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Pate Brisé (Flaky Pie Crust): Ingredients: 236 grams pastry flour, sifted a pinch of salt 115 grams of salted butter 1 extra large egg yolk 4 tablespoons cold water Lightly grease a 29 cm (11 1/4 inch) pie plate. Sift the pastry flour and the salt together. Cut the butter into small pieces and add to the dry mixture. Incorporate the butter into the flour with your hands until the butter is well incorporated into the flour. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and the cold water. Add to the dry mixture. Incorporate the egg and water mixture to the dry mixture with your hands until a dough forms. Do not over mix as this will create a tough pie crust. If the dough is difficult to handle right away cover the dough and cool for 15 minutes in the fridge. Preheat oven to 180 Celsius (350 Farenheit). Roll out the pie crust to fit the pie plate. With a fork prick the pie dough and add some pie weights or dry beans to the pie plate before pre-baking the crust (this is to prevent the pie

This is cranberry season in Quebec and I love those tart little red berries. They inspire me to try all kinds of different recipes! This is an easy and delicious muffin recipe that I tried and everyone at home seems to love. You can taste the tartness of the cranberries as the muffins are not very sweet. They freeze very well too. I found this recipe on the site: cooks.com. I particularly like to buy fresh cranberries now and freeze them for the coming months. 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup granulated sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup soft unsalted butter 1 tablespoon orange zest 3/4 cup orange juice 1 egg 1/2 cup nuts, chopped (optional) 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries Cream butter with sugar and add orange zest. Mix together flour, baking powder baking soda and salt in a bowl. Add the egg to the butter mixture and mix well. Add the flour mixture and orange juice to the mixture alternating. Add the cranberries and nuts (optiona

I created this recipe while in my pastrymaking class last week. Our project was to create a muffin recipe. I was happy with the results. I prefered the muffins without the pistachios though. Another student in my pastrymaking classes, Anlor also has a culinary blog. It can be viewed at: http://apprentissieres.canalblog.com/. She also has some fabulous photos of what we create in our classes! Makes about 12 muffins. 180 grams all-purpose flour 6 grams baking powder 3 large eggs 170 grams granulated sugar 150 grams unsalted butter, melted and cooled 2 lemons (zest and juice) 150 grams dried cranberries 4 Tablespoons whisky, brandy or cognace 100 grams unsalted pistachios, chopped (optional) Preheat oven 180 C or 350 F. Cooking time: 30 to 35 minutes. Wash the lemons. Grate the zest of the 2 lemons and squeeze the lemon juice. Place the whisky, the lemon juice and the dried cranberries in a pot and heat until the mixture boils. Remove from heat and let the mixture cool. Melt the butter an

This is a wonderful leek and cheese pie. It can be eaten warm or cold with a crispy salad on the side. It can also be cut into cubes and served as an entree with drinks. 1 large yellow onion, sliced 60 ml / 4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 large leeks, total weight about 450 grams / 1 lb, chopped 115 grams / 4 oz / 1 cup plain (all-purpose) flour 2.5 ml / 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) 3 large (US extra large) eggs, lightly beaten 200 grams /7 oz Greek (strained plain) yogurt 300 grams / 11 oz feta cheese, cubed 115 grams /4 oz /1 - 1 1/3 cups freshly grated Gruyère or Parmesan cheese 45-60 ml / 3-4 Tablespoons chopped fresh dill (I used parsley because my boyfriend dislikes dill) salt and ground black pepper to taste Serves 4 1. Sauté the onion in the oil until light golden. Add the leeks and cook over a low heat for 10-12 minutes until soft. Cool a little. 2. Preheat the oven to 180 C / 350 F / Gas 4. Lightly grease a 23 cm / 9 inch round springform cake tin (

Apple season is in full swing in Quebec and the apples are tart this time of the year. Just the way I like them for an apple pie! I was at Jean Talon market (the largest farmer market in the Montreal region) this weekend and I bought new harvest Quebec apples. This is definitely one of my favorite apple pie recipes. The house just smells divine while this apple pie is baking in the oven. The aromas of apples, cinnamon and vanilla fill the house. Pâte Sucrée (Sweet Crust): Ingredients: 112 grams unsalted butter 100 grams icing sugar 25 grams glucose 40 grams egg 250 grams pastry flour 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Method: 1. Soften the butter. 2. Cream the butter with the icing sugar and the glucose. 3. Beat the egg and add progressively to the mixture. 4. Sift the pastry flour and add to the mixture. 5. Knead the mixture only until the mixture is homogenous. Do not overwork the mixture. APPLES: 1 1/2 pounds tart apples, peeled and cored 1/3 cup sugar (I used 1/4 cups sugar) 1/2 teaspoon g

With tomato and eggplant season in full force in Quebec, my greek origins are being awakened. Nothing pleases me more than an eggplant and tomato dish. Here is a wonderful eggplant dish that I recently made. I recommend this dish for someone who really loves eggplants because the vegetable is really prominent! aubergines with tomato topping 3 medium aubergines (eggplant), total weight about 800 g / 1 3/4 lb 150 ml (2/3 cup) extra virgin olive oil 2 large onions, finely chopped 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped 500 g (1 1/4 lb) fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped 2.5 ml (1/2 teaspoon) each dried oregano and thyme 2.5 ml (1/2 teaspoon) sugar 45 ml (3 tbsp) chopped fresh parsley 15 ml (1 tbsp) tomato purée (paste) diluted in 150 ml (2/3 cup) hot water salt and ground black pepper Serves 4 1. Trim the aubergines, then slice them into rounds about 1 cm (1/2 inch) thick. Place in salted water for 1 hour and rinse and pat dry. Heat half the olive oil in a large frying pan and shallow-fry the a

I just love indian food and the aromatic spices that are incorporated in their dishes. This interesting and unusual tart with the addition of roasted cumin seeds gives an Indian twist to a traditional French dish. It is definitely worth a try! I have tried making a lighter version of this recipe, using 10% cream instead of 35% cream, it is just as delicious as its richer version, but you definitely have to cook the filling for at least 20 minutes longer than in the original recipe in order to set the filling. In addition to the wonderful complexity of flavors, this tart is colorful and beautiful! There are thin layer of colorful orange carrots that are sprinkled with the bright green of spring onion layers. Enjoy this beautiful tart with a lovely green salad. Carrot and Cumin Tart: Pate Brisé (Flaky Pie Crust): Ingredients: 236 grams pastry flour, sifted a pinch of salt 115 grams of salted butter 1 extra large egg yolk 4 tablespoons cold water Lightly grease a 23 cm (9 inch) pie plate.

Pate Brisé (Flaky Pie Crust): 411 grams pastry flour, sifted a pinch of salt 200 grams of salted butter 2 large egg yolks 7 tablespoons cold water Lightly grease a 23 cm (9 inch) pie plate. Sift the pastry flour and the salt together. Cut the butter into small pieces and add to the dry mixture. Incorporate the butter into the flour with your hands until the butter is well incorporated into the flour. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and the cold water. Add to the dry mixture. Incorporate the eggs and water mixture to the dry mixture with your hands until a dough forms. Do not over mix as this will create a tough pie crust. If the dough is difficult to handle right away cover the dough and cool for 15 minutes in the fridge. Filling: 450 grams fresh or frozen spinach 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 large onion, chopped 2 or 3 garlic cloves, chopped 2 large eggs, beaten 225 grams ricotta 55 grams frreshly grated Parmesan cheese a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg salt and pepper to ta

While I was in Paris, a good friend of mine Bénédicte made an olive cake for me. It was to die for! I had never tasted one before and it was absolutely delicious. She shared her recipe with me and I made it for the first time this weekend. I miss her, and this cake reminds me of her... I suppose this has become a "comfort food" for me, but I need to have a glass of red wine with it. A little ritual that I enjoyed with her. Cheers to my good friend Bénédicte! Cake Aux Olives Noires et Vertes For 8 persons Ingredients: 200 grams all-purpose flour 4 large eggs 8 tablespoons of milk 75 grams melted butter 150 grams grated gruyère cheese 100 grams pitted black olives, sliced 100 grams pitted green olives, sliced 5 grams baking powder 4 or 5 branches fresh thyme Preparation and baking time: 1 hour and 10 minutes Place the flour in a large bowl. Add and mix in the following order, the eggs, milk, the melted butter, the grated gruyère and the baking powder. Mix well and add the slice

Clafoutis with fresh cherries is one of my boyfriend's favorite dishes. Summer is not the same without at least one clafoutis each season. We really love it. The bigger and juicier the cherries, the better the clafoutis! Yesterday was the first clafoutis of the summer. It was also the first weekend of the summer that we spent together. My internship in Paris was completed this week and I have returned home to Montreal. My internship was just fabulous! I met so many wonderful professionals and made many friends the two months that I have been gone. I really had a wonderful time and was priviledged to meet such lovely individuals. As you have noted, the month of July did not contain any entries on my blog! I was so incredibly busy trying to visit, taste and see as much as possible before my two months were over. What an adventure it has been! I have taken a lot of notes and photos along the way and I am only beginning to reflect on all the things that I learned and observed in the fa

Well, I just love Speculoos, those spicy cinnamony little biscuits that are so delicious! I always wanted to know how to make these fabulous Belgiun biscuits. I asked at the Lido, and Laurent, the cook for the kitchen staff told me he makes these wonderful treats! He told me that he would make me a batch before I completed my internship and today was my lucky day. His speculoos were just scrumptious and he was kind enough to share his recipe with me! Here is a photo of Laurent busy at work making some wonderful speculoos for everyone. Speculoos: Ingredients: 1 KG brown sugar 850 GR flour 250 GR butter, creamed 100 ml water 1 teaspoon baking powder Mix all of the ingredients together until you obtain a thick dough. Roll out the dough to a thickness of 5 mm with a rolling pin. Cut out the biscuits in rectangular shapes and place on a buttered baking sheet or non-sheet paper. Bake in a 350 F (180 C) oven for 5 to 10 minutes. Let the cookies cool before enjoying (if you can wait that long!

Sable Breton: Ingredients: 240 grams egg yolks 480 grams granulated sugar 480 grams half-salted butter 675 grams all-purpose flour 45 grams baking pwoder Place sugrar and butter in the bolw of a mixed and with a paddle attachment cream them together until the mixture is light and fluffy. Once the mixutre is well creamed together, add the egg yolks and mix well. Add the sifted flour and baking powder to the mixture and mix until homogenous. DO NOT OVERMIX. Place the dough on a baking sheet covered with silicone paper. Cover the dough with saran wrap and put it in the fridge overnight. The next day, roll out the dough to 5 mm thickness. Cut the dough into squares and bake in a 350 F oven until crisp and golden.

I have been in Paris for my internship since the 1st of June and I am living in the Montorgueuil area. My friend Claude, who is my next door neighbor in Montreal and has been here for the last 4 months gave me a tour and history lesson of the area where I live. He brought me to Stohrer, one of the oldest pastry shops in Paris, which happens to be a 2 minute walk from my studio. I had admired their pastries and croquembouche in their window display, but I was not aware of the history of this boutique. I found their web site on the internet and their dishes look fabulous! ( http://www.stohrer.fr/ ) Their pastries and prepared dishes look amazingly delicious, but I haven't had the opportunity to taste one of their dishes yet. I am in Paris after all, so much to see, so much to taste and so much to drink..... Oooh laaa laaa!

This wonderful, deliciously light recipe belongs to Nicola. We made these macaroons at the Lido together. All I can say is that they not only look great, but they are also to die for!! Pink Macaroons: Ingredients: 520 grams of powdered almonds 800 grams icing sugar 40 grams of egg whites 400 grams of beaten egg whites 160 grams of granulated sugar Red food coloring Mix the icing sugar and the powdered almonds together in a large bowl. Sift the sugar and the almonds together in a large bowl. Place the 40 grams of egg whites on one side of the bowl containing the almonds and icing sugar. Beat the 400 grams of egg whites with the red food coloring until they are stiff. Once the egg whites are stiff, add the granulated sugar and beat together until they are very stiff and the granulated sugar has dissolved. With spatula, delicately add the meringue. Then beat the mixture very quickly so that it falls a bit. The mixture has to be brilliant, liquidy, but resist a bit. With a pastry bag, and

Well, my stage is 2 weeks over and I am enjoying it very much. I have been working with 4 pastry chefs and I have been learning a lot. I am learning how to make brioches and today I finished my first perfect batch! They were round, buttery and delicious! Nicola has been teaching me how to perfect the brioche and he is a wonderful and patient pastry chef. Here is the recipe for Brioche that he has shared with me. BRIOCHE Ingredients: 1500 grams flour (T45) 30 grams salt 225 grams granulated sugar 60 grams fresh yeast 21 large eggs 1050 grams unsalted butter a bit of milk Place the flour in the mixing bowl of the beater. Add the salt, the sugar and the yeast in different parts of the bowl on the flour. They should not come into contact. Add the dough attachment. Add the eggs all at once. Once the mixture is homogenous, add a bit of milk and mix. The dough should be soft, sticky but resist at the same time. Increase the speed of the beater to about 5 or 6. Once the dough unsticks from th

Pastry Cream: Ingredients: 250 grams milk 50 grams granulated sugar 50 grams eggs 23 grams cornstarch 13 grams unsalted butter 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Method: 1 Place the milk and half of the granulated sugar in a casserole and bring to a boil. 2. In a bowl, beat the eggs with the remaining half of the sugar. Add the cornstarch and the vanilla extract and mix. 3. As soon as the milk begins to boil, add a little of the boiling milk to the egg mixture and whisk together. 4. Add the egg mixture to the remaining milk in the pot and whip together. 5. Put the mixture on the heat element again and at medium heat bring the mixture to the boiling point while whisking the mixture continuously with a whip. The mixture should thicken. 6. Take the pastry cream off the heat element and add the butter. 7. Place the cream in a shallow dish and place a pice of saran wrap on the cream. 8. Refrigerate the cream. Pate Sucrée (Sweet Crust): Ingredients: 56 grams unsalted butter 50 grams icing sugar 13 g

Although this is a hearty dish that is great for autumn and winter days, I had a craving for this giant potato and cabbage patty! It is delicious and rather strange that I had a craving for this dish on such a hot and humid day. I like to serve this dish for brunch. It is delicious and filling. Bubble and Squeak: Ingredients: 500 grams potatoes, with the skin on 70 grams of salted butter salt and pepper to taste 225 grams of green cabbage 3 -4 tablespoons of water 4 tablespoons of olive oil or sunflower oil 1 large onion, finely diced Cook the potatoes in a pot of boiling salted water for 25 minutes or until they are tender. Drain, peel and cut the potatoes into cubes. Place the potatoes in a bowl with 55 grams of the butter and mash everything together. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cut the cabbage into fine slices and place in a large deep skillet with a heavy bottom with the remainder of the butter and the water. Cover the skillet and cook over low heat for 10 minutes, shaking the s

I met with my uncle today to celebrate his birthday. I baked him his favorite cake and we enjoyed it with a steaming cup of Turkish coffee. His favorite treat and I like it too! This is a recipe that a wonderful woman that I worked with gave me. She gave me the recipe with a large slice of the cake that she made. It is just scrumptious. It is really halfway between a pound cake and a cheese cake. CREAM CHEESE POUND CAKE: Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter or margarine, softened 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened 3 cups granulated sugar 6 large eggs 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla zest of 1 lemon juice of 1 lemon 3 cups sifted all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon salt Confectioner's sugar (optional) Preheat oven to 325 Farenheit. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan or 12-cup bundt pan. Beat butter and cream cheese together in mixing bowl until well blended. Add sugar to mixture and cream until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after eadh addition. Blend in van

After a hard day planting and gardening, a plate of brownies and a cup of tea is truly the comfort food that hit the spot! My herbs and flower have been planted and are ready to grow and flourish each sunny day of the summer season. I am looking forward to the batches of pesto that I will make at the end of the summer season, but in the meantime I have a wicked sweet tooth to calm! These goeey treats certainly calmed my sugar and chocolate craving. Brownies with Hazelnuts: Ingredients: 1 cup (250 mL) unsalted butter 1 cup (250 mL)cocoa powder 1 3/4 (425 mL) cups granulated sugar 4 large eggs, at room temperature 2 teaspoons (10 mL) vanilla extract 1 1/4 cups (300 mL) all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon (5 mL) baking powder 1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) salt 2/3 cup (150 mL) hazelnuts, toasted (walnuts could be substituted) Preheat oven to 350 Farenheit (180 Celsius) and grease a 9 by 9 inch baking pan. Toast hazelnuts for approx 7 to minutes in a 350 Farenheit oven (180 Celsius). Melt butter and pour i

This morning I woke up to fresh brioche and a steaming cup of coffee. This is my description of nirvana! There is a great little artisanal bakery not too far from my home, it is called Mr. Pinchot (4354 Brébeuf Street, Montreal, Quebec) . They make the most wonderful brioches and waffles stuffed with various fresh fruit. It is definitely worht a trip if you are ever in Montreal.

Well, tonight is Saturday night and a long weekend in Montreal too. I spent the day shopping for my internship. I did not find exactly what I wanted, but I saw many things that were fun and interesting. It was a beautiful sunny day and the traditional weekend for planting in the city. I have a balcony that I adorn with flowers and various herbs for the summer months in the city. I just love to cut my fresh herbs for my dishes just outside my kitchen window. Well, I will not be in my own kitchen to enjoy that for 2 months of this summer, but I will nonetheless plant some wonderful herbs and flowers so that my boyfriend and my cat can enjoy while I am away. All of these thoughts of herbs and plants has given me a craving for my homemade pizza. My pizza sauce is actually packed with garlic and herbs. It is so good that I use it as a quick base to pasta dishes too. The pizza sauce was a recipe that was given to me by my good friend Sandra when I visited her for her wedding in Vancouver a f

Pate Brisé (Flaky Pie Crust): Ingredients: 236 grams pastry flour, sifted a pinch of salt 115 grams of salted butter 1 extra large egg yolk 4 tablespoons cold water Lightly grease a 23 cm (9 inch) pie plate. Sift the pastry flour and the salt together. Cut the butter into small pieces and add to the dry mixture. Incorporate the butter into the flour with your hands until the butter is well incorporated into the flour. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and the cold water. Add to the dry mixture. Incorporate the egg and water mixture to the dry mixture with your hands until a dough forms. Do not over mix as this will create a tough pie crust. If the dough is difficult to handle right away cover the dough and cool for 15 minutes in the fridge. Preheat oven to 180 Celsius (350 Farenheit). Roll out the pie crust to fit the pie plate. With a fork prick the pie dough and add some pie weights or dry beans to the pie plate before pre-baking the crust (this is to prevent the pie crust

It is so nice to have the time to make something that I love in my kitchen. During the semester I made it a point to try to practice what we were learning in my classes rather than making what I really felt like eating. I love this in the morning spread with salted butter and beside a cup of steaming coffee. It is really delicious. My boyfriend introduced me to the French version of this gingerbread. I have tried several recipes the past few years, but up to now, this is the best recipe that I have found. Try it and let me know what you think! Pain d'épices: Ingredients: 300 grams honey 100 grams unsalted butter 250 grams all-purpose flour 10 grams baking powder 50 grams almond powder 10 grams sodium bicarbonate 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ginger 1/2 teaspoon green aniseed, crushed 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg pinch of salt 2 large eggs 1. Preheat oven to 170 Celsius (340 Farenheit). Grease a loaf pan (25 cm long x 7 cm high). 2. Place the honey and the butter in a medium size

I am very happy that I am almost finished my culinary arts studies. Today is my first day of summer break and I am getting prepared for my internship in Paris! I am really looking forward to working at the Lido on the avenue de Champs-Elysées for the summer! In the meantime, I am contacting my friends and family before I leave. Last night I had a craving for some "Financiers". They are delicious little almond cakes, I do not have the right molds, but I decided to use some mini-muffin tins to bake these wonderful little cakes. They are easy to make and scrumptious for breakfast or tea. I have translated the recipe for anyone that wishes to try them. Financiers: Ingredients: 40 grams all-purpose flour 40 grams almond powder 110 grams icing sugar 4 egg whites (120 grams) pinch of salt 60 grams of unsalted butter 1 Tablespoon Grand Marnier or other Orange liquer Instructions: 1. In a bowl mix together and sift the flour, powdered almonds and icing sugar. 2. Whip the butter until