The Crime Brûlée Bake Off Quotes

“Then his mouth was on hers, and the entire moment froze, stilling like the fading of a breeze and then warming like a sunshine, turning sweeter by a dusting of new sugar and igniting corners of her soul that had never existed until just then. Numb toes became flaming toes that arched up, cold fingers became latching fingers that anchored her, and a shaking jaw and chest burst into sunlight with glorious brilliance.
Or something equally poetic.”
― Rebecca Connolly, The Crime Brûlée Bake Off

“He reached and tapped her glasses back down onto her face. "Good work, Sherlock."
Claire snorted and adjusted her glasses. "Thanks, Columbo."
"Not Watson?" He pouted, batting his lashes.
"We already have Watson," she reminded him. "Besides, you're a detective all your own. We're equals.”
― Rebecca Connolly, The Crime Brûlée Bake Off

“Claire looked again at the ingredients Mrs. Clyde had brought, finally realizing it was only sugar, a torch, and a variety of topping choices. Not the ingredients to make a dessert, but to finish a dessert.
Which meant this treat had been planned out ahead of time, regardless of where the evening would have taken place.
No matter what the dessert actually tasted like, this was already the most deliciously sweet thing that had ever happened to her.”
― Rebecca Connolly, The Crime Brûlée Bake Off

“It's because I know the kind of baker you are. And it is definitely not one who only does mediocre bakes. In fact, I don't think you're capable of anything resembling mediocrity, but the fact that you think you are means you are always wanting to push further and work harder. You're never going to be content with what you produce, and it only makes you better.”
― Rebecca Connolly, The Crime Brûlée Bake Off

“What are you planning for your mille-feuille?"
"I was looking into popular flavors of the Victorian era," Claire recited, just as she'd practiced in the mirror last night, "and I decided to use lemon and raspberry. So my pastry cream has lemon zest and a bit of lemon juice, and then I will layer fresh raspberries between stripes of cream between the pastry layers."
How are you making the pastry?" Alan pressed.
Claire swallowed, suddenly nervous. "Full puff. I found that it layers better than rough puff."
Alan gave her a nod of consideration. "Takes longer too."
"Are you concerned about the combination of two tart flavors?" Dame Sophie asked in a prim, almost trilling voice. "It can be quite a collision if you are not careful."
Claire nodded. "I tried a number of combinations, and this cream should have enough sweetness to counter the lemon. And fresh raspberries, I find, gave a better mouthfeel than freeze-dried or using an essence in the cream itself."
Lindsay leaned on the counter, her expression playful. "Tell me about the chocolate, Claire. C'mon, tell me you're using good chocolate."
"Of course I am," Claire told her with a laugh. "I'm doing a dark chocolate icing and marbling with the vanilla icing, instead of the other way around."
"Daring, Claire," Charlie praised, smiling in his usual would-be devilish way. "Turning history on its head, innit?"
Claire made a show of exhaling. "I'm going to try, Charlie, and hope not to offend history or the judges in the process.”
― Rebecca Connolly, The Crime Brûlée Bake Off

“Jonny stared at Claire, half in shock and half impressed. For all her claims of never solving a murder or a crime, she was certainly acting like she could.
He smiled at her. Couldn't help himself. She was unpredictable, this baker, but she was an interesting unpredictable.”
― Rebecca Connolly, The Crime Brûlée Bake Off

“Those cherry madeleines were astonishing. It was absolutely genius to pair them with cucumber and dill sandwiches, and the delicacies of your macarons... Crepes alive, you should win the episode."
Freya giggled and glanced over at her. "Did you just say, 'Crepes alive,' Claire? Baking nerd alert."
Claire shrugged, still grinning. "I was raised in a pub, and my parents wanted to keep us from using that kind of language that might be overheard at the White Fox, so we had to make up all kinds of expressions. Mine just happened to be baking related--- son of a biscuit, sugar, crepes alive, cake and a custard."
"You might be the biggest dork ever," Freya told her, still laughing. "But your rhubarb crème brûlée tartlets were awesome. Daring to do the mushroom vol-au-vents, but it worked out.”
― Rebecca Connolly, The Crime Brûlée Bake Off