A very easy tart to prepare made from ready-made puff pastry, tomatoes and Boursin™ cream cheese.
This French pie can be of any shape and any size, depending on what kind of dough you have on hand. I don’t even make sides so there is less dough and more filling. But this is not for everyone: if you like golden puff pastry, fold 1 centimeter of the edges inward and brush them with egg.
Tomato and Boursin™ Puff Pastry Tart
Ingredients
- 1 sheet all butter puff pastry
- 1 egg
- 4-5 tomatoes slices
- 100 g Fresh cream cheese (ex. Boursin™)
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Few basil leaves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (thermostat 6).
- Spread the dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Prick it with a fork.
- Brush the entire surface with the egg wash.
- Place the tomato slices.
- Press paper towel over the tomatoes to remove liquid excess.
- Place a small piece of cheese on each tomato slice. Pepper.
- Bake for about 25 minutes until the dough is cooked through.
Almond Shortcrust Pastry
Almond shortcrust pastry is very easy to make, keeps well and is suitable for biscuits or tart bases.
Almond Shortcrust Pastry
Ingredients
- 120 g softened butter
- 75 g powdered sugar
- 30 g almond flour
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 tsp liquid vanilla (1 packet of vanilla sugar or 1 vanilla pod)
- 1 egg (beat a little with a fork)
- 200 g flour
Instructions
- Place butter, powdered sugar, almond flour, salt, vanilla, egg and flour in a mixer bowl.
- Using a paddle attachment (sheet), mix the ingredients at low speed until smooth. Be careful: do not mix the dough for too long.
- Form the dough into a ball.
- For convenience, flatten a little, wrap in cling film and put in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. After an hour (or even better the next day), you can start making the pie.
- This dough keeps well frozen, so I always make a double batch, dividing it into 2 parts: I cook one part right away, and the other one stays in the freezer until the right time.
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.
Easy poached pears with chocolate
Ingredients
- 4 pears
- 750 ml water
- 3 Tbsp sugar
- 1 vanilla bean cut in half longwise
- 50 g dark chocolate
- Some Fresh mint
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.
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.
Green Tomatoes Jam
Ingredients
- 1 kg green tomatoes
- 3/4 inch ginger (optional)
- 2 lemons
- 650 g sugar
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.
Green Asparagus with Balsamic Vinegar
Green asparagus with balsamic vinegar is always delicious! Asparagus can be steamed, baked, pan-fried, or grilled. In this recipe, I’ve chosen the simplest method that requires minimal equipment—just a saucepan. A very light sauce with balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
Enjoy asparagus as a starter or as a side dish for meat, fish, or eggs…
Green Asparagus with Balsamic Vinegar
Ingredients
- 1 bunch green asparagus
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Peel the asparagus using a vegetable peeler and cut off the tough ends of the stalks.
- In a large saucepan, bring salted water to a boil and add the asparagus. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, depending on their thickness.
- Meanwhile, mix the balsamic vinegar and olive oil in a small bowl.
- Check the asparagus for doneness with the tip of a knife. When they are cooked to your liking, plunge them into ice water to stop the cooking, then drain them.
- Place the asparagus on a serving dish, season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with the sauce.
French Chocolate Mousse
Only 2 ingredients are needed to prepare this delicious French chocolate mousse. No dairy products and no sugar added; all you need is dark chocolate and eggs. So simple and so tasty! The only downside is that you should allocate about 4 hours to chill the mousse before serving.
In small individual glasses, the chocolate mousse will be perfect for a cafe gourmand!
French Chocolate Mousse
Ingredients
- 200 g dark or milk chocolate chips or break chocolate into small pieces
- 6 fresh eggs (at room temperature)
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Melt chocolate in a microwave (or use a double boiler) until the chocolate is completely melted. If you use a microwave: put the chocolate in a large microwave-safe bowl, microwave for 25 seconds, then stir. Microwave for 25 more seconds and stir again. Continue microwaving and stirring until the chocolate is liquid, smooth, and shiny.
- Separate egg yolks from the egg whites. Add egg yolks in melted chocolate and mix well.
- Whisk egg whites with salt until stiff.
- Carefully fold the egg whites into chocolate using a spatula.
- You should have a smooth and fluffy mousse.
- Divide the mousse among individual glasses. Refrigerate your dessert for 4-6 hours.
Ratatouille
My version of ratatouille that you can prepare in any season as a main dish or side dish.
Zucchini, eggplant and sweet peppers have different cooking times. This is why they must be cooked separately. First, brown each vegetable on its own in a pan with a drizzle of olive oil.
Then, when all the vegetables are ready, we bring them together and then let them simmer over low heat so that the flavors mix.
Ratatouille
Ingredients
- 1 large onion peeled
- 4-5 cloves garlic peeled
- 1-2 eggplants
- 2 green zucchinis
- 3 tomatoes
- 2-3 sweet peppers (various colors)
- 7-8 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon herbes de Provence
- 3 bay leaves
Instructions
- Dice the zucchinis into small cubes.
- Dice the eggplants into small cubes.
- Cut the peppers in half, remove the seeds, then dice into small cubes.
- Dice the onion into small cubes.
- Mince the garlic cloves.
- Remove the seeds from the tomatoes and dice them into small cubes.
- Heat a little olive oil in a skillet and sauté the onions. Add the garlic and continue cooking for a few more minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the skillet from the heat.
- Separately, sauté the sweet peppers in a little olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
- Separately, sauté the zucchinis in a little olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.Then, in the same way, sauté the eggplants. Season with salt and pepper.
- Combine all the sautéed vegetables in a large skillet. Add the diced tomatoes and gently mix. Sprinkle with Herbes de Provence and add the bay leaves. Optionally, add a few extra garlic cloves.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Cover with a lid and let it simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
- Serve hot or cold, garnished with freshly chopped herbs.
Nutrition
Chocolate pear tart
Incredibly delicious tart from my favorite chef Philippe (Meilleur du chef). This chocolate pear tart is a little long to prepare, but without a doubt, worth it!
At the request of friends, my translation from French with slight deviations from the original recipe.
if you like it, please try my other desserts.
Chocolate pear tart
Ingredients
Almond Shortcrust Pastry
- 200 g flour
- 120 g softened butter
- 75 g powdered sugar
- 30 g almond flour
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tsp liquid vanilla (or 1 packet of vanilla sugar or 1 vanilla pod)
Almond Cream
- 50 g almond flour
- A dash lemon juice
- 45 g sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 egg whiltes
- 3-4 ripe pears
Chocolate Ganache
- 150 ml heavy cream (35%)
- 210 g chocolate chips 60 % cocoa
- 50 g grated dark chocolate
Instructions
Almond Shortcrust Pastry
- Sift the flour and powdered sugar into a bowl or onto a work surface. Add almond flour and butter cubes. Rub with your hands until it becomes crumbly.
- Add the egg and liquid vanilla. Mix everything quickly. Once it forms into a ball, the dough is ready.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F). Roll out the dough thinly between parchment paper or plastic wrap.
- Transfer the dough to a tart pan, pressing it against the bottom and sides. Trim off any excess dough. (In the example, a baking ring is used.)
- Poke the entire surface with a fork.
- Bake in the oven for 15–20 minutes until golden. Remove and cool.
Almond Cream
- Mix sugar with egg yolks. Add lemon juice and almond flour.
- Beat the egg whites into stiff peaks.
- Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the almond mixture.
- Peel the pears, cut them in half, and remove the cores. Slice them very thinly.
- Spread the almond-egg mixture evenly over the cooled tart crust. Arrange the pear slices decoratively on top.
- Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes. Remove the tart from the oven and let it cool.
Chocolate Ganache
- Carefully remove the tart from the pan. Cut a long strip of parchment paper about 5 cm wide. Wrap it around the tart and secure it with tape.
- Heat the cream to a boil and pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for 1–2 minutes.
- Stir until smooth to create a thick ganache.
- Pour the ganache over the tart and smooth the surface.
- Sprinkle with grated chocolate.
- Let it set at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Once the ganache is firm, remove the parchment strip.
King Cake (Galette des Rois)
This King Cake (Galette des Rois) is a very popular French pie. It celebrates the holiday of Epiphany, the day when 3 wise men came bearing gifts for newborn Jesus. The traditional way to bake this king cake is to place a porcelain figurine, a charm or “fève” into the center of the galette. The person who receives the slice with the charm is “King of the Day”. The lucky winner gets to wear a (paper) crown for the rest of the day!
King Cake (Galette des Rois)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (100 g) softened butter
- 1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup (100 g) almond flour
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract (optional)
- 1 Tbsp rum (optional)
- 2 sheets ready-to-use puff pastry ( Puff Pastry Sheets)
- 1 egg yolk
Instructions
- Beat the softened butter and sugar together, then beat in the eggs. Stir in the almond powder. Add vanilla, rum and set it aside.
- Roll out one sheet of puff pastry. Poke holes with fork.
- Spread the almond filling over the center of the dough, leaving a 1 inch (1.2 cm) exposed border. If you wish, place a little porcelain figurine “fève” somewhere in the almond filling.
- Brush the edges of the pastry with water and cover with another circle of dough on top and press down to seal the edges.
- Brush with beaten yolk then use a paring knife to create a design on top of your galette, Poke 8-10 holes in the top, to allow steam to escape while baking.
- Place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 380 degrees F. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. (Bake on the bottom rack of the oven).
Black olive dip
Provençal recipe, this black olive dip is a tapenade without anchovies nor capers. This black olive paste is ready in just a few minutes, served with fresh bread, toast, or pita bread.
Black olive dip
Ingredients
- 180 g black olives (picholine ou kalamata) pitted
- 1 clove orgarlic épluchées et coupées en 4
- 1 bunch fresh basil leaves
- 1/2 lemon (juice only)
- 4 Tbsps olive oil
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Separate the basil leaves from the sprigs. Peel the garlic clove and cut into 3-4 parts.
- Place olives, garlic and basil leaves in a food processor bowl. Add lemon juice and olive oil.
- Pulse 2-3 times for a few seconds.The olivada should have a slightly grainy texture.
- Season to taste and serve with your favorite bread.
Nutrition