la tarte au riz - Belgian rice tart

I don't know if it's the cold weather or what, but I'm really craving for Belgian dishes these days. Sweet in particular. Of course. La "tarte au riz" is a traditional Belgian tart with a yeasted crust and a rice custard filling. Not particularly "light". Of course. But delicious.

persimmon galette

Everybody gives me persimmons these days. Great! Thanks! I love persimmons. I usually eat them raw, as they are, or in salads. It's the first time I bake them. I followed my favorite fruit galette recipe [this one]. I divided the dough by 4 to make 4 mini galettes. I added 2 medium persimmons thinly sliced/galette, topped with cinnamon & agave syrup. Simple and delicious.

angel food cake

A classic American cake. My favorite.

chocolate and plum almond cake

Chocolate + plums: an unusual combination. By Beatrice Peltre. La Tartine Gourmande.

yogurt fig cake

This is again a surprising recipe. It calls for ingredients such as eggs, sugar, Greek yogurt, lemon zest&juice, orange blossom water, and figs. Only 3 tbs of flour are necessary and there is no need for butter or oil. The recipe attracted me and the ending result totally convinced me. To give you an idea, this cake stands somewhere between the Japanese cheesecake and the flan breton. If you're happy enough to still find some fresh figs, you should give this recipe a try. Right away. Do not wait.

moelleux vanilles au (poti)marron

Last time, i wrote about making a dessert with the chestnut puree leftovers. Ta daaaa! Here it is. I don't know how to translate "moelleux vanilles au (poti)marron" in English. The main reason is that the word "potimarron" (kabosha squash in English) contains the word "marron" (chesnut) which makes it easier in French to name a dessert made with kabosha squash AND chestnut. That being said, I don't know how to translate "moelleux" either.... Anyway, this recipe is great, not only because it's quick&easy, not only because it's delicate&surprising, but also because it's 100%  healthy. And my daughters loved it!

healthier banana bread

Healthier. Not healthy. Because it's still a dessert, isn't it? But this banana bread is partially made of whole wheat flour, olive oil, yogurt, and dark brown sugar which make it .... healthier, right? 

raspberry, lime, & coconut milk cream

Raspberry, lime, and coconut milk cream, from Beatrice Peltre, La Tartine Gourmande, Recipes for an Inspired Life. See this blog for the entire recipe. Ideal dessert to make at the last minute because it's super quick and super easy. The first time, I tried the recipe as it is. The second time, I replaced the coconut milk by regular milk, and the lime by a Meyer lemon. It was equally good. To me, it's more a clafoutis than a cream. But it's delicious. So who cares, really?

baked rhubarb/raspberry bliss

It's not pouring anymore. But the sky is grey... (... comme dans la chanson). I need something sweet and spring(ish).

cocoa/hazelnut/banana muffins

It's pouring. I need chocolate. 

riz-au-lait {golden rice custard}

Believe it or not, it's actually the first time I succeed in the making of riz au lait. I'm not kidding. In the past, I tried several recipes, but the final result was either undercooked or burned. The cooking process was also very painful: infinite minutes stuck to the stove, milk all over the place, burned pans good for the trash... The following recipe is simply miraculous!

ciambellone al limone di Luciana

My in-laws know that I am a lemony-ish person. So they thought of me when a friend offered them this "ciambellone al limone". They asked her the recipe and sent it to me. How cute! The term "ciambellone" refers to the shape of the cake (a big donut). Its texture is somewhere in between a cake and an angel cake. Anyway, the "ciambellone di Luciana" was well appreciated by the lemony-ish person and by all the other members of her family.

Thanks beloved in-laws for being so thoughtful & Thanks Luciana for sharing your  awesome recipe. (Grazie Cesare&Luciana per essere cosi' gentili & Grazie Luciana per la tua ottima ricetta)

hazelnut + carrot cupcakes

 

The last time I talked about Beatrice Peltre (author of the bog La Tartine Gourmande), it was on January 23th. Back then, I mentioned the fact that it was almost my birthday, hoping somebody would understand and offer me her new cookbook. Obviously my hint was not clear enough, because I did not receive it! So I'm giving it another try. After all, today it's Valentine's day, isn't it?

crepes

It's not too late. You can still cook some crepes today. February 2d is "crepe day" (in French: la Chandeleur). But you'd better hurry up. The batter is better if you let it rest at least 2 hours before using it.

* For a savory version: see this old post.

lots of apples in one cake

Lots of apples, a handful of "fruits and nuts", a hint of Grappa, and no fats. Coup de coeur! Recipe from the "apple cake project" of the blog il cavoletto di bruxelles. I love apples. I love cakes. So I love this  project.

baked apples + {nuts + spices}

{La Tartine Gourmande} has published her first cookbook. Yeah! 

It will be released on February 7th. Darn!

However, in ante prima, here is one recipe from the book. Yeah! 

No, I don't have the book. Darn! 

I found the recipe on a blog I love {Sprouted Kitchen}.

PS: By the way, it's almost my birthday....

gateau des rois (en pate cougnou)

On January 6th,  in Belgium and France, we celebrate Epiphany by eating the "gateau des rois". In general, the cake is a "galette" with almond cream inside (frangipane). In my hometown though, the  recipe for this cake is different: it is exactly the same as for the cougnou I already wrote about. We all love it. Do not forget to hide a "trinket" inside the dough before baking it. Usually it is a porcelain figure, but a dried bean will equally do the work. The person who picks the part of the cake with the trinket inside will be king or queen for a day (and wear the crown). 

apple tart (alice waters way)

A simple apple tart with lots of tart apples. Heaven! Why complicate matters?

the sparkling cake

A cake. The cake. The one that my daughters regularly ask me to bake for their birthday parties: plain, soft, moist, sweet, very sweet. A sparkling cake, as they like to call it. The sparkling cake.

meyer lemon - 5. bars

For Edwige.