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

Natalija
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 8 servings

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.
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Walnut Cake with Plums

You will love this walnut cake with plums.

“All prunes are plums, but not all plums are prunes. When dried, plums are called prunes, but the prune fruit comes from a different type of plant than plums.”

Whatever you call them, they’re the best combination with walnuts! 🙂

Walnut Cake with Plums

Natalija
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 240 g softened butter
  • 200 g granulated sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 200 g sifted flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 160 g ground walnuts
  • 6-12 pieces pitted dried plums (cut into 2-4pieces)
  • 8-10 halves walnuts

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 380 degrees F. Generously butter a skillet.
  • In a medium bowl combine butter and sugar together and beat until creamy.
  • Add eggs, flour, baking powder and mix until the batter is smooth. Add ground walnuts and mix.
  • Scrape the batter into the skillet and smooth the top with spoon. Lay slices of plums and walnuts halves on top of your cake.
  • Bake for 40-45 minutes. (Check often last 5-10 minutes).
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Buckwheat Crepes

The “Galettes de Sarrasin” – traditional french buckwheat crepes that can be served with savory filling: ham & cheese (Galette Jambon Fromage), veggies, eggs, mushrooms, salmon…  The filling option is endless. My Breton husband loves them so much, he eats them plain with butter or with jam.

This recipe is gluten free!

Французские блины из гречневой муки

Buckwheat Crepes

Natalija
One of the most common tips you’re likely to encounter for this buckwheat pancakes is to let the batter rest for at least 2 hours. If overnight, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 25 minutes
Servings 12 crepes

Ingredients
  

  • 250 g buckwheat flour sifted
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 350 ml milk
  • 350 ml water
  • 2 eggs
  • 50 g melted butter
  • butter for cooking

Instructions
 

  • Combine buckwheat flour with salt, milk and water together.
  • Add eggs.
  • Add melted butter and whisk until smooth.
  • Cover with plastic and and let rest for 2 hours.
  • Heat a lightly buttered nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add 1/4 cupful batter to skillet and immediately tilt to cover the bottom of the pan. Cook until edges start to dry and center is set, for about 30 seconds, lift with spatula and cook the other side for couple more seconds, move them to the cutting board.
  • Always keep your eyes on the pan.
  • Brush each crepe with butter and serve while they are still hot.
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Whole Roast Duck With Apple and Cranberry Stuffing

Impress your holiday guests this year with crisp, delicious and full of juices roasted duck. This recipe is very simple and easy to make. The best way to serve it is with mashed potatoes.

Canard farci aux pommes et aux airelles

Whole Roast Duck With Apples And Cranberry Stuffing

Natalija
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Resting time 10 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 (2 kg, or more) duck
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 20 g butter (or 2 Tbsp olive oil)
  • 1 onion
  • 2 sticks celery
  • 2 apples Granny Smith
  • 1 cup fresh cranberries
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil

Instructions
 

  • Wash and pat dry duck with paper towels. Season inside and outside with salt and pepper.
  • Peel and finely chop the onion.
  • Cut celery into thin slices.
  • Peel, core and cut apples into small cubes.
  • Heat olive oil or butter in a frying pan. Add onion and celery and sauté for 3-4 minutes until golden. Season with some salt and pepper.
  • Add apples and cranberries. Remove from the heat.
  • Add bread crumbs and mix well.
  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Stuff duck with prepared stuffing. Secure skin underneath with skewer or toothpicks.
  • Rub the skin with olive oil and place it into the roasting pan with the breast side down. Roast for one hour.
  • Baste all over every 15-20 minutes with juices from the bottom of the pan.
  • Flip the duck over and continue to roast for another 20-30 minutes. Cover wings and legs with foil if it gets too brown.
  • The duck is done if the juices run clear when a skewer is inserted in the thickest part of the leg. Remove from the oven and cover the duck with aluminum foil for at least 10 minutes.
    Canard farci aux pommes et aux airelles
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Prosciutto Rolls Ups with Boursin™

A quick and simple appetizer recipe to accompany your aperitif drink. Your guests will love these Italian Prosciutto Ham rolls ups with Boursin™ Cheese. Add more or less cheese, depending on your taste. Or, cut the rolls in half if you want smaller portions.

Jambon Prosciutto au Boursin™

Prosciutto Rolls Ups with Boursin™

Natalija
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 12 pieces

Ingredients
  

  • 12 slices Prosciutto ham
  • 150 g Boursin™ (or any fresh cheese with herbs)

Instructions
 

  • Spread the Boursin™ on about half of each slice of ham.
    Jambon Prosciutto au Boursin™
  • Roll up the slice.
  • Put on a nice dish and serve.
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Pumpkin Soup

French recipe for a silky and smooth Pumpkin Soup with two main ingredients. Healthy, colorful, and easy to make. If you have a blender, you have to try this recipe as soon as pumpkins are in season.

To impress your guests, serve this soup in individual pumpkins.

Pumpkin Soup

Natalija
This soup is delicious and silky even without any cream. I add very little, just to make it look beautiful.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 2 leeks (white part only)
  • 1 medium pie pumpkin or sugar pumpkin (about 1.5 kg)
  • 4 Tbsp olive oil
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Some heavy whipping cream or sour cream (optional)
  • Some fresh herbs (cilantro, green onion, parsley) to garnish

Instructions
 

  • Wash and chop the leeks.
  • Wash the pumpkin and cut it in half horizontally. Scrape the inside of the pumpkin clean with the spoon or ice cream scoop (you can use the seeds for another recipe).
  • Peel and cut into regular cubes.
  • In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Cook and stir leeks until they are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
  • Add pumpkin cubes and cook for 5-7 more minutes. Stir occasionally.
  • Transfer the veggies into a large pot. Add just enough water to cover them, and bring to a boil. Add salt and pepper. Simmer about 15 minutes until the pumpkin is cooked.
  • Puree the soup with an immersion blender or in a food processor. Add a little more boiling water if the soup is too thick. Taste for flavor, and feel free to add more salt or pepper.
  • Serve hot, with sour or heavy whipping cream and fresh herbs.

For a special presentation:

  • Cut off the top of a small pumpkin and scrape the inside.
  • Before adding the soup, heat the pumpkin for few minutes in the oven, then add the hot soup and serve immediately.
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Roasted Pumpkin Wedges

Roasted pumpkin wedges are a simple and healthy dish that pairs well with fish and meat. This recipe is easy as pie and requires just basic ingredients like pumpkin, salt, pepper, garlic, olive oil and some fresh herbs.

Roasted Pumpkin Wedges

Natalija
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 4 wedges of a big pumpkin
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • salt and black pepper
  • Some olive oil
  • Some fresh herbs (parsley, cilantro or scallions)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 390F (200С). Line your baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
  • Wash the pumpkin thoroughly, cut into two parts and remove seeds with a spoon.
  • Cut the pumpkin into wedges. Keep in mind that this kind of pumpkin doesn’t need to be peeled. Season the wedges with salt and pepper. Next, mince or grate finely some garlic. Coat the wedges with a mixture of olive oil and garlic.
  • Place the wedges on the baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes (depending on the kind of pumpkin and wedges size). When the wedges are soft, remove from the oven. Make sure they are not overdone.
  • Sprinkle the roasted pumpkin wedges with fresh herbs and they’re ready to be served!
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Profiteroles With Vanilla Ice Cream And Chocolate Sauce

Profiteroles – French cream puffs filled with vanilla ice cream and topped with chocolate sauce. Chocolate sauce on this profiteroles is the “live jazz”. Don’t let the long recipe scare you, it is very easy and worth all the time involved. It is a great dessert you can impress your family and friends with. 

Profiteroles With Vanilla Ice Cream And Chocolate Sauce

Natalija
For chocolate lovers, use chocolate ice cream instead of vanilla.
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings 50 mini puffs

Ingredients
  

Dough

  • 200 ml water
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 100 g butter
  • 120 g sifted flour
  • 3-4 eggs

Filling

  • 800 g chocolate or vanilla ice cream

Chocolate sauce

  • 250 ml milk or heavy cream
  • 300 g dark chocolate (60% cacao)

Instructions
 

The dough

  • Preheat oven to 390 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • In a medium pot, add water, butter and salt. Bring to a boil and remove from the heat.
  • Add sifted flour and mix well.
  • Mix until the dough comes away from the walls and forms into a ball.
  • Add the eggs, one by one and mix well. (If the eggs are large, use only 3 eggs.)
  • The dough should become smooth and shiny. Return saucepan back on the heat and keep mixing for about 30-50 seconds, to dry out the moisture. Remove from the heat.
  • Transfer the dough to a piping bag to pipe specific shapes (size of the walnut is the best). Space the puffs slightly apart on the baking sheet, because the dough will rise.
  • Bake for about 20 minutes or until the puffs are puffed and golden brown in color. Do not open the oven while baking. Remove from the oven, let it cool completely and carefully transfer to a flat surface.

Filling

  • Cut puffs in half. Place one small scoop of ice cream ball on the bottom of each puff.
  • Replace the top. As soon as you done, place them in the freezer, until they are ready to be served.

Chocolate souce

  • In a small, saucepan bring milk to boil, remove from the heat and pour the liquid over the chocolate. Allow it to sit for 1 minute.
  • Mix it until the mixture is smooth.
  • Remove the profiteroles from the freezer. Arrange 3 puffs per plate. Drizzle each serving with chocolate sauce and Voilà! 😉 Bon appetite.
    Profiterole
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Italian bell pepper salad

Another delicious recipe from the cookbook “Delices d’Italie” by Loukie Werle.

Salade de poivrons à l'italienne

Italian bell pepper salad

Natalija
A delicious salad, found in an Italian cookbook (Délices d'Italie by Loukie Werle).
A recipe that will please everyone, vegetarian or not. The peppers are roasted under the grill and then mixed with a tomato. An appetizer that is best eaten cold, so it can be prepared ahead of time.
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Refroidir 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings 6 people

Ingredients
  

  • 4 large bell peppers (of different colors)
  • 1-2 tomatoes
  • 1-2 cloves garlic
  • 1 handful of basil leaves chiseled
  • 1 handful of mint leaves chiseled
  • 1 Tbsp capers (rinsed)
  • Salt and fresh pepper
  • 4 Tbsp olive oil

Instructions
 

  • Preheat grill.
  • Cut peppers in half lengthwise, remove seeds and membranes.
    Place peppers on a broiler rack, skin side up
  • Roast until the skin is blackened. Remove the peppers from the oven and put them in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and leave for about 20 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, cut the tomatoes into small cubes.
  • Chop the garlic cloves. Chop the basil and mint leaves
  • Remove the skin from the peppers and cut them into strips
  • Put all the chopped ingredients in a serving bowl. Add the capers. Season with salt and pepper then drizzle with olive oil.
  • Cover with plastic wrap and let stand for about one hour before serving.
    Salade de poivrons à l'italienne
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Quick Almond Cake

This is very unique recipe. All you have to do is whisk all the ingredients together in the mixer bowl for 1-2 minutes, bake for 30 minutes and voilà, you can enjoy the cake with your favorite cup of tea.

Быстрый миндальный пирог

Quick Almond Cake

Natalija
You can use any cake pan you like or have. My favorite one is loaf pan, and I usually make it without the almonds on top. Easy to cut and easy to pack for lunch or picnic.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 190 g sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 100 g unsalted butter softened
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 100 g almond flour
  • 60 g all purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 Tbsp sliced almonds (optional)
  • 1 tsp confectioner’s sugar (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 380 degrees F. Grease a cake pan.
  • In a medium bowl whisk all the ingredients together until combined.
  • Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan. You can sprinkle with almonds if desire.
  • Bake in the oven for about 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
  • Remove your cake from the oven and allow it to cool. Transfer to a plater. Dust it with powdered sugar before serving.
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