Ingredient: Vanilla Extract

  • Banana Punch Cake

    Banana Punch Cake

    Banana punch cake! Punch because of the Caribbean flavors of rum, vanilla and orange that are incorporated into the banana cake, an American classic. Bananas need to be over ripped; this is when they give their strongest flavors.

    Banana bread became popular in the US during the 1930s, in the middle of the Great Depression. People were trying to waste as little as possible and started to make bread using over ripped bananas and baking powder, which was readily available.

    A little fun fact but bananas were introduced into the US in the 1870s becoming an instant hit. Even to this day, it is the most consumed fruits in the US! You can only imagine how many of those end up in banana bread recipes!

    Best eaten at room temperature and can be kept in cling film up to 3 days in the fridge.

  • Tiramisu

    Tiramisu

    Did you know Tiramisu means “Cheer me up” in Italian? The name might come from the fact that the sugar, egg yolks and alcohol are supposed to be fortifiant and gives you energy. Or perhaps it could be how every bite of it makes you happier!

    This tiramisu is a very fresh and a light dessert even after a hearty meal. Its lightness comes from all the whisked ingredients in the cream and the easy light baking, which makes it enjoyable during the summer.

    Alcohol is not mandatory in the recipe.

  • Humpy Madeleine

    Humpy Madeleine

    The madeleine, traditionally eaten without any additional flavors, is typically enjoyed with a cup of coffee or hot chocolate. Easy and quick to make, this childhood favorite is baked into soft shell-shaped cake and can also be made with chocolate chips, chocolate coated, lemon peel, orange or orange blossom!

    There are many legends and stories to how madelines have originated. One of the stories around this iconic cake is that it has been created in 1755 in the castle of Commercy. Duke Stanislaus of Poland organised a reception, but his chef and cook had an argument and left Madeleine, a young cook, alone in the kitchen. She used her grandmother’s recipe and made shell-shaped cakes with it. It was such a success that the duke named the cakes after her and Commercy became the world capital of the Madeleine.

  • Vanilla Chocolate Flan Patissier

    Vanilla Chocolate Flan Patissier

    Couldn’t decide if I wanted a flan patissier with vanilla or chocolate. So I made both in one, creating this nice two-layered vanilla chocolate flan patissier.

    Flan has so many different variations with each country having its own flan, egg tart, pasteis de nata and so on… It initially is based on British custard cake than have spread across Europe first and then the world throughout the time of colonisation.

  • Vanilla Chocolate Marble Cake

    Vanilla Chocolate Marble Cake

    A vanilla chocolate marble cake is a cake with layers of different colours a bit like the crystalline rock of the same name.

    The different coloured layers are obtained by mixing different dark and light batters. These batters can contain different ingredients such as vanilla, chocolate, coffee, fruit or spices so you are not limited to just 2 colours.

    This cake is quite popular in France as an after school snack; children will have a slice … or two when walking on their way home.

  • Chocolate Chip Cookies

    Chocolate Chip Cookies

    Chocolate Chip Cookies are small, dry, round biscuits with chocolate chips and originated from the United States.

    These fluffy chocolate chip cookies are secret weapons when you do not know what to bring to a social event. They are also a classic favorite to give to children. Once baked, these soft biscuits are crispy on sides and the middle melts in your mouth.

    This traditional recipe combines dough composed of butter, both brown and white sugar, semi-sweet chocolate chips and vanilla. There are many variations of this recipe and are not limited to the use of just chocolate. You can use with other types of chocolate as well as swap some ingredients for peanut butter, banana or oatmeal.

  • Crème Brûlée Cheesecake

    Crème Brûlée Cheesecake

    A cheesecake without dairy? Yes, it’s true! This Crème Brûlée Cheesecake is actually a New York cheeseless cheesecake, prepared with soy yogurt and soy cream in place of traditional ingredients.

    For the crust of the cake I used my recipe of cookies, so I’m sure about them being dairy free.

    There is little sugar in this recipe to balance with the topping of your choice that will be sweet, here there is a layer of caramelised sugar to mimic a ‘crème brûlée’, a fruit coulis/sauce would also be very sweet.

  • Banana and Peanut Butter Cookies

    Banana and Peanut Butter Cookies

    I wanted to make a 100% dairy free cheesecake but it is quite hard to find dairy free cookies at the supermarket so I decided to make my own banana and peanut butter cookies.

    For the best flavour, use the ripest bananas you have and for the peanut butter, use the one you like the most crunchy or soft. I do prefer the crunchy one because it add crunchiness to the cookies.

     

  • Ecstatically Chocolate Éclair

    Ecstatically Chocolate Éclair

    Chocolate éclair is the pastry that you can find in any boulangerie in France. Commonly flavored with chocolate or coffee and situated close to the counter when you buy your daily bread, you can’t not see them.

    Éclair can be translated as ‘flash’, it is called like this because it can be eaten very fast.

    The beginning of the recipe is the to prepare the chocolate custard. Feel free to replace the chocolate custard by any flavor of your choice, vanilla, hazelnut …

     

     

  • Thick Chocolate Custard

    Thick Chocolate Custard

    The chocolate custard is part of my chocolate éclairs recipe but can be used as filling for any type puffs or cakes.

    It can be used to make any custard, only the step 8 needs to be change to the taste you want, pistachio, white chocolate, caramel, coffee …

    Vanilla pods is better than vanilla extract, it gives a stronger flavor to the custard.