Tablier taché

for the cookies: 180 g unsalted butter 70 g vegetable shortening grated zest from two lemons 310 g sugar 5 g salt 1 large egg 8 g vanilla extract 60 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed  625 g flour 18 g baking powder prepare the cookies: 1. Cream the butter, shortening and the zest together. Add the sugar and beat until creamy fluffy. Add the salt. 2. Add the egg. Beat until well combined. Add the vanilla extract and half the lemon juice. Mix lightly. 3. Incorporate half of the flour, alternating with the other half of the lemon juice and the rest of the flour. Mix until the dough is formed. 4. Divide the dough in two. Roll it out between two pieces of wrapping foil. Place on a flat surface and refrigerate for 2-3 hours. 5. With a round cookie cutter, cut out cookies. 6. Using a cookie cutter with a smaller diameter, cut the centre of half of the cookies to form a ring. Make the cut out centres into button cookies. 7. Place all the coo...

What is better than chocolate cake? I, truthfully, couldn't think of anything. When my sweet angel decided that she wants a chocolate cake for her celebration, I remembered, that she found a Queen Elizabeth's favourite cake recipe posted  in Tweeter earlier this year, and thought that this would be a nice coronation for her sweet 16th birthday. I copied the recipe, with slight change of the technic. My birthday girl wanted strawberries, so I added a ring of fresh strawberries. The cake is worth every effort. Every bite is heavenly delicious. Here is the original  recipe. Chef Darren McGrady used "Ghirardelli" dark chocolate. I couldn't find any, but to keep the classy taste, I decided that "Lindt" is not any worse (if not even better). for the filling: 285 g heavy cream 227 g dark chocolate Lindt for the cake: 6 egg yolks 2 eggs 114 g sugar 57 g flour 30 g cocoa 57 g butter for the topping:  285 g heavy cream 227 g dark...

(recipe of chef Christophe Felder) for the macaroons: 200 g ground almonds (2 1/3 cups, 7 oz.) 200 g confectioners' sugar (1 1/2 cups, 7 oz.) 50 ml water (3 1/2 tbsp) 200 g granulated sugar (1 cup, 7 oz.) 150 g egg whites divided (about 5 eggs, 5 1/2 oz.) yellow food colouring Note: check my post for the chocolate macarons before start working on the lemon-basil ones 1. Combine the ground almonds and confectioners' sugar in a food processor and pulse to combine. Sift into a bowl.  2. Cook the water and granulated sugar in a heavy bottomed pan over a medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Bring the syrup to boil. If using a thermometer, the right temperature for the syrup should be 118C. Otherwise, boil for couple of minutes and do not let the syrup to thicken.  3. Beat half the eggs with a whisk attachment until soft peaks. Slowly pour the syrup down the side of the bowl in a thin stream, whisking at the highest speed of the mixer. Whip until the me...

These mini cakes are an impressive combination between heavy brownie base, light and nutty pistachio praline and fresh and juicy rainier cherries.  I used Irina's recipe for the brownies. I found her website a while ago and fell in love with her ambitious perfectionism and artistic skills. She is quite a collector of teasing recipes. I guess, we fall for similar baking products and confections.  for the Brownie Base: 45 g unsalted butter 85 g dark chocolate 100g brown sugar 45 g flour 20 g Dutch processed cocoa powder pinch of salt 4 Tbsp milk 1 tsp vanilla extract 1. Preheat the oven to 180 C. 2. Butter 7 of the cavities of a whoopee-pie pan. Sift some cocoa powder. 3. Place the butter and chocolate together in a heavy bottomed pan over a low heat. 4. Add the sugar and stir to melt. Add the egg. 5. Add the milk and vanilla extract. Stir to combine well. 6. Sift over the flour, cocoa and salt. Stir. 7. Distribute ...