Vol au Vents, although originally from France, are widely used in Italy and even though they were probably more in fashion a few years ago, they are still often found on buffet tables and finger food dinners. I really like them. There is nothing better than biting into a crispy and flaky shell of puff…
Passion fruit Béarnaise Sauce
This month, the Daring Cooks got a little saucy! Jenni from the Gingered Whisk taught us the basics of how to make the five mother-sauces and encouraged us to get creative with them, creating a wide variety of delicious, fresh sauces in our very own kitchens. I was really thrilled by this challenge! I make some sauces…
Poire Belle Helene
Pears and chocolate make a dream-worthy duo in this Poire belle Hélène. Warm poached pears sink into smooth chocolate sauce, creating a spoon-ready dessert that feels sweet and hard to resist.
Salted Caramel Gelato #SundaySupper
This week the Sunday Supper team is sharing recipes for food that is served cold… as the majority of the group is based in the Northern hemisphere and it is a hot summer up there at the moment. It has actually been quite cold down here lately. I do not mind it one bit though, as…
Smoked Salmon Mille-Feuille
A little while ago I have shown you how to make puff pastry at home and how to make a beautiful Mille-feuille with it. So, you should already have a recipe for the classic vanilla custard flavoured Mille-feuille. Today I want to share with you a savoury recipe. You could say it is my take on a…
Verrine Fraicheur
Today’s dish is a very quick recipe. Going through my Visual Archive, I have realised that I do not have many breakfast recipes on the blog. I guess the main reason is because Italians are not big on breakfast. In fact, we mostly have coffee (or cappuccino) and a croissant or cookies. I personally just…
Ficelle Picarde
Ficelle Picarde wraps mushrooms, ham, and creamy béchamel inside soft crêpes, then bakes everything until the top turns golden and irresistible for a comforting family dinner.
Home-made Aioli
Mmmmm aioli! I love it. It’s a condiment that gained a lot of popularity in recent years, but for the few who still don’t know what it is, aioli (also known as alioli or allioli) is basically a garlic flavoured mayonnaise traditionally made in some areas of France and Spain. Having grown up in Europe, I…
Lime and Coconut Madeleines
Recently I went to a houseware shop, just to look around. But you already guessed it. How can I just “look around” in a shop full (and I mean FULL) of kitchen utensils, gadgets, props of all kinds? In the end, I did buy a few things and among these was a madeleine pan. I…
Orchid and Matcha Macarons
I know I already have a few macarons recipes on the blog like my Salted Caramel Macarons and my Lavender and Jasmine Macarons, but I haven’t shared a new one in a while. Today’s flavour combination is yet another winner: orchid and matcha! Yum! Don’t these macarons sound exotic? They really are. I am sure you…
Mille-Feuille
Light pastry, smooth cream, and a sweet finish make this Mille-Feuille a dessert you’ll want to save for any gathering. Bake it today and serve it with fresh fruit or coffee.
Home-made Puff Pastry
I am very excited about today’s recipe, as I will be showing you how to make puff pastry from scratch! For a while I have been debating whether or not to publish it on a separate post or just add it to my Techniques page where I share other basic dough recipes. The reason is that,…
Olive and Walnut Mini Madeleines
Today I want to share with you the recipe for a great appetiser: mini savoury madeleines made with walnuts and olives. I saw these in an Italian food magazine and I just HAD to make them. Actually, I made these for Christmas and served them as one of our appetisers, with blue cheese and honey. …
Peach Melba
Smooth Peach Melba with bright raspberry scent and cool peaches brings freshness after dinner, combining sweetness and lightness in every spoonful. Happy Australia Day to all my fellow Aussies! In honour of our national holiday, I thought I’d share something sweet and light, Peach Melba. It’s late summer here, and school is about to start…
PAIN AUX RAISINS
Remember that a few months ago I shared with you the recipe of how to make the perfect French Croissants? Well, today I am back with another French breakfast classic: Pain aux Raisins. During my frequent Parisian visits as a child, I would always have pain au chocolat for my breakfast, while my parents would…
PROSCIUTTO AND PARMIGIANO REGGIANO GOUGÈRES
I made these Gougères for my daughter’s birthday party and my husband said they were amazing. I really liked them too and I also liked the fact that they can be made in advance and frozen… I am always on the lookout for these kind of recipes when planning parties and get-togethers. I am not very…
CROISSANTS
In a “celebration” of past Daring Cooks and Daring Bakers challenges, Lisa challenged all of us to search through the Daring Kitchen archives and pick any one we’d like! The REAL challenge was picking which delicious recipe(s) to try! I must confess I was out-of-this-world-happy with this month’s challenge. And so much so as it…
Firi Firi (Tahitian Doughnut)
A warm batch of Firi Firi brings all the island brunch vibes you need today. Soft, golden, lightly sweet, great with tropical jams or fresh fruit.
OMELETTE TAHITIENNE
I am sure you remember that last Christmas my husband got me The Complete Bocuse as a present. It is a huge book full of recipes by Paul Bocuse which I am going to dig into. There are so many dishes I want to try, even more after making his Sole Meunière! It is one…
CHERRY CLAFOUTIS
Not too long ago I shared my recipe for Far Breton, a baked custard-like French dessert. I remember saying that it was quite similar to clafoutis, another classic French dessert… so here goes my Cherry Clafoutis recipe, so you can make them both and compare them, if you wish! 🙂 I like them both equally. …
SOLE MEUNIÈRE
Maybe not everyone knows this, but there is quite a bit of “rivalry” between Italy and France. We call them “our transalpine cousins”, but the truth is there is a lot of competition going on… and not only about soccer! Who has the best wine? Or cheese? Which cuisine is best? French people will tell…
Far Breton
Creamy, fruity, and surprisingly simple to make, this Far Breton brings a soft custard texture with tender prunes, perfect for anyone who enjoys traditional French bakes at home.
Chicken Ballotine
A good roast doesn’t need to be complicated. This Chicken Ballotine is filled with sausage, prosciutto, and pistachios, bringing warmth and comfort to any meal.
LAVENDER AND JASMINE MACARONS
I have a few macarons recipes on the blog and I like them all, but to tell you the truth, today’s flavour combination is my new all time favourite. Yes, I like these even more than my Salted Caramel Macarons and my Mango and Passion fruit Macarons! I made these a little while ago to take…
HOME-MADE CHÈVRE
Sawsan from Chef in Disguise was our March 2013 Daring Cooks hostess! Sawsan challenges us to make our own homemade cheeses! She gave us a variety of choices to make, all of them easily accomplished and delicious! Yessss, you read that right: one of my best blogger friends was this month’s Daring Cooks hostess! I was…
Dulce de Leche Macarons
Light, chewy, and filled with soft caramel, Dulce de Leche Macarons are a joy to bake and even better to share with someone who loves sweet things.
TRUFFLE HONEY & VANILLA CRÈME BRÛLÉE
A little while ago, my husband and I went out to have dinner at a delightful restaurant called Chophouse. We ate really well and I was particularly impressed by their Wagyu Tartare with truffle aioli, pear, pine nuts & white soy dressing and by their Wagyu Striploin with harissa… divine! Also, I was pleasantly surprised…
