Often, things in life seem to happen in a series. Dont you agree? Good or bad. Its part of the cycle of life, and its funny to observe how it works.
For me these days, its all about books. Great ones.
Like this beautiful crafts book, called Handmade Zakka and Craft by Tuesday. All in Japanese. In its looks. In its language.
It happened quickly and spontaneously.
In the same way Jo approached and asked me to contribute to her book, Tomo Togawa in Japan asked whether Id be willing to contribute to the book that he and his wife Chiyo, a graphic designer, were going to write. They are known as Tuesday.
I said Yes. Because I loved their style and approach to design. Because I love Japan. And names like Lotta Jansdotter, Yumiko Sekine, Marisa Shimamoto, and Tetsushi Inoue & Kristina Detwiller. All inspiring me.
Tomos idea was to incorporate snapshots of eight artists, with each one of us showcasing our craft, inside the book. In the same style Yumikos Around Fog Linen bookTomo designed itlooked.
Tuesdays book is just lovely: Light, fresh and clean. Somehow looking to me like a blend of Japanese and Scandinavian styles.
Inside the book, youll find inspiring sources for all sorts of crafty design ideas: whether its using paper and fabrics to create cards, tree ornaments, clothes, pillow. Their book is really for anyone who likes to create beautiful things for the home. For adults and children alike.
My contribution to Tuesdays book was my Millet with steamed spring greens and its lemon vinaigrette recipe, along with the following recipe for these Chocolate and Hazelnut Financiers.
Which reminds me of another financier recipe I recently contributed to Williams Sonoma new baking cookbook entitled by Home Baked Comfort by Kim Laidlaw, on exclusive sale right now in Williams Sonoma stores, and released everywhere, like Amazon, in February 2012.
When I was telling you there were a lot of books in my life right now.
I cannot help it. I love financiers. Of all flavors. Shaped like a muffin or a rectangular. Baked with chocolate; vanilla; almonds or hazelnuts.
La Tartine Gourmande: Recipes for an Inspired Life
Or even pistachios and aromas of cardamom, a recipe youll find inside my cookbook. I baked two batches of these over the course of the past two days. Every single one of them is gonegranted we had crowds at home.
But ahhhhh these chocolate financiers
Yes.
Chocolate always makes us happy.
Chocolate always makes Lulu happy.
Its a family matter. One that keeps us snug and cozy together. In chocolate haven.
We are chocolate and financiers addicts! we like to sing in chorus.
Perhaps you can become one of us too.
And join in.
Thank you Tomo for thinking about including snapshots of what I do inside your book. I am honored to be amongst such a great crowd of people.
Below is the list of the eight artists featured in Handmade Zakka and Craft:
Lotta Jansdotter : Surface Designer (Brooklyn, U.S.A.)
Jenny Hallengren : Photographer (Stockholm, Sweden)
Meiko Takechi Arquillos : Photographer (Los Angeles, U.S.A.)
Tetsushi Inoue & Kristina Detwiller : Furniture & Textile Designer (Oita, Japan)
Batrice Peltre : Food Writer, Stylist and Photographer (Boston, U.S.A.)
Hello Sandwich : Designer, Artist, Crafter (Tokyo, Japan / Sydney, Australia)
Marisa Shimamoto : Photographer (Tokyo, Japan)
Yumiko Sekine : Shop Owner (Tokyo, Japan)
Makes 8 muffin-size financiers
You need:
- 7 tablespoons (100 g) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (100 g) hazelnut meal
- 2 tablespoons (20 g) amaranth flour
- 2 tablespoons (10 g) cocoa powder
- A pinch of sea salt
- 1/3 cup (70 g) Turbinado sugar
- 4 large egg whites (beaten with a fork until lightly foamy)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 350 F and have 8 muffin molds ready (You can also place paper cases inside muffin molds); set aside.
- In a small pot, melt the butter. Cook until the butter has a nice hazelnut color and smells like h! azelnuts . Let cool slightly.
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine the hazelnut meal, amaranth flour, cocoa powder, salt, and sugar. Pulse into a fine powder. Transfer to a bowl and beat in the egg whites.
- Pour the butter inside the egg/flour batter, working quickly.
- Stir in the vanilla.
- Divide the batter between the molds and bake the financiers for 20 minutes, or until the blade of a sharp knife comes out dry when inserted in the middle. Let cool and dust with confectioners sugar, if you like, when serving.
Pour 8 financiers de la taille dun muffin
Ingrdients :
- 100 g de beurre non sal
- 100 g de poudre de noisettes
- 20 g de farine damaranth
- 10 g de poudre de cacao
- 1 pince de sel
- 70 g de sucre roux
- 4 grands blancs doeuf
- 1 cc dextrait de vanille pur
Etapes :
- Prchauffez le four 180 C, et prparez 8 moules (ou caissettes) muffins; mettez de ct.
- Dans une petite casserole, faites fondre le beurre. Cuisez-le jusqu quil prenne une jolie couleur noisette et quil sente la noisette. Laissez lgrement refroidir.
- Dans le bol de votre robot, mlangez la poudre de noisettes, la farine damaranth, le cacao, le sel et le sucre. Pulsez jusqu lobtention dune poudre fine. Transfrez dans un bol et mlangez avec les blancs doeuf mulsionns la fourchette.
- Versez le beurre dans cette prparation, et mlangez nergiquement.
- Ajoutez la vanille.
- Divisez la pte entre les moules et cuisez les financiers pendant environ 20 minutes, ou jusqu ce que la lame dun couteau insre au mileu en ressorte sche. Laissez refroidir et saupoudrez de sucre glace au moment de servir, si vous le souhaitez.
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