Seasoned with Love

These are part of my first memories as a child. Back in the 70s, there were not that many cakes and cookies kids would be offered. Our four o'clock after school break was mostly made of bread, butter and chocolate or fruit and yoghurt and that was a great improvement if you compare it to the generation before us. There were some pastry bites that you would find in stores though – some traditional cakes or sometimes shortbread and our equivalent of graham crackers, but that's another story.

Anyway, my grandmother would sometimes buy those round shiny and moist honey cakes that were glazed and filled with orange marmalade. They came from Burgundy and the recipe dates back to the Middle Ages. When you bite into them, the cake crumbles a little and by the time you reach the center that’s filled with orange marmalade, your hands are sticky with honey and you give a care in the world if it’s cold and dreary outside!

Here’s my version of the original recipe. You might want to add more honey if you want the cake to be even puffier. My first attempt was so yummy, I left well enough alone but original recipes in old cookbooks list almost twice as much honey as I used!

Melt-in-your-mouth brioche with pink pralines or raisins

This is the copycat version of the Praluline, a brioche created by a baker in Roanne, a Southern French town. He now has shops in Paris and other cities and each day, hundreds of these little wonders are shipped abroad as well.

This has always been my special treat to my mom and myself for Mother's Day, birthdays and even Christmases. I now make it myself.

It's made with pink pralines but is really good too with golden raisins drenched in warm water for 15 mn.

You can also double the quantity and freeze it. Cut slices in advance so you can thaw them individually for a yummy breakfast and warm them for a few minutes in your oven. The pralines will melt inside the brioche, making it heavenly.

Convinced? Let's do it!

I love Nutella. My kids often complain the content of the jar seems to be disappearing slwly but steadily even when they don't open it. LOL Yeah, that would be me!

Recently, I've started making my own but that's another story. Whereas you make your own, have some left over from the last time you went on a Nutella binge watching your favorite series or suddenly feel the urge to head to the local store to buy a brand new jar, you need to know this. This is crucial. This is going to change your life forever...

Yep, you can fill muffins with Nutella and be even more hooked than before because who could resist those breakfasty wonders? Not me, no Ma'am! Try them and tell me what you think.

The recipe comes from Sally's Baking Addiction blog with only a few adjustments.

Again, thank you Sally :)

Grande découverte récente cet été par pure paresse un jour de grosse chaleur. Un gâteau sans cuisson qui se fait tout seul dans le frigo pendant qu'on bronze? Oh oui!

Donc, icebox cake car icebox, c'est le frigo! Des gâteaux style petits beurre, galettes bretonnes ou gaufres sèches, de la crème fouettée, des fruits, quelques vermicelles de couleur histoire que ça soit fun. Emballé, c'est pesé. Il faut juste attendre que ça se fasse. C'est dur d'attendre!

Après, c'est comme pour les trifles ou les muffins: une idée de base et plein d'options. Laissez libre court à votre imagination ;)

This French cake is very simple to make and is great served with coffee or for breakfast. You can make it in a large mold for about 6 people or you can make individual cakes in muffin molds.

You can then freeze it and thaw it overnight in your fridge for breakfast or snacks.

You'll only need egg whites which is a great advantage when you don't want to waste when making curds, for instance.

The name of this cake comes from a region in France – Creuse – which is the center of France.