Recipes to Delight

🍫 1. Chocolate Cake (Genoise)

You’ll need:

• 230 grams eggs (approx. 4)

• 90 grams sugar

• 80 grams flour 

• 10 grams cocoa powder (1 tablespoon)

Steps:

1. In a big bowl over warm water (like a double boiler), mix the eggs and sugar with a whisk until warm (like bath water) 40-45 degrees celsius.

2. Take off the heat and beat with an electric mixer until the mix turns thick and fluffy.

3. Gently mix in the sifted flour and cocoa powder using a spatula.

4. Pour or pipe into two round cake tins (16cm wide).

5. Bake at 175°C (350°F) for 10–12 minutes. Let cool.

 

🍒 2. Cherry Syrup

You’ll need:

• 45 grams sugar (approx. 3 tablespoons) sugar

• 55 grams water (approx. 4 tablespoons)

• 10 grams cherry juice (approx. 2 teaspoons)

• 15 grams cherry liqueur or juice (for kids, skip alcohol)

Steps:

1. Boil sugar, water, and cherry juice in a small pot.

2. Turn off the heat and stir in the liqueur or more cherry juice.

3. Let it cool. You’ll brush this on the cake later!

 

🍫 3. Chocolate Mousse

You’ll need:

• 100g dark chocolate  62% (a bit more than half a block)

• 230 grams heavy cream 

• 30 grams sugar 

Steps:

1. Whip the cream and sugar with a mixer until soft peaks form.

2. Melt the chocolate in a bowl over warm water (like before).

3. Take the melted chocolate off the heat and mix in the whipped cream until smooth.

4. Use right away for layering the cake!

 

🍦 4. Whipped Cream (Chantilly)

You’ll need:

• 90 grams cream 

• 15 grams sugar 

Steps:

1. Whip together until soft and fluffy.

2. Save it for the top or sides of the cake!

 

🍫 5. Chocolate Ganache (Drizzle)

You’ll need:

• 40 grams cream 

• 40 grams chopped dark chocolate 

Steps:

1. Warm the cream until it almost boils.

2. Pour it over the chocolate and stir until smooth.

3. Drizzle or spread over the cake.

💨 6. Chocolate Velvet Spray (Optional)

 

Spray gun:

• 25 grams cocoa butter

• 25 grams tablespoons dark chocolate 

Steps:

1. Melt both together gently.

2. Put into a spray gun and spray the cake for a fancy finish

 

🛠️ To Put the Cake Together:

1. Cut each cake in half if you want layers.

2. Brush the syrup on the cake layers.

3. Add mousse between layers, then whipped cream on top.

4. Drizzle with ganache or spray with velvet chocolate.

5. Add cherries on top if you like!

A fancy and fruity layered cake with sponge, jelly, mousse, and crumble!

​

🍰 PART 1: Vanilla Sponge Cake (like a soft cookie)

You’ll need:

• 90 grams icing sugar 

• A pinch of vanilla powder (or a few drops of vanilla essence)

• 20 grams flour 

• 70 grams almond meal 

• 30 grams coconut 

• 3 egg whites (100g)

• 35 grams sugar

Steps:

1. Mix together icing sugar, vanilla, flour, almond meal, and coconut.

2. In another bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy.

3. Slowly add sugar and keep beating until stiff peaks form (fluffy and firm).

4. Gently fold the dry mix into the whipped egg whites.

5. Pipe or spoon into 4 round shapes (16cm wide) on baking paper.

6. Bake at 210°C (410°F) for 11 minutes. Let them cool.

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🍪 PART 2: Coconut Crumble (crunchy topping)

You’ll need:

• 20 grams sugar

• 20 grams butter

• 20 grams coconut

• 15 grams flour

• A small pinch of salt

Steps:

1. Mix everything together in a bowl with your hands or a spoon until crumbly.

2. Spread onto a tray and bake until golden. Let cool.

 

🍓 PART 3: Lychee Raspberry Jelly (jiggly center)

You’ll need:

• 100 grams lychee puree or juice 

• A tiny piece of vanilla bean or ¼ teaspoon vanilla

• 4 chopped mint leaves

• 15 grams sugar

• 5 grams cornstarch

• 10 grams water or alcohol (like kirsch – optional)

• 1 sheet gelatin (softened in cold water)

• 150 grams frozen raspberries

Steps:

1. Boil the lychee juice, vanilla, mint, and sugar in a pot.

2. Mix the cornstarch with water or alcohol and pour into the pot.

3. Boil again, then turn off the heat.

4. Add softened gelatin and stir until dissolved.

5. Stir in frozen raspberries.

6. Pour into small round molds and freeze until solid.

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🍦 PART 4: Vanilla Mousse (fluffy cream)

You’ll need:

• 160 grams cream 

• ½ vanilla pod or ½ teaspoon vanilla essence

• 3 sheets of gelatin

• 410 grams cold cream 

• 35 grams sugar 

Steps:

1. Heat the cream with vanilla. Let it sit overnight if you can.

2. Boil the vanilla cream, take out the pod, and stir in the gelatin.

3. Let it cool to about body temperature (around 35°C).

4. In another bowl, whip the cold cream and sugar until fluffy (soft peaks).

5. Gently mix the whipped cream into the vanilla cream. Use right away.

 

🧁 Final Assembly (You’re almost there!)

1. Put a sponge round in the bottom of your cake ring or tin.

2. Pipe or spread some mousse on top and around the edges.

3. Take the frozen jelly disc and place it in the center.

4. Add more mousse to cover the jelly and smooth the top.

5. Add a second sponge or some crumble on top.

6. Freeze until set. When ready to eat, let it defrost in the fridge.

These are creamy little chocolate puddings with whipped cream on top. You can decorate them however you like!

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🥄 Part 1: Make the Chocolate Cream

You need:

• 150 grams milk

• 50 grams cream

• 30 grams sugar

• 35 grams / 2 egg yolks (save the whites for something else)

• 75 grams chopped dark chocolate

👩‍🍳 Steps:

1. In a pot, heat the milk, cream, and half the sugar (1 tablespoon). Let it just boil, then turn off the heat.

2. In a bowl, mix the egg yolks with the other 1 tablespoon of sugar.

3. Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg yolks while whisking so they don’t scramble.

4. Pour the mixture back into the pot and cook on low heat, stirring until it feels thick and creamy (ask an adult to help—it’s ready around 84°C or when it coats a spoon).

5. Pour this warm custard over the chopped chocolate in a bowl.

6. Stir until smooth and chocolatey.

7. Pour into 10 small jars or cups. Put them in the fridge for at least 2 hours to set.

​

🍦 Part 2: Make the Whipped Cream (Chantilly)

You need:

• 250 grams cream

• 25 grams icing sugar

• 1/4 vainilla pod (or ½ teaspoon essence)

👩‍🍳 Steps:

1. Put all the ingredients in a bowl.

2. Whip with a hand mixer or whisk until soft peaks form (fluffy but not too stiff).

3. Keep in the fridge until ready to use.

 

🎉 Part 3: Add Decorations (Optional)

You can sprinkle any of these on top:

• Chocolate chips or pearls

• Cocoa nibs (crunchy bits of cocoa)

• A tiny pinch of fancy salt (fleur de sel)

 

 To Finish:

Take the chocolate pots out of the fridge, spoon or pipe whipped cream on top, add your decorations—and enjoy your masterpiece!

🥖 Peanut Praline Éclairs – Easy Version

✨ What You’re Making:

• Light and puffy éclairs (like cream puffs)

• A crunchy topping (called craquelin)

• Creamy peanut filling

• Sweet, crunchy nuts on top!

 

1. Make the Choux Pastry (Éclair Shells)

🧂What You Need:

• 125 grams milk

• 125 grams water

• 100g butter (cut into small pieces)

• 5 grams (1 teaspoon) sugar

• 5 grams (1 teaspoon) salt

• 150 grams flour

• 4 to 5 eggs (about 225g)

👩‍🍳Steps:

1. In a big pot, mix milk, water, butter, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil.

2. Add the flour all at once and stir fast with a spoon.

3. Keep stirring over low heat for 1–2 minutes until it looks like a smooth dough.

4. Put the dough in a mixing bowl. Let it cool for a few minutes.

5. Crack in the eggs one at a time, mixing after each one until smooth.

🧁Pipe & Bake:

1. Use a piping bag with a star tip and pipe out 12cm long shapes onto a tray.

2. Put a strip of craquelin (next step) on top.

3. Bake at 210°C (410°F) for 25 minutes. Let them cool after.

 

2. Make the Craquelin (Crunchy Topping)

🍪What You Need:

• 50 grams brown sugar

• 60 grams butter

• 60 gramsflour

👩‍🍳Steps:

1. Mix the sugar, butter, and flour into a dough.

2. Roll it out flat (like cookie dough) between baking paper or silicone mats.

3. Cut strips about 12cm long and 2cm wide. Place them on top of the piped dough before baking.

 

3. Make the Praline Cream Filling

🍦What You Need:

• 250 grams cream

• 110 grams mascarpone (a thick creamy cheese)

• 135 grams praline paste (you can use peanut butter if needed)

👩‍🍳Steps:

1. Whip the cream and mascarpone together until thick and fluffy.

2. Gently stir in the praline paste.

3. Scoop into a piping bag with a star tip.

 

4. Caramelise the Nuts (Topping)

🥜What You Need:

• 45 grams nuts (peanuts, almonds, or hazelnuts)

• 15 frams (1 tablespoon) sugar

• 5 grams (1 teaspoon) water

👩‍🍳Steps:

1. In a pan, boil the sugar and water.

2. Add the nuts and stir constantly.

3. The sugar will first turn white and grainy, then turn golden and shiny (ask an adult for help).

4. Let them cool, then break or chop them into pieces.

 

🧁 Final Step: Put It All Together!

1. Cut a little slit in the side or top of each cooled éclair.

2. Pipe in your praline cream until it looks nice and full.

3. Sprinkle some caramelized nuts on top.

4. Optional: Dust with icing sugar and enjoy!

A fancy French cake with yummy layers of almond sponge, coffee-flavored syrup, creamy butter icing, rich chocolate, and a shiny top!

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🧾 What You’ll Make:

1. Soft almond cake (Joconde sponge)

2. Coffee-flavored syrup to brush on the cake

3. Coffee butter icing

4. Chocolate filling (ganache)

5. Shiny chocolate top (glaze)

6. Layer it all like a sandwich!

 

🥚 Step 1: Make the Almond Sponge Cake

You need:

• 2–3 eggs (120 grams)

• 100 grams almond meal (ground almonds)

• 100 grams icing sugar

• 37 grams flour

• 3 egg whites (90 grams)

• 10 grams sugar

Steps:

1. In a mixing bowl, mix the eggs, almond meal, icing sugar, and flour until smooth.

2. In another bowl, beat the egg whites. Once foamy, add the sugar and beat until stiff and fluffy.

3. Gently fold the fluffy egg whites into the almond mix.

4. Spread the batter into a rectangle shape on baking paper (about the size of a small tray).

5. Bake at 175°C (350°F) for 10 minutes. Let it cool and cut into 3 even pieces.

 

☕ Step 2: Make the Coffee Syrup

You need:

• 100 grams sugar

• 30 grams water

• 12 grams coffee extract

Steps:

1. In a small pot, mix sugar and water. Boil until sugar disappears.

2. Turn off the heat and stir in the coffee. Let it cool.

​

🍦 Step 3: Make the Coffee Butter Icing

You need:

• ½ cup sugar

• 2 tablespoons water

• 1 egg

• ¾ cup butter (soft)

• 1 tablespoon coffee extract

Steps:

1. Boil sugar and water in a pot until it reaches 120°C (a candy thermometer helps).

2. Beat the egg in a bowl. Slowly pour the hot syrup into the egg while mixing.

3. Let it cool a bit (around 40°C).

4. Add soft butter slowly while mixing until it becomes creamy.

5. Stir in the coffee extract.

 

🍫 Step 4: Make the Chocolate Ganache

You need:

• 70 grams cream

• 20 grams glucose (or honey)

• 85 grams dark chocolate (chopped)

Steps:

1. Heat cream and glucose (or honey) until it just starts to bubble.

2. Pour it over the chocolate. Wait 1 minute.

3. Stir until smooth and shiny. Let it cool a little.

​

✨ Step 5: Make the Chocolate Glaze (Shiny Top)

You need:

• 100g dark chocolate

• 250g glaze paste (or use extra chocolate + 2 tbsp oil)

• 2 tablespoons oil

Steps:

1. Gently melt the chocolate and glaze paste (or chocolate + oil) until warm and smooth (around 35–40°C).

2. Stir in oil. Keep warm to pour on the cake later.

​

🧁 Final Step: Build Your Cake!

1. Place one sponge layer on a tray or board.

2. Brush it with coffee syrup.

3. Spread a layer of buttercream.

4. Add the second sponge. Brush with syrup.

5. Spread a layer of chocolate ganache.

6. Add the third sponge. Brush with syrup.

7. Spread the top with more buttercream or ganache.

8. Chill the whole cake until firm.

9. Pour warm glaze over the top and spread quickly.

10. Chill again, trim edges to make it neat, and serve in slices!

Little almond cookies with a sweet cherry-chocolate filling!

Makes about 15–18 macarons.

​

🥚 Part 1: Make the Macaron Shells

🧂 What you need:

• 85 grams / 3 egg whites

• 60 grams sugar

• 7 grams brown sugar 

• 165 grams icing sugar 

• 90 grams almond meal 

👩‍🍳 Steps:

1. Whip the egg whites:
   In a big bowl, beat the egg whites with both sugars (white and brown) for about 10 minutes, until it looks like thick whipped cream.

2. Mix the dry stuff:
   In another bowl, stir together the icing sugar and almond meal. (You can sift them if they’re lumpy.)

3. Fold together:
   Gently stir the dry mix into the egg whites using a spatula. Keep folding until it looks like thick lava and slowly slides off the spatula.

4. Pipe the shells:
   Put the mix in a piping bag. Pipe small circles (about the size of a 20c coin or 3.5 cm wide) onto baking paper or a silicone mat.

5. Rest the batter:
   Let the piped circles sit for 30 minutes. They should form a dry “skin” on top (you can gently touch one without it sticking to your finger).

6. Bake:
   Bake at 165°C (330°F) for 16 minutes. Let them cool completely.

​

🍫 Part 2: Make the Cherry Filling (Ganache)

🍒 You need:

• 80 grams cherry purée or juice 

• 15 grams tablespoon glucose or corn syrup 

• 1 sheet of gelatin (or 1 teaspoon powdered gelatin)

• 90 grams chopped white chocolate 

👩‍🍳 Steps:

1. In a small pot, bring the cherry purée and glucose to a boil.

2. Add the softened gelatin and stir until it melts.

3. Pour this warm cherry mix over the chopped white chocolate. Let it sit for 1 minute, then stir until smooth.

4. Let the ganache cool down at room temperature until it’s thick like frosting.

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🧁 Final Step: Fill and Finish

1. Match the cooled macaron shells in pairs (find two that look the same size).

2. Pipe a blob of cherry ganache onto one side.

3. Gently press another shell on top to make a sandwich.

4. Put all the macarons in a container and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight. They get even yummier the next day!