L'ingredient Secret...

Bienvenue dans ma cuisine!

[lingredientsecret]

Today, with over a million people, I walked the streets of Paris, standing up for liberty. For me, for you, for him, for her, for all of us.

The recent events here, but also the horror in Nigeria and everywhere else, are a worlwide wake up call. Our political systems need to take care of their shit, and us, as individuals, need to better care about one another and cherish our freedom.

Nothing is ever granted. Let's do it ! 

#jesuischarlie 

[lingredientsecret]

And just because my sister's dog absoooolutely wanted to be in the picture ;)

Isn't she a perfect model!?

[lingredientsecret]

Gâteau Amandes & Fruits Rouges...

Ingrédient secret : une bonne rasade de rhum !

J'ai cru que ce gâteau n'était vraiment pas top.. et puis on l'a resservi au café le lendemain "Tiens c'est un peu meilleur aujourd'hui!", m'enfin il en restait quand même le surlendemain. Et là, après quelques remarques mal plaçées sur mes "restes", et bien enfin j'ai eu le  "C'est super bizarre mais aujourd'hui il est hyper bon!" ;) Alors voilà, à faire si vous n'avez pas le temps de faire un gâteau le jour J ou la veille ;)

25cl de lait

2 sachets de sucre vanillé 

160g de beurre mou (à température ambiante)

100g de sucre glace

150g de poudre d'amandes

4 oeufs

40g de sucre en poudre

70g de farine

2 bouchons de rhum

1 bol de fruits rouges, frais ou surgelés

1) Dans une petite casserole : faire bouillir le lait + vanille. Laisser reposer.

2) Dans un saladier : mélanger beurre + sucre glace + sucre vanillé + poudre d'amandes et battre jusqu'à ce que le mélange blanchisse. Ajouter les jaunes d'oeufs, puis le lait, puis le rhum, bien mélanger. Ajouter la farine et mélanger juste assez pour qu'elle disparaisse de votre vue.

3) Monter les blanc en neige, ajouter à mi-chemin le sucre en poudre. En incorporer 2 grosses cuillères à la préparation, bien mélanger pour détendre la pâte. Incorporer trèèès délicatement le reste.

4) Verser la pâte dans un moule, puis ajouter les fruits rouges. Enfourner dans un four préchauffé à 180°C. Le gâteau est cuit quand la lame d'un couteau plantée à l'intérieur ressort à peine sèche!

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Almond & Berries Cake...

Secret ingredient: a looooot of rum !

I thought this cake was a fail. Nobody really digged it and there were leftovers the next day.. and the day following the next day! BUT, on that third day, a miracle happened : people loved it! Somehow time let the taste developped itself, and the texture was also more dense and moist. So if you have to bake but got no time to do it the day before, there you go :)

25cl milk

2 packs of vanilla sugar (14g)

160g room temperature butter

100g powered sugar

150g almond powder

4 eggs

40g white sugar

70g flour

2 tblspoons of rum

1 bowl of berries, fresh or frozen

1) In pan : bring the milk + vanilla to the boil.

2) In a bowl : mix together the butter + powered sugar + almond powder + vanilla sugar until the mixture whitens. Add in the egg yolks, then the milk, then the rum, mix well. Add in the flour and lightly mix until the flour disappear, no more. 

3) Beat the eggs whites, adding in the white sugar halfway there. Pour 2 big tablespoons of the egg whites in the preparation, mix well. Pour the rest of the egg whites and stir them in delicately.

4) Pour the preparation into the baking pan, sprinkle the berries on top (they will make there way down during cooking). Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C until a knife's blade comes out almost clean!

[lingredientsecret]

MERRY CHRISTMAS !!

I hope everybody had a wonderful time with their family, it's precious !

Our cat Maya was the only one not getting the Santa costume fun ;) But she did love getting leftovers of our Christmas dinner !!

[lingredientsecret]

Pear & Apple Chutney...

Secret ingredient : fresh ginger

Wether you're eating it with foie gras for Christmas, with an old-aged cheese, or by itself on toasted bread, this chutney is a winner! I had never made chutney before, so I made my own recipe from various recipes I found. I was scared while it was cooking, as a vinegar smell started to fill up the kitchen (I even rinsed the chutney..see below haha) but it ended up being great once it was chill. No more vinegar taste but a sweet, fresh and spicy spice touch ;)

2 big pears

1 big apple

1 lemon (zest + juice)

1/2 onion

1/2 handful raisins

15cl cider vinegar

70g brown sugar

1 flat tblspoon 4 spices 

A tiny tiny piece of fresh ginger (1/2 size of your nail)

Salt, pepper

1) In a saucepan : bring the vinegar + sugar + a tablespoon of lemon zest to boil, then let it simmer for 5 minutes.

2) In the meanwhile, peel the pears and apples, cut them into small dices and sprinkle with lemon juice. Chop the onion. Peel and cut the ginger in super small pieces.

3) Pour all the fruits, onions, ginger, raisins, spices, salt and pepper in the saucepan. Cook on low heat for 25 minutes. Rinse the chutney under water and put it back in the saucepan with 1/3 of a glass of water, cook for another 20 minutes, or until the liquid has evaporated. 

4) Let it chill :)

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Chutney de Poires & de Pommes...

Ingrédient secret : du gingembre frais

Ce petit chutney se fera un bonheur d'accompagné vos foie gras et vos plateaux de fromages, et finira probablement tartiné sur des toast tellement c'est bon! J'ai eu un peu peur au moment de la cuisson, quand la cuisine a commencé à sentir très fort le vinaigre (tellement peur que j'ai rincé tout le chutney sous l'eau froide en cours de cuisson), mais au final bonne surprise : une fois refroidi, pas de goût de vinaigre mais un petit goût sucré-salé, frais et épicé tout doux :)

2 grosse poires

1 grosse pomme

1 citron (zeste + jus)

1/2 oignon

1/2 poignée de raisins secs

15cl de vinaigre de cidre

70g de sucre roux

1 cuillère à café rase de 4 épices

1 tout petit bout de gingembre frais (la taille d'1/2 ongle)

Sel, poivre

1) Dans une casserole : porter le vinaigre + sucre + 1 cuillère à soupe de zeste de citron à ébullition puis laisser frémir 5 minutes.  

2) Pendant ce temps : peler les poires + pommes et les couper en petits dés, les arroser de jus de citron. Peler le gingembre et le couper en mini-morceaux. Emincer l'oignon. 

3) Mettre tous les ingrédients préparés dans la casserole, ajouter les raisons secs, les 4 épices, du sel, du poivre. Laisser frémir à feu doux pendant 25 minutes. Rinser le chutney sous l'eau, le remettre à cuire avec 1/3 d'un verre d'eau pendant 20 minutes, ou jusqu'à évaporation du liquide. 

4) Laisser refroidir :)

[theyareobscure]

[lingredientsecret]

Haha, dedicating this one to "The Brain and Spine Institute" where my start-up is incubated ;)

(via cynicalkiss)

[lingredientsecret]

Peanut Butter Bread...

Secret infredient: Tell your guests to give it a try ;)

This peanut butter bread was an experiment. It was better the next day, and a nice treat when dipped in coffee or tea (I'm not sure if everybody dip their cakes in coffee and tea or if I'm just weird..), but I thought it was a bit too heavy and plain by itself, although the chocolate chips do help :)

260g flour

1 pinch baking soda

80g semi-salted butter

160g sugar (110g of white sugar and 50g of brown sugar)

260g peanut butter

1 egg

230g milk

Chocolate chips

Vanilla extract

1) In a bowl: Sift together the flour and baking soda

2) In 2nd salad bowl: cream the butter + sugar until smooth and creamy, then continue mixing for another 2 minutes (with a mixer or manually)

3) Add to the mixture the peanut butter, mix, add the egg, mix, gradually add the flour, mix. The mixture should be thick. Slowly add the milk, always mixing it well. The consistancy should then be homogenous and lump free.

4) Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180°, until a knife’s blade sticked in gets out without liquid residus (about 50 minutes).

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Recette en français!

260g de farine

levure chimique

80g de beurre demi-sel (ou doux + pincée de sel)

160g de sucre (110 de blanc et 50 de roux ici)

260g de beurre de cacahuètes

1 œuf

230g de lait

pépites de chocolat à volonté

vanille

1) Dans un bol, tamiser et mélanger la farine et la levure chimique

2) Dans un saladier, fouetter le beurre et les sucres ensemble, quand le mélange est homogène, continuer de fouetter pendant 2min (à la main ou au batteur électrique)

3) Ajouter ensuite en mélangeant à chaque fois le beurre de cacahuètes puis l’œuf, puis petit à petit la farine. Le mélange est épais c'est normal. Ajouter alors le lait petit à petit en mélangeant constamment, puis les pépites de chocolat. La préparation doit devenir homogène sans grumeaux. 

4) Faire cuire dans un four préchauffé à 180° jusqu'à ce que la lame d'un couteau planté à l’intérieur ressorte sèche, (environ 50 minutes)

[lingredientsecret]

Happy Halloween! This is the first and only pumpkin that's been growing in my parent's garden. What will it be transformed into.. Tricky soup or treaty cake??

[midnit3snax]

[lingredientsecret]

That's what I have been needing today, and that look is pretty much how I've been feeling today ;) Working hard to finally finish my thesis.

[lingredientsecret]

THE Fondant au chocolat...

This chocolate cake is THE BOMB, BEST ONE EVER!!! Like the best one you've had in a restaurant, thinking that only fancy restaurant Chefs can bake those.. Nope :) :) :) This recipe is a tiny bit longer than my other chocolate cake recipes, but if the occasion is worth it, you just have to give it a try.. Then you will realize you - always - can make time to bake it again! #Moist #Chocolate #Paradise

Secret ingredient: Not an ingredient ;) Beating the eggs and sugar over simmering water is the secret trick that makes this cake the best chocolate cake I ever baked!!

340g of dark chocolate 64%

170g of semi-salted butter

5 eggs

180g of powder sugar

100g of chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans etc.)

1 bottle cap of rum

1) In a saucepan, medium heat: melt the chocolate + butter. Let it cool off. 

2) In a bowl: quickly beat the eggs + sugar.

3) Fill a 2nd pan with water half way. Heat on medium heat until you get simmering water, then lower to low heat. Put the previsous bowl onto the pan, the bottom of the bowl shoudn't be touching the water. Beat the eggs/sugar mix (with an electric mixer) until the volume triples. It takes about 10 minutes, not less, keep faith ;)

4) Remove the bowl from the pan: delicately fold the chocolate mixture with a spatula, then stir in the nuts and the rum.

5) Bake the cake in a pre-heated oven to 180 degés C ?? until a knife inserted in the cake comes out with very moist crumbs (if it's dry it's too late!) It should take about 30 minutes.

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Recipe in French!

340g de chocolat 64%

170g de beurre demi-sel

Option: 50g de poudre de cacao (Van Houten ou sucré mais de bonne qualité)

5 oeufs

180g de sucre en poudre

100g de noix ou noix de pécan concassées

1 bouchon de rhum

1) Dans une casserole, faire fondre le chocolat et le beurre. Laisser refroidir tranquillement après avoir incorporé le cacao en poudre (optionnel)

2) Faire chauffer jusqu'à frémissement de l'eau dans une casserole. Dans un grand saladier en pyrex, casser les oeufs et ajouter le sucre. Déposer le saldier sur la casserole: le saladier ne doit pas etre au contact de l'eau. Fouettez le mélange au batteur electrique jusqu'à ce que la préparation triple de volume et que les fouets laissent une bonne empreinte dans la préparation. Cela prend environ 10 minutes ne desesperez pas!

3) Retirer alors le saladier, et incorporez très délicatement le mélange au chocolat à la spatule (comme si c'était des blancs en neige), puis les noix et le rhum

4) Faire cuire dans un four préchauffé à 180 degrés pendant environ 30 minutes, la lame d'un couteau planté à l'interieur doit ressortir avec des résidus et filaments (mais pas de grosses traces toutes liquides) car sinon il sera sec!

[lingredientsecret]

Oh WOW, I've been away for far too long!!! Got caught up by work and life, for the best though! I couldn't cook as much as before.. until I missed it too much and just - had - to make some room for cooking again ;) 

ps: Those are tomatoes from my parent's garden. No filter. I might start posting more of my own pictures now!

[scarlettwriter]

[lingredientsecret]

This is why I eat pop corn so often (.. couples times a week yes!) 

Let your imagination go wild :)

(scarlettwriter)

[lingredientsecret]

A Quite Perfect Chocolate Mousse...

Secret Ingredient: the goodness of a spoonful of sour cream

This is my ultimate chocolate mousse recipe. It requires very few ingredients, and it's super quick and easy to make.. What else!? Oh yes.. something else.. the taste!! Smooth, chocolatey, crunchy.. delightful :)

200g dark chocolate (64% is pretty much my requirement)

45g salted butter

6 eggs

1 tablespoon sour cream

Crushed hazelnuts

Option: vanilla extract and rum

1) In a pan on medium heat: Melt the chocolate + butter + sour cream.

2) Transfer in a salad bowl: add the egg yolks one by one. Add the rum and vanilla, stir well.

3) In a separate bowl: beat the egg whites to soft peaks. Stir a third of the egg whites into the batter, mix well, then scoop the rest and delicately fold them in with a spatula.

4) Store the mousse in the fridge from minimum 4 hours (and up to 24hrs). When it's time to serve, sprinkle the crushed hazelnuts and.. enjoy!

[avantoure]

[lingredientsecret]

It's almost time to say bye bye to winter time :) 

(avantoure: Actupus on We Heart It.)

[lingredientsecret]

Zucchini & Ham Gratin...

Secret Ingredient: the nutmeg really gives it character!

This is a super very handy main dish, it's super easy to make, you can do it in big quantities, and it's super light!! It's perfect is you want to eat more desert ;)

4 zucchinis

4 slices of ham

80g grated cheese

60cl milk

2 teaspoons of corn startch

Nutmeg, salt, pepper

1) Steam the zucchinis until tender (or cook them in boiling water)

2) In the meanwhile, in a pan: pour the cold milk, add the corn starch, mix well, add a big pinch of nutmeg, salt and pepper. Cook on medium heat, continuously stirring until the sauce takes the consistency of a thin custard. Remove from fire and correct the seasoning.

3) Roll each zucchini in a slice of ham, set them in the cooking pan. Pour the sauce over, sprinkle with the cheese.

4) Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degree C, until the cheese becomes golden and crusty! (20-30mins)

[foodfotogallery]

Wintery Fruit & Veg by Amber (Raw Vegan Blonde)

[lingredientsecret]

I really like this picture because I feel it's filled with hearts and love.

[lingredientsecret]

Chocolate Chip Scones…

Secret ingredient: Orange zest, zesty tasty!

This is my 2nd attempt to make scones (and if the 1st version is not on this blog it is so nobody experiences what really bad scones are :) They do taste really good with a cup of tea, or coffee.. or milk, and were fully eaten in no time by my guests (let's say less time than it took to bake them!!) .. but, I am not entirely satisfied with their consistency!! Don't perfect scones have a more flaky and less soft consistency?! That means.. the quest for perfect scones is not over!!

ps: I used dark, milk, and chocolate chips but the white ones totally melted in the scones!

250g all-purpose flour (2 cups)

65g sugar (1/3 cup) + 5g vanilla sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

120g cold salted butter (1/2 cup), if unsalted add a pinch of salt

115g sour cream (1/2 cup)

1 handful chocolate chips (milk/dark)

1 egg

1 teaspoon orange zest

The juice of one orange

1) Preheat oven to 180 degrees C (400 degrees F).

2) In a bowl, combine dry ingredients: flour + sugar + cinnamon + baking powder. Add in the cold butter cut into small pieces (I dip it into the flour then slice it thinly with a knife).

2) Knead until the consistency is the one of coarse sand, with your pretty but strong hands, or a food processor!

3) Stir in the chocolat chips.

4) In a 2nd bowl, combine wet ingredients: egg + sour cream + orange zest + only half of the orange juice. Mix well.

5) Combine the twow bowls, using a spoon or your again handy hands! The consistency should be just thick enough to form a patty. If it’s too thick, add in little by little the leftover of orange juice until desired consistancy.

6) Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and make a big patty! Brush the top with a thin layer of sour cream, sprinkle sugar all over. Cut the patty into 6 or 8 slices and pull them a bit apart from each other.

7) Bake until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes!