Duchess potatoes (Pommes de terre duchesse) are a French classic recipe made from mashed potatoes with butter and egg yolks. Using a pastry bag, mashed potatoes are formed into roses and baked in the oven until golden brown.
The dish looks very elegant and is served as a side dish for meat, fish or vegetables.
Duchess Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg potatoes
- 200 g butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
- A little (on the tip of a knife) grated nutmeg (optional)
- 4 egg yolks
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes, cut into pieces and boil in salted water. Once the potatoes are cooked (pierce the potatoes with a knife or fork to check), immediately drain the water.
- Mash hot potatoes into a puree, adding butter. Salt, pepper and add nutmeg.
- Add egg yolks and mix very well. Puree should be soft and without lumps.
- Preheat oven to 200C. Line a baking sheet with baking paper or a silicone mat.
- Transfer the puree to a pastry bag fitted with a star tip and pipe the roses of the desired size onto a baking sheet.
- Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, for about 10 minutes.
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!
Easy Apple Cake
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)
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 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.
Tomato Tart
Who said that tarts are only for dessert? Fill a square of puff pastry with colorful mosaic of tomatoes, cheese, Dijon mustard, herbs de Provence. Then surprise your friends or family with this savory piece of artwork.
Tomato Tart
Ingredients
- 1 sheet all butter puff pastry
- 1-2 Tblsp Dijion mustard
- 5-6 tomatoes
- 30 g shreaded cheese (parmesan)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- herbs de provence (optional)
- couple basil leaf (optional)
Instructions
- Cut tomatoes into thin (0.5 cm) slices. Put them in a single layer on paper towel. Pat dry with paper towel.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. On the floured piece of parchment paper roll out the puff pastry and poke all over with a fork, to release the steam while baking.
- Evenly spread with dijon mustard.
- Arrange the tomatoes on top. Fold the edges of dough.
- Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with cheese and herbs.
- Bake on the bottom rack of the oven for about 25-30 minutes until the tomatoes are cooked through and the cheese is softening and colouring at the edges.
- Cut the tart into quarters, garnish with fresh basil and serve.
Puff Pastry Swirls With Smoked Salmon
What could be better with puff pastry than sour cream and smoked salmon? Kids and adults will really appreciate these savory small appetizers. The best part is, they are very simple to make. All it takes is spreading the filling onto the puff pastry, rolling it up, cutting it into rolls and bake.
Puff Pastry Swirls With Smoked Salmon
Ingredients
- 1 sheet all butter puff pastry
- 2 Tbsp sour cream
- A bit of dill fresh or dried
- ground black pepper to taste
- 200 g smoked salmon slices
Instructions
- Roll the puff pastry out with rolling pin into 1/2 inch thick square. Spread the sour cream on the top. Leave about 1cm around the edges. Sprinkle with tiny chopped dill.
- Arrange the smoked salmon evenly on top of the puff pastry sheet.
- Starting at one end, roll the pastry up as tightly as possible.
- Tightly cover with plastic wrap, and chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes. It will be much easier to cut cold roll.
- Preheat the oven to 380 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. With a very sharp knife, cut the roll into 1 cm slices.
- Remove the plastic wrap and transfer them to the baking sheet.
- Bake for about 15 -20 minutes until the “snails” are puffed and golden.
Hachis Parmentier
Hachis Parmentier is a delicious French casserole made with layers of mashed potatoes and ground beef.
The dish is named after Antoine Parmentier (1737-1813). He was a French pharmacist who made potatoes popular in Paris and northern France.
Hachis Parmentier
Ingrédients
- 1 kg large potatoes
- 100 g butter (50+30+20)
- 50 ml milk (heated)
- 1 large onion
- 1-2 cloves garlic
- 500 g ground beef
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 egg
- 30 g grated cheese
- Some seasonings or minced parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes and chop them into cubes. Boil in salted water until easily pricked with fork, about 20 minutes. Then drain water.
- Add 50 g of butter and mash. Add warmed milk and mash together to smooth consistency. Taste the puree, add more salt if needed.
- Peel and chop the onion and garlic.
- Melt 30 g of butter in a large pan and saute onion and garlic until soft.
- Add ground beef and cook until browned. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Take the pan off the fire and let cool down a little. Add a row egg.
- Process to finer texture by using a food processor, if desired.
- Preheat oven to 380F/190C. Grease baking dish.
- Add 1/2 of mashed potatoes in thin layer to the prepared dish. Then layer beef preparation on top of potatoes. You can also add your favorite seasonings at this point or some chopped parsley. (This time, I added paprika).
- Top with remaining potatoes. You can make some shapes on the top using the fork. Add remaining butter and dot on the potatoes. Sprinkle with grated cheese.
- Bake uncovered for about 25 minutes until the top is golden.
Golden Baked Мashed Potatoes
If you find yourself with more left over potatoes than you can deal with, this recipe is for you!
Golden Baked Мashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1,2 kg potatoes
- 90 g butter
- 100 ml heavy cream or milk (warm)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes. Chop the potatoes into cubes. Place them in a medium pot. Add salt to the water and cook for 15-20 minutes. When they are fork tender, strain the potatoes.
- Add butter and mash until smooth and creamy.
- Next, pour the warm heavy cream or milk. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Coat a baking dish with butter. Transfer potatoes to the prepared dish. You can make some shapes on the top.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Bake uncovered for about 15 minutes until the top is golden.
Lemon Shells Stuffed With Ice Cream
Refreshing chocolate and lemon treats, served in the natural lemon shells. If you wish to serve them in a la cafe gourmand style, use small lemons, surprise your friends.
Lemon Shells Stuffed With Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 6 lemons
- 1 (300 g) lemon sorbet
- 1 (300 g) chocolate ice cream
Instructions
- Cut off the top of the lemon. Hollow out each lemon by using a teaspoon. Remove juice and flesh, but be careful not to puncture the lemon skin.
- Spoon some lemon sorbet into shells and press firmly with teaspoon. Fill the rest of the lemon with chocolate ice cream.
- Place stuffed lemons in the freezer with the hats on top. You can serve this fancy dessert in as little as one hour, or when the lemon shells are completely frozen.
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.
Walnut and Almond Cake
If you like almonds and walnuts, you will love this savory cake. Crush up walnuts and use almond flour to make this easy, quick, and delicious dessert.
Walnut and Almond Cake
Ingredients
- 125 g walnuts
- 5 eggs
- 230 g sugar
- 125 g melted butter
- 125 g almond flour
- 80 g all purpose flour
- Some walnuts halves
- 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. (Keep few walnuts halves to decorate the cake.)
- Using a mixer beat the eggs with sugar.
- Add the butter. Mix.
- Add the walnuts and almond powder. Mix.
- Add the flour and mix last time.
- Pour the batter in the pan. Lay slices the walnuts halves on top of the cake.
- Bake for about 40 minutes or until а toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Once the cake cools off, then transfer to plate.
- Dust it with powdered sugar before serving.
Fresh whipped cream with blackberries
Treat yourself with this mini dessert that is perfect for any occasion. It takes minimum time to make and looks fabulous. Fruits can be fresh or frozen, don’t worry : it will taste the same. This fresh whipped cream with blackberries will be perfect with a cafe gourmand!
Fresh whipped cream with blackberries
Ingredients
- 1 cup blackberries
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream very cold
- 2 tsp granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp cocoa powder
Instructions
- Whip heavy cream fluffy, until soft peaks form, but not too firm.
- Equally divide washed fruits into prepared glasses. Using the piping bag or small spoon, equally spread the cream into the glasses. Refrigerate if not serving it immediately.
- Before serving, dust it with cacao powder.