Delicious crepes

Today is "La chandeleur" in France, what means "candles day".
It's a tradition to make crepes on this special day.
So simple & delicious !!

Here's what we need :

10 minutes + 2 hours

50cl milk
200g all purpose flour
2 eggs
50g melted butter
14g oil (neutral)
20g icing sugar
1 nice pinch of salt


Here's what we do :

Mix together flour & icing sugar in a large bowl
Whisk eggs with salt in a small bowl
Pour eggs in sweetened flour



Whisk & add milk little by little
Mix in butter & oil

If the mixture is lumpy, don't worry, just blend it, it'll be perfect !!


                                                                                                      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!

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 !

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 !!

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!

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!

White chocolate pecan nuts and salted butter cookies

This fabuleous recipe comes from the mouth watering book by Alice Medrich "Chewy, gooey, crispy, crunchy, melt in your mouth cookies".

Actually I switched butter for salted butter and dry roasted salted macadamia nuts for pecan nuts.

You can keep them for up to a week in an airtight container (if by chance they last more than one day!!!) they're still chewy crunchy licious !!!

Yields : around 20 good size cookies

Here's what we need :

3/4 cup rolled oats, 3/4 cup flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 8 tablespoons salted butter melted and still warm, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 large egg, 1 cup chopped pecan nuts, 1 cup chopped white chocolate.


3 hours.


Here's what we do :

Pulverize the oats in a blender until fine.

Add the flour & baking soda and pulse to combine. Put aside.

In a large bowl, combine the melted salted butter with sugars & vanilla extract.

Whisk in the eggs.

Stir in the flour mixture just until all of the dry ingredients are moistened.

Stir in the pecan nuts & white chocolate.

Cover & refrigirate for 2 hours.

Preheat your oven at 325°F.

Remove the dough from the fridge, scoop the dough and place about 2 inches apart on the ungreased pan.

Bake until the cookies are deep golden brown, 13/15 minutes.
                                                                                                                                  Relax, savour & share!

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!!

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!

No yeast light waffles

This recipe is from "le larousse des desserts" by Pierre Hermé, a very famous french baker. He is considered one of the best if not The Best...
What is amazing about these waffles is the method : we're going to make puff dough & by magic it'll transform in fluffy light delicious waffles! isn't that brilliant !
You can eat them either with jam, maple syrup, nutella, chocolate sauce or scrumbles eggs & bacon...They're perfect any choice you make!

Yields : 8

Here's what we need :

5cl whipping cream, 20cl all milk, 2g salt, 75g flour, 30g sugar, 3 eggs.

Here's what we do :

In a sauce pan, boil the whipping cream & half milk, put aside until cold.




In a 2nd saucepan, boil the remaining milk with salt.

Add flour & butter  continiously mixing with a spatula.     

Cook 2 to 3 minutes to dry on medium heat.

Pour the mixture in a large bowl, add eggs one by one, then the cream & milk.

Mix & allow to cool down.

You're ready to make delicious waffles.
                                                                                                                                   relax, savour & share!

Crumpet with cardamom

Crumpet !!
A funny word, isn't it ?

It probably comes from an old breton word krampoez meaning "thin flat cakes" and welsh crempog witch was a type of pancake.
Anyway, it's texture & taste have nothing to do with the lovely spongy & soft speciality.
Crumpet is rather a small rounded bread covered with holes made by adding extra baking powder to the yeast dough.
So, ladies & gentlemen, let's welcome a bit of the British Spirit in our homes !

yields : 10

here's what we need :

225g flour, 175ml warm water, 175ml warm milk, 12g fresh yeast, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon powdered cardamom, ring moulds & a frying pan.

here's what we do :

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, yeast, warm milk & warm water to obtain a cream like dough.

Cover with a plastic film & put in a warm place for 1 hour (it must make bubbles).

Add salt, baking powder & cardamom.

Put the frying pan on medium heat with a little oil.

When the pan is hot, grease the mould with oil & put them in the frying pan. Use a tablespoon to help you pour the dough into the moulds. After a few minutes holes are going to formed on the surface of the crumpets.
Once cooked underneath, flip over & cook until the top is a nice golden color.
                                                                                                                                   relax, savour & share!

Fluffy cinnemon pancakes

Pancakes are all over foodie blogs this week. Well...when I decided to make some last sunday for breakfast I didn't know it was pancake week !!! I believe my greedy belly knew & gave the information to my brain...Those are classic ones except for the cinnemon touch & beaten egg whites that make them puffy fluffy yum !!

yelds : 8 to 14 (depends on their size)

here's what we need :

250g flour, 3 teaspoons baking powder, 75g brown sugar, 1 pinch of salt, 2 eggs, 2 teaspoons cinnemon, 50g melted butter, 40cl whole milk.

here's what we do :

Mix flour & baking powder in a large bowl, add sugar, cinnemon & salt.

Make a well, add egg yolks, melted butter & milk. Whisk thoroughly.

Beat egg whites until stiff, with nice peaks. Add to the batter carefully.


bake pancakes on medium eat 2/3 minutes on each side. Enjoy with maple syrop, jam, whipped cream, fruits...
                                                                                                                                   relax, savour & share!

Yin Yang coconut & dark chocolate rocks

Friday evenings are my favorite. The perfect time to relax ! They inspired me these Yin Yang coconut & dark chocolate rocks : black & white, sweet coconut & slightly bitter chocolate, crunchy outside & moist inside. A delicious way to illustrate the chinese Yin & Yang philosophy. you're going to levitate !!!

yelds : 35

Here's what we need :

4 egg whites, 200g sugar, 200g ground coconut, 40g flour, 100g dark chocolate (60%), 1 teaspoon ginger powder, 1 teaspoon 4 spices mix.

Here's what we do :

Preheat oven at 350°F

first, let's make a wonderful Italian meringue (relax, it is not as hard as it seems) : beat egg whites until stiff, with nice peaks.

make a syrup with the sugar & 66g water on high heat, pour it on egg whites beating on medium speed until cold.

In a bowl, mix flour & coconut. Add the meringue carefully.

Arrange small amounts of batter (use a table spoon to help) on a baking sheet covered with parchment.
Bake 15 minutes (they must be very very slightly brown)


Melt dark chocolate in "bain marie", add ginger & spices. Pour half of each Yin Yang rock in chocolate.

                                                                                                                                   relax, savour & share!

Chewy vanilla & daims cookies

I like my cookies chewy much more than crunchy ! I guess it is a question of personal taste ! these have a strong vanilla flavour & Daims just slightly melt into the dough & add an even chewier texture...We really had hard times not to eat them just out of oven & wait until they cool down a bit, needless to say they didn't last long !!

yelds : 20

here's what we need :

3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar, 1/2 cup softened butter, 2 tablespoons coconut oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 large egg, 1 tablespoon cornsyrup or honey, 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract, 2 drops almond extract, 2 cups + 2 tablespoons flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 20 daims

here's what we do :

preheat the oven to 350°F
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat sugar, butter, coconut oil & salt on medium speed about 1 minute, until fluffy & light.
Add the egg, corn syrup or honey, vanilla & almond extracts and mix on low speed just to combine, then beat at medium speed for a total of 1 minute

In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder & baking soda, then add to the batter. Mix on low speed to combine then on midium speed for about 30 seconds to mix the dough uniformly.

Cut 20 daims into small pieces & add to the dough.

gently roll the dough into balls (about one heaping tablespoon each) balls don't need to be perfect !
Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment. Arrange at least 2 1/4 inches apart on the baking sheets.
Bake one sheet at a time until golden with top NOT COMPLETELY SET, 10/12 minutes !! Unless you really have a good excuse, you better stay around !!

Let the cookies cool on the sheet for at least 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
                                                                                                                                  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 !

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 !