Tag Archives: recipe

Decadent chocolate cake

Posted on March 4, 2015 | 5 comments

If you think i am exaggerating when i say this is the best basic recipe for a chocolate cake, try it and prove me wrong! I am sure you will be checking this recipe over and over and over….

If you remember my spectacular chocolate cake with red fruits i did a year go, you will find that this is the same recipe of the chocolate cake, but this one with nutella butter frosting.

Trust me with or without frosting, ganache or fruits, it’s a staple chocolate cake for all the occasions and times.

To bake the cake you need:

2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup, unsweetened cocoa powder
11/2 tsps baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 1/2 tbsps instant coffee powder
1 cup hot water
2 large eggs

Preheat oven on 180ºC. In a large bowl, sieve the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the sugar and mix well with the dry ingredients.

Make a well in the center and add the milk, oil, vanilla essence and eggs then mix. Finally add the hot coffee melted in the cup of hot water.

Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 40 mins or until a skewer comes out clean. Start checking from 35 mins onwards.

I should mention that my little baker helped me to prepare this cake!

For the frosting you need:

200g nutella
200g butter
1 cup icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 pinch of salt
1 tsp granulated sugar

Beat the butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the icing sugar, then vanilla and pinch of salt and mix until combined.

Add nutella and beat until fluffy. When ready to use stir in the granulated sugar without over mixing, it will give you a light crunchiness effect later when savoring the cake.

I used 1M Wilton tip to create the swirls, and decorated it with some cherries. You can replace the cherry with strawberry or chocolate sprinkles if you want.

I put it couple of hours in the fridge before serving. But guess what?! the next day was even better!

By the way, this was my birthday cake (last week) but i didn’t find the urge to post it, I was enjoying reading and over reading, everyday and many times for the whole week, the surprise post my husband did.

Again thank you babes for the beautiful unexpected surprise! Love xx

5 Comments

Posted in dessert, special occasions

Tagged 1M tip, birthday, birthday cake, cake, chocolate, chocolate cake, cocoa powder, decadent, frosting, granulated sugar, how to do, jaymmy, marmite et ponpon, nutella, recipe, wilton

Romano and pineapple salad

Posted on February 19, 2015 | 1 comment

I heart salads! It’s my staple option at any time of the day. Salads are so versatile, catering to all tastes and satisfying the cravings.

I believe there is no single ingredient from the food pyramid you can’t stir in. Personally i like adding fruits and nuts.

For this fool proof salad you need (yield 2-3 portions):

mix green leaf (arugula, red oak, green oak and frisé), 200g
handful walnut
shaved aged romano cheese, about 50 g
3-4 slices fresh pineapple

You can use any type of green leaf of your choice. If you’re not fan of the sharp and piquant flavor of aged romano cheese, you can replace it with parmesan and it can still do the balance with the pineapple.

For the dressing you need:

3 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tbsp orange juice
1 tsp brown sugar

Isn’t so inviting? Indulge in this healthy and succulent dish and do not hesitate to unleash your creativity to come up with your own signature salad.

1 Comment

Posted in appetizers & salads

Tagged blog, blogger, brown sugar, dressing, green leaf, green leaves, how to do, jaymmy, lemon, marmite et ponpon, mayonnaise, orange, pineapple, recipe, romano cheese, salad, walnut

Pear cannelle puff pastry tart

Posted on February 5, 2015 | 3 comments

It’s not so hard to live a delicious life. Not all seductive deserts need a lot of efforts, skills, ingredients or money. This impressive tart is served on your table in less than 20 minutes and cost me only 5$

This is my favorite desert, every time we dine at Paul, there is a small place reserved in my stomach for a pear cannelle tart. I am not a sweet lover, but this tart is exactly what i fancy; balanced flavors and not too much sweet. I decided to make it myself at home, the result was too much to resist!

For this quick and easy desert you need:

1 sheet of puff pastry (to fit a pan of 22cm)
3 pears sliced
2 tbsp or almost 30g butter melted
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp granulated sugar

Preheat oven on 180ºC. Lay the puff pastry sheet in the pan and torn the edges.

Combine the butter, brown sugar, vanilla extract and cinnamon, mixing well. Using a pastry brush, generously brush the top of the puff pastry.

Layer the pear slices on top of the puff pastry covering all the surface. Brush the top of the pears with the remaining butter mixture, and sprinkle with the granulated sugar.

Bake for 15 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.

Trust me your house will be full of aroma, so tempting to abstain yourself from. I was thinking how to resist having my first piece until i take pictures for the post.

This is my piece

this is 10 seconds later

And this is my second one 🙂 Try it warm or cold at any time of the day!

3 Comments

Posted in dessert

Tagged blog, brown sugar, cannelle, cinnamon, how to do, jaymmy, marmite et ponpon, pear, puff pastry, recipe, tart, vanilla extract

Savory spinach feta cheese quiche and a must have crust recipe (pâte brisée)

Posted on January 29, 2015 | 7 comments

Pâte brisée is a rich buttery and crumbly texture crust made with just 5 ingredients; Butter, flour, salt, sugar and ice water. The high ratio of butter to flour gives the pastry its crumbly texture. This dough is ideal for savory pies, tarts and quiches. It can be made by hand or food processor, but the most important is to not over or under work the dough beside using cold butter and cold water.

2 1/2 cup all purpose flour
220g high quality unsalted butter
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/4 cup ice water

Mix dry ingredients, add the butter already cut in small cubes and pulse (or mix by hands) until it just started to come together then add the ice water slowly to bind the ingredients together. Do not over work, you are not aiming to form a solid ball of dough here.

I admit it took me time to master this shortcrust dough, it’s a bit tricky and i know lots of you prefer buying it ready made. But trust me when you avoid these two mistakes you will enjoy making it at home. Two problems lead to failure:

If you over work the butter into the flour, it will cause the butter to coat the flour that will not absorb enough water, resulting a fragile dough that breaks apart.
If you under work the butter into the flour, too much water will be needed to get the ingredients come together. Here we have a tough dough because too much gluten was formed.

Let your dough rest in the fridge for an hour, this will allow the gluten in the flour to relax and the butter to chill. Roll it out about 2cm larger than your pan and gently lay it in the pan (I used a 28 cm pan) and trim the excess on the edges. Pinch it with a fork before baking!

Today i am baking spinach feta cheese quiche, for this you need:

600g chopped spinach
200g feta cheese
1 cup cream
1 big onion diced
1 tbsp olive oil
2 eggs
salt and pepper to taste

Cook the onion with olive oil until tender and fragrant. Add the chopped spinach (thawed if frozen) and cook together for 3-4 minutes. Stir in the cream and combine all well. Beat the eggs with salt and pepper then add to the mix.

I like to precook the crust for 15 minutes on 180ºC before pouring the mix on it. Once it’s spread evenly, sprinkle on top the feta cheese. Bake for 30 minutes on 180ºC or until the skewer comes out clean.

Bon appetit!

7 Comments

Posted in main dish

Tagged all purpose flour, blog, feta, ingredients, jaymmy, marmite et ponpon, pate brisee, quiche, recipe, savory, shortcrust dough, spinach, unsalted butter

What about homemade gifts for Christmas?!

Posted on December 8, 2014 | 4 comments

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, the time when you most receive and offer gifts. Personally, i love homemade gifts, adding your personal touch and thoughts, turns any simple gesture to a gift of love. At the end this is what Christmas is all about, no?!

Let your presents this year be expressive, offer JOY, PEACE, LOVE, HOPE… homemade shortbread cookies to your loved ones. Remember my motto?! (Mother teresa quote) we don’t do big things, we do small things with big love!

Very simple and creative! Bake letter cookies and create the word you would love to wish for the one you are offering to. Place it in a box, bag or any package of your choice and spread the joy!

Doesn’t make you smile to receive one of these cute packages? or see your name made with cookies on your plate at the Christmas eve?

I am sure your colleagues at work, neighbors or friends will be happy to know you were thinking of them and that you made specially for them this little unique gift full of love.

This year I am offering joy to my loved ones. Wishing you all the happiness in the world, and may the birth of Jesus flourishes joy in your hearts!

If you like this post give it some likes and shares to spread the joy. Don’t forget to like marmite et ponpon facebook page and follow on twitter. More posts yet to come, stay tuned!