Mile One Wall and Chocolate Saint-Honore

Oh Heck! Those days are just going to happen.  I’m not sure I’ve ever hit the wall while running a marathon before but I’m pretty sure I hit that infamous wall at mile 1 today.  Yes, mile 1. 

The weather was colder and it was snowing with winds about 15 mph when I took Shane. I ran 4 miles and felt so tired with a complete lack of energy.  How was I going to get through 17 miles today?  Well, I did.  It wasn’t pretty, it was down right awful. I gave into the fatigue and walked.  I tried to make up for my walking with some strides. The turn for home came none to soon.  Then I proceeded to punish myself even more by running NAKED for 2 miles on the treadmill. Naked as in, I took off my shirt, running tights (good thing I don’t run commando) …

Put on my treadmill favorites Newton Performance Trainers

Then proceeded to run 2 miles as fast as I could. 

Quite the disappointing run so close to race day.  Possible reason:  I increased my protein intake last week and reduced carbohydrates.  That’s probably the main culprit since my overall mileage was decreased by 20% this last week.  I’ll take a rest day Sunday and hope for quality miles on Monday. 

As for the rest of the day, I’m going to eat this Francois Payard concoction ALL …BY … MYSELF!

Chocolate Saint-Honore

This month’s Chocolate with Francois Payard’s recipe is a traditional French cake featuring a puff pastry base with choux pastry and honey dipped cherries.  It sounds too good.  It tastes even better.

This is what you’ll need *Don’t be intimidated, it’s really easy. 

REALLY!

• 1 frozen puff pastry sheet, thawed
• 7 TBS butter
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 5 large eggs
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate pudding (Or make your own chocolate pastry cream)
• 15 oz can Oregon Cherries, drained well
• 2 – 4 TBS clover honey
• 1/2 cup toasted pistachios

Step 1:   Line a baking sheet with parchment.  Put another baking sheet underneath so you have a double thick baking sheet. 

Put the puff pastry on the parchment and use a 9” round cake pan to guide you in cutting a circle. Set the scraps of puff pastry aside for some other use.  Put the 9” cut out into the fridge.

Step 2:  Make the Chocolate Pate A Choux by combining the butter and salt with 1 cup of water over medium high heat. Bring to a boil.  Add the flour and cocoa then reduce heat to low and vigorously stir until the dough comes together in a thick paste and doesn’t stick to the sides.

Remove from heat and add the eggs one at a time making sure the egg is fully incorporated before adding the next one.  Add the baking powder.

Step 3:  Remover the puff pastry circle from the fridge. It is still on parchment on a doubled baking sheet.  Preheat the oven to 450 F. 

Put the chocolate choux into a plastic bag and cut one corner.  Pipe the choux around the outer rim of the puff pastry.  With the extra choux, pipe nickel sized balls onto another parchment lined sheet.  Place both baking sheets into the oven and bake for 10 minutes.

Reduce heat to 375 F and continue baking for about 15 minutes. Remove and cool.

Step 4:  Fill each of the cooled chocolate choux balls with pudding by cutting a slit and putting pudding into the middle. 

Spread rest of pudding evenly over the choux-puff pastry base. 

Place each of the filled choux balls onto the base. 

Step 5:  Make sure you have drained your cherries and toasted your pistachios.  Mix 2 TBS of the honey with the cherries and put the cherries on the cake.  Scatter pistachios onto the cake.  Drizzle with the remaining honey.

Step 6:  Eat and Enjoy!

What’s your favorite French dessert?