“Le Cake” is a cake, yes, but the fun bit is that in French that cake is called “un cake”. It is close to what it referred to as a butter cake I guess. It is firm, yet not dry, has crunchy edges, is simple in taste and delicious.
Le Cake allows for different flavours: lemon, sultanas (soaked in tea or rum) or candied fruits. My favourite us the lemon version.
Preparation: 15 minutes, cooking: about 45 minutes
Ingredients
200 g of soft butter
250 g of caster sugar
pinch of salt
lemon zest (about 1 teaspoon) – if you prefer sultans or candied fruits, use 100 g of them
3 eggs
300 g flour
1/2 tsp of baking powder
Method
Butter and flour a log tin. Preheat the oven to 170°C.
Cream the butter (use the flat beater of your kitchenAid or a spatula and elbow oil).
Add the sugar progressively while mixing.
At this stage, it is probably better to mix manually or some of the mix wil remain on the side of the bowl. Add the egg one after the other one mixing in between. Then, add the lemon zest and salt (if adding sultanas or candied fruits, add them with the flour to ensure they do not sink at the bottom).
Add the flour and baking powder (and sultanas /candied fruits if doing that version). Mix well starting from the middle of the bowl and extending to the outer edge.
Transfer to the prepared tin
Bake for about 45 min until cracked on top and golden. A baking needle inserted through the crack should come out dry.
Remove from the oven and turn over a wire rack, allow to cool down before serving.
This cake keeps for a few days easily. It makes a great treat for lunch boxes.
I posted this recipe some time ago. I recently did this cake with a lemon icing. To make the icing mix about 1 cup of icing sugar with a little lemon juice, adjust lemon juice or icing sugar (use a whisk) until you get a slightly runny paste. Then pour on the top of the cake.
A gluten free hazelnut chocolate friand? A friand? To hard? Not at all! This one (at least) is super easy, believe me. And even better mega delicious. This recipe is derived from a recipe by Donna Hay.
It has both chocolate (chopped) and cocoa, as a result it is really indulgent on the chocolate.
Tip: if you don’t have GF flour at home, use brown rice flour or if you are not coeliac or gluten intolerant, use plain flour.
Tip: if you don’t have friands moulds, ou can use a small muffin tray.
Makes 12 friands
Ingredients
dry ingredients:
1 cup hazelnut meal
1 2/3 cup of icing sugar
half a cup GF flour
half a cup cocoa
1/2 tsp baking powder
200 g dark cooking chocolate chopped
wet ingredients:
5 eggwhites
140 butter
and 2 tablespoons of chopped hazelnut.
Method:
Pre-heat the oven to 180°C.
In a bowl place all the dry ingredients together, mix.
Add the wet ingredients i.e. the butter, eggwhites. Mix to combine.
Butter and flour a print mould (except if using silicone ones).
Fill each print with one large spoon of the mix
Bake for 20 minutes or until cooked through. Cool in the pan until about cold.
Madeleines are very versatile biscuits. First, they taste great. Then they are kind of cute. The other advantage is that they take no time to make and that you generally will ave the ingredients at home!
Madeleines can be served on their own for the afternoon snack, or with coffee or tea. I love them, and I am not the only one (tested for you!). They are also perfect for children who come back again and again for a spare one!
