Vanilla Strawberries Cake with Meringue Topping

Making this cake was a bit of a marathon for me as it took two and a half hours to finish, but it was worth every second. The joining of sweet strawberry jam and the vanilla inside this cake gives it an amazing flavour. The cake was finished with a velvet coating of Italian Meringue, then decorated with glazed strawberries. I piped the meringue in little onion shapes to match the strawberry shape, and I'm sure you'll agree the contrast between the bright red and white is delightful. This cake is well suited as a dessert cake, as it has a rich and moist texture.

This cake contains dairy products, so is best to keep it in the fridge and to consume within 2 days.

Moelleux au Chocolat (Moist Chocolate Pudding)

This is one of my favourite chocolate puds, fit for any serious chocaholic! The rich glossy melting middle is to die for, and it can be served straight from the oven, cold, or warmed through in a microwave or conventional oven. Which ever way you choose, this pudding will not disappoint any chocolate lover. I'm thinking of trying a different version with a caramel sauce in the middle.

I used 72% of cocoa solid chocolate to make this delicious dessert, which is quite high because the intense chocolate flavour is diluted with the flavours from the sugar, flour and butter. I love to serve this to friends when they visit, as the moist center with the oozy chocolate comes out like lava from a volcano, and when you spoon it in your mouth, your heart feels like it's being melted by chocolatey lava!

If you decide to serve this dessert, make sure your main course is not too rich, because this pud packs a punch of overwhelming chocolate flavour, both inside and out. It will definitely satisfied your guests.

This dessert could be served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or for those concerned about their waistline, a little creme fraiche. 

Chouquettes (Sugar Puff)

This is a Viennoiserie type of small bite-sized portion of choux pastry that is sprinkled with pearl sugar or can be covered with chocolate chips, and sometime filled it with custard, mousse or dipped into chocolate too. Chouqeuttes originate from Italy and the French took it to their home and shared it.  Have this during your tea time will definitely make your day. 

Chouquettes can be ordered direct from me, they're ideal for a special dinner party, and can be supplied with a choice of fillings to suit every taste!

Madeleine

So, for the first post on my new Blog I decided to post 3 examples of sumptuous French Madeleines.

Madeleines are a very traditional French treat, great for snacking and a fantastic accompaniment for coffee. Baked in traditional shell shaped moulds, these mini sponge cakes have been enjoyed all over Europe for hundreds of years, and are available with many different flavourings to suit every taste.

The first photo shows a simple and classic melt-in-the-mouth vanilla Madeleine.

The second example is a richer Cocoa Madeleine, dusted with fine cocoa powder and flavoured with freshly brewed espresso coffee.

The third photo is a trio of indulgent Mocha and Chocolate Madeleines, a delightful blend of coffee and dark 70% cocoa chocolate. A real treat for when you need that little bit of self indulgence after a hard day at work!

The final photo is those are chocolate lover, it is definately a good treat with two Coffee-Madeleines sandwich with the chocolate cream, it looks like a black pearls in the shell. The first bite of it with the ozzy chocolate that came out from the side that you got a reason to lick the figure too.

Keep following this blog for more examples of Madeleines and many more traditional patisserie treats. If you'd like to actually taste anything you see, please contact me for a price list and your delivery options.