How to make Almond Paste (Almond Icing)?

You might be able to buy some already made but actually it really depends the country you live in. It might be handy to know how it is made, especially because it is sooooooo easy!


Do you know what it almond paste? Or maybe almond icing? The thing pastry people use to decorate cakes with flowers...


Ingredient for a hand full:

Almond Paste Icing

- 1 cup grounded almonds
- 1 cup icing sugar
- 2 Tbsp water
- few drops of almond essence (facultative)
- 1 drop of food coloring *


1) mix the almonds with the sugar
2) add the water
3) mix with a spoon at first
4) add the essence if you like + food coloring
5) go with the hands, it's PlayDoh time!
6) mix, squeeze until smooth
7) use what you need and keep the rest in the fridge in a plastic film for couple of days/weeks
8) creation is yours!


*[for pink flowers, you may use beetroot juice - cut and touch the paste with slices and repeat until pink!]

Easy Strawberry Cake

The summer is here and you do not feel like having super rich chocolate cake... I do not really understand this but let's pretend today is a day without chocolate.


You are thinking fruit cake - so sad... Nooooo, here is the ultimate alternative: fruity and mild flavor for the summer but far far far from a dessert frustration!

Strawberry cake

Ingredients for 12 people:
- 1 sponge cake
- 0.5 liter plain vanilla pastry cream
- 0.5 kg strawberries
Syrup: 100 g sugar + 100 ml water
Topping: icing sugar, strawberry jam, strawberries, almond paste


1) make one sponge cake and let it cool
2) make the pastry cream and let it cool
3) cut the sponge cake in 2 slices
4) pour over the two slices some syrup 
5) pour over the bottom slice some pastry cream
6) arrange the strawberries in the cream all over
7) pour the rest over the strawberries
8) cover with the second slice of cake (massage a little if this is not too flat!!!)
9) you may put some icing sugar on the top if your cake is not too too pretty
10) arrange some strawberry slices on the top
11) give them some shine with the jam (warm it up in the microwave for few seconds to make it liquid)
12) you may add some almond paste flowers or hearts or whatever you like!
13) serve after a couple of hours in the fridge


Voilà!

Cigarette Biscuits

These biscuits have a very simple taste but all is here for being delicious.
Being thin and crunchy, the flavor of butter, sugar and eggs spreads into your mouth.


They are perfect to eat with coffee or to dip in a chocolate mousse!

Cigarette biscuits

Ingredients for 24 pieces:
- 4 egg whites
- 1 pinch of salt
- 150 g sugar
- 100 g flour
- 2 Tbsp grounded almond
- 100 g butter



1) beat the egg whites with the salt
2) add the sugar, flour and almond
3) finally add the butter [Yes - the dough is quite liquid to be able to make them thin]
4) cover a baking tray with baking paper to make your life easier later
5) pour 1 Tbsp on the tray at a time - maybe a total of 6 over the tray (the size of a pancake max)
6) slide in the oven 175C for 3-5 min
7) look at them and take them out when the edge starts to be brown
8) immediately, take them one by one and roll them between your fingers - you see, the paper is very convenient to pick them out of the oven!
9) you may put them back into the oven on a grid for extra crunchiness.


Voilà!

Best Chocolate Mud Cake

This cake is just unbelievable - delicious and rich,  I think it is almost impossible to fail this amazing chocolate cake!
For making it prettier, you can top it up with shredded pieces of chocolate, strings of ganache, slices almonds... A dream in a slice!

Oops - really to make it again...

Ingredients for 12 people:
Cake:
- 1 3/4 cup flour
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 cup milk
- 100 g butter
- 1 tsp vanilla
Filling:
- 3 egg yolks
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 200 g chocolate
- 1 cup whipped cream
Topping:
- 100 g chocolate with 1/2 cup liquid cream



1) mix all the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt)
2) mix all the ingredients (sugar, eggs, milk, butter, vanilla)
3) add 1 progressively to 2
4) pour in baking pan and bake for 50 min at 175C
5) once the cake is sort of cool, slice it into 2 layers
6) mix the yolks and the sugar in a pot sitting in hot water underneath
7) add the melted chocolate, mix 
8) wait the mixture has cooled down and add the whipped cream slowly - cool in the fridge
9) wrapped the bottom of your cake quite tight with baking paper to prevent the filling to escape, pour the cream and cover with the second part of the cake.
10) melt the chocolate and the cream for the topping
11) Pour on the top
12) Serve the cake after at least 4 hours in the fridge.


Voilà!

Decadent Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

I tried this recipe only once but I got complimented by a chocoholic. I guess you can give it a try and tell me if is is worth it!

Sorry I need to make it again!

Ingredients for 12 people:
- 1/2 cup hazelnuts
- 6 oz dark chocolate (170 g)
- 1 stick butter (100 g)
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 5 eggs
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- pinch of salt
--
topping: 4 oz dark chocolate melted with 0.5 cup of liquid cream



1) toast the hazelnuts so you can easily remove the skin and the flavor will be enhanced.
2) ground the hazelnuts with 2 Tbsp of  sugar
3) melt the chocolate and the butter
4) mix 2 and 3 together
5) add the yolks, the cocoa and the flour
6) beat the egg whites with the pinch of salt and the sugar
7) fold the white into 5
8) bake for ~40 min
9) once the cake is cooled, pour the topping.


Voilà!

How to make Pastry Cream?

Every one likes a cake moisturized with cream.
This pastry cream is from France - this is like a very thick custard. Easy and tasty, it is not very sweet and is totally versatile to please many tastes.
1 liter of cream can be easily split in 2-3 lots with 2-3 different flavors. 

Plain vanilla pastry cream

Ingredients for one liter (~10 big choux ):
- 1 liter milk
- 1 Tbsp vanilla essence
- 6 yolks+2 eggs
- 250 g sugar
- 100 g flour



1) boil milk and vanilla together
2) beat the eggs and the sugar together
3) add the flour
4) pour the boiling milk on the mixture
5) turn continuously until you have the consistency as thick as you like - 5-8 min max.
6) flavor it the way you want
7 ) use it according to your recipe or inside choux pastry.


--
plain = vanilla
chocolate = add 200 g of dark chocolate
coffee = add 1 Tbsp of Nescafe or similar diluted into a Tbsp of hot water
praliné =  one cup of roasted hazelnut then grounded
peanut  butter = 3 Tbsp


Voilà!

How to make Choux Pastry?

Choux pastry is used for a variety of desserts. Eclairs and choux are surely the best examples every one knows.


Take a big breath, this is not hard BUT it requires some energy...


I would recommend that you do never try to make a bigger batch. Make two if needed.

MooMoo's Picture coming soon...

Ingredients for 9 people:
- 25 cl water
- 100 g butter
- pinch of salt
- 200 g flour
- 4 eggs
- a strong wooden spoon



1) turn on the oven at 175C
2) boil the water with the salt and the butter in a big pan
3) throw the flour  at once in the water and turn just enough to make a big ball inside the pan (the dough should not stick on the edge)
4) turn off the fire and add the eggs one at a time - break one, mix, break the next one, mix... You might not be able to turn because the egg is slimy, so just try to push it in the dough by poking it with the spoon. Use right after the 4th egg.
5) on a tray "moisturized" with butter, just drop tablespoons of dough (9 big choux).
6) bake for 40 min at 175 C 


 - Do not be impatient, do not open the door of the oven until it looks done, otherwise they will collapse -


A choux that is ready is super light and light brown!


For the filling, follow your recipe or your imagination with some pastry cream!


Voilà!

Easy pan-made Pie-Crust

If you think kneading/rolling a pie-crust is a bit physical for you, then this recipe is your alternative.
Neither muscle nor effort is needed for assembling the ingredients. You can then press the dough quite easily with your hand to flatten it.


Ingredients for 12 people:
- 200 ml water
- 100 g butter
- pinch salt
- 250 g flour



1) heat up the water with the butter and the salt in a pan
2) when the water is boiling, throw at once the flour 
3) mix all with a wooden spoon until homogenous
4) let it cool a little to keep the consistency soft, without burning your hand.
5) press the dough inside the pie pan to shape it the way you want.


Bake it as regular crust-pie, i.e. 40 min, 175C or follow the other recipe!


Voilà!

How to make a Pie-Crust (short-crust)?

MooMoo's Picture coming soon...

If you are buying pie crust already made, I can't blame you as they are extremely convenient.
However, your kids will love to make a pie with you if they get a chance to play with the dough!

Ingredients for 8-12 people:
- 250 g flour = 9 oz
- 125 g butter = about 1 stick
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 tsp of margarine (you might use 1 yolk instead)
- 3-4 Tsp water


1) make a volcano with the flour + pinch of salt
2) cut the butter into pieces
3) mix the butter and the flour with the tips of the fingers *
4) add progressively the water
5) knead well
6) make a ball and let it sit in the fridge for 15 min before rolling it

7) cook it as indicated in the recipe you will use it for. 

FYI: you will need at least 45 min at 175 C = 347 F
* [If you prefer to start with a wooden spoon rather than with your fingers, melt the butter for 20 sec in the microwave] 
* [If your arms/hands are a little weak for some reasons, try an easier pie-crust]

This pie-crust can be used for savory dishes or sweet dishes (truffle cake).

Voilà!

Truffle Cake

Any friend of mines would have tried this recipe over and over because it is an easy chocolate cake recipe, cheap chocolate recipe and sooooooo good! The perfect combination with a black cup of coffee.

Oops... Too late... No picture...

Ingredients for 8-10 people:
- 1 pie-crust
- 300 g cream
- 3 egg
- 125 g sugar
- 400 g chocolate
- cocoa powder (topping)



1) spread the dough in a pan and bake for 15 min, 175 C (solid but not brown yet)
2) beat the egg with the sugar
3) boil the cream
4) add the chocolate in the cream
5) mix until smooth
6) pour on the mixture 1
7) mix and pour on the dough
8) bake for 35 min, 175 C (a crack might appear on the top)
9) add the cocoa powder on the top just before eating


Serve it from the fridge.


Voilà!