R khooks

Archive for the ‘Bread’ Category

Drum roll, please…here are the absolutely fantastic chocotastic entries for the Stop the Traffik chocolate competition. And what a range there has been. Each entry has had me licking my lips and going yum yum. Thanks to everyone who participated I’m truly impressed with all the effort everyone has made. If I’ve forgotten your entry or made an error, please let me know.

So start drooling over your keyboards (click on each image for the whole entry) and send me your votes to rkhooks@gmail.com by Tuesday 16th October.

P.S. Only one entry per person. I know you guys want to win the goodie bag

Today we have a *star* guest appearance (well for me, it is) on R khooks. I was absolutely delighted when my Mum sent me her entry for the competition (she was the one to make me aware of the cause). So I was only to happy to put her entry up on my blog. And what an entry it is! Yummy chocolate with a tangy orange kick, this bread will be giving the other choctastic entries a run for it’s money.

P.S. For all of you who haven’t had the time to enter I’m extending the deadline until Monday the 8th October. So go bake something chocolately this weekend! (more…)

Sorry I couldn’t resist the pun. I mean pain as in ‘le pain’. Although there were a few things which were an extra pain last week like the post office and the Parisian men (don’t get me going on the second). I don’t know whether it’s the change of season or if there was something in the air but everyone seemed to be extra annoying last week. (more…)

…and I’ll huff and puff and blow your house down. Well, it does certainly feel a bit like that. The last couple of days I’ve been chilling out in Normandy. I literally roll out of bed and I’m on the beach which is absolutely amazing. Golden sand which goes great with the sunshine. The only thing is that it’s a bit windy to say the least.

It’s the first time I’ve been to Normandy and one of the specialities they have in the boulangeries here is Gâche vendéene which is like a brioche but with crème fraîche and orange flowerwater (some recipes include armagnac). Soft, almost pillow like texture. This goes down a treat for breakfast or afternoon tea. Making this was great fun. I love making any kind of bread. Kneading is a great way to vent frustration Although making/eating Biscuit poppets works just aswell. (more…)

The season of all things open air is in full fling in Paris. With Paris beach (don’t laugh , it’s quite cool with palm trees and some sand. It’s not a bad attempt), cinema, concerts, dancing along the Seine and of course the most important the PICNICS.

I’ve been wanting to make this recipe for a long time. Helen over @ Tartelette made them a while ago and they just sounded delicious. A picnic with friends seemed a great opportunity to try this out.

Last year when I studied @ Le Cordon Bleu we made regular Brioche. It all got a bit messy while kneading the butter as it was extremely hot. 40°c with the ovens on full blast and wearing a nasty chefs uniform. We added extra salt to the recipes with the sweat dripping off our foreheads. Nice! With a stand mixer and the dough hook attachment you can avoid the melting-butter-kneading problem.

‘Let them eat Brioche’ as the famous Marie Antoniette said.

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