Author: Corinne

Chicken curry with courgettes

Post author By Corinne
Post date August 11, 2023
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Chicken curry with courgettes

Courgettes, no matter the weather are a great crop to have in a kitchen garden. But they always produce so much. The good thing is, they can be added to just about any dish, a curry is always a good option. So here is mine "chicken curry with courgettes" and a good dollop of creme fraiche at the end, yep never too far from my French roots!

Ingredients:

This recipe is for 4 people

3 courgettes cut into small pieces

1 chopped onion

4 cloves of garlic

Ginger (the size of a table spoon)

1 TBSP of tomato puree

2 TBSP of hot chicken curry powder (mild, if you don’t like the heat)

4 chicken thighs, cut into pieces, with the bone and skin

200 ml of water

A dollop of creme fraiche

Fresh coriander to sprinkle on before serving

Vegetable oil

Method:

I use chicken thighs because they have much more flavour than the breast, with the skin on please! But if you must, use breast.

I know this is not the way they do it in India, but I like to brown my meat for extra flavour. So, in a pan, add two to 3 TBSP of vegetable oil and fry your pieces of chicken until golden brown. Then, add your chopped onion and stir for a minute or two. Crush your garlic and ginger into a paste and add to the mix. Add your curry powder and courgettes and stir. Finally add your tomato puree. Pour your water, stir, turn the heat down and let your curry seemer for half an hour. 10 minutes before the end, add a good dollop of creme fraiche. Springle with fresh coriander before serving. Serve with basmati rice or a gorgeous bit of naan bread.

Bon appétit!

Corinne

You can find my latest recipes here

Tags chicken curry, courgettes recipe, entertaining at home, Indian food, Quick supper

Team building

How do you motivate your team?

Post author By Corinne
Post date July 31, 2023
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How do you motivate your team?

A big question at this moment in time, when employers are struggling to find the right match. So, yes when you have a team, how do you reward them? And how do you make sure that your employees know that they have done a good job? And nowadays salary is only half the story!

So how do you reward your team?

It’s a real challenge in the corporate world at the moment. When I look back at my own corporate career, the companies that come back to mind are strangely enough the ones where I felt my work was valued and appreciated. The CEO of one of those companies for example, would give us a bottle of Veuve Cliquot every Christmas, and he delivered them himself. That same CEO, came to our office one afternoon and treated my colleague and I to a concert of Madonna, yep VIP tickets! (Yes I was a bit of a fan at the time, not anymore!). I have very fond memories of that time.

I was watching a program recently featuring the Head chef at the Elysée Palace. A very stressful position, he remembers president Chirac very fondly because he would take the time at the end of his busy day to personally ring him to say thank you for the his hard work. And that was something he apparently did on a regular basis, whereas president Mitterand, in his 14 years in power only came down the kitchen once! A thank you can go a long way!

In my time, I’m talking the nineties here, employees satisfaction was not as big as today on a company’s agenda.

In a very competitive job market, a good salary is just not enough in terms of recruitment or to maintain employees satisfaction.

From corporate gifts, team building activities, spa, gift vouchers the list goes on, today, there is an array of possibilities when it comes to rewarding a team.

Activities around well being, enjoyment and relaxation often get a big thumbs up.

Here at the Académie we have an array of activities for your team to enjoy.

We recently had the HR team from Blancco UK. Their team works remotely and comes from around the world. The team gathered in Cambridge. They wrapped up their day of meetings with a baking class at the Académie before heading off to Newmarket for a meal. Employees included locals but some came from India and Sweden. Baking was a great way to relax, bond and have a bit of fun. Everyone went back with a big smile on their face and a box of their own creations to enjoy later.

Get in touch if you’re looking to reward your team.

Corinne

You can also have a look at our team building page for ideas.

Tags corporate day, corporate gift, team bonding, team bonding ideas, team building, team building ideas

recipe

Pao de coco, coconut buns

Post author By Corinne
Post date June 9, 2023
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Pao de coco, coconut buns

This is a little delicacy that I discovered in a recent trip to Cape Verde. It's a little sweet bun filled with sugared coconut butter. It's fluffy inside and extremely moreish. I had it with a coffee in the little village of Picos on the Island of Santiago in Cape Verde. It was so good that I had to give it a try when I got back home. It's now a family favourite, so here you have it my version of "Pao de coco, coconut buns"

Ingredients:

2 eggs

40 g unsalted butter (cut into cubes)

50 g of caster sugar

50 g ground almonds

500 g of bread flour

140 ml of lukewarm milk

140 ml of warm water

8 g of salt

10 g of fast action yeast

A large bowl greased

A large baking tray, greased

For the filling:

80 g of desiccated coconut

150 g of unsalted butter, softened

3 TBSP of caster sugar

Method:

I make the dough in my KitchenAid, if you are kneading by hand, follow the same method. I start by putting my yeast at the bottom of my bowl. Then I add my flour on top, sugar, salt, eggs, butter, water and milk. Then mix for 5 minutes at low speed 1, then at speed 4 until you get a soft dough. If you’re kneading by hand, knead until the dough is shiny and soft.

Cover your dough with a cloth, leave it in a warm place and let it proof until it doubles in size.

Once your dough has doubled in size, stick it in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up, it’s easier to divide that way. In the meantime, prepare your filling. In a bowl, mix your sugar, coconut and butter to a fluffy paste. Then divide your dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a square and spread a bit of coconut butter in the middle (use a knife to spread evenly). Then fold each square and roll into a sausage. Shape each sausage into a knot shape and place on your greased baking tray. Cover your tray with cling film that you have greased first and live the knots to double in size. Once doubled, stick your tray in a 180º C oven and cook for 10 to 15 minutes until your buns are golden brown on top. The coconut butter will be oozing out when they come out of the oven, I brush this lovely scented oil back on top of the buns. Heaven!

They are delicious eaten warm. You can also freeze them to enjoy later. If you do freeze them, let them out the night before to defrost, and warm them up in the oven for 5 minutes and enjoy for breakfast.

If you are a sourdough baker, you can also add a bit of starter dough to your mix, so instead of using 10 g of fast action yeast, only use 5 g and add 120 g of starter. Your buns will be even fluffier.

Bon appétit!

Corinne

You can find the step by step video of the recipe on YouTube

For more delicious recipes, click here

Tags breakfast treat, cape verdean cuisine, coconut babka, coconut buns, pao de coco

recipe

Baked cauliflower with turmeric

Post author By Corinne
Post date April 7, 2023
No Comments on Baked cauliflower with turmeric

Baked cauliflower with turmeric

Baked cauliflower with turmeric, not your standard cauliflower cheese, but a really good match for your roast lamb this Easter weekend. It will also complement any vegetarian option beautifully. So what's not to like!

Ingredients:

To serve 4 people

Two cauliflowers

Salt and pepper to season

5 TBSP of vegetable oil

4 TBSP of creme fraiche

150 g grated cheddar (gruyere, or a good Italian cheese works well too).

2 TBSP of turmeric

A baking tray

Pre-heat your oven at 180º C

Method:

Cut your cauliflower into florets and place them in your baking tray. Drizzle your florets with vegetable oil and add your turmeric. Season with salt and pepper, mix well, I suggest wearing surgical gloves for this, as it is best to mix everything by hand, but you’ll end-up with yellow hands if you don’t wear gloves. Once your cauliflower is coated with turmeric and oil, place your tray in the oven. Bake for 15 minutes then mix again with a spoon and place back in the oven for another 15 minutes. Then add your creme fraiche and mix and add your cheese on top. Place back in the oven for another 10 minutes. And that is it! So a very easy recipe indeed. Serve hot with your roast lamb or whatever vegetarian option you are serving.

Note: don’t use frozen cauliflower for this dish as it would release too much moisture. Also don’t throw away the green leaves, chop them up and place them in a tupperware box in your fridge. They will keep for a week and can be used in stir fries, curries or cooked like any other greens.

Bon appétit!

Corinne

You might also want to try my passion fruit crême brulée for dessert

Tags baked cauliflower, entertaining at home, reunion cuisine, vegetarian recipe

recipe

Passion fruit crême brulée: my Easter dessert

Post author By Corinne
Post date April 2, 2023
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Passion fruit crême brulée: my Easter dessert

I know, why passion fruit for Easter and not chocolate? Well, because why not? Life is too short I say, plus trust me it's a delicious dessert, indulgent and sophisticated at the same time. So here you have it "Passion fruit crême brulée: my Easter dessert" And it's super easy to make, so what's not to like?

Ingredients:

3 passion fruits

400 ml double cream

100 ml milk

1 vanilla pod

100 g granulated sugar

6 eggs yolks

2 to 3 tbs light brown sugar for the topping.

You will need 4 to six ramekins for this dessert and an oven proof tray for your bain marie

Pre-heat your oven at 150º C

Method:

Pre-heat your oven to 150°C static. Whisk the sugar and egg yolks until light and creamy. Split your vanilla pod in half, with a knife take out the black seeds and mix them with the sugar and egg mixture and put the pod in the milk. Bring your milk and double cream to boiling point. Then slowly pour onto your egg mix whisking all the time (you can use a strainer at this point, I personnally don’t, the choice is yours).

Add the passion fruit at the bottom of your ramekins and pour the cream over the top. This mix is enough for 4 to 6 pots.

Cook in a hot bain-marie in a 150°C oven for 40 minutes to an hour. (it’s cooked when you have a slight wobble).

Once cooked, leave to cool and put in the fridge for at least three hours. Once completely cold sprinkle some light brown sugar on the top of your ramekins. You can either use a blow torch or the grill to caramelise the top.

Serve immediately.

Bon appétit!

Corinne

If you’re looking for a more chocolaty dessert for Easter you my like to try my boozy raspberry brownies

Tags creme brulee, entertaining at home, french cuisine, french dining, french food

recipe

Black forest meringue roulade

Post author By Corinne
Post date February 2, 2023
No Comments on Black forest meringue roulade

Black Forest meringue roulade

Black forest gateau revisited into a meringue roulade, what's not to like? As we're approaching Valentine's day, this decadent chocolaty dessert couldn't be more suited . It's not too complicated if you follow the steps and you can make it a day in advance.

Ingredients:

150 g of egg whites

200 g of caster sugar

2 TBSP of cocoa powder

400 ml of double cream

4 TBSP of icing sugar

50 g of dark chocolate shavings (these can be milk or dark chocolate, a very quick way of making chocolate shavings is to use a potato peeler and shave a chocolate bar).

150 g of frozen cherries

100 ml of Kirsh (if you haven’t got kirsh, you can use rum instead)

14″ baking tray lined with baking paper

Pre-heat your oven at 180º C

Method:

In a pan, add your cherries, the Kirsh and two tablespoons of sugar, bring the Kirsh to the boil, then switch everything off and let everything cool completely (it’s best if you do that step the day before, so the cherries soak up all the alcohol).

Using a food processor or an electric whisk, whisk your egg whites on full speed until the whites look like clouds, then add your caster sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until your meringue is stiff and glossy, add the two TBSP of cocoa at that point, whisk again until all cocoa is incorporated into the meringue. Spread the meringue onto your baking tray. Bake in a 180º C fan oven for 8 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 140º C for another 15 minutes. In the meantime, prepare a sheet of baking paper, (large enough to take the meringue), and sprinkle some icing sugar on it. Once your meringue is cooked and as soon as it comes out of the oven turn it out on your baking paper and remove the baking paper on top. Let the meringue cool.

While it’s cooling, in a bowl add your double cream and 4 TBSP of icing sugar, whisk to soft peaks. Once your meringue is cool, baste it with the kirsh in which your cherries have been soaked, then spread the cream on top and add the cherries that you have soaked overnight, sprinckle the chocolate shavings on top. Then start rolling your meringue into a roulade, it will crack on top but that’s OK, that’s the charm of it. Place it onto a serving tray and dust with cocoa. Decorate as lavishly as you possibly can.

Et voilá

Corinne

If you’re looking for something savoury for Valentine’s day you may want to try my “vols au vent with a salmon mousse”

Tags Black forest roulade, valentine's dessert, Valentine's recipe

recipe

La galette des rois

Post author By Corinne
Post date January 6, 2023
No Comments on La galette des rois
Sticky post

La galette des rois

January, the start of a new year but also the start of the dieting craze, at least here in England. This week I have been bombarded with emails about veganuary, dry January and everything diet related. In France, although the festivities are long gone, there is still a bit of celebration going on. No dry January for sure. At this time of year the boulangeries will be filled with "la galette des rois", literally the cake of the kings, to celebrate the Epiphanie. Except that we don't just eat it on 6th January, but the whole month. There are two types of galettes des rois, in the North it is made with frangipane whereas in the South the traditional galette is presented as a crown or wreath made of a sweet brioche dough and often decorated with glacés fruits. Both of them are delicious, but my favourite galette des rois remains the one with frangipane, which is the recipe that I am sharing with you today.

Ingredients:

1 roll of puff pastry
1 egg
60 g sugar (any type of sugar will work)
60 g ground almonds
60 g unsalted butter (soft)
1 tbs of plain flour
2 tbs of rum
icing sugar
1 egg yolk
A baking tray big enough to take a 7″ galette des rois
Pre-heat your oven at 180° C

Method:

First, make the frangipane, in a bowl mix the eggs, the ground almonds, the flour, the rum, the sugar and the butter all together until the mixture becomes creamy, put this mixture 15 minutes in your freezer to firm up. In the meantime, set your oven to 180° C. Line a tray with baking paper.

Take your puff pastry out and draw a 7″ circle using the bottom of a 7″ loose tin, draw another circle, a little bit bigger, say 8″ using the same method.

Take your frangipane out of the freezer and spread it on top of your 7″ circle of puff pastry, brush the edges of your pastry with a little bit of water. Then place your 8″ circle on top of the frangipane and press down the edges with your fingers, the water will act as a glue and seal your galette. With a knife you can draw some pretty patterns on top of your galette, be brave and imaginative. Then brush the top of the galette with egg yolks, and place it in the oven for 30 to 45 minutes until the top is golden brown. ( You can dust the top with icing sugar before placing in the oven, but not essential).

Et voilà!

Enjoy with a glass of cider. I remember having mine with a delicious cider from Normandie, these were the days!

Bon appétit!

Corinne

You can follow the recipe on YouTube

You can check more recipe ideas here

recipe

Chicken cari with Brussels sprouts and cranberries

Post author By Corinne
Post date December 16, 2022
No Comments on Chicken cari with Brussels sprouts and cranberries

Chicken cari with Brussels sprouts and cranberries

One of my go to dish at this time of year and one that I'm certain would conquer a Brussels sprouts hater. Sprouts and cranberries are not a staple of Reunion cuisine but they certainly became one in my house. After 16 years in the UK, many non Reunion ingredients have naturally appeared in my cooking. Might sound like a really weird combination, but the tartness of the cranberries just works extremely well with the sprouts. So here you have it my "chicken cari with Brussels sprouts and cranberries".

Ingredients:

4 chicken thighs

250 g sprouts

150 g of cranberries

One chopped onion

4 cloves of garlic (grated)

Ginger (about the size of a tablespoon) (grated)

Turmeric

Method:

If you can, use a pan or pot with a heavy base for this recipe. Add two tablespoons of vegetable oil to your pan and start by frying your chicken thighs on both sides first until golden brown. Take your chicken out of the pan and add the onion, stir for 2 minutes, then add the garlic and ginger, stir until everything has softened nicely. At this point, add a little bit of turmeric (less than half a teaspoon), add your sprouts and stir. Then put your chicken back in the pan, add a little bit of boiling water (about 200 ml), lid on and let your chicken simmer for about 30 minutes then add your cranberries, lid off let everything cook for another 15 minutes until your sauce has thickened a little. A lovely dish to have with mash potatoes or plain rice.

Bon Apétit!

Corinne

You might also want to check out my lobster tail in a rich tomato and turmeric sauce

Christmas baking recipe

Cinnamon Christmas sablés dipped in dark chocolate

Post author By Corinne
Post date November 17, 2022
No Comments on Cinnamon Christmas sablés dipped in dark chocolate

Cinnamon Christmas sablés dipped in dark chocolate

These little biscuits are easy to make and would make a lovely little treat for friends and family to enjoy at Christmas. They could also make the perfect stocking filler. Sablés don't traditionally include cinnamon but as we're heading into the festive season, why not add a little bit of Christmas cheer to them. So here you have it my "Cinnamon Christmas sablés dipped in dark chocolate"

Ingredients:

1 egg

125 g unsalted butter

125 g of granulated sugar

250 g of plain flour

1 TSP of cinnamon

150 g of dark chocolate

A baking tray lined with baking paper

Cookie cutters, I am using a “petit beurre” cookie cutter, but you can use any shape cutter for this.

Pre-heat your oven at 180º C

Method:

In a food processor, mix the dry ingredients first (flour, sugar, butter and cinnamon) then add the egg and mix until your mixture forms a dough. If you don’t have a food processor, rub your dry ingredients into breadcrumbs then add the egg and mix until it turns into a dough, don’t knead it. Once your sablés pastry is ready, add a little bit of flour to your worktop and roll your pastry to a 3 mm thickness. Then cut the biscuits shape using a cookie cutter of your choice, how about a festive one in this case, place them on your baking tray. Little tip, place your tray in the fridge for 15 minutes, that way your sablés will stick to the tray and stay flat. Only then, place them in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. This mix should make between 25 and 30 biscuits. Let them cool on a rack. Meanwhile, slowly melt your dark chocolate over a bain marie, once your sablés are cool, dip their tip into the dark chocolate as shown on the picture. They are delicious with a cup of tea, or just wrap them beautifully and treat your friends and family.

Sablé pastry can also be used to make a fruit tart, like a “tarte aux fraises” for example.

Bon appétit

Corinne

You may also like to try my festive Butternut squash and cinnamon Bundt cake

Tags biscuit, christmas at home, christmas baking, christmas gift idea, christmas recipe, French baking, french cuisine, sablés, sables biscuits

Uncategorized

Boozy raspberry brownies

A classic recipe for sure, and truly a comforting one, on those beautiful autumn days, my "boozy raspberry brownies". The raspberries makes them super moist in the middle and the booze, well, as we are getting close to the festive season, dare I say it's just perfect. These brownies would make the perfect little treat for Christmas, nicely packaged in a cellophane bag with a beautiful ribbon. And they are so easy to make.

Ingredients:

3 eggs

175 g unsalted butter

175 g of dark chocolate

125 g of granulated sugar

100 g of soft muscovado sugar

25 g cocoa powder

5 g of instant coffee

100 g of plain flour

A punnet of raspberries

30 g of white chocolate to decorate

Not essential but highly recommended, 2 tbsp of rum

8″ square baking tin (lined with baking paper)

Pre-heat your oven at 180º C

Method:

Place your chocolate and coffee in a bowl. Melt your butter and pour over your chocolate. Whisk your eggs and sugars to a white consistency (little tip, to make your brownies super chewy, whisk for a good 5 minutes), then add your melted butter and chocolate and whisk again. Sieve your flour and cocoa powder and slowly fold them in. Pour this mixture into your baking tray and add your raspberries on top. Pop your tin in the oven for 20-25 minutes max. Let your brownies cool in the tin. Once cooled, drizzle with melted white chocolate.

Bon appétit!

Corinne

If you’re after a similar chocolaty recipe, check out my gluten free chocolate cake

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