Baking Chez Moi on Tuesdays twice a month and rotate the hosting of it. I want to be a host, oh, I DO!
Since the goal of this blog was to find the best recipes and refine my techniques, I thought this would be fun! And of course, increasing traffic? WIN! I also have a soft spot for French recipes, especially baked goods, so really, how could it go wrong? (I’m not tempting fate, I’m not, I’m not! No fallen cakes for me! *knock on wood*) I can’t post the recipe, but I’m sure you could find the book in the library once it’s released, or you could buy it yourself. I’m a library person myself, but I think I just might buy this book. An investment in my blog, maybe? Does that make it tax-deductible? *grin* [Edit: I bought the book. It’s a gorgeous cookbook. Coffee-table worthy!]
And that said, on with the recipe! Today’s recipe, Palets des Dames, can be found in Dorie’s cookbook, Baking Chez Moi. Btw, the pictures in this book are gorgeous and make me hungry every time I look at them. But I’ll do a proper cookbook review with the next recipe I make from the book.
Lumpy is as lumpy does.
Palets des Dames, I made them! Feast your eyes on the un-iced buttery, cakey goodness! (There were more lumpy ones but I ate them. Je ne regrette rien!)
Pro Tip: Do not flatten the balls before baking them. They are way too buttery and cakey and will become all lace cookie like (I know there’s a French name for them, feille something or other, but the escapes me now [next day edit: tuiles! It came to me in my sleep]). But given my waste not, want not penchant, I plan to crumble them up even further, and stick them in the freezer to sprinkle over future ice cream sundaes.
But…I’m not really a vanilla person. I mean, chocolate? Is where it’s at. Also, I’m almost out of icing sugar; I might have stuck to the recipe exactly otherwise. Oh, who I am kidding – let’s substitute! I had some chocolate ganache leftover from this recipe, so I thought I’d ice them with ganache. That’s French, right? Perhaps with a silver dragee for an accent?
Or maybe I should sandwich them together with the ganache.
Ganache: a Good Thing.
Mmm…cookies! I do love cookies. And chocolate, in case you hadn’t noticed. And tea, but especially a nice cup of Earl Grey with lavender notes. Which I shall drink right now with my Palets des Dames. Yum!
I wonder if the other bloggers stuck to the recipe exactly? I’m going to go find out! Do you tend to stick to a recipe when you’re trying it out for the first time? Let me know in the comments!
Next Post: Carrot Ginger Stew with Quinoa; something healthy to balance out my Parisian sugar rush!
Karen @ Karen's Kitchen Stories
November 12, 2014 at 5:26 amWhen you find the traffic secret, let me know, lol. Your post IS a lot of fun. =)
Margaret
November 12, 2014 at 7:32 amAw, thanks! Your comment made my day!
Adriana
November 12, 2014 at 9:35 amSnobby? No, more like smart! The only modification I made this time was halving the recipe.
Margaret
November 13, 2014 at 5:44 amAw, thanks, Adriana! I think halving the recipe as you said, would have been smart. Not just for me, but for the DH too — I woke up this morning and all the cookies that didn’t have ganache on them had been devoured while I slept. 🙂
Teresa
November 12, 2014 at 10:20 amNice to see yet another Canuck in the mix! I don’t know how much this group will drive traffic, but I know that it will build a community of bloggers who read and comment and care about each other. That’s been wonderful for me, with French Fridays with Dorie and I’m looking forward to getting to know new folks here, too.
Margaret
November 13, 2014 at 5:45 amYay, Canucks in the house! 🙂 I love comments, so if that’s my take-a-way (plus baking delicious things! ALL THE DELICIOUS THINGS!), I’ll be pretty darn happy! This is going to be such a fun experience!
Cher
November 12, 2014 at 12:34 pmWelcome aboard! Fun post.
TWD doesn’t do hosting of recipes anymore, but it IS a fun group and I have met some really lovely people along the way.
P.S. Anything tastes better served on Wedgewood…just saying 🙂
Margaret
November 13, 2014 at 5:46 amSo far everyone that I’ve commented on/got replies from have been unfailingly positive and friendly. I’m so glad I stumbled upon this group! And yes, Wedgewood makes everything better. 🙂
Kathy
November 12, 2014 at 12:53 pmLovely looking cookies! Nice post! It will be fun baking along with you on TWD! Happy baking!
Margaret
November 13, 2014 at 5:47 amYay, thanks for the positive feedback! Is so nice to have fellow bakers to share the baking experience!
Zosia
November 12, 2014 at 1:19 pmSandwich cookies with ganache….inspired! (I used only lemon juice in the glaze)
Margaret
November 13, 2014 at 5:48 amThanks! I was actually thinking that a nice strong lemon flavour would have been a great accent if I hadn’t gone with the ganache! A nice pucker to balance out the sweet! Did you like the lemon flavour?
Julie Couture
November 12, 2014 at 9:30 pmI like your take on the cookies! My Mom used to make something similar for us when we were little, except she used Nilla Wafers instead of these adorable cookies. And, like you, I tend to tweak recipes just a tad. I can’t help myself! I look forward to reading your future posts. 🙂
Margaret
November 13, 2014 at 5:50 amOh my gosh, Nilla wafers sure would be similar! I wonder if the origin for them was Palets des Dames?
Also, yay for a fellow recipe tweaker! That’s the best part of being a baker, I think. Besides the eating of delicious things!
Guyla
November 13, 2014 at 7:42 pmI like what you did with the recipe! We loved them ‘as is’ but making little cookie sandwiches with chocolate filling is a great idea! Good luck on getting your traffic up. Some of the French Fridays with Dorie cooks who are also baking on Tuesdays have high numbers. You might ask them for tips.
Margaret
November 14, 2014 at 1:48 amOooh, great idea! I will definitely follow and ask some of the French Friday bloggers! Thanks for the tip! 🙂
Nana
November 14, 2014 at 2:26 amI love that sandwich cookie, great idea. It will be fun
baking together. Welcome to TWD.
Margaret
November 14, 2014 at 4:51 amThanks, Nana! Am so glad to have found this group!
Kayte
November 15, 2014 at 10:48 pmWhat a great thing to do with these cookies, sandwich cookies! Clever and nice job.
Margaret
November 16, 2014 at 2:54 pmAww, thanks so much! 🙂
Margaret
November 16, 2014 at 12:26 amLeftover ganache?!? There is such a thing? Great idea to sandwich them up! I love the different ways people “interpret” the recipes. It’s one of the best things about TWD. Welcome!
Margaret
November 16, 2014 at 2:54 pmAw, thanks! I know, I love seeing how everyone does the recipe just a little bit differently. Such a great group!
Cathleen | My Culinary Mission
November 21, 2014 at 5:20 amWonderful idea to make sandwich cookies! You can never go wrong with chocolate ganache! It’s a favorite of mine. 🙂
Margaret
November 22, 2014 at 1:58 amThanks, Kathleen! I second the you-can’t-go-wrong-with-ganache! I ended up eat the leftover ganache straight out of the bowl. It. Was. Awesome!