I know it starts to be a little late to publish recipes with cherries, but season is not over everywhere and it could useful for next year too!

I made it up, I just thought and thought about it and the idea of mixing coconut milk, cardamom, pistachios with cherries sounded pleasant! And it is! You can believe me.

I baked it twice with agave syrup and once with mascobado sugar. I just appreciated both of them, even more when I managed to do it all from organic food (good for the conscience).

I found that presenting it in muffin cases was nice too. Easier to shot than in a big plate too.

Tonight, 30th of june is the first time my son is not here. We came back for one night from the sea because Joséphine has to do vaccination. So we decided to leave Giacomo at his grand parents. I feel like an orphan. « mais maman pourquoi tu viens pas manger ce soir??!! » he said on the phone… why I do not come and eat tonight. Even if we explained him, he just did not realized yet.

Can you imagine that, apart from 2 nights at the maternity I never left my son away from me one night!42 months at my side!

Okay, there is worst!

Like my new hair color.. hahaha!

Dark brown chocolate is not brown, it is simply dark, reaaaaallll, deeeeeeeep DARK! Black to be clear!

It’s quite a change when you know that I am light brown with some red with the sun!

I changed the brand, I picked up an organic one (not to blame on it). So I supposed it would be less « agressive » and kept it at least 20 minutes (but less than half an hour). Well…. not at all! It works well!

I still go check from time to time in the mirror « I know it’s dark, I know it’s dark » I keep saying myself before entering the bathroom

« OMG it’s SOOO dark »

Let’s hope my son will recognize me tomorrow!

Clafoutis aux cerises, lait de coco, pistaches et cardamome

pour 4-6 personnes environ

• 160 g de cerises
• 2 oeufs + 1 jaune
• 120 g de lait de coco
• 50 g de farine de pistaches
• 40 g de beurre demi sel fondu
• 3-4 gousses de cardamome verte
• 60 g de sirop d’agave (ou 100 g de sucre de canne moscabado)

1. Préchauffer le four à 170°C
2. Bien laver les cerises et en disposer 2-3 par caissettes pour muffins
3. Ouvrir les gousses de cardamome et en gratter les graines.
4. Mélanger tous les ingrédients (sauf les cerises) ensemble et verser la pate dans chaque caissette à muffins (environ une douzaine de caissettes)
5. Enfourner pour 25 minutes environ

Strawberries with lemon juice, mint and sugar.

I admit… it’s a really simple dish, but no matters, worth to be mentioned no?

The little thing more… peppers. Not that bad actually, un peu de peps!

I had an English uncle. I remembered how shock I got when he said that he was eating strawberries with peppers (or maybe it was salt, a taste enhancer… I am confused, it was at least 20 yrs ago, if not 25).  Whatever it was, I was at a age for which one you eat fruits with sugar or not!

We do often eat strawberries in summer,with some lemon juice, sugar. Kids are fighting for « il succo »,the juice. It’s true it’s good. And even better when you eat the stawberries first, keeping for the end the best part. So I do 2 rounds. One strawberries salad for lunch for Joséphine and I, and another one for Jack when he is coming back from school. Sometimes I add star anise too with the fruits.  For the momen it is fresh mint from our terrace… and a little of black peppers.

Apart from that I have new tables set for pictures,one black, one white. I am having fun with the composition. Indeed I discovered a new background. It was there beneath my eyes since ever. I was taking at pictures on a different spot on the terrace, when I noticed that our zinc closet was just an amazing background for pictures (look above)! I just had time to find the good settings of the camera when Joséphine stole one of the muffins. Go girl!

Strawberries salad with mint (and peppers)

• 500 g organic strawberries
• Juice of 2 organic lemons
• fresh mint
• sugar cane ( for my part Dulcita sugar cane)
• Optional: black pepper

 

1. Wash the strawberries andcut them into  »cubes » of 1-2 cm. Drizzle with the fresh juice of organic lemons. Add the sugar as muchnasyou desire. Chop mint leaves and add them to the strawberries. Mix and keep aside for halfhour in the fridge.
2. Serve in individual bowls with a few mint leaves and maybe a little cracked black pepper.

Salade de fraises et menthe

• 500 g de fraises bio
• Le jus de 2 citrons bio
• menthe fraiche
• sucre de canne (le dulcita pour ma part)
• facultatif: poivre noir

1. Laver et équeuter les fraises. Les couper en « dés » de 1-2 cm. Arroser les du jus de citrons frais. Ajouter le sucre en quantité désirée. Ciseler quelques feuilles de menthe. Mélanger letout et réserver une demie heure au frais.
2. Servir dans des coupes individuelles avec quelques feuilles de menthe et pourquoi pas un peu de poivre noir concassé.

I had to bake it once back at home. And I did it… even twice actually! Summer fruits season is almost over if not over yet, but I found the last strawberries to replace raspberries. No doubt it could be even better with in season strawberries but I had to satiate my greed…

Enjoy!

Pavlova with chocolate, strawberry and ginger

For the meringue

• 225 g fine sugar
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 3 large eggs at room temperature for half an hour
• 3 tbsp cold water
• 1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
• 3 tbsp bitter cocoa powder
• 50 g dark chocolate, coarsely chopped

For the whipped cream

• 250 ml of liquid fresh cream
• 250 g strawberries (or a desired amount).
• 1 fresh peeled ginger (+- 10 g for my part, adapt to your taste)
• juice of one lemon

Preparing strawberries:

1. Wash strawberries. Cut in half.
2. Put strawberries and ginger in a bowl. Pour the lemon juice. Add one tbsp of fine sugar (optional). Mix.
3. Keep refrigerated.

Preheat oven to 150 ° C.

Prepare the meringue:

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Draw a circle of 15-20 cm in diameter.
2. Mix sugar and cornstarch. Keep aside.
3. With an electric mixer, beat at medium speed eggwhites with a pinch of salt until the formation of a beak.
4. Add water and whisk again until the formation of a beak.
5. Increase the speed and add 1 tbsp of the mix sugar+cornstarch at a time.
6. When all the mixture has been added, continue beating for 1 minute.
7. Add sifted cocoa. Beat on high speed for 2 minutes.
8. Add the chopped chocolate. Beat on high speed for 1 minute.
9. Add vinegar and beat on high speed until the meringue is shining strongly and thickens (about 5 minutes)
10. Spread the meringue onto the circle on the parchment paper, leaving the center empty.
11. Bake for 45 minutes.

Do not open the oven during this period. After 45 minutes, open the door with a wooden spoon. Let cool down the meringue in the oven for 1 hour.
The outside of the meringue will be cracked, but the interior will keep the consistency of a marshmallow! The meringue can be prepared the day before which make it even more soft inside!

During that time place the beaters and bowl in freezer for the next step.

Assembling the pavlova:

1. Whip the cream with the beaters and the bowl placedin the freezer.
2. Pour the whipped cream in the center of the meringue and top with fruit (remove the ginger)!

Pavlova au chocolat, fraises et gingembre

Pour la meringue

• 225 g de sucre fin
• 1 c. à s. de maizena
• 3 gros oeufs à température ambiante depuis une demie heure
• 3 c. à s. d’eau froide
• 1 c. à c. de vinaigre balsamique
• 3 c.à s. de cacao amer en poudre
• 50 g de chocolat noir haché grossièrement

Pour la crème chantilly

• 250  ml de crème fraiche liquide
• 250 g de fraises (ou en quantité désirée).
• 1 gingembre frais pelé (+- 10 g, à adapter selon votre sensibilité)
• le jus d’un citron

Préparation des fraises:

1. Laver les fraises. Les couper en deux.
2. Mettre les fraises et le gingembre dans un saladier. Y verser le jus de citron. Ajouter une c. à s. de sucre en poudre (facultatif). Mélanger.
3. Réserver au frais.

Préchauffer le four à 150°C.

Préparation de la meringue:

1. Recouvrir une plaque allant au four de papier sulfurisé. Y dessiner un cercle de 15-20 cm de diamètre.
2. Mixer le sucre et la maizena. Réserver
3. Avec un batteur électrique, fouetter à vitesse moyenne les blancs d’oeufs additionnés d’une pincée de sel jusqu’à la formation d’un bec d’oiseau.
4. Ajouter l’eau et fouetter de nouveau jusqu’à la formation d’un bec d’oiseau.
5. Augmenter la vitesse de l’appareil et ajouter une c. à s. à la fois du mélange sucre+maizena.
6. Quand tout le mélange a été ajouté, continuer de battre pendant 1 minute.
7. Ajouter le cacao tamisé. Fouetter à vitesse maximale pendant 2 minutes.
8. Ajouter le chocolat haché. Fouetter à vitesse maximale pendant 1minute.
9. Ajouter le vinaigre et fouetter à vitesse maximale jusqu’à ce que la meringue brille et s’épaississe très fortement (environ 5 minutes)
10. Répartir la meringue sur le cercle dessiné sur le papier sulfurisé en laissant le centre vide.
11. Enfourner pour 45 minutes.
12. Ne pas ouvrir le four pendant cette période. Au bout des 45 minutes, entrouvrir la porte avec une cuillère en bois. Laisser refroidir la meringue dans le four pendant 1 heure.

L’extérieur de la meringue sera craqué, mais l’intérieur conservera la consistance d’un marshmallow! La meringue peut etre préparée la veille, elle en sera encore plus moelleuse à l’intérieur!

Placer les batteurs et un saladier au congélateur pendant le temps de cuisson et refroidissement de la meringue pour l’étape suivante.

Assemblage du pavlova:

1. Monter la crème liquide en chantilly avec les ustensiles placés au freezer.
2. La verser au centre de la meringue et la recouvrir de fruits (retirer le gingembre)!

Pavlova al cioccolato, zenzero e fragole

Per la meringa

• 225 g zucchero fino
• 1 cucchiaio maizena (amido di mais)
• 3 uova grossi a temperatura ambiente da circa 30 minuti
• 3 cucchiai acqua fredda
• 1 cucchiaio aceto balsmico
• 3 cucchiai di cacao amaro
• 50 g di cioccolato nero tagliato a pezzi

Per la crema

• 250 ml panna liquida
• 250 g fragole
• la spremuta di un limone
• zenzero fresco sbucciato (+- 10 g, ad adattare al vostro gusto)

Riscaldare il forno a 150°C.

Preparazione delle fragole:

1. Lavare le fragole e le tagliare a metà.
2. Mettere le fragole in una insalatiera con il zenzero e versare sopra la spremuta del limone.  Aggiungere un cucchiaio di zucchero (facoltativo)
3. Tenere da parte nel frigo

Preparazione della meringa:

1. Ricoprire una piastra forno di carta da forno. Tracciare un cerchio di 15-20 cm di diametro.
2. Mischiare lo zucchero e la maizena. Tenere da parte.
3. Con un frullino elettrico, montare a velocità media gli albumi con un po’ di sale finché formano una punta.
4. Aggiungerci l’acqua e frullare di nuovo per ottenere una punta.
5. Aumentare la velocità e aggiungere una cucchiaia a volta del misto zucchero+maizena.
6. Quando il misto zucchero+maizena è finito, continuate di frullare per 1 minuto.
7. Aggiungere il cacao e frullare per 2 minuti a velocità massima.
8. Aggiungere il cioccolato e frullare per 1 minuto.
9. Aggiungere allora l’aceto e frullare a velocità massima finché la meringa sia brillante e ispessisse molto (circa 5 minuti)
10. Distribuire la meringa sul cerchio designato sulla carta (lasciando vuoto il centro).
11. Infornare per 45 minuti.
12. Non aprire mai la porta del forno tra questo tempo, dopo di che socchiudere la porta con un cucchiaio di legno. Lasciare raffreddare per un’oretta.

L’estero della meringa sarà ceduto, ma l’interno rimanerà morbido come un marshmallow!

La meringa può essere fata il giorno prima, ne sarà ancora più morbida dentro!

Mettere i frullini e un’insalatiera nel freezer tra il tempo di cottura e raffreddamento della meringa per l’ultima tappa.

Assemblaggio del pavlova:

1. Montare la panna liquida con i frullini messi nel freezer.
2. Versare la panna montata al centro della meringa e coprire con la frutta (togliere lo zenzero).

I had noticed here and there (Elle à Table  and surely in some foodblogs) cooked melon. For me the melon was always in its natural state, as dessert or starter (with ham or porto), fruits salad, recently in a cocktail (in icecream as you can tell me). It is the book Elle à Table which offers a recipe for pistachio crumble melon and apricots. The apricots are not my thing (and I had not). I followed part of their recipe, and I took a basic crumble dough from the book « So crumble! » Julie Schwob.

Well done … the melon is good! Except I thought it lacked a bit of acidity (which should be brought by the apricots in the first recipe). But I had mulberries! I bought some before the holidays and they were waiting quietly in the freezer, in theory to make macaron. Result is that the mix of melon and mulberries was perfect (just ask my son!). I made my pictures and now I give you the recipe. In the crumble (heavily modified from the book So crumble!) I added pistachio flour. For those who do not have some complete with powdered almonds. Note also, it is possible that you need to add sugar if your melon is not sweet enough.

Crumble melon and mulberries

• 1 melon
• 200g mulberries
• 20g butter
• 2 tbsp sugar
• for the dough:
• 90g salted butter soft
• 90g flour
• 60g almonds
• 45g flour Pistachios
• 90 g sugar

1. Prepare the dough: In a bowl sift the flour, add the sugar, almonds and pistachios and butter cut into pieces. Work the dough with your fingertips until the mixture becomes crumbly. Keep refrigerated.
2. Preheat oven to 180 ° C.
3. Take the flesh of the melon and cut into cubes (2 cm).
4. In a frying pan over high heat, melt butter, add sugar and pieces of melon. Sear for 2-3 minutes.
5. Put the pieces of melon and juice in a baking dish.
6. Sprinkle with the crumble dough.
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes (the crumble should be golden).
8. Cool and add the mulberries.
9. In the original recipe is advisable to taste warm. For me I prefer the crumble very fresh!

Crumble de melon et mures

• 1 melon
• 200 g de mures
• 20 g de beurre
• 2 c.à s. de sucre
• pour la pate:
• 90g de beurre demi sel mou
• 90 g de farine
• 60 g de poudre d’amandes
• 45 g de farine de pistaches
• 90 g de sucre

1. Préparation de la pate: dans un saladier tamiser la farine, ajouter le sucre, poudre d’amandes et de pistaches et le beurre coupé en morceaux. Travailler la pate du bout des doigts jusqu’à ce que le mélange devienne sableux. Réserver au frais.
2. Préchauffer le four à 180°C.
3. Prélever la chair du melon et couper la en cubes (2 cm).
4. Dans une poele, sur feu vif, faire fondre le beurre, ajouter le sucre et les morceaux de melon. Laisser saisir pendant 2-3 minutes.
5. Verser les morceaux de melon et le jus dans un plat à gratin.
6. Parsemer du crumble.
7. Enfourner pour 25-30 minutes (le crumble doit etre doré).
8. Laisser refroidir et ajouter les mures.
9. Dans la recette originale on conseille de déguster tiède. Pour ma part j’ai préféré le crumble bien frais!

la recette fait partie du concours KiKiVeuKiVienKuisine KKVKVK #36 organisé par M du très joli blog jedisM.

Crumble melone e more

• 1 melone
• 200 g more
• 20g di burro
• 2 cucchiai di zucchero
• Per la pasta:
• 90g di burro salato morbido
• 90g di farina
• 60g di mandorle
• 45g farina di pistacchi
• 90 g di zucchero

1. Preparare la pasta: In una terrina setacciare la farina, aggiungere lo zucchero, le mandorle e pistacchi e il burro tagliato a pezzetti. Lavorate la pasta con la punta delle dita fino a quando il composto diventa sabbioso. Conservare in frigo.
2. Preriscaldare il forno a 180 ° C.
3. Prendete la polpa del melone e tagliate a cubetti (2 cm).
4. In una padella, a fuoco alto, sciogliere il burro, aggiungere lo zucchero e pezzi di melone. Rosolare per 2-3 minuti.
5. Mettete i pezzi di melone e il succo in una pirofila.
6. Aggiungere il crumble.
7. Infornare per 25-30 minuti (il crumble deve essere dorato).
8. Raffreddare ed aggiungere le more.
9. Nella ricetta originale si consiglia di assagiare caldo. Per parte mia preferisco il crumble molto fresco!

The question is on! Shall I still call this cake a clafoutis?? If you refer to the Grand Larousse gastronomique the clafoutis (from Limousin) is a « cake » with some cherries in a kind of a pancake (crepe) pasta.

The thing is, I am never really liked the clafoutis. The pasta is too thick according to me. But with the season in, a lot of blogs proposed the recipe. There is one that just caught up my attention, the recipe from Mamina.  She followed a recipe from Pierre Hermé, where most of the flour is replaced with bread (white loaf), and the eggs are separated with beaten eggwhites. So the later one implies that the pasta is less thicker…hhmmm!

I thought and thought about it, shall I try it or not, and the idea poped up. Maybe not the best one, but why not replacing the white loaf bread with some gingerbread??!! Well I really like the result. The mix of cherries with spices fo the gingerbread (mainly cinnamon actually in mine), the crunchy particles of almond flour and some pieces of gingerbread. And as Mamina said the plus is the  little acidity given by the lemon zest (note that she also found the pasta a little bit too heavy, what I did not found it here…my point of view). So the recipe is for sure far from the traditional one but the result is there too. Clafoutis or not try it and let me know!

Cherries clafoutis

• 3 eggs
• 400 g cherries
• 100 ml milk
• 60 ml cream
• 80 g sugar
• 80 g gingerbread
• 50 g almonds flour
• 50 g soften butter
• 1 lemon zest

1. Warm up the oven at 180°C.
2. Wash the cherries and remove the tail.
3. Put the gingerbread in the milk until the gingerbread gets soften.
4. In a blender mix the eggyolks, almonds flour, gingerbread with the milk, butter, sugar, cream and lemon zest altogether until the bread is finely mixed.
5. Beat the eggwhites until stiff adding a tbsp of sugar half way.
6. Incorporate the eggwhites to the previous mix.
7. Put the cherries in a pie plate and pour the mix on it.
8. Put in the oven and cook it for 35-40 minutes.
9. Eat it cold!

Clafoutis aux cerises

• 3 oeufs
• 400 g de cerises
• 100 ml de lait
• 60 ml de crème fraiche liquide
• 80 g de sucre
• 80 g de pain d’épices
• 50 g d’amandes en poudre
• 50 g de beurre mou
• le zeste d’un citron

1. Préchauffer le four à 180°C.
2. Laver et équeutter les cerises.
3. Faire tremper le pain d’épices dans le lait jusqu’à ce qu’il ramollisse.
4. Dans le bol du mixeur mixer les jaunes d’oeufs, la poudre d’amandes, le beurre, le pain d’épices avec le lait, le sucre, la crème et le zeste de citron jusqu’à ce que le pain d’épices soit mixé.
5. Monter les blancs en neige en ajoutant une c. à s. de sucre à mi parcours.
6. Incorporer doucement les blancs au précédent mélange.
7. Disposer les cerises dans un plat à gratin et verser dessus le mélange.
8. Enfourner et laisser cuire 35-40 minutes.
9. Déguster bien froid!

Clafoutis con le ciliegie

• 3 uova
• 400 g ciliegie
• 100 ml latte
• 60 ml panna liquida
• 80 g zucchero
• 80 g panpepato
• 50 g farina di mandorle
• 50 g burro morbido
• buccia grattugiata di un limone

1. Accendere il forno a 180°C.
2. Pulire le ciliegie e togliere il picciolo.
3. Mettere il panpepato nel latte.
4. Con la frusta mescolare i tuorli, farina di mandorle, burro, panpepato e latte, zucchero, panna liquida e la buccia di limone insieme finché il panpepato sia frullato.
5. Montare le albume a neve aggiugendo una cucchiaia di zucchero alla metà del percorso .
6. Aggiungere le albume al primo impasto.
7. Sistemare le ciliegie in una teglia da forno imburrata e versare la pastella sopra.
8. Infornare per circa 35-40 minute.
9. Lasciar raffreddare completamente prima di servire!