Melt-in-your-mouth light strawberry muffins

Ingredients :

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

2 eggs

1 cup fat free yogurt

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup chopped strawberries fresh or frozen

Direction :

Preheat oven to 350F. In a bowl, mix together flour, sugar and baking soda. In another bowl mix eggs, yogurt, butter and vanilla. Toss strawberries into the flour mixture. Then pour yogurt mixture into flour and stir. Spoon batter into greased muffin tin. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until tops are golden brown. Yields 12 muffins.

Calories : 150 from fat : 45.

Chocolate bread pudding cupcake

Toffee

3/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon corn syrup
1 cup sugar

1. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring everything to a boil. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
2. The mixture will start to boil with vigor. Do not stir. Let the mixture boil over medium-low heat until the mixture turns a deep nutty brown, about 20 minutes
3. Pour on to a prepared baking sheet (either covered in a silpat or oiled parchment paper) and leave it to cool.
4. After the toffee has cooled, break it into small chunks.

Note: I like my toffee very dark - almost burnt. Getting the toffee just right for your taste can be a challenge. I think a nutty brown is a good place to start. One additional warning, if you cook it very long you could nearly ruin your pan or at a minimum create bunch of cleanup work for yourself. Don’t use your favorite pot or pan!

Chocolate Bread Pudding Cupcakes

27 regular cupcakes / 350 degree F oven

3 cups heavy cream
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1-pound loaf dense white bread, 1 or 2 days old (I used Acme Pan de Mie, but you could use challah or brioche)
10 ounces Valrhona or any bittersweet chocolate, chopped
8 large egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup walnuts, chopped
toffee from recipe above, chopped

1. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, whisk together the cream, milk, vanilla, and cocoa. Bring to a boil, stirring. Remove from heat, cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 30 minutes.
2. Chop bread into 1/2″ cubes. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.
3. Bring mixture back to boil and stir in chopped chocolate. Take off the heat and continue to stir until chocolate is melted.
4. Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar in a medium sized bowl. Slowly add the warm chocolate mixture, whisking constantly until combined.
5. Pour the mixture carefully over the bread cubes. Stir until all cubes are covered. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 15 minutes.
6. Set aside about 1/4 cup each of the walnuts and toffee. Sprinkle the remaining into the bread cubes. Stir to combine.
7. Scoop soaked bread cubes into cupcake papers until bread cubes are level with the top of the rim.
8. Carefully pour the remaining liquid into each cupcake filling until nearly full.
9. Bake at 350 degrees for ~22-25 minutes until set.

Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons sugar

1. Whisk cream until soft peaks form. Add sugar and whisk until combined.

Assemble
1. Top cooled cupcakes with some cream
2. Topped with crushed toffee and chopped walnuts.

Chocolate Ganache Cupcake

25 regular cupcakes / 350 degree F oven

7 ounces (200 grams) Valrhona 85% cacao (or any bittersweet chocolate)
3 sticks (343 grams) butter
2-1/4 cups (445 grams) sugar
8 eggs
1-1/4 cups (180 grams) flour
1/4 cup (30 grams) cocoa powder, unsweetened
1-1/2 teaspoons (7 grams) baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Prepare baking sheets by lining with parchment paper and laying out cupcake cups. Using a pencil draw a line to segregate 4 cupcake cups for each flavor and write out the ingredients so you can identify the cupcakes after they are baked. See image above. I did the same with 6 mini cupcake papers so I could taste each combination without having 6 whole cupcakes.
2. Chop chocolate and transfer into the bowl of a standing mixer.
3. Add butter to the chocolate and place the bowl over a pan of simmering water. Stir until chocolate melts and butter is combined.
4. Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Let mixture cool for 10 minutes.
5. Beat in an electric mixer for 3 minutes.
6. Add one egg at a time, mixing for 10 seconds between each
7. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt into the mixture, return to the electric mixer, and mix until blended.
8. Separate into 6 separate, but equal batches. I eyeballed it and came pretty close. Mix truffle ingredients into each batch. I got four regular cupcakes and 1 mini per flavor.
9. Scoop into cupcake cups and bake at 350 F for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Note: If the oven is not hot enough than these cupcakes may over-flow. One way to be safe is to either fill 2/3’s full or another trick I use is to preheat to 375, then drop the heat to 350 once I put the cupcakes in. I also rotate the pans after 15 minutes of baking. It is safe to gently move them at that point and I find the lower back of my oven to be a bit cooler.
Simple Chocolate Ganache

6 ounces (170 grams) Valrhona 85% cacao (or any bittersweet chocolate)
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch salt

1. Chop chocolate and transfer into a heat proof bowl.
2. Heat cream until bubbles form around the edge of the pan, pour cream over the chocolate.
3. Let sit for 1 minute then stir until combined.
4. Add vanilla and salt. Stir until combined.
5. Let cool until at spreading consistency.

Note: If the ganache gets too thick, like you forget it on the counter or in the fridge, soften over a pan of simmering water just enough to get it back to spreading consistency.

Ricotta Raspberry almond cupcake

18 cupcakes / 350 degree F oven

7 ounces almond paste (not marzipan) 

1 cup sugar 

1/2 cup whole milk ricotta cheese 

1 stick butter, unsalted/room temp 

4 eggs, large/room temp 

2/3 cup flour 

1/4 teaspoon baking powder 

1/8 teaspoon salt 

1 cup raspberries

1. beat almond paste at low speed to loosen up, about 30 seconds 

2. gradually add sugar while beating at low speed 

3. continue to beat at low speed for 1 minute or so 

4. add the ricotta and beat to combine 

5. while beating at low speed, add a tablespoon of butter at a time, waiting for the butter to incorporate until adding the next pat 

6. stop the mixer, scrape the bowl, beat at medium for about 2 minutes until fluffy 

7. crack eggs into a bowl and break up with a fork 

8. at low speed gradually add eggs about a tablespoon at a time, waiting for the eggs to incorporate until adding the next bit 

9. beat again at medium speed for about 2 minutes 

10. measure out flour, salt, and baking powder into a bowl and whisk to combine 

11. with a rubber spatula, fold flour mixture into the cake batter until combined 

12. fold in raspberries 

13. scoop batter into cupcake liners, fill about 1/2 inch from the top (3/4 full) 

14. bake at 350 for about 20 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean 

Citrus Meringue Frosting

1 cup egg whites (from approximately 7-8 eggs) 

1,5 cups sugar 

3 drops orange juice 

1 teaspoon orange zest, finely chopped

1. combine egg whites and sugar into the mixing bowl of your stand mixer and set over a bain marie (water bath) 

2. whisk by hand for a few minutes until the sugar is dissolved or preferably until the mixture reaches 110 degrees fahrenheit 

3. transfer bowl to electric mixer, beat on medium speed for 10 minutes 

4. add orange juice, zest, and a drop of red gel food coloring 

5. beat on high speed until stiff glossy peaks form, about 2 to 5 minutes more 

Assembly 

1. heaping tablespoon of meringue on top of cupcake 

3. using your finger pull the meringue down to cover the top of the cupcake, the frosting is very sticky and you want it to basically attach itself to the cupcake liner 

4. using your finger poke the top of frosting to make a nice shape and some interesting peaks 

5. using a blow torch, brown the meringue.

French toast strata with apple cider syrup

For the french toast :

1 pound french bread,  cut into cubes

8 oz cream cheese cut into small cubes

8 eggs

2 1/2 cup milk

6 t butter or margarine, melted

1/4 c maple syrup

Layer half of the bread in a greased 9x13 baking dish. Top with the cream cheese and remaining bread. Blend the eggs, milk, butter ad maple syrup in a blender ; pour over the bread and cheese. Press the layers down with a spatula. Refrigerate, covered, 2-24 hours, then bake, uncovered, at 325 for 35-40min or until center is set and edges are golden brown. Let stand for 10 min before serving.

For the syrup :

1 tsp cinnamon

8 tsp cornstarch

1 C sugar

2 T lemon juice

2 C apple cider or juice (if cider is no longer in season)

4 T butter or margarine

Combine the cinnamon, cornstarch and sugar in a small saucepan and mix well. Stir in the lemon juice and cider. Cook over medium heat until mixture thickens and boils, stirring constantly. Cook for 2 min longer. Remove from heat and stir in the butter. Can be made 1 day ahead.

Pear-chocolate gateau

Ingredients:

50 g of flour 

125 g of butter 

150 g of sugar 

4 Eggs 

100 g of chocolate chips

100 g of almond or hazelnut powder

½ to 1 sachet of baking powder

1 big can of syrup pears

Cinnamon powder 

Preparation: 

Remove the syrup from the pears. Cut the pears in average dices on a plate and sprinkle with cinnamon. 

Mix: flour yeast + sugar melted butter + eggs + powder almond (or hazelnuts). 

Add the diced pears and chocolate chips. Mix gently to not crush pears. Pour into a mold - diameter approximately 25 cm. Preheat the oven. Cook: 10 minutes at 160 ° C, then 30 minutes at 180 ° C. 

Serve warm with melted chocolate chips or cool. 

Note: You can serve with an English cream or a pear coulis.

Madeleine de Commercy

The story of the “Madeleine”… 

Stanislas, king of Poland used to have, as a second home, the

 castle of Commercy, in a small town of the Lorraine region (east part of France).
One day, in the year of grace 1755, he received, as guests, the great Voltaire and Madame du Châtelet, both known to him to have a sweet tooth. For this event, he ordered to his cook, a woman called Madeleine, to create a brand new sweet.
She then proposed to the king's guests small cakes with a fat belly who were declared to be excellent beccause, among other reasons, of their delicate bergamot orange flavour.
King Stanislas aprreciated them so much that he sent a parcel full of them to the king of France, Louis XV, in Versailles.
The cake became so successful that it was decided to call it "Cake of the Queen" but the queen prefered to call it "Madeleine", from the name of the one who invented this today famous cake.

And this is why the name of a modest cook of a noble house became famous for ever. 

Ingredients for 1 dozen of Madeleine :

 

3 eggs
- 50 g of milk
- 200 g of caster sugar
- 1 sachet or dose of vanilla sugar
- 250 g of flour - 1 sachet or dose of baking powder
-125 g of butter 

Direction :
 

Mix the eggs, milk, sugar, flour, vanilla sugar and baking powder. Once the batter is well blended you may add the melted butter. Continue mixing for 1 minute. 

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) for 10 min.
Butter the molds and fill them up halfway, cook in the oven for 10 / 15 minutes at 400°F (200°C).
Peel off when cold. 

You may obtain another variant of these madeleine cakes by incorporating chocolate powder to the original batter. 

Et voilà! Enjoy!

Mousse au chocolat - Chocolate mouss

- 250 gr of black chocolate 70%

- 10 cl of light cream but you can replace this ingredient by 20gr of butter if you do not want your chocolate to get too hard

- 4 eggs

Break your chocolate in pieces in a bowl

Let melt the chocolate in a bain-marie with hot water

When the chocolate is fully melted add the light cream and stir. Let it in the bain-marie.

Separate the egg whites of the yolk and beat the whites until very very compact.

Take the chocolate out of the bain-marie. Add and stir the yolk. Your chocolate needs to be very smooth and light.

Pour the mousse in small recipients and store them at least 6hours in the fridge.

Et voila! 

Tips :

Add some water (not too much) in the whites when still liquid and bubbly : you ll get more!

You can change the recipe by... changing of chocolate or why not make a mouss with 3 different chocolate layers! You just need to pour the first layer and wait some time for the mousse to  become a bit hard before to pour the second one and repeat for the 3 layer.

If you use black chocolate 90 % add a bit of sugar

For milk or white chocolate add a little bit of milk

You could even realise this mousse with some particular flavored chocolates...

Add a bit of extract of almond in your mousse, it is just delicious!

Decorate your mousse with grated chocolate white or black... and add a small fruit on the side - strawberry, orange...

You can also add a little stick of biscuit.

For a children dessert think about small and colorful sweets for the top - Trust me they will just love it!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

0.5 cup butter (the actual recipe calls for shortening but I choose to use butter)
1.5 cups white sugar
1 egg
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2.5 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
0.5 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
In a large bowl, cream together the shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then stir in the pumpkin and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon; gradually mix into the creamed mixture. Stir in the walnuts and chocolate chips. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets.
Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until light brown. Cool on wire racks.

Rochers a la noix de coco or Congolais

Ingredients :

180gr of sugar

2 eggs

250gr of coconut

Break the eggs and add the sugar then the coconut. Mix well until the dough is becoming easy to cut. On a buttered baking sheet make small mountains/triangular shapes and bake in the oven for about 15minutes or until creamy golden colored. Let them cool down before to unstick.

note : this recipe contains full eggs and not just the white part.

Tiramisu

400gr savoiardi (ladyfingers)

500gr mascarpone cheese

150gr sugar

4 eggs

3 coffee cups (approx.)

powdered unsweetened cocoa

Preparation :

Beat the eggs yolks together with the sugar in a bowl until you obtain a frothy mixture ; stir in the cheese and mix carefully. Add the whipped cream, soak the savoiardi in the coffee, turning them on both sides and then line them on top of the cream. Pour a second layer of cream onto the savoiardi and then arrange more savoiardi soaked in the coffee. Top with another layer of cream, spreading it with a spatula. Using a sieve, sprinkle the powdered cocoa generously over the cream. Put in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Thanks Manuela!

Tarte au chocolat facile

Cooking & Baking : 10 mn + 25 mn
Ingredients :
- 1 baking dough (sablee or brisee)
- 1 chocolate bar for cooking (250 g)
- 10 cl of light cream
- 1 vanilla sugar bag

Instructions :
Place the dough on a cooking tin and cook it empty for about 25 min (180°C). During this time, melt the chocolate - cut in small pieces - using the Marie bath technic with the light cream and a little bit of water on very light heat. Stir well on and off. Add the vanilla sugar.

Pour this preparation on the dough, spread well evenly with a spoon. Cover with paper and put the tart in the fridge for at least 4 hours for the chocolate to be solid.

Note : for a little bit of fantasy add coconut bits, a walnut or strawberry at the middle.

Creme patissiere

Crème pâtissière - known also as pastry cream - is a delicious and rich egg custard that provides the filling for a variety of pastries. Crème pâtissière can substitute for whipping cream in cream puffs or éclairs, or it may fill the center of a cake. The traditional crème pâtissière is vanilla flavored but it can be replaced easily - just be creative!

Boil 1 litre of milk
Beat 250g of sugar (or a little bit less) + 4 eggs in a saucepan. Add 100g of flour
Add if you wish vanilla sugar, rhum etc...
Pour the milk on top of the prepartion and mix on mild fire.
The cream becomes thick. Mix well until smooth.

Tips : it can be freezed easily.

Butterbredele (Butter Biscuits) from Alsace

This is the most traditional ones. Makes 60.

2 cup flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 125 g. butter, 4 egg yolks.

Eggs wash : 1 egg yolk diluted in a bit of milk.

Sift flour and dig a pool in it. Add sugar, egg yolks and diced butter in this pool.

Cover with flour and combine everything. Shape dough into a ball and leave for 2 hours.

Roll out on a lightly floured surface to 5mm thickness. Cut into pieces with a cookie cutter.

Brush surface of biscuits with egg wash. Place on a greased oven tray and bake at 180°C for 5 to 10 minutes.

Pâtes brisée

Recipe for 3 tarts for 6 pers about

Flour : 500g
Butter : 375g
Salt : 10g
Egg : 50g
Water : 100g

Dissolve the salt in the water.
Mix well flour and butter.
Mix the salty water and the egg.
Mix together to get an homogeneous dough. It should come as a ball a tiny bit sicky only.
Reserve in the fridge for 12h before use.

Note :
When i want to use it straight away i usually add a little bit more flour.
This dough can be used for sugared or salty tart, as well as pizza.

Tips : This dough can be easily freezed.

Brioches

1hr preparation
3hr standing (to rise)
30mins cooking

Makes 12 small (or 6 small, 1 medium etc.)

Ingredients:
7g (¼oz) sachet dried yeast
½ cup (125ml/4 fl oz) warm milk
1 tsp sugar
4 cups (500g/1lb) unbleached plain flour
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar, extra
4 eggs, lightly beaten
175g (6oz) butter, chopped and softened
extra flour, for kneading
1 egg yolk, to glaze
1 tbsp cream (optional – you can use water instead)

Grease a large baking tray/brioche moulds/loaf tin
Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk. Stir in the sugar, cover with plastic wrap and leave for 5 mins of until frothy.
Sift the flour, salt and extra sugar into a bowl and make a well in the centre.
Pour in the eggs and the yeast mixture. Using a wooden spoon, beat well until the mixture forms a rough ball.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 mins, or until it is firm and smooth.
Gradually incorporate small amounts of the softened butter into the dough until all the butter has been incorporated. Do this with your fingers slightly apart and slap it into the dough, stretching the dough as you go. It takes about 10 mins and the dough will be very sticky.
Clean the work surface and your hands, and sprinkle the surface, the dough and your hands with some of the extra flour. Knead the dough lightly for 10 mins on until it is smooth and elastic. Place it is a large buttered bowl, brush the surface with oil and cover with plastic wrap. Leave in a warm place for 1½ - 2 hrs, or until the dough has doubled.
Punch down the dough (give it one good hard punch in the centre with your fist) and divide it in half.
Cover one half with plastic wrap. Divide the other half into 6 pieces and place into brioche moulds or onto a baking tray (that’s what I do) about 1½ inches apart. Brush with the egg yolk mixed with the cream or water. Cover with plastic and leave in a warm place for 45 mins or until well risen.
Put the other half in a loaf tin or put in desired shape on a baking tray. Cover and leave to rise for 1 hr.
Bake small brioche at 210C/415F/Gas 6-7 for 10 mins and then reduce heat to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and bake for another 10 minutes. For a large brioche cook at same temps for 15 mins each.
Turn out immediately onto a wire rack to cool.

Special thanks to cutty Claire - TP09 and delicously super english chef!

Crêpes

Ingredients :

300gr of flour + 100gr of maïzena (10 full soupspoons) or 100gr extra of flour

1 pinch of salt

10g of baking powder

6 eggs

1/2 a litre of milk (or even a little bit more if you want them lighter)

6 full soupspoons of oil

3 full soupspoons of sugar

Preparation :

In a large bowl mix all the ingredients : flour, maizena, sugar, salt, baking powder, oil and eggs.

Make a large hole at the middle. Little by little, dilute the milk to obtain a really smooth and liquid dough.

You can add if you wish rhum, fleur d'oranger, vanilla,...

Tips :

- If there is lumps, use a collander.

- I use a food processor to go faster

- In terms of quantity, for 6 real french kind of crepe eaters i do double proportions.

- The dough can be frozen!

Thanks to my mum!

Porter Cake

Porter is a type of dark Irish beer, not now as widely available as it once was. It is not as strong as stout but Guinness, Murphy's or other Irish stout can be substituted in this recipe if mixed fifty-fifty with water. This cake is quickly and easily made and, though it tastes good fresh from the oven, it is best kept for about a week in an airtight tin.

Measure : 1/2lb = 8ozs
1lb = 450gr
10 inch = env 25cm

Bake at 150°C for 3 hours

Ingredients :

1/2lb margarine
1/2lb sugar
1lb flour
1/4lb peel (small tube)
11/2lb sultanas
1/4lb cherries
3 eggs
pinch of salt (into eggs before beaten)
bottle of stout
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon mixed spices

Preparation :

Put sultanas, cherries and peel into one bowl. Leave aside
Mix sugar, flour and mixed spices with hands
Cut margarine into pieces and blend with flour mixture to make breadcrumbs. Then mix with fruit
Beat eggs
Put stout into saucepan and heat (not boil). Put soda into stout after sufficiently heating
Empty this into flour/fruit mixture with eggs
Mix whole mixture for 5mins
Put into 10inch (or 9inch) cake tin (doubly lined with greaseproof paper - line with greaseproof paper on the outside of the tin also with twine
Bake for 3 hours.

Got this recipe in 2000 when i was living in the green green grass...