Cookies & Small Cakes Archive

October 6, 2009

Matcha Shortbread Cookies

A friend of mine was just admitted to the traditional French cooking program I attended four years ago (read all about it here and here), and the good news got me thinking about a type of cookie we learned to make in class as we approached the holidays, called sablés diamant. These "diamond cookies" are classic butter cookies that you form using...

"Matcha Shortbread Cookies" continues »

August 18, 2009

Blueberry Oat Bran Muffins

I grew up in a household where le goûter is a cardinal ritual, and I can safely state that I've been eating an afternoon snack practically every day for the past thirty years. It is so much a part of my food habits that I actually size my lunches to make sure I'll feel a bit hungry around 5 or 6, and in need of something to tide me over until di...

"Blueberry Oat Bran Muffins" continues »

June 2, 2009

Strawberry Daifuku Mochi

A few weeks ago, my friend Estérelle and I attended a mochi cooking class held at La Cocotte, a lovely little cookbook shop in Paris. Before we go any further, I think a semantics note is in order: strictly speaking, mochi is the name of a Japanese preparation of steamed glutinous rice that is pounded to form a sticky paste*. Mochi can be boiled...

"Strawberry Daifuku Mochi" continues »

April 14, 2009

Chocolate Chip Cookies

I've always enjoyed the food sections of American newspapers, these pull-out pages that appear in the regular edition on a given day of the week (usually Wednesday) to cover local food and drink news, with recipes. Not all of them have the same standards or budget, and I am told the good ones are an endangered species, but between the Seattle Tim...

"Chocolate Chip Cookies" continues »

November 18, 2008

Wholesome Banana Chocolate Breakfast Bars

When Heidi posted about her friend Nikki's healthful cookies a couple of months ago, my curiosity was piqued, and the recipe firmly affixed to my mind's corkboard*. And as soon as I had a few browning bananas on hand -- some might accuse me of letting them overripen on purpose, but that's just libel and they'll be hearing from my attorney -- I k...

"Wholesome Banana Chocolate Breakfast Bars" continues »

May 16, 2008

Petites Meringues

My freezer is not exactly in its prime, and it suffers from ice buildup syndrome. I put stuff in there, all wrapped up and all, and a few weeks later everything's covered in frost like the beard of a North Pole explorer. And after a while, there's so much ice covering the shelves that I half expect to see penguins skating around. Part of my job...

"Petites Meringues" continues »

April 14, 2008

Squeeze Cookies (A Roasted Flour Experiment)

Among the many things I learned during that memorable conference on molecular gastronomy, one idea has been whirling around my brain with particular insistence since then, and it is that of farine torréfiée*, or roasted flour. It was introduced to us by way of a truism: raw flour is bland, browned flour isn't. This is why we bother to make roux,...

"Squeeze Cookies (A Roasted Flour Experiment)" continues »

January 15, 2008

Crumiri

[Italian Cornmeal Cookies] We all have our siren ingredients, those that call to us in voices of sugar from the printed page of a cookbook -- or the pixelated page of a food blog -- and charm us into dropping whatever we're doing to run to the kitchen and reenact the recipe. Cornmeal is one of my sirens, and I find it particularly beguiling in ...

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December 22, 2007

Rochers à la Noix de Coco

[Coconut Macaroons] Today's recipe, which conveniently doubles up as a holiday greeting card, is a beloved classic I wrote about eons ago on this here blog. I am normally reluctant to feature the same recipe twice, if only because it wreaks havoc in my recipe index, but in this instance, more than four years separate the two posts, and I do hav...

"Rochers à la Noix de Coco" continues »

November 9, 2007

Sablés Croquants Poivre et Noisette

[Crisp Hazelnut and Pepper Cookies] If you're the observant type, you may have noticed the walk-on actor in the fig sorbet picture two weeks ago. And you know what happens to walk-ons when they're talented and good-lookin' and lucky: they graduate to leading roles. Today is the cookie's big break; today, the cookie gets to be the hero of the pos...

"Sablés Croquants Poivre et Noisette" continues »

August 29, 2007

Langues de Chat au Thé Vert

[Green Tea Cat's Tongues] Langues de chat are classic French cookies that fall into the category of petits fours secs ("dry" petits fours, as opposed to miniature versions of pastries with buttercream, pastry cream, etc). They used to be a frequent accompaniment to ice-cream in restaurants, in rotation with cigarettes russes, but I haven't seen ...

"Langues de Chat au Thé Vert" continues »

July 9, 2007

Biscuits Epeautre et Miel

[Spelt and Honey Crisps] There is nothing like a good cookie to celebrate the completion of a big project, and even though this project of mine* is not 100% completed -- I've written the bulk of the manuscript, but I have a few remaining elements to deliver --, cookies were 100% in order. If you are a long standing reader of this blog, and I do...

"Biscuits Epeautre et Miel" continues »

May 9, 2007

Muffins Carotte et Cacahuète

[Carrot and Peanut Muffins] In the interminable list of blessings that come with having a food blog is this one: readers will come forward and share their favorite recipes with you. I am always honored to receive these gifts and the stories that are delivered with them, and even though I seldom get around to making the dishes (my epitaph will r...

"Muffins Carotte et Cacahuète" continues »

December 27, 2006

Croquants Châtaigne et Noix de Pécan

[Chestnut Pecan Biscotti] Because I know you've been hanging on to the edge of your seats and I'm not such a bad person after all, here is my report on this year's batch of edible gifts. The recipe I ended up making on Saturday afternoon -- in between a few last-minute errands, but I'm fortunate enough to live in a neighborhood that offers plent...

"Croquants Châtaigne et Noix de Pécan" continues »

December 19, 2006

Macarons Maïs Violette

[Violet Cornmeal Macarons] If you are still trying to get your act together about what homemade edible presents to give out this holiday season, I'm here to tell you that you are not alone. I myself have done precisely zilch about it, but that's okay: today is Tuesday, Christmas eve is this Sunday, and that still gives me plenty of time to pick ...

"Macarons Maïs Violette" continues »

November 28, 2006

Biscuits Très Gingembre

[Very Ginger Cookies] One should always be careful what one writes about on one's blog, for one never knows what hungry demons one might unleash as one mulls over edible memories from one's past. After I wrote about shortbread last week and listed some of the things we liked to buy at Marks & Spencer's, I could not get their stem ginger biscuit...

"Biscuits Très Gingembre" continues »

November 17, 2006

Shortbread

I grew up in the most anglophile French household I know, where the paperbacks strewn about the coffee table often bore little penguins, where the parents used English as a secret language when they didn't want their daughters to understand, and where sending them to England every summer sounded like a good idea (that question is still up for deb...

"Shortbread" continues »

September 26, 2006

Gâteau Sirop Muffins

Amongst all the towns Maxence and I cruised through on our roadtrip across the US, Breaux Bridge, Louisiana is the one that stands out the most in my memory (and no, I don't receive any money from the mayor's office). We stayed there a bit longer than originally planned -- car troubles will do that to you, have you seen U Turn? -- but unlike Sean...

"Gâteau Sirop Muffins" continues »

June 5, 2006

Petits Beurres

I have told you before about the cookbooks my grandmother has given me, old, tattered, and much-loved volumes that used to belong to my great-grandmother before her. One of them is called Mes Recettes pour votre dessert, and it contains 710 recipes for sweet things, arranged in alphabetical order from Amandés de Liège to Visitandines. And on page...

"Petits Beurres" continues »

April 17, 2006

Hot Cross Buns, Take II

If you have a book to write, I recommend hiding out for a few days in the comfort of a mountain house, preferably in a region where spring is a bit tardy, so the weather will make it easy for you to stay in and type. For fresh air, throw in a few healthy walks to spot the first daffodils (the mist will also make your hair nice and wavy) and a few...

"Hot Cross Buns, Take II" continues »

March 27, 2006

Petites Brioches

Amongst the many good things a food blog will do to you, is this one: even when you feel you are completely ruining a recipe, your mind is already working on how to turn this potential disaster into what you hope will be an entertaining, tale-of-a-near-fiasco post for your readers -- a much more constructive way to look at the situation than curl...

"Petites Brioches" continues »

February 23, 2006

Cookies from a Jar

When we have friends over for Sunday brunch, the bulk of the meal is conveniently store-bought from the small shops around us. A generous cheese platter, a few items from the charcuterie (such as sliced bone-in ham, terrines, and sometimes eggs in aspic for a bit of harmless proselytizing), ample supplies of fresh baguette (usually a mix of plain...

"Cookies from a Jar" continues »

February 2, 2006

Macaron d'Amiens

[Macaron from Amiens] The French macaron seems to have gained international fame in the past few years, but I thought it was time to dispell a common misconception: the delicate confection, made of two rounds of shiny and smooth almond meringue sandwiched together by a creamy filling, is not the only type of French macaron one can enjoy. The one...

"Macaron d'Amiens" continues »

November 2, 2005

Pear Pastilla on NPR and a Mention in ELLE

I am just back from my delicious vacation, and while I organize my notes to tell you all about the wonderful food we had in the south-west of France, let me direct you to my newest piece on NPR: crunchy and warm pear tartlets, a fall dessert inspired by the Moroccan pastilla. On another note, C&Z is featured in this week's French edition of ELLE...

"Pear Pastilla on NPR and a Mention in ELLE" continues »

October 3, 2005

Canelés

I tasted my first canelé some seven years ago, at Eric Kayser's boulangerie on rue Monge. Maxence had a friend who lived nearby, they often worked on school projects together, and whenever they felt like a break and a snack, this is where they would go. Maxence adored their canelés, ordered them often, and made me try them. Delicious. Simply del...

"Canelés" continues »

May 13, 2005

La Punition

[The Punishment] Punitions is the name given to the delicious, blond, thin, crispy, unique, buttery cookies, made by the world-famous Poilâne bakery. You can purchase them by the weight (200g for roughly 4 euros), but there is a basket of them on the counter for you to help yourself when you buy a quarter, a half, or a whole round of the legen...

"La Punition" continues »

March 24, 2005

Muffins à la Framboise, Eclats de Fève de Cacao (IMBB13)

[Raspberry Muffins with Cacao Nibs] Today is the new edition of the world-famous collaborative food-blogging event Is My Blog Burning?. It is hosted this time by Maki of I was just really very hungry, and her theme of choice is cupcakes and muffins. You may notice that while IMBB's are traditionally held on Sundays, Maki thoughtfully planned for...

"Muffins à la Framboise, Eclats de Fève de Cacao (IMBB13)" continues »

February 28, 2005

Chez Panisse Gingersnaps

Gin·ger·snap (noun) : 1. a thin brittle cookie, round or rectangular, sweetened with molasses and flavored with ginger (and optionally other spices). Close cousin: the speculoos from Flanders. 2. one of these viral recipes that occasionally spread like magic through our little world of food blogs! And we have Renee to thank for this one. Renee ...

"Chez Panisse Gingersnaps" continues »

February 21, 2005

Muffins Banane Pécan

[Banana Pecan Muffins] Brunch. What a fabulously promising word, evocative of lazy Sunday mornings, meeting with your friends at a sunny terrace, all of you a little sleepy and deliciously carefree, to share the kind of simple and comforting food that makes you feel like a kid again. Runny eggs on toast. Bacon and potatoes. Blueberry pancakes. P...

"Muffins Banane Pécan" continues »

December 29, 2004

Sablés Vanille Pécan

[Vanilla Pecan Cookies] These are the cookies I made to bring for tea at my parents' last Sunday. Originally, I meant to make cookies using the cookie press that my sister gave me for Christmas last year and which I hadn't yet played with. Did you ever notice how time seems to move at a different pace for kitchen utensils? I buy them or receive ...

"Sablés Vanille Pécan" continues »

November 21, 2004

Pistachio Cookies (IMBB10)

Today is the 10th edition of Is My Blog Burning?, the collaborative blogging event! It is hosted this time around by Fabulous Baker Jennifer, from The Domestic Goddess, and the theme is Cookie Swap. A cookie swap, if you'not familiar with the concept, is a little party thrown between friends and/or neighbors before the holidays, where each gues...

"Pistachio Cookies (IMBB10)" continues »

October 26, 2004

Cubes à la Noisette

[Hazelnut Cubes] Very rarely do I repeat a recipe. This stems from the fact that I am forever, and in all areas of life, much more interested in the new and the unusual, than in the same-old, however easy. But this NRFBS (Non-Repeating Food Blogger Syndrome) is also brought on by this very blog you hold in your hands, so to speak : if I am going...

"Cubes à la Noisette" continues »

July 6, 2004

Bébé Financiers

What is it with mini things that makes them so damn irresistible? I have always wanted to make mignardises, those sweet little bites that they serve with coffee in upscale restaurants. The name alone is enough to make you want them : "mignardise" comes from "mignard", an old-fashioned word which, as a noun, means a small child, and as an adject...

"Bébé Financiers" continues »

June 11, 2004

Corn Muffins

Oh. My. Muffin. These corn muffins you see here were made with the mix that Alicia sent me a little while ago, as part of her Maryland Delights food package. I hadn't had a corn muffin since my California days, and they were as excellent as I remembered, if not even more so. This mix is made by a brand named Washington, and boasts golden sweet...

"Corn Muffins" continues »

June 9, 2004

Speculoos

When our friends came over for dinner on Saturday night, I felt like serving a simple and light dessert. By "light" I do not necessarily mean light in calories, but rather light as in "not too rich". I wanted to make something fruit-based, with a little cookie-type thing to dip in and accompany it. I like that kind of dessert, because it allows e...

"Speculoos" continues »

May 21, 2004

The Biggest Speculoos in the World

Speculoos are a specialty from the North of France and Belgium. Originally baked as a treat for St-Nicholas' day, those thin, crunchy little cookies, flavored with spices, are baked in long rectangular molds that form a pattern on them : a saint's figure or, more commonly nowadays, the brand name. They are baked year-round now, and are widely ava...

"The Biggest Speculoos in the World" continues »

April 13, 2004

Hot Cross Buns

My family has always been very fond of British baked goods. Marks & Spencer's has sadly closed off all their French stores, but when it was still around [deep sigh of nostalgia], we were their most faithful customers for English muffins, crumpets, mince-meat pies and hot cross buns, to be enjoyed with tea in the afternoon. Only recently did I fi...

"Hot Cross Buns" continues »

February 14, 2004

Ceci n'est pas un Macaron

This is Pierre Hermé's Marron et Thé Vert Matcha macaron. This is a delicate confection of chestnut almond meringue and fresh chestnut cream and voluptuous green tea cream. This is a true delight, to the eye and to the palate. This is my Valentine's Day gift to you. Joyeuse St-Valentin!...

"Ceci n'est pas un Macaron" continues »

February 10, 2004

Yogurt Scones

We had friends over for brunch on Sunday. Maxence went out in the morning to the charcuterie shop, cheese shop, and bakery, and came back with an basketload of ready-to-eat goodies -- bone-in ham and duck terrine and eggs in aspic and cheese and freshly baked bread -- that we served with a simple salad topped with toasted pumpkin seeds. And for ...

"Yogurt Scones" continues »

January 16, 2004

Sablés au Citron à la Fleur de Sel

[Lemon and Fleur de Sel Butter Cookies] Jackie recently talked about Fleur de Sel on her great Daily Bread blog. As I was adding a comment about my favorite uses of the wonderful substance, I remembered these butter cookies. I was taken up on my offer to share the recipe, so here it is! This is a recipe I made a few months ago for a Sunday afte...

"Sablés au Citron à la Fleur de Sel" continues »

December 13, 2003

Petit Gâteau Chocolat Noisette

I was out in the Marais area this afternoon, doing a little Christmas shopping (ok, a lot). And shopping, as you know, is a form of strenuous exercise. Especially ten days before Christmas. Especially in the Marais. That is why I entirely deserved a nutritious goûter, and I found just what I needed at a chocolate store called "Cacao et Chocolat"....

"Petit Gâteau Chocolat Noisette" continues »

December 1, 2003

Carrés de Noix de Pécan à la Vanille

[Vanilla Pecan Squares] Yesterday was my dear grandmother's 92nd birthday. On this occasion, my parents, myself and a few friends and relatives gathered at her place for a celebratory drink, before we all headed out to eat dinner. My mom had asked me if I felt like making a few sweet nibbles to go with the champagne. Me? Sweet nibbles? Have I ev...

"Carrés de Noix de Pécan à la Vanille" continues »

November 12, 2003

Rochers à la Noix de Coco

For the little goûter party we threw at home last Sunday, I wanted to make another item in addition to the apricot and ginger chocolate cake. As one of our guests has to follow a gluten-free diet, I was hoping I could find something that she could eat, too. In my cookbook "Les Gâteaux de Mamy", I found a recipe for Rochers à la Noix de Coco ̵...

"Rochers à la Noix de Coco" continues »

October 2, 2003

Chouquette Story

What are chouquettes (shoo-kett) you ask? Chouquettes are little "pâte à choux" pastry puffs, sprinkled with coarse sugar. They can be bought by weight in French bakeries, in a thin bulging paper bag. When you're a kid, the best part is eating the sugar cristals that have collected at the bottom of the bag when the last of the chouquettes has bee...

"Chouquette Story" continues »

October 1, 2003

Chouquettes

2008 update. Below is a revised recipe, as it appears in Clotilde's Edible Adventures in Paris, my book on Paris restaurants and food shops. 2009 update. I have slightly improved upon the recipe with a couple of tricks: I now sprinkle the baking sheet with pearl sugar so the chouquettes are more evenly studded, and I brush the raw chouquettes wi...

"Chouquettes" continues »