7. To prepare mascarpone crème fraiche: combine mascarpone, crème fraiche, confectioner’s sugar and vanilla extract in a large bowl and whisk until smooth.
8. To assemble cake: place first cake on cake pedestal or serving plate. Spread about ¼ of mascarpone crème fraiche over top of cake. Top with second cake layer. Spread about ¼ of mascarpone crème fraiche over top of cake. Top with third cake layer. Spread about ¼ of mascarpone crème fraiche over top of cake. Spread remaining ¼ of mascarpone crème fraiche on sides of cake to make a light crumb coating. Using a bench scraper or cake spatula, lightly scrape top and sides of cake to remove excess mascarpone crème fraiche forming a smooth surface.
9. Top cake with strawberries, toasted almonds and fresh mint sprigs.
10. Chill thoroughly before serving.
Note: Find prepared crème fraiche in the dairy aisle of your grocery store. Crème fraiche is easy to make if not available in your area. Combine 1¼ cups heavy cream with 2 tbsp. buttermilk. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 12 hours or until thickened. Refrigerate until ready to use.
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Love on Location
Sunrise Cabin
Christmas In Evergreen
The Christmas Company
A Timeless Christmas
At the Heart of Christmas
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Sneak Peek of Country Hearts
Turn the page for a sneak peek of Country Hearts
Chapter One
This is what I get for saying I wanted an adventure.
“Wanted” sounded much better than “no other alternatives.”
When whisperings of budget cuts became a reality, the principal of the school Jemma had worked at for three years had called her into his office. He told her that the administration was sorry, but they had to lay her off. Considering her limited options, she’d had to smother her panic, roll with the punches, and take a risk.
As she sat in the living room of the cottage she’d been renting for all of a day, she experienced a pinch of loneliness. Add her worries about the raging storm outside, and she struggled to maintain the optimism she’d kept a tight grip on since taking the temporary teaching position. In a tiny Colorado town she’d never heard of before finding the job posting, no less.
The truth was, she did need something new. A bit of a shakeup to get her out of her funk. While she could handle a classroom full of kids like nobody’s business—partially because she understood occasionally losing focus and the importance of making learning fun—she was working on taking control and being less of a hot mess in her personal life. On being bolder and having the courage to meet new people and take more chances.
Surely seizing the opportunity to live somewhere besides the city where she’d grown up would help with that, even if it was a forced sort of help.
A crack of thunder vibrated the window panes, and a little shriek escaped. Since she’d nearly spilled her tea, Jemma set her favorite extra-large mug on the coffee table and tightened her fuzzy fleece blanket around herself. It’s an adventure. It’s an adventure.
When people said they wanted an adventure, usually exotic locations or rollercoasters came to mind. Bungee jumping. That kind of thing. Whereas she shuddered at the idea of trusting a rickety man-made machine or flinging herself off a bridge. What if something went wrong? Did people really trust a cord to catch them? Because she certainly didn’t.
It wasn’t that she was the type of person to need her entire life mapped out or for everything to go according to plan. No, as a third-grade teacher, she’d forever be disappointed if she let curve balls get to her. If there was one thing you couldn’t plan for, it was what would pop out of a kid’s mouth next. But she needed to be more organized and less idealistic, and the next time she was in a relationship, she wouldn’t be the only one aware it was happening.
How could I have been so clueless? Why didn’t I confirm we were dating instead of hanging out?
It definitely would’ve saved her a lot of frustration and sorrow. It made her feel delusional to mourn the loss of a boyfriend who’d turned out to only be a friend. Especially since in the beginning, she’d passed up a more-secure position to stay at the school where Simon worked so they could grow that friendship into more.
Maybe I should just give up on guys altogether and embrace the idea of being single forever.
The wind outside picked up speed, rattling the shutters on the window, and her heart rate kicked up a few notches. She glanced at the large black-and-white bunny at her side. “You’ll protect me, won’t you, Señor Fluffypants?”
Her former students had helped her name him, settling on Señor Fluffypants because of the black patch of fur over his nose that looked like a moustache. She’d had him since he could fit in her palm, but he’d grown into a four-pound snuggly floofball.
At the next grumbling burp of thunder, he jumped off the cushion next to her and rushed under the couch. So much for her knight in fluffy armor.
No need to be scared. Surely this house would’ve blown away long ago if it was that fragile.
Or maybe the years of decay will catch up now that I’ve decided to move in.
With its cheery blue trim and shutters, and the faint remains of vines crawling across the white exterior, the country cottage had looked so idyllic. Like she could spend her weekends curled up on the couch with her tea and a book and get lost for a few hours.
Now she felt lost in the way that she didn’t know anyone, her
