Gianduja chewy cookies

The smell of those cookies baking in the oven makes my mouth water and my stomach groan !!

They are so tasty and they actually really melt in your mouth...divine !!

if you want to make your own gianduja here it is

Yields : 18 cookies

Here's what we need :

150g gianduja, 100g sugar, 250g flour, 80g butter softened, 2 tablespoons hazelnuts oil, 1 pinch salt, 1 large egg, 1 tablespoon caramel, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda.

Here's what we do :

Preheat your oven at 350°F.

Line 2 baking trays with parchment.

In a stand mixer, beat the sugar, butter, hazelnuts oil & salt on medium speed until light & fluffy.

Add the egg, gianduja, caramel & vanilla extract & mix on low speed for 30 seconds (just to combine) then beat on medium speed for another 30 seconds.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder & baking soda & add to the mixture.

Mix on low speed for 30 seconds then mix on medium-low speed for another 30 seconds to mix the dough uniformly.

Gently roll the dough into balls (about 1 heaping tablespoon).

Arrange at least 2 1/4 inches apart on the prepared baking trays.

Bake until the edges are golden  & the tops are cracked but not completely set, about 13 to 15 minutes.
                               
                                                                                                                            Relax, savour & share!

Choco caramel cake

I am still in the caramel & chocolate passion.

This time they are mixed together to make a wonderfully moist & intense dark chocolate cake.

Yields : 1 family cake

Here's what we need :

225g dark chocolate, 65g salted butter, 65g unsalted butter, 150g sugar, 70g flour, 5g baking powder, 4 eggs divided.

Here's what we do :

Preheat your oven at 356°F.

Coarsely chop the chocolate & butters.

In a saucepan, heat the sugar on medium heat until golden brown.

Out of heat, add the butters.

Back on medium heat, heat the caramel until boiling & take it off immediately.


 Mix the chocolate with the caramel.

Add the eggs one by one, mix well between each.

Beat the egg whites until firm with picks.

Add 1/3 in the chocolate/caramel mixture then add the remaining eggs carefully.

Mix flour & baking powder in a bowl & add to the mixture.

Pour the batter in a 8.66 inch cake mould.

Bake for 35 minutes.


                                                                                                                            Relax, savour & share!

Cannelés

Cannelés are a speciality from the city of Bordeaux on the french south west coast.
They were invented by nuns in the 18th century.

They are baked in iron or copper moulds in order to obtain a crispy caramelized coat, but you can use cupcakes mould if you wish (they won't be caramelized but still delicious anyway), with a great taste of vanilla and rum !!!

Makes : 18

Here's what we need :

3 cups all milk, 1 vanilla bean, 1 cup butter, 1 cup sugar, 2/3 cup flour, 1 large egg yolk, 2 large eggs, 3 tablespoons old dark rum.

30 minutes + 1 night + 1 hour + 50 minutes

Here's what we do :

Cut the vanilla bean lenghtwise & scape the inside.

In a saucepan, combine the milk, vanilla bean & scrapings & bring to a boil on medium heat.


Add the butter, mix & set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar & flour.

In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolk & rum.

Whisk the egg mixture with the flour/sugar mixture.

Then whisk in the lukewarm milk.

Cover & refrigerate for 12 hours.

Remove the batter from the fridge for at least 1 hour before baking.

Preheat your oven at 425°F.

Coat the cannelés moulds with a fine layer of butter.

Fill the moulds 3/4 full with the batter.

Bake for 45/50 minutes until the cannelés are brown colored.

                                                                                                                            Relax, savour & share!

Almonds “Financiers”

A "Financier" is an individual cake made with ground almonds. It is delicious and moist and perfect with a hot cup of tea or coffee.
they were first made by french nuns, then swiss bakers gave them the shape of a gold ingot and named them "Financiers".

Yields : 8

Here's what we need :

40g flour, 40g ground almonds, 110g icing sugar, 4 egg whites, 1 pinch of salt, 60g hazelnut butter, 1 teaspoon almond extract.

Here's what we do :

In a saucepan on medium heat, melt the butter until golden brown with a smell of hazelnut.

In a large bowl, mix the floor, ground almonds & icing sugar.

In a second bowl, whisk the egg whites until light & foamy.

Add the egg whites to the flour mixture.

Add the butter & the almond extract.

Allow to rest for 20 minutes.

Preheat your oven at 392°F.

Pour the batter in your "financiers" moulds or cupcakes moulds.

Bake for 15/20 minutes.
                                                                                                                            Relax, savour & share!

milk chocolate & salted butter caramel crunchy tart

Another Pierre Hermé delight !!
I challenge anyone to resist that crunchy creamy salty sweety chocolaty tart !!

It is sophisticated & fine, with the perfect balance between salt & sweet.

Good news : there is no complicated technique to achieve it.

Serves : 8 (9.4 inches tart mould)

Here's what we need :

6 hours.

 the pastry : 4 hours in advance, 75g soft butter, 47g icing sugar, 125g flour, 15g almond powder, pinch of salt, 1/2 egg.



salted butter creamy caramel : 100g sugar, 20g glucose, 20g salted butter, 10cl whipping cream, 60g nougat, 60g grilled & salted peanuts.

milk chocolate ganache : 480g milk chocolate, 30cl whipping cream.

Here's what we do :

the pastry : In a bowl, mix the flour & salt, add the soft butter coarsely chopped & work with your fingertips until sandy.

make a well, add the 1/2 egg, pour sugar & almond powder.

Mix with your fingertips until just combined.

Down the dough with your palm a few times then make a ball, cover with a cling film and refrigerate for 4 hours.

preheat you oven at 356°F.

spray the dough with a pinroll.

Cover your mould with a parchment paper & place the dough, then cover it with a second parchment paper & dry beans (or culinary small wheights).

Bake the pastry for 25 minutes.

Allow to cool down & take the beans & parchment off.

the salted butter creamy caramel : Pour the sugar in a saucepan over medium heat.

When it starts to melt, add the glucose.

Allow to caramelize until golden brown.

Add the salted butter & cream & mix well.


Heat for 2 more minutes.

put aside at room temperature.

Coarsely chop the nougat & peanuts.

the milk chocolate ganache : Coarsely chop the chocolate & put it in a medium bowl.

In a saucepan over medium heat, boil the whipping cream.

Pour  the hot cream on the chocolate in 3 times, mixing carefully.

Put aside at room temperature.

Pour the caramel on the pastry.

Sprinkle the nougat  & peanuts.

Make it freeze in your fridge for 30 minutes.

Add the milk chocolate ganache & make it freeze for 30 more minutes.
                                                                                                                            Relax, savour & share!

Chocolate “mi-cuit” with vanilla custard heart

"Mi-cuit" means half cooked in french.
These ones are a child's play to make and always a roaring success !!

You can either make your own vanilla custard or buy it to save time.

Serves : 4

Here's what we need :

120g vanilla custard, 100g dark chocolate (60%), 100g butter, 2 eggs, 2 egg yolks, 50g sugar, 25g flour.

2 1/2 hour.

Here's what we do :

Fill 4 ice cube moulds with vanilla custard & allow to freeze for 2 hours.

Preheat your oven at 356°F.

Melt the chocolate in a "bain-marie" with the butter cut in chunks.

Whip the eggs with the yolks & sugar until light yellow & fluffy.

Mix in the melted chocolate & flour.

Butter & flour 4 ramekins.

Pour 2/3 of mixture in each remekin, put the iced vanilla custard in the centre & press gently.

Cover with the remaining chocolate.

Bake for 10 minutes.

Turn the ramekins upside down on serving plates & wait 3 minutes before remove them.

                                                                                                                            Relax, savour & share!

Honey & coco flapjacks

At this time of year, we need energy to go on and face the coming of cold weather.

These flapjacks are a really healthy way to start the day or have a snack.

Yields : 12

Here's what we need :

125g butter, 150g soft light brown sugar, 3 tablespoons honey, 150g muesli, 100g dry coconut flakes, a pinch of salt.

Here's what we do :

Preheat your oven at 400°F.

Lightly butter a tin (8X12 inches).

Melt the butter, sugar & honey together over a gentle heat.

Mix the muesli, coconut flakes & salt.

Pour the melted ingredients over them & stir.

Turn the mixture into the tin & press down evenly with the back of a wooden spoon.

Bake for 20/25 minutes.

Allow to cool for 5 minutes then mark out squares with a sharp knife & leave in the tin until quite cool.

                                                                                                                            Relax, savour & share!

brioche

Imagine a sunny sunday morning with the smell of mouthwatering hot butter tickling your nostrils.

Imagine the smiles and yums ...

You are in the world of homemade fresh & warm brioche, it is a long way to come but so much rewarding you'll never regret the time spent !

Yields : 1 big brioche

Here's what we need :

250g flour, 200g butter at room temperature, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon active dry yeast (or 10g fresh yeast), 3 eggs, 1 tablespoon warm milk, 1 tablespoon warm water.
2 1/2 hours + 1 night + 1 1/2 hour

Here's what we do :
In a glass dissolve yeast in warm water until creamy.

In a small bowl, dissolve salt & sugar in warm milk.

Pour flour in a large bowl & make a well in the center.

Pour the yeast & stir with a bit of flour.

Add 2 eggs & pour the warm milk (not on the yeast) & stir with a bit of flour.

Add the 3rd egg.

Beat well until the dough has pulled together.

Then work on a slightly floured surface and knead for 10 to 15 minutes : to incorporate maximum air take the dough in one hand high & smash it on the surface.

Incorporate the butter in 3 or 4 times.

Put the dough back in the bowl & cover with a clean cloth.

Let it rise in a warm place for 2 hours (it must double up).

Deflat the dough with your fist a few times (until it is back to normal size).

Let it rest all night in your fridge.

In the morning :

Put the dough in the mould of your choice & allow to rise for 1 hour in a warm place.

Preheat your oven at 392°F.

Bake for 25 / 30 minutes (check with the tip of knife).
                                                                                                
                                                                                                                            Relax, savour & share!

Baked custard tart

Hi everyone, today we're going to  bake a traditional french pastry.

This baked custard tart is also called "Parisian custard".
In fact every single bakery all over france has it on the counter.

It has a soft texture & a wonderful vanilla scent, just perfect for tea-time !!

Serves : 6

Here's what we need :

the pastry :

125g flour, 1/2 teasspoon salt, 1 teaspoon sugar, 125g butter at room temperature & cut in chunks, 1 egg yolk, 1 1/2 tablespoon milk.

the custard :

15cl milk, 15cl whipping cream, 40g flour, 2 eggs, 80g sugar, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract.









Here's what we do :

First the pastry :

Pour the flour in a large bowl.

Make a well and add the salt, sugar, butter, egg yolk & milk.

Work with your finger tips (or in a food procesor on medium speed) until well combined.

Put in the fridge for 1 hour.

Preheat your oven at 392°F.

Spray the pastry with a spin roll, put in your mould, cover with a baking sheet, fill with rice or ceramic pie wheights and cook for 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk the eggs with the sugar & vanilla extract until light yellow & fluffy.

Add the flour.

Boil milk & cream together.

Add little by little to the mixture.

Pour the custard in the pastry.

Down your oven temperature to 338°F.

Cook for 25 minutes.

                                                                                                                            Relax, savour & share!

Orange blossom cupcakes

So, we're back in the kitchen after a lovely, desired and needed summer break.

As we are still a bit in a vacation mood, let's start with a quick and easy recipe but still nontheless mouth watering !!


Yields : 18

Here's what we need : 3

3 eggs, 90g sugar, 90g flour, 1 tablespoon orange blossom water, 40g almond powder.

Here's what we do :

Preheat your oven at 356°F.

Whisk the eggs & sugar in a "bain marie" over medium heat until light yellow, fluffy & doubled up.

Continue whisking out of fire until completly cool down.

Incorporate the flour, almond powder & orange blossom water.

Pour in moulds & cook for 15 minutes.

                                                                                                                             Relax, savour & share !

Apricot peach and thyme 2 bites tartlet

Apricot, peaches & thyme are the kings of summer !!

They are so juicy & their colors are so warming.

Thyme & salted butter are perfect to accompany & sublimate the tastes of those marvelous fruits.

They bring sun into desserts !!

Serves : 6

Here's what we need :

1 sugar crust pastry, 3 white peaches, 6 teaspoons apricot jam, fresh thyme, salted butter, brown sugar.

6 x 2.95 inches moulds & 1 x 3.93 round cookie cutter (or cuting cylinder).

Here's what we do :

Preheat your oven at 374 °F.


Spray the sugar crust pastry with a spinroll on a floured table.

With the 3.93 cylinder cut 6 tartlets & cover the bottom & sides of tartlet moulds.

Cover the bottom of each tartlet with a teaspoon of apricot jam.

Peel & cut the peaches into small slices (around 5/6 per tart) & put them all over the jam.

Add small pieces of salted butter (3/4 per tarts).

Spray 2 pinches of thyme.

Spray 2 nice pinches of brown sugar.

Bake for 30 minutes (until the crust is light brown, golden).

                                                                                                                             Relax, savour & share !

Nutella scones

Another irresistible recipe from the book by Matt Lewis & Renato Poliafito "Baked explorations" !!

I love their book, so inspired and inspiring !!

These scones are easy to make and they keep pretty good for 2/3 days if kept in a tight box.

Yield : 8 scones

Here's what we need :

2 cups flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powdered, 1 tablespoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 6 tablespoons cold butter cut into chunks, 1 large egg, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 3/4 cup taosted hazelnuts coarsely chopped, 1/2 cup nutella.

Here's what we do :

Preheat your oven at 375°F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda & salt until combined.


Add the butter. Use your fingertips to rub it into the flour until the butter is pea size & the mixture is coarse.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg & cream.

Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture & stir until the dough just comes together.

Gently & briefly knead the dough with your hands.

Add the toasted hazelnuts & knead to incorporate.

Flatten the dough into a rectangle approximately 6 X 12 inches & spread  1/4 cup of the nutella on top in a crisscross pattern.

Roll the dough up to make a cylinder about 6 inches long, turn it on its end & gently flatten it into a disk about 1 3/4 inches high. (do not overwork the dough).

Cut the dough into 8 wedges & place them on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake the scones for 18 to 20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through.

Transfer the scones to a wire rack to cool completely.

Heat the remaining nutella in a microwave until pourable.

Pierce the top of the scones a few times with a fork or a toothpick.

Drip the warm nutella with a spoon in a zigzag pattern over the tops of the hot scones.

Transfer them to your refrigerator to set for 5 minutes.

                                                                                                                            Relax, savour & share !!

Melt in your mouth gianduja cake

If your trying to loose weight, then run fast away from here or you're going to be trapped forever in the world of mouth watering sweet tooth "I want it right now" world !!!

It is so easy & quick to make !!

Beware, this cake is for real !!  I repeat, this is not an exercise !!!

Serves : 8

Here's what we need :

210g gianduja (homemade here), 200g butter, 5 eggs, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 150g sugar.

Here's what we do :

Preheat your oven at 375°F.

In a "bain marie" on medium heat melt together gianduja & butter.

Out of heat, add the sugar.

Incorporate the eggs one by one.


Stir in the cornstarch.

Pour the batter in a cake pan.

Bake for 22 minutes (the cake musn't be over cooked).
                                                                                                                              Relax, savour & share!

white & dark chocolate with salted butter caramel charlotte

Let me introduce you to a jewel !!

If you want to impress your guests and hear wow and bravos THIS IS THE CHARLOTTE !!!!!!

You are just a few hours from success...

Serves : 6

Here's what we need :

5 hours.

100g white chocolate, 85g dark chocolate, 58cl very cold whipping cream, 190g sugar, 30g salted butter, 12 sponge fingers (here's a recipe for homemade cocoa sponge fingers), 5cl all milk very cold, 8cl water, 2 parfumed tea bags (your choice ! Here orange cinnemon).









Here's what we do :

let's start with the white chocolate mousse :

whisk 28cl very cold whipping cream.

Melt the white chocolate on low-medium heat in a "bain-marie".

Heat 4cl whipping cream & add to chocolate.

Incorporate the whipped cream carefully & refrigerate.

Now the dark chocolate & salted butter caramel mousse:

Whisk 20cl very cold whipping cream with all milk.

Coarsely chop the dark chocolate.

In a large saucepan on high heat make the caramel with 90g sugar until golden.

Out of fire, add the butter & 6cl whipping cream.

Pour on dark chocolate & mix.

Just slightly heat on low heat & add carefully to the whipped cream.

Refrigerate.

Here comes the syrup for the sponge fingers :

Cover the inside of your charlotte mould with clingfilm.

In a saucepan on medium heat, melt 100g sugar with 8cl water & 2 tea bags.

Quickly soak the sponge fingers & line the bottom & sides of the mould.

Fill first half with white chocolate mousse then second half  with dark chocolate salted butter caramel mousse.

Cover with a plate (to press).

Refrigerate for 4 hours.

                                                                                                                              Relax, savour & share!

cocoa sponge fingers

Lovely sponge finger, so yummy with a cup of tea or coffee !!

Here I added cocoa to suit my chocolate tooth and an unforgetable white and dark chocolate with salted butter caramel charlotte that you're going to discover in a few days (sometimes I'm mean !!) ....

Yields : 24

Here's what we need :

60g flour, 3 eggs, 90g sugar, 15g unsweetened cocoa powder, icing sugar.

Here's what we do :

sift the flour & cocoa powder.

Whisk egg yolks with 30g sugar until foamy & clear yellow.

Beat egg whites for 2/3 minutes then add remaining sugar & beat until stiff with nice peaks.


Mix egg whites & egg yolks together carefully.

Incorporate the flour/cocoa all at ones, don't overwork the batter !!

preheat your oven at 302 °F.

Use a piping bag to form sponge fingers on a pastry sheet covered with parchment.

Dust with icing sugar and bake for 18 minutes.
                                                                                                                              Relax, savour & share!

peach raspberry & nougat clafoutis (batter pudding)

Clafoutis is a batter pudding invented in french "Limousin" in the XIXth century. It is traditionally made with cherries.

Nougat has been made since antiquity all around the orient. It was then made with almonds, honey and spices.
It has been imported to marseille first then to Montélimar during the XVIIth century.

Nowdays, Montélimar is still the french capital of nougat.

It is not before the XVIIIth century that they added egg whites melted with honey & sugar to give it its airy texture.

This recipe is a perfect mix between tradition and modernity !!

Serves : 6

Here's what we need :

500g fresh peaches, 100g nougat, 200g raspberries, 80g sugar, 60g butter, 80g flour, 4 eggs, 25cl milk, pinch salt.

A 7.87 inches suare cakepan.






Here's what we do :

Preheat your oven at 356°F.

Melt the butter on medium heat or in your microwave.

Peel & stone the peaches then cut them into squares.

Coarsely chop the nougat.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with sugar.

Add the flour & the melted butter.

Add the salt & milk.

Butter your cakepan.

Spread in the pan the peaches, raspberries & nougat.

Pour the batter.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.
                                                                                                                              Relax, savour & share!

Raspberry coulis

 Another raspberry recipe I know !! But I can't help it ! They are one of my favorite !

Raspberry coulis is easy to make and gives a very "chic" ruby colour when pour on cakes or cream cheese, needless to talk about its fabulous taste!

One more thing, it can be frozen !!

Yields : a small jar

Here's what we need :

200g raspberries, 230g raspberry juice, 150g sugar.

Here's what we do :

In a saucepan on medium low heat cook the raspberries with juice & sugar until it thikens.

Sift until really smooth.
                                                                                                                              Relax, savour & share!

Amaretti

Another italian delight !
You can eat amaretti everywhere in Italy but everyone has a differnet recipe...almways the best !!

Anyway, they are delicious, quick & easy to make, so there is no reason not to !!

Yields : 30 amaretti

Here's what we need :

2 egg whites, 150g sugar, 175g finely ground almonds, 1 teaspoon almond extract, 50g icing sugar.

Here's what we do :

Preheat your oven at 392°F.

Cover a flat baking pan with parchment.

Beat the egg whites not to stiff.

Add the sugar.

Beat again for 2 minutes.

With a spatula, incorporate the ground almonds carefully.


Pour the almond extract.

Make small rockes with your hands & roll them in icing sugar.

Put the amaretti on the baking pan & bake for 10 minutes until lightly golden.

                                                                                                                              Relax, savour & share!

Chesnuts biscuits

These biscuits are just perfect with a cup of tea or coffee.

The chesnut flour adds a slight smoked and rustic taste.

Yields : 30 (depends on their sizes)

Here's what we need :

150g chesnut flour, 100g all purpose flour, 100g icing sugar, 1 pinch salt, 125g butter, 1 egg.


3 hours.

Here's what we do :

Work the butter with your hands until soft.

Add salt & icing sugar & stir until combined.

Whisk in the egg.

Add flours & work just until combined.

Put aside in your fridge for 1 hour.


 Knead the dough with your hand palms, cut it in 4 pieces, superpose them & flatten with your hand palms, repeat 2 times.

Put it back in the fridge for 1 hour.

Preheat your oven at 338°F.

Flatten the dough with a rolling spin & cut biscuits with cooky cutters.

Bake for 12/15 minutes.

                                                                                                                              Relax, savour & share!

raspberry coco cupcakes

The first time I tasted raspberries & coconut together was in a smoothy. I fell immediately in love with that mix!

So, since then, I recreate that wonderful marriage everytime I can.

These cupcakes are so moist they melt in your mouth.

Yields : 18 cupcakes

Here's what we need :
20cl coconut milk, 300g rapberries, 5 eggs, 240g flour, 4g baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 250g sugar, 80g melted butter, 1 pinch salt.

Here's what we do :

Preheat the oven at 320°F.

In a large bowl mix the sugar, the eggs, the salt, the baking soda & the coconut milk.





Sift the flour with the baking powder & add to the batter.

Add the melted butter.

Incorporate the raspberries.

Pour the batter in cupcake moulds.

Bake for 15 minutes.

                                                                                                                              Relax, savour & share!

Express raspberry rose sorbet

Sometimes we don't have time or we're craving for somthing sweet and we just can't wait more than 5 minutes before having it !

This is how I came to make this deliciously quick and easy raspberry sorbet using frozen fruits.

Water rose adds a fancy touch.

Serves : 4

Here's what we need :

800g frozen raspberries, 1 1/2 tablespoons rose water, 12 tablespoons sugarcane syrup.

Here's what we do :

In a food processor, mix together the frozen raspberries, rose water & sugarcane syrup.

                                                                                                                                  Relax, savour & share!

Gluten free chick peas coffee chocolate fondant

I've been thinking of chick peas for a while, but didn't really know how to use them in a cake. All I knew was that I wanted to make something gluten free, something original !!

I must say I didn't really knew where I was going when I put the dry chick peas in water for the night, but then I thought of those wonderful chocolate fondant made without flour...

Chick peas just need something to wake them up.
Coffee and dark chocolate just do the job with perfection.

This fondant is tasty, thick and moist....YUMMY !!!

Yields : 8,3 inches square cake mould
Serves : 10

Here's what we need :

200g dry chick peas, 1 teaspoon baking soda, water, 200g melted butter, 5 eggs, 2 tablespoons rice flour, 250g sugar, 8 teaspoons instant coffee, creamy honey dark chocolate ganache.

1 night & 4 hours




Here's what we do :

The night before :

Put the chick peas in a saucepan with a teaspoon of baking soda & cover with water.

After a good night sleep :

Preheat your oven at 374°F.

Cook the chick peas on medium heat for 45 minutes (take the foam off).

Drain them well & mix until creamy & soft.

In a large bowl, mix the chick peas cream with the butter until well combined.

In a glass, add a small amount of water to the instant coffee, mix until completely combined.

Add the coffee to the mixture.

Add the sugar.

Whisk in the eggs one by one until well combined.

Whisk in the rice flour.

Pour the batter in the cake mould & cook for 25 minutes.

Meanwhile make the creamy honey dark chocolate ganache.

Take the cake out of your oven & pour the ganache on top.

Allow to completely cool down & refrigerate for 2 hours.

                                                                                                                                  Relax, savour & share!                    

Creamy honey dark chocolate ganache

That dark chocolate ganache recipe is really yummy with a marvellous still discret honey taste !!

It is perfect for chocolate tarts or stuffed chocolate candies.

After a few hours in the fridge, it stays creamy, soft and melt in your mouth deliciously.

 WHAT A TEXTURE !!!

Here's what we need :

200g dark chocolate (60% cocoa), 160g whipping cream, 30g high quality honey, 30g butter at room temperature.

1 culinary thermometer.

Here's what we do :

Chop the chocolate coarsely & melt on low medium heat in a "bain-marie".

In a saucepan, bring the whipping cream & honey to a boil.

Slowly pour 1/3 of the hot cream in the melted chocolate & whisk until well combined & glossy.

Do as well with the second 1/3 then the last one.

When the ganache is 40/104°F, mix in the butter.

                                                                                                                                  Relax, savour & share!

Lavender & olive oil bundt cake

This post is a paradox !!

I found that recipe in the delicious "Bakes exploration" book by Matt Lewis & Renato Poliafito.

Renato's mother got that olive oil bundt from a french neighbour named Annette from marseilles, and now it comes back to france...Who would thought I'd found a south of France cake recipe in an american book !!

The original recipe uses oranges zests instead of lavender and vanilla extract which I switched for orange blossom water. Anyway south of France is where we grow lavender, olive and orange trees, so both choices are delicious !!

Yields : One 10 inch bundt

Here's what we need :

3 cups flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 4 large eggs separated, 2 cups sugar, 1 cup yogurt, 3/4 cup high quality extra virgin olive oil, 2 teaspoons lavender flowers or 2 freshly grated orange zests, 3 teaspoons orange blossom water or 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract.

Here's what we do :

Preheat your oven at 350°F.

If you're not using a nonsticky bundt pan, generously spray the inside with unstick cooking spray or butter it well, dust with flour and knock out the excess flour.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the egg yolks until they're pale & light.

Slowly pour in the sugar until it is completely incorporated.

Add the yogurt & olive oil & mix until thoroughly combined.

Add the lavender flowers & orange blossom water & mix until incorporated.

Add the flour mixture in 2 parts, beating after each addition until just combined.

In another large bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.

Scoop one cup of the egg whites into the batter. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold them in.

After about 30 seconds of folding, add the remaining egg whites & gently  fold until they're almost completely combined.

Pour the batter into the bundt pan and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time or until a sharp knife tip comes out clean.

Optional : you can dust the cake with icing sugar just before serving.


                                                                                                                                  Relax, savour & share!

Fiadone : soft Brocciu goat cheese and lemon tartlets

Here comes a traditional dessert recipe from Corsica.

In corsica, they have that marvellous cheese called "brocciu" made of goat milk. You can eat it soft or older and dry. Fiadone is made  with soft Brocciu, but unless you live or plan to go to Corsica I'm quite sure you won't find it.

Don't worry !! I have good news for you...you can use ricotta cheese instead !!!

Corsica is also well know for chesnuts, so I mixed chesnut flour with all purpose flour.
It tastes even more from the "island"!!

It is so easy to make and so yummy freshly delicious, you're going to love it !!

Yields : 6 tartlets of 4,13 inches

Here's what we need :

for the crust : 150g chesnut flour, 100g all purpose flour, 100g icing sugar, 1 pinch salt, 125g butter, 1 egg.

for the fiadone batter : 1 organic lemon, 300g soft Brocciu or ricotta cheese, 3 eggs, 130g sugar.

3 hours.

6 round 4,13 inches tart moulds.



Here's what we do :

the crust :

Work the butter with your hands until soft.

Add salt and icing sugar & stir until combined.

Whisk in the egg.

Add flours & work just until combined.

Put aside in your fridge for 1 hour.

Knead the dough with your hand palms, cut it in 4 pieces, superpose them & flatten with your hand palms, repeat 2 times.

Put it back in your fridge for 1 hour.

preheat your oven at 338°F.

Flatten the dough with a rolling spin and cut it in 6 round pieces (0,80 inches larger than your moulds to cover sides).

butter your moulds.

Lay down the dough in each one of them.

Bake for 10 minutes.

The fiadone batter :

Meanwhile, grate the lemon zest.

In a bowl, mash the cheese with a fork.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with ther sugar until light yellow & fluffy.

Add the grated lemon zest .

Whisk in the cheese until well combined.

Pour the batter into each  prebaked crust.

Bake for 30 minutes.

                                                                                                                                   relax, savour & share!