White chocolate and coconut cake

If you thing that's just another cake !! You're wrong !!

this cake is so moist, so rich and flavorfull...I'd be you...I wouldn't hesitate !!
You might thing we're greedy but around here it didn't last more than an hour !!

Yields : a family cake

Here's what we need :

140g white chocolate, 100g fresh grated coconut, 120g sugar, 100g butter, 60g flour, 4 eggs divided, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda.

Here's what we do :

Preheat your oven at 302°F

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

Out of fire, add the butter  and stir well.

Now you can stir in the egg yolks one by one, the flour,  grated coconut, sugar, baking powder & baking soda.

beat the egg whites until stiff and stir in the mixture carefully.

bake for 40 minutes (check with the tip of a knife).

                                                                                                                    relax, savour & share!!

Easter pavlovas mini nests with dark chocolate mousse

Easter time !!

Synonymous with chocolate, loads of chocolates, dark, milk, white, eggs, fishes, bunnies, chickens...A DREAM !!!!

This year I'm going to take you to the henhouse...
Nigella Dawson inspired me these mini pavlovas nests (I ajusted the quantities and the oven temperature).

The dark chocolate mousse comes from the chocolate french bible "encyclopédie du chocolat".
Those 2 were meant to be together !!

If I may give you an advice, pour the cream and honey caramel sauce on top of the mousse and you are in paradise !!


Yields : 14 small nest (more or less)

Here's what we need :


5 hours
1 culinary thermometer




for the pavlovas mini nests :

4 egg whites at room temperature, 1 pinch of salt, 250g sugar, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon white vinegar.

for the dark chocolate mousse :

180g high quality dark chocolate, 3g gelatin, 17cl whole milk, 35cl cold whole whipping cream.

Here's what we do :

First the dark chocolate mousse :

chop your chocolate coarsely and melt in a "bain marie" on medium heat.

In a saucepan on medium heat boil the milk. Put aside and add the gelatin.

Slowly pour 1/3 of hot milk into the melted chocolate and stir well until shiny.

Add second 1/3, stir well then add the remaining milk and stir again.

In a large bowl whisk the whipping cream until you've got a foamy texture.

Check that your chocolate is around 95°F/113°F and stir in the cream carefully.

Refrigerate for 4 hours.

Ready for the pavlovas mini nests :

Preheat your oven at 230°F.

Whisk egg whites with salt until firm and stiff.

Gently add sugar spoonful after spoonful still beating. Your eggs must be gleamy and satiny meringue.

Sprinkle the cornstarch, the vanilla extract and the vinegar on top and fold in to combine.

Draw circles of 3,14 inches on a baking parchment.

Spoon the meringue onto the baking parchment and use the back of the spoon to make an indentation in the center.

Bake for 40/45 minutes (your meringue musn't turn brown) then turn the oven off and allow to cool down and dry.

Make small balls of chocolate mousse with 2 spoons and carefully put them in the center of each mini pavlova nest.

                                                                                                                                   relax, savour & share!

Cream and honey caramel sauce

YUMMY IS THE WORD !!

I made this delicious caramel sauce to accompany  my easter chocolate dessert.
Honey gives a stunning twist to that otherwise quite classical caramel sauce.

In fact, I so love it that when everyone is out of sight I tilt my head back, open my mouth wide and pour !!

Writing about it makes my mouth water...I'll be right back .....

Yields : a small jar.

Here's what we need :

20cl whipping cream, 20g honey, 90g sugar.

Here's what we do :

In a saucepan over medium heat bring the whiping cream to a boil.

In a second saucepan (over medium heat too) melt honey and add sugar little by little stirring constantly until you obtain a beautiful golden caramel.

Pour the hot cream very carefully and stir.

We're done!
                                                                                                                                   relax, savour & share!

Pear and pistachio tartlet

Spring is here for almost a month, and little by little we're taking off our coat and whool sweater.
Thinking of the sun and nature coming back to life I was craving for pears and pistachio.
I love the juicy sugary flavor of pears. Their light yellow color goes so well with the dark green pistachio cream, not to mention the wonderful mix of flavours.

Serves : 4 tartlets

Here's what we need :

for the crust : 200g flour, 50g icing sugar, 50g pistachio powder, 1 pinch of salt, 125g butter at room tempareture.

2 pears.

For the pistachio cream : 50g icing sugar, 50g almond powder, 20g pistachio paste, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, 1 egg, 50g melted butter, 3cl whipping cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.






Here's what we do :

let's start with the crust :

In a large bowl, mix icing sugar, flour, pistachio powder & salt.

make a well and add the butter coarsely chopped. Work with your finger tips until sandy.

Add 2 tablespoons of cold water & make a ball.

Allow to rest 1 hour in the fridge.

It is time for the pistachio cream :

In a bowl, mix the icing sugar with the pistachio, pistachio paste & cornstarch.

Add the egg, the melted butter, whipping cream & vanilla extract.

Preheat the oven at 320°F

spray the crust with a rolling spin & divide it in 4 circles.

Put the circles in 4 round pie moulds. Cover with wax paper & dry beans.

Bake for 15/20 minutes. Remove the beans & wax paper.

Meanwhile, peal the pears & cut them into thin slices.

Garnish the tartlets with the pistachio cream, cover with the pear slices.

Bake for 20 minutes.

                                                                                                                                   relax, savour & share!

Hazelnuts milk chocolate cake with hazelnut icing

Super softy moisty hazelnutty cake!
that is the one you want to bake!
It takes such a short time to make!
If you don't believe me, that's a mistake!

Yields : 1 family cake

Here's what we need :

150g hazelnuts milk chocolate, 60g hazelnut powder, 130g sugar, 120g butter at room temperature, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 4 eggs divided, 60g flour.

for the icing : 100g icing sugar, water, 3 tablespoons hazelnut powder.

Preheat the oven at 325°F.

Here's what we do :

Melt the chocolate in a "bain marie".

Out of heat add the butter cut coarsely & whisk.

Add in egg yolks & sugar.

Sift flour & mix in a bowl with baking powder & hazelnut powder.

Add to the chocolate mixture.



beat the egg whites until stif.

Add to the batter with a spatula carefully.

Bake for 35/40 minutes.

make the hazelnut icing by adding water to the icing sugar & hazelnut powder until the consistancy suits you (it shoudn't be to liquid).

I'm sharing this recipe on lisa's blog "Sweet as sugar cookies" on her sweet for saturday # 13

                                                                                                                                   relax, savour & share!

Exotic Banoffee

Close your eyes and picture yourself on a beautiful beach of a caribbean island.
Under your feet you can feel the warm and soft white sand.
The air is filled with the scent of the sea.
Now, grab a spoon and open your mouth...
Let's introduce yourself to a luscious exotic flavors mix.

Yieds : 11 inches round springcake mould

Here's what we need :

4 bananas, 3 tablespoons rhum, 300g lime & cardamom curd (here), 20cl whipping cream, 200g biscuits, 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, 125g salted butter, 3 tablespoons sugar.

Here's what we do :

In a sauce pan, melt the salted butter on medium heat.

In a large bowl, crumble the biscuits, pour the salted butter & mix with cocoa powder.

Cover the bottom of springcake mould with parchment paper & pack biscuits mixture on.

Cut your bananas in small round slices and caramelize on medium heat with some sugar.




Pour 2 tablespoons of rhum & make bananas "flambé".

Lay the bananas on the biscuits.

Cover with lime & cardamom curd.

Make a chantilly with whipping cream, 1 tablespoon of rhum & sugar (use a cream whipper or whisk the cream until whipped but not buttered).

Spray whipped cream on curd.
                                                                                                                                   relax, savour & share!

Pancakes soufflés cupcakes

How about a new kind of pancakes ?
Are you ready for amazing cupcakes ?
In fact, you can have both in one !
Yes you can !

These pancakes soufflés cupcakes are fluffier and softer than your pillow...You'd want to sleep on them, believe me...
Except that there won't be one left to rest your head on !

Yields : 20 cupcakes

Here's what we need :

1 1/4 cups flour, 1/2 plus 1 tablespoon cup cake flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 3 larges eggs (separated & at room temperature), small 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar, 3 tablespoons butter (melted & cooled slightly, 3 tablespoons sugar, 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1 2/3 buttermilk (at room temperature)

Here's what we do :

Preheat oven to 400°F.

In a medium bowl, mix floors, baking soda, baking powder & salt. Put aside;

In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg wjites & cream tartar on medium -high speed to firm (but not dry peaks). Put aside.

In another large bowl, beat the egg yolks with a mixer on medium-high speed until thick, ribbony & lemon yellow.

Add the melted butter, sugar and vanilla. Mix on medium-low speed until combined.

Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients & mix on low speed.

Add 1/3 of the buttermilk & mix to combine.

Alternate adding the remaining dry ingredients & buttermilk, ending with the buttermilk & mixing until just combined.

Gently fold the whites into the batter, leaving some streaks.

Scoop about 1/2 cup of the batter into each cupcake cup (you can fill the cups to the rims).

Bake, rotating the pans after 10 minutes, until browned on top & puffed (a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out dry), about 20 minutes.
                                                                                                                               relax, savour & share!

Lime & cardamom curd

Sunny morning !! Sunny cooking !!

Yes, sunshine is bringing with it an irresistible craving for exotic flavors.
I wouldn't complain, would you ?
That lime and cardamom curd is like a trip to sunny islands...
So, buckle up and get ready to take off...

Yields : 1/4 liter

Here's what we need :

4 limes, 120g butter, 3 eggs, 225g brown sugar, 2 teaspoons cardamom powder.

Here's what we do :

Squeeze the limes and grate their zests.

 Heat butter, sugar, limes juice and zests in a saucepan on medium heat.



beat the eggs in a bowl.

Add beaten eggs to the lime mixture and put back on heat, stir nonstop until it thickens.

It's done !
                                                                                                                                   relax, savour & share!