The Pastry Chef Bible

® all rights reserved Being a pastry chef involves attention to detail. Small changes in a recipe can make a big difference, so pastry chefs need to pay attention to what they are doing, even while performing routine tasks. You will also need to have artistic ability and creativity to produce pastries and desserts that look as good as they taste. If you’re going to become a pastry chef, one of the key character traits to note is patience. Different pastries take time to create – not to mention perfect – and this is especially true when preparing ingredients. In many cases, you will utilize ingredients when they are cool. In other cases, though, time must be taken so that they can become warm. With cases such as the former, it’s easy to see that patience is nothing short of a virtue.



Lets start whit the basics Shortcrust pastry is the easiest type of pastry to make. It's also very versatile as it readily incorporates other flavourings. It can be used for sweet or savoury pies and tarts, pasties and other pastry parcels. Regular shortcrust pastry is bound with water but for a richer version the water is replaced with egg. What happens to a round of pie or tart dough when it’s put into the refrigerator? The flour soaks up moisture, sure. The activated gluten in it relaxes, yes. But more than that, it turns rock hard. So what happens when the well-intentioned

baker tries to roll it? He thinks to himself as he sets it down on the counter with a clunk: this can’t be right. But he soldiers on, because that’s what the instructions say. So he pulls out his rolling pin and the hunk of dough breaks into clumps as soon as he applies pressure to it. In a panic — the dough is warming! — he gathers up the pieces, presses them together and tries again. The same thing happens. By the third or fourth try, the dough is getting more flexible, but as it starts to roll out, huge cracks appear. Take your time do it slowly. Infusions Infusions are highly useful things in the world of baking and sweets. If you’ve ever wondered how your local pastry shop gets the flavor of thyme into a tea bread icing, or how confectioners introduce the flavor of earl grey tea into a truffle, infusions are the answer. They allow a cook to import a flavor — usually one from an herb or spice — without having to import the herb or spice itself. Folding is a critical skill where the Egg Foam Method is concerned. Sadly, it is also one of the most misunderstood techniques in all of cookingdom. For most people it simply means “stirring with a spatula”. In fact folding is a far more delicate thing than that, since very often the intent behind it is to mix without breaking bubbles. Usually the folding of egg whites necessitates dividing your foam up into thirds. Warm — not merely room temperature — eggs and dairy are critical to the success of many baking projects, but particularly cakes. Warm (85-degree) eggs let yolk emulsifiers flow, keeping batters smooth and uniform. Some egg whites are quite fresh and firm, but that’s not important for a successful whip. In fact older eggs generally whip up faster and better. Old whites are more liquid than gelatinous, you see, and that’s a good thing when you consider that whipping is a factor of applying shear force to the proteins in the white.

The first thing you want to do to make your oven more hearth-like is to introduce some large, heat-absorbing masses to it. These will increase both the conductive and the radiant heat in your oven. The most common of these is of course a pizza stone. The best of these are the heaviest, since they can hold more heat. You want to place your stone directly on the floor of your oven for maximum effect











Secret recipes revealed.........

® PARIS STYLE CHOCOLATE BAKED CHEESECAKE Prep time30 min Cooking time1 hrs 15 mins Ingredients Base: 1 packet or 250g of digestive biscuits 75g butter (melted) 55g chocolate (melted) Filling: 155g dark chocolate (melted) 510g cream cheese 3/4 cup Caster Sugar 3 eggs 2 tsp cocoa 1 tsp vanilla 1 cup sour cream Method

Preheat oven to 150°C. Base: Crush biscuits into fine crumbs. Mix in chocolate and butter. Press firmly over the base of a well greased 20cm spring form tin. Refrigerate while you make the filling. Filling: In a food processor or a large bowl beat together melted chocolate, softened cream cheese and caster sugar. Add eggs, then cocoa, vanilla and sour cream. Spoon mixture on to the base. Bake at 150°C for 1 1/4 hours. Once cooked, leave in the oven with the door slightly open and with the heat turned off, until cold. Chill until ready to serve. Garnish with whipped cream and toasted nuts or chocolate shavings. ® Golden Honey Cake recipe Ingredients: 1 cup buckwheat honey, melted 1/2 cup butter, softened 1 cup dark brown sugar 4 eggs, separated

3 cups sifted cake flour 2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp salt 1/2 cup warm coffee Method: Bring honey slowly to a boil, and cool. Cream the butter and sugar. Add egg yolks, beat until light and fluffy. Beat in honey. Sift flour with dry ingredients; add alternately with warm coffee. Make sure there is no egg yolks in the whites. Beat egg whites until stiff, and fold them into the batter. Bake in a greased and floured bundt pan at 325F for 50 minutes, then reduce heat to 300F, until toothpick comes out clean. Buckwheat honey is very strong. It takes a bit of getting used to if you are not. I prefer it to regular clover honey any day

® Genoise - 4 EGGS - 13 OZ. SUGAR -4 OZ.CAKE FLOUR - sifted - 8 OZ. CORNSTARCH -10 OZ. BUTTER -melted & cooled - 2 tb VANILLA OR LEMON EXTRACT METHOD: 1) Combine the eggs and sugar in a bowl, and heat over a double boiler until the mixture reaches 110 degrees. 2) Return to the mixer; and whip the egg mixture on 3rd speed, until the foam is

thick and light and begins just to recede. About 15 minutes. 3) Reduce mixer to 2nd speed for 10 minutes. 4) Sift dry ingredients 3 times. 5) With your hand, gently fold the sifted dry ingredients into the egg mixture. Be careful not to deflate the foam. 6) Remove a small portion of batter and place in a small bowl, add the melted butter and vanilla and carefully blend together. 7) Quickly and gently fold the butter mixture back into the remaining batter. 8) Immediately portion into paper lined and sprayed cake pans. 9) Bake @ 370 degrees - approximately 23 minutes. ® Chocolate Genoise - 4 EGGS - 15 OZ SUGAR

- 1/3 OZ. SALT - 1 tsp BAKING SODA - 1.2 OZ. WATER - 1.2 OZ. CAKE FLOUR - sifted -5 OZ. COCOA POWDER - 7.3 OZ. CORNSTARCH - 5.1 OZ. BUTTER -melted & cooled - 2 tsp VANILLA METHOD: 1) Combine the eggs, sugar and salt in a bowl. Dissolve thebaking soda into the water and add to above. Heat over a double boiler until the mixture reaches 115 degrees. 2) Return to the mixer; and whip the egg mixture on 3rd speed, until the foam is thick and light and begins just to recede. About 15 minutes. 3) Reduce mixer to 2nd speed for 10 minutes. 4) Sift dry ingredients together - 3 times. 5) With your hand, gently fold the sifted dry ingredients into the egg mixture. Be careful not to deflate the foam. 6) Remove a small portion of batter and place in a small bowl, add the melted butter and vanilla and carefully blend together.

7) Quickly and gently fold the butter mixture back into the remaining batter. 8) Immediately portion into paper lined and sprayed cake pans. 9) Bake @ 370 degrees - approximately 23 minutes. ® Lady Fingers - 9 OZ. EGG YOLKS - 3 tspVANILLA EXTRACT -4 OZ. SUGAR -9 EGG WHITES - 1 tsp CREAM OF TARTAR - 1/2 tsp SALT - 4 OZ SUGAR - 9 OZ PASTRY FLOUR - sifted YIELDS: 40 lady fingers or 3 - 10" rounds METHOD: Separation Egg Foaming Method

1) Whip the yolks, vanilla and 4 oz. of sugar until pale yellow and falls from the whip in a very thick ribbon! Place in a large bowl. 2) Whip whites, cream of tartar and salt to soft peaks. Slowly add the remaining 4 oz. of sugar and whip until stiff peaks. 3) Sift the pastry flour 3 times. 4) Place the sifted pastry flour on top of the whipped yolks, and top this with a 1/3 of the meringue. Fold-in gently and don't overmix! 5) Add the remaining meringue in 2 stages. 6) Load a pastry bag with a 5 round tip and pipe-out 3" fingers freehand, or use a Lady Finger Sheet. 7) Sift confectioners sugar over the sponge fingers. 8) Bake @ 375F for 10 minutes. ® European Sponge Roll

EGG YOLKS -9 each VANILLA EXTRACT- 3 tsp SUGAR -4 .3 OZ. EGG WHITES -9 each CREAM OF TARTAR -1tsp. SALT -1/2 tsp. SUGAR -4 .3 OZ. CAKE FLOUR - sifted 9 OZ. Yield: 1 Full Sheetpan METHOD: Separation Egg Foaming Method 1) Prepare a sheetpan with parchment and grease with pan spray. 2) Whip the yolks, vanilla and 4 oz. of sugar until pale yellow, and falls from the whip in a very thick ribbon! Place in a large bowl. 3) Whip egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt to soft peaks. Slowly add the remaining 4 oz. of sugar and whip until firm moist peaks. 4) Sift the cake flour 3 times. 5) Place the sifted cake flour on top of the whipped yolks, and top this with a 1/3 of the meringue. Fold-in gently and don't overmix!

6) Add the remaining meringue in 2 stages. 7) Spread evenly onto the prepared sheetpan. 8) Bake @ 380F degrees - about 10 minutes ® Joconde/Almond Spongecake 3 SHEETPANS BAKED IN VERY THIN LAYERS. EGGS- 16 SUGAR -16 OZ. EGG WHITES -16 OZ. CREAM OF TARTAR -2 tsp. SUGAR- 6 OZ. ALMOND FLOUR or ground nuts -20 OZ. PASTRY FLOUR - sifted -6 OZ BUTTER - melted & cooled -6 OZ.

METHOD: SEPARATION EGG FOAMING METHOD 1) Grease & flour parchment well, or use a silicon mat. 2) Combine 16 whole eggs with 16 oz. sugar. Warm mixture to 115 F over a simmering water bath. Whip on 3rd speed until fully volume is reached; about 10 minutes. 3) Whip whites with the cream of tartar till soft peaks; then slowly add 6 oz. of sugar and whip till firm peaks. 4) Sift together the flour and almond flour. 5) Carefully fold-in the dry ingredients, while alternating with the meringue into the egg foam. 6) Remove about 3 cups of the batter and place in a bowl. Add the melted butter to this, and blend together till just combined. Now carefully fold this back into the egg foam. 7) Spread evenly and thinly over the prepared sheetpans. 8) Bake @ 390degrees until lightly golden brown, but not dry; about 9 minutes. 9) Slide the joconde off the sheetpan onto a cooling rack. While still warm,

invert joconde and loosen the parchment - but do not remove. Reinvert. Allow to cool and cover to prevent drying. ® Mocha Italian Butter Cream II. MOCHA ITALIAN BUTTERCREAM 1-2-3 EGG WHITES - 2.2 OZ CREAM OF TARTAR 1 TSP. SUGAR -2.4 OZ WATER - 9 OZ. BUTTER - very soft - 4 OZ LEMON JUICE - 2 TSP. VANILLA EXTRACT - 1 OZ. MOCHA PASTE - 2.4 OZ. ® METHOD: ITALIAN MERINGUE 1) Place sugar and water together in a pot. Place over medium heat, and stir till

sugar is dissolved. Raise heat to high and cook till 240F. Washing down sides of pot with water throughout this process. 2) At 230F begin whipping egg whites and cream of tartar, whip them to soft peaks. 3) When the sugar reaches 240F slowly begin pouring the hot sugar syrup into the soft peak egg whites. * Machine is on 2nd speed! After all the sugar is added, turn machine up to 3rd speed, and whip till cool - this takes about 30 minutes. 4) Separately cream the butter, lemon juice and vanilla extract till light and soft. ® BUTTER CREAM 5) Slowly add the creamed butter to the meringue. With the machine running on 2nd speed using the whip. After the butter is all added, turn the machine up to 3rd speed for about 5 minutes, until light and airy. 6) Add mocha paste to taste, and whip again till smooth. III. Coffee Simple Syrup III. COFFEE SIMPLE SYRUP

Very Strong Coffee -16 oz. Water -8 oz. Sugar -6 oz. Brandy -2 oz. METHOD: Boil together water and sugar, stirring till dissolved. Remove from heat when it comes to a boil. Slowly stir in sugar syrup into coffee, until a slightly sweet coffee mixture is achieved. Then add brandy. Reserve for soaking cake layers. IV. Ganache Filling IV. GANACHE FILLING Sweet-Semi Chocolate- 13.1 oz. Heavy Cream -9.3 oz. Butter -2 .7 oz. Kaluha - 1.4 oz. METHOD: Chop chocolate finely. Scald heavy cream and butter. Pour over chopped chocolate. Stir until smooth. Stir in Kaluha. Allow to thicken at room temperature. Stirring occasionally until a spreadable consistency is reached. Reserve until needed, rewarm if ganache cream becomes too firm to spread. V. Special Opera Glaze

V. SPECIAL OPERA GLAZE Coating Chocolate -17 oz. Couverture Semi-Sweet Chocolate- 8 oz. Vegetable Oil -4 oz. METHOD: Heat together all ingredients slowly over a simmering water bath. Stirring until 115 F is reached. Hold and reserve at this temperature, until ready to use. ® Sticky Buns COLD WATER- 32 oz. FRESH YEAST- 5 oz. BREAD FLOUR- 5.2 oz CAKE FLOUR- 5.2 oz DRY MILK SOLIDS - sifted 6.1 oz. SALT- 1.7 oz.

SUGAR- 13.2 oz. BUTTER - well softened- 17 .1 oz. EGGS- 17.3 oz. CARDAMOM- 3 tsp. Yields: 60 - Sweet Roll Dough METHOD: STRAIGHT DOUGH MIXING METHOD 1. Mix the ingredients together using the straight dough mixing method. Mix on low speed for "6 minutes" until a smooth dough is formed. Add additional flour if needed to make a workable dough. 2. Allow the dough to rise for 1 1/2 hours in a lightly oiled bowl. Covered. 3. Punch-down the dough. Cut the dough in half, roll the dough out to a 24X32 rectangle. Cut in half lengthwise to create 2 rectangles each 12X32. Spread with filling (recipe below), and roll-up like a jelly roll. Cut into 1 1/2" pieces. 4. Prepare muffins tins with the sticky bun pan glaze (recipe below). Deposit a 1/2" of glaze into each muffin tin, top with chopped pecans, then place the cut portion of sweet dough on top. 5. Allow to rise for 35 minutes, covered. Then bake at 355F for 25-30 minutes. 6. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Place a sheetpan on

top, holding both pans together, flip-over the pans. Remove the muffin tin and the sticky buns should fall right-out. Be careful the glaze is hot! STICKY BUN FILLING: Butter -3 oz Light Brown Sugar -16 oz., Sugar- 16 oz Cinnamon - 4 tsp. Cream these ingredients together till smooth. STICKY BUN PAN GLAZE: Butter- 11 oz Light Brown Sugar -3 oz Light Corn Syrup- 2 oz Water- 4 oz Bring all these ingredients to a boil over medium heat. Allow to cool. Deposit into muffin tins.

® Pate a Choux WATER OR MILK- 1.2 oz BUTTER OR SHORTENING-8.8 oz. SALT- 1.5 tsp. SUGAR (for savory omit) 1 .3 oz BREAD FLOUR- 13 oz EGGS- 1.25 PINT METHOD: 1. Combine the liquid, fat, salt ,(sugar), in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil. 2. Add the flour all at once. Over medium heat stir quickly for 1-2 minutes until the dough forms a ball and pulls from the sides of the pan. 3. Transfer to a mixing bowl with a paddle attachment. Mix on 1st speed until it has cooled slightly. 4. Switch to medium speed, and slowly add the eggs one by one. 5. Use the paste immediately, for maximum leavening. GUILDLINES:

1. Adjust consistency by adding eggs. 2. Bake @ 425F for the first 10 minutes, then 375F for approx. 20 minutes, or at 400F degrees overall. CHOCOLATE PATE A CHOUX Add to the liquid - 1 ounce more sugar and 3 TBSP. of cocoa powder. EXPRESSO PATE A CHOUX Substitute 8 ounce of liquid with 8 ounce of brewed coffee, and add 1 more ounce of sugar. ® Mango and cardamom filled macarons 1 To start the macarons, place the ingredients for the ground almond base into a bowl. Whisk until smooth, then set aside 310g of ground almonds

307g of icing sugar 116g of egg white 2 For the Italian meringue base, place the egg whites into a food mixer and whisk on a low speed. While the egg whites are whisking, add the water and 280g of the sugar to a pan and place over a medium-high heat 118g of egg white 59g of water 287g of caster sugar 3 Once the sugar is boiling and has reached 110°C, increase the speed of the food mixer and add the extra 20g of sugar to stabilise the meringue 20g of caster sugar 4 Once the sugar reaches 118°C, reduce the speed of the food mixer and gently pour the liquid sugar down the side of the mixing bowl into the egg whites. Increase the whisking speed again for 1 minute 5

Stop the machine, add the brown food colouring, then turn the mixer back on to a medium speed, whisking the meringue until it has cooled to body temperature and is fluffy and thick 3g of brown food colouring 6 Add a third of the Italian meringue into the ground almond base and mix until smooth and fully incorporated. Add the remaining meringue in two parts, allowing the mix to blend smoothly each time. Mix until smooth and shiny 7 Place the meringue mixture into a piping bag with 1cm nozzle and pipe 4.5cm bulbs of the meringue onto a lined baking tray. Preheat the oven to 130°C/gas mark 1, and leave the macarons to sit out for 30 minutes until a dry skin forms on top 8 Place the macarons into the preheated oven for 17-18 minutes – when ready, they should just peel off the tray. Leave to cool, then pair according to size for a top and bottom 9 For the malt ganache, combine the malt extract and chocolate together in a Thermomix or food procesor. In a pan, bring the cream to the boil and pour over the chocolate, which should begin to melt

138g of malt extract 205g of Cacao Barry 'Fleur de Cao', 70% 156g of whipping cream 10 After 30 seconds, gently start the blender and mix on a moderate speed until it forms a smooth ganache. Add the butter to the ganache and continue mixing for 1-2 minutes, until the appearance is smooth and glossy. Transfer into a piping bag fitted with a 1/4cm nozzle allow this to set at room temperature before piping 15g of unsalted butter 11 For the nougat, add the egg whites to a food mixer bowl and whisk on a medium speed. Meanwhile, add the honey, sugar, glucose and water to a pan and heat beyond boiling point, until it reaches 121°C 75g of egg white 185g of honey 12 Gently pour the hot honey mix over the whisking egg whites. While the honey and egg whites continue to whisk on a medium speed, heat the caster sugar,

glucose and water in another pan until it reaches 118°C. Add this to the mixer and leave to whisk until the nougat cools 154g of caster sugar 54g of glucose 66g of water 13 To temper the chocolate, place 300g of the chocolate chips in a microwave-proof bowl. Place in the microwave on a low wattage (300-400W) and melt, stirring every 45 seconds until completely melted. Continue to heat in the microwave until the chocolate reaches 45˚C 400g of Cacao Barry Extra Bitter 64%, chopped or in chips 14 Remove from the microwave, add the remaining 100g of chocolate chips and stir to melt. Once the temperature of the chocolate reaches 32˚C, it is ready to use 15 Pipe a ring of ganache around the edge of the macaron shell, fill the centre with nougat and top with the macaron lid. Dip the macaron in the tempered dark chocolate to coat completely 16

Place on a tray lined with silicone paper and while the chocolate is still soft, tap the top of the macaron with a fork before leaving to set to create the decorative finish ® BLACK FORREST CAKE For the chocolate sponge, place the egg whites in the bowl of a food mixer with a whisk attached. Set to a medium to high speed and whisk until the egg whites start to increase in volume, then slowly add the sugar. Continue to whisk until the meringue has reached medium peaks 157g of egg white 107g of caster sugar 2

Preheat the oven to 170˚C/gas mark 3-4. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in a bain marie. In a separate bowl, sift the cocoa powder over the egg yolks, whisking thoroughly to combine. Slowly pour and continue to whisk in the melted butter. Remove from the heat and allow to cool before gently folding in the meringue, 1/3 at a time to incorporate as much air as possible 104g of egg yolk 22g of cocoa powder 107g of butter 128g of 70% bitter chocolate 3 Line a shallow baking tray with parchment and evenly spread out the chocolate sponge mix. Place into the oven for 10 minutes, then remove and allow to cool completely before handling 4 Use a 6cm pastry cutter to make 16 rounds of the sponge. Use 8 of of the sponge rings as the base and place into a high sided 6cm pastry ring. 5 For the vanilla and white chocolate mousse, pour 200ml of double cream into a pan with the vanilla. Bring to the boil and then remove from the heat 210g of double cream 2 vanilla pods

6 Place the white chocolate into a bowl and pass the hot vanilla cream through a fine chinoise onto the chocolate, stirring to dissolve. Add the softened gelatine and whisk to combine. Set aside to cool slightly 106g of white chocolate couverture pistoles 1 gelatine leaf 7 While the white chocolate mix is cooling, use a pastry brush to soak the chocolate sponge base in the kirsch, reserved from the griottine cherries. Once the chocolate mix is cool, fold in 300ml of whipped double cream. While still runny, pour the white chocolate mix over the soaked sponge to create a 2nd layer, around 5mm in thickness 312g of double cream, whipped to soft peaks 8 Remove the pips from the griottine cherries, cut in half and place seven halves into each of the 8 rings on top of the white chocolate layer. Press down firmly so the white chocolate mixture fills out all the gaps between the two layers of sponge 209g of Griottine cherries

9 Use up any leftover liquid from the griotinne cherries to brush the top layer of chocolate sponge before pressing the top layer lightly down into the ring. Set in the refrigerator for up to 2 hours 10 For the dark chocolate délice, combine the cream and milk in a pan and bring to the boil. Meanwhile, whisk together the yolks and sugar in a large bowl until smooth and pale in colour 254ml of whole milk 252ml of cream 105g of egg yolk 57g of caster sugar 11 Slowly add the cream mixture to the yolks and sugar while whisking continuously. Return the liquid to the pan to make a crème anglaise. Stir on the heat until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. When it is ready, measure out 500ml and set aside 12 Melt the dark chocolate in a large bowl over a bain marie. While the crème anglaise mix is still hot, slowly pour into the chocolate, in three parts, whisking as you go. Allow to cool to 37˚C

358g of 55% chocolate pistoles 13 As the chocolate mixture is cooling to temperature, gently fold in the cream. Pour the mix into the gâteau rings, covering the top layer of sponge. Allow to set for a minimum of 4 hours 211ml of cream 14 For the feuillantine, combine the praline paste and chocolate and melt over a bain marie until smooth in texture. Add the crispy feuillantine to the chocolate mix and stir to combine 507g of praline paste 128g of milk chocolate 257g of feuilletine 15 Prepare 2 sheets of greaseproof paper (39 x 27cm). Place one sheet down on a work surface and then pour and spread the mixture across the sheet. Place the second layer of greaseproof paper on top and use a rolling pin to flatten and create a thin, even layer of chocolate. Place onto a tray to set in the freezer

16 Take a 6cm pastry cutter and dip into hot water for 15 seconds, wipe dry and cut into the feuillantine. Repeat until you have 8 discs. Place the discs into a slightly off centre position on each plate 17 For the garnish, whip the cream to medium peaks and place in a piping bag with a small star shaped nozzle. Slice the cherries into quarters 104ml of cream 9g of cherries 18 Run a hot knife along the insides of the moulds to dislodge the gateau and then slide out gently. Roll each gateau in the grated dark chocolate to evenly coat the sides 54g of dark chocolate, grated 19 To serve, place the finished gateau on top of each feuillantine. Pipe a small rosette of cream on top with 2 pieces of fresh cherry. Garnish with a fresh mint leaf, a touch of cream a slice of cherry and serve

9 fresh mint leaves ® Strawberry and elderflower fraisiers This French pâtisserie classic is the perfect late summer dessert. Traditionally made with a vanilla mousse and soft genoise sponge base, here, it’s given an English twist with a crisp, buttery shortbread base acting as a lovely textural contrast to an elderflower mousse. They’re perfect for a make-ahead dinner party dessert, and can be carefully transported outside if you’re looking to inspire picnic-envy at the park or an outdoor event. You can go one step further and use homemade shortbread and elderflower cordial in the mousse for a really special occasion. Metal ring moulds are readily available in good cookware shops and are a good investment for mini cheesecakes, Victoria sponges or other French pâtisserie classics. You will need: 4 x 6.5cm-7cm metal pastry rings

Ingredients Biscuit base 110g of shortbread 48g of butter Elderflower mousse 3 egg yolks 40g of sugar 22g of cornflour 4 tbsp of elderflower cordial 4g of platinum grade gelatine leaves, (approx 4 leaves) 185ml of milk 435ml of double cream Strawberries to decorate 230g of strawberries, small, halved Strawberry jelly

165g of strawberries, halved 30g of sugar 1 gelatine leaf Enjoy Strawberry mille-feuille To start the mille feuille, roll out the puff pastry until it is 2mm thick. Trim and set in the freezer 1 packet of puff pastry 2 Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Place on a baking tray between 2 pieces of greaseproof paper, with another baking tray on top to keep the pastry flat. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden 3

Remove from the oven and place onto a cooling rack. Once cool use a serrated knife to cut into 3 even rectangles 4 For the vanilla cream, whisk the sugar and the egg yolks until light and pale in colour. Bring the milk, cream and vanilla to the boil. Remove from the heat and slowly pour into the egg and sugar mixture while whisking 88g of caster sugar 7 egg yolks 265ml of milk 260ml of cream 3 vanilla pods 5 Return to the pan and bring the mix up to 85°C on a medium heat. Be sure to use a flat bottomed wooden spoon or spatula, stirring constantly along the base of the pan. Remove from the heat, add the soaked gelatine and pass through a fine strainer. Set aside to cool in the fridge 3 1/2 gelatine leaves, soaked and squeezed out 6

As soon as the cream mix is cool and set, whisk to create a smooth texture and place into a piping bag with a small round nozzle 7 To make the strawberry sorbet, bring the sugar and water to the boil and then cool down. Mix 120ml of the the cooled syrup with the strawberry purée and lime juice then cool before churning in an ice-cream machine 154g of caster sugar 60ml of water 630g of English strawberry purée, passed through a fine sieve 1 lime, juiced 8 To make the caramelised almonds, toast the almonds in the oven at 150°C/Gas mark 2 for 10 minutes 65g of whole blanched almonds 9 Combine the sugar and water in small pan and place on a medium to high heat. As soon as the mix reaches a dark golden brown colour, remove from the heat and add the butter. Be sure to keep you face clear of the pan, as it will spit back

135g of caster sugar 2 tsp butter 56ml of water 10 While the caramel is still hot, use a tooth pick to hold the almonds and dip into the caramel to coat evenly. Place onto a small sheet of grease proof paper to cool and set 11 For the glazed strawberries, combine the sugar and water and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and add the mint. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature before pouring over the strawberries. Leave to macerate for up to 2 hours 266g of caster sugar 320ml of water 23 English strawberries 1 1/2 sprig of fresh mint 12 To serve, place 1 piece of the mille feuille pastry down as the base. Arrange enough strawberries to cover the pastry and place another piece of the crispy puff pastry on top

13 Pipe the vanilla cream over the pastry as the next layer and place the third and final piece of pastry on top. Place the caramelised almonds on top and dust with icing sugar. Serve the finished mille feuille with a quenelle of the sorbet and fresh mint 1 sprig of fresh minticing sugar for dusting Please enjoy.......... INDIAN, PAKISTANI SWEET CARROT PUDDING Gajar ka halwa, or carrot halva, is a favorite Indian and Pakistani dessert, a little like a pudding, with a beautiful color and a wonderful sweetness. It is popular at Diwali celebrations and at Indian wedding banquets, where it is often served paired with a scoop of rich vanilla ice cream. 4 to 7 servings INGREDIENTS

Carrots, peeled and grated -- 2 poundMilk -- 2 1/3 cupsSugar -- 1 cup Ghee, butter or oil -- 3 tablespoons METHOD Place the carrots and milk in a large saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer until the carrots are soft and most of the liquid has been absorbed, 1 to 2 hours.Stir in the sugar and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the carrots start to come together in one mass. Stir in the ghee, butter or oil and remove from heat.Mound decoratively on a serving plate and serve hot or at room temperature. Enloy...... INDONESIAN BATTER-FRIED BANANAS

These banana fritters are very popular in Indonesia and are excellent served with ice cream and drizzled with honey. You can also serve them in a dish with a little coconut cream. 4 to 8 servings INGREDIENTS Flour -- 1 cup Rice flour -- 1/2 cup Baking powder -- 2 teaspoons Salt -- 1 teaspoon Water -- 1 1/2 cups Egg, beaten -- 2 Oil for deep frying Ripe bananas,peeled and cut in two pieces -- 7 METHOD Mix the flour, rice flour, baking powder and salt well in a bowl. Beat the water and egg into the flour mixture until batter is smooth. Set batter aside to rest for anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour.Heat the oil in a deep skillet or deep fryer to between 350° and 375°. Working in batches, using a fork to dip pieces of banana in batter to cover. Let any excess batter drip off and drop in the hot oil to deep fry, turning until well browned on all sides.Drain on paper towels and serve warm. Enjoy.....

ALGERIAN ALMOND COOKIES These easy-to-make, flourless cookies are excellent served with tea or coffee. They will keep for over a month stored in a well sealed container. Makes 20 to 26 cookies INGREDIENTS Almonds, whole, blanched -- 2 pounds Sugar -- 2 cups Eggs, beaten lightly -- 3 Water -- 3 cups Sugar -- 2 cups Orange flower water -- 2 tablespoons Powdered (confectioner's) sugar -- 4 cups METHOD Preheat oven to 350°F. Place the almonds and sugar in a food processor and process until the almonds are finely pulverized. Remove to a bowl.Make a well

in the center of the almonds and stir in the eggs with a wooden spoon until the dough starts to come together. Then knead the dough with clean hands until smooth.Cut the dough into 4 equal portions and remove to a floured work surface. Roll one portion out into a rope about 3/4 inch in diameter. Press down with your palm to flatten the rope to about 1/2-inch thickness. Cut the rope on a diagonal into 1-inch pieces and remove to an ungreased cookie sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough.Bake cookies for about 12 to 15 minutes, or until they are lightly browned on top. Remove to racks and cool completely.While the cookies bake, bring the water and 1/2 cup sugar to a rapid boil in a saucepan over high heat. Stir to dissolve sugar and let boil for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove and cool to room temperature. Stir in the orange flower water.Put powdered sugar in a large bowl. To finish, dip each cookie first in the sugar syrup to wet. Then toss each cookie in the confectioner's sugar to coat well. Shake off the extra sugar, place on a rack to dry and repeat with the rest of the cookies. Enjoy..... ∆ AMERICAN CACAO-COLA CAKE This fun cake originated in the Southern part of the United States. Bake one up when you find yourself stuck with some flat leftover soda-pop. A favorite for birthday parties. 4 to 7servings

INGREDIENTS Cake Flour -- 2 1/2 cups Sugar -- 2 1/2 cups Baking soda -- 1 1/2 teaspoons Unsalted butter -- 8 tablespoons (1 cup) Cola-flavored soda pop -- 1 cup Cocoa powder -- 4 tablespoons Buttermilk, or sour milk (see variations) -- 1 cup Eggs, beaten -- 3 Vanilla -- 2 tablespoons Mini marshmallows -- 2 cups Cola Frosting Unsalted butter -- 4 tablespoons (1/2 cup)Cocoa powder -- 3 tablespoonsColaflavored soda pop -- 6 tablespoonsPowdered (confectioner's) sugar -- 1 poundPecans (optional), chopped -- 1 cup METHOD Preheat oven to 350°F. Sift the flour, sugar and baking soda together into a large bowl.Heat the butter, 1 cup of cola and cocoa powder in a small saucepan until smooth and just beginning to boil. Whisk into the flour mixture.Whisk the buttermilk, eggs and vanilla together and stir into the flour mixture to form a smooth batter. Finally fold the marshmallows into the batter.Pour into a greased

13x9-inch cake pan and bake for 30 to 40 minutes.While cake is baking, add the remaining 6 tablespoons of cola, 4 tablespoons of butter and 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder to a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat and beat in the powdered sugar until smooth. Stir in the pecans.Spread the frosting evenly over the cake as soon as it finishes baking. The cake must be hot when the frosting is spread. Set aside to cool completely, then slice and serve. ∆ ISRAELI JEWISH SWEET NOODLE PUDDING Kugels are sweet or savory puddings that originated with Ashkenazi Jews, those from Eastern Europe. Lokshen kugel, or "noodle pudding," is probably the most popular. It is usually sweet and is often studded with chopped fruit. Kugels are often served at Sabbath meals and for Jewish holidays. Sometimes spelled kigel. 6 to 8 servings INGREDIENTS Egg noodles -- 12.5 ounces Sour cream -- 1 1/4 cups Cream cheese, room temperature -- 1 cup Eggs, beaten -- 4

Butter or margarine, melted -- 4 tablespoons Sugar -- 1/2 cup Cinnamon -- 1/2 teaspoon Salt -- pinch Raisins -- 1 cup Mix all ingridients and add noodles last



------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ∆ Loaf cakes are probably one of the first cakes that most people learn how to bake. They’re great because they’re the easiest cakes to master making them an excellent choice for bake parties and other events. The batter is simply made of butter or oil, margarine or a mixture of butter and cream, sugar, eggs, flour and baking powder. It is then baked in a high-rimmed, rectangular mold. Once you’ve got the basic recipe down, the variations of this cake are unlimited. Fruit cake, chocolate cake, orange cake, green tea cakes…the sky is the limit! And even though the recipe is extremely simple, there are a few essential secrets that you need to know in order to master it ∆ Butter Pound Cake Recipe

4 1/2 cups sifted all purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon saltpinch fresh nutmeg (important) 2 cups butter – room temp 3 cups sugar 7 large eggs – room temp (important) 1 1/4 cup milk 3 teaspoons vanilla 1 teaspoon rum (my addition) Preheat oven to 300°F Sift all the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl Cream together the butter an sugar until sugar is dissolved, and it’s light and fluffy Gradually add eggs, one at a time to the sugar mixture, after the last egg, add the vanilla and rum Alternate adding the milk & flour – until just mixed (do not over-mix) Pour into 1 large loaf pan (or two 1lb each-cooks in less time); or two 10″ tube/bundt pans Place in 300°F oven for approx 1 hr 50min – until cake pulls away from side of pan, and when pressed it vanishes slowly (springs back).Cool on wire rack 10 min The smaller loaves will cook quicker at approx 55 minutes

Freezes well when pre-sliced This is the best pound cake recipe I have ever tasted. CHOCOLATE SOUR CREAM POUND CAKE INGREDIENTS 5 lb (full box) Krusteaz Professional® Devil’s Food Cake Mix 732-0240 4 1/2 oz (1 cup) powdered sugar 4 1/2 oz (1 cup) all-purpose flour 17 oz (2 cups) butter, softened 33 oz (4 cups) sour cream 8 fl oz (1 cup) water

YIELD 48, 1 inch slices METHOD 1. Place Krusteaz Professional Devil’s Food Cake Mix, sugar, flour, butter and sour cream in mixer bowl. 2. Using a paddle, mix on low speed 30 seconds or until well blended. 3. Continue to mix on low speed while gradually adding water. Scrape bowl. 4. Change to medium speed and mix 2 minutes. 5. Divide batter equally into six, prepared standard loaf pans (about 24 oz batter each pan). 6. For convection oven, bake at 300°F 45-50 minutes; for standard oven, bake at 350°F 50-55 minutes.

SOUR CREAM CARDAMOM POUND CAKE One 10-inch cake Preparation time: 25 minutes Baking time: 45 to 50 minutes Standing time: Several hours 2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature 2 cups sugar 4 eggs, lightly beaten 3 cups flour, sifted 2 teaspoons ground cardamom 1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking soda 1 cup sour cream Confectioners` sugar 1. Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch Bundt pan. 2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter until soft and light, then add the sugar gradually, beating well. 3. Beat in the eggs a little at a time, beating thoroughly. 4. Sift together the flour, cardamom, salt and baking soda. 5. Beat the flour mixture into the batter alternately with the sour cream, beginning and ending with flour. 6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top with a rubber spatula and transfer the cake to the heated oven. 7. Bake the cake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until it pulls away from the sides of the pan and a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. 8. Leave the cake in the pan to cool for 5 minutes, then turn it out onto a rack to cool completely. Leave to mellow for several hours before sprinkling with

confectioners` sugar. PLAIN POUND CAKE Two large cakes Preparation time: 25 minutes Baking time: 1 1/4 hours Standing time: Several hours 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature 2 cups sugar 7 eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten 3 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 cups flour 1 teaspoon salt 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/8 teaspoon ground mace 1/2 cup milk Confectioners` sugar (for sprinkling) 1. Set the oven at 350 degrees. Grease two 9- by 5- by 3-inch loaf pans; line the bottoms with pieces of waxed paper cut to fit them exactly, and grease the waxed paper. Sprinkle the pans with flour, then tap them upside down on the counter to remove the excess. Set the pans aside. 2. In the bowl of an electric mixer cream the butter until it is soft and light, then add the sugar a little at a time, beating well after each spoonful. 3. Add the eggs, a little at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract. 4. Turn off the mixer. Onto waxed paper sift together the flour, salt, baking powder and mace. 5. With mixer set on its lowest speed, add dry ingredients to the batter

alternatively with the milk. 6. Divide the batter between the prepared pans; smooth the tops, and transfer them to the middle of the heated oven. 7. Bake the cakes for 1 1/4 hours, or until they are firm and set and pull away slightly from the edges of the pans. A skewer inserted into the centers of the cakes will come out clean.





At any times please work in a professional manner and follow this important information Recipe Ingredients: 1. Ingredients for cakes should be room temperature (can take out of refrigerator approximately 60-90 minutes before needed). 2. To check freshness of eggs, put in a bowl of water–if they sink, they’re fresh. If they float and stand on one end, they’re not. 3. “Eggs” typically means Grade A, large eggs. 4. “Milk” typically means homogenized. 5. You can substitute milk with yogurt or sour cream, to experiment with different textures. 6. To create a replacement for buttermilk, add 1 teaspoon vinegar for every cup of homogenized milk and stir. 7. Weighing ingredients with a digital kitchen scale is the most accurate method of baking.

8. 1 large egg white = 37 grams, 1 large egg yolk = 20 grams. Eggs separate best when cold, but whites whip best when room temperature or warm. 9. Egg whites in carton freeze well–just pull out of freezer night before you need them. 10. For best results, use pure vanilla extract (not from grocery stores)–what a difference! Heck, don’t even be afraid to double the vanilla quantity. 11. To bring cold eggs to room temperature quickly, you can put the whole eggs into a bowl of lukewarm water (not hot) for 30 minutes. 12. To bring butter to room temperature quickly, you can cut into small cubes on a plate for about 15 minutes. 13. Semisweet Chocolate = Dark Chocolate. Bittersweet Chocolate = Extra Dark Chocolate. 14. Semisweet & Bittersweet Chocolate are interchangeable. 15. Unless otherwise listed, use unsalted butter for cake recipes. Mixing: 16. Incorporate dry ingredients together with whisk before adding to wet ingredients.

17. When creaming butter and sugar, get the mixture very pale yellow and fluffy–will take several minutes (around 5). 18. Always start and end with dry ingredients when alternating with wet ingredients (3 dry additions, 2 wet). 19. Don’t overmix once dry ingredients are added. Just mix on low speed until incorporated. 20. Kitchen stand-mixers don’t need to run at full-speed. A small mixer should run no more than speed #4, for most things. A large mixer no more than speed #6. You will add years to your mixer’s life! 21. Be careful with your sugar–too much can cause a dark crust (one of several possible causes), too little can cause too light a crust or tough texture. 22. Watch your flour–too much can cause a cracked top (one of several possible causes). 23. Beat egg yolks with fork before adding to batter. 24. To retrieve stray eggshells in mixture, use the emptied half-shell–eggshell sticks to eggshell. If you don’t get them all, they will sink during baking, so you can turn baked cake over when cool and retrieve them. 25. A pinch of salt brings out the flavours in sweet baked goods. 26. When folding, you should always add the lighter of the two mixtures on top, using a gentle folding motion, to avoid deflating batter.

27. When mixing egg whites for meringue, wipe all untensils and bowl with vinegar or lemon juice on a paper towel before they come in contact with the egg whites (including the mixer whisk attachment). Any trace of grease, will likely jeopordize your meringue. 28. Keep an extra set of rubber spatulas that you use strictly for meringue. 29. Use the electric mixer’s splashguard for liquidy batters–that’s what it’s for! 30. If incorporating more than one flavour into a batter or icing, always start with the vanilla; vanilla enhances most flavours. Baking Cakes: 31. For evenly-baked cakes, no domed tops, and no-fuss assembly, bake “layerby-layer.” This means if you’re baking a 3-layer cake, use 3 of the same size/shape pan, and bake 3 shorter layers at same time. 32. Use a small offset palette knife to spread batter evenly in pans. Don’t fill more than 1/2 full–2/3 at the most. 33. Get a separate oven thermometer for an accurate temperature reading–most ovens are either “hot” or “cold.” 34. Always wait for oven to reach necessary temperature before putting cakes in oven. 35. Keep cakes away from sides of oven, and if possible a few inches from each

other (when more than 1 baking at once). 36. Rotate cakes after 20 minutes in oven (don’t disturb before 20 minutes). 37. Use middle rack, unless otherwise stated in recipe. 38. Typically, when in oven, cakes are nearing done when you can smell cake in the kitchen. Sounds weird, but you’ll see! 39. Leave cakes in oven when testing for “doneness.” When a skewer comes clean from center of cake, it’s done. 40. Don’t overbake! This is one sure way to end up with a dry cake. Cooling & Frosting: 41. Let full cakes cool in pans on wire racks for 20 minutes before removing from pans. 42. Remove cupcakes from pan immediately, placing individual cupcakes on wire rack to cool. 43. Once completely cooled, wrap cake layers in plastic wrap and place in freezer for 30 minutes before cutting and/or icing. 44. Always place cake on a thin foil-covered cake board the same size/shape as the cake for ease of icing/serving, etc.

45. Brush away any stray cake crumbs with silicone pastry brush before icing. 46. Apply even layers of filling using an 18″ pastry bag and large round tip. 47. Apply thin layer of icing to seal in crumbs, then place in refrigerator for 30 minutes before second layer of icing. 48. Use an offset palette knife/icing spatula for frosting top of cake, and straight palette knife/icing spatula for sides of cake. Use a bench scraper for supersmooth edges. 49. If you don’t have time for frosting your cake, a good sprinkling of powdered sugar does wonders! Tastes and looks great on most cakes. 50. To give your frosted cake a glossy finish, you can use a hair-dryer on medium heat over the outside of the cake (right before serving). Thank you

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Spanakopita is a very popular Greek dish, that comes into a variety of shapes and sizes. It can be made either in large pan and cut into individual portions (pan-sized spanakopita) or rolled into individual triangular servings (spanakopitakia). The main ingredient you will need to make this spanakopita recipe is of course spinach. Most spanakopita recipes also use feta cheese which is a favourite ingredient in all types of Greek recipes, be it fried, baked or used for stuffing until nicely softened and slightly melty. A mature feta cheese gives this traditional spanakopita recipe a bold and salty flavour, so be careful to just a little salt in the seasoning! Traditional Greek Spanakopita recipe – Make your own Homemade phyllo! Traditional Greek homemade spanakopita recipes use homemade phyllo dough or commercial ‘village’ dough (xoriatiko phyllo), which is a little bit thicker than the usually paper thin phyllo and gives a more rustic touch. As ‘village dough’ is a little bit difficult to find, you can make this traditional spanakopita recipe using either commercial phyllo dough, or, if you are feeling adventurous enough, make your own homemade phyllo! Roll each sheet of dough with passion for good food and it will truly reward you with a crispy, flaky and delicious crust on your traditional Greek spinach pie! So go ahead, give this super easy and delicious traditional Greek spanakopita recipe a try and amaze your friends and family with its crispy and tangy flavour. Enjoy!

For the filling 2 red onions, halved and sliced 1 spring onion, finely chopped (optional) 2 cloves of garlic, crushed 500g spinach, washed and roughly chopped (18 ounces) a pinch of grated nutmeg 250g feta cheese, crumbled (7 ounces) 3 eggs, beaten 2 tbsps fresh dill, chopped (optional) buttersalt and pepper to taste For the phyllo dough 300g all-purpose flour (10.5 ounces) 6 tbsps olive oil 2 tbsp red wine vinegar 2 tsp salt 130-150g water (1/2- 3/4 of a cup) To prepare this traditional spanakopita recipe start by making the phyllo dough first. When done, heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.To prepare the filling for this spanakopita recipe, sauté the onions in a large knob of butter until soft and turning golden. Add the garlic and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the spinach

in batches and cook until wilted. Cool, then tip into a bowl (leaving behind any excess liquid from the spinach) and mix in the nutmeg, feta, eggs, spring onion and season.For this spanakopita recipe you will need a non stick baking pan, about 25cm. Put the first sheet of filo in the pan and sprinkle with olive oil, letting the excess hang over the sides. Keep going with the rest of the sheets, turning a little before adding each additional pastry sheet and sprinkling with olive oil. Use 2-3 phyllo sheets, depending on how thick your phyllo is. Tip in the filling of the spanakopita and fold over the excess pastry to cover. If you like to prepare a larger pan of spanakopita for a big crowd, double the ingredients for the filling and use a 25*35 cm baking dish. Layer the 2-3 phyllo sheets to form the bottom of the spanakopita, tip in the filling and top with 2-3 more phyllo sheets.Brush the top of the spanakopita with olive oil and scar with a sharp knife. Bake in preheated oven for about 60 minutes until the phyllo is crisp and golden.Leave the spanakopita cool down for 10-15 minutes before cutting into pieces. Serve the spanakopita with Greek feta salad. Enjoy! All the secrets for the best traditional flaouna recipe Preparing Flaounas can be quite an affair with the whole family gathered around and helping with the preparation! Over Easter, Cypriot families usually make very large quantities of this delicious flaouna recie, hence the kitchen resembles more a production line with the adults preparing the mixtures for the flaouna and the kids doing all the assembly before taking them to the local bakery to have them cooked. In order to make the process a little less involved I have scaled down the quantities for this recipe so you can give it a try without having to buy a new oven!

Preparing this traditional Flaouna recipe is relatively simple – but there are a couple of points to look out for. Firstly make sure you prepare your filling from the day before and let it rest in the fridge. This will allow your flaouna recipe filling to soak in all the delicious spices giving them their distinctive flavour. The second point to note is not to overwork the flaouna dough as you do not want the gluten to develop and become bread-like. And finally its all about getting the original flaouna ingredients – mahlab, mastic and the delicious flaouna recipe cheese, all of which you can find at your local Greek/Cypriot deli or online. Amazon stocks both mastic and mahlab and if you can’t find the cheese you can substitute with some grated plain haloumi and mild yellow cheese, like cheddar. And don’t forget – the sesame seeds are always sprinkled on the outside! Ingredients for the Flauna Dough 550g plain flour 3 eggs 1 1/3 tsp baking powder 2 teaspoons Mahlab ground to a fine powder 2 teaspoons Mastic ground to a fine powder 2 teaspoons of sugar 135g butter, melted 1 sachet easy bake yeast a pinch of salt A dash of warm milk for kneading (about 80ml)60ml warm water Ingredients for the Flaounes filling and glazing

500g Flaounas cheese or alternatively 250g haloumi and 250g mild cheddar 1/4 cup semolina 3 eggs 1 1/4 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp mahlab, 2 tsp mastic, 2 tsp chopped fresh mint 140g raisins 1 egg, whisked (for the glazing) 1/2 cups sesame seeds (for the glazing) In order to have the best texture for your flaouna, it is best to prepare the filling from the night before or at least 4-5 hours before baking. This would allow the cheese filling to dry out and be able to absorb more of the “moisture” from the liquid flaouna ingredients.Start off by grating the cheese as fine as you possibly can. Add the beaten eggs, the raisins, the mint, the mastic, mahlab and the semolina and mix thoroughly. Cover it with a cloth and place in the fridge overnight or for at least 4-5 hours before baking.Next off start preparing the dough. The dough is more like a shortbread and not very bread-y hence be careful not to overwork the dough as your flaouna will be a bit doughy. In a large bowl sift the flour, add the salt, baking powder, the mahlab, mastic and mix thoroughly.Add the liquid ingredients to your flaouna recipe mixture. Add the oil and eggs and gently mix the flaouna dough with your fingers. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water with the sugar, pour into the dough and then add the warm milk. Be careful for your water and milk to be only lukewarm and not hot as they will kill your yeast!Continue kneading the dough for a few minutes until the texture is firm but not bread-like. If the dough is too wet add a little more flour but be careful not to overdo it as you don’t want the flaouna to have a bread-y

texture. Cover the dough mix with some cling film and let it rise for 1-2 hours or until it has almost doubled in size.Now its time to start assembling your flaouna! Get the filling mixture out of the fridge and add the remaining mixture ingredients. Mix thoroughly and set it aside. Pour the flaouna dough out of the bowl and roll out in thin sheets. Cut into 12 by 12 cm rectangles, about 5 inches in each dimension. Sprinkle the sesame seeds on a small plate with approximately the same size as the flaouna dough rectanglesGlaze the outer side of the flaouna dough with the whisked eggs and press it down on the sesame seeds. That will ensure that the seeds are firmly embedded in the dough. Grab a handful of the cheese filling and form a ball. Place in the centre of the dough (sesame seeds facing outwards), glaze the edges with a little more whisked egg and fold, pinching the corners together to form the flaouna shape.Once all your flaouna are shaped, place them on a baking tray lined with grease proof paper, let them rise for about 30-45 minutes and then bake in a pre-heated oven at 200C for about 40 minutes, or until golden brown. Cheddar Cheese Pie Dough 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour; spoon into measuring cup and level to rim 1 tablespoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cold; cut into 1/4 inch dice 3 tablespoons all vegetable shortening or butter, cold; cut into pieces 1 1/4 cups extra sharp cheddar, shredded

1/2 cup very cold water INSTRUCTIONS 1. Place flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor fitted with a steel blade; blend 5 seconds. 2. Open processor and scatter butter over the flour mixture. Close and pulse 5-6 times to cut in. Fluff mixture with fork (be sure to get to the bottom). Scatter shortening over mixture and pulse another few times then fluff again. The mixture should resemble cornmeal. 3. Open processor and scatter cheese on top; pulse 3-4 times and fluff, noting if cheese seems adequately mixed thru (if not fluff some more to distribute a little better). 4. Drizzle half of the water over and pulse (you guessed it!) 5-6 times. Fluff again and add the remaining water then pulse until pastry dough forms a ball in processor. Open machine and test pastry by squeezing some between fingers, it should pack nicely and not be sticky. 5. Dump mixture onto a lightly floured surface and gently form into a ball then a disk. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in fridge for about an hour. STORAGE Store, tightly wrapped, up to a day or two. Does not freeze well because of the cheese.

Zebra Cake recipe Ingredients: 4 ea eggs 2 c flour 2 c sugar 300 g yoghurt 2 ts baking powder 2 tb cacao 1 c sour cream 1 c sugar measures conversion [+] Method: You'll need two separate mixing bowls In each: Mix 2 eggs + 1cup of sugar + 150g of yoghurt + 1 ts of baking powder + 1cup of flour. Add 2 tb of cacao into one of the bowls. Stir the batter thoroughly. Pour a tablespoonful of white batter into the centre of a frying pan (or any vessel you use for baking cakes). Then goes brown, white, brown till the bowls are empty. Bake the cake till done. Cream: whip 1 cup of sour cream with 1 cup of sugar. Put it to a fridge. Cut the cake into three horizontal parts and spread the cream over each of them. Use your fantasy and combine various creams, jams. When you cut the cake you'll see that slices will have zebra stripes on sides.

Caramel Apple Cannoli Ingredients: 12 Traditional Cannoli Shells Filling: 2 cups ricotta cheese 1/2 cup cream cheese 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 tablespoon vanilla 1 teaspoon of cinnamon

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce Caramel Sauce: 1 cup sugar 1 tablespoon light corn syrup 1/4 cup water 1/2 cup heavy cream, warmed 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature Pinch of salt 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 cup chopped peanuts for garnish Confectioners' sugar for dusting Directions:

To make the filling: Combine all the filling ingredients in a bowl. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. To make the caramel sauce: In a saucepan (at least 5 cup capacity), stir together the sugar, corn syrup, and water until the sugar is completely moistened. Place a candy thermometer in the saucepan so that the tip is immersed in the sugar mixture. Place the saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil. Stop stirring and allow the mixture to boil undisturbed until it turns a deep golden brown, about 10 minutes. The temperature should be about 300 degrees F.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and slowly and carefully pour the warm cream into the caramel. Be careful because the mixture will bubble and foam. With a wooden spoon or heat-resistant spatula, stir the mixture until smooth. Stir in the butter and salt. Allow the mixture to cool for 3 minutes and then stir in the vanilla. If the caramel sauce begins to harden too much before serving, simply place it over low heat and stir until it is of drizzling consistency. To serve the cannoli: Fill the cannoli shells just before serving to prevent the shells from becoming soggy. Put the filling in a pastry bag and fill the shells by piping the filling in one end and then the other. Sprinkle the exposed filling at each end of the cannoli with some of the chopped peanuts. Place each filled cannoli on a serving dish. Sprinkle the top with confectioners' sugar. Drizzle some of the

caramel sauce over the top. Limoncello Babas Limoncello babas are delicious little Italian pastries. The babas are made with a sweetened yeast dough and are soaked with Limoncello syrup after baking. They can be served plain, with whipped cream and fruit or sliced open and filled with gelato or ice cream. Serving size will vary depending on the size of the molds used. Special baba molds which measure about 2.5 inches in diameter and 3-4 inches deep are available and will yield aboout

12-15 babas with this recipe. You can also use a popover pan which is similar in size and shape to the traditional baba molds and yields about 8 babas. Ingredients: Dough: 1 package (2 teaspoons) dry yeast 1/4 cup warm milk, 105 - 115 degrees F 2 tablespoons sugar, divided 2-1/4 cups flour Pinch salt 4 large eggs, room temperature 4 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature Limoncello Syrup:

1 cup sugar 1-1/2 cups water Juice of 1 lemon 1 cup limoncello liqueur Directions: To make the dough: Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk with 1 tablespoon of sugar. Set aside for 5-10 minutes until the mixture starts to bubble. Transfer the yeast mixture to a mixing bowl. Add the eggs and mix to incorporate. Add the flour, salt, and remaining tablespoon of sugar. Mix to combine. Add the softened butter and mix until the dough is smooth. The dough will be very sticky. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside

to rise for 1 hour. Butter the baba molds. Stir down the dough with a wooden spoon. Fill each baba mold about 2/3 full of dough.The dough will be very sticky to handle, so we recommend using an ice cream scoop to transfer the dough to the baba molds.Cover the molds with plastic wrap that has been coated with a non-stick cooking spray. Allow the babas to rise until they have just formed a dome over the tops of the molds, 15-20 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. If you are using individual molds, place them on a baking sheet for ease in transferring them into the oven. Bake the babas 15-20 minutes or until they are dark brown on top. Turn them out of the molds and allow them to cool on a rack for 10 minutes.

make the syrup: Put the sugar, water, and lemon juice in a wide saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat. Stir in the limoncello liqueur. Set aside. After the babas are removed from the oven and have cooled for 10 minutes, place them in a large bowl. Pour the warm syrup over the babas. Carefully rotate them a few times in the syrup for about 5 minutes. The babas will soak up most of the syrup. If you see that the babas are getting too soft, remove them earlier. Place the babas on a plate or wire rack to drain. Babas are best served within a few hours of baking but they can be stored for a day or two. Serve them with some whipped cream and slices of fresh fruit or

berries. Cut the babas in half horizontally and fill with a scoop of gelato ALMOND SNOWBALL COOKIES INGREDIENTS 1 1/2 cups (200 g) ground almonds 1 cup (140 g) unbleached all-purpose flour 1/2 cup (85 g) roasted almonds, finely chopped 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, softened 2 cups (270 g) icing sugar PREPARATION With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.In a bowl, combine the ground almonds,

flour and chopped almonds. Set aside.In another bowl, cream the butter and 1/2 cup of the icing sugar with an electric mixer. Stir in the ground almond mixture at low speed or with a wooden spoon.With a 1-tbsp ice cream scoop or measuring spoon, portion the dough into balls. Finish shaping by rolling them between your hands. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets.Bake, one sheet at a time, for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes.Roll the warm cookies in the remaining icing sugar (1 1/2 cups). Return to the baking sheets and let cool completely. Roll the completely cooled cookies a second time in the icing sugar.These cookies will keep for about three weeks in an airtight container in a cool, dry place or can be frozen. OVEN-BAKED DOUGHNUTS INGREDIENTS 3/4 cup (180 ml) unbleached all-purpose flour 1 tsp. (5 ml) baking powder 1/4 tsp. (1 ml) baking soda 1/4 tsp. (1 ml) salt 1 egg1/3 cup (75 ml) sugar2 tbsp. (30 ml) canola oil1/2 cup (125 ml) buttermilk

PREPARATION With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F). Generously butter the 12 cavities of a doughnut pan.In a bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.In another bowl, whisk the egg and sugar until the mixture is frothy, about 2 minutes. Add oil and mix. Add dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk and mix until the dough is smooth.Use a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip to divide dough into mould cavities. Bake for 10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of the dough comes out clean. Unmould by inverting doughnuts onto parchment paper or a clean cloth. Let cool. NOTE To make chocolate doughnuts, add 30 ml (2 tbsp.) of cocoa to the dough at the same time as the dry ingredients. To make chocolate icing, place 115 g (4 oz) of dark chocolate in a bowl. In a small saucepan, bring 125 ml (½ cup) of 35% cream to a boil. Pour the boiling cream over the chocolate. Let stand for 2 minutes. Stir the ganache with a whisk until smooth. Dip doughnuts in the ganache If you want maple icing, spread softened maple butter on one side of each doughnut. For 12 doughnuts, you will need 125 ml (½ cup) of maple butter.

APPLE FRITTERS INGREDIENTS Coating 1 cup (250 ml) sugar 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) cinnamon Doughnuts 11/4 cups (310 ml) unbleached all-purpose flour 1/4 cup (60 ml) cornstarch 2 tablespoons (30 ml) sugar 2 teaspoons (10 ml) baking powder 1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) salt 2 eggs1/2 cup (125 ml) sparkling cider 2 tablespoons (30 ml) melted butter, cooled2 cups (500 ml) Cortland apples, peeled and gratedCanola oil, for frying

PREPARATION Coating In a bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon. Set aside. Doughnuts Preheat oil in the deep fryer to 180 °C (350 °F). Line a baking sheet with two layers of paper towels.In a large bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir in remaining ingredients and combine until smooth.With a 15 ml (1 tablespoon) ice cream scoop, spoon ten balls of dough at a time into hot oil and fry for 6 to 7 minutes, turning halfway through, until doughnuts are golden brown. Drain on paper towel.Let cool and roll in sugar and cinnamon mixture. Serve or freeze. NOTE You can keep fritters in an airtight container for about two days or you can freeze them as is, rolled in sugar. Let thaw to room temperature. QUICK AND EASY PROFITEROLES

INGREDIENTS Chocolate Sauce 3/4 cup (180 ml) 35% cream 1/2 cup (125 ml) corn syrup 1/4 cup (60 ml) cocoa powder, sifted 2 oz (55 g) dark chocolate, coarsely chopped Pastry Shells 6 store-bought baked pastry shells6 tablespoons (90 ml) store-bought dulce de leche or caramel sauceVanilla ice cream PREPARATION With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F). Chocolate Sauce In a saucepan, bring the cream, corn syrup, and cocoa powder to a boil, stirring with a whisk. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate. Stir until smooth. Let cool for about 10 minutes.

Pastry Shells Place the pastry shells on a baking sheet. Reheat in the oven for about 5 minutes.Remove the shells from the oven and place in six plates. Drizzle with the dulce de leche. Garnish with a scoop of ice cream and drizzle with chocolate sauce. NOTE Adding corn syrup to the chocolate sauce prevents it from hardening in contact with the ice cream. It will keep for about two weeks in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Warm up for a few seconds in a microwave oven before serving. FRENCH CANNELÉS INGREDIENTS 1/2 vanilla bean

1 1/2 cups (375 ml) milk 3 tablespoons (45 ml) unsalted butter 1/2 cup (125 ml) cake flour 3/4 cup (180 ml) icing sugar Pinch of salt 2 eggs 1 egg yolk 1 tablespoon (15 ml) dark rum Granulated sugar, for sprinkling PREPARATION With the tip of a knife, split the vanilla bean and remove the seeds.In a saucepan, heat the milk, butter with the vanilla seeds and pod until the butter has melted. Set aside.In a food processor, combine the flour, icing sugar, and salt. Add eggs and pulse until smooth. Stir in the milk and rum. Transfer to an airtight container. Refrigerate the batter for 24 hours.With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 200 °C (400 °F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.Oil 10 cannelé copper moulds (see note) and place them on a baking sheet. Heat in the oven for 10 minutes. Drain the oil and let cool.Generously butter the cooled moulds and sprinkle with granulated sugar. With a whisk, stir the cannelé batter until smooth. Pour into the moulds threequarters of the way up. Bake for about 1 hour and 10 minutes of until the cannelés are golden brown. Unmould from the moulds and cool completely on wire rack. NOTE The cannelé copper moulds are very expensive. There are silicone moulds that

do not require preheating. However, the cannelés emerge from the oven slightly less caramelized and consistent. CHOCOLATE MOUSSE PEAR CAKE INGREDIENTS Cake ½ cup (70 g) unbleached all-purpose flour 2 tbsp

cocoa powder

2 eggs ½ cup (105 g) sugar Topping 1

can (28 oz/796 ml) pear halves in syrup, pears and syrup separated

2 tbsp (30 ml) pear liqueur (Poire Williams or Belle de Brillet) 3 ½ oz (100 g) 70% dark chocolate, chopped 1 ¼ cups

(310 ml) 35% whipping cream

1 tbsp sugar½ oz peeler

(15 g) small dark chocolate curls, shaved with a vegetable

PREPARATION Cake With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line an 8-inch (20 cm) springform pan with parchment paper. Do not butter.In a bowl, combine the flour and cocoa powder. Set aside.In another bowl, beat the eggs and sugar with an electric mixer for about 10 minutes or until the mixture triples in volume and forms a ribbon as it falls from the beaters.Sift the dry ingredients over the egg mixture and gently fold in with a spatula or whisk. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.Bake for about 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Let cool completely in the pan. Do not unmould the cake. Topping In a small bowl, combine ¼ cup (60 ml) of the pear syrup with the pear liqueur. Drizzle over the entire surface of the cake. Overlap the pear pieces on top of the cake to form a circular pattern. Set aside.In a saucepan over medium heat, warm the chocolate and ½ cup (125 ml) of the cream until smooth. Let cool, stirring occasionally.In another bowl, whip the remaining cream (¾ cup/180 ml) and the sugar with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. With a spatula, gently fold in the cooled chocolate mixture. Spoon over the pears. Refrigerate for 4 hours or until the chocolate mousse has set.Run the blade of a knife between the cake and the pan and unmould. Place on a serving dish. Top with the chocolate curls.

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE INGREDIENTS Oreo Crust and Crumble 2 cups (500 ml) Oreo cookie crumbs 6 tbsp (90 ml) unsalted butter, melted 2 sheets heavy-duty aluminum foil, 45 cm (18-inch) wide Cheese Filling 3 packages (250 g each) cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup (125 ml) sugar 1/2 cup (125 ml) 35 % whipping cream 3 eggs 4 oz (115 g) dark chocolate, melted White Chocolate Whipped Cream

4 oz (115 g) white chocolate, chopped 1 cup (250 ml) 35 % whipping cream PREPARATION Oreo Crust and Crumble With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 350 °F (180 °C). Line a 20 cm (8-inch) springform pan with parchment paper. Butter the inside walls of the pan. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.In a bowl, combine the cookie crumbs and butter. Remove 3/4 cup of the crumb mixture. With your fingers, drop that mixture into small pieces on the baking sheet. Press the remaining crumb mixture at the bottom and lower third sides of the pan. Bake the crust and crumble for 12 minutes. Let cool.Wrap the outside of the pan tightly with aluminum foil, letting it extend upward. Double the foil. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 °F (165 °C). Cheese Filling In a food processor, cream the cheese and sugar. Add the cream and eggs. Stir until the mixture is just smooth. Drizzle in the chocolate. With a spatula, scrape down the sides a few times. Pour into the crust.Prepare a water bath: Place the cheesecake in a large baking dish and pour hot water into the dish up to one third of the cake pan.Bake for about 1 hour or until a thermometer inserted in the centre of the cheesecake reads 150 °F (65 °C). Remove the cheesecake from the water bath and foil. Let cool for about 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours or until completely chilled. White Chocolate Whipped Cream

In a bowl, place the chocolate. Set aside.In the microwave oven or in a saucepan, heat 1/2 cup (125 ml) of the cream. Pour over the chocolate and let melt for 1 minute. Whisk until the chocolate has melted. Add the remaining cream. Cover and refrigerate for about 4 hours or until completely chilled. Assembly Run a thin blade between the pan and the cheesecake, then open the pan hinge. Insert a 10 cm (4-inch) wide strip of parchment paper between the pan and the cheesecake. Close the hinge.With an electric mixer, whip the white chocolate cream until stiff peaks form. Spread over the cheese filling. Refrigerate for 4 hours or until the cream is set.Unmould the cheesecake. When ready to serve, sprinkle with the chocolate crumble. SAUCEPAN VANILLA CAKE INGREDIENTS 185 ml (3/4 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour 5 ml (1 tsp) baking powder 90 ml (6 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened 125 ml (1/2 cup) sugar 1 egg

2.5 ml (1/2 tsp) vanilla extract 60 ml (1/4 cup) milk RUSSIAN-STYLE MARSHMALLOW CAKE DE LUXE INGREDIENTS Cake 1/2 cup (125 ml) unbleached all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) baking powder 2 egg yolks 1 egg1/3 cup (75 ml) sugar 2 tablespoons (30 ml) canola oil Marshmallow 3/4 cup (180 ml) sweetened condensed milk 1/4 cup (60 ml) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 tablespoon (15 ml) powdered gelatin 2 tablespoons (30 ml) cold water 2 egg whites3/4 cup (180 ml) sugar1/4 cup (60 ml) water Cocoa Glaze 1/2 cup (125 ml) icing sugar 1/4 cup (60 ml) unsalted butter 1/4 cup (60 ml) cocoa powder 1/4 cup (60 ml) milk PREPARATION Cake With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F). Butter and line a 20-cm (8-inch) springform pan with parchment paper.In a bowl, combine flour and baking powder.In another bowl, beat egg yolks, egg and sugar with an electric mixer until mixture forms a ribbon, about 10 minutes. Drizzle in oil. With a spatula, gently fold in dry ingredients. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Let cool. Marshmallow

In a small bowl, combine condensed milk and butter. Set aside.In a large bowl, sprinkle gelatine over water. Let bloom for 5 minutes. Add egg whites, beat lightly and set aside.In a small saucepan, bring sugar and water to a boil. Cook until a candy thermometer reads 115 °C (240 °F). Gently pour in gelatine mixture while beating constantly with an electric mixer. Beat for 6 to 8 minutes or until marshmallow is just warm and forms semi-firm peaks. With a spatula, gently fold in condensed milk mixture. Pour over cake. Let set for 2 hours in the refrigerator. Cocoa Glaze In a saucepan, combine all ingredients with a whisk and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat for 1 minute, whisking constantly. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.Unmould cake. Quickly spread glaze over the entire surface of the cake, letting it fall a little over the edges. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes. Cut with a knife, preferably warmed under hot running water. DAIRY FREE, EGG FREE AND NUT FREE CHOCOLATE CAKE INGREDIENTS Egg Substitute

750 ml (3 cups) water 75 ml (1/3 cup) flax or chia seeds Cake 430 ml (1 3/4 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour 10 ml (2 tsp) baking powder 1 ml (1/4 tsp) salt 310 ml (1 1/4 cups) sugar 180 ml (3/4 cup) cocoa powder, sifted 125 ml (1/2 cup) vegetable oil 5 ml (1 tsp) cider vinegar or white wine vinegar 125 ml (1/2 cup) egg substitute 250 ml (1 cup) soy beverage 5 ml (1 tsp) vanilla extract Ganache 335 g (12 oz) dark chocolate, chopped 180 ml (3/4 cup) plain or chocolate soy beverage 60 ml (1/4 cup) corn syrup PREPARATION

Egg Substitute In a small saucepan, bring the water and flaxseed to a boil. Simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. Drain the mixture, keeping only the viscous liquid coming from the seeds. Let cool. Cake With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F). Line the bottom of a 20-cm (8-inch) springform pan with parchment paper.In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.In another bowl, whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder, oil and vinegar with an electric mixer for about 3 minutes. Add the egg substitute and beat until well blended. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the soy beverage and vanilla.Pour the batter into the pan. Bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.Let cool before unmoulding and let completely cool on a wire rack. Ganache Place the chocolate in a bowl. Set aside.In a small saucepan, bring the soy beverage and corn syrup to a boil.Pour over the chocolate and let melt for 1 minute. Whisk until the ganache is smooth. Refrigerate for about 1 hour or until the ganache has thickened and is spreadable. If needed, soften quickly in the microwave oven. Assembly Cut the cake in half horizontally. Fill and frost the cake with the ganache.

NOTE Freeze the remaining egg substitute in an ice cube tray. 1 cube averages 1 egg. CHRISTMAS MOKA CAKES - 3 FLAVOURS INGREDIENTS Cakes 3 cups (750 ml) unbleached all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon (15 ml) baking powder 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) salt 3/4 cup (180 ml) unsalted butter, softened 2 1/2 cups (625 ml) sugar 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract 6 eggs

1/2 cup (125 ml) canola oil 1/2 cup (125 ml) milk Buttercream 2 1/4 cups (560 ml) sugar 9 egg whites 3 cups (750 ml) unsalted butter, softened 1 tablespoon (15 ml) boiling water 1 tablespoon (15 ml) instant coffee 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract 2 oz (55 g) dark chocolate, melted and cooled Garnish 1/2 cup (125 ml) dulce de leche or caramel spread 1/2 cup (125 ml) vanilla chestnut or hazelnut spread (Nutella-type) 1 cup (250 ml) sweetened shredded coconut, toasted, approximately 4 oz (115 g) dark chocolate, grated (with a coarse grater) 1/3 cup (75 ml) toasted sliced almonds PREPARATION Cakes

With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F). Line three straight edge 20-cm (8-inch) square pans with strips of parchment paper, letting it hang over each side. Butter the other two sides.In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.In another bowl, cream the butter, sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer for about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until smooth. Add the oil. At low speed, add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk.Spoon the batter into the pans. Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.Let cool. Unmould and let completely cool on a wire rack. Buttercream In the upper part of a double boiler, combine the sugar and egg whites. Heat gently, stirring constantly with a whisk. When the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture is warm, remove from the double boiler.Beat the egg white mixture with an electric mixer until it has cooled and stiff peaks form, about 15 minutes.In another bowl, cream the butter with an electric mixer for about 2 minutes. Add half of the cooled meringue and beat until smooth. Add the remaining meringue and fold in well with a whisk.In a small bowl, combine the boiling water and coffee. Set aside.Evenly divide the buttercream into three bowls (about 625 ml / 2 ½ cups each). In the first bowl, with a whisk, stir in the vanilla. In the second bowl, add the melted chocolate. In the third bowl, whisk in the coffee. Set aside.Cut the cakes in half horizontally. Spread the dulce de leche inside the first cake, the chestnut cream inside the second and 125 ml (½ cup) of chocolate buttercream in the third. Even out the edges of each cakes. Cut each cake into 16 squares. Assembly Line a large or three small baking sheets with parchment paper, depending on the space you have in your refrigerator.Place the coconut on a large plate, the grated chocolate in a second plate and the almonds in a third. Set aside.

Coffee Moka Cakes With a pastry bag fitted with a small star tip of your choice, ice the sides and top of each chestnut cream-filled cake with a thin layer of coffee buttercream. Sprinkle with sliced almonds and place on baking sheet. Chocolate Moka Cakes Spread each chocolate-filled cake with a thin layer of chocolate buttercream. Press the frosted sides in grated chocolate and place the cakes on the baking sheet. With a pastry bag fitted with a small decorative tip of your choice, frost the top of each with moka cake with chocolate buttercream. Caramel and Coconut Moka Cakes Spread each caramel-filled cake with a thin layer of vanilla buttercream. Press the frosted sides in the coconut and place on the baking sheet. With a pastry bag fitted with a small decorative tip of yout choice, frost the top of each cake with vanilla buttercream. If desired, cover entirely with coconut.Refrigerate the cakes for about 2 hours or until the buttercream is firm. This step will allow you to place them in an airtight container without damaging them. They will keep for 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator or 3 months in the freezer. Thaw in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature for at least 1 hour before serving. LOW-FAT CHEESECAKE

INGREDIENTS Crust 1 1/4 cups (310 ml) Graham cracker crumbs 2 tablespoons (30 ml) sugar 3 tablespoons (45 ml) unsalted butter, melted Aluminium foil, 18-inch (46-cm) wide Filling 1 container 16 oz (500 g) 1% cottage cheese 1 cup (250 ml) sugar 2 tablespoons (30 ml) unbleached all-purpose flour 4 eggs 2 packages 8 oz (250 g) light cream cheese, softened 3/4 cup (180 ml) 0% plain Greek yogurt 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract PREPARATION With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F). Line the bottom of a 20-cm (8-inch) springform pan with parchment paper.

Crust In a bowl, combine all the ingredients. Lightly press onto the bottom of the springform pan. Bake for about 12 minutes. Let cool completely and generously butter the inside walls of the pan.Wrap the base and outer sides of the pan with aluminum foil, letting it exceed upwards. Double the foil.Reduce the oven’s temperature to 170 °C (325 °F). Filling In a sieve, drain the cottage cheese, stirring with a spoon.In a food processor, combine the sugar and flour. Add the cottage cheese and eggs and process until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse until the mixture is just combined. Pour over the crust.Prepare a water bath: place the cake in a large baking dish and pour boiling water in the dish halfway up the pan.Bake for about 1 hour and 40 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in the centre of the cake reads 65 °C (150 °F). Remove the cake from the water bath and the aluminum foil. Let cool for about 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours or until completely chilled. Run a thin knife blade between the pan and the cake, and then unmould the cheesecake. If desired, serve with a fruit sauce, to taste, and berries. SWEET POTATO BREAKFAST MUFFINS

INGREDIENTS Muffins 1 lb

(454 g) sweet potatoes (about 1 large sweet potato)

1 cup (140 g) whole wheat flour ½ cup (120 g) lightly packed brown sugar ½ cup (50 g) rolled oats ½ cup (30 g) wheat bran 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp baking soda 1

pinch cinnamon

1

pinch nutmeg

1

pinch salt

2

eggs

¾ cup (180 ml) milk 1/3 cup

(75 ml) canola oil

3 tbsp (45 ml) molasses 3 tbsp (30 g) raisins 2 tbsp chopped dried figs (about 2 dried figs) Toppings (optional) 2 tbsp rolled oats2 tbsp

pumpkin seeds3

dried figs, each cut into 4 slices

PREPARATION Muffins With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line 12 muffin cups with paper or silicone liners.Pierce the sweet potato with a fork. Place on a plate and cook in the microwave oven for 6 minutes, turning halfway through cooking, or until tender. Let rest for 5 minutes. Cut the potato in half and scoop the flesh into a bowl. Coarsely crush with a fork to obtain about ¾ cup (180 ml) of mashed sweet potato purée. Set aside.In another bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, oats, bran, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Set aside.To the sweet potato purée, add the eggs, milk, oil and molasses. Beat with an electric mixer. On low speed, or with a wooden spoon, stir in the dry ingredients until just moistened. Add the raisins and dried figs. Spoon the mixture into the muffin cups. Toppings Sprinkle with the oats, pumpkin seeds and a fig slice, if desired.Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of a muffin comes out clean. Unmould and let cool on a wire rack. GLUTEN-FREE CHOCOLATE, BANANA AND PECAN BREAD

INGREDIENTS 1/2 cup (125 ml) rice flour 1/2 cup (125 ml) of potato starch or1/2 cup (125 ml) tapioca starch 1/2 cup (125 ml) ground almonds 1/4 cup (60 ml) cocoa powder, sifted 2 teaspoons (10 ml) baking powder A pinch of salt 1/2 cup (125 ml) unsalted butter, softened 1 cup (250 ml) brown sugar 1/4 cup (60 ml) canola oil 2 eggs 1/2 cup (125 ml) sour cream 1/2 cup (125 ml) milk 1 banana, mashed 4 oz (115 g) semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped 1 cup (250 ml) chopped pecansor 1 cup (250 ml) walnuts PREPARATION

With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 180 C (350 °F). Butter a 23 x 13-cm (9 x 5-inch) loaf pan. Line with parchment paper, letting it hang over two sides.In a bowl, combine the flour, starch, ground almonds, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.In another bowl, cream the butter with the brown sugar and oil with an electric mixer. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth. At low speed, add the dry ingredients alternately with the sour cream, milk and bananas. Add the chocolate and pecans and stir to combine. Spoon into the pan. Bake for about 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Let cool. Unmould and cool completely on a rack. DATE AND CLEMENTINE SCONES INGREDIENTS 1/2 cup (125 ml) milk 1 or 2 clementines (or 1 orange), grated zest only 1/4 cup (60 ml) clementine juice 2 cups (500 ml) unbleached all-purpose flour 1/4 cup (60 ml) brown sugar 2 1/2 teaspoon (12.5 ml) baking powder 1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) crushed fennel seeds 1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) salt

1/2 cup (125 ml) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes 1/2 cup (125 ml) cold cream cheese, cut into cubes 1/2 cup (125 ml) dried dates, pitted and diced 1 tablespoon (15 ml) 35% creamFirm cheese (Louis D'Or, Monnoir, Victor et Berthold, etc.) PREPARATION With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 200 °C (400 °F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.In a bowl, combine the milk with the clementine zest and juice. Set aside.In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, fennel seeds, and salt. Add the butter and cream cheese and pulse a few seconds at a time until they are the size of peas. Add the milk mixture and pulse just enough to moisten the dry ingredients.On a floured work surface, place the dough. Add the dates and combine with your hands. Roll out or pat the dough down into a 23-cm (9-inch) square. Cut the dough into 16 squares and place on the baking sheet, spacing them evenly.Brush the scones with the cream. Bake for about 18 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Let cool completely. Serve with hard cheeses. NOTE If you serve these scones for breakfast, sprinkle them with brown sugar or sugar before baking.

WARM TAPIOCA PUDDING WITH BANANA AND COCONUT MILK INGREDIENTS 1/2 vanilla bean or 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) vanilla extract 1 can 14 oz (398 ml) coconut milk 1/2 cup (125 ml) milk 1/2 cup (125 ml) sugar A pinch of salt 1/4 cup (60 ml) medium tapioca pearls 2 ripe bananas 4 teaspoons (20 ml) lemon juice 2 egg yolks PREPARATION With the tip of a knife, split the vanilla bean in half. Remove the seeds. In a double boiler, heat the milk, coconut milk, 60 ml (1/4 cup) of sugar, salt, vanilla

pod and seeds. Sprinkle in the tapioca while stirring. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 40 to 45 minutes or until the tapioca is translucent.In a food processor, purée 1 and 1/2 of the bananas with half the lemon juice. Set aside.Dice the remaining banana and toss with the remaining lemon juice.In a bowl, combine the egg yolks and the remaining sugar with a whisk. Add the mashed bananas. Stir into the tapioca mixture. Continue cooking while stirring until the pudding thickens, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the vanilla pod. If you are using vanilla extract, add it at this time. Remove from the heat. Add the diced bananas.Serve warm or cold. ICE CREAM TRUFFLES TARTUFO-STYLE INGREDIENTS 3/4 cup (180 ml) chocolate ice cream 6 toasted hazelnuts, or other nuts, to taste 2 cups (500 ml) vanilla ice cream 1/2 cup (125 ml) maraschino cherries, drained and finely chopped 2 tablespoons (30 ml) cocoa powder PREPARATION

Place six paper liners in a muffin pan. Set aside in the freezer.With a small 30 ml (2 tablespoons) ice cream scoop, form six balls of chocolate ice cream and insert a hazelnut. Place the balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze for at least 15 minutes.With a large 75 ml (1/3 cup) ice cream scoop, form six balls of ice cream, one at a time. Make a well in the centre of each ball while still in the ice cream scoop and insert a small ball of chocolate ice cream.Sprinkle the surface with cherries. Remove the ball from the spoon and place, cherry side down, into the muffin cups. Sift the cocoa powder over the balls. Freeze for at least 1 hour. NOTE The Tartufo is an original dessert from the town of Pizzo, Italy. It is composed of two or three flavors of ice cream and fruit, and is covered with cocoa powder, which makes it look like a truffle, hence its name. PISTACHIO AND RASPBERRY ICE CREAM CAKE INGREDIENTS Meringue

250 ml (1 cup) unsalted pistachios, lightly toasted 30 ml (2 tbsp) cornstarch 3 egg whites, at room temperature 180 ml (3/4 cup) sugar Filling 750 ml (3 cups) vanilla ice cream, tempered 20 minutes 500 ml (2 cups) raspberry sorbet, tempered 10 minutes 750 ml (3 cups) fresh raspberries 30 ml (2 tbsp) sugar PREPARATION Meringue With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 135 °C (275 °F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. With a pencil, draw two circles on the paper with the bottom of a 20 cm (8-inch) springform pan. Return the sheet to avoid contact of the ink or lead with the meringue. Set aside.In a food processor, finely grind the pistachios with the cornstarch. Set aside.In a large bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until they form soft peaks. Gradually add the sugar and beat until the meringue forms stiff peaks. With a spatula, gently fold the pistachio mixture into the meringue.With a pastry bag or a spatula, spread the meringue inside the two circles on the baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes or until the meringue is dry. Let cool completely.

Filling In a 20 cm (8-inch) springform pan, place a meringue disc. If needed, cut to fit. Cover with half of the ice cream. Layer with the sorbet. Add the second disc of meringue. Cover with the remaining ice cream. Press lightly. Freezing for 4 hours.In a bowl, combine the raspberries and sugar. Let rest for 15 minutes or until the raspberries release some juice.When ready to serve, cut the cake into wedges and garnish with the stewed raspberries. LEMON-LIME FROZEN PARFAIT INGREDIENTS 3/4 cup (160 g) sugar 2 tbsp cornstarch 4 eggs1/4 cup (60 ml) lemon juice 1/4 cup (60 ml) lime juice 2 egg whites 1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest 1/2 tsp finely grated lime zest 2 cups (270 g) fresh raspberries

PREPARATION Line the bottom of a 6-inch (15 cm) springform pan with parchment paper (see note).In a saucepan off the heat, combine half the sugar with the cornstarch. Whisk in the eggs. Whisk in the lemon juice and lime juice. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Strain the curd through a fine sieve into a large bowl. Set aside.In another bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining sugar, beating continously, until the sugar has dissolved and the meringue forms stiff peaks.With a spatula or a whisk, gently fold the meringue into the lemon curd. Spoon the mixture into the springform pan. Sprinkle the lemon and lime zests over the entire surface. Freeze for about 6 hours, or until the parfait is firm.Run a knife under hot water and slide the blade between the pan and the parfait. Unmould the parfait and slice into 6 pieces. Garnish with the raspberries.