vanilla sponge layer cake with berries

i believe in fairy tales. like, i really just want to believe in them. i want to believe that there will be a happy ending, in love and in life. and i'm living life accordingly. see, i might not have found my match, and that's sometimes a saddening fact. but i'm still living life best i can, i enjoy every day (momentarily, while you read this, i'm possibly at the beach in the south of france and enjoy sweet doing nothing, getting an indecent tan on my feet) and i make an effort to fulfil my dreams, on my own. i strive to be happy on my own. and, mostly - though in all honestly probably not everyday - i succeed.. i'm content, going solo, enjoy my fabulous friends and people who share my path. i believe giving up your dreams, i.e. dreams of the happily ever after, is for cowards. yes, it does takes courage to believe in fairy tales - though i'm convinced many people believe otherwise. but it takes courage and determination and self-assuredness and a lot of self-therapy (as a good, new friend of mine recently dubbed it. don't you just like the expression?).

so, friends, go out today, wear a smile today (because you're never fully dressed without it, right) and enjoy everything you have - while you never stop dreaming about everything that might be. life is sweet, like a cake with layers. some things come with the effort and the love you put into it (the flour, the good eggs, the nice butter... the whip of your hand... the berries fresh from the field). and somethings are left entirely to your imagination (or the tip of your tongue).

vanilla sponge layer cake with berries
recipe adapted from lily vanilli

sponge ingredients:
330g plain flour, sifted
320g caster sugar
1½ tbsp baking powder
pinch of salt
175g unsalted butter, room temperature
3 medium eggs
190ml whole milk
1½ tsp vanilla extract

3 cups mixed berries (i used strawberries, raspberries and blueberries)
 

buttercream ingredients: 

note: i made twice the amound indicated, and it looked nice but was immensely quite sweet

100g unsalted butter, softened
300g icing sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla extract
75ml double cream

directions:

preheat the oven to 200C/180C. in a bowl, whisk together the flour, caster sugar, baking powder and salt. beat in the butter until it is incorporated and the mixture appears to be evenly coated and looks like a fine crumble mix, about 2–3 minutes using an electric mixer on medium speed. add the eggs and beat, first on medium, then on high, just until incorporated. add the milk and vanilla and beat, on medium and then on high, until the mixture is smooth and combined; it will appear a bit lighter in colour, about 2–3 minutes. divide the mixture between the two prepared cake tins (mine were 24 cm wide, but i think a bit smaller would have been better maybe) and level out to the edges. bake in the oven for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean (i'll bake it a litle less next time to maximise moisture). remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tins for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. 

to make the vanilla buttercream, beat the butter alone for 4–5 minutes on high speed. add the icing sugar, vanilla and cream and beat on a low speed to bring it together, then turn up and beat on high for another 2–3 minutes. note: You can substitute whole milk for some or all of the cream; just add it slowly, as you may need a bit less.

wash the berries and pat dry with kitchen towel. use a palette knife or the back of a dessert spoon to spread some of the buttercream on the base layer, to cover. clutter with berries, liberally. andwich the layers together and repeat for the top layer.

paris, a love story

two weeks ago, i was in paris, and it was so wonderful. i can't wait to go next time, i've already planned the trip in my head (no kidding). i'm using some of my iphone / instagram photos as they're too nice to trash and deserve some more glory. more pics here. and of course, i'm back to proper (real) camera pics as of now. 

oh, have i told you i will be in france (olioulles, provence, to be precise) as of saturday and all of next week? i can't wait! it will be like living in a foodie's heaven: farmers markets, grocery shopping in xl supermarkets, patisserie everywhere, pain au chocolat before you're even properly awake, pastis & rosé wine at dusk (and maybe for lunch, too), fresh heirloom tomatoes in all colors of the rainbow, fish directly from the sea so fresh it almost swims away again, meats from the grill, sardines (my uncle loves them - for breakfast, even), olives, tapenade, beurre salé, crêpes... want to know what's cooking? here's the inspiration that i've collected through the course of the weeks on pinterest. the board is called 'summer holiday menu inspiration'. yes, i know, only slightly pathetic and neurotic (or simply my planner me, for some, excusez moi). but oh my god, i'd better not forget my yoga mat to compensate some of the calorie intake... heavenly sighs.

of course we'll also make the odd trip to our favorite places, like aix en provence, le castellet and marseille. and of course i'll keep you posted. we've got this shabby but gorgeous café at the beach called 'la vague' where we're going early in the morning before the crowds appear, where they have wifi, where i might post a few things real time. if not, rest asured that i'll be back after the week in france with loads of pictures and impressions - and recipes to share, of course, comme d'habitude. salut, les amis! stay cool. xx

photos order: la tour eiffel from the palais de tokyo and monsieur bleu restaurant / the seine river, twice / g.detou - a baker's paradise for ingredients from lemon oil to candied rose petals / la seine again /  champs elysée and arc de triomphe  / église st. augustin / tea & éclaire at the costes (15 euros, no less) / the stunning monsieur bleu at palais de tokyo / cannelés at paul / patisserie at la grande épicerie du bon marché (i almost got killed for taking this shot...) / selection of molds at mora / astier de la villatte (might as well die now because i've been so close to heaven) / la pistacherie - seriously, a shop only for pistachios? you only find that in paris... <3

ps: i'm making cannelé, and very soon, because i brought home some molds from mora - only the best foodie gadgets store you'll ever see in your life, i mean it (thank you for the hint, you know who you are). a little wave, perhaps? i mean for 'driving' there with my (large) suitcase in tow, walking there all the way all through paris, only to go see it with my own eyes. it was worth it. and thank you for the wave, some plasters would have been good too, though. anyway, cannelés coming soon.

mexican fiesta w/ watermelon margaritas & mango salsa

we made an impromptu girls night recently, and what's better to celebrate freedom and, uhm, a random saturday night than chilled, sweet margaritas? so we created a small mexican fiesta to give the margaritas some good ground (metaphorically as well as physically speaking) with soft mini corn tortillas, white bean hummus with roasted garlic, quacamole with coriander, mango salsa with tomato and chiles, quick fried ginger prawns, fried buttery corn (eaten before pictured, sorry), baked beans, cheddar cheese, lime yoghurt sauce and nachos. you know what, watermelon margaritas ar the best. so easy to make! and that's me speaking, outed drinks-drinker but not -maker (ahem), and general off-the-top-of-my-head kind of creator (rule of thumb, anyone?). short for you: i like all things that aren't an exact science. and margaritas are now top of the list. hehe. you know, i think you can serve them with just about anything. pasta & margarita next? it's a done deal!

watermelon margaritas

makes about 1 liter (as i said: rule of thumb)

ingredients:

1/2 large watermelon (about 500 g of the fruit meat)

4 cups crushed ice

6 limes, juice

1/2 cup *tequila (is this a lot? i can't be sure?)

1/4 cup cointreau (okay, this probably is a lot...)

4 tbsp. sugar (if you like it sweet - like me)

strawberries for garnish

directions:

prepare the watermelon: chop off the rind and remove most (because we all know you're too lazy to catch all) seeds. chop into bitesized cubes so you can pulse it easily. put in a food processor and blend for a minute or so until smooth. smoothy-smooth. add sugar and put in the fridge to chill thoroughly. in the meantime, juice the limes, crush the ice (ask a guy to do it - oh, sorry, it's a girls night... you might have to do it on your own again. no worries, you can do it! just hit the ice cubes with the rolling pin... okay?) and measure the tequila and cointreau. combine the watermelon juice, tequila, cointreau and lime juice and stir to combine (a pink spatula would look nice for the job). fill the crushed ice into glasses, then add up the watermelon-margarita liquid. halfways cut through a strawberry and put it on the rim of the glass. serve, with a sombrero and preferably on a hot summer's night. yes, that's what freedom tastes like.

coriander quacamole

ingredients:

2 avocados, halved and pitted

1 lime, juice

2 garlic cloves

1 cup cilantro/coriander, finely chopped

1 tsp. salt

1 drop harissa

directions:

half the avocado, discard the seed and roughly chop up the meat. put it in a bowl and mash it with a fork. add the lime juice to prevent the avocado from turning brown. chop the cilantro/coriander and add it, too. in a small skillet, dry fry (without oil, this means) the garlic with the skins on for a couple of minutes. when the skins are brown and the garlic inside is soft, remove and let cool. squeeze the garlic from the skins and add it to the guac. season with salt and harissa.

hot mango salsa

ingredients:

1 mango, peeled

1/2 cucumber, peeled

2 large tomatoes

1 red peperoncino (medium heat)

1 green peperoncino

1/2 cup mint, finely chooped

1 tbsp. white vinegar

1 tsp. acacia honey

1 tbsp. sesame oil

1 pinch maldon sea salt

peel the mango, half and finely dice. put in a bowl. peel the cucumber, half and deseed with a spoon. skin the tomatoes (by putting them in hot water for a minute), then deseed as well (or everything else will turn mushy) and then finely dice as well. finely chop the peperoncini (check for heat, you don't want to harm anyone). put everything in a bowl, add the vinegar, honey and sesasme oil. add the mint, stir to combine and serve.

* they all say you have to use good (emphasize) tequila. to heck with it. i used the one with the little red plastic hat top and it was just delicious. go ahead, use whatever lousy tequila you have. it will be awesome and quench your thirs and improve your lust for life. yes, it will.

gazpacho shooter

as a kid, i used to love vegs, especially when raw. the greener and the rawer (?) the better. so, naturally, gazpacho was ranked high among my favorite dishes. it's made entirely of fresh, raw, summer vegs - ripe tomatoes, cucumbers freshly picked from the garden, peppers, chiles - and thus actually a wonderfully healthy treat. the fact that it's mostly served on hot summer days gives accounts for the best, magic associations. i remember really nice gazpacho kind of nights in our home. and that kind of memories is exactly what i wanted to capture with the last supper club, themed 'childhood memories' (see menu above). it was supposed to be both, fun to prepare as well as to eat. because fun is what kids crave and most grown-ups lack, right? i can only speak for myself, of course, but i'm never one to pass an ice cream sandwich down. they just look so darn cute, you can't help but lick them!

gazpacho shooter
adapted from the hiltl cookbook

ingredients:
1 kg ripe tomatoes (i used a mix of different varieties, also a few heirloom ones and some cherry tomatoes)
1 cucumber
1 red pepper
1 red peperoncino (not of the spicey kind)
1 cup basil leaves
1 onion
3 garlic cloves
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup vegetable broth, cooled
1 tsp. harissa
1 tsp. acacia honey
1 tsp. fleur de sel (or more to taste)
1/2 lemon, juice (i only used a splash)

stale bread and some butter, for decorating
celery stalks, for decorating

directions:
bring water to a boil in a large saucepan. make a cross shaped cut into each (large) tomato (doesn't work for the cherry tomatoes, don't go there...) and put them in the boiling water for a minute. cool in ice cold water, then remove the skins. dice. peel the cucumber, half and remove the seeds with a spoon, then dice, too. wash and half the pepper, remove the seeds, then dice. half the peperoncino, deseed, dice. wash the basil leaves, pat dry. peel the onion and garlic, dice, too. put about half of the vegs and the basil in a food processor. add half of the oil and broth for liquid. pulse for a minute or so, to desired consistency (i like my gazpacho smooth but not too smooth). proceed with the rest of the vegs. combine both parts. now season with harissa, honey, salt and lemon juice. you might need to add more liquid, so add a bit more broth if you wish. chill thoroughly for a couple of hours at least. note that when the gazpacho is fully chilled and the flavors have mingled, you might find you need to add more spice or salt. i always think it's better to season again than to have it overly salted to begin with.

while gazpacho is chilling (haha, i think that's hilarious... chuckle), melt the butter in a skillet. dice the bread, then fry in the butter until crispy and golden-brown all over. prepare a couple of nice celery stalks. just before serving, divide the gazpacho between glasses or bowls. you might want to add a few ice cubes (man, i like that a lot). scatter with the toasted bread and garnish with celery. serve and enjoy immediately.

chairs for life

have i showed you my new chairs before? i mean, properly and in all their shining (nickel*) glory? here they are. i've always wanted to get these chairs, actually. for years i've been dreaming about them. i ended up actually ordering and paying them too - only to pull my order back at the last minute. don't ask me what kept me? it's just that maybe so much plastic (i needed at least 10 chairs for my large table) might look odd, after all. so after much hither and tither (and a significant amount of time with only four chairs and no proper dinner parties for 14...), i ended up making a last minute, spur of the moment adjustment and got me these vintage tolix, french bistro vibey beauties. once they were in my dining room, i wasn't really all that sure anymore. but after some sleep and us getting used to each other i must say i'm really smitten with them and wouldn't trade them for any ghost in the world.

* i'm freaking out minor incident... a friend dined at my place as a supper guest, wearing a sexy skirt. and no tights (i envy your permanent tan, l *smooch*). you know what happened? turns out she's allergic to nickel. need i say more? sorry you're in pain, sweepie! i prescribe lots of ice cream (because it's good for anything, even an itchy bum), an extensive massage and dinner (and while we're at it also breakie...) served to your bed by your lovely boyfriend. sounds good?

** note: the two stars (<<) don't really relate to anything but i figured that after these depressing news everybody needed some thorough cheering up... so yeah, i've now got silky smooth, alpaca (or something exotic?) baby sheep skins for the chairs, to cover my precious guests' precious bums, next time. no nickel drama, ever again. phewww.

raw baby vegs - served in clay pots

happy sunday everyone! this weekend, i successfully (or so i think) hoested supper number 4, 'childhood memories'. this was the ouverture: raw baby vegs (tiny cucumbers, fennels, white, pink, striped and black radishes as well as yellow, orange and purple carrots) served in a clay pot with dips (hummus and a dill curd) on the side. it was a wonderful night! 14 friends and acquaintances made their way to my home. i served them good food, but they gave me so much in return: flowers, chocolates and goodies - and last but not least their elaborate thanks. which is a chef's best salary. i feel truly blessed. and while the non-stop cooking is exhausting (blown up legs, burnt fingers and blistery soles, anyone?) to be a host and to entertain is the best thing. i'd even go to such length as to say that spending a day cooking, however physically damaging (haha), is more rewarding than simply being lazy. in fact, i'd always prefer a busy day to a lazy one. 

special thanks to my friend ki who was an angel to help me serve our guests, clean the dishes and follow my (sometimes hectic) instructions - all night long. hey, partner in crime, you definitely have it in you! i can tell now. 

traditional (mini) madeleines

madeleines are, i think, one of my favorite little sweet treats. okay, i might have said that about numerous little treats... but it's a bit more true for madeleines, surely... somehow, though, i've always shied away from making my own. now, though, with the bouchon bakery cookbook, that looks really professional, i thought it should be a feasible project (or at least we rise to meet our challenges, ahem).   and indeed, the recipe and the exact amounts (2.2 grams, anyone?) looked a bit intimidating. but each step is defined so clearly that it ended up begin fun. and they turned out wonderfully cloud-like, with a sweet, vanilla-y, buttery taste to them. and an added bonus for the mini size (everything mini is cuter, right?).   

traditional (mini) madeleines

recipe from the bouchon bakery

you will need: madeleine molds (i made about 40 mini madeleines). 

the dough needs to be refrigerated overnight.

ingredients:

68 g flour

2.2 g baking powder

0.6 g salt

83 g eggs 

55 g sugar

66 g butter, at room temperature

9 g brown sugar

9 g clover honey

directions:

place the flour in a medium bowl and sift in the baking powder. add the salt and whisk together. combine the eggs and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer (my version: hand mixer) and mix on medium to high speed for about 1 minute. increase the speed to high and ship for about 4 more minutes, until the color lightens and the batter doubles in volume. 

meanwhile, heat the butter, brown sugar and honey in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, whisking, to dissolve the sugar, about 1 minute. remove from the heat. now fold in half the dry ingredients, then fold in the remaining dry ingredients until just combined. scrape the bottom of the bowl to incorporate any dry ingredients that may have settled there. pour the warm butter mixture over the batter and fold until the mixture is incorporated and the batter is smooth. place the batter in a covered container and refrigerate overnight.

preheat the oven to 180 c / 350 f. brush the madeleine pans with melted butter, thoroughly, then chill the molds in the fridge to harden the butter. use a spoon to transfer the batter into the molds (i used about 1 tsp. of batter for each mold). tap the bottom of the pan against the work surface to smooth the top of the batter. bake for about 6 (for the mini madeleines) to 8 minutes (for the large madeleines), until the tops are lightly browned and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. note: the bottoms of the madeleines will brown more quickly than the tops, so keep the tops on the lighter side. immediately unmold the madeleines and cool on a cooling rack. the madeleines are best the day they are baked, but they can be stored in a covered container for up to 1 day.

note: the next time around i'll try the pistache madeleines (i bought a truckload of pistache cream in paris... yum...).