Classic Madeleines of Commercy are small, iconic French cakes shaped like shells with a distinct little bump on the top. They are soft in the center and slightly crunchy on the edges. Though their shape is complex, they use simple ingredients including eggs, sugar, flour, melted butter, and some lemon or orange for flavor. I love these…
Dessert
French Apple Tart
For you, what is the best dessert to start the season of fall? For me, it is definitely the French Apple Tart filled with a homemade apple sauce and topped with thin slices of apples. It is simple, light, flavorful, and elegant. I brought this French Apple Tart to a Mom’s Night Out and got…
Galette des Rois (French King Cake) with Almond Cream
In France, it is a tradition to share the Galette des Rois (French King Cake) on Epiphany Day, which is on January 6th. It celebrates the arrival of the Three Wise Men in Bethlehem. During the entire month of January, in most bakeries and pastry shops you will find the traditional Galette des Rois. But…
French Rhubarb Apple Tart
Rhubarb on a thin layer of apple with light pastry cream is the perfect combo of tartness and sweetness in this French Rhubarb Apple Tart! A simple family recipe that you will surely enjoy. This year, I was so happy to find fresh rhubarb at my Whole Foods Market twice in a row. I really…
Rhubarb Pie
Do you know rhubarb? Rhubarb is a vegetable, however, its culinary uses are those of a fruit: compote, pie, crumble, and jam of course. You only eat the rhubarb’s stalks, as the leaves are considered toxic because they are too loaded with oxalic acid. I always have a hard time finding fresh rhubarb in my grocery…
Kefir Olive Oil Cake with Apples and Raisins
I had an irresistible desire to make this Kefir Olive Oil Cake with Apples and Raisins with these beautiful autumn-colored apples. It is so comforting with a cup of coffee or tea during a rainy or cold day. I really love apples (organic) because they are so healthy for you. You know the old adage: “an apple…
Stollen (Christine Ferber)
This other recipe of Stollen comes from Christine Ferber, a Master Pastry Chef in Niedermorschwihr (Alsace, France). She is well known as a maker of the best French jams in her shop, Le Relais des Trois Epis. Her jams can be enjoyed in the most exclusive places on the planet. The texture of this Stollen…
Galette des Rois (French King Cake) with frangipane
January 6th is Epiphany Day in France and the tradition is to make a Galette des Rois (French King Cake) and share it with family or friends. Bakeries, pastry shops, and greedy people extend this day-long tradition to make more Galette des Rois during January. As a recipe, I usually make this Galette des Rois with…