Spring

Once a Medieval dessert, the Blanc-Manger is a somewhat forgotten French dessert that surely deserves praise. The Blanc-Manger is a French dessert of sweetened cream and almond milk thickened with gelatin, and often topped with fresh fruit. Quick and easy,  it’s the perfect no-bake dessert that’s light and refreshing for the warmer days ahead!

It’s berry season! And what could be a better pairing for berries than a hefty slice of pound cake with a generous dollop of whipped cream? But not just any pound cake, a Breton Pound Cake! In French, this Breton Pound cake is called a “quatre-quarts“, which translates to “four quarters”. It is very popular in Brittany, of course, but also widely known and enjoyed all throughout France. It consists – just like a classic pound cake – of four ingredients of equal weight: one quarter flour, one quarter butter, …

If you’re as fond of flaky pies bursting with fruits as I am, you’re in for a treat! This Jalousie Tart is named after its slatted puff-pastry top that allows the fruit filling to peek through, reminiscent of Jalousie shutters. In this lovely Spring variation, the crisp buttery puff-pastry encompasses an irresistible spiced berry filling bursting with sweetness and zing.

A French “Financier” is a notoriously delicate little almond cake (usually bite-size), made with ground almonds and flavored with “beurre-noisette” (brown butter). It has a rich, moist interior and a crisp egg-shell exterior. And if you’re a regular on this blog, you’re probably no stranger to my love for Financiers. I especially love to make them in the Spring time as they work so wonderfully nestled with fresh berries, such as blueberries, raspberries and of course, strawberries.

Who doesn’t love a perfectly roasted chicken, with juicy flavorful meat and crispy skin? One of the simplest and most delicious dinners, a roasted chicken sure is a crowd-pleaser. Now add slabs of tangy Dijon herb butter to the mix, and you’ll have yourself an unforgettable meal.

The traditional lamb is a must on every Easter table in France. And although it usually presents itself in the form of a glorious Gigot d’Agneau (roasted leg of lamb), you’ll find that variations are totally acceptable nowadays. So since I like to keep holidays stress-free (and sheet pan recipes seem to be all the rage this year), I decided that a one-pan-lamb-and-all-the-Easter-fixings would be my choice for this holiday. This One-Pan Garlic Lamb Chops with Potatoes and Carrots recipe is quick to assemble and -bonus! – a snap to …

Making brioche for Easter morning is a dear French tradition that I follow religiously every year – even in Canada (although you’ll know that I am partial to brioche all year round). And for this year’s Easter holiday, I am excited to be sharing with you my recipe for this Orange and Anise Sugared Easter Brioche, also known as a “Mouna”. This plump and fragrant Mouna brioche hails from the Pied-Noir (“black-foot” in French) and Oran Cuisine, from Algeria. If you don’t know, Pied-Noirs was the name given to the …

A French “jardinière” is a colorful mixed vegetable side dish, usually served along with a big feast of meat –such as a Beef Sirloin Tip Roast. I love that there is no strict rules when composing a Jardinière: you can use vegetables according to what is in season – or in your garden (jardinière meaning a female gardener in French) By deduction, Spring is a wonderful season to compose a jardinière, and I love to play with seasonal vegetables such as spring peas, green beans, wax beans and carrots to create …

You may be familiar with dandelion as a rampant weed that invades your backyard every Spring, but did you know they’re in fact packed with nutrients and make a great leafy green to feast on? In France, dandelions bloom from April to June, and the leaves are widely enjoyed in salads, quiches and soups – revered for their health benefits and singular bittery taste. So when Spring comes in Canada, I have kept the habit of grabbing bunches of these big jagged-edged leaves. This Dandelion Bread Soup makes great use …

Crème Brûlée (which translates to “burnt cream”) is one of the most raved about French desserts of all time – and for good reason. The two contrasting layers of luscious vanilla cream under a crackly caramelized sugar top are a match made in heaven and make this dessert stand out from all the others.   Even better: you’ll be surprised at how simple it is to make Crème Brûlée in your own kitchen. You simply need 5 ingredients (that you probably already have on hand) and just a little knowledge …