Showing posts with label French cuisine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label French cuisine. Show all posts

Sunday, January 26, 2014

Crème Au Chocolat / Baked Chocolate Cream


French always have some love for ( flour , butter , cream , sugar ,  chocolates , eggs ) = desserts .  Most of the french desserts are unique , simple yet delicious. Crème Au Chocolat  is one classic dessert which was invented by french . It is quite similar to chocolate mousse . Crème Au Chocolat is a baked version of Chocolate mousse , that is the Simple way i could  explain about this dessert .

 This dessert is light , airy , creamy , chocolaty ... ( I could actually keep on describing ).


Thank you +Priya Suresh for the nice french dessert recipe . This time on Home Bakers Challenge , members were actually exploring French cuisines .  I managed to complete three out of four . I had book marked the left out recipe ( Faluche du Nord ) and will do it when time permits .

 My recipe for other french bakes click on -  Eggless Biscuit Sables , French Baguettes 




I used the same ingredients as +Priya Suresh  mention but i didn't follow the exact measurements. I used my own. But it turned out to be perfect .

 The recipe below will be enough for 2 people ( if you use smaller sized Ramekins) . I used a Medium Ramekins and two of us shared it.

Ingredients :

Cream - 1/3 Cup
Milk Chocolate chips - 1/3 Cup - ( you can use semi sweet chocolate / dark chocolate )
Milk - 1/3 Cup
Egg yolk - 1
Vanilla - 1/4 Tsp

Instructions :
  • Boil the milk and cream in a medium heat .
  • Meanwhile , Mix the yolk and vanilla paste till the yolk turns into creamy and buttery in color. Keep that aside.
  • When the cream mixtures comes to the boiling stage , take off the heat , add the chocolate chips and let it sit for a minute . Then stir it till the chocolate is completely  melted .
  • Meanwhile Preheat the oven at 350 F and Boil some water in the kettle /Stove.
  • Now this is the important stage where we are going to be in action for two minutes at a stretch . We are going to use both the hands . One hand is going to pour the chocolate mixture into the yolk where the other hand is going to whisk it vigorously . If you think this stage is not important then you will end up eating Chocolate Egg Scramble.
  • Pour the water in the baking tray . Keep the Ramekins in the tray . Pour the chocolate mixture into Ramekins and bake for 30 minutes.
  • Allow it to cool completely . Cling wrap it and refrigerate it for couple of hours or over night .
  • Garnish it and serve .




Anyone who wants to dig into it ??????????? You are Welcome !!!!

Notes - 

  • Original recipe called for Dark chocolate and sugar . As i am not a big fan of dark chocolate i used milk chocolate and omitted the sugar .
  • If you are going to use Dark chocolate , add sugar to the yolk and mix it completely and proceed with the recipe.
  • Do not bake it more than the time mentioned , as it might effect the taste and the texture .
  • Make sure the eggs are in room temperature
  • Once it is baked , you might feel that the dessert is not baked in the middle . But after you refrigerate it  It will be just OK.




Posted by at 18 comments:
Labels: , , , , , ,

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Eggless Biscuit Sables - With a healthy Twist


These French Shortbread biscuits are so addictive and they just melts in the month . In a way they are healthy because there is no eggs , no baking powder , no baking soda or any artificial colors. Another twist i had given in the biscuit is , they are made out of whole wheat flour . Flavor of vanilla and butter enhances the taste of these yummy , crunchy sables .

I baked these Sables thrice ( small batching as i always prefer)  in a week because they kept vanishing when ever i baked . They were actually divine . 

                                           

Thank you +Priya Suresh for this lovely recipe . If i were not a member of  Home Bakers Challenge , i would have definitely missed baking lovely baked goodies. 
You just need only 6 ingredients for this delicious sables. Lets get to the recipe.


Ingredients :

Whole Wheat Flour - 1/2 Cup
All purpose flour - 1/2 Cup
Salted Butter - 1/2 Cup ( Cold)
Icing Sugar - 1/4 Cup
Vanilla Paste / Vanilla essence - 1/2 TSP
Milk - 1/2 (+ /-)TSP  ( Cold )


Instructions: ( My way ):
  • Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl .
  • Add the cold butter and vanilla and mix it as you do it for pie crust . ( Do not knead )
  • Lastly  milk . Mix it till you form a dough . ( Just mix , do not knead )
  • Refrigerate it for 15 minutes and you are ready to go.
  • Preheat the oven at 350F.
  • Aline the baking tray with baking sheet.
  • Roll the dough , using a preferred cookie cutter , cut the cookies.
  • Place it in the Baking tray.
  • bake the cookies for 15 - 18 minutes.
  • Cool the cookies in a wire rack.
  • Store them in a air tight box.

 Instruction :

- Mixing all the ingredients together is my way . I feel this is easy yet the taste is going to be the same. In case if you prefer the traditional way go ahead using the same recipe.
- If you don't prefer using hand for mixing , you the hand mixer , but remember not to over beat . We just need to mix the ingredients that's all.
- Baking time depends on the thickness of the cookies too . Depending on the thickness of your cookies set the time .
- The dough will look like it needs more milk , but once you refrigerate it it will be just fine . ( like pie crust )
- Even after refrigerate , if the dough needs milk ,and drop by drop and milk .



 
Posted by at 13 comments:
Labels: , , ,

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Crostini with Cherry Tomatoes & Mozzarella IFC# 3


For this month's challenge on IFC , +Priya Suresh has chosen 4 marvelous recipes . This month we are going to explore Campania the cuisine of Italy .  We all know Italy itself is best known around the world for its own Pizza.  Campania's cuisines relies on sun-kissed vegetables , herbs, salty capers , dried pasta and fresh farm house Cheese .

As usual 4 recipes were suggested and we have to choose on and explore them.
  • Crostini with Cherry Tomatoes and Mozzarella  
  • Spaghetti alla Puttanesca
  • Mozzarella in Carrozza 
  • Pizza Margherita                        

    

Crostini is a simple , delicious and a tasty snack. It is just arranging the pre-made french bread with cheese and tomatoes .   Lets get to the recipe. 


 Ingredients :

French  Bread -   1 Loaf
Mozzarella  Cheese -  1 Ball
Grape  Tomatoes -  1 Cup
Butter -  1/2 Stick
Garlic -  1 Clove (minced)
Basil -  few ( Chopped) i used cilantro for garnishing.


 Instructions:

Preheat the oven at 350F .
In a small bowl mix the butter and minced garlic .
Brush the garlic butter on both the sides of the bread.
Top it with cheese, sliced grape tomatoes and Chopped Basil.
Bake it for 10-15 minutes till the cheese melts.
Serve it warm.



Notes -

I baked the bread slice only with Mozzarella after the cheese was melted i decorated with Grape tomatoes and Cilantro leaves. Thins way you could feel the crunchiness of the cherry tomatoes in each bite.

Continental Recipes.


Posted by at 10 comments:
Labels: , , ,

Monday, September 30, 2013

Traditional Quiche IFC # 2


Quiche is a part of french cuisine. It is an open faced pastry crust with a savory filling in it . The filling could be eggs, cheese , meat , seafood, spinach or any kind of vegetables. It could be either served hot or cold.

 This  month's challenge on IFC was French Cuisine ( Alsace Lorraine ). As usual 3 recipes were suggested we had to choose one and explore it . The recipes were :
  • Tarte Flambee.
  • Kugelhopf
  • Quiche Lorraine / Traditional Quiche
I tried Traditional Quiche and it came out really well . We both loved it so much . The pie crust was crispy the filling was cheesy and creamy . I had made some changes from the original recipe  according my taste buds.  I had omitted the chicken and added vegetables . Traditional Quiche was absolutely delicious. Thank you +Shobana Sekar  for suggesting these wonderful recipes.





RECIPE:

INGREDIENTS:

Pie Crust - I used my own recipe
Swiss Cheese - 1/2 Cup ( Shredded )
Chopped Onions - 3 TBLS
Chopped Garlic - 2 TBLS
Eggs - 2 Beaten
Light Cream - 1 Cup
Salt - 1/2 TSP
Sugar - pinch
Fresh grounded pepper - 1 TBLS
Chili Flakes - 1 TBLS
Carrots -  1 Cup ( Chopped )
Green Beans - 1 Cup ( Chopped )
Dried Parsley - 1 TBLS



INSTRUCTIONS:


    • Preheat the oven to 425 F.
    • Make the pastry shell for a 7 '' * 11" Pan ( That's what i used ).
    • Heat some oil in a skillet . Saute chopped onions and garlic till they turn golden brown.
    • Then add chopped carrots and Green Beans . Sprinkle some salt and cook till they are done.
    • Using a blender  combine eggs , cream , salt , pepper , sugar , chillie flakes . Blend really well.
    • Sprinkle the Vegetables to the pastry shell.
    • Pour the mixture in the Pastry shell. 
    • Bake the Quiche for 15 minutes in the preheated oven .
    • Reduce the heat to 300F and bake for another 30 minutes or till the knife inserted one inch comes out clean.
    • Allow the quiche to sit for 10 minutes as it is taken out from the oven    



    Cut it into wedges and serve.


    Linking it to Cooking with white at Merrytummy


    Posted by at 14 comments:
    Labels: , ,
    Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)