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Category: recipe

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recipe

Strawberry and cream, rhubarb tartelettes, my Jubilee pudding

Strawberry and cream, rhubarb tartelettes, my Jubilee pudding

I may be from a country where we got rid of our royals during the revolution, but one thing I do enjoy about Britain are the royal celebrations. Especially when it means an extra day off and involves pudding and plenty of bubbly! 70 years on the thrown has to be celebrated handsomely and pompously. I'll be hosting my own royal "pique-nique" with family and friends of course. And yes there will be pudding, plenty of it as you can imagine in my house! So here you have it, "my strawberry and cream rhubarb tartelettes, my Jubilee pudding". And dare I say it, it's fit for a Queen!

image with a wooden board covered with strawberry tartelettes, topped with whipped cream, you can learn how to make them at cookery school Gourmandises Academie in Cambridge

Ingredients:

One roll of sweet shortcrust

500 g of strawberries 

300 ml double cream

3 TBSP of icing sugar

4 rhubarb sticks 

2 Tbsp of plain flour

120 g ground almonds

2 eggs

120 g of sugar (any type of sugar will work)

120 g melted butter

A muffin tray (it will give you some very dip filled tartelettes, that you would not get with a standard cupcake tray)

Cookie cutter 

Pre-heat your oven at 180º C

Method:

For the frangipane:

Mix the butter, flour, grounds almonds, sugar and eggs into a paste and set aside.

Take your pastry out of the fridge at least 15 minutes before use. Then, using your pastry cutters, cut out some circular pieces of pastry and place them in each case of your muffin tray (you’ll want those circular pieces to be a little bit bigger than your muffin  cases so there is enough space to fill them).  Prick the bottom of your pastry with a fork. Then, place some rhubarb at the bottom and add a teaspoon of frangipane on top.

Place your tray in the oven and cook for 15 to 20 minutes until your little tartelettes are golden brown on top. Take them out of the tray and let them cool down on a rack.

In the meantime, prepare your chantilly cream, by whisking your double cream, icing sugar and vanilla paste to soft peaks. Place your chantilly into a piping bag fit with a star shaped nozzle. 

When your tartelettes are cool, pipe some chantilly cream in the centre of your tartelettes, as per picture, then slice your strawberries in half and place them around the centre of the chantilly cream. Then add a bit more chantilly cream to finish them off nicely. 

Et voilà!

Enjoy them with a glass bubbly!

Bon appétit!⠀

Corinne x

If you fancy another regal recipe how about my avocado and prawn croustade 

Categories
recipe

Asparagus Tart with creme fraiche and comte

Asparagus tart with creme fraiche and comte

It may have been rather chilly lately but that does not mean one can't dream about those gorgeous alfresco evenings that the summer brings. And I may have the perfect recipe for you. My "asparagus tart with creme fraiche and comte", it's also one I like to serve for lunch at the Academie, at this time of year. Asparagus are in season, and this recipe is perfect for them.

image of an asparagus tart topped with melted cheese, you can learn how to make this tart on the blog of Gourmandises Academie, Cambridge

Ingredients:

One block of puff pastry 

Two bunches of asparagus 

3 TBSP of creme fraiche

100 g of comte cheese (you can also use cheddar)

Black pepper to season

 

 

Method:

Start by cutting the end of your asparagus stems as they tend to be hard.

In a pan pour a litre of water with a tbsp of salt and bring to the boil and then throw your asparagus. Leave them to cook for 3 minutes, then drain them and let them cool.

Meanwhile, pre-heat your oven to 180° C and start preparing your puff pastry. I keep the pastry on the parchment paper it comes with. Then, with a knife I draw a rectangle close to the edges of my pastry, to create a border. Spread 3 tbsp of creme fraiche and add your asparagus, season with a bit of black pepper and add the cheese on top. (At this point, you could easily add pieces of prociutto or parma ham).

Et voilà, baked in a hot oven for a good 30 minutes. Serve with a gorgeous salad.

Bon appétit!⠀

Corinne x

You may also like to try this other gorgeous summer recipe using puff pastry, click here

Categories
recipe

Gluten free chocolate cake

Gluten free chocolate cake

I'm not a huge fan of Valentine's day, I just don't like these celebrations that tell you on that particular day you should do this or that. Celebrating love and friendship shouldn't be dictated and surely be something we share everyday without even thinking about it. But, if you are still looking to treat your dear Valentine, here is a really simple recipe for you to try " my gluten free chocolate cake".

Image of a slice of chocolate cake sitting on a silver serving spoon

Ingredients:

40 g cocoa powder 

70 g dark chocolate (at least 70%) 

70 g unsalted butter 

6 eggs (2 whole, and 4 separated into whites and egg yolks) 

70 g ground almonds 

200 g of caster sugar 

A pinch of salt 

8″ cake tin lined with baking paper 

Pre-heat your oven at 180º C

Method:

Melt your chocolate and butter over a bain marie. Whisk your egg yolks and 2 whole eggs with 120 g of caster sugar to a thick white consistency, then mix in your ground almonds and cocoa powder. Add this mixture to your melted chocolate and butter. Whisk your egg whites and pinch of salt with the rest of the caster sugar (30 g) to snowy peaks. Slowly fold your whites to your chocolaty mix until completely incorporated. Then pour into your cake tin and cook for 25 minutes (if the end of your knife comes clear, your cake is cooked). Yes, it is as simple as that.

Tip: when your cake is completely cool, dust the top with cocoa powder 

Bon appétit!⠀

Corrine x

Categories
recipe

Lobster tail in a rich tomato and turmeric sauce

Lobster tail in a rich tomato and turmeric sauce

Being in Reunion Island, I had to publish a recipe full of sunshine but also ever so easy to make and with Valentine's day only a month away, you might like to have a go at my "Lobster tail in a rich tomato and turmeric sauce". It's a rather impressive, delicious and straight forward recipe to follow. The lobster tails can easily be replaced by Kings prawns. This is a very festive dish that my mum used to make a lot for special events and the festive season. A recipe to impress your Valentine for sure.

picture with lobster tails in a tomato sauce, you can learn how to make this at cookery school Gourmandises Academie in Cottenham, Cambridge

Ingredients:

2 lobster tails ( one tail per person)

2 tomatoes roughly chopped

1 finely chopped onion

2 cloves of garlic crushed

Fresh thyme

Fresh parsley

Two chillies (mild or hot depending on your taste buds)roughly chopped

1/4 tsp of turmeric

Fresh grated ginger (about the size of half a tsp)

Method:

In a pan, add a tbsp of vegetable oil (not olive oil as you want the full flavour of the lobster). Start by adding your onions and thyme, stir until the onion becomes translucent. Then add your garlic, your ginger and your chilli and stir again for a minute then add your turmeric and your tomatoes. Stir and let this lovely sauce simmer for 30 minutes (if the sauce dries out a little bit, add a little bit of hot water), then add your lobster tails and simmer for another 10 minutes, stirring after 5. That’s it, add some chopped fresh parsley before serving. In Reunion, we tend to serve it with plain Basmati rice. Delicious! Et voilà!

You can find lobster tails at Waitrose, but also The Fin Boys, or Crystal Waters Ltd on Cambridge market.

Bon appétit!⠀

Corrine x

Categories
Christmas baking recipe

Christmassy madeleines with orange and lemon zest

Christmassy madeleines with orange and lemon zest

These little morsels will always take me back to my childhood. Funny enough, we never used to make them, my mum would always buy them. I just remember enjoying them as my after school snack. They are actually super easy to make, and the mix will keep for a good week in the fridge, so you can enjoy them fresh every day. They are the perfect little treat at this time of year too. You can make them with the kids. Wrap them beautifully and give them away to friends and family, perfect Christmas gift. So here you have it my "Christmassy madeleines with orange and lemon zest".

picture of a bowl containing loads of madeleines dipped in dark chocolate, you can learn how to make this recipe on the blog of cooking school gourmandises academie in Cambridge

Ingredients:

125 g melted unsalted butter

125 g plain flour

3 medium eggs

4 g baking powder

125 g sugar

A pinch of salt

Zest of an orange and a lemon

A madeleines tray

Method:

Sift the flour, salt and baking powder. Whisk the eggs and sugar to a white consistency and add your zest. Slowly fold in your flour. Then add your melted butter in one go and mix again. Cover your bowl with cling film and put it in the fridge for at least an hour. This will allow the flavours to develop and the mixture to rise properly. This mixture can actually be kept for a week in the fridge, so you can actually bake fresh madeleines every day. Butter and flour your madeleines tray and fill it with a tsp of your mixture. Bake them for 10 minutes or until golden brown in a pre-heated 180° C oven. Get them out of the tray as soon as they come out of the oven. You can eat them warm. Otherwise let them cool down and dip them in dark chocolate for an extra bit of indulgence. Et voilà!

Joyeux Noël!⠀

Corrine x

Categories
recipe

Chicken parcels cooked in vermouth with carrots, leek and fennel

Chicken parcels cooked in vermouth with carrots, leek and fennel

Chicken parcels are beautiful pieces of chicken breast wrapped in bacon and filled with sausage meat, in France they are called "paupiettes" and are traditionally filled with veal. You should be able to get them from your local butcher. They are really delicious, and at this time of year I think they would make the perfect party dish to share with friends. The stuffing makes the chicken really juicy, so here you have it my chicken parcels cooked in vermouth with carrots, leek and fennel.

image of a terracotta pot on a wooden table containing four meat parcels in a tomato sauce. You can find the recipe on the blog of cookery school Gourmandises Academie in Cottenham, Cambridge

Ingredients:

4 chicken parcels ( I get mine from my local butcher)

One leek chopped

One carrot chopped

One fennel chopped

3 cloves of garlic

Fresh thyme

Fresh parsley

80 ml of vermouth

600 ml of boiling water

2 TBSP of tomato puree

Method:

In a pan, add 2 TBSP of olive oil and start by gently browning your parcels on both sides, once they are brown take them out of the pan and add your leek and the thyme, once the leek has softened add the garlic, the carrot and the fennel, stir for 2 minutes. Then add your vermouth, let the alcohol evaporate and then add 2 TBSP of tomato puree and 600 ml of boiling water, stir. Put your parcels back in the pan, reduce the heat and let it simmer for 2 hours on your stove. Add freshly chopped parsley before serving. I have mine with polenta, but mashed potatoes works just as well. Et voilà,

If you live in Cambridge, you can get your chicken parcels from Longhorn farmshop or Leech and Sons

Bon appétit!⠀

Corrine x

Categories
recipe

Mum’s chicken chasseur

Mum's chicken chasseur

Although I come from a very tropical part of the world, I have come to enjoy autumn and its slow motion, the beautiful colours and of course, comforting and hearty food. One dish that smells autumn to me is my Mum's chicken chasseur. She always used to make it at this time of year, I can even remember the smell of the white wine as soon as I stepped through the door after school. But coming from Reunion Island and living in the South of France, her chicken chasseur is not quite the one you would normally see in a traditional French household. So yes, she actually added a little bit of turmeric to her chasseur's sauce, not even a 1/4 of a tsp, she also added some green olives. Although it sounds weird and almost like "this is not gonna work kind of sentiment", trust me it just does. The turmeric adds earthiness to the dish and the sharpness of the olives just works well against the smoky lardons. Just give it a go, it's delicious.

image with a dish containing pieces of chicken, mushrooms and a bit of parsley on top, you can find the recipe on the blog of Gourmandises Academie

Ingredients:

4 chicken legs

One onion (chopped)

2 cloves of garlic (crushed and chopped)

Thyme

Bay leaves (2 leaves is enough)

Parsley (chopped)

80 g of green pitted olives

150 g Lardons

A bottle of dry white wine

300 g closed cup mushrooms (sliced)

Turmeric

You will need a heavy based pan with a lid for this dish

Method:

Start by browning your chicken legs in two TBSP of vegetable oil. Once brown, take the chicken out of the pan and add your lardons and your mushrooms and stir them around constantly in your pan until all the water has gone. Then add your chopped onion and stir again until they’re soft, add the garlic, thyme and bay leaves and stir for a minute. Then put your chicken back in the pan, season with salt and pepper, but not too much salt as you already have some from your lardons. At that point add your olives and a bit of turmeric (less than a 1/4 of tsp) and stir, pour your wine. Bring it to the boil, then turn the heat right down, lid on and let your chicken cook for an hour. The sauce should have reduced and be velvety by then, if it’s still runny, live it to cook a little longer. Before serving add the fresh parsley on top. Et voilà!

Chef’s tip: this meal is actually best enjoyed the next day.

 Good quality farm shops to get your chicken from: Longhorn or Leech and Sons

Bon appétit!⠀

Corrine x

Categories
recipe

Courgettes pancakes, topped with , roasted tomatoes, creme fraiche, and salmon

Courgettes pancakes, topped with roasted tomatoes, crème fraiche and salmon

This should be my last recipe containing courgettes, although the weather forecast in the UK for next week is a very summery one (at long last!) courgettes season is coming to an end. So here is a very yummy recipe for you to try, perfect for brunch and a lazy Sunday

image of a pancake topped with roasted tomatoes, crème fraiche and salmon you can learn how to make this at cookery school Gourmandises Academie in Cambridge UK

Ingredients (this quantity will serve 2 to 3 people)

For 100 g of courgettes (grated) you will need to add

One egg

One heaped tbsp of self raising flour

Salt and pepper to season

2 to 3 slices of salmon

Cherry tomatoes slowly roasted

A dollop of creme fraiche

A bit of grated cheddar

Olive oil or vegetable oil

You will need a small non stick pan for this

Method:

Mix your courgettes, flour and egg, and season with a bit of salt and pepper. In a pan, drizzle a little bit of olive oil and add a ladle of pancake mix, cook one side for a minute, turn it over and cook the over side, and that’s it really for the cooking. I tend to serve mine with with a bit of grated cheddar, then roasted tomatoes, then the creme fraiche and salmon on top of it all. Regarding my tomatoes, I roast them for a good 45 minutes in a 160° c oven with fresh thyme and oregano from my garden (dry herbs work too), rock salt and olive oil. You can also use freshly sliced cherry tomatoes for this recipe. Et voilà

I hope you enjoy it, if you do have a go, don’t forget to tag me on social media, either on IG or FB

Another great brunch recipe is courgettes muffins, find the recipe here

Bon appétit!⠀

Corrine x

Categories
recipe

Gateau de courgettes au chocolat

Gateau de courgettes au chocolat

September is around the corner. Whether your children are going back to school or you're just returning to the office, it's that time of year where a little treat to keep you going might just be what you need. It's chocolaty, super easy to make, delicious and dare I say it, contains one of your five a day! So here you have it my "gateau de courgettes au chocolat". It is chocolicious, melt in your mouth and naughty, so what's not to like! Once cooked you can't even tell there's courgettes in it!

image of a cake loaf covered in a dark chocolate glaze and topped with fresh strawberries and cherries dipped in white chocolate, you can find the recipe on the blog og Gourmandises Academie

Ingredients

300 g of grated courgettes (this is when you have squeezed all the water out of them).

240 g self raising flour

180 g sugar (can be caster or granulated)

100 g melted butter (unsalted)

2 TBSP of ground almonds

3 eggs

100 g dark chocolate (melted)

I like to bake my cake in a bread tin but an 8″ round tin will do too.

Pre-heat your oven to 180° C fan.

For the garnish (this is me being extravagant, the cake is actually really nice without it)

100 ml double cream

100 g dark chocolate

I chose to add cherries dipped in white chocolate and strawberries but you can easily skip that bit (this is just for show, you know, when you have dinner party guests you want to impress!)

Method:

When I said it was easy, I meant it really. The hardest bit is to line your cake tin with baking paper. In a bowl, mix all your ingredients together in one go, the courgettes, sugar, eggs, melted butter, flour, ground almonds and chocolate. (remember to squeeze the water out of your courgettes). You will end-up with a very loose batter, don’t panic that is fine. Pour it into your tin and into your oven for a good hour, reduce the temperature to 170° c once in the oven. Make sure your cake is cooked by inserting a skewer or a knife in the middle, if it comes out clean it’s cooked, if not put it back in the oven a bit more.

Leave your cake to cool. Once cooled you can add a chocolate ganache on top, but you can also eat it as it is. If you decide to add the ganache, warm-up your double cream (don’t boil it otherwise your chocolate will split), add your chocolate and stir, and spread it over your cake. I decided to add some fruits to mine to make it more appealing. Et voilà, mon gateau de courgettes au chocolat!

P.S: don’t forget to tag me on my social media channels if you make the cake IG or FB

You might fancy trying a savoury recipe click here

Beautiful tableware courtesy of Roneford Catering

Bon appétit!⠀

Corrine x

Categories
recipe

Malaysian inspired pickled courgettes

Malaysian inspired pickled courgettes

It is that time of year again, when every gardener I know has a bounty of courgettes. Every year, I tell myself not to plant so many, but fall into the trap. So every year, I also try to find new ways of using them up (that is of course after giving them away to my neighbours). This year, I dug my good old recipe books out and found a great one from Katie and Giancarlo Caldesi “the gentle art of preserving”, I really liked their Malaysian style pickled vegetables. I adapted the recipe to my taste buds, they use a huge amount of sugar and salt, which I don’t particular like in a pickle. So here you have it my Malaysian inspired pickled courgettes. Warning this recipe is a 2 day process.

image of a jar of pickle, you can find the recipe on the blog of cookery school Gourmandises Academie, Cambridge

Ingredients:

1 kg of courgettes

50 g of salt

1 tsp of turmeric

1 tsp of chilli flakes

2 tsp of mustard seeds (you could also use coriander seeds)

3 cloves of garlic finely chopped

20 g of fresh ginger finely sliced

2 tbsp of sugar

500 ml of vinegar

Method:

Start by cutting your courgettes into little cubes, pop them into a bowl with your salt and mix well, cover and leave it overnight (this is the brining process, your courgettes will render a lot of water that way).

The next day, rinse your courgettes in cold water ( I do this seven times to get rid of the excess salt, you want your courgettes to reach that sweet but not too salty taste). Once that’s done, you also want to drain the excess water. I do this by transferring the courgettes to a colander with a plate over them and something heavy on top. Leave for 5 minutes at least or until no water comes out. Then heat a tbsp of vegetable oil in a pan, add your mustard seeds, when they start popping, add the ginger, the garlic, chilli flakes and the turmeric and stir for a minute constantly as you don’t want your garlic to burn, then pour the vinegar and add the sugar, bring to the boil and turn the heat off, let this cool completely.

Once cooled start adding your courgettes into sterilised jars one layer at a time, then add some of the spices on top, then a bit of the vinegar and repeat this process until the jar is full. This process allows you to have an even distribution of spices, vinegar and courgettes in the jar. If you don’t do that you end-up with all the spices at the top of your jar. That is it!

You can either leave these jars for 6 months or consume after a week with cold meat, sausage roll, ham or even a good old scotch egg. It’s truly delicious!

Last year I went for courgettes fritters you can find the recipe here

Bon appétit!⠀

Corrine x