Marcel would be proud !

Madeleines are one of the reasons why it's good to be French. Easy to make and a fabulous treat for goûter time (one of the reasons why my better half loves the fact that I'm French ha!).

Ingredients

100gr butter
70gr honey
2 eggs
30gr sugar
120gr flour
1 tsp of baking powder

Madeleines mould - mine is a french made silicone tray with 16 (if i remember well) madeleines shaped holes.


How to


1) Start by melting the butter and honey together in a small pan.

If you have a kitchen machine, now is the time to use it, otherwise just use a regular electric mixer or a whisk.

2) In a bowl whisk the eggs and sugar together. Add flour and baking powder, and once well incorporated add the honey and butter mix.

3) If necessary, grease your moulds. Pour some batter in each shape. Leave to rest for at least an hour in the fridge.

Preheat the oven at 220C (th.7)

4) Put in the oven for about 4 mins, until you see a bump on top of each madeleines, then turn down to 180C and bake for 5 more minutes. They have to be golden with a nice round bump. Leave to cool for few minutes and take out from the mould.

I personally love plain madeleines, but if you pump them a little, they can look just that bit fancier.

To create the chocolate shell, just pop one square of chocolate in each shapes of your mould and put it in the oven for few minutes, until melted. Then take it out, and jiggle one madeleine in each shape to cover the back with chocolate and leave them in the mould.
Let it set, preferably in the fridge, for few hours and let the magic happen !

** I have silicone moulds, I have only tried to make the chocolate shell with these, I cannot guarantee it would work with different type of moulds **

Enjoy !

Ben x


french version

Because Mixes aren't just made for Music

Do you ever feel like eating cookies but don't really want to have to make them and having your kitchen all messy?

Even though I love the process of making as much as of eating my bakes, I can totally relate to that feeling - it's Sunday, it's raining, the fire is sizzling and the last thing you want is spending 30 mins in the cold kitchen. True story.

Well, today, I give you the *Bake Mix In a Jar* Let the bells ring and the angels sing !!

All you will need is to add egg(s), butter and maybe a bit of milk depending on your recipes.

They look very pretty on the kitchen shelves and can be stored up to several months.. if you can resist them ;) 

I made these two bad boys for friends who invited us over to their house.

Wash the jars and dry well: make sure there is no water left or your dry ingredients will not like it.

*Triple Chocolate Cookie Mix*

In this order, place in the jar:

1 3/4 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
a pinch of salt 
(you can also mix those three ingredients in a bowl first and them pour them in the jar)
1/2 cup granulated or caster sugar
3/4 cup packed of demerara sugar (better than brown sugar as most brown sugar found in shops are actually white sugar with molasses)
1 1/2 cups white, milk, dark chocolate chips (I find that handmade chips are nicer)

To make sure the edges are as straight as possible, tap the jar after each ingredients and press with a slim Jim glass for example.


Write the instructions down on a cute label, piece of paper or else and attach it to the jar.

• Preheat the oven to 180/190C.
• Beat 3/4 cup softened butter with 1 egg and a teaspoon of vanilla extract in a large bowl, until well blended.
• Add the cookie mix and mix thoroughly to avoid any lumps.
• Drop by rounded teaspoon or with an ice-cream scoop onto a baking sheet covered with grease-proof paper.
•  Bake for 8-10 mins
• Let cool on baking sheet for 2 mins and transfer on wire rack to cool completely.

It makes about 2 dozen cookies - depending on the size you give them.

*White Chocolate & Cranberries Muffin Mix*

In this order, in the jar:

250gr flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
100gr granulated or caster sugar
25gr demerara sugar
a thin layer of processed oat > to your liking
1 cup dried cranberries
100gr white chocolate handmade chips


Same as previous jar regarding the label.

• Preheat the oven to 175C.
• Melt 125gr butter and allow to cool.
• Add 1 egg, 150ml milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to the cool melted butter and mix well.
• Add the muffin mix to the wet ingredients and mix well until blended.
• Spoon into muffin cases up to the 2/3 full
• Bake for 20-25 mins until golden and cooked through.

Makes about 12 buns.

Decorate the jars, add items (I attached buns cases and a silicone spatula to them) 

I hope you like them and will make your own. 

You can make any variations, for yourself, or as a gift.

Madeline gave me one for Christmas last year, if my memory is correct. They were delicious and it was really cool to receive the jar. You can see it here.

Ben xx

French version here :)

Dinosaur... ROAR !

Back in June I made a cake for a friend's son's birthday ! The little guy loves dinosaurs so much that his super Mam had this awesome Dinosaur themed party all set up for him and his friends.
I love baking cakes, and it's the second year I have the privilege to bake his birthday cake.

I'm going to share my now favorite Chocolate Cake recipe. Spoiler alert - it is to die for! It's moist (love this word), moist, moist and very moist (and delicious) ! The cake is tasty but without being too heavy. I am now using this recipe for every chocolate based cake I need.

Because it's Friday (TG) and feel generous before the weekend, we are going to top it up with a decadent Chocolate Buttercream frosting.

Let's all welcome and give a round of applause for Calories, my dear friends.

                                       ___________________________________________________________


For the skeleton, it's quite simple in fact. All you will need is Google Image, a printer, some grease proof paper, white chocolate or assimilate and piping bag/piping bottle.
To make sure that your dinosaur doesn't break, I would suggest to go over the drawing several times. It will create a thick and resistant decoration for your cake and it will allow you to move it easily from the grease proof paper to the cake.
 
Bake your Chocolate Cake (double the recipe if you want two layers, like me), and let the cakes cool completely down.
Prepare your Chocolate Buttercream frosting, and let it set in the fridge for 15-30 mins if you find it too liquid-y.

Once the cakes are cold, cut the excess to make them even. With the leftover you can make cake pops for example - you're welcome !
Spread a thick layer of buttercream on top of the first cake, and place the second cake over it. Make sure that they are straight, and smooth out the extra frosting that may try to escape.
They are now as one.

You will have to carve a hole in the top of the cake, to create that "excavation" look.

Cover the whole cake with a thin layer of frosting and make sure to have it real smooth. Be careful to not put crumbs in the container of frosting, you may need to wipe your spatula several times in between two spreading. Pop the cake in the fridge for half an hour.
Once the frosting is set, finish it up ! Go crazy and spread the remaining frosting all over the cake - smooth or rough finish, that's up to you. It's supposed to be mud, so I kept it rough enough.
I put frosting on the edges of the excavation cavity as well, and then I crumbled some digestives biscuits to fake the dust. 

Gently place the skeleton in the hole, add more "dust" and pop the whole thing in the fridge until delivery.

The final result:

Extras: Dinosaur footprints Sugar Cookies and Dinosaur Eggs cake pops (without the stick - too dangerous with children running around at a birthday party!). Just add some cream cheese to your cake leftovers and shape some ovals. Dip them in the white chocolate you used for the skeleton and Voilà !

I hope you'll like it as much as he did. 

love

Ben

Watercolor Sugar Cookies

Baking is a form of art, but being able to merge baking and painting together was good fun !

My painting-drawing skills are quite limited, but I just went with the flow. Also, keep in mind that it was my first go. I will definitely make them again !

You will need your best sugar cookie recipe (find mine here), some white fondant, food coloring and clear vanilla extract/almond extract.

I personnally chose to go with the vanilla and I also tried directly with the food coloring, which, worked out fine.

Roll out the fondant to the desired thickness

Use the same cutter as for your cookies

With a mixture of water and icing sugar, stick together the fondant and the cookie.

   

Once you have finished every cookie, let them rest for few minutes. In the meantime, you can prepare your "paint".

In small containers, mix the extract with one color. Repeat this step for every color you wish to use.

Let your imagination running and enjoy the painting !

Again, I would like to emphazise the fact that my imagination isn't wild enough

 Ben x

Peanut Butter and (Big) Chocolate Chips Cookies

Let's cute to the chase! When peanut butter is in the game, it's a serious matter.
I wanted to try out recipes to make cookies, biscuits and everything possible with PB for a while now, but in the end, this recipe was given to me recently by a dear friend, and I've already made three batches. They are scrumptious, you will want to make them again. Over and over. 

Preheat the oven at 190C

In a bowl, mix everything following this order:

100gr soft or melted butter

100gr peanut butter

1 cup 50/50 granulated sugar and light brown sugar. 

Few drops of vanilla extract

1 egg

1 cup flour, with  1 tsp baking powder

Add chocolate chips (bought or homemade, your call. I much prefer the homemade, like that I can make them as big as I want)

Shape little balls of dough and place on an baking sheet.

Bake for 8 to 10 mins.

Once the cookies are light golden brown, take them out and let them cool on the sheet. 

Hot or cold, they are delicious. They are soft and chewy. They are perfection itself.

Peanutty enough, one can taste the PB even better when the cookies are cool (in my opinion).

To your taste buds, from me, with love.

Ben x


>> Traduction

Mini Chocolate Nest Cupcakes

There is nothing easier than a cupcake. Quick and easy to bake, they also rhyme with afternoon tea, Christmas, Summer time, party, playing and fun. With all the different cases, topping and flavors, they are the little cutie everyone wants!

Easter was only few days ago, so I'm still on time-ish.
Without further ado, from me to you, here are the Mini Chocolate Nest Cupcakes:

Ingredients:

- 125gr soft butter
- 60gr sugar
- 2 eggs
- 125gr flour
- 1 tsp of vanilla extract
- 1 tsp of baking powder
- 1/2 tsp of baking soda
- pinch of salt
- 2 Tbsp of lemon juice (I also added three drops of cooking lemon essential oil)
Some milk to smooth out the dough
_____________


- Dark and milk chocolate
- Corknflakes
- Chocolate eggs

Preheat the oven at 180C and line the cupcake cases in a muffin tin.

Mix all the ingredients together following the order of the ingredients list, pour the dough in the cupcake cases and bake for approximately 20mins.
Let them cool down.

While the cupcakes are in the oven, make the nests.
Melt some chocolate over a double boiler or carefully in the microwave.
Once melted, add cornflakes to the chocolate, and shape the nests with a fork (the fork will allow you to get rid of the excess of chocolate).

Make sure that the nests can hold an egg or two.

Let dry. It took mine roughly 30mins.

Once the cupcakes are cool, pour a little bit of melted chocolate on top and stick a nest over each cupcakes. Add the eggs and let dry few hours to overnight.

I made these the day before for my co-workers.

Happy Easter my little bunnies!

Ben



French version: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jbo2CYoe7b_ZgKn2CFecHHInXsnOpzpwbgPkqHwQtOc/edit?usp=sharing

Hot Chocolate on a Stick

It sounds like a song title, doesn't it? ♫

Just before Christmas, as I was browsing for handmade present to make, I came across some mouth-watering pictures on Pinterest.
It combined the delicious idea of a hot chocolate, which I love, and the fun of having it on a stick !

After cake pops, pie pops etc.. here I was with a nice beverage on a lollipop stick.

You will need very little to make them, and they taste absolutely delicious. Even the pickiest person around me loved them, and he is a trustworthy and very honest source.

They are great for gifts or just to enjoy during a cosy evening by the fire place with your loved one(s).
                                        ________________________________________________

Ca sonne comme un titre de chanson, vous ne trouvez pas? ♫

Avant Noël, alors que je naviguais insouciemment sur Pinterest, j'ai croisé quelques photos particulièrement alléchantes.
Mélangez le côté délicieux d'un chocolat chaud et le fun de l'avoir sur un bâton de sucette.. Voilà !

Vous connaissiez déjà les cake pops, les pie pops.. et maintenant un breuvage monté comme une sucette. Si c'est pas magique tout ça.

Il ne faut pas grand chose pour les réaliser, et ils sont absolument délicieux. Même la personne la plus difficile gustativement parlant de mon entourage les aime énormément. Et croyez-moi, on peut lui faire confiance, et il est très (trop?) honnête.

Ces petits délices font de jolis cadeaux, ou à déguster simplement lors d'une soirée (ou un retour de promenade en forêt) au chaud.

Supplies // Matériel
lollipop sticks Bâtons de sucette
piping bag or a spoon Poche à douille ou une cuillière
ice cube tray or deep candy mold Moule à glaçons ou moule à chocolat

Ingredients

250gr milk chocolate (not chips)  Chocolat au lait (pas de pépites)
190gr semi-sweet chocolate (not chips) Chocolat noir (pas de pépites)
45gr cocoa Cacao en poudre
125gr powdered sugar Sucre glace
A pinch of salt Une pincée de sel
mini marshmallows, sprinkles, any decorations of your choice Mini chamallow, confettis ou toute autre décoration de votre choix.


In a medium bowl, sift together cocoa, powdered sugar, and salt. Set aside
Chop chocolate into small pieces and combine in a glass bowl. Melt the chocolate following the method you prefer (on the stove or in the microwave), stirring frequently and making sure that the chocolate does not burn. The chocolate must not be too hot.

Pour the melted chocolate into the dry mix and stir well until combined. The mixture will be very thick, do not worry, it's normal !
Now, you either pipe or spoon the mixture into the ice cube tray.

Once the tray is filled, pound the tray lightly on the counter to eliminate air bubbles and to flatten the tops. Insert a stick in each cube and top with the decorations of your choice. I love seeing the marshmallows floating in my cup personnally ♥

Once all cubes are dry and ready, gently remove them from the molds, pushing the cubes out under the tray.
Wrap them as you like and store in a box or in the press.

Tip: Heat up a normal mug of milk in the microwave, make sure the milk is very hot (be careful not to brun yourself!) and drop in the Hot Chocolate Stick.

                                                _______________________________________


Dans un bol moyen, tamisez ensemble le cacao, le sucre glace et le sel. Réservez.
Cassez le chocolat en petits morceaux dans un bol en verre. Faite fondre le chocolat en suivant la méthode que vous préférez (au bain-marie ou au micro-onde), en remuant fréquemment pour que le chocolat ne brûle pas. Le chocolat ne doit pas être trop chaud non plus.

Versez le chocolat fondu sur le mélange sec et bien mélanger. Le mélange sera très épais, pas d´inquiétude, c'est normal !
À présent, soit vous utilisez une poche à douille, soit une cuillère pour remplir votre moule. Personnellement, j'utilise la cuillère.

Une fois le moule rempli, tapez-le légèrement sur votre plan de travail afin de faire sortir les bulles d'air et de lisser le dessus des cubes. Plantez un bâton de sucette dans chaque cube et ajoutez vos décorations.
Pour ma part, j'aime voir les petits chamallows flotter dans ma tasse ♥

Une fois que les cubes sont secs, sortez-les délicatement du moule et emballez-les joliment. Ils se conservent très bien dans une boite ou un placard. 

Tip: Faites chauffer un mug de lait au micro-onde, soyez sûrs qu'il soit bien chaud, en faisant attention à ne pas vous brûler (!), et mettez-y un bâton.


                                                                         Bon appétit !

Ben