Islands in the sky, food & travel

Hello, everyone!  It was a busy and relaxing weekend, my favorite kind.  Went up north to the coast to visit a dear friend since lockdown has been lifted, and we braved unseasonable cooler temperatures and downpours to catch up and visit a bit.  The weather prevented us from having a picnic like in these pictures, which I took just before getting there, the sunshine and fields stopping me on my way.  But it didn't prevent us from enjoying every minute, who cares about rain frankly when you can finally be with old friends! To celebrate, I baked an easy sheetcake, rolled it up for a bit of drama and along the way, found this lovely meadow with daisies and buttercups for decorating.  How convenient, say you. Here's the recipe for quite a fluffy and moist cake, first time trying this version from thebestcakerecipes.com:  Batter : 3 eggs 3/4 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup hot water 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup flour (or gluten-free blend with xanthan gum) 1 teaspoon b...

Hello again ! So many recipes, so little time.  (Version française en cours...) Time for a little nostalgia with this Swiss roll, my first attempt at baking as a child.  I always dreamed of cakes, if I wasn't drawing them (I loved to invent the creamiest toppings with flowers, pretty colors, basket shapes, heart shapes...), I was attempting to recreate them, even by piling up cookies with jam and whipped cream, because we didn't have an oven in the tropics, for obvious reasons. Back to the Swiss roll, this is fairly easy to bake, and actually an excuse for me to get rid of egg whites, since I always have at least 7-8 left over that I freeze for the week (yes, they freeze perfectly well, just allow time to defrost in the refrigerator or on the kitchen counter a few hours before using). Here are the ingredients :  Batter : 4-5 egg whites 50 g sugar 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar (or 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice) 50 g flour (or gluten-free blend) 30 g cornstarch 60 ml whole milk (...

Since I live in France, I believe I learn to make these (18th century style?) layered pastry cakes through osmosis. Lol. A bit Versailles fancy for the eyes but actually quite tasty and with so many textures and flavors.   The shortbread is delightfully light, doesn't crack and isn't too dry, while being able to withstand the weight of the cream and fruit. The cream is made with vanilla bean and mascarpone, just slightly sweetened and fluffed from the whipping cream. Finally, the seasonal fruits add the tanginess, freshness and full-bodied flavor.  Lastly, the touch of meringue is for those who really like sweetness, and it's just as an added decoration. Here's what you'll need :  Shortbread : 250 g flour (or gluten-free blend with xanthan gum) 125 g butter 80 g confectioners sugar 1 egg yolk 2-3 tablespoons of water, as needed A dash of salt In a bowl, mix flour and butter, then add the egg yolk. Add confectioners sugar, water if needed and with hands, knead to...

Hello again, dear folks ! It is such a joy to bake this cake, simply because it's so delicious and fetching. The flavors are enticing, with the light undertones and chewiness from the pistachio and almonds, the delicate vanilla flavor in the cream, and the tartness or sweetness of the berries.  Absolute must-try. Also very festive for birthdays or holidays, not giving any hints here ;) Also, I've learned to make my life a little easier by making the mascarpone cream the night before, that way the next day you'll only have the cake to bake and dress. So lazy around here lately. I fool myself into thinking the cake is so much faster by baking in 2 steps, lol. Here's what you'll need : Cake batter : 4 egg whites 100 g ground unsalted pistachios 30 g almond flour 50 g flour (or gluten-free blend) 150 g confectioners sugar 150 g softened butter Pinch of salt Mascarpone cream (if you can, make this the day before) : 2 egg yolks 100 g of sugar 25 g of cornstarch 1 vanilla ...

Hi everyone! It's been a while since I posted, but my work has picked up somewhat, which is a good thing in itself.  In between all this working and spring cleaning and whatnot, I did manage to pack a picnic once the first warm rays were out. Packed a lunch of warm baguette, cheeses, charcuterie and vegetarian paté, homepade pesto, cherry tomatoes and this version of whoopie pies I dressed at our picnic site, you know, to avoid disasters, and they turned out great!  Also, my vintage picnic basket has an isothermal compartment so I was able to keep the cream and berries cool until serving. Here's what you'll need for the cakes, it's the basic chocolate yogurt cake (or buttermilk) recipe, which gives them that glossy finish.  I basically followed the cake recipe from foodess.com. This will make about 12-15 cakes. Batter: 1-3/4 cups flour 2 cups sugar 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1-1/2 teaspoon baking soda 3/4 teaspoon salt 2 large eggs 1 cup buttermilk (or 1/2 cup yog...