Category Archives: Creams and Puddings

Meyer Lemon Mousse and Blueberry Puree Verrine

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Filed under Creams and Puddings, dessert, Mousses, Recipe with Demarle Cookware, silpat, What's Up in Cecile's Kitchen

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Today is a very special day. It is the anniversary of our Flag. Indeed, on this special day in 1777, the Second Continental Congress passed a resolution to adopt the current flag as our flag. According to Wikipedia, “The United States Army also celebrates the Army Birthday on this date; Congress adopted “the American continental army” after reaching a consensus position in the Committee of the Whole on June 14, 1775.

1775 – The Continental Army was founded by the Second Continental Congress for purposes of common defense. This event is considered to be the birth of the United States Army. On June 15, George Washington was appointed commander-in-chief.

1777 – The Continental Congress in Philadelphia adopted the “Stars and Stripes” as the national flag of the United States. The Flag Resolution stated “Resolved: that the flag of the United States be made of thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation.” On May 20, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson officially proclaimed June 14 “Flag Day” as a commemoration of the “Stars and Stripes.”

As a special day, I thought I would share with this fun dessert. I had made it last year for my daughter graduation. Since it is quite simple to make (if you do not make those little stars;-), I thought I would make it again for this very special day.

Ingredients for about 6-8 medium-sized glass:

 The white chocolate and Meyer lemon mousse:

  • 300 gr.  or 11 oz. of white chocolate ( use good quality, either European or Guiradhelli)
  • 250 gr. or about of heavy cream
  • 250 gr. or about 9 oz. of greek yogurt
  • 1 envelope of gelatin
  • 2 tbsp of water 
  • the zest of one Meyer lemon

Ingredients for the blueberry puree

  • 300 gr. or about 11 oz. of fresh blueberries
  • 40 gr.  or about 1.40 oz. of sugar
  • juice of one lemon
  • 2 tsp of water
  • 1 tbsp of pectin

Decoration for the mousse:

  • 1 pie crust 
  • 1 egg yolk
  • granulated sugar
  1. First prepare the blueberry jelly. Place the blueberries, water, lemon juice and sugar and cook over medium-high heat.
  2. When the blueberries are cooking, and “bubbling, take a fork, and pop the blueberries.
  3. Add the pectin and bring the mixture to boil again.
  4. Carefully pour a bit of the mixture inside the glasses that you are using and let them rest for a goof hour so that the blueberries jelly will have time to congeal.
  5. When they have, start preparing the white chocolate mousse. Pour the gelatin powder into a small bowl and mix it with 2 tbsp of water. Let the gelatin thickens and congeal. Set aside.
  6. Zest the lemon and place the zest with the cream into a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to boil.
  7. When the cream is boiling, add the gelatin and stir to make sure that the gelatin is melting. Cook for another few minutes, but do not bring to boil!!!
  8. Add the white chocolate and stir. Place the panna cotta in the fridge to cool down for 15  minutes.
  9. When the mixture is lukewarm, add the greek yogurt.
  10. Then pour the lemon mousse into the glasses atop the blueberry jelly.
  11. Place the mousse in the fridge so that they will congeal. It will take another hour.
  12. Meanwhile, cut the pie crus into small stars. Place the stars onto a silpat that you would have placed atop a medium perforated sheet.
  13. Place the egg yolk into a small bowl and with a brush, brush each star. Sprinkle some brown sugar,  and cook the stars for 8-12 minutes at 400, or until they are golden brown.
  14. Before serving, place the miniature stars over the white chocolate and meyer lemon mousse and sprinkle some brown sugar. Et voila!!!

Bon Appetit and Happy Cooking!!!

Meyer Lemon Mousse and Blueberry Puree Verrine

  • Servings: 6-8 people
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

photo 2

Ingredients for about 6-8 medium-sized glass

The white chocolate and Meyer lemon mousse:

  • 300 gr. or 11 oz. of white chocolate ( use good quality, either European or Guiradhelli)
  • 250 gr. or about of heavy cream
  • 250 gr. or about 9 oz. of greek yogurt
  • 1 envelope of gelatin
  • 2 tbsp of water
  • the zest of one Meyer lemon

Ingredients for the blueberry puree

  • 300 gr. or about 11 oz. of fresh blueberries
  • 40 gr. or about 1.40 oz. of sugar
  • juice of one lemon
  • 2 tsp of water
  • 1 tbsp of pectin

Decoration for the mousse:

  • 1 pie crust
  • 1 egg yolk
  • granulated sugar
  1. First prepare the blueberry jelly. Place the blueberries, water, lemon juice and sugar and cook over medium-high heat.
  2. When the blueberries are cooking, and “bubbling, take fork and pop the blueberries.
  3. Add the pectin and bring the mixture to boil again.
  4. Carefully pour a bit of the mixture inside the glasses that you are using and let them rest for a goof hour so that the blueberries jelly will have time to congeal.
  5. When they have, start preparing the white chocolate mousse.
  6. Pour the gelatin powder into a small bowl and mix it with 2 tbsp of water. Let the gelatin thickens and congeal. Set aside.
  7. Zest the lemon and place the zest with the cream into a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to boil.
  8. When the cream is boiling, add the gelatin and stir to make sure that the gelatin is melting.
  9. Cook for another few minutes, but do not bring to boil!!!
  10. Add the white chocolate and stir. Place the panna cotta in the fridge to cool down for 15 to 30 minutes.
  11. When the mixture is lukewarm, add the greek yogurt.
  12. Then pour the lemon mousse into the glasses atop the blueberry jelly.
  13. Place the mousse in the fridge so that they will congeal. It will take another hour.
  14. Meanwhile, cut the pie crus into small stars. Place the stars onto a silpat that you would have placed atop a medium perforated sheet.
  15. Place the egg yolk into a small bowl and with a brush, brush each star.
  16. Sprinkle some brown sugar, and cook the stars for 8-12 minutes at 400, or until they are golden brown.
  17. Before serving, place the miniature stars over the white chocolate and meyer lemon mousse and sprinkle some brown sugar. Et voila!!!

Bon Appetit and Happy Cooking!!!

Creme Brûlée

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Filed under Creams and Puddings, deep flexipan, dessert, Recipe with Demarle Cookware, stainless steel cookware, What's Up in Cecile's Kitchen

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I am a very picky eater. I have been spoiled by my upbringing ( it is difficult to beat my mom, aunt and grandmother’s cooking), and as a result, I am not easily content with my meal. While some of my friend may be happy with a warm meal, I am more satisfied with one that will open my senses and will pleasure my sight. The same goes with dessert. In fact, I can even say that it gets worse. As I worry of my size, and my health, I don’t always indulge. It has to look appealing and it has to sound amazing before I will venture to take a bite. My most favorite dessert are, I am sorry ( or not;0) to say French. I like the delicateness of French desserts and the airiness. I am fan of mousse, and cream dessert more than cakes. Among my most favorite desserts you will find Creme Caramel and Creme Brûlée.

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This Sunday as I was getting ready to make Pistachio Macarons for my sister-in-law, I was left with a dozen of yolks. What do you do with yolks… well mostly cream;-) Though the answers can be endless, as many French desserts require yolks only ( creme anglaise, creme patisserie, Cream puffs, Bavarois, Charlotte, Custard…) I decided to go with Creme Brûlée as they are my daughter’s boyfriend favorite and he was coming for dinner….

Do you know that Creme Brûlée is one of the easiest dessert there is?!?! The key is to have the right ingredients:-” and the right recipe and everything is easy from there.

Ingredients for 8-10 individual portions of creme brûlée:

  • 3 cream of heavy cream
  • 1 cup of milk
  • 9 yolks
  • 3/4 cups of sugar + more sugar for sprinkling
  • 1 tbsp of vanilla paste ( or vanilla extract)
  1. Mix the cream with the vanilla paste, pour the mixture into a large pot and bring it to boil.
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  2. After it has come to boil, let it cool down a bit.
  3. Turn the oven to 325.
  4. While, the cream is cooling, place the egg yolks in a large bowl, add the 3/4 cup of sugar and beat well until the mixture whitens.IMG_1174
  5. Slowly, pour the milk over the mixture and mix well.IMG_1176
  6. Place the containers inside the deep flexiflat that you would have placed over the medium perforated sheet.
  7. Pour the cream in each container. Pour water around the individual containers. Place the pans in the oven in the medium rack of your oven and cook the cream for 30-35 minutes.IMG_1178
  8. When the cream has baked for 30-35 minutes, remove them from the oven and let them cool completely before placing them in the fridge to cool ( they will need to cool for at least 1 hour).IMG_1182
  9. Keep the cream in the fridge until you are ready to serve them.
  10. When it is time to serve them, sprinkle some sugar over each cream,IMG_1184
  11. and with a torch burn the sugar to cake the caramel crust.IMG_1185
  12. Serve and enjoy this scrumptious dessert…IMG_1191

 

Bon Appetit and Happy Cooking!!!

Creme Brûlée

  • Servings: 8-10 people
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

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Ingredients for 8-10 individual portions of creme brûlée:

  • 3 cream of heavy cream
  • 1 cup of milk
  • 9 yolks
  • 3/4 cups of sugar + more sugar for sprinkling
  • 1 tbsp of vanilla paste ( or vanilla extract)
  1. Mix the cream with the vanilla paste, pour the mixture into a large pot and bring it to boil.
  2. After it has come to boil, let it cool down a bit.
  3. Turn the oven to 325.
  4. While, the cream is cooling, place the egg yolks in a large bowl, add the 3/4 cup of sugar and beat well until the mixture whitens. Slowly, pour the milk over the mixture and mix well.
  5. Place the containers inside the deep flexiflat that you would have placed over the medium perforated sheet.
  6. Pour the cream in each container. Pour water around the individual containers. Place the pans in the oven in the medium rack of your oven and cook the cream for 30-35 minutes.
  7. When the cream has baked for 30-35 minutes, remove them from the oven and let them cool completely before placing them in the fridge to cool ( they will need to cool for at least 1 hour). Keep the cream in the fridge until you are ready to serve them.
  8. When it is time to serve them, sprinkle some sugar over each cream, and with a torch burn the sugar to cake the caramel crust. Serve and enjoy a piece of scrumptiousness…….

Bon Appetit and Happy Cooking!!!

Boursin Hash Brown Cupcakes

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Filed under beef, Creams and Puddings, entree, loaf mold, pork, potato, poultry, stainless steel cookware

photo 4 I cannot remember where we were, but my husband ordered a Boursin Gratin. I am not usually a fan of potatoes but those were so fragrant that i had to try them. I was surprised by the taste. It had “un je ne sais quoi” that simply made me want to eat more. And it melted in my mouth…. It was so so good. Because I did not dare to ask the waiter what was the recipe, I tried to come up with mine. So here it is. My husband declares that they are out of this world. He is German, he knows his potatoes so i will believe him;-) I dare you to try.

Ingredients for 12 large cupcakes size:

  • 1 1/2 bag of frozen hash browns ( each bag being 30oz.)
  • 1 1/2 cup of heavy cream
  • 1 1/2 box of Boursin Cheese ( French Cream Cheese flavored with herbs and garlic) Cheaper at Costco!!!
  • 1 1/2 tbsp of garlic salt ( I used Lawry’s Garlic Salt)
  • 1/8 tsp of pepper

1. Defrost the hash brown by either placing the bags in your fridge overnight, or by placing the hashbrown in the large round mold, covering it with the octagonal silpat and microwaving it for 3 minutes.photo 1 2. In a large bowl, mix the cream, the Boursin cheese, the garlic salt and the pepper.

3. Then add the defrosted hash browns. Mix well.

4. Place this mixture into the opening of the large muffin pan that you would have placed on top of a medium perforated sheet. ( It is great for portion control;-) You do not need to spray any oil in the Demarle Cookware, however you will need to, if using any other mold.photo 2 5. And cook for 30 minutes at 400 or until the potatoes are a golden brown. You may need to cook longer if you are using tin muffin pan. Also do not forget to spray them with oil.photo 3 6. Voila!!!photo 5

Bon Appetit and Happy Cooking!!!

Boursin Hash Brown Cupcakes

  • Servings: 6-12
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print
photo 5 Ingredients for 12-15 large cupcakes or 25-30 mini size:

  • 1 1/2 bag of frozen hash browns ( each bag being 26 oz, or 737 gr. )
  • 1 1/2 cup of heavy cream
  • 1 1/2 box of Boursin Cheese ( French Cream Cheese flavored with herbs and garlic) Cheaper at Costco!!!
  • 1 1/2 tbsp of garlic salt ( i used Lawry’s Garlic Salt)
  • 1/8 tsp of pepper
  1. Defrost the hash brown by either placing the bags in your fridge overnight, or by placing the hashbrown in the large round mold, covering it with the octagonal silpat and microwaving it for 3 minutes.
  2. In a large bowl, mix the cream, the Boursin cheese, the garlic salt and the pepper.
  3. Then add the defrosted hash browns. Mix well.
  4. Place this mixture into the opening of the large muffin. ( It is great for portion control;-) You do not need to spray any oil in the Demarle Cookware, however you will need to, if using any other mold.
  5.  And cook for 30 minutes at 400 or until the potatoes are a golden brown. You may need to cook longer if you are using tin muffin pan. Also do not forget to spray them with oil.
  6. Voila!!!

Bon Appetit and Happy Cooking!!!

Croquembouche

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Filed under Cakes, Creams and Puddings, dessert, Fancy European Desserts, Recipe with Demarle Cookware, silpat, stainless steel cookware, What's Up in Cecile's Kitchen

 

photo 4Last week was Mother’s day and as such, it called for a fabulous dessert. But what to do??? Having seen eclairs, profiteroles at every corner of cooking magazines and facebook profiles, I could not help but making my own the night prior to Mother’s Day. So at 10 o’clock in the evening, this is what I was doing in my kitchen.

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Ingredients for 16-20 small cream puffs or croquembouches:

  • 80 ml  or 2 oz of milk
  • 80 ml or about 2 oz of water
  • 70 gr, or about 5 1/2 tbsp of butter
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 10 gr. or 2 tsp of sugar
  • 100 gr. or about 1/2 cup and 2 tbsp. of flour
  • 2 eggs

Creme Patissiere, or Vanilla Pastry Cream

  • 330 gr. or 11 oz. of milk
  • 1 vanilla bean
  • 4 yolks
  • 70 gr. or 1/4 cup and 1 tsp of sugar
  • 12 gr.  or about 1 tbsp of flour
  • 12 gr, or about 1 tbsp of corn starch

Caramel:

  • 1 cup of granulated sugar
  • patience 
  1. In a saucepan, heat up the milk, water, salt, and sugar.
  2. Add the butter cut up in pieces.
  3. When the butter has completely melted, bring the mixture to boil.photo 1
  4. Remove the pan from the stove and add the flour by stirring very well.photo 4
  5. Place the pan back on the stove ( it must be turned off, but will still be warm), and stir and stir with a heat-resistant spatula until the dough starts becoming a ball and will no longer stick to the rims of the pan.
  6. Remove the pan from the stove, empty the dough into a cold bowl and add the eggs to the dough one at a time, mixing well after each egg.
  7. photo 2
  8. Place the dough in a pastry bag, with the large circular tips make large rounds of about  1 1/2 inches wide  on a large silpat that you would have previously lay on a large perforated sheet.photo 3
  9. Place the perforated sheet in a warm oven of 350 and cook the cream puffs for 20 minutes. The dough should be brown and dry on all sides. If the dough is a little bit soft, continue cooking the puffs for 1-3 more minutes. Take them out to cool. photo 5Set them aside to prepare the pastry cream or creme patissiere.
  10. In large bowl, beat the egg yolks with the sugar until the mixture becomes whitish.
  11. Add the flour and the corn starch to the eggs and mix.
  12. Open the vanilla bean, scrape the seeds out of the bean and put them into the milk.
  13. Warm up the milk over the stove, or in the microwave for 2 minutes.
  14. Pour the hot milk into the egg mixture and stir. Place the milk/ egg mixture back onto the stove and cook until the mixture is bubbling and is becoming really thick. Remove the pastry cream from the stove, and place it into a bowl. Set aside.
  15. Pour the pastry cream in a round mold..
  16. Cover the pastry cream with some plastic wrap and place it into the fridge to cool.
  17. When the cream is completely cool, make a small indentation to fill the cream puffs with the pastry cream and lay them upside down for easier access when you are going to fill them up.
  18. Fill the pastry bag with the vanilla cream and fill each cream puffs.photo 1
  19. Place the puffs back onto the silpat, and prepare the caramel.
  20. Empty the cup of sugar into  a medium-sized saucepan and place the saucepan onto the stove at a medium high temperature. DO NOT STIR!!!
  21. Only start stirring once the sugar is turning an amber color on the outside rim of the saucepan. Stir until all the sugar has turned that amber color. Reduce the heat to low, and leave the  pan on it so that the caramel will not harden.
  22. Dip the head of each cream puff into the caramel and place them back onto the silpat until the caramel has hardened, and has cooled.photo 2

Eat when they are cool. I dare you to only eat one, or two. They are so good, you will want to eat them all at once!!!photo 5Bon Appetit and Happy Cooking!!!

Capuccino Cupcakes

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Filed under chocolate/ candy, Creams and Puddings, dessert, Fleximolds, loaf mold, mini muffin, petit four, Recipe with Demarle Cookware, tartlets, Tarts and Pies, What's Up in Cecile's Kitchen

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Any excuse to play in my kitchen is a great excuse. A few days ago, someone asked me how to bake perfectly round cups using sugar cookies or regular cookies. I had used them many times to make fun treats, but had never really tried to use them and bake them empty so I thought to give it another try. Well, as a result I was left with an array of empty shells to work with. Being a fan of chocolate, and coffee I decided to make those cute yummy treats. I hope that you will enjoy them. Plus, they are a fun treat to make with children. Easy, Mess free and Yummy!!!

Ingredients for 24 mini cupcakes:

  • 1 pre-baked sugar cookie dough ( i don’t have any preference, I used Pillsbury)
  • 1/2 cup of heavy cream
  • 4 oz. of bittersweet chocolate chips
  • 2 tbsp of sugar ( optional – i don’t because i like dark chocolate but those of you who may like  sweet desserts, i would)
  • 1 tbsp of coffee granule
  • 1/2 cup of heavy cream for the whipped cream
  • 2 tbsp of mascarpone or cream cheese at room temperature.
  • a few coffee beans for decoration.
  1. Turn the oven to 400. Place the mini cupcake tray on the medium perforated sheet and place a cookie square in each hole.photo 2
  2. Cook the cookies 10 minutes.photo 3
  3. Remove the pan from the oven, and with a shot glass ( i hope that you have one, or the back of a large spoon), press the dough down to make a well.photo 4
  4. Place the cookies back in the oven and cook for another 3-5 minutes ( it will depend on your oven).photo 5
  5. Let them cool completely and prepare the filling.photo 2
  6. Place the chocolate chips, sugar and coffee in a bowl and set aside.
  7. Place 1/2 cup of heavy cream in a small bowl and cook for 1 minute or until it is hot.
  8. Pour the cream over the chocolate mixture and let it set for 1 minute to let the chips  melt.
  9. Stir until you have a very liquid mixture free of lumps. Place it in the fridge to cool.
  10. Meanwhile prepare the whipped cream. We are adding the mascarpone cheese so that the whipped cream will not fall.
  11. Place the cream and the cheese into a small bowl and whip until you have stiff peaks.
  12. Remove the chocolate mixture from  the fridge, place it in a kitchen mixer and whip it until you have  a fluffy mousse.
  13. Place the chocolate whipped ganache into a ziploc bag, or pastry bag and fill each cup to half.photo 3
  14. Then, fill another ziploc bag with whipped cream and pipe the cream on top of the chocolate.photo 4
  15. Decorate with coffee beans. C’est tout!!!photo

Bon Appetit and Happy Cooking!!!

Poire Belle-Helene Revisited

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Filed under Cakes, Creams and Puddings, dessert, Fancy European Desserts, Fleximolds, Mousses, Recipe with Demarle Cookware, What's Up in Cecile's Kitchen

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One of my dad’s favorite was Poire Belle-Helene, or Pear Belle Helene. It is a dessert made of Poached Pears atop vanilla ice-cream, and covered with Chocolate Syrup and toasted almond. It is delicious and really easy to do.

According to Wikepedia, “Poire belle Hélène was created around 1864 by Auguste Escoffier and named after the operetta La belle Hélène by Jacques Offenbach.” The original  Simpler versions replace poached pears with canned pears and crystallized violets with sliced almonds.

I love the combination of vanilla, chocolate and pear. It is a comforting dessert, warm and delicious.

This past Saturday I was in the mood for those combinations, but was also craving cheesecake instead of ice-cream so that is when I decided to combine all those ingredients to make this dessert.

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Ingredients for 12 people: 

Ingredients for the Pear Compote:

  • 3 pears peeled and cored
  • 1/3 cup of sugar
  • 1 1/2 cup of water
  • 1/8 tsp of tonka powder, if you can’t find any replace with cardamom
  1. After coring and peeling the pears, slice them in half and cube them very small.
  2. In a medium-sized saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and when the butter is sizzling, add the diced pears. Mix well.photo 1
  3. Add the sugar, the water and the tonka or cardamom spice.
  4. Bring to a boil and when it is boiling, reduce the heat down and cook until the liquid has reduced to half.
  5. When it is done, remove it from the heat and let it cook completely.

Ingredients for the Chocolate Syrup:

  • 1 cup of chocolate of good quality ( I use Ghiradhelli)
  • 1 cup of heavy cream
  1. Place the heavy cream into a microwable safe bowl and cook the cream for 2 minutes or until it is really hot. ( you may cook the cream over the stove if you do not want to use the microwave).
  2. Place the chocolate chips into a small bowl. Pour the hot cream over it and let it sit for a few minutes.photo 4
  3. After a few minutes mix the cream and the ganache will be perfect, free of lumps;-)photo 5

Ingredients for 12 individual lingot cheesecakes:

  • ▪ 387.5 gr  or about 14 oz of cream cheese at room temperature ( about 1 1/2 cream cheese bar)
  • 110 gr.  or about 1/2 cup of sugar
  • ▪100 gr.  or about 1/2 cup of sour cream
  • 80 gr.  or about 2 medium-sized eggs
  • 13 gr. , or about 3 tsp of egg yolks
  • 13 gr. , or about 3 tsp of corn starch
  • 70 gr. , or about 1/4 cup and 1 tsp of heavy cream
  • a vanilla bean
  1. Place the cream cheese in a kitchen mixer and beat it.
  2. Add the sour cream and mix again.
  3. Add the sugar, egg yolks, eggs and beat it again until the texture is free of lumps.
  4. remove the vanilla seeds from the bean with a sharp knife and mix it with the heavy cream. Add the corn starch and beat until the mixture is smooth.
  5. Pour the mixture into a fleximold of your choice. I chose the lingot tray.
  6. Cook in the oven for 50 minutes at 194.
  7. When the cheesecakes are cooked, let them cool and place them in the fridge to cool for a few hours ( overnight is better).photo 2
  8. The following day, remove the cheesecake one at a time and dip them into the warm chocolate ganache to half.photo 3
  9. Place the cheesecake on individual plates.
  10. Place a few tablespoons of the pear compote on top of the cheesecake and drizzle of bit of the chocolate on the side of the cheesecake for added decoration. Et voila!

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If you wish to serve more pear compote, spoon the pear compote on the plate, place the cheesecake on top of it, drizzle some chocolate over the cheesecake et voila!

photo 2

Bon Appetit and Happy Cooking!!!

Vanilla Panna Cotta

Posted
Filed under Creams and Puddings, dessert, Fleximolds, Recipe with Demarle Cookware, stainless steel cookware, What's Up in Cecile's Kitchen

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Tomorrow will be my birthday. Ouch… another year, another wrinkle;-( and to make matter worse I will be returning back to work on Monday. I really love teaching, but getting up so early to be at school at 7:15 is hard!!! and I am not looking forward to it. I am sure that I am not the only one.

Because my birthday fell on Monday and my husband is on Friday, we had a few friends over for hors d’oeuvres on Saturday. Not a big fuss, just a few friends we had not seen over the summer and the chance to catch up. Of course, we needed to have food… because a party at the Wagner’s is never without food so I prepared a few things.

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On the menu we had:

  • Beef tenderloin
  • Marinated Shrimps
  • Quiches
  • Lasagna cupcakes
  • Wonton purse,
  • Texas caviar
  • Tomato Caprese
  • Deviled Eggs
  • and for dessert, mini chocolate darlings, and vanilla Panna cotta.

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I love to entertain and have friends over, but because it was so so nice on Saturday and I wanted to enjoy my pool for a while, I decided to do easy things for dinner. And it was the same with my desserts, i did not want to spend an hour making desserts so I decided to make mini chocolate darlings that cooked in 12 minutes and vanilla panna cotta ( less than 5 minutes).

Today I will share the recipe of Vanilla Panna Cotta. It is so so easy to make, it costs nothing and, and it is decadent;-)

Basically, the perfect dessert;-)

photo 3

photo 4Ingredients for 12 size cupcakes or about 20 shot glasses:

  • 2 1/2 cup of heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup of sugar
  • 1 vanilla bean
  • 1 envelope of gelatin from Knox
  • 1 tbsp of water
  1. Empty the content of the envelope into a small bowl. Add 1 tbsp of water and stir. Set it aside to let the gelatin thickens.photo 5
  2. Pour the cream and the milk into a small saucepan and set it aside.
  3. Meanwhile place the vanilla bean onto a cutting board,  photo 1
  4. and with a sharp knife, open the side of the bean as shown.photo 2
  5. With the knife, or the spoon scrape the inside of the bean to get the seeds.photo 3
  6. Empty the seed into the cream. Throw the opened bean as well.photo 4
  7. Cook the cream until it comes to boil.
  8. Add the gelatin, turn the heat down and cook for another 5 minutes until the gelatin has completely dissolved.
  9. Sieve the mixture into a very fine sieve to remove some of the vanilla bean residue.photo 1
  10. Pour the mixture into a recipient of your choice. Sometimes I use my fancy flexipan, but today I used small shot glasses for a fun display.photo 2
  11. Place the panna cotta in the fridge for at least 6 hours. You may also place them into the freezer so that they will congeal much faster.
  12. Decorate as you wish. I chose the place a fresh raspberry but you could add a fresh fruit coulis instead or chocolate ….
  13. Enjoy!!! And it is okay to have more than one;-)))
  14. photo 3

If you decide to use a flexipan, freeze the panna cotta and unmold it as it is forzen, it will be much easier to remove from the flexipan;-)

Bon Appetit and Happy Cooking!!!

Fancy Strawberry Tart

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Filed under Cakes, Creams and Puddings, dessert, Fancy European Desserts, Fleximolds, fruit, Recipe with Demarle Cookware, What's Up in Cecile's Kitchen

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Rain, rain, rain and rain… What to do when it rains and rains and rains? not a lot except staying indoors and either snack in front of the TV, or play in the kitchen. I chose the latter this past Sunday;-)

I had lots of fruits in my fridge and was craving a yummy dessert so i strolled through the recipes that Stephane Glacier had share with us last year at the Demarle Convention and I decided to recreate his Strawberry tart. I changed a few things however. Instead of using a Pate Sable Breton which is a bit salted, i chose to use his recipe for Almond Pate Sablee.

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Ingredients for 7-8 3 inches Individual Tartlets of 3 inches wide:

Almond Pie Crust:

  • 250 gr. of flour
  • 150 gr. of butter at room temperature
  • 2.5 gr.  of salt
  • 93.75 gr. of powdered sugar
  • 31.25 gr. of almond mill/ or flour
  • 55 gr. of whole eggs ( which is about 1 egg)

Pistachio Mousseline Cream:

  • 250 gr. of milk
  • 1/4 vanilla bean
  • 50 gr. of egg yolks ( which is about 3 egg yolks)
  • 75 gr. of sugar
  • 23 gr. of corn starch
  • 115 gr. , or 1 stick of butter at room temperature
  • 100 gr. of pistachio paste

Pistachio Paste:

  • 100 gr. of pistachio nuts
  • 25 gr. of almond mill
  • 50 gr. of sugar
  • 1.4 cl of water
  • 2 drop of pistachio extract
  • 1/4 cup of Rasbperry Jam or Jelly for Glacage.
  1. In a large bowl, mix the butter and the flour until the mixture looks like sand.photo 3
  2. Add the rest of the ingredients and knead with your hands, or use a mixer.photo 1
  3. Place the dough onto a plastic wrap and shape into a log of about 3 inches. Place the log into the fridge and let it rest for at least an hour.photo 2
  4. When the dough has rested, take it out of the fridge.
  5. Cut 1 inch disc, and place it onto a roulpat. Fold the roulpat over the disc, and with a rolling pin, roll the dough into a disc of about 5 inches wide, and 3 mm. thick.photo 3
  6. The dough will be too soft to pick up, so lay the roulpat with the dough upside down as shown onto the tartlet tray, and slowly pull the roulpat off the dough.photo 1
  7. Push the dough inside the tartlet mold and with your fingers, push the dough so that it will fit perfectly inside.photo 1
  8. Repeat steps 5 thru 7 until you have exhausted all the pie crust.
  9. Place the tray back into the fridge to cool again for 1-2 hours.
  10. After the crust has rested, turn the oven to 320 and cook the pastries for 15-20 minutes.
  11. When the pastries are cooked, remove them from the oven and let them cool completely.photo 5
  12. Pour the milk into a small saucepan and bring it to boil.
  13. Meanwhile in a bowl, beat the egg yolks and the sugar until the mixture become thicker and whitens.
  14. Add the corn flour and mix it in.
  15. Pour the hot milk onto the egg mixture and stir.
  16. Pour this mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat while constantly stirring until the mixture thickens. Remove the cream from the stove, pour it into a container.
  17. Cover the cream with some plastic wrap and place the cream in the fridge to cool.
  18. Meanwhile prepare the pistachio paste if you can’t find any.
  19. Place all the ingredients given for the pistachio paste into a chopper and chop it all until the mixture becomes a paste.photo 4
  20. Empty the cream, the pistachio paste and the butter into a mixer and beat until the mixture becomes fluffy and creamy.photo 5
  21. Place the cream into a pastry bag and pipe the cream into each tartlet up to the rim of each tartlet.photo
  22. Slice each strawberries in tiny slices and place them onto the tartlet  clockwise.photo 3
  23. Warm up the raspberry in the microwave for 30 seconds or until the raspberry is liquid and  brush the raspberry over the strawberries et voila!!!
  24. Devour!!!

photo 1

Bon Appetit and Happy Cooking!!!

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Lime Curd

Posted
Filed under Creams and Puddings, dessert, fruit, Mousses, Recipe with Demarle Cookware, stainless steel cookware, Tarts and Pies, What's Up in Cecile's Kitchen

photoSpring is finally here and I am so glad;-) I am certainly enjoying this weather. It has been so nice to be able to do my jogging outside, and not inside this boring gym.

Well this weather has also given me envy of citrus. You saw the recipes I posted last week. Well this weekend I got busy and made a few treats. Lime curd, Limoncello and Meringue Tartlets and Lemon Squares. Today I will post the recipe of the lime curd.

I had never made lemon curd until today because I was never a fan.

My mom on the other hand, was and would eat it every morning on her tartines along with her tea, and sometimes sardines… Yes my mom had some surprising tastes.

she would make me try but i enjoyed confitures ( jelly) much more. It was so as tangy.

Once would have thought that I would change my mind as I traveled through England and was offered the best of the best. But no…No matter the brand I never really liked lemon or lime curd.

I despised it so that i never ate it again until tow years ago. My sister had started to make some confiture and wanted me to try all that she was making so I could be the judge. I will tell you that I was relunctant to try that lemon curd, but hers was so yummy that it gave me envy to make my own one day. Well every year I plan to make some and every year time passes and I forget to make some. This week-end since I did not have a lot to do, and I had many many  lime on hands,  I decided to make not a lemon curd, but a lime one.

It is much more tart than a lemon curd, but I kind of like it better. Not as sweet.

photo

Ingredients for 2 cups:

  • 6 egg yolks
  • the zest of  2 limes
  • juice of 4 limes, or about 1/2 cup of lime juice
  • 1 cup of sugar
  • 1 stick of butter
  1. In a large bowl, mix the egg yolks and the sugar together until the mixture is thickening and is becoming whitish.
  2. Add the lime zest and the lime juice and mix well.
  3. Place this mixture over boiling water and keep stirring until the mixture is becoming really thick photo( it should look like a mayonnaise). It will take between 5-8 minutes to get to this .
  4. Remove the bowl from the boiling water and add the butter. Mix well.
  5. Place the lime curd into the fridge. Et voila.

photo

You can eat it with your tartines ( toasts), in the morning, mix it in your yogurt or use it to make some lime tarts. Easy and Yummy!!!

Bon Appetit and Happy Coooking!!!

Napoleon

Posted
Filed under Cakes, Creams and Puddings, dessert, Fancy European Desserts, Recipe with Demarle Cookware, roulpat, silpat, stainless steel cookware, What's Up in Cecile's Kitchen

photo

This past week I was left with some puff pastry and though I could have used it  to make dinner one night, I chose to keep this treasure to make a fun concoction.photo

On week-ends I like to spend time in my kitchen and make up desserts. Yesterday I really wanted to do something fancy without spending hours in the kitchen and that’s when I thought of making a much admired French dessert called Napoleon.photo

Though today this dessert is known as Napoleon, it used to be called Millefeuille which described this dessert perfectly, more so in fact that Napoleon. Indeed Millefeuille  means a thousand layers which defines perfectly what  a Napoleon is: a dessert made of 3 layers of puff pastries and pastry cream.
Ingredients for 3 large individual Napoleon or 13 mini ones:

  • 1 sheet of puff pastry thaw out in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Ingredients for the Creme Patissiere, or PAstry cream:

  • 410 gr. or 14.45 oz. of whole milk,
  • 5 egg yolks,
  • 80 gr. or 2.80 oz of granulated sugar,
  • 20 gr. or .71 oz of flour,
  • 20 gr. or .71 oz of corn flour,
  • a pinch of salt,
  • 1 stick of butter.
  • 1 vanilla bean.
  1. With a knife, cut the vanilla bean in its length. Then with the back of knife, push the vanilla seeds out of the beans and place them into the milk.
  2. In a small saucepan warm up the milk with the vanilla bean, and the vanilla seeds and bring the mixture to boil.
  3. Meanwhile, in  large bowl, beat the egg yolks with the sugar until the mixture becomes whitish.
  4. Add the flour and the corn starch to the eggs and mix.
  5. Pour the hot milk into the egg mixture and stir.
  6. Place the milk/ egg mixture back onto the stove and cook until the mixture is bubbling and is becoming really thick. Remove the pastry cream from the stove, place it into a bowl. Cover it tightly with a plastic wrap and let it cool.

While the pastry cream is cooling, prepare the layer of puff pastries for the dessert.

  1. Turn the oven to 400.
  2. Place the off pastry sheet on the roulpat and with a rolling pin, spread the dough out to make a rectangle of 12.5 by 9. Roll the pastry into the roulpat and place it in the fridge to cool for 15 to 30 minutes.photo 2
  3. Remove the pastry from the fridge. At this point you may want to cut equal rectangles to make the Napoleon. You would need 10 rectangles of about 2.5 x 4.5.photo 1
  4. If you wish to make smaller Napoleon, I would advise to bake the phillo as a entire sheet and to cut it later.
  5. Place a silpat above the pastry. Turn it around and peel the puff pastry off the roulpat carefully making sure not to stretch it.
  6. Place another silpat on the phillo dough, and a perforated sheet to keep some weight on the pastry and prevent it from rising too much:-)photo
  7. Bake in a warm oven for 15-17 minutes. It should be golden. It may still be soft but it will harden as it cools down.
  8. Let the puff pastries cool completely before assembling the dessert.
  9. If you have not cut the rectangles before baking, you may do it now. You will need 10 rectangles of 4.5 x 2.5 or 40 rectangles of 2.5 x 11/4 for the mini ones.
  10. Pour the cream into a piping bag with a sscalloped tip and pipe the cream onto the first rectangle. Place another rectangle and pipe the cream again.photo
  11. Place another rectangle to finish.
  12. At this point, you are done and  you can just sprinkle some powdered sugar over the Napoleon, or prepare un glacage ( icing)

Ingredients for the glacage ( icing):

  • 1/4 cup of powdered sugar
  • 2 tbsp of water.
  • Vanilla for flavouring.
  • 1/4 cup of bittersweet chocolate
  • 1 plastig bag or ziploc bag.
  1. In a small container, mix the first 3 ingredients, and with a pastry brush, brush the icing over the top layer of each Napoleon.
  2. Melt the chocolate in the microwave for 40 to 60 seconds and pour the melted chocolate in a small ziploc bag. Cut the end of the bag to make a very narrow opening.
  3. Draw lines on the icing.

photo 3

With a toothpick draw an imaginary line to make drawings on the icing going from left to right, and the other line from right to left as shown below: photo 5

Et voila!!! Lots of steps, but really easy to make. Your turn;-)photo 2

Bon Appetit and Happy Cooking!!!