The gateau au Yaourt (Yogurt Cake)

Le Gateau au Yaourt .... hmmmm, le Gateau prefere des enfants !!!
The Yogurt Cake .... hmmmm, the kids favorite Cake !!!

This famous Cake is a smart combination of plain Yogurt, Eggs, all purpose Flour, Sugar and Vegetabe Oil ... That is a simple basic French Dessert to bake with your kids because you will use the empty cup of Yogurt to measure all your ingredients.

The leftovers are just perfect for breakfast !!!

All you will need is a large bowl. The food processor is even not necessary.
Quick and easy idea, huh ?

Use plain Yogurt for the original taste, or use Lemon or Vanilla or Banana Yogurt for a more fancy cake !

Today I decided to cheat a little bit the recipe as I wanted to lighten & add zest my cake.

So I used a Lemon Low Fat Greek Yogurt, Vegetaline instead of Oil and Wheat Flour instead of all-purpose.

The result was great ... yes, I'm still trying to keep my healthy resolutions for 2012 ;-)

For your first try, I do recommend you to start with the original recipe, as the result is really fabulous, with a tang, moist and fluffy texture. It is just a perfect cake to serve with red berries, Chantilly (whipped Vanilla Cream), Ice cream ...

My "healthy & low-fat" Yogurt Cake was  light & tasty, but the texture was more thick/dense compared to the original recipe. So keep this one for your "healthy resolutions" only ;-)

Let's give it a try today !!

A bientot et bon Appetit !

Emilie your French Chef

http://www.emiliefrenchchef.com/

La Recette de Gateau au Yaourt (Yogurt's Cake)

Ingredients for a 9 or 10"" round or cake form mold (6 pers):

- 2 large Eggs

- 1 Tub of whole milk plain Yogurt (4oz - 125ml) = that is your Tub to measure all the others ingredients !
- 2 Tub of granulated Sugar

- 3/4 Tub of vegetable Oil
- 3 Tubs of all-purpose Flour
- 1 tbspoons of baking Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking Soda
- a good pinch of Salt

- 1 teaspoon pure Vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon light Rum if you want only.

Preheat the oven to 180° C (350° F).

Spread butter and flour in the bottom of a round cake pan (or use a rectangular cake, no matter).

If you don't have a non stick pan, add greased parchment paper in the bottom of your mold and grease the sides of your mold.

In a large mixing-bowl (using or not  your food processor), gently combine the yogurt, eggs, sugar, vanilla, oil, and rum (optional).

Add the baking powder, baking soda & salt.

Add the flour mixture into the yogurt mixture, and blend together with a whisk. Do not overwork the dough !!

Pour the mixture into the prepared round pan, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is golden brown. Use a toothpick to make sure the cake is perfectly cook (it should go out perfectly cleaned)

Let stand for 15mn, transfer onto a rack to cool, and serve !

Eat warm or cold, with fruits, chocolate sauce, vanilla ice cream ... or just eat like that !!!

TIP : Be creative with the shape and play with your other molds, like Madeleine molds, those are so cute !!

Spinach, Goat Cheese and smoked Salmon Feuillete ... a best off !!

Who doesn't like the association Goat Cheese & fresh Spinach & Salmon ??

This tempting meal is a really easy to do !

The flavors were really balanced, and this meal is no greasy, salty, or bland ... it is just a perfect marriage with delicate flavors ! 

As you know, I am a Puff pastry lover ... and what I like the best in this recipe is that you can adapt the ingredients to your tastes : add Zucchinis (like I did), tomatoes,  Cheese, sweet red Peppers, use Prosciutto/grilled Chicken/Tuna etc ... instead of the Salmon ...

Enjoy the Feuillete warm, right out of the oven  and with a glass of your favorite white Wine !!

I highly recommend a Spring Mix Salad on the side to bring a fresh and crunchy touch to your Feuillete !!
Et Voila !!!

A bientot et Bon Appetit,
Emilie your French Chef
http://www.emiliefrenchchef.com/


La recette de Feuillete aux Epinard, Saumon fume et Chevre frais (fresh Spinach, smoked Salmon and Goat Cheese puffy Feuillete)

Ingredients for 4 persons:

- 1 sheet of frozen Puff Pastry (Pepperidge Farm recommended) - defrost 20mn at room temperature
- 1/2 Onion
- 1 bag of fresh baby Spinach
- 3 branches of Spring Onions
- 3 large slices of smoked Salmon
- 1 Zucchini (if you don't have enough Spinach ;-)
- 1 fresh Goat Cheese Log
- Sour Cream
- Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 375 ° F.

Roll out the sheet of puff pastry on a sheet of Parchment paper.

In a pan, add both onions with 1 tbspoon of Olive Oil and cook on medium until you get a caramelized color.
(Add the Zucchinis slices if you use some. Stir in the onions).
Add the Spinaches and add 1/3 cup of water. Cover the pan and cook on low heat until Spinaches are tender and water is evaporated.

Add Salt and Pepper (dont use to much Salt, Salmon is already salty).

Add the smoked Salmon previously sliced into strips - and stir in the Spinach. 
Add 3 tablespoons (or 2 large spoons) of  sour Cream. Stir for 2 minutes over low heat.
 Remove from heat. The mixture should be compact (if not, keep heating).

 Spread the mixture in the middle of the puff pastry (look at the picture above). Add pieces of Goat Cheese on top of the mixture and add Pepper.

Close the edges of the dough on the mixture (look at the picture above).

Bake 20 minutes in the oven or until the crust is puffy, and has a nice brown color.
Serve with a Salad on the side.

Parmesan & Pesto Twists ... bring the wine !!

One ingredient you should always have in your freezer : Puff Pastry !!!!

There are so many things you can do easily with Puff Pastry, and these "Feuilletes au Parmesan & Pesto" (bite-size puffy appetizers) are so deliciously warm and crunchy right out from the oven.

That's what I'm talking about !

One thing I highly recommend : The "Pepperidge Farm" Puff Pastry is the best value I've found so far !!!

Use your favorite ingredients to create your own recipe : Pesto, Cheese, Parmesan, Herbs, Mustard, Basil, Tomato Sauce, Spices (Curry, Paprika, Cumin, etc ...)

It is really quick & easy, your guests will love your small Feuilletes !!


A bientot & Bon Appetit!
Emilie, your French Chef
http://www.emiliefrenchchef.com/

La recette de Feuilletes au Parmesan and Pesto (Parmesan & Pesto Puffy Twists)

Ingredients for 20 Feuilletes au Parmesan:

1 sheet of frozen puff pastry (such as Pepperidge Farm), defrosted during 20mn at room temperature
1 egg
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon of Herbes de Provence or dry thyme leaves
Salt & Pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Roll out the sheet of puff pastry on a sheet of Parchment paper. 

Beat the egg and brush the surface of the pastry. Sprinkle over the sheet evenly the Parmesan, Herbes de Provence. Add Salt and Pepper.

Cut crosswise into strips, about 1/3-inch wide with a pizza wheel. Twist each strip and lay on the parchment paper.
Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until lightly browned and puffed. Serve warm right out from the oven.

Recipe for the Pesto Feuilletes :

Spread the pesto on your defrost sheet of puff Pastry. Sprinkle with Parmesan, Salt & Pepper.
Cut cross wide into 1 inch with a pizza wheel. Roll each strip like a snail and lay each piece on the side.

 

Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until lightly browned and puffed. Serve warm right out from the oven.

Lemon Meringue CupCake ... a zesty and cute Treat !

If you are a Lemon Meringue Tart Lover and a Cupcake Lover, you will love this Treat !

Ok, a Cupcake is not really a French specialty, but the Lemon Meringue Tart is ... so why not trying to have the taste of the Lemon Tart in a Cupcake.
That's what I wanted to do today, and I am really proud of my small desserts ;-)

"Lucky you" if you are gluten allergic, these Lemon Meringue Cupcakes are gluten free, not to mention the recipe is really easy !!!

There is no butter cream in this Cupcake, just a light and sweet Meringue, and the zesty taste of Lemon in the muffin.

After 1mn under the broiler, you'll get get this light brown Meringue ...

Et voila, bon Appetit !!
http://www.emiliefrenchchef.com/

La recette de Lemon Meringue Cupcakes:

Ingredients for 20 mini Cupcakes
- 20 mini muffin cups
- 6 large brown eggs
- 7 oz of granulated sugar (200gr)
- 4.6 oz of melted salted butter (130gr) a few more than a stick
- 8.8 oz of almond meal (250 gr)
- 7gr of dry yeast or 1 tablespoon
- Lemon Curd (Traders’ Joe is great !)
- 1/2 zest of Lemon

Preheat the oven to 365° F.
In a bowl, combine sugar, almond meal, 1 tablespoon of lemon curd, lemon zests and eggs. Mix 3mn with the food processor from low to high speed. Add the warmed butter, then the yeast.

Mix 1mn more and let the mixture rest for 15 mn.

Put your muffin cups into your muffin pan. Fill each cup to 2/3.
Add a small spoon of Lemon Curd on the top of the mixture (do not push the Lemon Curd in the mixture).
Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until you get a brown color (use a toothpick to make sure they are cooked).
Remove the cups from the pan and let cool during at least 1h 1/2 (if you can resist)

Recipe for Meringue:
-2 egg whites (or 3 small)
-75 g sugar
Whisk on medium-high the egg whites until they become firm and make some picks, then add the sugar and whisk on high for one more minute.

Decorate the top of each cupcake with a pastry bag filled with the Meringue and start the broiler of the oven. 

Use a torch to brown the meringues or put the cupcakes under the broiler (on high) for 30 sec to 1mn – keep an eye on them, it takes ONLY ONE SECOND to burn the Meringue !!!!!!

Cheese & Ham Omelettes ... a warm Appetizer for a rainy Day !!

The Omelette : easy Ingredients offer tasty Results  ...

When you have friends coming home and you want to prepare a quick Appetizer for them, you might need some quick recipes !
Eh eh eh, I get the answer : your friends will die for this rolled Ham & Cheese Omelettes !!

You only need 3 simple ingredients for this recipe: Ham, Cheese and fresh Eggs.

If you have the chance to have fresh Eggs from your local Farm, your Omelette will be even better, but supra fresh organic Eggs are good too !!!

Before running in your kitchen, let me give you a first taste of this : imagine a thin Crepe (made with Omelette), filled with melted Cheese and Ham and just rolled ... hmmmm ...

Now you can run in your kitchen. In 20mn, you'll get a piece of paradise in your mouth !!!

A bientot et bon Appetit
Emilie, your French Chef
http://www.emiliefrenchchef.com/


La recette de Omelettes Jambon & Fromage roulees (Ham & Cheese rolled Omelettes):

For 2 large Omelettes (around 12 pieces):

- 3 fresh Eggs
- 1 tablespoon of Sour Cream
- Salt and Pepper, Herbes de Provence if you like
- 3 slices of baked Ham
- 3/4 cup of Italian Mix Cheese or Swiss Cheese or Mozzarella ... 
- Unsalted Butter


Prepare a sheet of Parchment Paper on your table or counter top.

In a bowl, beat together the Eggs, Cream and Salt & Pepper.
Heat a 8" to 10" non stick pan and add the Butter. Keep the burner on medium heat until the Butter gets a light brown color (the Butter should not smoke or burn !! In that case, clean your pan and start again).

Pour half of the Egg mixture into the pan and move the pan to make sure you have some Omelette everywhere in your pan - no gaps !! - it's like if you wanted to make a thin Crepe.

Don't stir/touch/move the omelette, just look at it !

After 30-45 seconds, when the border is almost cooked, put half of the Cheese on the Omelette  and wait 30-45 seconds more.
As soon as you put the Cheese, slide a thin spatula under the edges of the Omelette to make sure it is not stuck on the pan.

(Look at the pictures below to see the different steps)

When you see a nice brown color under the Omelette, slide it (use the spatula to help you) over the parchment paper. 
Wait a few seconds and add put 1/2 slice of Ham over the Cheese.

Roll the omelette and slice it in small pieces. 

Do the same for the 2nd Omelette.
Serve warm. You can sprinkle some chopped chives or parsley on the top if you want some green color !

Note : if you prefer to make your omelette ahead of time, you can cook it 1h before and keep the all roll at room temperature. Just reheat in the microwave  and slice it.