February 2008
Once upon a time, Hayley believed that a good woman (her) could turn a bad boy (her ex) into a knight in shining armor (pure fantasy.) But that was then . . .
Is new love Finn Rafferty another loser or is he (finally) the good man in bad boy clothing she's been waiting for.
JUST DESSERTS will be hitting the bookstores any day now and to celebrate you're
invited to drop by my website and check out the terrific video trailer we've created for
the occasion. And while you're there, make sure you enter the Big February Contest
(yes, it deserves capital letters!) The lucky winner will receive a $100 gift certificate to Amazon, signed books, and surprises. (Who doesn't love surprises?)
What is JUST DESSERTS about? That's easy: big laughs, great sex, and delicious pastry. (If you add a good book and a knitting project to the list, you'd be describing my idea of nirvana.) If you've ever used your bathtub for extra storage space or backed naked out of the room so he couldn't see your cellulite, you'll love our heroine Hayley Goldstein as much as Finn Rafferty does.
Hayley is owner of Goldy's, a legendary neighborhood bakery, and she has dreams of making it big creating elaborate cakes for high-profile clients. She's not quite sure how those high-profile clients are going to find her small South Jersey bakery but if hard work counts for anything, one day they will.
When Finn shows up with the offer of a lifetime, she can't help but wonder why a big time rock star like Tommy Stiles would want with a small-town baker. Finn knows why but he's not talking. Hayley doesn't know it yet but her life is about to get very interesting
To celebrate the release ofJUST DESSERTS I begged the best baker I know for a special
recipe to share with you. Let's hear it for Marie Watley-Browne, mother of our own
Kali the Food Goddess, who conjured up
this to-die-for Chocolate Ganache Cake that I guarantee will send you spiraling
into a swoon of sheer chocolate bliss. Hyperbole? Make the cake, then we'll talk!
Chocolate Ganache Cake
Cake
1/4 pound unsalted butter at room temperature, additional butter to coat pan
1 cup all-purpose flour, additional to dredge pan
1 cup sugar
4 extra large eggs, room temperature
1 16-ounce can Hershey's chocolate syrup
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Ganache
1/2 cup heavy cream
8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
Preparation
Heat oven to 325°. Butter and flour an 8-inch round cake (though for Valentine's Day a heart shaped cake mold would be perfect). Line the bottom with parchment paper.
Fit an electric mixer with paddle attachments, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy in a bowl. Add eggs, one at a time. Mix in chocolate syrup and vanilla. Add flour and mix until just combined (over-beating will cause the cake to come out too dense and hard).
Pour batter in pan and bake for 40-45 minutes until just set in the middle. Let cool on the pan.
To prepare ganache, place cream, chocolate chips and instant coffee in a double broiler over simmering water, stir occasionally until smooth and warm.
Pace the cake upside down on wire rack, pour glaze over it and tilt to cover the entire surface and the sides.
You can decorate the top with raspberries, strawberries, kiwis or tiny tangerine slices. Do not refrigerate. Enjoy!
Courtesy of Marie Watley-Browne
In case you haven't figured it out, I absolutely love Kali and Marie and hope you enjoy this scrumptious edible Valentine they were delighted to share with all of us.
So here's the list:
- Want to read more? You'll find an excerpt right here.
- And another excerpt right here on the Romantic Times website
- A fabulous contest with great prizes
- Want a JUST DESSERTS fridge magnet? Drop me a note at Barbara@barbarabretton.com and I'll do the rest.
Happy reading!
Archived letters:
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
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August 2007
July 2007
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May 2007
April 2007
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