Les dernières recettes
A cheesecake of Basque origin? Not really, but the story is mostly very recent (less than 30 years) and is clearly becoming a classic and well-known recipe on social networks and in pastry shops in the USA and some Asian countries. You can find the history of this cake on the Internet. Basically, it was born in a restaurant in San Sebastian in the 90s, before being (re)discovered in the 2010s and becoming known in the USA as the Basque Burnt Cheesecake. The history of cheesecake is one of evolution, starting with the Jewish culture of Eastern Europe, before becoming the standard cake in North America, then adapting again in Asia in a more runny or puffed version. So this version doesn’t come from the Basque country as a regional specialty, but was born from the desire of a talented restaurateur to create a new version. What makes it different from a classic cheesecake is its caramelized crust and soft center. In addition to cream cheese, I use classic unsweetened fromage blanc, but you can also use heavy cream or even mascarpone!
Crisp, crunchy shortbread! These are my cocoa-pecan shortbread. They are very low in sugar (enough for my taste), which may surprise some people. You’d expect a chocolate shortbread, but I actually used cocoa nibs. I love their texture, which will be perfect on these cakes, for a snack rich in flavour!
During a trip to the Cyclades, I was lucky enough to taste saganáki, a delicious fried cheese, several times. One of the versions was made with rolled oats, and the result was unexpected and, frankly, delicious. As the cheese used, kefalograviéra, is rather hard to find in our country, I propose an alternative with halloumi, which is much easier to find. Served with honey and a few slices of lemon, this simple dish will be the star of your aperitif or starter!
I really like the idea of travel cakes, these cakes that keep for quite a long time. It contains no cream or butter and reveals the intense taste of roasted hazelnuts. It’s very easy to prepare, but you’ll need to be a little early to toast the hazelnut powder that will be used to make this perfect tea-time cake!
Here’s a delicious and surprising cake, with an almond base and a good taste of honey, but also with a rather unexpected ingredient that adds a lovely texture. It’s delicious on its own, well chilled or at room temperature, or served with a totally addictive cream cheese and honey chantilly. It’s very simple, and takes just a few minutes to prepare.
I’m lucky enough to have a market gardener who offers quite a few exotic vegetables, including the classic orange sweet potatoes, but also the firmer-textured white ones that I’m particularly fond of. I’d bought some, and they’d been lying around in my kitchen for a while. They keep very well. But I went into a recipe a bit on the spur of the moment, not knowing how it would turn out. The result was delicious, with a very tasty sauce. The meat is tender and juicy to perfection, and the white sweet potato is both firm and melt-in-the-mouth. A little feast!
