Connecting

gluten free red currant pistachio cake recipe

Brown Butter Pistachio Berry Cakes

Tu verras, quand ma soeur arrivera, il fera beau, (Youll see when my sister comes, it will be sunny again) my brother B. tells his wife G.

My mother also tells me its raining a lot. And its not warm for July either. Every time we talk over the phone, I can hear frustration in her voice because I know that this means her daily walk to the next village becomes challenging.

I dont know how it happens but my brother is right. As soon as P., Lulu, and I arriveand for the entire month of August we spend in my home villagewe are blessed with blue skies and sunny days.

It summer in full force with fields filled with wildflowers; farmers harvesting; zucchini and Heirloom tomatoes of all shapes and colors to stuff and make tarts with; plums and mirabelles to bake with, and make jams.

And groseilles and mres to pick in my mothers garden each day.

Lulu does take notice and is the first to help every morning.

Taking photos all along.

These images are about this summer. The kind of summers I want to keep with me. Those that I now want Lulu to experience in France the way I did.

Right away, I tell her about it all.

She seems to understand.

For her, it means hours spent outside to play in the little wooden house my father has built for her in the garden.

For me, it translates in having her taste the produce we grow.

And cook together.


One day, she asks that we bake chocolate tarts. Another time, we make crpes and a tomato, zucchini tarteven if it means that she exclusively focuses on eating the crust. Theres also a delicious dark chocolate cake we end up having for le goter one day. We decide to name the cake le gteau au chocolat de Lulu (Lulus chocolate cake).

She loves that.

gluten free chocolate cake

Lulus Dark Chocolate Cake

We thought wed tell you about the chocolate cake later.

Because before we wanted to share these small cakes. Made with pistachios and berries (red currants, raspberries, and black currants) picked in the garden.

With the fruit we found.

I showed Lulu how to make brown butter. And why we had to leave the vanilla in the butter to infuse. She used her hands to feel the pistachio meal and millet flour. And after she beat the egg with the sugar and added the rest of the ingredients, she ran her fingers by the side of the bowl, licking them clean, before starting all over again.

Ils sont beaux maman! (they are pretty!) she exclaims when we take them out of the oven.

She is very proud of them.

Later that day, she tells me that she loves to cook with me.

She does not yet know how much that means to me.

This summer in France was just about her. Connecting her to a French summer in the countryside.

With time spent time with family. Discovering new books. Visiting farms and pet goats. Picking fruit. Running in open fields and playing with hay. Pretend playing in her kitchen. Picking wildflowers.

And cooking.

gluten free red currant pistachio brown butter cake recipe

Lulu and I made this recipe using delicious pistachios with a really deep green color. The recipe can also work with almondsgridn whole almonds or use store-bought almond meal. And then, instead of red currants, use other seasonal berries. Right now, we have delicious late in the season raspberries.

Les framboises tardives.

Its a very versatile kind of cake.

Red Currant Pistachio and Brown Butter Cake Recipe

(for 6 muffin-like cakes)

You need:

  • 5 1/2 tablespoons (80 g) unsalted butter
  • 1 vanilla bean, split open and seeds scraped out
  • 2/3 cup (70 g) pistachio meal
  • 2 tablespoons (20 g) millet flour

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 cup (50 g) blond cane sugar
  • 1/4 cup buttermilk
  • 2 ! ounces ( 60 g) red currants*
  • 6 raspberries*
  • 6 black currants*

*Combine any kind of seasonal berries

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven at 400 F and grease 6 muffin molds (or line a muffin mold with paper cases); set aside.
  • Place the butter in a pot and bring to a simmer. Cook on low to medium heat until the butter turns and tastes like hazelnut. Stop the heat and add the vanilla bean and seeds; leave to infuse for 15 to 20 minutes. Strain and discard the vanilla pods.
  • In the meantime, in a bowl, combine the pistachio meal, baking powder and millet flour.
  • In another bowl, beat the egg with the sugar.
  • Add the dry ingredients to this wet batter, and beat until well combined.
  • Add the melted butter and then buttermilk.
  • Divide the batter between the muffin molds and stud with the fruit.
  • Bake the small cakes for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden.
  • (Optional) When cooled, dust with confectioners sugar.


2012 Mooncakes @ Tai Zi Heen, Prince Hotel KL

Hi everyone! Just a friendly reminder that Mid-Autumn Festival is this Sunday 30th September. Have you had mooncakes yet? And have you bought mooncakes to eat while moon gazing this weekend as well as playing with your candles and lanterns? I can't wait!

I am glad that I got to try Tai Zi Heen's mooncakes before the end of the mooncake season. I am usually a fan of the snow skin mooncakes, but the baked ones from Tai Zi Heen totally impressed me! Thin skin, and uber smooth filling - just look at the photo below!

Hong Kong white lotus paste with single egg yolk (RM24++)

Kids playing pretend with their mooncake bags...

We're off to buy mooncakes
For our dearest mummy and grandma




Tai Zi Heen offers 5 types of baked mooncakes as well as 4 snowskin ones. I tried all the baked ones - HK white lotus paste with single egg yolk (RM24), pandan lotus paste with melon seeds (RM24), five variety nuts with rum and raisin (RM25), oatmeal, macadamia nut and sun dried apricot (RM22) and cappuccino with cocoa nibs (RM22). I liked them all, but my favorite is the classic white lotus paste one. The filling (paste) was really smooth and the salted egg yolk was pretty g! ood too. These are also the least sweet baked mooncakes I've tried this year, so it is suited for those who are more health conscious but still want to enjoy mooncakes.

The kids enjoyed the oatmeal, macadamia nut and sun dried apricot as well the pandan lotus paste one. We finished 8 of these in less than 2 days. ;D




HK white lotus paste with single egg yolk


Pandan lotus paste with melon seeds


Which one should I pick next?


Oatmeal, macadamia nut and sun dried apricot


Thumbs up!

Five variety nuts with rum and raisin - my mum's favorite, though I couldn't taste the rum.


Thank you for reading, now let me get back to enjoying my mooncake. :)


Pork-free.

Opening times: Lunch; 12.00 pm - 2.30pm, Dinner; 6.30pm-10.30pm. There is also a mooncake booth at the lobby, which is open from 12 noon to 9.30pm.

Location: Tai Zi Heen, Level 2, Prince Hotel & Residence Kuala Lumpur, 4 Jalan Conlay, 50450 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Tel: 03-2170 8888

Website: http://www.princehotelkl.com

GPS Coordinates: 3.150179, 101.714516

Going Vegan @ Raw Cafe Ampang

Raw Cafe launched a new menu this month, introducing a nice range of mostly vegan recipes that make this a standout stop for nutritious lunches.

When the cafe opened last year, its sandwiches were simple, stuffed with mushrooms and tomatoes. Now, customers can savor slices of organic granary bread thickly slathered with coriander hummus, garlic-roasted veggies and toasted seeds (RM15).
Earlier entry on RAW Cafe: February 9, 2011.

Gluten-free penne, with spinach, basil pesto sauce, extra virgin olive oil and sweet peas (RM18). Tastes kinda like a Hakka 'lei cha' interpretation of pasta.

Potato rosti pancake, warm and comfortingly soft, topped with a dreamy-creamy sauce of cashews, thyme-infused mushrooms, soy and lemon sauce (RM13). Raw's offerings supply minimal-guilt carbs that'll help folks power ! through their workday.

Multi-grain toastie with bananas and a house-made spread of raw hazelnuts and soy (RM7). Potentially an acquired taste; its relatively coarse texture and not exactly crowd-pleasing taste make this less accessibly flavorful compared to, say, a peanut butter toastie.

Savory and sweet muffins (RM7) are available; the former is a blend of organic wholemeal and white flour, spinach and non-dairy cheese, while the latter comes with cranberries, toasted oats and pumpkin seeds.

All this might be a prelude to more: Raw's plans to start a full restaurant have been percolating for nearly two years, but it might be achingly close to becoming a reality.

And of course, Raw has become famous in KL for its coffee. Aeropress and syphon versions should be offered here within the very near future.

Wrap up the meal with something sweet: cookies-and-cream ice cream affogato or crepes topped with apples, pecans and chai-spiced syrup (we'll be back for that!).

Real and Wholesome (RAW) Cafe,
Wisma Equity, Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur.
Mon-Fri, 730am-730pm; Sat 9am-6pm.