Salted butter caramel sauce

Salted butter caramel was invented in 1973 by a chocolate maker from Quiberon, a small town in french north west coast were they eat, cook and bake almost everything with salted butter...I must admit I love salted butter too, it brings that little pinch we all are found of. So, don't hesitate, take a trip to the wonderland of salted butter caramel sauce...

yelds : medium size pot

here's what we need :

150g sugar, 60g salted butter, 20cl whipping cream

here's what we do :

pour the sugar in a saucepan with a bit of water on medium low heat, when it begins to brown, stay still and watch carefully, it burns fast (you can't tell I did'nt warn you !!)

out of the eat, add your fantastic salted butter cut in squares, beware of projections (caramel is so hot you really could get hurt, I know what I'm talking about)
now, add the cream and...well...I guess we're done!!
                                                                          
                                                                                                                                  relax, savour & share !

All in the pan chewy chocolate cake with chocolate butter icing by Regan Daley

Regan Galley write in her “In the sweet kitchen” wonderful book : “…I think is the simplest, fastest, yet most satisfying chocolate cake there is…and the result is nothing short of your chilhood memory of real chocolate cake…”

As there are zillion chocolate cake recipes, very elaborate and impressive...this one is so much fun to do and has such a strong cocoa taste, that if you were in a crumpy mood, one bite and you’re a teddy bear !

yelds : 8X8 inch square cake pan

here’s what we need :

1 1/2 cups all-purpose floor, 1 cup sugar, 1/4 cup natural unsweetened high quality cocoa, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 6 tablespoons flavourless vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon white vinegar, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1 cup cool water.

ICING : 1/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature, 2 cups icing sugar, 2 to 3 tablespoons water or milk, 1 1/2 tablespoons natural unsweetened high quality cocoa, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract.

here’s what we do :

preheat your oven at 350°F

sift the floor into the baking pan
in a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, cocoa, salt & baking soda
add the mixture to the floor in the pan & stir well with a fork

with the back of a spoon, make 3 wells, one large, one medium-sized & one small
pour the oil in the large well, the vinagar in the medium-sized & vanilla extract in the small
pour the water over everything and stir the mixture with a fork until the ingredients are well blended (do not beat this batter)
bake the cake for 20/30 minutes (check with a knife)

meanwhile, in a medium bowl, cream together the butter and 1 cup of icing sugar until the butter is well distributed
stir in one tablespoon of milk or water, then sift the cocoa powder and cream to blend
mix in the vanilla extract and the remaining icing sugar
add as much milk or water you need to obtain a rich, thick and creamy icing


relax, savour & share!

champagne & apple granita

When you're on holiday, far from your usual utensils, kitchenaid robot, oven, baking pans & other usuals friends, and your task is to make a dessert for new year's eve (or any occasion), here is a very simple & "so chic" trick to look at your best !

yelds : 16

 

 here’s what we need :

2 bottles champagne, 80cl apple juice, 80g sugar

here’s what we do :

pour champagne in a plastic bowl, add apple juice then the sugar, stir, then allow to set in the freezer for 12 hours, scratch with a fork evenly to obtain a nice granita, that’s all folks!











 relax, savour & share !

Pistachio & white chocolate cake

                                                                   

Pistachio is on of my favorite nut, it's flavourful and delicate. Its beautyful dark pink skin hiding a light green treasure is a delight by itself. I use pistachio paste for my cake, its rich texture and parfume are really something, believe me !  and the white chocolate gives an amazing moist !

yelds : 12


here's what we need :

230g sugar, 4 eggs, a pinch salt, 11cl whipping cream, 200g flour, 4g baking powder, 70g melted butter, 1 tablespoon pistachio paste, 150g white   chocolate

here's what we do :

preheat oven at 150°C
in a bowl, whisk sugar, eggs, salt & cream
add flour & baking powder, stir well, then pour melted butter & stir well again
divide batter in 2, stir pistachio paste into first half batter
cut white chocolate in small squares & melt in "bain marie", stir into 2nd half batter
pour chocolate batter into mould cake then pistachio batter & mix together coarsely, bake for 45mn (check with a knife)

relax, savour & share !

Madeleines

when I first bought Gale gand's "Just a bite" book, I could not resist more than a day before tasting her recipe of madeleines. I just switched saffron for cinnemon (to make a little change of my own) 

yield : 30

here's what we need :

8 tablespoons unsalted butter divided,
1 tablespoon cinnemon
4 eggs
1/2 cup sugar + 2 tablespoons
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 pinch salt
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon honey

here's what we do :

melt 6 tablespoons of butter and cinnemon at medium heat, watch carefully it will foam & subside. When it's lightly brown & smells nutty, remove from the heat & strain through a fine strainer.

Whip eggs & sugars until light & fluffy.
Mixing at low speed, add the dry ingredients, then vanilla extract & honey, combine well (from here you can keep batter in fridge up to 3 days)

When ready to bake, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, double butter the baking pans with a brush, then chill them until firm.

Preheat oven at 375F° 190C°

Fill the madeleine molds up to 3/4 full                           
Bake for 10 minutes (use a tip of a knife to check)
Immediately turn madeleines out of pans

relax, savour & share !

Milky Little breads for breakfast

Wake up with the smell of pastries tickling your nose, isn't that what sunday mornings are made for ?

Here is a beautiful recipe that takes a little time for you must make the dough the previous day, but your patience will be rewarded !!

Yield : 15 little breads

here's what we need :

A BREAD MAKER

12g fresh yeast, 110g soft butter, 375g flour, 45g sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 3 eggs, 150ml milk

here's what we do :

mix fresh yeast with warm milk

in bread maker, mix floor with sugar & salt

add eggs, diced soft butter, vanilla extract &

yeast in milk (be carefull yeast musn't touch salt), turn your machine on pizza dough program, when the program's done take out dough & knead to expel gaz, then put dough in a jar, stick a plastic wrap to it & allow to rise for 1 hour & 1/2 in warm place.

Expel gaz again, stick plastic wrap back to it & let's have a nighty night in fridge.

in the morning, knead dough again, make small balls & put down on a baking tray covered with greaseproof paper, preheat oven at 170C°, let balls rise 1 more hour. bake for 15 minutes...

         

           

... relax, savour and share !