Monthly Archives: December 2014

Two mousse chocolate cake

A delicious and beautiful cake for times of celebration

Last year I took a patisserie course in Paris and, just before Christmas, I learned this wonderful cake recipe. I made it for my family’s Christmas party last year…and it took me one year to post the recipe online. Actually, I’ve made this cake already 3-4 times since then, including for my birthday, and it is one of my favourite recipes now! It is composed with several different layers, the best ones being combination of white and black chocolate mousses.  Go ahead and dare preparing a spectacular and challenging dessert this Christmas!

two mousse chocolate cake

two mousse chocolate cake

Yield: 15 portions

Ingredients:

1) Custard

  • 140g cream
  • 140g milk
  • 75g egg yolks
  • 40g sugar

2) Chocolate financier

  • 70g ground almonds
  • 50g icing sugar
  • 90g egg whites
  • 25g cream
  • 5g cornstarch
  • 30g black chocolate

3) Crunchy chocolate base

  • 110g pailleté feuillantine (crispy crepe style cookies)
  • 185g praliné paste
  • 75g black chocolate

4) Black chocolate mousse

  • 150g custard
  • 175g black chocolate
  • 225g whipped cream

5) White chocolate mousse

  • 150g custard
  • 250g white chocolate
  • 225g whipped cream
  • 4g gelatine leaves (usually, 4 leaves)

6) Glaze and some decorations

  • 60g water
  • 50g cream
  • 110g sugar
  • 40g  cacao
  • 4g gelatin leaves
  • Additional cacao, golden powder, etc. for decorating

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Piparkūkas

Latvian gingerbread cookies

In Latvia gingerbread cookies are very typical for Christmas. Around that time, every single house is filled with gingerbread cookie smell. In Latvia, you usually buy the gingerbread cookie dough and bake them at home, but living abroad this isn’t possible. So, for the third year in a row, I’m preparing my gingerbread cookie dough myself. I still don’t get the perfect consistency, but the taste and smell are better than the store-bought ones.  Prepare your home for Christmas and bake some cookies!

piparkūkas

piparkūkas

Yield: ca. 4kg of dough (which means –  a lot of cookies!)

Ingredients:

  • 400g honey
  • 400g brown (or white) sugar
  • 400g butter
  • 1,5kg-2kg flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 20-30g of gingerbread spices: you can mix them yourself  using cinnamon, cardamon, nutmeg, ginger, black pepper… or just buy a prepared gingerbread spices packet, for instance from Santa Maria (from Sweden)

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Cinnamon rolls

Kanēļmaizītes

In Latvia cinnamon rolls is a very popular treat for breakfast and a great snack to accompany coffee or tea in a cold winter afternoon. My grandmother used to make them quite often and I loved them. They are soft and with light caramel on top. Make sure you eat them freshly baked, that’s when they taste best. Enjoy!

cinnamon rolls

cinnamon rolls

Yield: 40 small size cinnamon rolls

Ingredients: 

  • 250ml warm milk (ca. 40C)
  • 2 eggs
  • 80g butter
  • 560g flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt
  • 140g brown sugar
  • 1 packet instant yeast
  • sugar & cinnamon & some butter to spread on top of the dough
  • 1 egg

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