foodbeam has moved here - Go to www.foodbeam.com !

[Mandarin chocolate cake]

When I was younger – and by younger I mean a lot more younger -, my father who worked at home used to take me to Cannes where we would go to Rohr, a posh salon de thé for tea.

He always had orangettes: candied orange peels dipped in bitter chocolate.
That was the kind of love me, feed me and hug me moments; except that I secretly loathed orangettes.
C’est amer et dégoutant! [it’s bitter and horrid], I would think hard (penser fort).

From then, I happily declined every chocolate/citrus treat I have been offered.
This combination is just not appealing to me. Well, I should say was, because I’m now happily and officially converted.


Gâteau au chocolat et à la mandarine
adapted from Bill Granger’s open kitchen

This cake combines the deep flavour of dark chocolate and the subtle sweetness of mandarin.
I think it works particularly well because mandarin is both fragrant and sweet; definitely not too sharp and it gives a satisfying intensity to the flourless chocolate base.

Serve the cake with mandarin slices to enhance the citrus taste and provide lovely juices.

Labels: cakes of all kind, chocolate, recipe inside

Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you utterly fail.
I did try, in fact, to resist to Pierre Hermé’s sablés au chocolat et à la fleur de sel.
But then, from the photo above you can tell I’ve given in – and what a defeat; because although I easily concede that, ‘yes, I’ve been weak and lacking of will-power’, now my current and unique obsession is to remake these as soon as possible (still I will make an effort and wait for at least a day or two).

Nevertheless, it is not my fault. It seems that every single person on this planet s’est donnée le mot [has been conspiring].
I was already, at the beginning, vulnerable and very receptive to the charms of these cookies: intensely chocolaty and beautifully salty. And the worldwide conspiracy didn’t help – at all.

By September I had developed weird symptoms of what might have looked like the ‘rage syndrome’: sudden attacks for no apparent reason; the dog fanny will often be sleeping and then attacks without warning. Its her eyes become dilated and sometimes change colour during and after an attack.
Beware because the dog fanny is totally confused when attacking and will not respond to any attempts to stop it her. The attacks are very unpredictable and the dog fanny will appear disorientated afterward and unaware of its actions, then return to its her normal self shortly after.
Victims are usually members of the family who have one or more chocolate and fleur de sel sablés in their hands.

However, and from what I remember, the climax of the strange behaviour I had was reached on the 5th January; when Deb posted, not one but, three pictures of the coveted little - rounds - of - pure - chocolate.
It was too much! Definitely too much!
I started panicking, fell petrified onto the floor and begun to sway, moving quickly from one position to another.
That’s all I can recall from that day; because, when I woke up the next day everything seemed back to normal. Back to normal except that now sitting on my bed table laid a plate of Pierre Hermé’s cookies instead of the usual pile of cookbooks.

* All you’ve read above is pure fiction :) Well, who am I kidding? Let’s say it is only very close to what really happened!



Sablés au chocolat et à la fleur de sel
adapted from Dorie Greenspan’s Baking from my home to yours

In French, sablés litteraly means ‘sandy’. And these are indeed deliciously sandy.
I love the contrast between the melting chocolate chunks and the texture of the sable itself.
The addition of salt is a brilliant idea: it doesn’t only enhance the profound chocolate taste but it also makes these cookies particularly desirable.
Dorie says you can keep them for three days – stored in an airtight container; though, I highly doubt you’ll be enough strong-minded to resist!

Note - The dough can be kept in the fridge for three days or frozen for two months (in which case you needn’t defrost it before baking; just slice the logs into cookies and bake the cookies 1 minute longer).

Labels: chocolate, cookies, favourites, pierre hermé, recipe inside

[Cinnamon, salted caramel, ginger and vanilla truffles]

I am currently working on the impact of colour - and more generally vision – on perceived flavour.
Many studies have shown that the colour of food has an influence on flavour.
what happens when one gets no visual hints? When the food eaten has the same exact form but different flavours?

Sugar High Friday was the perfect occasion for me to experiment.
I would make four different truffles but instead of shaping the ganaches into different forms and them dipping them into different tempered chocolate (for example, white chocolate speckled with vanilla seeds for the vanilla truffles), I would roll them in cocoa powder to get the same look and avoid a fashion kitchen faux-pas (it seems the current rule is to wear skinny jeans – preferably grey – with flats and a long sweater).

The results were astonishing – though predictable.
With visual clue (i.e. ganaches dipped in different chocolate)
The people detected the flavour almost immediately and the resulting perceived flavour was stronger.

Without visual clue (i.e. plain truffles rolled in cocoa powder)
It took a longer time for the people to guess the flavours which are now considered more subtle.

Apart from the experiment I am glad to say that these truffles - from Pierre Hermé's PH 10 - are a pure delight.
The invert sugar and good amount of butter make them smooth, sweet and strong.

- Balthazar or cinnamon truffles
This is always a winner combination. The cinnamon adds warmness to the already rich ganache.

- Makassar or salted caramel truffles
These were very mellow and had a great caramel au beurre salé flavour. They definitely were a favourite.

- Lou or ginger truffles
These had the most robust flavour; tangy and powerful. I really liked it at first but quickly got bored.

- Barbade or vanilla truffles
Probably the most difficult flavour to detect – very delicate at first but then you get a burst of banana/vanilla taste which is due to the vanilla-enriched ganaches.

It was very funny and exciting to pick a truffle, not knowing what taste it would have.
As we say in French: 'le hasard fait bien les choses'.

Labels: chocolate, favourites, pierre hermé

Johanna of the Pasionnate Cook is the current host of Sugar High Friday. And this month theme is 'truffles'. Chocolate truffles.
I plan to make four truffles from my ultimate role-model - Pierre Hermé - recipes:
- Lou or ginger and milk chocolate truffles
- Makassar or salted caramel truffles
- Balthazar or cinnamon truffles
- Barbade or vanilla truffles (hence the picture)

Sadly i won't be able to write about these ganaches lusciously wrapped in chocolate till next monday.
'Tout vient à point à qui sait attendre...'

Labels: chocolate, random sweetness

[I’m late, very late; or maybe I’m just in wonder(tart)land – Chocolate riz au lait]


Time goes by and I suddenly realise that all I’ve been writting about last month are a pie, a tarte and a crostata.
Have I missed something? Was October the month of tart?

There must be something comforting in baking tarts.
The reward of turning simple ingredients such as butter, flour and sugar into a delicious dough, the calmness of kneading it and the reassuring fragrance that fills the entire house.
And indeed, there are – at least for me - few things that make me feel as comfy as tarts do.

A tart seems to be perfect to warm up the cold days autumn is now bringing us.
I guess my current passion for tarts will not stop anytime soon: I can’t wait to recreate the lovely pecan tart I had in Toronto and the pasteis de Belem a sweet friend brought me back from Portugal.
A never-ending tea tart party!

Though, I feel like something will – for a short moment – sooth my tart cravings.


Riz au lait au chocolat
Riz au lait, litteraly milk rice, is the French name for a pudding made of rice cooked in sweetened milk.
It is usually flavoured with vanilla or even cinnamon if one wants to feel warm and cosy.
But I like my riz au lait best when very chocolaty. But then I am the ultimate chocolate lover!
This quite unusual twist brings out – in my humble opinion – the creaminess of the pudding and transforms the rather homely dessert into a luxurious treat.

Labels: chocolate, recipe inside, spoon desserts

[A dead autumn leaf and a delicious nutella tart]

I am deeply in love with my origins.
Each year, around mid-October I remember the enchanting autumn I spent years and years ago in Unchio di Verbania, a small village just 4 kilometres north to the beautiful lago Maggiore, where my paternal grand parents were from.

There, in Piemonte, autumns are like golden ice – I walk on this small path. The dark-brown hearth, enriched with organic matter, is covered with dead leaves. The cold wind that comes from the montagna hits my face with such violence I almost faint.
This place exudes death and mystery. But at the same time it makes me alive and aware of every centimetre of my body.
This very unusual feeling haunts me.
Golden ice. Ghiaccio dorato.
Vibrant colours. Colori luminosi.

After a short moment, it’s difficult for the light to pierce the dense leafage of the hazelnut trees.
I suddenly remember my mother gave me a small basket to pick these small and perfectly round nuts. She wants to make a torta di nocciole – a fragrant hazelnut cake, cherished by every mamma italiana.
I accelerate my moves. Soon my wicker basket lined with a striped red tea towel is full.

Then, filled with the prospect of inhaling the aromatic fumes of the cake, fresh from the oven, I hasten.
I run as fast as possible. The leaves flutter under my steps. The wind, which seemed hostile a few moments ago, is now carrying me.
I arrive to the village, relieved to finally see the pale-blue shutters. I rush inside the house and immediately feel the warmth growing on my cheeks – both from heat and excitement!

Nutella tart
These sweet memories exalt the lusciousness of hazelnuts.
But though I love hazelnuts, I love even more hazelnuts with chocolate.

The pastry and filling are straightforward and turned out perfectly.
I made a 20cm tart, so there definitely was some ganache (can you really call a mix of butter/chocolate a ganache?) left.
I also used less hazelnut and didn't toast them before baking as I reckon 11 minutes in the oven would allow them to develop the nice nutty flavour you look after when roasting them first.
And as it was for my little sister - who doesn't like the bitterness of high cocoa percentage chocolate - I used a 60% cocoa solid chocolate for the ganache.

I could have made my proper gianduja but as Patrick said: “I, on the other hand, find Nutella to be completely delicious, far better than any homemade hazelnut chocolate spread I've made.” While I’m feeling confessional I have to admit that I do too.

Labels: chocolate, favourites, pierre hermé, tartes

Did I really need to write another post about Pierre Hermé? No, not really if we consider I've already spoken about this genius at least six times before.
I'm sorry but I can't help.

Pierre Hermé, je t'aime.
I love every single thing you make. Who can deny that you are the most creative pâtissier of the world.
Avocat banane chocolat
Pêche abricot safran
Chocolat au lait banane passion
Just to say three of them.

Pierre Hermé, je t'aime.
Though I already secretly knew I had to be a pâtissier, you gave me the courage to finally face the truth. Now I'm brave enough to say that as soon as I'll graduate and save enough money I will attend the pastry course at le Cordon Bleu to, one day, open my own patisserie.
Maybe it was my fate. I am a Lenoir's mascotte afterall.

Pierre Hermé, je t'aime.
By publishing a book collecting all your recipes you couldn't make me happier. At the second I had PH10 in my arms, I knew we would love each others.
This book is more than a cookbook. It's my bible. Whenever I feel like making something special I only have to open the book and choose (and there you don't have to be fiddly about the choosing time – it is long but every second is worth it).

After that love delclaration you may think I'm insane and though I pretend I'm not, I am, well almost!
I simply love Pierre Hermé's work to the point of no-return.
So when I say Pierre Hermé, I love you; I do mean, in fact, I love what you do, but isn't I love you more poetic than I love what you do?

This was just an introduction to a dessert I made the other three days.
- Did I already say how much I loved Plaisir Sucré?
- Everyone says YES!
So I pass this part.
Anyway this is, for me and for most of the people I know, milk chocolate heaven.
It was then a quick decision to make one for my dad's birthday. Though, I wanted it to look more like a birthday cake; thus when I found the recipe for Coeur Velours (otherwise know as Coeur Plaisir Sucré) I knew it was the ONE.

It takes quite a long time to make – I started Friday whereas the birthday party was on Sunday.
But although it's really time-consuming I simply don't mind because, for me, making of of Pierre Hermé's creation is like choosing the perfect wedding dress or to grow the perfect orchid. It needs time, love and devotion.

Here is its history.

Coeur Velours
This entremet de fête, as Pierre Hermé calls it, is another form of the famous Cerise sur le Gâteau.
It makes a lovely birthday cake and would be perfect in fact for every occasion (have you ever thought of self-inflicted parties – think 'I have a new car, why not make a party', or 'it's raining, why not…').
Pierre Hermé suggests that it should be eaten alone to underline the different tastes and textures and I can only agree with my maître-à-penser.

Labels: chocolate, entremets, favourites, pierre hermé, recipe inside

[It's hot! - Chocolate-hearted brioches]
Despite allowing you to go to the swimming pool/beach instead of doing the really-urgent-things-to-do, the heat wave that hit the south of France has few advantages.
Though, I try to remain as optimistic as possible.
OK it's deadly hot. But yeast is active at high temperatures, isn't it?

I really love to work with fresh yeast: its strong peppery smell; its lovely soft-rubber texture that's transformed in an airy mousse with hydration-warming.
However I always find it a bit difficult to get dough to rise properly during cold winters. Thus summer is, for me, the perfect time for a bit of yeast action: from chocolate soft rolls to bread; from cinnamon rolls to foccacia.

I do think that yeasted goods are highly rewarding for some reasons. One of them might be the scrumptious smell of freshly baked bread/rolls that fills the entire house or the delightful relation between the dough and you during the kneading-part of the job (once I start kneading the dough and feel it becoming warmer and softer it would be hard to stop me).

La brioche
Brioches are the typical pastry French children are served for breakfast or for le goûter and I was no exception.
I remember waiting endlessly for my dad to bring me to the boulangerie les mercredis [Wednesdays] where I would always have une brioche au sucre s'il-vous-plait [a sugar brioche, please]. These brioches were special in two ways, the first one being the ritual and the second one being the hidden surprise inside the brioche.
Because surprise there was! The first bite wouldn't tell you anything, but from the second bite you'd discover a melting chocolate heart.

Labels: chocolate, recipe inside, yeasted treats

[Yum, it's so delicious - Chocolate chip muffins]


Today I have a confession to make.
I did say that ChocolateChocolate wasn't that good because
I did think that there were too many similar recipes; making the reading a bit confusing but
I did buy it and
I did like the cover, design, writing and pictures but
I did still think there were far too many junk chocolate added to the cakes and bars then
I did make one recipe and another
And now I do love this book.

The recipes are trustful. You can't go wrong: well explained, accurate measurements (even if it's in cups and spoons).
This book is now a favourite although I won't try all the recipes (especially the ones with chopped chocolate bars added or the ones loaded with shredded coconut).

To tell the truth, I was still unsure about my book choice when I received the book from amazon, but when I made the flourless bittersweet chocolate cake I slightly changed my mind. Maybe it wasn't as bad.
Though the true révélation was when I made the chocolate chip muffins. A pure killer recipe.

Chocolate chip muffins are the type of food I wouldn't eat as a child. I would always go for madeleines and sablés, but certainly not for muffins – not enough fashionable at that time to be sold in France.
Now I crave muffins – not as big as a piece of cake but equally delicious (to say the least).
Though I'm always scared when buying a muffin – it is going to be too dry or too cakey?
With Lisa's muffins, you really don't have to worry. They're perfect.

Giant chocolate chip muffins
These muffins are just delicious. The crumb is fine and light and you have chocolate chips at each bite.
They keep well for 3 days – though I love them still warm from the oven, but the big bonus is that you can freeze them baked for up to a month!


PS. Congrats to Sam that got oven 2000$ of pledges!
'Now Sam you can relax and have bite' says Lapinou...

Labels: chocolate, cupcakes and muffins, favourites, recipe inside

A little more than a year ago, the movie Charlie and the Chocolate factory was finally released on screen.
As a foodie and chocolate-addict I had to see it. I was sure I would enjoy and I did.
The story is great. But my favourite part of the movie is the behind-the-scene stuff: the luscious chocolate river, the whipped cream, the back-shop… A pure delight for both the eyes and mind.

Ever since I’ve been obsessed with chocolate (ok I admit I am finding a reason to my ever-chocolate-obsession); but how one can’t be obsessed with chocolate once one discovers the creativity and yumminess of Willy Wonka’s chocolates.

Sometimes I like to think that the WW chocolate factory does exist and that I am able to buy its delicious treats.
Sadly I can’t.
But by making this gelato I found the true essence of Willy Wonka’s ever lasting chocolate gelato: creamy, intense, delicious.

To tell the truth I came across gelato quite late in life. All I knew was crème glacée [ice cream] and sorbet.
I’ve always find ice cream a bit too creamy and sorbets a bit too icy; so the discovery of gelatos (or gelati) has changed my whole perception of iced delights.
I don’t really know how gelato should be defined, but in my approach a gelato (which is by the way the Italian name for ice cream) is an ice cream made without cream, but still containing eggs and dairy products.

I love gelato for many reasons:
it is creamy but not heavy
it is soft and not icy
in one word: THE ice cream luxury
As Willy Wonka could have said!


Intense chocolate gelato
This gelato is very intense. I love its deep chocolate-flavour, its creamy texture and the fact that it holds its shape well even by hot summer weather.

Labels: chocolate, ice creams and other iced delights, recipe inside

[Caramel au beurre salé and milk chocolate mousse]


On caramel au beurre salé
Caramel au beurre salé [salted butted caramel] might sound strange but it is a classic combination. The beurre salé [salted butter] enhance the caramel flavour, resulting in a delicious treat.
Caramel au beurre salé comes from the north-west of france, from somewhere between Bretagne and Normandie. In these places, it's a common statment to produce milk and thus cream and butter. And because of the proximity of the ocean/sea, salt is also produced for our greatest pleasure, leading to the confection of the famous caramels.

On chocolate and caramel
The association of caramel and chocolate is also un classique these days; from Pierre Hermé's macarons Plénitude to Michael Recchiuti's Burnt Caramel ganache.
This pair is also a favourite of mine.
It seems the caramel boosts the chocolate aroma. And to tell the truth it's nothing but science.
Chocolate = fermented + roasted + ground cocoa beans = Maillard reaction
Caramel = caramelised sugar = caramelisation

Maillard reaction and caramelisation are both non-enzymatic browning.
Non-enzymatic browning is responsible for colours (brown tones) and flavours (subtly burnt).
As a result, chocolate and caramel are made to go together, highlighting each others.

On chocolate, caramel AND salt
Salt is an effective taste-enhancer and adding salt to a confection enable to develop its flavours. Nothing less, nothing more!

Mousse au chocolat au lait et au caramel au beurre salé
This mousse is a delight. Chocolaty, caramely!
I love the way the chocolate and the caramel complement each others to form a perfect after-dinner pudding.
I like serving this mousse (and any other chocolate mousse) in espresso cups.
Let me think... Everything's been said! Enjoy.

Just a short note - The NY times recipe says 'deglaze with the cream and butter', while the butter should be added first until melted, then the boiling hot cream should be poured over. If you follow these two steps, seizing should not occur.

Labels: chocolate, recipe inside, spoon desserts

I can't even remember the countless hours i spent on the kitchen counter at my grandparents house. I loved to listen to my grandmother while she was cooking.
She always explained me everything in detail: why she should add this or mix that way...
But the part i prefered was the one about 'le gâteau Craque' [the Craque Cake].
This cake was of my biggest food fantasy. I litteraly dreamt about it several times.
Maybe because i had never seen my grandma making it and thus i couldn't know how it looks like, how it taste like.
I know i've said this before, but food you're never eaten can become such a fantasy, a goal to achieve.
Therefore, i tried hard to imagine how the gâteau Craque could be. The only thing i knew about it was its name: gâteau Craque; it sounded so yummy.
Craque is an adjective derived from craquer.
Craquer can mean both to crumble or to fall in love with something/someone. So, when i heard its name, i couldn't help.
My grandmother was teasing me: she would say how good it was, but woudn't give me a clue about its taste or texture.

I recently spent a week at my grandparents'. And when my grandmother asked me if i wanted to make the gâteau craque, the only thing i could answer was YES.
Actually it's a chocolate cake covered with a chocolate-almond meringue icing.

Though, it's not your usual chocolate cake. I was pretty astonished because it contains:
- no butter
- just 50g of flour and 50g of potato starch
The cake itself was very moist and not very sweet, so the meringue icing is a good option.


Gâteau Craque
This is a nice little cake that has a great texture.
Note that it's best served in small portions (hence the 10-12 servings) because of the richness of the luscious icecream.
I think i would have prefered the icing without butter -- but it's personal: i don't like buttercream.

Labels: cakes of all kind, chocolate, recipe inside

I am not familiar with Easter traditions in other countries, but in France the Bells from Roma bring the chocolate eggs. So when we ear the bells ring, we jump into the garden looking for all the chocolate goodies hidden in the grass...
It's always a great moment for the children and actually for the parents as well.

This year i decided to make the chocolate eggs. I bought the moulds and Barry Callebaud high quality chocolate: both dark and milk.
It was quite fun as when you start making chocolate eggs: 1) you can't stop - tempering the chocolate is highly addictive and 2) all your kitchen will be covered in chocolate by the end of the day.
It is very time consuming too; though it may be because i have only one mould which allows me to make only two eggs at a time.


How to make chocolate eggs?
for 2 medium sized eggs

enough chocolate to fill the mould - 450g for mine
a chocolate thermometer

Melt the chocolate on a double boiler until it reaches 50-55°C. Then allow to cool to 27°C (milk chocolate) or 28°C (dark chocolate).
Finally heat again on a double boiler until it reaches 29°C (milk choc.) or 30-32°C (dark choc.).The chocolate is ready to use.

Fill the moulds to the top and tap the filled moulds on the countertop to release any air bubbles.
Wait for a few minutes and tap out the excess chocolate into a lined baking sheet (you'll re-use this chocolate).
Now, using a flat spatula, scrape across the mould, removing the excess chocolate. Allow to cool until completely set and repeat once or twice.

When the chocolate is finally set, carefully unmould the eggs.


What is more rewarding than a happy face when discovering the hidden chocolate treasures?
HAPPY EASTER!!!

Labels: chocolate, garden and campagne, recipe inside

Labels: chocolate, cookbooks, favourites, macarons, pierre hermé

Labels: chocolate, cupcakes and muffins, make a meal of it, recipe inside, sweet places

Labels: cakes of all kind, chocolate, recipe inside, sweet places

[Chocolate and vanilla mille-feuille]


I have an obsession with puff pastry; actually even if i had never made it before today, i've always felt very confident about it.
But i thought it was time, now, to *really* make it. And if i wanted to make puff pastry i was not ready to make any kind of puff pastry, it had to be something special. Actually i think that if i am able to do a special kind of puff pastry i can make plain puff pastry as well.

As soon as i got Pierre Hermé's Mes desserts au chocolat, my eye has been caught by a wonderfull picture of chocolate puff pastry. It had to be THE one.

This puff pastry is made by a simple flour-butter-water dough and a butter-cocoa powder dough.
You have to give the dough 6 turns, leaving at least 2 hours between each turn.
I just advise you to roll the dough thinner than 4mm when ready to bake as it will rise a lot (see picture).
While making it, i wasn't sure how the pastry would turn out as i expected it to look like Pierre Herné's. But the white layers of mine disappeared quite quickly (after 3 turns). Thus i was reassured to see that Keiko's were much like mine. What a relief !




After making the pastry, i had to find a way to use it and the chocolate and vanilla millefeuille which the négatif du mille-feuille au chocolat [photographic negative of the chocolate filled millefeuille] looked so perfect.

All you make is a rich crème patissière [flour enriched custard]. And though i dind't use orange zest in it, i thought it would looked pretty as a decoration.

Labels: chocolate, entremets, favourites

When i discovered that Laurent from epicurien.be organized a contest and that the prize was Pierre Hermé's new book ph 10, i just couldn't resist to participate.
My mind have been wondering about how to assemble an original chocolatey creation. And i finally came up with what i called 'divine cannelle' [divine cinnamon](nice name, no?). It's actually a milk chocolale and cinnamon mousse on an almond dacquoise and covered with a milk chocolate ganache. All i can say is that this dessert is already a DO-It-AGAIN in my list. It's so good. You can feel the mousse melting in your mouth and i love the cinnamon perfume along with the chocolate. The dacquoise is subtle here but add a great texture.

Je pense qu'il n'y a aucun doute sur le fait que le chocolat est un des ingrédients préférés des amoureux de cuisine et de pâtisserie. Sa couleur profonde, son goût unique, son parfum divin et sa texture si versatile font de lui le compagnon idéal du pâtissier.
Ses utilisations sont infinies: ganaches, gâteaux, biscuits sont autant de variations qui le mettent en valeur. Mais pour moi la forme permettant au chocolat d'exprimer toute sa finesse et sa volupté est la mousse. Cependant j'aime une mousse légère et délicatement parfumée au chocolat.
Pour cela, j'ai choisi d'utiliser du chocolat au lait afin de lui donner les lettres de noblesse qu'il mérite entièrement. En effet, s'il a souvent été sous-estimé, à tort, le chocolat au lait est doux, fondant et tout aussi délicieux que le classique chocolat noir. Comme le chocolat est l'élément central de la recette, je vous conseille d'employer le meilleur chocolat possible: du Valrhona Lacté ou du Lindt Lait Extra Fin.
J'ai ici choisi le chocolat au lait Lindt car je n'ai pas pu me procurer le Valrhona, et le résultat a été plus que satisfaisant.
Pour mettre en valeur la douceur du chocolat, une pointe de cannelle est idéale – c'est ce qui m'a été révélé par le délicieux "Gauguin" d'une petite pâtisserie de ma ville.
Ce dessert aurait été tout aussi parfait présenté dans de jolis verres, mais je n'ai pas pu résister à utiliser les cercles à pâtisserie que j'ai récemment acheté à Londres. Il fallait donc créer une base à cette douceur. Une dacquoise aux amandes se prête joliment à ce rôle en apportant un fondant irrésistible.

[I think it's accurate that chocolate is one of the favourite ingredients for cooks and food lovers. Its deep color, it's divine perfume and its versatile texture make him the perfect ingredient for any pastry maker.
You can find a thousand ways of using it : ganache, cakes, cookies. But for me mousse
is the best way to enable the chocolate to express its delicacy. Howewer i like my mousse to be light and subtle in flavour.
To achieve that i chose to use milk chocolate as i think it deserves a full attention. Indeed if it's been, wrongly, underestimated, milk chocolate is mild, 'fondant' and as delicious as the dark kind (or shall i say king ?).
As chocolate is the main ingredient of the recipe i advise you to use the best milk chocolate you can find : valrhona lacte or lindt extra fin.
I couldn't find valrhona, so i used lindt and the result was just breath-taking.
Cinnamon is ideal to highlight the mildness of milk chocolate - as i learned from a delicious pastry called 'gauguin' i find in town.
This dessert would be excellent served in nice martini glasses, but i could resist to use the new cooking rings i brought back from london. So i had to create a base for the mousse : an almond dacquoise does the job with great success.]


DIVINE CANNELLE
Pour 4 personnes
[serves 4]

Dacquoise aux amandes
[Almond dacquoise]

2 blancs d'œufs (environ 75g), à température ambiante [2 egg whites at room temperature]
85g de sucre blanc extra fin [85g caster sugar]
70g d'amandes moulues [70g ground almonds]

Préchauffez le four à 160°C.
Dans un bol en inox sec et propre, battez en neige ferme les blancs d'œufs. Puis ajoutez le sucre cuillérée après cuillérée, jusqu'à obtention d'une meringue brillante et ferme.
A l'aide d'une large cuillère en métal, incorporez délicatement les amandes moulues.
Chemisez une plaque à pâtisserie de papier sulfurisé et versez l'appareil à dacquoise sur cette plaque en formant un rectangle d'environ 15cm sur 20cm et d'une hauteur de 1 à 2cm.
Cuire dans le four préchauffé pendant 20 minutes ou jusqu'à ce que la dacquoise soit joliment dorée mais toujours souple.
Laissez refroidir complètement avant de continuer.
Découpez quatre disques de la taille des cercles à pâtisserie. Posez les disques de dacquoise sur une plaque à pâtisserie recouverte de papier sulfurisé et placez les cercles à pâtisserie sur les disques.

[Preheat the oven to 160°C. Line a baking sheet.
In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry. Add the sugar one spoonful at a time while you continue beating.
Then gently fold in the ground almonds with a metal spoon.
Pour the mixture over the baking sheet; it should be 2cm high.
Bake for 20min or until nicely golden but still soft.
Allow to cool completely before going on with the rest.
Cut out 4 disks out of the size of the cooking rings you're using and put these on another lined baking sheet. Place the cooking rings over the disks.]


Mousse au chocolat au lait et à la cannelle
[Cinnamon and milk chocolate mousse]

3 feuilles de gélatine [3 gelatin leaves]
150ml de lait entier [150ml full fat milk]
200g de chocolat au lait de qualité (voir la note ci-dessus) [200g high quality milk chocolate (see note above)]
1 cuillère à café bombée de cannelle en poudre [a teaspoon of ground cinnamon]
200ml de crème entière [200ml whipping cream]

Faites tremper les feuilles de gélatine dans un bol rempli d'eau froide.
Portez le lait à ébullition et retirez du feu. Ajoutez la gélatine égouttée, le chocolat, coupé en fins copeaux et la canelle. Puis mélangez à l'aide d'une spatule en silicone. Laissez refroidir pendant une dizaine de minutes.
Battez la crème en chantilly et incorporez-la délicatement à la ganache.
Remplissez les cercles à pâtisserie préparés de cet appareil.
Laissez au réfrigérateur au moins 6 heures, ou mieux la nuit entière.

Démoulez les mousses avec leur base de dacquoise et posez-les sur une grille afin de procéder au glaçage.


[Soak the gelatin leavs in cold water for 5 minutes.
Bring the milk to the boil and turn off the heat. Add the drained gelatine, chocolate (cut into small pieces) and cinnamon and mix with a spatula. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
Whip the cream until it forms stiff peaks and fold into the chocolate mixture.
Fill the dacquoise-based cooking rings with this mousse and chill for at least 6 hours or better overnight.

Unmould the mousses with their dcquoise bases and place them or a wire rack to cover them with the ganache (below).]


Ganache pour la couverture
[Icing ganche]

2 feuilles de gélatine [2 gelatin leaves]
200g de crème liquide [200g double cream]
200g de chocolat au lait de qualité [200g high quality milk chocolate]

Faites tremper les feuilles de gélatine dans un bol rempli d'eau froide.
Portez la crème à ébullition. Hors du feu, faites-y fondre les feuilles de gélatine préalablement égouttées et ajoutez le chocolat coupé en copeaux. Mélangez sans incorporer d'air. Laissez quelques minutes et recouvrez les gâteaux de cette ganache.
Mettez au frais pendant 2 heures au minimum.

[Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water.
Bring the cream to the boil and take off the heat. Add the gelatine and chocolate and mix until mooth. But take care not to incorporate air (as i did). Allow to cool for a couple of minutes and ice the mousses. Chill for at least 2 hours.]

Note : you can make some chocolate petals to decorate the iced mousses.

Labels: chocolate, entremets, recipe inside

Labels: cakes of all kind, chocolate, cookies, favourites, recipe inside

I am a busy student, but i like to eat fresh food and not ready-made-full-of-fat food. Am i the only one? I guess not.
So here i am starting a new series for busy people who don't have time to cook but love to eat good food.

I had this idea about a month ago because of two people i deeply love :
1. David, my lovely boyfriend always asks me for some quick but good thing to cook. Recently he made super-easy vol-au-vent and the post is on its way.
2. Anna-Sarah, a great friend of mine that i can't see often anymore but still adores her. Last week or so she told me she was going to eat (shall i tell you or not?) canned chili con carne (i'm not blamming her at all as it really proves WE don't have time to cook - i even eat ready cooked chicken wings...).

So now let's come to today's solution.
I have been craving for moist chocolate cakes for weeks, but sadly i don't have an oven so i thought "no baking till xmas...".
But then i recalled that carrot cake recipe that must be made in a microwave. And thought : if a carrot cake can be made in a microwave, why other cakes couldn't.
And i thought of that recipe Nigella gave for a "seven minute steamed chocolate pudding" in How to Eat. I tried it and throw it to the bin. It was dry and not chocolatey enough.
But today i decided all cakes can be made in a microwave so i tried Nigella's Molten chocolate baby cakes from How to be a domestic goddess and the result was just stunning!

I baked them in muffin paper cases to prevent them from sticking as i noticed that microwave cooked cakes tends to stick.
Just a short note : don't bake the muffins in classic muffin tins as they rise (even if they don't have any baking powder in the dough).
I advise you to put the mufin liners in mugs and then to fill them to the top of the muffin cases.
Then cook for just ONE minute and that's it.

Delicious ONE minute molten chocolate muffins
makes 8 to 10 muffins

80g soft unsalted butter (fanny: the recipe uses 50g but as microwave ovens tends to dry the food, i think that a little more fat helps the muffins staying moist)
350g best dark chocolate
150g caster sugar
4 large eggs
50g plain flour (fanny: i used a little more - 70g)

Melt the chocolate in the microwave and set aside.
Cream the butter and sugar (tip: if your butter isn't soft enough, a quick turn in the micrwave does miracles). Then add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Now add the flour and when all is smoothly combined scrape in the cooled chocolate, blending it to a smooth batter.
Divide between the 8 muffin cases each in one mug and put in the microwave.
"Bake" for one minute on high.

Labels: chocolate, cupcakes and muffins, recipe inside