“Eat dessert first.”
This excellent advice comes from the beautiful and multi-talented Jacqueline of Purple Chocolat Home, and is the title of her new cookbook. I was the lucky winner of a copy and I’ve been enjoying not only dessert but also the other goodies she has collected in it. I love reading Jacqueline’s blog, where she might take us on exciting adventures to Paris or Disney or yachting on a mountain lake, or feed our eyes with her culinary creations or crafts or home decor, or tell us stories of her family, past and present.
Her cookbook starts out with the dessert recipes, of course, and after an enjoyable read I knew I would start not only with dessert, but with a chocolate one which I had once seen featured on her blog: Flourless Chocolate Cake! It is SO easy ~~ just my kind of cooking, and uses only these few delicious ingredients (this is for a half recipe portion):
~~ butter, bittersweet chocolate, whipping cream, sugar, vanilla, semi-sweet chocolate and eggs ~~
Are you drooling yet? I had an ulterior motive for choosing this recipe, as I had been waiting to use some new dishes 🙂 which I had found during a shopping trip to our local Juliska flagship store. Sarah, from Hyacinths for the Soul, was my enabler for this purchase, as she had told me about a warehouse sale, and of course I couldn’t miss it! And as Sarah was the other lucky winner of Jacqueline’s cookbook, I thought this would be the perfect time to try baking in my new cups. I was a bit wary, but they worked perfectly. I put them in foil and in a water bath before filling them with the delicious batter.
I’m sure that no one looking at this dessert or tasting it could ever believe how easy it was to make. No baking pan to clean! Only one bowl and a whisk!
And then this:
Our Spring weather has been glorious and the peonies are in full bloom, so I set a table on the back deck. (my first without my brown furry helper) My bunny, tired of holding birdseed for the squirrels, kept me company on a glorious spring day and agreed to sport some of my blossoms for you.
~~ roses which survived the recent blight ~~
~~ peonies ~~
~~~~
~~ all offered to you by bunny ~~
My lilacs are white, the lavender is not yet blooming, and I don’t have any purple peonies (yet), but I was determined to find some purple in my yard for Jacqueline. I climbed up a steep hill to the few iris which are still blooming in the woods and found just a few remaining stems, so I added them to a tiny Juliska cream pitcher with other flowers from the yard. See them hiding there? That’s all the purple iris I had left!
But then I remembered my pots of violets!
The tiny purple blossoms are perfect to add as a final touch to this dessert, although I still have not been able to actually eat one.
Jacqueline often uses bits of pretty bling on her tables, so I added these napkin rings and my purple napkins.
Do you love these Juliska Jardins du Monde white dishes? My everyday pattern is Nantucket Basket (or Nantucket) by Wedgwood, but I’ve made space in the kitchen for more of these.
The glaze is beautiful, they are oven, microwave and freezer safe, and the pattern includes pieces of every type imaginable and coordinates well with Juliska Berry and Thread. Luckily 🙂 I had the foresight to bring home the very large pitcher to use as a vase for these gigantic peony blooms.
The purple bordered plate is Spode Delamere Bouquet, and the spoon is my silver pattern, Gorham Old French. They work well with peonies and chocolate, don’t you think?
I added a bit of lime because I think green and purple is a wonderful combo and also because I know that Sarah is making some lime deliciousness. Her tables are always wonderful and you can see for yourself here!
Before you leave to visit Jacqueline and Sarah please enjoy a moment to dream of sitting with me here,
and eating this most delicious chocolate dessert!!
And tell me ~~ would you eat the violets? Or just the chocolate?
Jacqueline, thank you so much for sharing your book and your inspiring blog.
Linda 🙂
joining
Linda, I may need to make this tonight. It looks fabulous in those new cups, so I also may need to think about adding some more Juliska to the cupboards. 😉
Seriously, your photos with all the pretty blooms from your garden have me wanting to sprout wings and fly up to your pretty table. What a glorious setting for this special dessert.
I’m thrilled to have Jacqueline’s book and so enjoyed connecting with you to plan a way to share this gift with others. Thank you!
Linda, gorgeous! Purple always reminds me of my mother. I love the green with it too, and the dessert looks especially regal in the Juliska with those color choices. What a great gift to receive and be inspired by!
I think you are the perfect recipient of this cookbook. Such beautiful photos and I would not eat a violet, unless it was candied! 😘
A very pretty (and yummy) setting Linda and your peonies are gorgeous! Enjoy the great weather:@)
Linda, you and Sarah are indeed two lucky girls! Your Flourless Chocolate Cake looks to pretty to eat, out of those fabulous Juliska cups. Honestly I think I’m am going to have to move to the northeast so I can attend the barn sales for Juliska and MacKenzie Childs! Your flowers are so beautiful and your photography is stunning! Lovely post Linda. I think I have to add to my Juliska collection now……….
Swoon Linda! Your peonies are huge AND gorgeous and set to perfection with your green, purple and checked runner! I love your Juliska which makes your Flourless Chocolate Cake even more tempting. I love garnishing with sweet violas, but have to confess I don’t eat them 🙂 Congratulations on winning Jacqueline’s cookbook! Your bunny is so handsome with his gorgeous blossoms too. ♥
Oh, my! What a treat! I may just have to make that cake! The Juliska is beautiful and perfect to display your flowers! I was traveling this year when my peonies bloomed and came home to a petal-covered flower bed, with just one bloom still on the bush that my husband managed to salvage for me. So, I’m enjoying your peonies vicariously. Enjoy your flowers and your cake, Linda! Welcome summer!
Linda, I’m back this morning for another taste! This is such a beautiful post. I have peony envy!
OK, a little Juliska envy too. 😉
Have a great day!
Sigh…I could linger here all day Linda, dreaming of peonies and flower topped chocolate cake baked in Juliska cups in the garden! I know you were thrilled to be the winner of Jacqueline’s beautiful book, and dessert first is a great idea! I wouldn’t have had the courage to bake in those cups, but I don’t know why, I bake glass after I paint it, and bake meals in ceramic and china casseroles, so just never thought about that! What a great presentation, I’ve got to try this for a ladies luncheon! Your colors, your flowers, your bunny, your vase, all just stunning!!
Jenna
What a beautiful post! The Flourless Chocokate cakes look wonderful and your cups are perfect. I love anything presented individually. I am so glad you won the cookbook and hope you continue to enjoy it. I love collecting and reading cookbooks!
Your peonies are fabulous and your spot to rest and relax made me wish I were there with you!!
Linda, what a delicious review of Jacqueline’s cookbook! I would definitely eat the Violet’s if they were organic.
Who wouldn’t want to eat that delicious looking dessert first! The new dishes are the perfect vessel for that type of dessert.
Your peonies are so beautiful.
Have a great weekend, Linda.
You bet…LIFE IS SHORT…EAT DESSERT FIRST sounds like a good plan to me….:)
Great job on your photos! Eating dessert first is not an unknown practice for me. I have a few favorites that I just can’t resist.
Linda, what gorgeous photos!!! Everything looks so beautiful and delectable! You have a lovely blog. 🙂
Linda, what a gorgeous recipe you have shared! I didn’t know Jacqueline had made a cookbook! I will check it out. Thanks for sharing at Home Sweet Home!
Linda… your photos are positively breathtaking. Congrats on your win.
Oh how lovely…the beautiful flowers and a delicious dessert. Yes, let’s have dessert first! I have eaten violets. I picked them in our orchard where they grew wild, candied them and topped a tiramisu.
Haha! I just saw this was on your sidebar! So lovely and kind of you! Makes me crave a flourless chocolate cake (for breakfast)!