Yoghurt Cake with Red Currants

This classic French style yoghurt cake is pure simplicity and the red currants give a lovely tartness to this velvety lemon cake. Fantastic with or without the berries.       

Yoghurt Cake with Red Currants

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1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup plain yoghurt 

3/4 cup caster sugar

3 large eggs

1/2 cup canola oil

grated lemon zest from 1 lemon

1 cup fresh red currants

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease and flour a loaf tin and line the bottom with baking parchment paper.

In a bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl combine the yoghurt, sugar, 3 eggs, oil and lemon zest. Whisk until smooth and well blended. 

Add the flour mixture to the yoghurt mixture and stir until the batter is smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin and scatter the red currants generously on top.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the edges are pale gold colour and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the centre of the loaf. 

Allow to cool on a wire rack for about 20 minutes in the tin; then remove from the tin and allow to cool completely on the wire rack before serving.     

Notes: if you can not find red currants try other berries such as blackberries, raspberries, or blueberries.

Hope everyone is having a good week so far. - JD 

Tourtiere

This was my first time making Tourtiere and there are plenty of recipes with a few alterations. It is my understanding that a traditional tourtiere recipe does not have potatoes; the addition of potatoes makes for a dense, thicker Tourtiere. This is one of my daughter's favourites and I received a double thumbs up from not only her, but my son and my husband. My son thinks the more seasoned a tourtiere is the better and he also added his final touches by creating the vent design on top of the pie.   

Tourtiere

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1 Ib ground pork

1 lb ground beef

1 small onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup water

2 or 3 large potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon mustard powder

1/2 teaspoon mixed spice or all spice

1 teaspoon summer savoury

1 teaspoon sage

1/4 teaspoon pepper

*other seasonings to use, thyme, oregano, or cinnamon

2 homemade pie crusts or 2 ready made pie crusts 

Preheat oven to 450ºF.

In a large sauce pan combine the ground pork, ground beef, onion and the water. Mix well. Cook covered over low medium heat until the ground pork and beef are cooked through, stirring occasionally.

Place the peeled and quartered potatoes in a medium saucepan; cover with water and boil until just tender. Drain and give them a rough mash. Add to the cooked meat mixture. 

Remove from heat and add the salt, mustard powder, mixed spice, summer savoury, sage and pepper. Mix well to combine the meat, potato and seasonings. 

Roll your pastry out and line a 9 inch pie dish with it.

Fill with the meat mixture. 

Roll the other pie crust out. Cover the top of the pie with it. Roll or pinch the edges. Press down the edges with the tongs of a fork. Then cut several vents on top. Brush with an egg wash and place in the pre-heated oven for about 20 to 25 minutes or until nicely golden brown.     

Notes: Normally Tourtiere does not have the addition of potatoes therefore you may omit them, if you wish. You may also wish to tweak the amounts of the seasonings according to your taste. I made one large pie, as I do have a deep pie dish and a large quiche baking dish, I used the large quiche baking dish and made two batches of pie pastry to accommodate.   

French 75

This cocktail has a buck's fizz quality that is light and airy. Perfect for brunch or whenever you want to make a celebratory toast.   

  French 75

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makes 2 cocktails

2 oz Gin
1 oz lemon juice
2 teaspoon powdered sugar
Champagne

Divide the mixture into 2 glasses. Pour over cracked ice. Stir. Fill with Champagne. 

Have a great weekend everyone! - JD 

French Apple Pie

What makes an apple pie a French apple pie? Simply, it is the topping. Traditionally fruit pies have flaky pastry tops not a buttery sugar crumble one. Since this topping does consist of brown sugar I tend to make the apple filling more spicy apple then a sugary sweet apple filling. It creates a fine balance between comforting spice and just a touch of sweetness. Make your favourite apple pie or fruit pie recipe however try this on top.

French Apple Pie Crumb Topping   (for a 9" pie) 

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1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup all purpose flour 
1/2 cup rolled oats (optional)

Mix all ingredients together until crumbly. Sprinkle on top of filled pie. Bake at 400ºF for 45 to 55 minutes. Serve warm. 

Notes: I add about 1/2 cup of quick cooking oats to the crumble topping. To add a bit of a Canadian flavour you can toss the apple filling in some maple syrup along with whatever spices you may use: cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, cardamom, nutmeg... etc. 

Original Canadian Cookbook

This isn't the original copy from 1958, this is the new edition print from 1975. It reads like a household management cookbook would. I have only a few Canadian cookbooks and what peaked my interest besides the snowy landscape scene through the window on the front cover was the culinary choices it offers... 6 Canadian menus, French-Canadian cuisine and Canada's Multicultural kitchens. I think the latter of the three is more prevalent today. At the time Helen Gougeon was the leading authority on Canadian food since the 1950's when her cookbook, Good Food was publish. Each recipe had to be easy to follow, economical to make and sufficiently different to give variety to a meal. Something that today's home cooks are still striving to achieve.  

Many recipes come to mind when one says Canadian cuisine. Of course this cookbook has the classics like French - Canadian Pea Soup, Tourtiere, Quebec Baked Beans, Sugar Pie, Succotash, Tomato Relish, Bacon Corn Bread, and Canadian Salmon. In this cookbook there are recipes that haven't even crossed my mind at being a part of Canadian cuisine. Like the Zucchini Crêpes and the Casserole of Onions. 

Zucchini Crêpes
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3 cups grated zucchini, coarse or fine
1 egg
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
melted butter
grated parmesan cheese

Combine grated zucchini, egg, salt and pepper in a boel. Sift flour and baking powder over zucchini and mix thoroughly.
Drop by large spoonfuls onto a lightly-oiled frying pan or griddle and cook till brown on both sides.
Serve with melted butter and grated parmesan cheese. These make delicious hors d'oeuvres in which case you should make them very small. Serves 6.

Casserole of Onions
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2 lbs. onions, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon celery seed
1/4 teaspoon basil or sage
3 tablespoons butter or bacon fat
1/4 cup hot water
1/2 cup bread crumbs

Mix salt, pepper, paprika, celery seed and basil or sage together.
Place layers of the sliced onions in a shallow greased casserole and sprinkle the mixed seasoning between the layers.
Dot top of casserole with butter or bacon fat and pour hot water over mixture. Cover.
Bake in a 400º oven for 1 hour. Then sprinkle the top with bread crumbs and a little melted butter to taste. Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes longer or until the crust is golden brown. Serves 4 to 5. 

And thirdly Apple Cider Pie...

Apple Cider Pie
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6 medium tart apples
1 to 2 cups cider
flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 pie shell

Peel and core apples and cut into eights.

Place apples in a pot and cover with cider. Cook over slow fire for approximately 30 minutes, or till soft. 
Remove from heat and if the sauce is not thick add a little flour.
Add sugar and spices.

Bake a pie shell for about 5 minutes, then pour apple filling into it. Cover top, lattice-fashion, with uncooked pastry strips and bake at 450º for 8 minutes. Reduce heat to 350º and bake 25 minutes longer. 
 

Lavender Shortbread

I do tend to make quite a bit of shortbread over the holidays. It seems to be the one that disappears quickly. And not surprising considering I make many flavours that will tempt any culinary palette. These lavender shortbread are simple, aromatic with a slight hint of sweetness. Which makes them a favourite not just during the holiday season but anytime through out the year. 

Lavender Shortbread
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2 cups unbleached flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar (icing sugar)
1 cup (1/2 lb) butter, softened
French lavender buds, add as much or as little according to your taste. 
caster sugar for dusting on top   

Turn the oven on to 350ºF. 

Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

Simply cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl.

In another bowl place the flour and lavender. Once combined together add it to the creamed mixture and mix well.

Roll the dough into balls about the size of a walnut and place them on the prepared baking  tray. Pressing gently, flatten with the bottom of a floured glass or a fork. Dipping the glass or fork into flour each time until all are done. Giving a light dusting of caster sugar over the top of each.  

Bake for about 8 - 10 minutes or until pale golden. Once done and while they are still warm from the oven place them on a rack, dust with more caster sugar and allow to cool.

NOTES: I really didn't give a measurement for the lavender because everyone's taste are different. I would say let your eyes do the measuring... if it is your first time using lavender in baking you might want to ease your way into. Use a lighter hand and have a shortbread with subtle flavour and next go a bit more bold. 

This is the lavender I used. On the back of the bottle it states that it is "a sweet floral aroma with a hint of mint and citrus." Looking at the jar now I probably used about 1 tablespoon or 1 tablespoon and a half when making the shortbread. Lavender is distinctive and a little does go a long way. However I enjoy giving the shortbread I make a flavourful punch. 

Have a good weekend everyone! - JW