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After a friend recommended the movie “Paris Can Wait,” with Diane Lane, I simply had to indulge her and her husband with a Chocolate Creme Brulee at our weekly dinner. This recipe is from Chocolate Epiphany by Chef Francois Payard (with delectable photography by Rogerio Voltan). We were only 4 persons, and I only had 4-ounce (not 6-ounce) ramekins, so I halved Chef Payard’s ingredients. You might try reducing the sugar just a bit further.
So many recipes are designed for a large family or small dinner party. As the nest empties – or before it grows – here is an easy recipe for Chocolate Pot de Crème for two adapted from Paris: Authentic Recipes Celebrating the Foods of the World from the Williams Sonoma collection.
This version of Salted Butter Caramel is adapted from David Lebovitz’ My Paris Kitchen. It trades some of the water used in the caramelization process for more cream. Try it as a thin layer on chocolate pots de creme with a dollop of flavored whipped cream as seen on Fi’lia’s menu.
This recipe is adapted from Melissa Clark’s Ambrosia Cake published in the New York Times on April 7, 2017 just before Easter and the recipe for Chocolate Glaze in Larousse on Pastry. The search for a dessert for Easter dinner began with a desire for something frosted in white, garnished with coconut and strewn with edible flowers. Melissa’s cake seemed perfectly adaptable. I would use whipped cream instead of the marshmallow frosting, and edible flowers in lieu of strawberries.
When I couldn’t find edible flowers in any of our local South Florida grocers, the dried edible rose petals I had on hand seemed like a good substitute – at first. But neither the coconut nor the clementines seemed palatable with dried rose petals; and, quite simply, I began to crave chocolate to compensate for not being able to realize my vision.
At first, I thought I would use a clementine-flavored chocolate ganache and clementine sections as the filling.
But the bulk of the clementine sections would have made the cake appear lumpy once a second layer was placed on top.
So, the bottom layer became the top layer and the entire cake was enveloped in chocolate.
Delicious! It helps to use fresh coconut, but it’s not a must. The clementines must be sweet.
Melissa Clark crafted a lovely flavor combination in the cake. Enveloped in chocolate, garnished with clementine sections and edged in flaked fresh coconut, the layers of flavor will make you stop and savor the moment.
Quintessentially French and festive, a Buche de Noel is the bakers’ holy grail of Christmas creations. For me, it once seemed unattainable. Not any more. With the right pan, a pastry brush, an attractive rectangular plate to serve it in, and the wisdom to bake, wrap, and refrigerate (or freeze) the unfrosted cake up to two days in advance, I am now on a buche de noel roll (pun intended), creating variations on a theme to bring to friends and family leading up to the holiday season. All credit goes to David Lebovitz’ My Paris Kitchen and a 12″x 18″ jelly roll pan (which I bought a few years ago when experimenting with Collette’s Birthday Cakes by Collette Peters) and a boars’ bristle pastry brush from William Sonoma received as a Christmas gift last year. But mostly, credit goes to David Lebovitz and his photographer Ed Anderson. Their description, instructions and illustrations made the project approachable and a wonderful excuse to begin the holiday baking season!
This is the easiest madeleine recipe yet! Lovely and lemony, it is as Larousse on Pastry promised, child’s play.
Crossing the San Francisco Bay Bridge for the first time, in a convertible with the top town, the scent was mesmerizing. “What is that smell,” I kept asking.
“What smell?”
“That smell, in the breeze. What is it? I know that smell.”
Thank goodness I wasn’t driving, it was so distracting. Craning my neck out the passenger side window of the red Mustang convertible, hungry for more, my brain tried to connect identifiable memory with what my olfactory senses were inhaling, deeply. I knew that smell. It was so familiar. The synapse eluded me.
The Bay Bridge is a long bridge. By the time we reached the end, my companion’s amusement at my inadvertent bloodhound imitation was waxing. As we approached terra firma, the scent surrounded us. My eyes closed, still searching memory banks.
“What kind of tree is that?” We were on solid ground now and huge, ginormous trees I had never seen before were breezing past us. Their perfume filled the air with subtle, earthy well-being.
“Bay Leaf.”
“That’s it! Bay leaf! We use it in beans and stews all the time. Holy moly! Those leaves are huge! No wonder Williams Sonoma was inspired to create such beautiful wreaths. They’re massive! Those are not the bay leaves we get at the supermarket. I never knew what they smelled like fresh.”
“Mmmm.”
Sitting back to relax against the convertible’s bucket seat, I closed my eyes again, allowing the scent to waft over me. When I opened my eyes, we were in wine country.
Years later, reading David Lebovitz’ My Paris Kitchen: Recipes and Stories, I am once again mesmerized by the fragrance of bay leaf. Humble store-bought bay leaves are infused in the butter used to keep this pound cake moist. A few perfect leaves are buttered on one side and arranged on parchment paper to decorate the bottom of the loaf. Pound cake usually rises, though, and it would be a shame to level the top to serve it upside-down. Standing a leaf on its edge in the batter down the center identifies this heady beauty as something to talk about. Voila!
It’s been 3 days since I baked what DL calls his gateau week-end. I still smile when I bump into its subtle and mysterious fragrance.
Simple and quick to prepare, these individual chocolate souffles, adapted from Irma Rombauer’s classic Joy of Cooking, are certain to delight. See the notes in the variation for tips on a recipe for two.
When cherries are in season, this is my go-to dessert. Whether it’s presented in individual ramekins or family style in a baking dish, it always tastes like summer. Adapted from Larousse on Pastry.
The first time my mother made this moist tea bread, I scrunched my nose at the thought of zucchini masquerading as the basis for anything resembling cake. But it was delicious! I still love the crunchiness of the walnuts and the sesame seeds, not to mention the license to indulge in a healthy snack with a cold glass of milk. Adapted from the California Heritage Cookbook.
There are three carrot cake recipes that I rely upon depending on whether a) whole wheat flour is on hand; and b) the audience prefers healthy over sweet. For myself, the recipe with whole wheat flour, pineapple and walnuts from the California Heritage Cookbook is always my favorite. The whole wheat provides depth and a little healthy fuel to burn.
In the absence of whole wheat flour, David Lebovitz’ version from My Paris Kitchen takes the cake, especially in winter. The allspice and cinnamon make it particularly perfect in winter.
For the sweet tooth, I recommend Larousse on Pastry‘s recipe. It’s not overly sweet, but it is more of a dessert than a healthy snack.
My Dad loved pears. I had made this tart for him a few years ago and had purchased the ingredients to make it for him again over the winter break of 2012. He passed away that Thanksgiving weekend. Over the holidays, I made it in his honor and invited the local branch of our family to share it. They loved it, and I know Dad would have, too. Adapted from Larousse on Pastry.
This recipe is adapted from French Tarts: 50 Savory and Sweet Recipes by Linda Dannenberg. I found it at William Sonoma, loved it, and proceeded to test every recipe on my loving and appreciative parents. It’s great for fruit tarts and travels well.
My favorite recipe for delicious, healthy pancakes! The ingredient list below uses half the sugar, salt, and honey and twice the cinnamon recommended in the original recipe. Adapted from the Joy of Cooking.
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