Winter is already a lost shape, forgottenin the ground. Instead, here is Springwith all the grace of a woman smoothing out her apron.
- Cecilia Llompart
Every time a season comes to an end, I enthusiastically greet the next one with open arms. After three months of the same regime, it always feels good to see nature promptly metamorphose itself again and offer us a completely different experience. A real breath of fresh air.
I'm pretty sure, we would go bonkers if we were stuck in the same boring rut day in and day out. Routine kills us at a slow pace. On the other hand, change is positive, inevitable, primordial and constant. It infuses our existence with vivid colours and gives us perspective as well as hope. Transition is life and and life is all about transition.
This is the reason why climatic standstill isn't my cup of tea and why I am particularly fond of roller coaster weather. As a matter of fact, I am very happy to live in a moderate climate country. To have the opportunity to enjoy four distinct periods of the year is a blessing and each of them fills my heart with pleasure.
So as you can imagine, it is a delight for me to make the leap from winter to spring. And even though February and March have been quite mild and vernal, I am really looking forward to Earth's magical rebirth and the powerful cosmic stirring inside of me.
And the Spring arose on the garden fair,
Like the Spirit of Love felt everywhere;
And each flower and herb on Earth's dark breast
Rose from the dreams of its wintry rest.
- Percy Bysshe Shelley
April's air stirs in
Willow-leaves...a butterfly
Floats and balances.
- Matsuo Bashō
Spring work is going on with joyful enthusiasm.
- John Muir
Like an enthusiastic child beginning to discover the world surrounding him, I am bubbling with exhilaration and trepidating with anticipation, and I get excited about anything and everything. The late afternoon song of blackbirds sends tears to my eyes, crows tearing off branches in order to build their nests bring a large smile to my face, primroses blooming crazily pour joy into my soul, the sweet caress of the warm west wind delights me intensely and longer daylight hours motivate me in my daily chores. Oh, what a glorious feeling!
However, while the flora and fauna are brashly awakening and general frenzy is palpable everywhere, we humans are still sluggishly emerging from slumber. The endless weeks of darkness and bone-chilling cold have taken a toll on us and all the slothing around has transformed us into rusty and pasty caricatures of ourselves. But with the sunshine hitting hard on our skin and the loud chirping of birds, our torpor is fastly chased away and new energy starts to flow in our body once more. Slowly yet surely, at our own pace, we join the celebration of renewal, embarking on this wonderful adventure that is called spring.
Get your t-shirts out, let your hair down and merrily dance in circles for euphoria is prevalent !
SPRING HAS SPRUNG
She turned to the sunlight
And shook her yellow head,
And whispered to her neighbor:
Winter is dead.
- A.A. Milne, When We Were Very Young
It is spring again. The earth is like a child that knows poems by heart.
- Rainer Maria Rilke
It’s official, spring is finally upon us! One must be a fool not to have witnessed nature’s boisterous reawakening. The signs are omnipresent and unless you live in a cave or you are deaf, dumb and blind (not in the medical sense, but in the spiritual one), it is quite impossible to miss them.
Yes, spring is here and there’s no denying it. From morning to evening the birds are chirping hysterically, trees are blossoming rapidly, a cacophony of lush flowers has invaded the lawns and meadows, the air smells of honey and mowed grass, market stalls are looking more vibrant than ever, afternoon temperatures flirt with the twenties (celsius), the mountains are losing their snow, warm sunshine graces our skin again, the longer days have arrived and most of us are struggling with seasonal fatigue or hay fever.
Spring drew on...and a greenness grew over those brown beds, which, freshening daily, suggested the thought that Hope traversed them at night, and left each morning brighter traces of her steps.
- Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre
Something in the air this morning made me feel like flying...
- Eileen Granfors, And More White Sheets: An expanded text edition
I find this time of the year quite thrilling, revitalizing and inspiring as once more life takes over and grim darkness, decay and silence is supplanted by bright light, joyfullness, efflorescence and excitement. After an extensive period of hibernation, suddenly each living being, without exception, is shaken from its torpor and fuelled with new energy.
Spring, the season of transformation and resurrection, revives our hopes and dreams, blows away our fears as well as doubts and brings positive change in our existence. It is a fresh beginning for us all and like a phoenix that has risen from the ashes, we are ready to take a leap into the unknown, conquer the world and discover unexplored horizons.
I, myself am no stranger to the sheer euphoria that takes hold of us humans when we turn over the third page of the calendar, spot the very first primrose or hear the melodious morning song of blackbirds. As soon as the vernal equinox occurs, I become as restless and impatient as a small child on Christmas Eve and I cannot wait for the big transition to happen.
Unfortunately, the blooming period is ephemeral - I am always surprised by how fast things go and how soon summer arrives - and the tender and luxurious colors of spring are fastly replaced by dark shades of green. This is the reason why I try to be mindfully attentive to my surroundings and fully savor every single moment that is offered to me…
En
tout être comme en toute chose se côtoient et s’imbriquent Lumière et
Ténèbres. Dans une datte que vous croquez, la chair nourrit votre corps,
mais le goût suave et le parfum et la couleur nourrissent votre esprit.
La Lumière qui est en vous se nourrit de beauté et de connaissance,
songez à la nourrir sans arrêt, ne vous contentez pas de gaver le corps.
- Amin Maalouf, Les Jardins De Lumière
Speaking of time passing fastly, Easter is once again upon us and I hope that you all have wonderful plans for the long weekend ahead. Well, in case you still don’t know what treat or snack to prepare for the April celebrations, you might be interested in giving my “Hazelnut Date Truffles” a try.
These refined bites are easy to prepare (a real lifesaver) and aside from tasting divine and being addictive, they are also healthy (no guilty conscience here!) - this is a perfect after dinner or teatime nibble, especially if you have been eating rich food all day long.
Hopefully you'll attempt to make them as they are an absolute crowd pleaser (even kids love them) and besides, this recipe is highly adaptable (extra fun in the kitchen)...
Hazelnut Date Truffles
Recipe by Rosa Mayland, April 2014.
Makes about 16-20 truffles.
Ingredients:
1 1/3 Cup (about 22) Pitted & chopped Medjool dates
2/3 Cups (80g) Toasted Hazelnuts (or any other nut of your choice)
1 Tbs Whisky (or water)
1 Tsp Pure vanilla extract
3 Tbs Unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for coating the truffles
A pinch fine sea sealt
1/4 Cup (45g) Small chocolate (dark, milk or white) chunks/drops
Method:
1. Put the dates, hazelnuts, whisky and vanilla in a food processor and run until a fine and sticky paste forms.
2. Add the cocoa powder and sea salt and pulse a few more times.
3. Incorporate the chocolate chunks/drops.
4. Shape into 2.5 cm (1 inch) balls and coat with cocoa powder.
Remarks:
Add a little water (or whisky) if the paste is too dry and crumbly, or add a little cocoa powder if the paste is too wet and
sticky.
The whisky can be replaced by water or any other alcohol of your choice.
Flavoring Options (add at the same time as the cocoa powder): 1 tsp finely grated orange zest or 1 tsp instant espresso powder or 1 tsp ground cinnamon or a pinch ground tonka beans or 1/2 tsp ground chipotle chili powder.
These truffles can be
made 1 week ahead and they must be stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
Serving suggestions:
Serve the truffles (at room temperatures) with a small glass of liquor or a good cup of coffee.
Truffes Aux Dattes Et Aux Noisettes
Recette par Rosa Mayland, avril 2014.
Pour environ 16-20 truffes.
Ingrédients:
22 Dattes Medjool dénoyautées et hachées
80g de Noisettes torréfiées (ou tout autre noix de votre choix)
1 CS de Whisky (ou d'eau)
1 CC d'Extrait de vanille pure
3 CS de Cacao en poudre non-sucré, et plus pour enrober les truffes
Une pincée de sel de mer fin
45g de Chocolat (noir, au lait ou blanc) coupé en petits cubes ou de pépites de chocolat
Méthode:
1. Mettre les dates, les noisettes, le whisky et la vanille dans un
mixeur et les broyer assez finement afin d'obtenir une pâte collante et fine.
2 . Ajouter le cacao et le sel, puis mixer encore un peu.
3 . Incorporer les pépites de chocolat.
4 . Façonner en boules d'environ 2,5 cm et les enrober de poudre de cacao.
Remarques:
Ajouter un peu d'eau (ou de whisky) si la pâte est trop sèche et
friable, ou ajouter un peu de poudre de cacao si la pâte est trop
humide et collante.
Le whisky peut être remplacé par de l'eau ou tout autre alcool de votre choix.
Vous pouvez aussi arômatiser vos truffes avec 1 CC de zeste d'orange finement râpé ou 1 CC de café en poudre (instantané) ou 1 CC de cannelle en
poudre ou une pincée de fève tonka râpée ou 1/2 CC de piment chipotle poudre.
Ces truffes peuvent être fabriquées 1 semaine à l'avance et elles doivent être entreposées au réfrigérateur, dans un contenant hermétique.
Suggestion d'accompagnement:
Servir les truffes (à température ambiante) avec un petit verre de liqueur ou une bonne tasse de café.
If you are looking for festive recipe ideas, please make sure to check out this list.
MY EASTER RECIPES
- A -
Almond And Curry Bread (see recipe)
Almond Biscotti (see recipe)
Amaretti, Apricot Jam & Coconut Bars (see recipe)
Amaretto Yoghurt Cake (see recipe)
Apple And Cheddar Quiche (see recipe)
Apple Latkes (see recipe)
Asparagus With Parmesan And Fried Onions (see recipe)
- B -
Bagels (see recipe)
Banana Bread Pudding (see recipe)
Bakewell Tart (see recipe)
Basel Bread (see recipe)
Batbout M'khamer Bread (see recipe)
Beet Salad With Cottage Cheese & A Runny Egg (see recipe)Bostoni Cream Pie (see recipe)
Brazilian Toasts (see recipe)
Buttermilk Honey Bread (see recipe)
- C -
Cannelés Bordelais (see recipe)
Cannoli Napoleons (see recipe)
Cantuccini (see recipe)
Caramel Cake With Caramelized Butter Frosting (see recipe)
Caraway Seed Cake (see recipe)
Cardamom Crumb Cake (see recipe)
Caribbean Salt Cod (see recipe)
Carrot Bundt Cake (see recipe)
Cassata Cupcakes (see recipe)
Challah Bread (see recipe)
Cheddar, Bacon & Egg Scone sandwich (see recipe)
Cherry Delights (see recipe)
Cheese, Suçuk & Olive Pide Pies (see recipe)
Cheesecake Marbled Brownies (see recipe)
Cherry Tomato & Ricotta Tartlets (see recipe)
Chicken And Mushrooms In Creamy Saint Marcellin Sauce (see recipe)
Chickpea Terrine (see recipe)
Chinese Lemon Chicken (see recipe)
Chocolate & Salted Vanilla Whoopie Pies (see recipe)
Chocolate Cinnamon Bundt Cake (see recipe)
Chocolate Intensity Cake (see recipe)
Chocolate Mousse (see recipe)
Chocolate Pavlovas (see recipe)
Chocolate Pistachio Tartlets (see recipe)
Chocolate Valentino (see recipe)
Chopped Liver (see recipe)
Cinnamon Granola (see recipe)
Coconut Custard Squares (see recipe)
Colomba Pasquale (see recipe)
Cuchaule Brioche (see recipe)
Curry Parsnip & Apple Soup (see recipe)
- D -
Dark Chocolate Tart (see recipe)
Danish Braid (see recipe)
Deadly Blondies (see recipe)
Deluxe Traditional English Trifle (see recipe)
Dream Bars (see recipe)
Drop Dead Chocolate Cake (see recipe)
- E -
Earl Grey Chocolate Mousse (see recipe)
Easter Lamb-Shaped Bread (see recipe)
Eggs With Asian-Style Galangal & Rhubarb Vinaigrette (see recipe)
- F-
Feta, Almond & Cilantro Pesto (see recipe)
Feta And Fresh Herb Cake (see recipe)
Fish Rendang (see recipe)
Five Spice Rhubarb Muffins (see recipe)
Foie Gras Terrine (see recipe)
Flammeküche Pizza (see recipe)
Fragant Sweedish Rye Bread (see recipe)
French Artisan Bread (see recipe)
Frosted Spicy Rock Cakes (see recipe)
- G -
Georgian Kachapuri Flatbread (see recipe)
German Partybread (see recipe)
Gravlax With Mustard Sauce (see recipe)
Greek Lemon Roasted Potatoes (see recipe)
- H -
Ham And Parmesan Cake (see recipe)
Hawaiian Salmon Poke (see recipe)
Hot Dog Rolls (see recipe)
Hummus (see recipe)
- I, J & K -
Italian Ricotta Cookies (see recipe)
Italianesque Meatloaf (see recipe)
Kalbura Basti - Riddled Cookies (see recipe)
Kippers Rillettes (see recipe)
Koulourakia Cookies (see recipe)
Korvapuustit - Finnish Cinnamon Buns (see recipe)
- L-
Lasagne Of Emiglia-Romagna (see recipe)
Lavash Crackers (see recipe)
Lemon Buttermilk Tart (see recipe)
Lemon Curd (see recipe)
Lemon Honey Cookies (see recipe)
Lemon Meringue Pie (see recipe)
Lemon Mousse Verrines (see recipe)
Lemon Parmesan Dip (see recipe)
Lemon & Rose Cheesecake Bars (see recipe)
Lemon Ricotta Muffins (see recipe)
Lump Egg Pasta With Saffron Sauce (see recipe)
Luscious Lemon Bars (see recipe)
- M -
Ma'amouls Cookies With Walnuts (see recipe)
Macarons (see recipe)
Massa Sovada Bread (see recipe)
Melting Moments Cookies (see recipe)
Meringue Coffee Cake (see recipe)
Milk Chocolate & Caramel Tart (see recipe)
Moist Orange Syrup Cake (see recipe)
Moqueca Da Peixe (see recipe)
Mouhalabieh (see recipe)
My Swiss Mémé's Cake (see recipe)
- N & O -
Noddle Kugel (see recipe)
Norwegian Mountain Bread (see recipe)
Oatcakes (see recipe)
Oatmeal Bulgur Bread (see recipe)
Oatmeal Coconut Coookies (see recipe)
Orange Cornmeal Cake (see recipe)
Orecchiete (see recipe)
Ostrich Steak Tartar (see recipe)
- P & Q -
Pain Au Lait Bread (see recipe)
Panforte (see recipe)
Pane Casalingo (see recipe)
Panettone (see recipe)
Panna Cotta (see recipe)
Parmesan And Gorgonzola Cheesecake (see recipe)
Parmesan & Herbs Shortbread Cookies (see recipe)
Pasta With Anchovy Pesto (see recipe)
Perfect Party Cake (see recipe)
Pesto Muffins (see recipe)
Plain White Bread (see recipe)
Potato Kugel (see recipe)
Potatoes Baked With Parmesan (see recipe)
Praliné Chocolates (see recipe)
Profiteroles (see recipe)
Quarktorte (see recipe)
- R -
Rhubarb Cobbler (see recipe)
Rhubarb Meringue Slices (see recipe)
Rhubarb Salée (see recipe)
Rhubarb Upside-Down Pudding (see recipe)
Ricotta Brioche (see recipe)
Ricotta Fritta (see recipe)
Ricotta With Za'atar (see recipe)
Rose Honey Madeleines (see recipe)
Rosemary And Vinefruit Bloomer (see recipe)
- S -
Sachertorte (see recipe)
Salée A La Crème (see recipe)
Sauerkraut, Potato & Cheddar Pasties (see recipe)
Scones (see recipe)
Smoked Haddock & Gruyère Tartlets (see recipe)
Smoked Salmon & Cream Cheese Bagels (see recipe)
Smoky Chili Crackers (see recipe)
Spicy Roasted Chickpeas (see recipe)
Spinach & Feta Strudel (see recipe)
Stir-Fried Matzo Balls With Bell Pepper (see recipe)
Strawberry Sorbet (see recipe)
Sweet And Savory Meatballs (see recipe)
Swiss Easter Rice Tart (see recipe)
Swiss Quark Cheese Tart (see recipe)
Swiss Salée A La Crème (see recipe)
Swiss Sausage Salad (see recipe)
- T -
Tagliatelle (see recipe)
Tahini Cake (see recipe)
Tasty Lamb Roast (see recipe)
Tender Potato Bread (see recipe)
Texas Sheet Cake (see recipe)
Tex Mex Cornmeal Bread (see recipe)
Tiny Curry Scones (see recipe)
Tiramisù (see recipe)
Tiramiù Mousse And Lemon Curd Tart (see recipe)
Toad In The Hole (see recipe)
Tuiles With Orange Praline Filling (see recipe)
- U, V, W, X, Y & Z -
Upside-Down Honey Cheesecakes (see recipe)
Vanilla & Lemon Cupcakes (see recipe)
Victoria Sandwich (see recipe)
Vietnamese Grapefruit & Chicken Salad (see recipe)
Vols-Au-Vent (see recipe)
Walnut And Ricotta Pesto (see recipe)
Warm Beetroot With Sour Cream (see recipe)
Wheat Flour Tortillas (see recipe)
Whole Wheat & Rye Sourdough Bread (see recipe)
Zesty Ricotta Tart (see recipe)
Book review - Critique De Livre
I am a keen baker and cook, and have been practising my skills for the last thirteen years, yet while I love to be adventurous and try new dishes, there are still a few (many actually) recipes I haven't got around to testing... /// Je suis une passionnée de cuisine et ça fait maintenant à peu près treize ans que j'éguise mes "talents" de cuisinière/boulangère, mais malgré le fait que j'aime les challenges et que je n'ai pas peur de tester de nouveaux plats, il y a encore certaines recettes (un bon nombre, en fait) que je n'ai pas encore eu la possibilité d'essayer...
For example, although I adore cocoa-based treats and have been making my own truffles for a long time now, it wasn't until last week that I prepared my first moulded chocolates. The reason for being a total virgin in that field is because I lack confidence and constantly denigrate my talents, I have always shied away from that exercise as I found it quite intimidating and I believed it was too technical for me. /// Bien que j'adore les gourmandises à base de cacao et que je fabrique mes propres truffes depuis longtemps, je n'ai préparé mes premiers chocolats moulés que dernièrement. Comme je manque de confiance et dénigre constamment mes capacités, j'ai toujours évité d'en faire car cette activité m'intimidait et j'imaginais que c'était trop technique pour moi.
So, I was really excited to get the lovely Easter chocolate box set that my contact at Larousse Cuisine graciously sent me. In that way, I had absolutely no excuse not to tackle chocolate making as I now had a dedicated cookbook written by Rosalba de Magistris (who is a formative chef working at Alain Ducasse's cookery school in Paris), a thermometer and a couple of silicone as well as plastic moulds. /// De ce fait, je fus très contente de recevoir le coffret "L'atelier Chocolats De Pâques" que les Editions Larousse m'ont gentiment fait parvenir. De cette manière je n'avais plus aucune excuse pour le pas me lancer dans la confection de chocolats maison car équipée du livret écrit par Rosalba de Magistris (qui est chef formateur à l'école de cuisine d'Alain Ducasse à Paris), du petit thermomètre, du moule à œuf et des 2 plaques en silicone, j'allais pouvoir me donner à coeur joie.
This miniature and charmingly illustrated book offers 20 recipes for various chocolates and other confections that will please adult and children alike. Whether you like white, milk or dark chocolate, chocolate-oriented sweet courses, cakes or candies you'll find many great ideas in this publication (panna cotta nests, marzipan bites, shells filled with Tiramisù, festive brioche bread, decorated shortbreads, coconut filled delights, praline or meringue chocolates, etc...). /// Ce livre miniature et joliment illustré propose 20 recettes de chocolats et d'autres confiseries qui plairont tout autant aux enfants qu'aux adultes. Que vous appréciez les bouchées au chocolat blanc, au lait ou noir, que vous raffoliez de desserts à base de chocolat, de cakes ou bien de bonbons, vous serez enchantés par les nombreuses idées contenuent dans cette publication (nids en panna cotta, bouchées en pâte d'amandes, tiramisù en coque, brioche de Pâques, petits sablés multicores, chocolats fourrés à la noix de coco, oeufs aux éclats de meringues, bouchées aux pralines, etc...).
In that way, you'll be able to surprise your children, friends and family with memorable and touching chocolaty gifts, serve your guests elaborate desserts, decorate your Easter dinner table with your cute creations, recycle the leftover chocolates that you haven't eaten during the festivities and let your imagination flow. /// Grâce à ce coffret vous pourrez ravir vos enfants, amis et votre famille avec vos cadeaux chocolatés, présenter des desserts raffinés à vos invités, décorer votre table de Pâques avec vos adorables créations, recycler le trop de chocolats que vous n'aurez pa pû finir durant les fêtes et laisser parler votre imagination.
Perfect for beginners and amateurs confectioners! /// Parfait pour les débutants et amateurs chocolatiers!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ As I'm a big fan of praline paste and wanted to create my own shaped chocolate tidbits, I opted for making Rosalba's "Praline Chocolates". Being the squirrel that I am, my pantry contains tons of quality Swiss dark chocolate that I maniacally stock as if I were awaiting my building block to be taken by siege, I decided to sacrifice a few grams precious war provisions and substitute it for the milk chocolate her recipe calls for. I didn't use couverture chocolate either since I would not even know where to buy in Geneva (unlike, France, England or the US we have no stores specialised in bakery items and everything you find is basic, like a relic of the 60's and so outdated).
Anyway, the result was highly satisfying and my chocolates turned out really pretty. Tempering the chocolate was easy peasy as the whole process was straight-forward, fuss-free and rapid. I had lots of fun playing around in my kitchen and imagining that I was an artisan "chocolatier". As a matter of fact, this experience was so positive that I am considering purchasing material on the internet in order to learn more about this art and expand my knowledge...
The dainty "Praline Chocolates" I put together were shiny, very enjoyable and had a pleasant creamy as well as melt-in-the-mouth texture. The nutty and caramelly flavors blended perfectly well with the intense and slight bitter taste of my 60% cocoa chocolate.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Like any other Christian country, Switzerland has many great celebrations at this moment of the year (though nobody should forget that before it was Christianized, Easter was a Pagan festival celebrating the spring equinox) even if my country is not only politically neutral, but it is also confessionally neutral, and nowadays most people are not too observant and care more for the festivities than for the religious obsevances. I find that it is something good since that leaves us the choice to follow whichever path we desire (I have no oficial religion myself), but unfortunately, as a result, Easter has become a shallow commemoration which is now extremely commercial and totally deprived of any meaning (stores already start selling decorations as well as candies way already in February)...Anyway, it didn't stop me from loving Easter when I was a kid as I considered it to a kind of second Xmas. You see, where I live it is the custom to offer children chocolate bunnies of all shapes and flavors, colored sugar eggs, a bit of money and spring-themed stuffed toys, whereas adults generally receive chocolate boxes, bottles of wine or flowers. It is also the tradition for Close-knit families to gather on Easter Sunday and spend some time together around a lovely meal comprising of asparagus (white, green or wild), dandelion salad, eggs (hard-boiled or mimosa), lamb (leg, shoulder or fillet), young goat, fish (smoked or fresh salmon), meat terrines ("Pâtés en Croûte"), cheeses of all sorts, "Chocolate Mousse", "Floating Islands", "Rice Tart", "Rhubarb Tart", "Meringues" or "Salée A La Crème" (and much more depending on the canton where you live - I am only describing what I have experienced in Vaud and Geneva so bear with me if I have forgotten something. I am in no way trying to pass for the leading authority on that subject...).When I was small, my parents and I had the habit of reuniting with the rest of our Swiss relatives from Vaud and my grandparents' home was the nevralgic center of all our activities. Regardless of the weather which could prove to be quite fierce (April showers/soakers & strong and piercing Northern wind) depending on how early Easter was, after lunch we would go out for a walk around the fields and then we would stop somewhere in order to roll my granny's herb/flower stenciled eggs down the meadow's banks. Me and my second cousins had a blast doing that. We ran around the place like Tasmanian devils, screamed similarly to howler monkeys and frantically tumbled on the lush grass. Those were happy days of insouciance. Oh, how I miss that and mourns the times when my grandparents were still alive and the family was not in war...
Then, after having dirtied our clothes, spent all our energy running after one another, having got a suntan, enjoyed the birds' frantic tweets and admired the joyously green landscapes, we headed back to my Mémé and Pépé's house. Our stomachs were beginning to rumble, so my grandfather and grandmother usually got busy in the kitchen. Since we had tons of cracked as well as exploded eggs left from the rolling and we had already eaten a banquet a few hours before, it was a custom for us to eat an evening dinner consisting of a delightfully palatable, refined, yet humble dandelion (hand picked by my grandfather) salad with speck (Swiss smoked bacon), hard-boiled egg, chopped onion and peppery vinaigrette. To conclude our meal, my grandmother treated us to a comforting mug of chicory café au lait (coffee milk). Just heavenly!Those are truely precious memories. I am so glad that I have been able to experience these idyllic times and get a glimpse of how life in the countryside was in the past, before the frenzy of our modern world took over the normal course of things... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you are looking for other Easter menu ideas, please have a look at my extensive list of festive dishes. I hope you'll find something interesting and that it will help you have a more stress-free holiday...
~ Praliné Chocolate ~
Recipe adapted from "Chocolats De Pâques" by Rosalba de Magistris.
Makes 16 mini chocolates.
Ingredients:200g Milk or dark chocolate (couverture, preferably)1 Tbs Praline paste (recipe here, use 100g hazelnuts and 100g almonds)
Method:1. Put 2/3 of the chocolate in a bowl and make it melt over a casserole using the bain-marie method (the bowl should not touch the bottom of the pan).2. Stir with a spatula until the chocolate has completely melted.3. Measure the temperature. It should reach 45° C (108 ° F) for dark chocolate and 40°-45° C (104°-108° F) for milk chocolate.4 . Remove the bowl from the bain-marie and add the 1/3 of the chocolate that is left.5. Place the bowl containing the melted chocolate into another bowl filled with cold water and ice cubes. Stir with a spatula to cool.6. Measure the temperature again. It should reach 27 °C (81° F) for dark chocolate and 23°-25° C (73°-77° F) for milk chocolate.7 . As soon as the chocolate has reached the desired temperature, put the bowl back over the bain-marie in order to make the temperature rise again and reach 32° C (90° F) for dark chocolate and 29°-30° C (84°-86° F) for milk chocolate. Stir gently with a spatula and incorporate the praline paste.8. Pour the chocolate into the moulds and gently tap to release any trapped air bubbles.9. Place the moulds in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes, then using a scraper carefully scrape the excess chocolate from the top of the moulds.10. Once again, place the moulds in the refrigerator and leave them there for about 1 hour.11. Delicately, unmolds the chocolates.
Remarks:Couverture chocolate is the only chocolate that can be tempered as it's made specially for that purpose, but you can use any cooking chocolate as long as you chop it finely before you melt it (follow the same method as described previously).
You can also omit using praline paste and incorporate spices (cinnamon, cloves, coriander, curry, tonka, etc...) or finely chopped dried/candied fruits (apricots, cranberries, candied ginger, etc...) instead.
The chocolates can be kept for a week in an air-tight box, in a cool place.
There are a multitude of elegant ways to serve those chocolates (in boxes, jars, crystal/glass bowls, on large serving platters…).
Serving suggestions:
Do you really need me to tell you how to eat those chocolates? No! I thought so...
Just don't overstuff yourself or you'll feel queasy!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~ Chocolats Au Praliné ~
Recette adaptée de "Chocolats De Pâques" par Rosalba de Magistris.Pour 16 petits chocolats.
Ingrédients:200g de Chocolat au lait ou noir (de couverture, de préférence)1 CS de Pralin (recette, utiliser 100g de noisettes et 100g d'amandes)
Méthode:1. Mettre les 2/3 du chocolat dans une jatte et le faire fondre dans une casserole au bain-marie en veillant à ce que la jatte ne touche pas le fond de la casserole.2. Remuer avec une spatule et faire fondre le chocolat complètement.
3. Mesurer la température. Elle devrait atteindre les 45° C pour du chocolat noir et 40-45° C pour le chocolat au lait.4 . Retirer aussitôt le chocolat du bain-marie et ajouter les 1/3 de chocolat restants.5. Placer dans un bol rempli d’eau froide et de glaçons, puis remuer sans arrêt avec la spatule pour faire refroidir le chocolat.6. Contrôler de nouveau la température du chocolat (elle doit atteindre 27 °C pour le chocolat noir et entre 23° C et 25° C pour le chocolat au lait).
7 . Dès que le chocolat a atteint cette température, remettre la jatte dans le bain-marie pour faire remonter la température. Elle doit atteindre les 32° C pour le chocolat noir et 29°-30° C pour le chocolat au lait. Remuer doucement le chocolat avec la spatule et incorporer le pralin.8. Couler le chocolat dans les moules en silicone et les tapoter sur le plan de travail afin d'enlever les bulles d'air.
9. Mettre les moules au réfrigérateur pendant 10 minutes, puis nettoyer les bords à l'aide d'une spatule en râclant l'excédant de chocolat.10. Remettre les moules au réfrigérateur pendant 1 heure.11. Démouler délicatement les chocolats.
Remarques:Seul le chocolat de couverture, spécialement conçu pour être travaillé en pâtisserie, peut être tempéré, mais il vous est aussi possible d'utiliser du chocolat pâtissier en tablette (il vous faudra le hacher) et de procéder sans problème de la même manière.Au lieu d'incorporer le praliné, vous pouvez ajouter des épices (cannelle, coriandre, tonka, curry, girofle, etc...) ou des fruits secs/confits hachés finement (abricots, cranberries, gingembre confit, etc...).Les chocolat se gardent pendant une semaine dans une boite hermétique placée dans un lieu frais.
Il existe une multitude de façon de présenter ces petits chocolats (dans des boîtes, bocaux, bols en verre/cristal, sur une assiette…).Idées de présentation:
Est-il vraiment nécessaire que je vous dise comment manger ces chocolats? Non! C'est bien ce que je pensais....
Par contre n'en abusez pas autrement vous vous sentirez quelaue peu nauséeux!
