Unanimity for the carrot

The theme chosen by Zorra for her monthly blog event is dessert buffet. I thought first cupcakes were a good way to participate for the first time...

I had some serious doubts before baking these cupcakes. Oh, not about the fact that I would like them. No, I'm not anymore the little girl who inevitably said to her grandmother "Kuchen mit Mohren?? Beurk. I mag doch keine Gemüse." ("A cake with carrots? Sounds disgusting. I don't even like vegetables" And yes, this is German, hence the simplified phrase construction I only was able to use...and still am). I've become a lot more curious (and I've learned to enjoy vegetables, but that's another story), and a cake with carrots sounded strange enough for me to try!

It was 8 years ago. I was working in the bakery of a restaurant in Wisconsin. My main task was to prepare the donuts, and the cookies to sell, but we also prepared 2 different types of cake for dessert : chocolate cake with a chocolate mousse and buttercream frosting, and carrot cake with a cream cheese and pineapple frosting.

I remember that working with food all day, in a room at 100°F, really did spoil my appetite. So even though I could eat whatever I wanted in the restaurant, I did not really take advantage of it. But before leaving, I had to try the cake...

Of course, I loved it. The cake was moist and slightly spicy, with a hint of ginger and cinnamon. The sweet frosting was even better, and I loved the freshness the pineapple brought to it. My grandmother was so right!

So now, I try to convert the one doubting. Carrot cakes are more and more popular in France, so it becomes an easier task. But cupcakes don't have such a good reputation : lots of cream / frosting and multiple colors tend to scare people away. It's amazing how different a bakery window is in the US and in France. With my all-American cupcakes, would I have any success?

Well, it turns out, these cupcakes unite the national preferences and bring them together! My colleagues (French and Romanian) loved them. My parents (French and German) and grand parents (add Belgium to the pool) loved them. Even my Italian family, who was visiting last week, loved them.

Will you add some nationalities to the list? Tell me...

Carrot Cupcakes
Adapted from Garrett, on Simply Recipes
The frosting being by nature very sweet, I cut down the sugar in the cake. If you like it sweeter, the original recipe calls for 2 cups. I also removed the cinnamon because one of my tester doesn't like it, but you could use it instead of tonka.

1 pound carrots
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 orange zest
1/2 vanilla bean
1 cup oil
3 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground tonka bean

For the frosting
1/2 cup butter, softened
8 oz Philadelphia cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Peel and grate the carrots.
Mix carrots, buttermilk, oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla seeds and orange zest together.
Fold the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cardamom, and tonka in one addition into the carrot mixture, being sure not to overmix*.
Scoop into cupcake papers about 1/2 to 3/4 full and bake for 19-21 minutes at 350F. The baking time depends on your muffin size. The big ones in the pictures were in the oven for 20 minutes, but the little ones were done after 12 minutes of baking. Allow to cool before frosting.

Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Sift powdered sugar into the bowl and beat until smooth. The sieve is important to avoid any lump.
Fill a pastry bag with the frosting. Holding pastry bag vertically over cakes, pipe frosting on top of every cupcake (touching top of cake) to resemble soft-serve ice cream. If desired, decorate with colored sprinkles.
Here's a link for an "how to" frost cupcakes.
Keep in the fridge until serving.

* When the flour is exposed to liquids and stirred around, the gluten (protein) in the flour starts to develop into a network that will give the cake its structure. An excessive mixing of the dough will therefore make baked goods tough and "rubbery".
So when a recipe instructs you not to overmix, what it means is that you should just do the minimum amount of mixing necessary to make a uniform dough.


Cupcakes aux carottes
Adapté de Garrett, sur Simply Recipes
J'ai utilisé de la fève tonka car certaines personnes n'aiment pas la cannelle, mais si ce n'est pas votre cas, je vous recommande de l'utiliser à la place de la tonka (plus difficile à trouver en plus...).

400g de carottes
300g de sucre
12,5 cl de lait
1 cuillère à café de jus de citron
le zeste d'une demi orange
les graines d'une demi gousse de vanille
25cl d'huile végétale
3 oeufs
375g de farine
1/2 sachet de levure
1 pincée de sel
1 cuillère à café de cardamome moulue
1 cuillère à café de fève tonka râpée

Pour le glaçage
250g de fromage à tartiner (type St Moret), à température ambiante
100g de beurre ramolli
100g de sucre glace

Préchauffez le four à 180°.

Epluchez et râpez les carottes.
Versez le lait et le jus de citron dans un petit récipient et laissez à température ambiante pendant 10 minutes. Cela sert comme substitut au lait fermenté.
Battez les oeufs, le lait fermenté, l'huile, le sucre, les carottes, les graines de vanille et le zeste d'orange pendant 2 minutes.
Ajoutez d'un coup la farine, la levure, le sel et les épices à travers un tamis. Incorporez le tout au batteur, en faisant attention à ne pas mélanger trop longtemps*.

Versez l'appareil dans les moules à cupcakes, et faites cuire environ 20 minutes (selon la taille des moules).
Laissez refroidir avant d'appliquer le glaçage.

Pour le glaçage :

Battez le beurre ramolli avec le fromage, jusqu'à ce qu'il soit bien souple. Ajoutez ensuite le sucre, en le passant à travers un tamis pour éviter tout grumeau.
Décorez vos cupcakes avec le glaçage (avec une poche à douille ou tout simplement une spatule).
Conservez au frigo jusqu'au moment de servir.

* Lorsque la farine est ajoutée à des ingrédients liquides et mélangée, le gluten qu'elle contient développe une sorte de réseau collant et élastique. C'est ce réseau qui permet d'obtenir la texture du gâteau. Si la pâte est trop mélangée, on aura des gâteaux et muffins caoutchouteux ou une pâte brisée dure à cause du gluten qui aura pris trop de "force".

La suite, please

Picnic in the train...

Revelation : this blog is not only about baking, but also about cooking. If you look at my recipe list, you couldn't guess, right? ;-)
Well, here's the thing : I've got this stupid fear of disappointing you with a savoury recipe. I don't do anything very elaborate, so why would you care? And let's be honest : I find it much more difficult to make a salad look appetizing than some, hum, let's say, raspberry pie... I'm sure you agree, non?

So actually, I had planned to share my first cupcakes today. But then, I did the frosting in the morning, before leaving for work, and did not note the quantities. I need to check that before telling something awfully wrong...
What a better opportunity to finally open my savoury folder, just waiting to be shared?

This leek tart is quite rustic. Simple to make and comforting. Served warm with some salad, it's a delicious dinner. But because of the cream cheese in the custard, it holds together very well, which makes it perfect for transportation. You'll enjoy it cold, for lunch, or with your friends in the train on a week-end trip. Isn't it picnic time soon??

The recipe is very straightforward : start with a simple pie dough. Cut, clean and blanch the leeks. For the custard, take the best of a quiche and of a cheesecake, beating the eggs with a little cream cheese. Don't forget to add the deep flavour of grated nutmeg. Put in your oven, it's gonna be ready soon.

Pie dough
2/3 cup butter
3 Tbsp cold water
1 egg yolk
2 cups flour
1 Tbsp salt

Stir together the flour and salt with a fork to blend. Make a well in the centre, and add the fat and the yolk. Blend into the flour using your fingers.
Drizzle a few tablespoons of the ice water over the surface of the flour mixture and quickly rub the water into the flour. Continue to add the water, a tablespoon or so at a time, just until it holds together.
Gather and press the dough into a ball, wrap well, and let chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Unwrap the dough, place it on a floured work surface, and scatter a little flour over the top. Roll out the dough into an even round about 1/8 inch thick.
Fold the dough in half or roll it loosely around the rolling pin, and gently lift and position it over the pan. Unfold or unroll and ease the dough into the pan without stretching, making sure that the pan sides and the rim are evenly covered. Press the dough gently against the sides and bottom. Trim the overhang to 1 inch. Tuck the dough overhang under itself and flute the edges.
Prick the pastry all over with the tines of a fork. Bake it 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and reserve.

Rustic leeks tart
1 pie dough, pre-baked
3 medium leeks
3 eggs
4 oz. cream cheese
7 Tbsp half and half (or 4 Tbsp cream and 3 Tbsp milk)
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
1 tsp salt
(1/4 tsp pepper)

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Prepare the leeks : Keep only the white and pale green parts and slice. Place the leek slices into a bowl filled with cold water. Swish the pieces of leek around in the bowl of water with your hands. Rub the leek pieces to remove any sand and dirt that may be on the slices, and strain.
Blanch in boiling water during 2 minutes, then strain and dry the slices on paper towels.

In a medium-sized bowl whisk together the eggs and the cream cheese until they are broken up, then whisk in the milk and the cream. Season with salt, nutmeg and pepper.

Arrange the leeks evenly over the pastry. Pour the custard mixture over it. Place the tart on a baking sheet and bake it in the middle of the oven until the top is golden and puffed and the custard is cooked through, about 40 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool 10 minutes before serving. You can also eat it at room temperature.


Pâte brisée
250g de farine
5g de sel
125g de beurre ramolli
1 jaune d'oeuf
5cl d'eau froide

Versez la farine et le sel dans un bol. Faites un puit au milieu duquel vous mettrez le beurre et le jaune d'oeuf. Incorporez tous les éléments du bout des doigts. Ajoutez l'eau au fur et à mesure jusqu'à obtenir une pâte homogène.
Formez une boule avec la pâte, aplatissez-la et enveloppez-la dans un film plastique pour reposer au frais pendant au moins 1 heure.

Après le temps de repos, préchauffez le four à 180°. Beurrez et farinez le moule à tarte.
Farinez abondamment le plan de travail ainsi que le rouleau à pâtisserie, puis étalez la pâte sur 2 à 3 mm d'épaisseur.
Foncez le moule avec ce disque, piquez le fond avec une fourchette. Faites cuire 15 minutes. Sortez du four et réservez pour la tarte.

Tarte rustique aux poireaux
1 fond de pâte brisée pré-cuit
3 poireaux de taille moyenne
3 oeufs
100g de fromage à tartiner (type St Moret)
10cl de crème liquide legère
10cl de lait (ecrémé ou demi-ecrémé)
1 demi cuillère à café de noix muscade moulue
1 cuillère à café de sel

Préchauffez le four à 180°.

Préparez les poireaux : enlevez les racines et les feuilles, ne gardant que 5cm de la partie verte.
Découpez les tiges en rondelles, et nettoyez les dans un grand bol d'eau froide. Laissez les tremper un moment pour que les impuretés tombent au fond, et égouttez les. Faites les blanchir (cuire 2 minutes dans une casserole d'eau bouillante).

Pendant ce temps, dans un bol, mélangez au fouet les 3 oeufs et le fromage à tartiner. Une fois que la préparation est homogène, incorporez la crème, le lait, la muscade et le sel.
Disposez les poireaux sur le fond de tarte pre-cuit, et versez l'appareil dessus. Faites cuire 40 minutes, jusqu'à ce que la tarte ait une jolie couleur dorée et soit légèrement gonflée.
Laissez refroidir 10 minutes avant de déguster.

La suite, please

Another spin on rhubarb and strawberries

Do you remember the roasted rhubarb from Monday? All the combinations imaginable with strawberries? Wanna play some more?

If the last post didn't convince you, I hope these pictures will have you running to your grocery store!

This time, we're making verrines (which is the french for "little glass"). They are veeery creamy. It's like eating a yogurt cloud, minus the acidity. Not the small and pale clouds in a warm day, which would leave you nothing but air in the mouth (not that this isn't good sometimes). No, the big and fluffy ones, the glossy white ones in the blue sky. A delicious cloud, filled with fruits... You know what? It could totally be the care bears' favourite food! (ok, I realize I watched way too much TV as a kid!!)

Now, they may seem complicated, because of the 3 different layers. But they're all based on the same thing, so all you have to do is whip some cream, puree some strawberries, get some more roasted rhubarb (because you've already eaten the previous batch, right?), and you've already done almost all the work!

Note : You won't need all the rhubarb for the dessert, it's the same recipe than in the previous post.
Roasted Rhubarb

1 pound rhubarb
1/4 cup sugar

Cut the rhubarb into 2 inch strips.
Toss the rhubarb with the sugar in a baking pan. Bake at 375F for 15 to 20 minutes (until it is soft).

Little Strawberry and Rhubarb verrines
For 4-5 people

1/2 cup + 1/8 cup heavy cream
8 oz. strawberries
8 oz. "fromage blanc" (you probably could use some cottage cheese or mascarpone cheese instead)
2 Tbsp sugar
5 oz. roasted rhubarb
2.5 tsp powdered gelatin

Whip the heavy cream to soft peaks with one teaspoon sugar.
Puree 7 oz. strawberries and cut the rest into small dices.

In a small bowl, sprinkle 2 tsp gelatin over 2 tablespoons of water, and let it sit while you make the rest of the mousse.
Combine the remaining sugar, the fromage blanc and half of the strawberry puree. Melt the gelatin in the microwave for 20 seconds and add it to the mousse. Fold in 3.5 oz. whipped cream, then the strawberry dices. Pour the mousse in little glasses or jars and let sit 30 minutes in the fridge.

In a small bowl, sprinkle 1/2 tsp gelatin over 1 tsp of water. Melt the gelatin in the microwave and add it the to remaining strawberry puree. Pour a layer over the first mousse in each glass and refrigerate.

Combine roasted rhubarb with remaining whipped cream, and divide between glasses. Decorate with strawberries or macarons...


Rappel : j'avais fait la rhubarbe rôtie précédemment, tout n'est pas nécessaire pour les verrines.

Rhubarbe rôtie

500g de rhubarbe
50g de sucre

Préchauffez le four à 180°.
Nettoyez la rhubarbe sous l'eau, et coupez-là en tronçons de 4 cm. Disposez-là dans un plat et saupoudrez de sucre. Enfournez pour 15 à 20 minutes, jusqu'à ce qu'elle soit tendre.

Verrine au fromage blanc, fraise et rhubarbe
Pour 4-5 verrines

15 cl de crème entière liquide
250g de fraises
250g de fromage blanc
25g de sucre
125g de rhubarbe rôtie
2,5 feuilles de gélatine

Battre la crème en chantilly avec 5g de sucre (une cuillère à café).
Réduisez 200g de fraises en purée et découpez en morceaux les fraises restantes.

Faites tremper 2 feuilles de gélatine dans un bol d'eau froide pendant que vous préparez le reste de la mousse.
Mélangez le fromage blanc, 100g de purée de fraise et 20g de sucre.
Egouttez la gélatine et faites la dissoudre au micro-onde pendant 20 secondes avant de l'ajouter au mélange. Incorporez ensuite 110g de chantilly puis les cubes de fraises, et versez dans vos verrines.
Laissez prendre au frigo pendant 30 minutes.

Faites tremper la demi feuille de gélatine dans un bol d'eau froide. Egouttez-la et faites la dissoudre au micro-onde pendant 10 secondes avant de l'incorporer à la purée de fraise restante. Versez la dans les verrines au dessus de la mousse de fromage blanc. Laissez prendre cette gelée au réfrigérateur pendant 15 minutes.

Mélangez la rhubarbe avec les 50g de chantilly restante, et repartissez la dans les verrines. Décorez de fraises ou d'un macaron.
A conserver au frigo jusqu'à la dégustation...

La suite, please

The truth is

1- My file "To post" is about to make my computer explode. Et non, I did not forget you. I keep thinking about the blog, taking lots of pictures, plating things that would normally go directly inside a tupperware, buying extra cute dishes for photography...

2- Unfortunately, I take time to cook, to take pictures, even to write down the ingredients (big improvement already!!!), but not to write the entire recipe to give it to you. Confession : I always plan more things than I have time to do, and because the recipe writing isn't on top, it always get squeezed. And that I need to change, my friends!

3- My "To post" file isn't helping : the longer a recipe stays in, the less likely it will eventually come out of it. No matter how enthusiastic I was about it. Even if I only did it for you. Maybe it works like in The Neverending Story. Maybe we should blame the Nothing, and my lack of confidence in this.

So, let's break the spell and start with some very seasonal produces.

Don't you love going to the farmers market and seeing everywhere little proofs of spring? The vibrant colours of fresh radishes, the small and tender carrots with their abundant green top. The wonderful smell of lilacs at the flower shop. And of course, the first sight of the rhubarb pinkish stalks. Even the grey sky did not stand a chance against those evidences!

Once home, after some small prep work, it's time to decide how to manage all these...

First, I roasted the rhubarb. You won't need everything for the little cakes, but I'm sure you'll be just like me, and you will find plenty of uses for it.
For example, you could lightly toast a slice of brioche in your oven, and top it with some of the rhubarb and fresh slices of strawberries. Mmm, the buttery taste of the brioche against the delicate acidity and sweetness of the fruits? Please, try this, because it's just too delicious not to be experienced.

Or you could add it to your favourite yogurt (along with some strawberries dices!). I know this is what I'll have tomorrow for lunch, and I just can't wait!

So you see, this "accord "works so well that you can play it with any variation. I choose to directly mix the roasted rhubarb with some strawberry puree, to obtain a delicately sweet jelly as a base. To add some texture to it, a vanilla bean macaron seems a good idea, doesn't it?

Roasted Rhubarb
1 pound rhubarb
1/4 cup sugar

Cut the rhubarb into 2 inch strips.
Toss the rhubarb with the sugar in a baking pan. Bake at 375F for 15 to 20 minutes (until it is soft).

Vanilla bean macaron
Note : the recipe indicated 1 cup powdered sugar, but this was overly sweet. I would recommend only using 3/4 cup.

1/4 cup almond flour
1 cups powdered sugar
2 egg whites
1/8 cup sugar
1/2 vanilla bean

In a large bowl, sift together almond flour and confectioner sugar.
Beat whites in mixer at medium speed until they form soft peaks. Add regular sugar gradually, and continue beating at high speed just until whites are thickened and form stiff peaks.
Sprinkle dry ingredients and vanilla over whites and fold in with a rubber spatula gently but thoroughly.
Place the mass in a pastry bag and pipe 3.5 inch rounds on the sheetpan lined with parchment paper. Let them dry at room temperature for an hour.
Preheat oven to 300°F.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the size of the macaron (20 minutes for a 3.5 inch macaron).

Rhubarb and strawberry little cakes
For 4

5 oz. strawberries + 6 reserved for decoration
4 oz. roasted rhubarb
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tsp. powdered gelatin, sprinkled over 2 Tbsp water
4 macarons (as above)

Puree the strawberries, the rhubarb and the sugar together.
Melt the gelatin in the microwave for 20 seconds and mix with 2 teaspoons fruit puree before adding everything.
Pour into four 3.5-inch rounds and let in the fridge for one hour.
Once the jelly is set, unmold, top with slices of the 6 strawberries and with the macarons.


Rhubarbe rôtie

500g de rhubarbe
50g de sucre

Préchauffez le four à 180°.
Nettoyez la rhubarbe sous l'eau, et coupez-là en tronçons de 4 cm. Disposez-là dans un plat et saupoudrez de sucre. Enfournez pour 15 à 20 minutes, jusqu'à ce qu'elle soit tendre.

Macaron vanille
Note : La recette indiquait 110g de sucre glace, mais j'ai trouvé le résultat beaucoup trop sucré. La prochaine fois, j'essaierai avec 75g.

60g de blancs d'oeufs (équivalent à 2 blancs)
25g de sucre en poudre
55g de poudre d'amande
110g de sucre glace
1/2 gousse de vanille

Dans un bol, mélangez la poudre d'amande et le sucre glace tamisé.
A l’aide d’un batteur électrique, fouettez les blancs pour les rendre mousseux. Incorporez alors le sucre en poudre au fur et à mesure, tout en continuant de battre, puis en augmentant la vitesse. Vous devez obtenir un mélange ferme et brillant.
Ajoutez alors la totalité du mélange d'amandes et les graines de vanille, et incorporez les doucement à l’aide d’une cuillère en bois ou d’une maryse.
Dressez à la poche à douille sur une plaque de papier sulfurisé et laissez sécher à température ambiante pendant 1 heure (on dit de laisser croûter).
Préchauffez le four à 150° et faites cuire 12 à 20 minutes selon la taille des macarons (20mn pour un macaron de 9 cm de diamètre).

Montage des gâteaux
Pour 4 desserts de 9 cm de diamètre

150g de fraises + 6 fraises tranchées pour la déco
100g de rhubarbe rôtie
1 cuillère à café de sucre
2 feuilles de gélatine
4 macarons (ci-dessus)

Mixez les fraises, la rhubarbe et le sucre dans un hachoir.
Faites ramollir les 2 feuilles de gélatine dans un bol d’eau froide. Egouttez-les, et faites-les chauffer (soit 20 secondes au micro-onde, soit dissoutes dans une cuillère à soupe d’eau bouillante). Mélangez avec 2 cuillères de purée de fruit, puis mélangez tout ensemble.
Coulez la préparation dans 4 cercles de 9 cm de diamètre, et faites prendre au réfrigérateur.
Une fois la gelée prise, démoulez, garnissez de tranches de fraises et surmontez le tout d'un macaron.

La suite, please

Little pumpkins

A few weeks ago, I went to Stephane Martin’s restaurant with a friend, and I had the most amazing lava cake ever. As I told you, I’m not a huge fan of chocolate, and I’d rather have a fruit tart than… well, anything. This lava cake was made for me : not a chocolate one, as you would usually see (although they have one in the restaurant too, and they’re even renowned for it), but made with pumpkin. We spend the whole time wondering how to get the same result, this moist biscuit shell protecting a runny and sweet pumpkin cream (like a crème anglaise).

So we asked (if you know me, then you’ll know that this must have been very good, for me to ask something…). It’s supposed to be prepared exactly like a chocolate lava cake, but with pumpkin. Of course I tried to reproduce it, without success.

So with the rest of the puree I made, I choose to stick with a safer choice. Some spices to remind the taste of a pumpkin pie, some ricotta for it’s mild flavour, and there you go : mini-cheesecakes! Who could say no to their gingerbread base? With their sizes and all the squash packed inside, you can even argue that they are good for you : the ricotta is there for calcium, eggs for the proteins, pumpkin for fibres and dietary minerals. Hum, maybe you wanna skip the sugar in this list… Hey, we all need some sweet moments in life…

Pumpkin and gingerbread cheesecakes
For 6 small cheesecakes

3 oz. gingerbread
2 Tbsp melted butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon pumpkin spices

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Crumble gingerbread in your mixer. Stir with melted butter until moist clumps form. Press cookie mixture firmly onto bottom of 6 mini-pans.Bake crust until firm and beginning to darken, about 10 minutes. Cool crust.

Beat eggs, ricotta and sugar in large bowl until smooth. Beat in pumpkin and spices until just blended. Pour batter over crust in pans. Place the 6 pans in large roasting pan. Add enough hot water to come halfway up sides of pans. Bake cakes uncovered until filling is puffed around edges and moves slightly in center when pan is gently shaken, about 35 to 40 minutes.

Remove pan from water, let cool. Place hot cheesecake uncovered in refrigerator overnight before serving.


Petits cheesecakes épicés au potiron
Pour 6 petits gateaux

100g de pain d'épice
2 cuillères de beurre fondu
2 œufs
120g de sucre
100g de ricotta
150g de potiron cuit et réduit en purée
1 cuillère de 4 epices

Préchauffez le four à 170°.

Reduisez le pain d'épice en miettes dans un hachoir. Ajoutez le beurre fondu pour obtenir une pâte un peu collante. Repartissez au fond de vos ramequins et pressez bien au fond avec les doigts. Faites cuire 10 minutes et laissez refroidir (sinon vos ramequins risquent de se casser lorsque vous verserez le mélange froid dedans).

Dans un bol, fouettez les oeufs avec le sucre jusqu'à ce que le mélange blanchisse. Ajoutez la ricotta, puis le potiron et les épices, et mélangez bien. Versez la préparation dans les ramequins , et placez les dans un grand plat à rotir. Remplissez le plat d'eau de manière à atteindre la moitié de la hauteur des ramequins. Remettez au four et faites cuire 35 à 40 minutes.

Laissez refroidir les cheesecakes en dehors du bain marie et mettez les au frigo pour la nuit avant de servir.

La suite, please

Cake or bonbons, yours to choose

Like for a lot of people, February seems to have won over me : after one week of fighting against the headache, I think a virus stoke back yesterday, when I didn't except it. I feel dizzy and my head is so heavy I wonder how it stands up on my neck, so no wonder my time out of the office is spent… in my bed, and not in the kitchen! However, since it’s already been one week, I thought I could make you wait with some chocolate.

The recipe is quite basic, a one-bowl chocolate cake, and simply upgraded with some candied orange peels. It tastes like orangettes, but with the smooth texture of a chocolate fondant. Like a bonbon, worthwhile of a party, but less time consuming…
So, a quick note for a quick recipe, but this cake will quickly disappear too!

Orangette Chocolate cake

2 oz. candied orange peels
1 ½ stick butter
2/3 cup sugar
3 large eggs
5.5 oz. bittersweet chocolate
1/3 cup flour

Decoration (optional)
2 oz. bittersweet chocolate
1 oz. candied orange peels

Preheat oven to 375° F, and butter an 8-inch round cake pan.
Finely chop the candied orange peels.
Beat the butter with the orange until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the sugar, then add the eggs one by one, stirring well after each addition.
Melt chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave and add to the butter-egg mixture. Whisk well before adding the flour.
Pour batter into the buttered cake pan and bake for approximately 25 minutes, or until the center of the cake looks set and the top is crackled.
Let the cake cool in its pan on a rack for 10 minutes; then carefully turn the cake out of the pan and revert it, so that the crackly side is facing upward. Allow to cool completely. The cake will deflate slightly as it cools.

If you wish so, you can glaze the cake with melted chocolate and pieces of candied orange peels as in the picture.

Gâteau au chocolat façon orangette

50 g d’écorces d’oranges confites
150g de beurre à température ambiante
120g de sucre
3 œufs
150g de chocolat
40g de farine

Décoration (facultative)
50g de chocolat noir
25g d’écorces d’oranges confites

Préchauffez le four à 180°.
Hachez les écorces d’oranges.
Crémez le beurre avec les écorces d’orange en battant pendant plusieurs minutes. Ajoutez ensuite le sucre, puis les œufs, un à un, en battant après chaque addition.
Faites fondre le chocolat dans une casserole au bain marie, ou dans le micro-ondes (ajoutez 1 cuillère à soupe d’eau et faites fondre sur une puissance de 500W max).
Ajoutez le chocolat fondu et fouettez jusqu’à obtenir un mélange homogène, puis rajoutez la farine, sans trop mélanger cette fois.
Versez votre préparation dans un moule à manqué beurré et fariné, et faites cuire 25 minutes. Laissez refroidir avant de démouler.

Si vous le souhaitez, vous pouvez glacer le gâteau avec du chocolat fondu et le décorer de morceaux d’oranges confites.
Pour tempérer le chocolat simplement, je ne mets que la moitié du chocolat dans un bain marie. Dès que le chocolat est fondu (et donc à environ 55°), je le retire du feu, et je rajoute le reste des carrés. Il suffit de mélanger à la cuillère jusqu’à ce que tout soit fondu (ce rajout a fait baisser la température).

La suite, please

Valentine's day...

La suite, please