Chocolate Yule Log (Bûche de Noël) is the French roll cake very popular during the Holiday season. This is a delicious version of Yule Log you can make at home using very simple ingredients you can find in every store.
Chocolate Yule Log (Bûche de Noël)
Ingredients
Sugar syrup
- 150 g sugar
- 300 ml water
Chocolate ganache
- 200 ml heavy whipping cream ( 35%)
- 200 g dark chocolate (60-70% cacao)
- 15 g unsalted butter
Biscuit
- 4 eggs (at room temperature)
- 120 g sugar
- 120 g all purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp cocoa powder
Chantilly cream
- 250 ml heavy whipping cream ( 35%) very cold
- 50 g mascarpone cheese
- 1.25 Tbsp sugar
Decoration
- Few meringues, pieces of chocolat
Instructions
Sugar syrup
- In a small pot, bring cold water and sugar to the boil. Keep boiling for a few minutes, stir constantly until the sugar dissolves completely. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool down. When the syrup is cold, you may add vanilla or the Triple Sec liqueur (optional).
Biscuit
- Preheat oven to 380 degrees F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Using an electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar until the mixture becomes thick, fluffy, and triples in volume.
- Using a spatula, gently fold in flour and cocoa powder.
- Spread the batter evenly in thin layer into the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in center of biscuit comes out clean.
- Turn upside down onto clean kitchen towel and carefully remove parchment paper. Let cool down.
Chocolate ganache
- Boil the heavy whipping cream. Pour the boiling cream over the dark chocolate. Wait for one minute.
- Then mix it until the mixture is smooth.
- Add butter and mix until this is fully dissolved.
- Let cool the ganache for about 30 minutes in the fridge. Mix and check frequently: the ganache is ready when it’s not anymore liquid and has a spreadable texture.
Chantilly cream
- Beat together very cold heavy cream and cold mascarpone cheese until this is whipped. Keep gradually adding sugar.
Assemblage
- Paint the biscuit with sugar syrup.
- Spread the chantilly cream evenly over the biscuit.
- Roll up firmly.
- Tightly cover with plastic wrap, and keep in the fridge until chocolate ganache is ready.
- Remove the plastic wrap. Spread the ganache over the cake. Using a fork make lines to look like a log. Transfer the cake to a serving platter and let stand in the fridge for a night or at least 3 hours.
- Before serving, dust with cacao cocoa powder and decorate with meringues or pieces of chocolate.
Notes
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This post was posted in Desserts
French Pear pie (Tarte Bourdaloue)
The tarte Bourdaloue is a pie with pears and almonds; created by a Parisian pastry chef in the nineteenth century. This dessert is a variation of the amandine (almond tart).
French Pear pie (Tarte Bourdaloue)
Almond cream, pears and some almonds: a dessert for real gourmets.
Ingredients
Almond sweet short pastry
- 120 g softened butter
- 75 g confectioners sugar
- 30 g almond powder
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 egg (beat a little with a fork)
- 1 teaspoon liquid vanilla (1 packet of vanilla sugar or 1 vanilla bean)
- 200 g sifted flour
Almond cream
- 100 g softened butter
- 100 g sugar
- 2 eggs
- 100 g almond powder
- 2 teaspoons sour cream
- 3 pears
More
- 15 g butter (melted)
- 1 teaspoon sledding almonds
Instructions
Almond sweet short pastry
- Sift flour and powdered sugar into a bowl or on the kitchen table. Add almond powder and the softened butter. Mix with your hands until you get a crumbly mixture.
- Add egg and liquid vanilla.
- Mix everything very quickly to form a ball. The dough is now ready.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour, or freeze if you won't bake it in the next few days.
Almond cream
- Beat butter and sugar with a mixer. Add eggs, cream and almond powder.
Preparing the pie
- Preheat the oven to 370F. Roll out the dough between 2 layers of parchment paper.
- Transfer the dough to a pan, press it down and on the sides of the pan. Cut the excess dough. Poke holes on the entire surface with a fork.
- Spread the almond cream evenly over the dough.
- Peel the pears and cut them in half. Remove the seeds. Cut into regular thin slices.
- Arrange the pear slices nicely. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with almonds.
- Bake for about 40 minutes until golden brown. Remove pie from oven and cool. You can sprinkle lightly with icing sugar before serving.
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This post was posted in Desserts
Cherry clafoutis
This is my favorite cherry clafoutis recipe — a delightful take from the classic version that I’ve adapted with my own twist. With cherry season in full swing, this simple yet irresistible dessert is the perfect way to enjoy summer’s sweet bounty!
Cherry clafoutis
Here’s the classic version of cherry clafoutis made with pitted cherries. I recommend removing the pits — it’s much easier to eat that way!For a more elegant presentation, you can bake it in small molds or ramekins.
Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- 100 g sugar
- 110 g flour
- 1 pinch salt
- 450 ml liquid cream (35%)
- 150 ml milk
- 1 cuillère a soupe liquid vanilla
- 600 g pitted cherries (griottes)
- Bit of sugar for the mold
- Bit of butter for the mold
Instructions
- Preheat the oven (210°С/ 410°F).
- Mix the eggs and the sugar
- Add milk and liquid cream. Mix.
- Add vanilla.
- Add flour and salt. Mix well one more time.
- Generously butter the baking dish(es) and sprinkle them with sugar.
- Spread the pitted cherries over the bottom of the molds.
- Pour in the clafoutis batter. The cherries should remain visible.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes. Baking time depends on the size of the molds.
- Serve warm or cold. In my opinion, it tastes better cold.
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This post was posted in Desserts
Ice Cream Cake Iceberg
I don’t mean to brag, but as far as homemade ice cream cake recipes go, this one is the winner. The red berry coulis topping is the perfect balance between sweet and sour. This No-Bake Ice Cream Cake Iceberg is the ideal dessert to serve at your next party on a hot summer day.
Ice Cream Cake Iceberg
My suggestion is to pick red sour berries for rich color and a sour taste.
Drain the sour cream to avoid liquid.
Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- 100 g granulated sugar (50 + 50)
- 1-2 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 300 ml sour cream
- 100 ml heavy whipping cream ( 35%)
- 1 pinch salt
- 300 g red berries (blueberry, huckleberry, boysenberry, raspberry…) fresh or frozen
- Some Fresh berries for garnish
Instructions
- Separate egg yolks from egg whites. Whisk egg yolks with sugar (50 g).
- When the sugar is dissolved add vanilla extract and mix well.
- In a mixer bowl, whisk together very cold sour cream and heavy cream together until fluffy. Add sugar and continue whisking until firm (don’t over whip).
- Using a spatula, combine egg yolks with whipped cream together.
- In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff.
- With a spatula, carefully combine egg whites with whipped cream.
- You should get a nice fluffy cream.
- Spread the cream evenly into a silicone pan or salad bowl.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.
- Rinse and drain fresh berries and puree until smooth. If you are using a frozen berries, place them in a leak-proof container and set the container in cold water for 10-15 minutes, then puree them.
- Pass the puree through a fine sieve to remove all tiny seeds. Coulis is ready.
- Remove it from the silicone pan and return it back to freezer until serving. (If you used a salad bowl, place it into hot water for a couple seconds). Prepare fresh berries for garnish.
- Right before serving, pour the coulis over the ice cream cake and garnish with fresh berries.
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This post was posted in Desserts, Gluten-Free
Easy Walnut Cake
There are quite a few nut cake recipes; but this one, which my mother-in-law is preparing is a little different. With that easy walnut cake, you can really taste the taste of nuts thanks to the small pieces that crunch under your teeth!
Easy Walnut Cake
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 220 g sugar
- 100 ml milk
- 90 ml olive oil
- 200 g sifted flour
- 2 tsps baking powder
- 300 g walnuts
- 40 g butter
- Some confectioner’s sugar
- Few walnuts halves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 380 degrees F. Grease and flour a round cake pan or line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
- Using a mixer, beat eggs with sugar.
- Add milk, olive oil, flour, and baking powder. Mix well.
- Place the walnuts in the zip-lock and cruch them using a pastry pin.
- Pour the batter in the cake pan (mould). Lay walnuts halves on top of the cake.
- Bake for 20 minutes. The cake should be well raised with a thin crust but not fully baked. Place the pieces of butter on top of the cake.
- Continue to cook for another 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven, allow to cool before removing it from the mold.
- Dust it with powdered sugar before serving.
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This post was posted in Desserts
Mini Pavlova
Pavlova is a dessert, named after the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, who toured Australia and New Zealand in 1926. It is a meringue dessert with crisp crust and soft light inside, topped with cream and fresh berries.
You can make meringue shells ahead of time and freeze them. I usually make the cream the same day I want to serve my Mini Pavlova. And as always this dessert is a perfect mini dessert for my Cafe Gourmand.
Mini Pavlova dessert
I rarely use food coloring when baking. I like my desserts to have their original color. But if you are cooking for Valentine's Day or for a Princess party, you may add some food coloring to your dessert. This time, I used one tiny drop of red coloring to make the cream pink.
Ingredients
Meringue
- 4 egg whites (room temperature)
- 1 pinch of salt
- 220 g confectioner’s sugar
Cream
- 200 ml heavy whipping cream ( 35%) very cold
- 100 g mascarpone cheese
- 1,5 Tbsp sugar
- 1 drop red food coloring (optional)
- Fresh berries raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries…
Instructions
Meringue
- Using mixer, begin beating your egg whites and salt on a low speed, steadily increasing up to medium high.
- While beating on a medium speed, slowly add the confectioner’s sugar, about 1-2 Tbsp at a time. Once all the sugar is added, keep beating until the egg whites hold stiff peaks.
- Preheat oven to 230 degrees F. Draw circles of approximately 4-8 cm diameter (you can use a pint glass as a guide) on each of the parchment lined sheets.
- Spoon meringue into piping bag, fitted with 3/4 inch tip. Pipe meringue to cover circles on prepared baking sheet. Pipe two more rings of meringues on top of outer edge to form walls of Pavlovas.
- Bake in center of oven until dry and crisp, about 1 1/2 hours.
- Turn off the oven and let the meringues completely cool in the oven. Once cooled, you can top them with whipped cream and berries.
Filling
- With mixer, beat together very cold heavy cream and mascarpone cheese, until whipped gradually adding sugar. Add food coloring. Don’t overbeat the cream, or you will end up with butter.
- Spoon cream into piping bag.
- Right before serving, pipe frosting on the pavlovas and top with fresh berries.
- If you have some leftovers cream, you can pipe it into a small glass and garnish with some fresh berries.
Notes
Pease don’t waste your egg yolks, you can always make Creme brûlée.
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Walnut Raisin Cake
This easy to make cake is perfect for a breakfast. The Walnuts and raisin go well together.
Walnut Raisin Cake
Ingredients
- 150 g walnuts
- 250 g softened butter
- 200 g sugar
- 4 eggs
- 200 g all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 150 g raisins
- Some powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
- Grind the walnuts in a blender.
- Using a mixer beat the butter with sugar.
- Add the eggs and mix.
- Add the flour and mix.
- Add the walnuts. Mix.
- Add the raisins and mix with a spatula.
- Pour the batter in the pan.
- Bake for about 40 minutes or until а toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Once the cake cooled down, transfer to a plate.
- Dust it with powdered sugar before serving.
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This post was posted in Desserts
Walnut Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
Once baked, the walnuts get that gooey-caramel and crunchy coating. Your guests will love that Walnut Pineapple Upside-Down Cake.
Walnut Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
Ingredients
- 7 rings pineapple slices drained
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup all purpose flour sifted
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup walnuts chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9-10 inch round cake pan. Place pineapple slices on the bottom of the pan.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla on high speed for about 8 min. Slowly add flour. Using a spatula fold in gently. Continue until all of the flour mixture is incorporated.
- Add chopped walnuts.
- Carefully spoon mixture into a pan cake.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Cool for at list 10 minutes, then turn the pan over onto a serving plate. Wait 30 seconds then lift the pan off.
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This post was posted in Desserts
Russian Apple Cake Sharlotka
Apple Sharlotka cake is one of the most popular desserts that each Russian kid will remember from their childhood. The recipe is so simple that you don’t even need to write it down. It will be very easy to remember once you’ve made it: 3 apples, 3 eggs, 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup of flour. That’s it, enjoy!
Russian Apple Cake Sharlotka
If the apples are too sweet, sprinkle with freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Ingredients
- 3 big apples (sour)
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 tsp confectioner’s sugar (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 380 degrees F. Grease and flour a round cake pan or line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
- Wash, peel and dice apples into 1-inch pieces. Lay out the diced apples on the bottom of the pan.
- Using a mixer beat eggs with sugar, until its two times in volume. Using a spatula carefully fold in sifted flour. Pour the batter over the apples.
- Bake for about 45 minutes or until а toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Once the cake cools off a little, transfer to plate.
- Dust it with powdered sugar before serving.
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This post was posted in Desserts
Easy Madeleines
Very light, fluffy and tasty French cookies. Classic small sponge cakes shaped like seashell, usually made with lemon zest. I love lemon, but I decided not to add any to my madeleines. I just like them plain.
You can find molds for mini-madeleines. That’s really nice and you can savor them for a cafe gourmand.
French Madeleines
To make an authentic madeleine, you will need a madeleine pan. But you can use a muffin pan or any cake pan.
Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- 200 g sugar
- 120 ml milk
- 200 g all purpose flour sifted
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 pinch of salt
- 120 g unsalted butter melted
Instructions
- In a medium bowl combine eggs and sugar. Whip until light. Add milk and mix well.
- Carefully fold in the flour, baking powder and pinch of salt.
- Add melted butter and mix throughly until smooth. Let the batter rest in the fridge for about 15 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Butter madeleine pan. My pan makes 12 cookies at a time. From this receipe you’ll make 24 cookies.
- Spoon batter into the prepared molds, filling 3/4 full. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are golden and the tops spring back. Remove the madeleines from the oven and let cool for 2 minutes.
- With a knife or fork carefully loosen the madeleines from the pan and then tip the whole pan out to a prepared plate.
- If you want to make it in a loaf pan, it will take much longer, about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake come out clean.
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This post was posted in Cafe gourmand, Desserts