Sweet potato and orange melting cake

Posted on by

2

Sweet potato and orange melting cake

Carrot, beetroot, zucchini, … Vegetables are often great allies in cakes. They bring a nice melting texture. And this is true with sweet potato. I found a recipe using sweet potato and orange in Clea’s cookbook “Recevoir en Bio”. I was first skeptical but eventually convinced by the match. The recipe below is slightly different from the original.

Sweet potato and orange melting cake

Ingredients (8 servings):

  • 450g/15oz sweet potato
  • 150g/5oz apple
  • 1/2 orange zest and juice
  • 150g/5oz flour (T55 or T65)
  • 60g/2oz butter
  • 3 eggs
  • 120g/4oz sugar (or coconut sugar)
  • 1 ts agave syrup
  • 1 cs baking powder
  • 1 cs cinnamon
  • 1 cs gingerbread spices
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 2-3 drops pure vanilla extract

Use a 9×9 brownie mold.

Spicy sweet potato and orange cake_004

Directions:

Peel the sweet potato and apple and cut in big pieces . Steam for 20 minutes. Mash it.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F.

In a big bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, spices and salt.

Whisk the eggs with sugar and agave syrup until whitened. Add the melted butter, orange zest and juice and pure vanilla extract. Then, add the mashed potatoes and apples and mix it well.

Pour the mixture in the greased and floured mold. Cook for 45 minutes.

Let it cool before removing from the mold. Serve lukewarm or cool.

Spicy sweet potato and orange cake_001

French Pissaladiere – Provencal onion and anchovy pizza

Posted on by

1

French Pissaladiere - red onion and anchovy pizza

Pissaladiere is one of the most famous dish from Nice area. It certainly brings some sun from the South of France in your plate. The recipe gets its name from pissala – a word from Provencal dialect - referring to an anchovy and sardine puree which was spread on the onion tart.

French Pissaladiere – Provencal onion and anchovy pizza

Ingredients (4 servings)

  • 350g/12.5oz red onions
  • 250g/9oz bread/pizza dough (from the bakery)
  • 8-10 marinated anchovy
  • 30g/1oz black olives
  • 1 tablespoon of sugar
  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar
  • 1 pinch of Provencal herbs

Pissaladiere nicoise

Directions:

  1. Peel and slice the red onions.
  2. In a hot pan, slowly cook the onions in a little of olive oil. Add the sugar and cook for 7-8 minutes.
  3. Increase to medium heat and pour the vinegar. Add 2-3 anchovy and cook for 3 more minutes. Remove from heat.
  4. Preheat the oven to 220°C/430°F.
  5. Place the dough on a flour-dusted surface. Use either in one piece to make one big pizza or cut in 4 pieces to make individuals’ (you might require more dough if making individual pizzas). Flatten the dough with your hand and then stretch it. I found this website makes a great description of how to stretch ia dough by hand : http://how-to-stretch-pizza-dough.blogspot.co.uk/.
  6. Spread the red onions and place anchovy and olives. Sprinkle Provencal herbs.
  7. Wait few minutes before cooking in the oven for 35 minutes until the crust edges are golden.

Homemade chocolate hazelnut spread (©Nutella-like)

Posted on by

4

Nutella like chocolate hazelnut spread

This is the kind of recipe I don’t make too often as I crave for it. Although from time to time, this little weakness is great to satisfy. Especially when planning a crepe party for which it makes the absolute filling.

For a more ©Nutella-like taste, use half dark chocolate and half milk chocolate and reduce coconut sugar quantity.

Homemade chocolate hazelnut spread (©Nutella-like) 

Ingredients (1 jar)

  • 200g/7oz chocolate (dark or half dark, half milk)
  • 100g/3.5oz Hazelnut praline paste
  • 20cl/6.7 fl.oz. sugar free condensed milk
  • 50g/1.7oz coconut sugar
  • 1 coffee spoon of butter

Directions

In a pan, heat the condensed milk and coconut sugar until boiling. Remove from heat.

Add the chocolate, hazelnut praline paste and butter. Mix well.

Fill a jar. Leave to cool before serving.

Keep at room temperature and eat within 5 days. If stored in the fridge, take it out ten minutes before serving.

Nutella-like chocolate hazelnut spread_1

Beetroot, chicory, apple, ham and walnuts winter salad

Posted on by

0

winter beetroot salad

This winter salad is perfect detox after celebrations. Beetroot has great health benefits and helps eliminate body’s toxins. One great ally to balance a rich meal.

Beetroot, chicory, apple, ham and walnuts winter salad

Ingredients (4 servings) :

  • 4 pieces of chicory
  • 2/3 cooked beetroots
  • 2 apples
  • 200g/7oz  ham cubes
  • 100g/3,5oz shelled walnuts
  • Salt & pepper

For the dressing :

  • 5 tsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp walnut oil
  • 1 cs balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 lemon juice

Directions (Under 30 minutes):

Wash and chop the chicory. Peel and chop the apples and beetroots. Mix together chopped chicory, apples and beetroots, ham cubes and shelled walnuts .  Add salt and pepper.

The dressing. In a bowl,  mix together the olive oil, walnut oil, balsamic vinegar and lemon juice. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss lightly to combine.

Honey madeleine cake – French traditional recipe

Posted on by

3

Honey madeleines

Lately, I’ve been to Saturne restaurant and discovered the fantastic honey madeleine cake served with coffee. I couldn’t resist trying to make them at home. For this first attempt, I adapted a homemade honey and chocolate recipe found in one of my cooking books. I added up honey and replaced chocolate by lemon. Those small cakes are soft and delicate but not exactly like Saturne’s ones. This promises a second attempt soon.

Honey madeleine cake

Ingredients (18 small cakes):

  • 140g/5oz all-purpose flour
  • 115g/4oz butter
  • 40g/1,4oz sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 tablespoons of honey
  • 1/2 lemon zest
  • 1 coffee spoon of baking powder
  • Pure vanilla extract

Honey madeleinesDirections:

Preheat the oven at 200°C/390°F.

Beat the eggs with sugar, honey, lemon zest and one or two drops of pure vanilla extract.

In a pan, heat the butter. When it starts to make bubbles wait for one more minute until it get golden and remove from heat. Add to the preparation.

In a separate bowl, mix the flour and baking powder. Sieve on the preparation. Mix it well until soft.

Pour the preparation into the madeleine molds.

Cook for 10-15 minutes.

Honey madeleines-3

Honey madeleines-5

Classic Madeleines cake recipe (Madeleine de Commercy)