Home-made lemon vodka. This strong alcoholic drink with a pleasant lemon aroma can be either drunk on its own or used to make cocktails. To consume with moderation.
Ingredients
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Instructions
- Peel the lemon then slice it.
- Place the lemon slices into the jar then add sugar and vodka.
- Cover and keep 7 days at room temperature, out of direct sunlight.
- Discard the lemon slices, strain the infused vodka thru a fine mesh. Transfer vodka into a bottle. Serve chilled or use for the cocktail.
This post was posted in Drinks
Walnut Raisin Cake
This easy to make cake is perfect for a breakfast. The Walnuts and raisin go well together.
| Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Cook Time | 45 minutes |
| Servings |
servings
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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
Ingredients
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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.
This post was posted in Desserts
Easy poached pears with chocolate
The pears are poached with a vanilla bean and a bit of sugar. Then, they are cooled down and sprinkled with shredded chocolate. This is a very easy recipe to make and will be perfect for a special event or holidays.
| Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Cook Time | 15 minutes |
| Passive Time | 1 hour |
| Servings |
servings
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Ingredients
- 4 pears
- 750 ml water
- 3 Tbsp sugar
- 1 vanilla bean cut in half longwise
- 50 g dark chocolate
- Some Fresh mint
Ingredients
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Instructions
- Peel the pears.
- Cut them in half, then core.
- In the pot, bring water to a boil with sugar and vanilla bean.
- Add the pears and boil for 10 to 15 minutes, until they became soft but keep their shape. Remove the pot from the heat and let the pears cool in the syrup.
- To serve, drain the pears well. Then place each half on an individual plate.
- Sprinkle with shredded chocolate and decorate with mint.
- You can also serve this dessert in a glass.
This post was posted in Desserts
Walnut Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
Once baked the walnuts get that gooey-caramel and crunchy coating.
| Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Cook Time | 30 minutes |
| Servings |
servings
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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
Ingredients
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Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9-10 inch round cake pan. Place pineapple slices on the bottom of the pan.
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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.
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Add chopped walnuts.
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Carefully spoon mixture into a pan cake.
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Bake for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
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Cool for at list 10 minutes, then turn the pan over onto a serving plate. Wait 30 seconds then lift the pan off.
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.
| Prep Time | 10 minutes |
| Cook Time | 10 minutes |
| Passive Time | 15 minutes |
| Servings |
pieces
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Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- 220 g sugar
- 120 ml milk
- 200 g all purpose flour sifted
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 pinch of salt
- 120 g unsalted butter melted
Ingredients
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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.
This post was posted in Cafe gourmand, 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.
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.
| Prep Time | 35 minutes |
| Cook Time | 1 hour 30 minutes |
| Servings |
servings
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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
- 2,5 Tbsp sugar
- 1 drop red food coloring (optional)
- Fresh berries raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries...
Ingredients
Meringue
Cream
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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.
Recipe Notes
Pease don't waste your egg yolks, you can always make Creme brûlée.
This post was posted in Cafe gourmand, Desserts
Easy Apple Cake
Delicate and full of apples easy to make cake. Recipe is very similar to famous Russian Apple Sharlotka but with a little of olive oil and baking powder. Must try!
| Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Cook Time | 45 minutes |
| Servings |
servings
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Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- 200 g sugar
- 150 g sifted flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 3 big apples Granny Smith
- 1 tsp confectioner's sugar (facultatif)
Ingredients
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 370 degrees F. Grease and flour a round cake pan or line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
- Using an electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar. Add flour and baking powder. Mix well, then add oil and mix last time.
- Peel and dice apples into small pieces. Lay out the apples on the bottom of the pan.
- Pour the batter over the apples.
- Bake for about 45 minutes or until а knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool then transfer to plate.
- Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar.
This post was posted in Desserts
Peach Melba
This is my version of a classical dessert “Peach Melba” with roasted peaches, a red berry sauce and an exquisite whipped cream.
| Prep Time | 20 minutes |
| Cook Time | 40 minutes |
| Passive Time | 30 minutes |
| Servings |
people
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Ingredients
- 3 peaches
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar (or sugar)
- 250 g berries (raspberries, strawberries, blackberries)...)
- 200 ml heavy whipping cream ( 35%) very cold
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1/2 l vanilla ice cream
- Some dark chocolate
- Some sliced almonds
Ingredients
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 390 degrees F. Line one baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut the peaches in half, and remove the stones. Place the peach halves on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with brown sugar.
- Bake in the oven about 35 minutes until the peaches are tender. Remove from the oven, let them cool down completely, then carefully peel the skin.
- Rinse and drain fresh berries and puree them until smooth. Pass the puree through a fine sieve to remove all tiny seeds.
- Whip the heavy cream with the sugar until fluffy. Don't over beat.
- In each glass, put one half of peach and one ball of vanilla ice cream.
- Pour 2 tablespoons of berries puree.
- Add the whipped cream and finish with chocolate crumbs and sliced almonds. Serve right away.
This post was posted in Desserts
Green Tomatoes Jam
Don’t know what to do with the left-over green tomatoes from your summer harvest? Jam, of course! This recipe is extremely easy. Try it for breakfast, on top of bread, or as an appetizer with some cheese.
| Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Cook Time | 35 minutes |
| Passive Time | 10 hours |
| Servings |
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Ingredients
- 1 kg green tomatoes
- 3/4 inch ginger (optional)
- 2 lemons
- 650 g sugar
Ingredients
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Instructions
- Cut the tomatoes into wedges. Peel and grate the ginger, and press the lemon.
- In a pot, combine the tomatoes, sugar, ginger, and lemon juice. Cover and let sit all night.
- The next day, remove the cover and bring to a boil. Then, reduce the heat and simmer for about 35 minutes, stirring frequently. Skim if needed. The cooking time depends of how much water is in the tomatoes. Don't over cook. When the jam is cooled down, it will be less liquid.
- Pour the jam into a clean jar and cover it with its lid.
This post was posted in Desserts
Cabbage and Carrot Slaw
This cabbage and carrot slaw is simple, healthy and nutritious. It is super easy to make and requires only a few ingredients. A perfect side dish to literally anything.
| Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Servings |
servings
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Ingredients
- 1 medium-sized cabbage head
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 carrots
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 4-5 Tbsp 5% white vinegar
- 4-5 Tbsp olive oil
- fresh herbs (dill, parsley, green onion)
Ingredients
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Instructions
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Cut the cabbage in half and peel of a few of the thin outer layers. Cut each half into quarters, then cut out the tough core in the middle. Slice each quarter crosswise into thin shreds. Add salt and squeeze the shredded cabbage with your hands.
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Peel the carrots and shred them.
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Transfer the shredded carrots and cabbage into the mixing bowl. Add sugar, white vinegar and olive oil. Gently toss everything together. Taste and add some more salt if needed. Garnish with fresh herbs before serving.
This post was posted in Salads