Give yummy food to your tummy buggies...

Morning!

This week, I'm sharing with you a recipe from 'The well-fed microbiome cookbook' I wrote about on MBAI here.

By Kristina Campbell

The recipes are divided in two phases: the first one is about repairing our gut, the second one about revitalizing it.
The following recipe is taken from phase 1. Recipes from phase 1 follow an adapted low FODMAP diet and are mostly for people with gastrointestinal/digestion issues such as constipation, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, and/or bloating, which are linked to IBS or IBD.

IBS stands for irritable bowel syndrome, and IBD for inflammatory bowel disease. IBD may be better known as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis (UC), two chronic diseases characterized by various inflamed segments of intestines (Crohn's), colon (both), and/or rectum (UC). IBS is a more obscure condition that is usually attributed when all other diagnoses have been ruled out. 

This diet may help these conditions; however, they are not therapy replacement. IBD, as well as IBS, are serious conditions that need appropriate medical attention.

In the first part of the book, she does explain that healthy eating is a commitment and that it may be easier to sort out our cupboards before filling them with new ingredients. So I did, then I went shopping:

My well-fed microbiome shopping trolley

 There was one recipe I had my eye on when I was preparing my menus and shopping list: fruity yogurt, nut and seed parfaits!
Please note that in this series, I'm not going to give out the recipe as I think it wouldn't be too fair on Kristina Campbell if I were to share her hard work for free, right? I do think, however, that her book is lacking a couple of pictures to show how the recipes are supposed to look like, so here are mine:

Soooo good!!

Triple Chocolate Peekaboo Cake with a Vanilla Chilli Pink Surprise!

Wow I hadn't baked for years and years and then BANG! 

A month after starting my new job, a baking competition was announced, sort of a friendly Great British Bake Off! 

Perfect opportunity to test that new oven, shape some sugar paste, try that chocolate ganache recipe AND most importantly try a PEEKABOO cake!!!! 

Oooh but hang on, shouldn't I make a decision on what technique to use first before getting too excited? 

Nooooo, let's do them all! 

On one cake!

So I set my heart on attempting a chocolate peekaboo cake, the inside cake being a vanilla, chilli, and pink cake in the shape of my company's name. 

It would then be covered in chocolate ganache and I would use some sugar paste for the decorations! Quite a grand project for someone who hasn't baked for a while, and never decorated anything - apart from my friend's cake (see post below).

Because we have this new thing about Vine, I made a Vine video! If you'd like to follow me, I'm HERE

 

Here are a couple of pictures here below:

First Cake, pink, vanilla with a hint of Chilli was baked, cut and frozen before being re-placed in the baking tray

I could have added more chilli, it was almost imperceptible within the chocolate cake

Peekaboo cake before the ganache. I cut the top because it had risen too high. Notice my installation: cake on top of its own baking tray, on top of a tupperware to catch all the extra ganache

After pouring the ganache, setting in the fridge

Decorations time. Strawberry-flavoured sugar paste, rolled out on some icing sugar, shaped and sprayed with a golden sparkle

My company's motto

I decided last minute to add some sugary flowers. The chocolate ones are ganache and the white ones are butter mixed with icing sugar. All were sprayed with the golden spray

Admittedly I'm a bit disappointed with how it turned out, the PAN letters are not very visible, I should have used a ARIAL police instead of keeping as it is on top of the cake. But for a first attempt, not too bad!! I'm still victim of my pet fear though which is to underbake, so naturally it was overbaked and a bit dense

I will finish this post asap with the recipes.... To be Continued...

Sugar shapes

For my BFF's daughter's 2nd birthday, my BFF wanted to create a Maya the bee sugar shape to place on top of the birthday cake.

Gratin Dauphinois

This must be one of the easiest and most delicious recipe of all times!!!
I used to do it with a Bechamel sauce but then recently I've decided to do it differently and it's absolutely gorgeous and unmissable!!!

I usually do this with a roast of some sort, and a mixed salad.

Ingredients (for 2 big eaters):

2 big potatoes ~800g
500mL semi-skimmed milk
2 finely chopped garlic cloves
Salt
Pepper
Nutmeg to taste
Optional: double cream

Recipe:

Peel potatoes
Wash under cold water
Cut slices of 1cm each - don't rinse after cutting or you'll get rid of the very important amidon (starch)
Place in your pot
Cover in milk
Add rest of ingredients
Boil on mild heat for 10 minutes (the milk will stick and burn the bottom of the pot, so mix often and don't leave unattended for more than 2 minutes)
Pick the potatoes with tip of a knife to make sure they are cooked
When they are, Remove them delicately from the milk with a big spoon and place them evenly in an oven dish
Place a sieve on top of a clean container
Pass through the warm milk
Option: Add a bit of double cream to milk, if you do, remove first the equivalent volume of milk - the objective is to keep the same final volume
Adjust the taste with salt pepper and nutmeg
Pour the mix on top of potatoes, it should barely cover the potatoes
Put in the oven for 10minutes


Et voilà...

Bon Appétit

Simple but Delicious Flan

After the simplified Pannacotta tries and a few searches on google to help me with it, I realised I had never tried to make a Flan! And it looked so easy!

Also, after a visit to the GP who told me that my fainting fits sounded more like epilepsy and less like hypoglycemia, I started eating sugar again and drinking alcohol! Thank God!! (I'm telling you a Belgian girl with no beer and no chocolate= very depressed girl!)

So I didn't even tried to modify the real recipe of Flan!

Ingredients - for 4 ramequins:

2eggs

53g sugar

vanilla pods (although I didn't have any so used vanilla extract)

330mL Milk

Method

Set the oven at 150C

Boil Milk with vanilla extract and sugar

In a bowl, whisk 2 eggs

When Milk is boiling or really really warm, Pour it very slowly in the eggs while whisking away!! Don't stop whisking or the eggs will cook with the hot milk!

Note: Take a comfortable position with one hand whisking while the other is pouring the milk! ;)

Pour the mix into different ramequins or any other cute container that goes in the oven, or even one big one.

Set your ramequins or other in a second dish into which you poured water = Bain Marie

Put the whole thing in the oven at 150C for 45min or until when you insert a knife, it comes out clean

Note 2: It's easier to pour the water for the bain marie when your ramequins on the dish are already in the oven

Note 3: The point of the Bain Marie is so you don't do an omelette by cooking too strongly ;)

Result

Nice looking flan to leave to set in the fridge, although eaten warm was also delicious

Conclusion

Poor Fiance looked at me with big eyes at the first "bite" which meant he loved it. He finished it in about 5seconds and asked for more!!!!

His only complain was that you could taste the eggs too much, but personally, It was the exact flan taste I would experct from any good restaurant - if I can say so myself!!!

Future experiment

I might attempt to do the liquid caramel that's supposed to come with it, or a creme brulee with caramel on top!

Stay tuned and

Bon Appétit!!

Panna Cota - senza panna ne zucchero! - recipe

First of all, thank you Google Translate for translating words for me... ;)


The idea behind this oversimplified dessert is because I cannot have sugar (I'm on this strictly no sugar diet, because of my hypoglycemia) and I didn't have double cream in my fridge!! lol 
But really really wanted to try!!! I've had gelatin sheets for weeks in my cupboards and wanted to use them!!


Ingredients for 2 people (although these are very approximate):


200 mL Semi-skimmed milk
30g Agave Syrup
1 Vanilla Pod
3 sheets of Gelatin


Recipe (5 min prep):


Put gelatin sheets in water to soften them, put aside
Pour 200milk in a pan
Cut vanilla pod lenght wise, scrape the seeds in the milk
Warm up milk - no boil
Add Syrup according to taste
Add gelatin sheets to milk - draining water excess first
Make sure syrup and gelatin are dissolved
Pour in small containers - ramequin for example
Leave in fridge until cooled


Result


Overall, a very nice and simple dessert - or breakfast!lol.
You could taste vanilla nicely although most seeds ended up at the bottom (need more gelatin?). 
I put a bit too much of agave syrup so although it was not too sweet, it's a kind of sweetness (fructose) that can be easily overwhelm your palate. 
The texture was soft, more like a flan than a panna cota.


Conclusion


As a matter of fact, I think next time - because There will be a next time -, I will try adding cinnamon and lemon zest, like in a flan, and will adjust the lemon acidic taste with Agave syrup.
Note: Poor Fiance (who has to try everything I make) just texted me saying it was delicious and refreshing, and he wants more!!! Cool!!!!

Bon Appétit!!!

A French recipe - La Tartiflette

OK, OK it doesn't look like anything but really trust me, it is DIVIIIIIIINE!!!!
This is a classic French recipe from the region in the South of France called la Haute Savoie.
This is the region of France that is just next to Switzerland.
La Tartiflette is a very famous dish for skiing resorts in the Alps where you eat it after having spent the whole day on the slopes and you need heavy comfort food to find your energy back! And it does the trick!!
Living in London where local British food is not too exciting, it's good to know those French recipes!

The main and "exotic" ingredient is a special cheese called "Reblochon". For its characteristics, you'll be happy to know that my dear friend Wikipedia says: soft washed-rind and smear-ripened cheese traditionally made from raw cow's milk!!
And it has a nutty taste that remains in mouth after its soft and uniform centre has been enjoyed -- mmhhh thx Wiki ;)

I don't know how easy it would be to find this cheese in the US, but it is possible to switch it to any cheese with the above description or also I read recipes with Brie camenbert cheeses. Although, after a quick search online, I see you can find it at Whole Foods, Rainbow, Farmstead Wines & Cheeses, etc... Really if you do this recipe, you need to have this cheese!!lol. For UK people, you can find it at Waitrose priced at £5 something ( I know it's not cheap but the rest of ingredients are basic and non expensive at all!!)



Enough writing!
Time for the recipe itself...


Now for this, you will find many versions online with or without onions (but for me it is essential because its sweet taste balances the strong cheese taste), and with or without cream (I don't put any cream because it's heavy enough!!!!!)


Ingredients for 2 people and as a minimum:

• 1 Reblochon (~10cm diameter)

• 1 big onion

• 2 big potatoes

• 1 pack of rashes of bacon (unsmoked) (here we have 8 rashes /pack and it was a good proportion)
• A bit of white wine (optional)

Recipe:

Cook your potatoes in boiling water - don't add salt because the cheese is salty enough. When they are almost cooked, remove them from water and slice them (thickness of 0.5cm each).

In a frying pan, add a bit of oil and cook bacon and onions together. When both are cooked, add a bit of white wine and leave it to simmer for 10 minutes.
Discard white wine from the bacon+onions and set aside.

In an oven dish:

• arrange a layer of slices of potatoes

• Sprinkle your bacon+onions on top of them

• Arrange a second layout of slices of potatoes

• Cut your reblochon in slices living the skin, and spread them on top of your dish

Put your dish in the oven for 25 minutes or until the reblochon has all melted, at 200 Celsius Degrees.

(Poor Fiance wanted more!!!)

Bon Appétit

Pancakes - Crêpes

I luuuurrrrve pancakes! It's one of those things, you think only mummies can make them and you, if you want to eat some, you have to buy them at the shop!

When in fact, it's dead easy!!!! I found this really easy recipe online, not too heavy, perfect for snacks or breakfast!
The other day, though, I was struggling to find something to eat for dinner that didn't contain added sugar and wasn't meat-potatoes-veggies!
You see, I'm following this new (to me!) strictly no sugar diet to try to understand and alleviate symptoms due to hypoglycemia (symptoms like constant dizziness, cravings, loss of conscienceness and consequently bruises, cuts and concussion sustained during falls!)!
So I thought, afterall, apart from the natural sugar in butter and the lactose from the milk, there is not much sugar (if I don't spread chocolate on it!!) but enough proteins and fat for my body to find energy so it must be OK!!!
... And it was the best dinner I've had in a loooong time!!! lol

And look what funny shape I magically got - I swear it was not done on purpose!!

Recipe


110g of sifted plain flour
pinch of salt
2eggs
200mL semi skimmed milk + 75mL water
20g of melted butter

Mix flour and salt
Make a well in the centre
Break the eggs in it
Whisk them while adding slowly the milk+water rubbing more and more into the flour to incorporate it
Add the bit of butter (optional)

Bon Appétit!!!

Chocolate pralines...

One of my great love in life is of course chocolate. I say of course because not only I am a woman but I am Belgian!!! Belgium, the country nobody knows nothing about it except that that's where you find the best beers and the best chocolate!!!!

I live in London so it is quite difficult, to say impossible, to find good quality dark chocolate, unless you want to spend a lot... So many trips to the "continent" are used as an excuse to fill up the suitcase...

Although I buy value products in Belgium, it is still of higher quality than here... How sad is that???

So, to explain how I got into pralines making and chocolaterie, let's start at the beginning...

It was Xmas time 2009, I was in Belgium! Early afternoons are the perfect time to lie down and watch afternoon French or badly-dubbed-German movies on French TV. One day, I was relaxing with my mum, watching a movie about a chocolate factory. In there they were clearly explaining how to make chocolates, fillings, nice ingredients, etc... And it quite fascinated me. As a chemist and baker apprentice, this sounded like a good new challenge!!

All I needed was a silicone ice tray, some good chocolate and a good recipe for ganache!!

I got home a few days after watching that movie. I checked online how to do, basically I did a bit of research...

One day, I decided it was time to make my first attempt... Photos here are not from that day but nothing much changed from my subsequent attempts to be honest, I had a good recipe so I kept it ;)

I did try to properly temper the chocolate but it's a lot of trouble for not much if you just want to eat them straight away like me...lol... But if you do want to keep them for a few days and not see them sweating, then you'll have to invest in a nice thermometer and check out the temperature at which your specific chocolate needs to be tempered!!

A friend had previously given me a tray of ice cubes in the shape of guitars - my then-BF fiance being a musician!

So, in short, melt the chocolate on a bain-marie. Once melted, pour it into the ice cube tray, leave 1 minute and pour the excess back into the dish. You will therefore leave a nice thin layer of chocolate inside your tray cubes. Leave in the fridge to solidify for at least 10 minutes.
Prepare your ganache - any google search will do - add your spices you want in your chocolate (secret for everyone of us!;)), add anything else (nut, fruit, liqueur, etc..).
Take your tray from the fridge and fill the holes with your ganache (if you have one of those pipes to help you, it's easier, otherwise just a spoon is ok as long as it's warm therefore liquid, it will be easier to manipulate than when it starts to cool down).
Put it back in the fridge, leave at least 30 minutes to make sure it has set.
Warm up some more chocolate on a bain-marie.
Take tray from fridge and spread the warm chocolate on the surface tray, slide a knife on the surface to remove any excess. Put it back in the fridge and leave to set!

There are your pralines...

NB: On the photo above, I also made some truffles with the rest of the cooled down ganache, I dipped them into cocoa powder; and some coconut rochers which are, if I remember correctly, just a simple mix between whisked egg whites (3-4), sugar (100g) and coconut powder (150g)!

***Here is a photo of Poor Fiance (PF) pretending to play his chocolate guitar! I have to say Bless him, PF has to try everything I bake/cook/make and unfortunately he's not really a dessert person!!!***

The 3 Kings pie...

Every year, in my country, on the 6th of January, we eat "La galette des rois"!!! It's a religious tradition. Basically, it's a puff pastry with an almond paste filling in which a figurine is hidden (that can be anything small enough to be hidden but not too small as not to be dangerous), if you have the piece of cake containing the figurine, you are the king/queen for the year to come... It's one of my fiance's fav dessert, so I actually do it very often, not only on the 6th January ;) This year I was in Belgium with my parents on that day, so I made one for them. We then went to my brother's place to eat it. It's his fiancee who became the Queen!! Here is a photo of my dad and myself with The Pie!!! lol

Recipe - is from HERE:

Ingredients:
2eggs 
100g almond powder
75g sugar

50g of soft butter

almond extract

2 sheets of puff pastry (yep! too lazy!)
a few drops of Rum - optional
A Figurine (if your fiance is a musician like mine, a plectrum is good!)

Method:
Flatten/Roll one sheet of puff pastry to make it thin, on a flour-y surface
Place into your pie dish
Make some tiny holes
Prepare in a dish the almond paste by mixing 1 egg and 1 egge white, almond powder, sugar and butter, almond extract and Rum. Note: I usually whisk the egg first to make it a little bit foamy.
Place the paste in the centre of the puff pastry, leaving 1-1.5cm free at the borders
Hide the plectrum/figurine in the paste, best at the border (of the paste) so less chance to see it when you cut your pie ;)
Flatten/Roll the 2nd sheet of puff pastry on a flour-y surface
Place on top of your pie, cut the right size with the dish sharp edges.
Roll the bottom pastry borders around top pastry border to make a sort of twisted border. You do have space to do this as you're supposed to have left 1cm between almond paste and dish border ;)
To make it stick, wet your fingers!
Make tiny holes on the surface
With a non sharp knife, you can draw some lines for decoration
Finish by mixing 1egg yolk with a tiny bit of water and spreading this mixture lightly on top of pie and on borders to make it golden when baking...
Bake 210C 30 minutes. Check after 25minutes if not too brown, you can leave it too bake up to 40 minutes.
Enjoy ;)