Archives of BAKING

Bay Leaf Milk Cake

I’m pretty good at detecting flavours in recipe. I’m even proud of it. But when it comes to identifying bay leaf, I’m foxed. I can’t seem to distinguish the subtle aroma that everyone else can. Even at school, when we made a bouquet garni of thyme and bay leaf rolled up in leek leaves and […]
11 years ago

I Made Croissants! (and other breads)

I’m spoiled for good things in Paris with boulangeries on either side of my building, but a train ride across the Channel changes things quite drastically. Battling Paris withdrawals I’ve been investing most of my free time in recreating the goût of boulangeries, and while I think I’m almost there with my breads, my first […]
11 years ago

Passion Fruit Macarons

It’s been far too long since I made macarons. The last time I made them was more than a year ago at Le Cordon Bleu in London – we made macarons using two different methods. The first one involved use of a French meringue (egg whites+sugar), which is made by whipping egg whites while simultaneously adding castor […]
11 years ago

Chocolate Toffee Tarts

A buttery tart is a thing of beauty. It’s main task really is to hold the filling, be it ganache or the pastry cream with fruits. But every little while you come across a tart shell that’s tender, buttery and crumbly – the kind that makes you realise its presence, the kind that goes above […]
11 years ago

Apple Tarte Tatin

Anything baked with apples almost always has my attention. The apple upside down cake has become one of my go-to recipes for dinner parties and there’s nothing better than a chausson aux pommes from Poilâne, warm and flaky, buttery and comforting. Last week, I had a really good pear and apple crumble at La Cantine de […]
11 years ago

Brown Butter and Vanilla Madeleines

Working at a restaurant is fun. It’s back breaking and can get exhausting, but fun. I love handling meat and seafood, and enjoy the service hour rush. But then, I also love the time when we’ve cleaned up after lunch service and make salted Bordier butter kouign amann. It’s a bit of a see-saw when […]
11 years ago

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

I like the idea of a carrot cake more than carrot cake itself. With the warmth of cinnamon, the healthfulness of walnuts and carrots, and the hue of rust-coloured leaves, it quite easily fits the bill for a comforting autumnal treat. It’s perfectly good baked in a loaf pan and sliced as needed, and becomes […]
11 years ago

Citrus Scented Baklava with Walnuts, Pistachios and Almonds

I have a Baklava recipe that I’ve been meaning to share for a while. It’s a terrific recipe, this one. And my friend, Jennie, who taught me how to make it insists that I chop the nuts by hand only and not skimp on the spices that might seem like a bit too much when […]
11 years ago

Crusty Hazelnut Loaf Cake

I’ve got to admit, I’m not one of those people who always picks a corner piece of a brownie or the first slice of a freshly-cut pound cake. I’ll let others have it. I much prefer the soft, gooey or buttery (as the case may be) interior. Inadvertently, one fine afternoon, I came across a hazelnut […]
12 years ago