Category: Tea

No. 557Recipe Card Posted on by — Leave a comment

Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Cake

Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Cake | Bijouxs Little Jewels

A cake to love-Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Cake, a simple cake for anytime snacking.

LEMONS & BLUEBERRIES

Two of my all-time favorites of the summer season join forces to create a cake that will always be appreciated. Living up in the Central Coast citrus and fruits abound. The lemons go rampent this time of year, so many on the trees it’s hard to use them all. My neighbors supply me with even more lemons that I can use so I freeze the juice in ice cubes tray to brighten up the not-so-sunny winter gloom of days to arrive soon.

Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Cake| Bijouxs Little Jewels

 

RICOTTA CHEESE

The magic of this cake is the whole milk ricotta cheese which adds a dense, creamy texture-the cake will keep for a few days making it a favorite mid-day grab with an espresso.

Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Cake | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Cake | Bijouxs Little Jewels

 

BAKING THE CAKE

As I has previosuly reported, my move up the coast has placed me is a new home, with an old wall oven that always burns the edges of everything! I have tried many tactics, nothing left but to pray to replace the oven soon. Your cake will not have  the dark brown crust on the edges, but in case you are destined with an old oven, not to worry the crust does not distract from the tender texture of the cake.

Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Cake | Bijouxs Little Jewels

 

BEAUTIFUL FOOD BY DESIGN

I finally have completed my 4th cookbook Belle du Jour (beauty of the day). It has over 120 pages, lots of new recipes and has been a labor of love. I produce all parts of the book myself (call me crazy) from recipe preparation, photography, and book design, and publication. I offer the book, like my others, in digtial interactive format and print copy, both will be on my website shop just like my other cookbooks.

My next cookbook is already in my mind. That you for you support!

 

 

No. 541Recipe Card Posted on by — Leave a comment

Apple La Flognarde

Apple La Flognarde | Bijouxs Little Jewels

A simple French dessert made from apples and some pantry basics makes this sweet baked Apple La Flognarde, another Little Jewel from the Kitchen Recipe Collection, perfect for Mother’s Day.

FLAUGNARDE VS CLAFOUTI

I have featured both a clafoutis and flaugnarde recipes previously at Bijouxs, and they provide the basis of this recipe as well. All of these simple French fruit desserts begin with what you will recognize as very thin crepe-like batter, that when baked, surrounds the fruit with a semi-firm custard. Served warm or as a cold dessert, these are French simplicity at its best.

Apple La Flognarde | Bijouxs Little Jewels

TRADTIONAL APPLE LA FOLGNARDE

Really, Apple La Flognarde is a clafoutis. That is to say that when made with apples this dish is more commonly referred to as a flognarde, the same simple sweet batter is used. The author Colette wrote “The flognarde becomes a huge blister that fills the oven, turning golden, brown, bursting here, swelling there…At the height of its eruptions, remove it, sweeten it with a little powdered sugar and share it while it’s boiling hot.” I love this perfect description of this apple dish.

I peel and chop the apple into large chunks that rise up when baking and create crispy peaks. These peaks create deep nooks for the Crème Anglaise and powdered sugar to sink into, dreamy.

Apple La Flognarde | Bijouxs Little Jewels

SWEET ENDINGS

Apple La Flognarde | Bijouxs Little Jewels

 

This simple, crustless eggy custard-based dessert pairs well with a dousing of Crème Anglaise, very easily created by melting vanilla gelato or ice cream. The sweet cream adds a richness to the dessert. Happy Mother’s Day.

 

No. 518Recipe Card Posted on by — Leave a comment

Anyday Buckwheat Scones

Anyday Buckwheat Scones-Bijouxs Little Jewels

It’s simple…bake a batch of Anyday Buckwheat Scones for tea or coffee time. Relaxing is a real Little Jewel, along with recipe No. 518 added to the Membership Collection.

BUCKWHEAT SCONES

I have my classic scone recipe on the website, but I take the path less traveled by including buckwheat flour. Buckwheat, in addition to creating a rustic brown scone, has a nutty-like flavor. The cream in the recipe keeps the scones moist.

Anyday Buckwheat Scones | Anyway Buckwheat Scones

Anyday Buckwheat Scones -Bijouxs Little Jewels

If you have not tried Buckwheat flour do. Despite the name, it not a wheat grain so it is naturally gluten free. I love these Buckwheat Pancakes and Chocolate Chunk Buckwheat Cookies, again a way to cook grain and gluten free.

Scones are often shunned for being of being ‘too dry”. True, many of the scones served out are really dry. These classic scones are adapted from the Art of Simple Food by my food hero Alice Waters. It’s the addition of cream to the batter that helps to create a tender scone.

The real key is to enjoy them warm out of the oven. Serve with Devonshire Cream or Raspberry Preserves, or both.

Anyday baking is a Little Jewel.

 

No. 511Recipe Card Posted on by — Leave a comment

Marsala Olive Oil Cake

Marsala Olive oil Cake Bijouxs Little Jewels

Bijouxs has lots of love for Olive Oil cakes. Baking got me through the days of cooking confinement. Thank goodness that is all behind us. I bring you Marsala Olive Oil Cake, another Little Jewel from the Kitchen.

OLIVE OIL CAKE

Marsala Olive Oil Cake is a version of the the now famous olive oil cake, Torta di Olio, from Maialino Restaurent in NYC. I posted my citrus take on that cake here. I love to see recipes get passed around, and changed, as happens many times with most of us who cook. Just a little more of this and less of that. I saw this cake by Chef Camilla Marcus, via Eye Swoon and adapted it. Just what I needed another olive oil cake recipe! One reason I love these sturdy olive oil cakes it that they are not a bit fussy and one-bowl wonders. I chose Marsala for the fotified wine, I feel Marsala is under utilized for baking. Marsala was a popular cooking wine back when I started my food education. 

Marsala Olive oil Cake |Bijouxs Little Jewels

RECIPE ARCHIVE

This cake is a recipe I photographed during the dark days of the confinement. I was able to get some groceries delivered so I kept calm and cooked.  Was it really two years ago? I built quite an archive during that period, with about 20 more recipes that are waiting to be shared. “Cooking can keep a person who tries sane” this truth from John Irving.

So, let’s keep cooking with Bijouxs Little Jewels from the Kitchen.

 

No. 504Recipe Card Posted on by — Leave a comment

Small Batch Coconut Cake

Small Batch Coconut Cake | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Just the two of us…and we are hungry for a little Coconut Cake (think your favorite Lemon Bread). To the rescue–Small Batch Coconut Cake, this cake is diminutive in size but big on flavor, another Little Jewel from the Bijouxs Kitchen.

BREAD OR CAKE?

OK, what is the difference between a bread and a cake? I have always been confused. Yes, there is a difference, simply put it has to do with the leavening agents used. This post on Food 52 breaks it all down. Confusingly, classic Lemon Bread is really more like a cake baked in a loaf pan. So this recipe can be either cake or bread, which ever you like.

SMALL BATCH BAKING

All that confusion aside, simple sweet loaf cakes are my favorite. Mini loaves are easy to share with friends, take to parties, and of course are just enough for the two of us. Lemon Bread is the classic that bears repeating so, enter Small Batch Coconut Cake, a tropical take on the favorite.

Small Batch Coconut Cake| Bijouxs Little Jewels

COCONUT CAKE

Simple pantry ingredients make this cake. A sweet glaze is poured into the hot cake that creates a tender, flavorful cake. This recipe makes a perfect size cake for small households.

Enjoy another Little Jewel from the Bijouxs Kitchen.

 

 

Still Hungry?