Multigrain Seeded Bread

Bread

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I think this may be the very first healthy recipe on this blog. I mean, this is a dessert blog so you better not be coming here looking for any healthy recipes in the first place, but it's nice to be surprised once in a while. This bread is a hearty loaf filled with all kinds of seeds and oats. There is a ton of texture in this bread, along with a nutty flavour from the toasted white sesame seeds. This bread would be wonderful alongside a big winter stew or topped with a fried egg or even just slathered with some good quality butter. 

Posted by : Hint of Vanilla
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Passion Fruit, White Chocolate, and Hibiscus Plated Dessert

Fruit | Mousse

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This is what "playing around in the kitchen" means to me.

Plated desserts are not something I know a lot about, at all. I learned a little bit about them in school, but I work in a patisserie, not a restaurant, so I've had zero real world experience with them. Plating is hard, man! You can see a plate and think, "Oh man, that's so beautiful, that doesn't look too hard to do" but then you try it yourself and it just seems....clunky and awkward. But it's still a lot of fun to come up with ideas, draw them out, and execute them!

Posted by : Hint of Vanilla
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Salted Caramel Macarons

Macarons

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Ever since I made my first batch of macarons, I've loved them. I love making them, I love eating them, I love thinking of flavours for them. They're so versatile - you can put just about anything in between two macarons and it's still a macaron!

I've made quite a few macarons on this blog and I thought I would round 'em all up in one post! A macaron party!

Posted by : Hint of Vanilla
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Lemon Cream Puffs

Custards | Fruit

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Originally, I wanted these to be Meyer lemon cream puffs. Last year, I remember seeing Meyer lemons everywhere - at least until I decided to make something with them, then they magically disappeared from the stores. This year, I was going to buy Meyer lemons as soon as I saw them, no matter what. This year, I would have Meyer lemons! 

Aaaaaand nope. I didn't see one Meyer lemon. Granted, I didn't really get out much during December because of work and I tend to frequent only 3 or 4 grocery stores in my area, but still! Nothing! But I did find fresh passion fruits (!!!) last week, so there will be something coming up in the next few weeks with those.

Posted by : Hint of Vanilla
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Brioche Doughnuts with Brown Butter Pastry Cream and Maple & Vanilla Bean Glaze

Bread | Custards

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Sometimes, you just want a doughnut. And not just any doughnut. If you're going to eat fried dough, you might as well go big or go home. 

Use a dough with a ton of butter - brioche. 

And don't just make a regular pastry cream - add brown butter. 

And the pecans - more brown butter. Butter everywhere. 

When I say go big or go home, I mean it.

Posted by : Hint of Vanilla
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Passion Fruit Millefeuille

Fruit | Pastry

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Passion fruit tends to be one of those ingredients that makes the amateur baker think, "Oh, well, I'd never be able to find passion fruit anywhere so forget that recipe." Unless you live in the southern hemispheres, where actual real passion fruits are found (insanely jealous of you southern folk), passion fruits are not something you tend to see in a local market. The first time I tried a passion fruit was in pastry school, actually, just last year. It's a pity because passion fruit is a wonderful flavour - bright, tangy, sweet, tropical, and just a tiny bit floral. 

So you should be very excited when I tell you that getting your hands on good quality passion fruit purée is not as difficult as you might think!!! 

Posted by : Hint of Vanilla
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Blood Orange Tarts with Caramel Meringue

Fruit | Tarts

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I hope everyone had a pretty solid holiday and new year! I hope you managed to fit in some "me" time into all that family time. Despite only having a couple of extra days off work, I squeezed in a good amount of family time and an equally good amount of "me" time. But the break is over and I'm back!

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The Best of 2014

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I know I should've made this "Best of 2014" list before 2014 actually ended, but I don't think anyone is going to mind. 

Not every single recipe that a blogger puts up is going to be the best thing they've ever made. That's just how it is. Hopefully everything they put up is good and tasty, but there's always those extra special recipes that just send it out of the park. It's hard to distinguish which is which based solely on photos. I mean, I can tell you that "this thing is the best ever, oh man, wow!" but you don't really know for sure. 

The past year, I've made some really good things. I can proudly say that every recipe I have put up in 2014 is one that I'm proud of. But these are the tastiest of the bunch, hands down.  

I present, the Best of Hint of Vanilla 2014!

Posted by : Hint of Vanilla
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Vanilla Bean Caramels

Christmas | Confections

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Just a quick little post because it's Christmas Eve and I am exhausted after a veeery long day! 

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone, I hope you get to spend some time with your loved ones and can enjoy a bit of down time! I'll be taking a week or two off from blogging to catch my breath from work and get refreshed for another year of baking! 

Posted by : Hint of Vanilla
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Cranberry Sage Pie

Christmas | Fruit | Pie

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I'm going to tell you right now that I haven't worked with fresh cranberries until now. Only frozen or dried. Crazy, right? I can't really remember seeing fresh cranberries in store when I was younger but I think that's because cranberries were not on my radar. Around Christmas time here in Canada (and around Thanksgiving in the States), bags of fresh cranberries are everywhere. I must not have been very attentive as a kid.

I've already used cranberries in a couple posts this Christmas season (these macarons and this tart) but those both used frozen, although you could totally use fresh. But this recipe is aaaalll about the fresh cranberries.

Posted by : Hint of Vanilla
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Mint Chocolate Tart with Caramelized Cocoa Nibs

Chocolate | Christmas | Custards | Tarts

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Only a few more days until Christmas!!! I have to admit, it really snuck up on me. I know, I know, I was getting ready for Christmas months ago and have been going gung-ho on Christmas recipes since December 1st, but suddenly it's right here! Right in my face, saying "Hey, are you ready? Here I come, ready or not!".

Despite all my Christmas recipes, my decorations, and my tree, I don't know if I'm actually ready for Christmas...

Posted by : Hint of Vanilla
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Cranberry & White Chocolate Macarons

Chocolate | Christmas | Cookies | Fruit | Macarons

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I love Christmas. This is nothing new and I'm sure you've already come to that conclusion based on the many Christmas recipes that I've put up since the beginning of December. I love the decorations and the twinkling lights and even the music. But I love it for reasons more meaningful than shiny baubles. 

Posted by : Hint of Vanilla
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Gingerbread Cabin

Christmas

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I kind of want to live in this little cabin... is that weird? Maybe a little bit, but I don't care.

This is actually the second gingerbread house I've made, if you don't count the one I assembled out of graham crackers when I was a little kid. This is a big kid gingerbread house. 

Posted by : Hint of Vanilla
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Christmas Gingerbread and Sugar Cookies

Christmas | Cookies

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I think in most households, decorating Christmas cookies means the start of the holiday season. I say "most households" because as far as I can remember, I don't think I did that. Not that I'm holding any grudges or anything, I promise! Maybe it just didn't occur to me as a child that that was a thing that I could do? Or maybe I did decorate cookies when I was really young and I just have no memory of it. Mom and Dad might correct me on this one.

Posted by : Hint of Vanilla
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Marshmallow Wreaths

Christmas | Confections

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I'm not normally one to make decorative edible things just for the sake of having them look cute. I like to be able to eat the things and have them taste great, not just look kind of cute. Like the cookies that you use as tree ornaments?? I mean, wouldn't that attract flies or ants? And why not just buy regular ornaments? I never understood that.

But these marshmallow wreaths are both super cute and deliciously edible!  

Posted by : Hint of Vanilla
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Cranberry Orange Frangipane Tart

Christmas | Fruit | Tarts

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Are you an early bird Chirstmas shopper or a last minute frantic Christmas shopper? 

I'm totally an early bird shopper. Big surprise from the girl who was stoked on Christmas in August.

Posted by : Hint of Vanilla
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Gingerbread Cream Puffs with White Chocolate Chantilly

Chocolate | Christmas | Mousse

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I have been waiting ALL YEAR for this month. I talked about how excited I was for Christmas back in August. I have been thinking of Christmas baking ideas since the summer. My Christmas Pinterest board is incredible. I love everything to do with Christmas.

And now, finally, it is an acceptable time to display my undying love for the holiday season because it is the first of December. 

It's going to be Christmas all month long here on the blog. 

Posted by : Hint of Vanilla
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Dark Chocolate and Espresso Demi Spheres

Cake | Chocolate | Custards | Mousse

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We're getting a little fancy over here today. I'm talking demi-spheres-fancy. Look at those cute little domes! And the little dome inside the dome! It's like a Russian doll that has smaller dolls inside each one, but this is edible. And not kind of creepy looking.

Posted by : Hint of Vanilla
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Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Mousse and Gianduja Buttercream + It's My Birthday!

Cake | Chocolate | Mousse

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So, in case it's not glaringly obvious from the photos and the title, IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!

Posted by : Hint of Vanilla
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Maple Hazelnut Pot de Crème with Cinnamon Lace Tuiles

Custards

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I was never really into photography, nor was I any good at it, before I started this blog. I had a DSLR camera (the cheapest and most basic one), but I didn't know how to use it apart from point and click. I knew nothing about photo editing or lighting or anything. Zero. Zip. Seriously, I knew nothing.

Posted by : Hint of Vanilla
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