Today’s French Fridays with Dorie assignment has been set aside for a celebration. Not only are we wishing Dorie Greenspan the happiest of birthdays, but we’re also baking from her soon-to-be-released cookbook, Baking Chez Moi. This celebration has been orchestrated by two of our fabulous French Fridays collaborators, Liz and Susan, who gave us four recipes from the new book to choose from.
I chose two, but the good news is that I’ll be baking through the entire book with Tuesdays with Dorie, starting in November – and you can, too. All the details are in this post on the TwD site.
These little cookies manage to be elegant and homey all at once. The cookies themselves are flavoured with vanilla and have a cake-like quality, while the icing has a few drops of lemon juice and sets in that shiny, smooth, pastry shop way. They can be dressed up with tinted icing or some sanding sugar, but really I think they’re perfect just as they are.
One of the things I love about French baking (well, besides all the butter) is that a good number of the desserts are far less complicated than the results would suggest. This tourte, with its free-standing crust and its sparkling surface, looks like it requires effort and expertise to carry off. The truth is that once you’ve mastered pâte sablée, the rest is easy. And if you have Dorie’s instructions for pâte sablée (or sweet tart dough), that part’s easy, too.
I used some of the last of this year’s peaches to make this tart, but I think it would work equally well with any juicy tree fruit. In fact, I think I might try it again with mango this winter. I think it made an admirable stand in for a birthday cake and might be even more welcome than cake at the height of peach season.
It’s been an amazing four years cooking and baking with French Fridays and I’m looking forward to the last six months or so of working through Around My French Table. I’m also starting to get excited about getting my hands on Baking Chez Moi and working through it with the Tuesdays with Dorie brigade.
So, again, happy birthday to you, Dorie. I’ve learned so much more about cooking and baking in these last few years, thanks to your work. I deeply admire your love and enthusiasm for food and the community it creates – you write about it beautifully.
Below you’ll find the full line up of posts for this French Fridays celebration. (Click on the name of the dish to find the recipe, so you can join in on the fun, too.)
- Liz from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Adriana from Great Food 360º
- Gaye from Laws of the Kitchen
- Sanya from Kitchen Therapy
- Mardi from eat.live.travel.write
- Kathy from Bakeaway with Me
- Christy from Confessions of a Culinary Diva
- Tricia and Nana from Tricia and Nana Cooking with Dorie
- Katie from Prof Who Cooks
- Emily from Emily’s Cooking Foray
- GoldenLifePHX
- Annie from The Pantry Life…
Chocolate Cream Puffs with Mascarpone Filling
- Mardi from eat.live.travel.write
- Cher from The Not So Exciting Adventures of a Dabbler
- Kathy from Bakeaway with Me
- Tammy from Chez Nous
- Mary from Lights on Bright No Brakes
- Betsy from A Plateful of Happiness
- Rosa from One Expat’s Life
- Teresa from One Wet Foot
- Diane from Cafe Mom Cooks
- Susan from Create Amazing Meals
- Emily from Emily’s Cooking Foray
- Eileen from Cookbook Immersion Project
- Christy from Confessions of a Culinary Diva
- Cher from The Not So Exciting Adventures of a Dabbler
- Teresa from One Wet Foot
- Margaret from Tea and Scones
- Alice from A Mama, Baby & Shar-Pei in the Kitchen
- Guyla from Clementines and Cocktails
One Wet Foot 
Love the look of that peach tourte. I considered making that one but didn’t think that I would be able to find good peaches and I didn’t want to much around too much with substitutes for Dorie’s birthday.
I am also really looking forward to the next 6 months. We have some very interesting recipes still to get through:-)
I think it’s going to be interesting – to say the least! I think we’ll be surprised at how much we like some of the ones we’ve been avoiding and I’m expecting to learn a lot, too. I’m also looking forward to whatever’s next.
I’d much rather have your peach tourte than any birthday cake! Two terrific desserts!
P.S. I’m in Chicago for the weekend and will update your link in the doc when I get home 🙂
Thanks so much, Liz – you’re the best! Managing the list of participants was a lot of work, I know.
This looks amazing Teresa. I need to make this myself.
Thanks, Mardi – the cookies and the tourte were delicious and lovely.
Gorgeous tourte! I also love the look of the cookies and your description makes me want to try them out. I admit they seemed a little “basic” for the week, so I didn’t choose them. I’ll give ’em a look, though!
I chose the tourte because it seemed more involved (though it was actually quite easy) and the cookies because they seemed irresistible. They were.
Omg, that PIE. Looks sooooo good. I don’t do a lot of baking around here (partly because I don’t have time, partly because when I do I eat ALL of it), but at least I can live vicariously through your pictures. YUM.s
My secret is to bake most of my desserts for my parents and extended family, or to bring what I bake to gatherings or meetings. Otherwise, I’d have more dessert around here than I could eat! I’m glad you enjoyed the post. 🙂
I am hankering after that gorgeous tourte – it looks mouth watering! The cookies are very cute.
Thanks so much. I’m thinking of making a mango version soon – looking at the photos is giving me a hankering for it, too. By the way, I love that you used hankering. It’s a great word.
I do have one peach in the fridge which might be enough for a mini version! All because it was to be inspired by you!
That’s a great idea, Emily – a mini version would be so cute.
Love the peach tourte! What a fantastical idea to try it with Mango in the winter. I’m slightly envious that you still had fresh peaches too –
This has been such a fabulous group and I’m looking forward to more adventures with TWD and FFWD whichever direction that takes us!
They were the very last of the peaches, so mango it is if I try it again any time soon.
I’m looking forward to more adventures with both groups, too. So glad to have been blogging along with you.
Oh, how I wish I’d have had the peach tourte recipe this Summer when our gorgeous Colorado peaches were in season. It was a great crop this year. Your pastry looks just right and that tourte must have been delicious. I loved the little cookies – talk about easy. Yours were the perfect size. My first batch was too big but I made my second batch small so they looked prettier. Whether big or small, those suckers tasted divine. They seemed to disappear quickly. Right? Have loved knowing you and cooking with you, Teresa. I wish you could have come to Seattle but I am sure our paths will cross eventually. I am going to cook through Chez Moi also. I like the book.
I still feel sad that I couldn’t make it and I do hope we meet someday. It’s going to be fun baking twice a month together! And I’m going to reiterate what I said on your post – you leave wonderful comments.
Your cookies and tourte look delicious Teresa!
I’ve been thinking I wish I made a second dessert however I’ve eaten my way through most of the canneles so perhaps it was good I only stuck with one! I’m looking forward to the group continuing with this new book 🙂
Thanks so much! I made the tourte earlier than the cookies, so I knew I was going to want to bake twice. Besides, extra dessert is what family and friends are for! I’m looking forward to all the baking we’re going to do, too.
Oooh, that crust looks perfectly crackly. My first goal for BCM will be to cure my irrational fear of pie/tart crusts.
(Your birthday message to Dorie is spot-on. Beautifully said!)
It was pretty good. I think Dorie’s instructions can cure any fear of crusts, or really any of the challenging things we’ve tackled. And thanks so much, Adriana!
still loving the candle in the middle! 😉 It was a perfect place to put that steam vent (like anyone puts one on the outer edge or something… silly statement…) for the candle to go in! haha! Happy Trifecta celebration, Teresa!
btw, your crust looks so much more delicious than mine!! I’m going to sugar the crust next time. Our powdered sugar was nice but this looks great too!
I was happy I had a candle on hand. It was a little wobbly, but I didn’t have to leave it there long. Happy Trifecta, Alice! And definitely sugar the crust. I think it would have looked even prettier with coarser sugar than I used.
Wow, Teresa! I know how goof the palets de dames are but am dying to try that peach tart! It has been truly amazing. it’s hard to think of much that can intimidate us in the kitchen anymore.
Onward, Doristas! xoxox
You must try the tourte – even with another juicy fruit, I think it would be fantastic. And I can’t believe how far we’ve all come. I’ve even impressed my chef brother once or twice. So glad to have gotten to know you through this group!
Ummm…I meant good! LOL!
I got a little goofy over those cookies, too…lol…
I was already drooling over the pallets de dames from many other posts but you are killing me with that shot of the peach tourte. WOW. The crust looks phenomenal and while out of season for me currently, I have really been craving peaches lately. I am looking forward to trying this recipe long before peach season hits again- nice to know it is so versatile. Lovely getting to know you “virtually” through FFWD. Looking forward to our BCM adventures ~ Tricia
It was pretty delicious and very pretty, too, even though the top crust wasn’t perfect. Since writing the post, I can’t get the idea of a mango version out of my head!
It’s been wonderful getting to know you and Nana, too, through our blogs. Here’s to more baking!
Your recipes look wonderful and I can’t wait until we start all this baking from the
new book. It has been a delight to blog with you and I look forward to continuing
with the TWD group. This was a great way to celebrate, and everyone got
right into the swing of things to join in.
Thanks, Nana! I predict that I’m going to be very popular at meetings and family gatherings, starting in November. It’s been delightful blogging with you and Tricia, too. I love how you collaborate and support each other’s weekly assignments.
That is one gorgeous tourte, Teresa! I have put it on my “to bake” list! And those cookies look delectable!
It really has been an amazing four years…we have learned and experienced so much through FFWD, and have enjoyed the pleasures of wonderful “virtual” friends! It will be fun baking twice a month through Baking Chez Moi with TWD! Looking forward to it!
Thanks, Kathy! It’s been such a pleasure getting to know everyone a little through their blogs. And I’m looking forward to Baking Chez Moi, too.
Love peaches, this is a spectacular looking tourte!
Thanks so much, Cheri!
Love that peach tourte – it’s everything I love in a slice of pie 🙂 what a beautiful celebration!
It really is everything, isn’t it? Thanks so much!
I love your favorite niece distinction. I have the favorite daughter-in-law for the same reason:) I look forward to baking with you on TWD.
I have two nieces and two nephews – I think I’ll follow my uncles lead! I’m looking forward to BCM. Only six days before I get my copy!
I love the candle in your tourte, Teresa. I was going to make this, but peach season is over here. I wasn’t thinking. I have frozen peaches from the summer, and I forgot. Well, it’s an excuse to make another dessert soon. I’ve enjoyed cooking with you for the past 4 years and look forward to yet another! Happy celebrations!
Thanks, Betsy! I’m looking forward to these last few months of AMFT – the monthly selections are going to get interesting, aren’t they? It’s been so lovely blogging along with you.
Lovely torte and cookies – I used both peach and mango in my torte and really enjoyed the combination.
The next few months of FFwD will be interesting, won’t they? But…I am so glad that I signed up for this adventure, because it has been about more than cooking.
I’m glad the mango worked, because I want to make this again soon. And absolutely – this group has been about so much more than cooking!