Homemade Croissants

Lack of post attack. I will try and catch up and finish all the unfinished posts I have! Anyhow, I made these babies a while back and they were pretty good, although definitely not as good as the real thing. I had an issue with the dry yeast. I did not have what the recipe called for so I substituted with some active yeast. Anyhow, you should try them out if you have the right ingredients! The recipe is from the French Women Don't Get Fat  book. The croissants are created in stages and it takes time to make them. Mireille recommends starting them on a Friday to enjoy these babies on the Sunday morning.

Ingredients: 

• 260ml milk + 2 tbsp to brush over the croissants
• 2 tsp dry yeast
• 250g sifted plain or strong white flour + 3 tbsp
• 2tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 180g unsalted butter
• 1 egg yolk mixed with 1 tbsp milk for the glaze

1. On the friday evening, heat 65ml milk to lukewarm. Dissolve yeast in the lukewarm milk, stir in about 6 tbsp flour from the 250g, and whisk until no lumps left. 
2. Cover with cling-film and let stand at room temperature until doubled in volume (about 20 minutes). 
3. Mix sugar and salt in the remaining flour. 
4. Heat the remaining 195ml milk to lukewarm. Transfer the raised dough to the bowl of an electric mixer fitter with the dough hook, add lukewarm milk, and with mixer at high speed start adding the sugar, salt, and flour a little at a time, lowering the speed to low-medium until the dough is sticky soft. 
5. Cover bowl with cling-film and refrigerate overnight. 
6. On the saturday morning, bring butter to room temperature and work with the heel of your hand to incorporate the 3 tbsp of flour until smooth and shaped into a square. 
7. Sprinkle the working surface with flour, shape the cold dough into a rectangle and spread the softened butter square on the upper 2/3 of the rectangle, leaving 1cm border around the sides and top. Fold the dough like a letter in thirds, folding the bottom third first. Turn the dough anticlockwise, then again roll out the dough in a rectangle and fold as before. 
8. Transfer the dough into a baking pan, cover with cling-film and refrigerate for 6 hours. 
9. Roll out the dough two more times, wrap and refrigerate overnight. 
10. On the sunday morning, about 1 1/2 hours before baking time, remove dough from the fridge and sprinkle flour on working surface. Roll dough into a 40 cm circle, working as quickly as possible. Using a knife, cut into quarters and then each quarter into 3 triangles. 
11. With both hands, roll the base of each triangle towards the remaining corner. Do not curl the ends in a croissant shape. Transfer to a silpat and brush with 2 tbsp milk. Let stand at room temperature for about 45 minutes or until the croissants have doubled in volume. 
12. Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Brush the croissants with the glaze and bake for 15-20 minutes. 
13. Let cool 20 minutes before serving. 
14. Enjoy!

Brown Butter and Brown Sugar Blondies

I found this recipe on Chocolate Suze who has amazing recipes and fun stories to tell. I always enjoy reading her blog so naturally, when she put up this recipe I had to try it out! It was gooooooooood! Very buttery and full of yummy deliciousness! The batter comes together super easily, and is so much fun to eat! A definite must try!

Ingredients:

• 200g salted butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 11g of vanilla sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp baking soda
• A pinch of salt
• 1 cup flour
• A pinch of cinnamon powder

1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees C. 
2. Cut the butter in small pieces and melt it in a saucepan. You want the butter to turn to a brown colour, it should smell a bit nutty. You should keep on swirling the butter in the pan with a wooden spoon.
3. In a bowl mix the brown butter and the brown sugar together. Mix well. Add the egg and the vanilla sugar. Mix well. 
4. Add the baking powder, salt, baking soda, cinnamon powder and the flour to the mix. Mix thoroughly. You should get a non sticky consistency. 
5. Pour in your baking pan and bake for 15-20 minutes. 
6. Enjoy!

*You can add choc chips in the batter. 

Orange Cake with Chocolate Icing

The other day I needed to bake. I had been studying for hours and just needed to relax a little. So I checked out my recipe book and found this orange cake recipe I had never tried. I switched the proportions a little and made it a bundt cake. I thought the cake was good albeit a bit dry. If you do decide to make it do not leave it too long in the oven (my mistake,  I was busy not paying attention!).

Ingredients for the cake:

• 3 eggs
• 200g flour
• 300g sugar
• 15g of vanilla sugar
• 15g of baking powder
• 100g melted butter
• 1 glass of fresh orange juice
• A pinch of salt

1. Preheat oven to 210 degrees C. 
2. In a bowl mix all of the ingredients together. Mix well. 
3. Grease your baking pan. Pour your batter. 
4. Bake for 35 minutes. 
5. Let cool

Ingredients for the icing:

• 100g dark chocolate
• 50g butter
• 2 tbsp of orange juice

1. Melt the ingredients together. Mix well. 
2. Pour over the cake unevenly. 
3. Enjoy!

Raspberry Scones

I just made my way back to Montreal, finally moved into my new studio and sorted out paperwork etc! Its good to be back especially since this term is my last ever term so there is a lot to do and a lot to see! I would love to go visit Toronto and the Niagara falls in the next two weeks. In the mean time, here is a delicious recipe for raspberry scones. Everyone who knows me knows that I am not a big scones fan, but these were moist, and very yummy. They tasted a bit like brioche. A definite must try for a delicious simple snack.

Ingredients:

• 250g flour
• 25g sugar
• 1tsp baking powder
• A pinch of salt
• 55g butter (cut in small pieces)
• 15cl buttermilk (lait ribot)
• 75g raspberries
• Egg wash

1. Preheat oven at 190 degrees Celsius.
2. In a bowl, mix the butter with the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. You should obtain a grainy consistency. 
3. Add the milk. Mix. 
4. Add the raspberries. 
5. Make a ball shaped dough, don't hesitate to add a bit of flour if the dough is too sticky. 
6. Spread the dough in between two baking sheets. It should be about 3cm thick. 
7. Cut out scones shapes. I used a glass. 
8. Put the scones on a silpat or parchment paper. Egg wash them. 
9. Bake for 15 minutes until golden. 
10. Enjoy!

*Alternatively you could put cranberries or strawberries. 

* If you do not have any buttermilk, just put 1tbsp of vinegar in your milk and let sit for 5 minutes.