COOKING WITH CORINNE

In the beginning of January, French bakeries are filled with exquisite puff pastry pies that are called “ Galettes des Rois ” in France but also "King Cake" in the US. Epiphany is a traditional Christian feast celebrating the 'shining forth' or   revelation   of God to mankind in human form, in the   person   of   Jesus Christ.  The name "Epiphany" is a greek word meaning revelation. It’s based on the biblical story that tells of the Magi or   Three Kings   - Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar - who saw a bright star on the night Christ was born and followed it to Bethlehem… The Epiphany is celebrated twelve days after Christmas. At this occasion, families meet to share the traditional “galette des rois”. This puff pastry pie is filled with almond cream and... something else ! It’s time to find the kings. The French call it “ tirer les rois ”. The traditional galette is cut in slices (one per person sitting at the table plus one...

We will celebrate Christmas soon and it's now the time to prepare delightful biscuits! According to the tradition, Christmas biscuits are usually star shaped and do you know why ? In the past, peasants said that shortbreads' pointed ends protected people against curses, chased away evil spirits and brought good luck for the new year. I decide to make a crown with my little Christmas vanilla flavored shortbreads. It's easy to make at home, and the presentation is nice too. INGREDIENTS (4 serving) 420g all-purpose flour 170g granulated sugar 200g soft salted butter 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tbsp icing sugar & a drop of water 2 eggs Gold color powder Star shaped cookie cutters DIRECTIONS In a the bowl of your food processor, put flour, butter cut in cubes, sugar and baking powder. Mix on low speed until you get a sandy dough. Then add the eggs and the vanilla extract. Mix again until the dough has a smooth consistency. Wrap the dough in plastic film and c...

These "petit gâteaux" remind me my childhood... when it was freshly baked and served for "Goûter" after school ! I make it now for tea time, whatever the season is... It smells so good in the kitchen ! Cinnamon, vanilla, orange zests flavors match with freshly baked cakes... It's now time to bake and experience my recipe... and offer a delightful moment to your family! INGREDIENTS (+/- 50 biscuits) 250g all-purpose flour 125g granulated sugar 65g almond meal 125g soft unsalted butter 1 tsp cinnamon or ginger powder A pinch of baking powder A pinch of anise powder Zest of a 1/4 organic lemon 1 egg + 1 yolk 1 tbsp Cointreau liquor 2 drops almond aroma 1 yolk + 1 tsp crème faiche to glaze DIRECTIONS In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients (flour, sugar, almond meal, baking powder and spices). Cut butter in knobs (butter at room temperature). Add it to the flour mix with the zests. Knead this mixture with your finger tips first and with your hand pal...

This cake is a great classic, a very old recipe dating from the Middle-Ages and even earlier. We call it "pain d'épices" as ingredients include honey and cinnamon-anise mix, a tribute to Alsace and Burgundy traditions. See below my recipe, easy to make and so delicious ! You are keen in experiencing new French recipes ? Book my online Cooking and Baking classes , scheduled on Saturdays at 11:30am (Eastern time USA/Canada).  INGREDIENTS (10 serving.. at least!) 200g all-purpose organic flour (T65) 150g liquid honey 100g brown organic sugar 100g unsalted butter 2 tbsp cinnamon & anise mix 10g baking powder 10g vanilla sugar 250ml whole milk 1 egg A pinch of table salt DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) In a saucepan over low heat, warm the milk with honey and butter.  In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add brown sugar, vanilla sugar and cinnamon mix. Pour the liquid mixture in the bowl of dry ingredients, little by little, stirring c...

  INGREDIENTS (8 servings) 2 medium size eggs 3 medium size to 4 small apples 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1/8 cup unsalted butter 5/8 cup all-purpose flour  1 cup slices almond 100 ml whole milk 2 tsp baking powder A pinch of salt Icing sugar DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) In a bowl, whisk the eggs with granulated sugar until you get a white and foamy mixture. Add the melted butter and milk, stir to combine. Sift the flour with salt and baking powder. Add it to the eggs mixture. Combine. Peel the apples, cut in half, remove the core and slice it thinly in  using a sharp knife. Butter a cake pan and sprinkle a little bit of sugar. Take the pan upside down to remove the excess of sugar. Do not use  a silicon mold as the cake must be crispy outside. Put a layer of sliced apples and almonds. Pour a part of the batter on the apples. Do this again until all the end. Bake for about 30 minutes.  Cool at room temperature. Serve warm, topped with icing sugar

Plain Crêpes and Crêpes Suzette INGREDIENTS (for about 20 crepes) 250g all-purpose flour 500ml milk 3 eggs medium size 80g granulated sugar 1 orange 100g icing sugar 100g unsalted butter ½ tsp table Salt 150ml Grand Marnier DIRECTIONS Sift flour first.  Make a well, put whole eggs in the middle. Stir to combine.  Add the salt and 60g melted cold butter and combine again. Check you don't have lumps.  Add the milk little by little in keeping whisking until smooth. Chill for 30 minutes. Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat with a nut of butter. Pour a ladle of batter. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coasts the surface evenly. Cook the crêpe for about 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown. Loosen with a spatula, turn and cook the other side. Repeat until all batter is cooked. Orange & Grand Marnier Sauce: Take a large pan In a saucepan, put the orange zests. Add 40g butter, 40g granulated sugar, the juice of the orange and 50ml Grand Marnier. ...

There's different ways to prepare a home-made salted butter caramel cream that matches perfectly with crepes, but not only... If you want to succeed, it seems my recipe is the good one after so many trials.  Here it is. INGREDIENTS : 250g granulated sugar 60g water 125g salted butter 125g liquid cream 38% DIRECTIONS  Put sugar and water into a large non-reactive pot.  Turn on the heat and let the sugar and water cook until caramelized, that is to say change to a deep, dark brown color.  Shake the pot if necessary to get all the sugar crystals to melt, but don't stir .  While the sugar is cooking, bring the cream to a simmer.  When the sugar reaches the color you like, whisk in the butter in small knobs, until well mixed. Then add the warmed cream, whisk until smooth. Let the mixture cook until the temperature reaches 260°F (125°C). You will need a thermometer for this. The salted butter caramel cream is a "grand classic" of the Brittany ...

"KING CAKE"  FRENCH TRADITIONAL PASTRY CELEBRATING THE THREE KINGS An exquisite almond & cream filling sandwiched into two rounds of buttered puff pastry HERE'S OUR "GALETTE DES ROIS" ORIGINAL RECIPE... INGREDIENTS (makes 8 servings) 14 ounces all-butter puff pastry, homemade or store bought, chilled and ready to roll 3/4 cup almond cream 1/4 cup pastry cream 1 tablespoon dark rum 1 large egg 1 trinket (as the one who has the chance to get it, wear the king’s crown) DIRECTIONS Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and keep them close at hand. Divide the pastry in half and work with one half at a time. Keep the other half in the refrigerator. Working on a floured surface, roll one piece of the puff pastry into a circle that is about  1/8-inch thick. Using a pan lid or the bottom of a tart pan, cut a circle that is about 9 inches in diameter. Transfer the circle to a lined baking sheet, cover with pla...

INGREDIENTS  For a 6 inches x 2 inches cake mold, you need: 75g Almond meal, 60g Muscovado Sugar, 15g Cornstarch, 1 Egg + 1 yolk, 75g Heavy Cream 35%, 2 pounds Cherries, Butter + Muscovado sugar for the mold. DIRECTIONS Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). In a bowl, combine the egg, the yolk and sugar.  Whisk until you get a light mousse consistency. Then add the cream. Stir to combine. Slowly add the cornstarch with the almond meal, together previously sifted. Combine. Butter the mold and sprinkle muscovado sugar.  Pour batter in the mold and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven.  Cover the top with the pitted cherries* and push it to enter in the cake.  Continue to bake 30 minutes until the top is lightly brown.  Allow to cool to room temperature before running a knife around the edge of the mold and inverting it onto a large serving plate.  Serve warm or cold * Your clafoutis will be better if you leave the pits, and the juice won’t soak the bat...

INGREDIENTS (6 servings) 1 buttered puff pastry roll 5 to 6 pears 50 g unsalted butter 50 g granulated sugar 1 tsp cinnamon DIRECTIONS Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Peal the pears and cut it in quarters. Cook it in a pan with butter, sugar and cinnamon until it turns into a light brown color. To assemble the tart, arrange the pear quarters tightly in a circle around the edge of the mold, as shown on the photo. Leave at room temperature to cool. Cover with the puff pastry. Tuck the edges down the inside of the mold and, with a fork, prick a few holes in the pastry to allow steam to escape. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and crisp. Allow to cool to room temperature for 15 minutes before running a knife around the edge of the mold and inverting it onto a large serving plate. Serve warm with a vanilla flavored whipped cream.

This month I am exploring the immensely popular nosh in a glass called Verrines , a culinary phenomenon that has enjoyed an explosion in popularity these last years years. You might be served Verrines  as an amuse bouche in a Michelin-starred restaurant, but you are just as likely to discover and enjoy it at a friend's apéritif dînatoire . Typically, Verrines are . . . Layered, to concontrast tastes, textures, and colors and that's why it make Verrines so appealing, Served in clear glasses , to appreciate the layering, Small , as most Verrine glasses sold in France are about 2 ounces, Served cold or at room temperature , so you will make it ahead, Served as an appetizer or part of a cocktail dinatoire ... a French party features sample finger food, served in waves, starting with savory noshes and ending with small desserts. RECIPE 1: QUAIL and SALMON EGGS, VEGETABLES JELLY Preparation: 15 min Cooking time: 10mn Ingredients (6 serving): - 12 quail eggs ...

Petit Beurre (literally "little butter") is a small rectangular cookie invented in the late nineteen-century by Louis Lefèvre-Utile, the founder of the Nantes-based company LU. This man was the first to create a cookie manufacture in France. He was also ahead on his time in terms of marketing and advertising too.  More than hundred years later, Petit Beurre is still a highlight in the long list of French classics ! Petit Beurre is crispy, not too sweet and not too rich. It perfectly accompanies a cup of tea. You will easily recognize a "Petit Beurre" by the dents all around the edges, browned ear at each corner, and tiny holes on the surface as if pricked by a needle. Children say that corners are the best, starting to eat "les petites oreilles" first ! Of course you could go to the supermarket and buy a pack of Petit LU but.... just do it in your kitchen. It's easy and much more better ! To get a perfect cutting and also to print the su...

This is one of my favorite cakes recipe, delicious orange jam filled gingerbread cakes that I love to bake for Christmas. These little delights have been created in Burgundy by the nuns so that's why it's called Nonnettes (little nuns).  See below my recipe that you can now experience in your kitchen! Preparation : 20mn - Baking time : 20mn  INGREDIENTS (for 6 tiny cakes) - 5 tbsp honey - 1/2 cup water - 1/3 cup unsalted butter - 1/4 cup granulated sugar - 1/2 cup toasted corn flour - 2/3 cup all-purpose flour - 1/2 tsp baking soda - 1 tsp gingerbread spices mix - Bitter orange jam Lemon glaze : Whisk 6 tbsp icing sugar with 1 tbsp lemon juice. Coat the glaze all around the cakes and on top. Sprinkle with icing sugar and let it dry for several hours at room temperature. DIRECTIONS In a saucepan, add water with sugar, honey and butter. Bring it to a simmer while stirring until butter and sugar are melted and combined. Sift the two flours with the bakin...

There's no need to go to a fancy restaurant when you can create this version of the snow eggs at home...  Snow eggs is called "oeufs à la neige", one of the top-ranked French classics thought by our grand-mothers and mothers. I regularly add it to my menu when I personally run Lifestyle Vacations ' hands-on cooking classes in Normandy, Loire Valley, Alsace or Périgord in France. INGREDIENTS (6 serving) 6 (organic) eggs 80 g + 40 g granulated sugar 750 ml whole milk 1 vanilla pod Caramel sauce : Put 100g granulated sugar with 25g water in a saucepan. Bring it to a boil over medium heat without stirring until sugar is dissolved. Boil until glaze registers 375°F (190°C) on cooking thermometer. It takes about 10 minutes. DIRECTIONS Start preparing the meringue in beating the egg whites until foamy. Add 40g sugar and whisk until stiff. Put the milk in a shallow casserole pan and heat gently – it should steam rather than simmer. Using a small oval...

Celebrate Mardi-Gras while enjoying one of the greatest French delight originally from the Duchy of Savoy but known from the Roman era. This donut-shaped is called Bugnes, from the name bunyl which means "donut". It's a speciality from Lyon and its region. In Lyon you find two kind of bugnes, one is smooth and the other one crispy. Celebrity Michelin-starred Chef Christian Tetedoie from Lyon gave us the original recipe that I'm glad to share with you. Here it is: Ingredients: 500g all-purpose flour 5 organic eggs 3g table salt 35g granulated sugar 10g fresh yeast 125ml water 150g unsalted butter 2 tbsp sunflower oil and rape-seed oil to fry Zest of an organic lemon Icing sugar to sprinkle once baked Directions Prepare the dough the day before. Take butter out of the fridge and leave it at room temperature until smooth. Put the yeast in warm water and combine. Put flour, salt and sugar in the bowl of your Kitchen Aid, and combine on medium...

These orange marmelade filled muffin-shaped gingerbread are a Burgundy specialty from Dijon, called "Nonnettes". The recipe has been created by the nuns... INGREDIENTS (for about 12 units) 80g unsalted butter 100g granulated sugar 120g rye flour 160g all purpose flour 10g baking soda 200g all flowers liquid honey 150ml water 1 tbsp gingerbread spices mix 1 big tsp cinnamon powder Orange marmelade. DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). In a sauce pan, add water, sugar, honey and butter. Bing it to a light boil for 1 ot 2 minutes. Add spices. Combine and remove from the stove.  Sift the two different kind of flours with the baking soda. In a large bowl, p our the spicy sirup. Add flours. Stir to get a smooth mixture. Fill the silicone muffins mold at half height, in using a pastry bag. Chill 30 minutes. Put a small tip in another pastry bag and fill it with orange marmelade. Put the marmelade in the middle of each cake (the amount of a tea spoon)...

This is such a delightful cake I baked with my guests in the Périgord during Cooking with Corinne's culinary vacation, upon Aline's ( Restaurant Le Bareil ) original recipe that I have modified to make it exquisite! This cake is perfect for tea time, but you can also serve it for dessert accompanied with vanilla ice cream and warm chocolate sauce... Walnut Cake - Cooking with Corinne - Copyright. INGREDIENTS (all organic) 125g all-purpose flour 120g granulated sugar 125g salted butter 250g eggs (about 5 units) 5g baking powder 100g shelled walnuts DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 170°C (340°F). Shell walnuts and ground it but not too much as pieces must be kept. Separate eggs whites to yolks. Whisk yolks with sugar until you get a white foamy mixture. Add  flour and baking powder to the yolks mixture. Melt butter. Add it. Whisk egg whites with 50g sugar to get a stiff meringue. Combine it to the batter in folding not to deflate. Add walnuts. Stir to combine...