Gâteaux de Comminges - France

Usually when I visit my uncle Jean Odon and aunt Claire in France I get many stories of the history of our family as well as this cake! :)

This recipe is a family heirloom that goes back five generations. Jean Odon tells me that this recipe was passed on from his great aunt to his great grandmother (or my great, great grandmother!), La Maréchale Lyautey.  From then on it was made for special occasions and birthdays for the de Comminges family and the name Gâteaux de Comminges was born.

It is very easy and quick to make but the moistness depends on cooking time and is best when it is slightly undercooked. I have doubled the recipe in the past and it has come out cooked but all gooey and moist in the middle which was so good! If you have a hotter oven than usual watch it carefully. If you do happen to overcook it a little it should still be moist and fluffy. I hope you enjoy it as much we do! :)

Cake Ingredients

125g good qualitydark chocolate (70%)

125g Butter 

3 eggs separated

125g almond meal

80g plain flour

125g caster sugar

Chocolate Glaze –Ingredients

80g good quality darkchocolate (70%)

1 tablespoon of cremefraiche (you could also use thickened cream).

Cake - Method

1) Preheat the oven to 180°C.

2) Grease a 24cm cake tin with a bit of butter andcoat it with a light dusting of flour and remove the excess (instead you could line the tin with baking paper). I find spring form cake tins to be the easiest option but anywill do.

3) Melt the chocolate and butter in asaucepan over low heat. Allow to cool slightly.

4) While the chocolate is melting beat the 3 egg yolks until combined

5)  In a separate bowl mix the almond meal,flour and sugar.

6) In another bowl beat the 3 egg whites untilstiff peaks form.

7) Gently Mix the 3 egg yolks into the chocolate mixturealong with the dry ingredients.

8) Very gently fold in the beaten egg whites untiljust combined.

9) Pour mixture into cake tin and bake in theoven at 180°C for approximately 20-25 minutes.

10) Removefrom the oven allow to cool slightly before turning out onto a rack or a plate.

11) To makethe chocolate glaze melt the chocolate as in step 3 and stir through the cremefraiche. spread over the cake immediately

12) You canserve the cake warm or cold with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream and some strawberries sprinkled with some sugar would also compliment it nicely :)

 

Banana Bread

I haven't baked anything for ages and I have had some lovely stone ground biodynamic spelt flour that I have been wanting to turn into something delicious. I adapted this recipe from a few others I had found and I was a little bit concerned about whether it would work (this is always a concern when using superior quality aka expensive ingredients! )... baking can be so temperamental! However this was a success and I think this will now be cooked time and time again. Perhaps next time I would even put a little less sugar, and throw in some seeds or nuts... You could toast it and spread it with some extra virgin coconut oil or nut butter too :) Enjoy!

This recipe also used Coconut Sugar which is an unrefined sugar from the coconut palm blossoms with a naturally low Glycemic index. It has a lovely caramel toffee flavour and melts in your mouth  Regular brown sugar has been leached of it's minerals and is highly refined. Brown sugar is simply white or raw sugar which has had caramel or molasses added. Once you have tried this you won't go back to regular brown sugar!  You could also use Rapadura sugar (Panela) which is an unrefined sugar made from evaporated cane sugar juice. Extra virgin coconut oil is also a great oil for baking as it can be heated up to very high temperatures and doesn't oxidised through the cooking process. It is also a very yummy replacement for butter on toast! Make sure the baking powder you are using is aluminium free - I like the one from Honest to Goodness.
 
Biss xx

Ingredients

3 medium very ripe banana

1/2 cup cooked pureed apple or pear

2 organic free range eggs

 2 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup extra virgin coconut oil (melted but not hot)

2 tablespoons raw agave or maple syrup

1 cup of coconut palm sugar (or Rapadura sugar)

2 cups wholemeal, spelt flour sifted

1 teaspoon bicarb soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

pinch sea salt

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Line a loaf tin with baking paper.

Use a mini food processor and blend the bananas, apple puree, eggs, vanilla, coconut oil, maple syrup and coconut sugar and blend until smooth (alternatively just mash the bananas and beat the eggs and mix all ingredients well)

In a separate large bowl, combine spelt flour, bicarb soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt and mix until combined. Combine wet and dry ingredients and fold gently until mixed.Pour the batter into your prepared loaf tin and bake in the oven for 45-55 minutes* or until dark golden and cooked through.  Cool a little in a tin before turning out to serve warm.

*NB: As all ovens are a little different so I would recommend you to set your timer to 35 minutes and check it every 10 minutes so as not to under or over cook it.

Biss xx
p.s I made this again the other day and I forgot the coconut oil! It wasn't as 'melt in the mouth' however it was still lovely and disappeared the same day!

2 orange gluten free cake

This Is a delicious cake recipe I have made a few times. It is moist and rich and especially good with double cream or greek yoghurt.

This is a traditional jewish recipe which I have taken from my very favorite tv series with my very favorite foodie Mauve O'Meara.

Get the recipe here

I have adapted this recipe slightly by substituting some of the almond meal with walnut meal & LSA. I also added a generous pinch of saffron threads . Yum!

Birthday cake Diary updates

So it has been sometime since i have posted any of my Birthday cake creations. I have just completed the Birthday Bonanza time of year. Both my husband's and my family having all of their birthdays between July and October... ..

Here goes!

Chocolate Ganache Mud Cake

Happy Birthday Cake for Cath

This cake was a delicious chocolate heavy cake...cooking time was only 15minutes. just enough to firm up the edges and leave the middle gooey. The ganache topping was beautiful firmed up in the fridge and the pretty berries which i put on just for a garnish actually really helped cut through the richness (as did the double cream) yum!

ice - cream cake

Happy Birthday cake for Kate

This was a bit of a cheats cake. My little sister wanted and ice cream cake & although ti made the chocolate ice cream i didn't have the time to make all three flavors (choc-mint, vanilla & chocolate was her pick)
so in the end i bought the ice cream and simply built the cake. the butterflies looked great they were icing sugar butterflies which when first put on looked lifelike. i would love to use them again on a slightly less moist cake.

Caramel & Apple Profiterole Cake 30th Birthday Cake for Dazza

This cake consisted of 3 profiterole layers filled with Dulce de leche, mascarpone cream & caramelized apple. The cake was then topped with toffees apple slices. Unfortunately even though i have a sugar thermometer i am yet to master the supposedly simple task of creating toffee (to cracking point anyway!)
I plan on trying the cake again!



Black Forest Cake II 30th Birthday Cake for Patt

This is the second black forest cake it have made.
The last one was a MONSTER also on this blog was a 30th brithday cake for Gabs. It was too big. too messy. The recipe i used was on from Martin Boetz of Long Grain. the recipe came from Food Safari Cookbook. find the recipe online here.
This time i used a genoese sponge cake recipe (from Stephanie Alexanders cooks companion) I made 2 cakes, Cut both in half but decided only to use 3 of the 4 layers. I used Martin Boetz mouse recipe from the last cake. & the standard ganache icing recipe of equal amounts chocolate to cream. Instread of whole Morello strawberries inside the cake i used a boutique cherry jam, I prefer the consistency in the cake. On top i used whole fresh cherries and did not soak them, wanting something fresh amongst the rich chocolate.
it was delicious.

Ben 10 cake Birthday cake for Jake

This was a simple sponge cake. i printed a picture of Ben 10 to the correct size and cut it out placing it on top of the cake and cutting out the shape. To decorate i used butter icing, licorice, coconut, green m&ms and skittles, chocolate sprinkles and marshmallows. the eyes i cut our printed eyes from a Ben 10 picture.


10 layer chocolate torte

Birthday cake for my Dad

The inspiration for this cake came from 2 places firstly from the 'Opera Cake' which my Dad loves & secondly from the Smith's Island cake. in which your cook each layer separately. it was a long night cooking since i only had 2 pans and shelves in the oven. I used the smiths island cake recipe as a guide however i used 3/4 almond meal & 1/4 wheat flour. I also added a little cocoa (in retrospect next time i will not make the cake chocolate it was a little too much). I used Martin Boetz's chocolate mouse recipe from the Black forest cake for the filling between each layer. I then topped it all with a chocolate ganache. it was great. i only wish i hadn't made the cake chocolate as well and the filling, some contrast would have been good.

Chocolate Sponge
Heidi's Birthday Cake

good old simple chocolate sponge cake with whipped cream & fresh strawberries & strawberry jam


Matt & Stephan's 30th Birthday Cake Good Old Classic Sponge w/ Strawberries & Cream

Yes Matt my Hubby & His whole family all LOVE Sponge cake so most of the cakes i make need to be sponge cake in some form, I love Stephanie Alexanders sponge cake recipe from The Cooks Companion it is called "Jacqui's Mum's sponge cake' (and i have tried MANY).

Lemon & Strawberry Puff
Birthday Cake for Jen

This cake was for my beautiful mother in law Jen. Yes she loves sponge cake...but after making so many i convinced her to try this one. This recipe is from Annabel Langbein. It was beautiful and light perfect for the birthday lunch we all enjoyed in the sun.Profiterole filled with lemon curd, whipped cream & fresh sliced strawberries.

I didn't remember to photograph all of the cakes i made i wish i had i missed a yummy Mars Bar inspired spongecake i made for my brother Tim. The sponge was 3 layers stuffed with dulce de leche & chocolate mousse. Also 2 triple layer chocolate & macadamia brownie cakes filled with chocolate swirl double cream and topped with strawberries one from my Friend Candy & one for my little Sister Eliza (can't belive i forgot to photograph BOTH of them) A sticky date pudding i made for my Dad for fathers day. A Mar Bar Icecream cake made for my friend Naz back in the summer. Sooo yummy that one was! & another 4 classic sponge cakes (they all looked the same! )

upside down, plum and chocolate cake

I love this combo of fruit and the subtle addition of chocolate. This one is from the mouth-watering Crave Cookbook. Plums and chocolate, moist and delicious....a success for sure and one to add to the regular birthday cake list for summer birthdays!

Caramel Cheesecake

Biss made this amazing looking and even more amazing tasting caramel cheesecake from delicious magazine, i belive it is a recipe the most talented Valli Little

Baked dulce de leche cheesecake with toffee shards
recipe from taste.com.au and delicious mag;

Ingredients (serves 8)
300g digestive biscuits
90g unsalted butter, melted
750g cream cheese, chopped
2 tbs cornflour
3 eggs
340g caster sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 x 450g jars dulce de leche (see note)
600ml sour cream

Method
Preheat oven to 200°C and grease a 23cm spring form pan.

Finely crush biscuits in a processor, then pour in melted butter and pulse to combine. Press mixture into the base of the pan. Bake for 8 minutes, then remove pan from the oven and reduce temperature to 160°C.

Meanwhile, place cream cheese in cleaned processor with cornflour, eggs, 100g sugar and 1 tsp vanilla. Process until smooth, then add one jar of dulce de leche and process until smooth and combined. Pour mixture over biscuit base, then bake for 45 minutes until set.

Meanwhile, place sour cream in a bowl with another 20g sugar and 1 tsp vanilla. Beat with a wooden spoon to combine. Remove cheesecake from oven and top with sour cream, then bake cake for a further 15 minutes until set. Leave in the switched-off oven with the door ajar until completely cooled, then chill overnight.

To make toffee shards, line a baking tray with a sheet of foil. Stir remaining 1 cup (220g) sugar and 1/4 cup (60ml) water in a pan over low heat to dissolve sugar. Increase heat to high and cook until a light golden caramel. Quickly pour onto the tray, swirling to spread toffee. Set aside to cool, then break into shards.

Add 2-3 tbs boiling water to the remaining dulce de leche until you have a smooth sauce consistency.

When ready to serve, remove cake from pan and place on a platter. Decorate with toffee, then drizzle with the sauce.

Notes

Begin this recipe a day ahead.
To make your own dulce de leche see herehttp://theblissbar.blogspot.com/2011/11/dulce-de-leche.html

Birthday Cake Diary

A big fat 30th birthday cake for Gabz! 6 layers this was my attempt at Martin boetz' s black forest cake (recipe on food safari website food safari. Yum!!!







.

Above white choc mousse and sponge layer cake for Biss's bday.

40th bday cake for Al ....
Jaffa swirl chocolate cheesecake with mandarin liqueur syrup oranges & strawberries



Coconut cake with mango pannacotta filling ...for lindy's birthday.... Recipe def needs some tweaking .



not sure if this is a biorthday cake but it is a yum looking choc banoffee pie....and i wouldn't complain if i got it for my birthday!!! hint hint Biss!!! :)