Mediterraneamente.

chocolate souffles!!

1. Take four 200ml soufflé dishes and brush them completely with softened butter. Chill the dishes for 5 mins, then, as an insurance policy so the soufflé doesn't stick to the dish, apply a second coat as before. Tip a little grated chocolate into each dish, roll the dish around tilting it as you do so it is evenly lined all round.
2. For the crème patisserie, mix the flour, sugar and cornflour. Put egg yolk and whole egg into a bowl, stir, then beat in half of the flour mixture to give a smooth paste. Tip in the rest of the flour mixture and mix well.
3. Pour the milk and cream into a pan and bring just to the boil. Remove from the heat. Add the chocolate and beat until it is melted and smooth with no lumps.
4. Gradually stir hot chocolate mix into paste. Return to pan. Cook, stirring, over a medium-low heat for 5 mins to a smooth, thick paste. Remove from the heat. Leave until cold, beating occasionally with a wire whisk.
5. Make the ganache: slowly warm the cream in a pan. Just before it boils, take off the heat and add chocolate. Beat constantly to a velvety texture, gradually sprinkling in the cocoa as it dissolves. Allow to cool.
6. Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks with an electric whisk. Sprinkle in the sugar as you are mixing. Keep whisking to give stiff, firm peaks to give volume to the soufflés.
7. Mix crème patisserie and ganache in a large bowl. Stir in 2 tbsp of egg white. Carefully fold in a third of the rest, cutting through the mixture. Fold in another third (take care not to lose the volume); fold in the rest.
8. Spoon the mixture into the dishes to fill them by three-quarters, then gently press a spoon in to make sure it fills all the gaps. Fill the dishes to the top with the mixture, then bang each dish on to the surface so the mixture fills the sides.
9. Take a palette knife and pull it across the top of each dish so the mixture is completely flat. Take a little time to wipe any splashes off the outside of each dish, or they will burn on while cooking.
10. So mixture won't stick to the top of the mould, and to give a straight finish, go around the top edge of the mixture with your finger. Sprinkle a little grated chocolate in the centre, then bake the soufflés for 15-17 mins.
11. The soufflés should have risen by about two thirds of their original height and jiggle when moved, but be set on top. To serve, make a small dip with a spoon in the centre of each, then pour in single cream or add a spoonful of ice cream. 

DONAVON.

Mishka.

Mishka is a reggae singer from Bermuda, I love him, his music is awesome you should listen to his music...also he is a great surfer and he is the face of ECO-neil...his latest album is "talk about" love itt!!

erykah badu and ziggy marley.

FIB 2012.

Erin Wasson

Erin is such an incessant source of inspiration to me. This girl is known for starting the trends and not following them, unlike many other celebs. She has featured in Victoria's Secret, H&M, Zadig et Voltaire, Cavalli or Balenciaga. Her sassy (or trashy, at times) style has become world-widely copied, however, she is so genuine and careless!

The Kooks

The Kook's most famous songs have always been present throughout these last years of my life, such as "Naive" or "She moves in her own way". If I listen to them I'll probably start reminiscing about pree-teen summers. However, this past summer I've gotten really into the band and started listening to more of their songs. These are some of them.

"Always where I need to be"

"Sway"

"Seaside"

"Matchbox"

"Mr. Maker"

Enjoy!

Lucía P.

Homemade Oreos

My sweet tooth is starting to betray me (also is laziness), and I''ve been baking more oftenly these last days with friends and family. I recently found out about this homemade Oreo recipe on Emily's blog. They turned out to be quite amazing. She is so talented! Here's some of the pictures and the

 procedure and measurements.

For the surfaces:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa1 teaspoon baking soda1/4 teaspoon baking powder1/4 teaspoon salt1 to 1 1/2 cups sugar [see recipe note]1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) room-temperature, unsalted butter1 large egg

For the filling:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

 

Procedure: 

1. Set two racks in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 375°F.
2. In a food processor, or bowl of an electric mixer, thoroughly mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, salt, and sugar. While pulsing, or on low speed, add the butter, and then the egg. Continue processing or mixing until dough comes together in a mass.
3. Take rounded teaspoons of batter and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet approximately two inches apart. With moistened hands, slightly flatten the dough. Bake for 9 minutes, rotating once for even baking. Set baking sheets on a rack to cool.
4. To make the cream, place butter and shortening in a mixing bowl, and at low speed, gradually beat in the sugar and vanilla. Turn the mixer on high and beat for 2 to 3 minutes until filling is light and fluffy.
5. To assemble the cookies, in a pastry bag with a 1/2 inch, round tip, pipe teaspoon-size blobs of cream into the center of one cookie. Place another cookie, equal in size to the first, on top of the cream. Lightly press, to work the filling evenly to the outsides of the cookie. Continue this process until all the cookies have been sandwiched with cream. Dunk generously in a large glass of milk.

Brief Introduction

Along with the spring and upcoming summer, we welcome Choses Charmantes, a public site to share with others all the things and thoughts that may be special, creative or just appealing to me, always trying to encourage you to embrace des petits plaisirs of life.

Enjoy!

Lucía P.