Sugar OVERLOAD

Yes, I am quite aware of what I do for a living involves large amounts of sugar (amongst other delicious things).  However I generally try to exercise some self-discipline and not over indulge.  Well, Sunday was an exception, maybe even the whole weekend.  I spent most of Saturday in my kitchen preping my two cupcake flavors for my Cupcake Camp entry and of course this involved plenty of taste testing.  Fortunately Romain was a very willing (although slightly biased) taster, so I didn't have to do it all myself. It was also fortunate that the 90+ heat that had settled on Paris on Friday disappated and Saturday was a nice comfortable day, not too bad for cooking in a tiny, non-AC kitchen.

Here are my two cupcakes:

S'mores Cupcake

A Speculoos (cookie sort of like a graham cracker but more cinnamon flavored here in France) flavored cake with bits of broken Speculoos cookies, a Milk Chocolate ganache filling and topped with home made Marshmallow topping and Speculoos crumbles.  

Almond Joy

Chocolate cake filled with creamy Coconut filling and an Almond, topped with Milk Chocolate and a Coconut buttercream and Almond Flower. 

Yay, I made it to the judges!

I was quite pleased with both cupcakes, but the S'mores appeared to be the most popular.  As I fought to get through the crowd at Bistro Vivienne to deliver my cupcakes to the judges upstairs, I had several hands sneak cupcakes of my tray before I could object.  I feared none would make it to the judges.  After finally getting my cupcakes settled in upstairs, it was time to start sugar feast.  Thankfully I had several friends show up to help me taste cupcakes.  We made our rounds gathering the cupcakes we wanted to try and then gathered in the courtyard to share and critique. There were lots of pretty designs, and flavors ranging from traditional to exotic. 

 Flavors from top left to top right:

Dulce De Leche, unknown, Lemon Meringue

 Flavors from top left to right:

Rosewater Poppyseed,

something Chocolate,

Watermelon Wasabi

Some cupcakes we definitely liked better than others. I think the best one I tasted was the Dulce de Leche.  The cake was almost Angel Food like, if was filled with a lucious and creamy Ducle de Leche filling and topped with a nice light Caramel buttercream.  This one I could have eaten all by myself, but I shared. 

I think one of the reason my cupcakes went so fast (other than their great taste and appearance) was that they were minis- much easier to get a taste but not be too full to try the other tasty delights as well. 

Most interesting flavor was a Chocolate Fennel. I'm sure it was quite good, but if there is one flavor I don't like, it's Fennel, Anise or Licorice.  I tasted it by accident because Romain passed it to me after he tasted it. He said what it was, but all I heard was the Chocolate part, Fennel (in French) was lost in the noise of the crowd.  Apparently some other people either were unpleasantly surprised by the flavors they tasted, didn't have friends to share with, or had finally reached their sugar limit because half eaten cupcakes were left in discreet and more conspicous places. 

Poor half-eaten cupcake left in the stairwell.  Thankfully it wasn't one of mine.

At then end of the evening we couldn't look at another cupcake.  When we arrived home to find 5 extra S'mores cupcakes I had forgotten about in the kitchen still, Romain suggested we put them in the fridge.  Good idea, I may take them to my coworkers tomorrow.  Normally at lunch time at work I'd take a dessert, but when offered a macaron to try first thing Monday morning, I quickly turned it down without even thinking. 

I guess I'm going through detox. Hope it ends soon, I have a nice barquette of Apricots bought on sale and I'm itching to get back into the kitchen and make something.  

It is also time for me to start seriously job searching in Paris.  If anyone has any tips or advice, please send it my way, it would be greatly appreciated- I have no idea where to start, I just know I want to stay here.