Recipes & tips

Children's birthday cake

As a small introduction, this was my birthday cake for my tenth anniversary, and believe me … I still remember it!! Seize the opportunity and make your child a participant in the preparation!

This recipe requires a big rectangular piece of polystyrene (50*70 cm for example, according to the dimensions that you want to give to the cake) , of a thickness of 6 to 8 cm, for the base of the composition. Cover it with silver foil and dust it well with glazing sugar to give it a snow effect.

To keep it easy, order your sponge cake at the bakery (later on, we will pass you the sponge cake’s recipe...) Divide the sponge cake into three equal parts and soak them with an aromatized syrup of your liking provided it doesn’t contain alcohol !
Stack two pieces one on top of the other, using jam or a chocolate paste to cement them together, and place it on one of the sides of the setting,
 This will be the house’s foundations !!!

Divide obliquely into two parts the third chunk of the sponge cake to make the roof of the house.  Paste the roof with the jam or chocolate paste you chose previously and place the “cat’s tongues” biscuits as if they were tiles.
Cut a door out of a chocolate bar and place it on a side of the house, it will be the entrance door.
Use various colors of marshmallow to make a  hedge around the garden, plant lollipops of different colours to create little trees, and use smarties for the stones. Finally,  using two little donuts one on top of the other, build the garden well !
 
Use your imagination and compose your setting with all the candies, cookies and chocolates you have in the house !

And enjoy this precious moment with all the children …!!! 

 

Pesto Trofie with shrimps and leek sauce

For 8 

Cut up 3 small leeks in thin slices, and if you like add a little oil or butter … 

Add the peeled shrimps and sauté on a slow fire. Sprinkle a little white wine and after evaporation, introduce four fresh cut tomatoes without skin; continue cooking with a very slow fire to achieve a condensed effect. 

Separately, cook 900g of trofie with four pinches of salt (count about 110g and 120g per person depending on their appetite), introduce the sauce and at the last moment add the pesto.

Depending on the quantity of shrimps you use, this can easily become a main dish ! 

 

 

Pea and mint soup

For 4

Cut up an onion and cook it in 100g of butter during about 5 minutes. Add a very thinly sliced lettuce and mix well. Incorporate a big spoon of flour mixing it very slowly.

After a few minutes add a litre and a half of chicken or vegetable broth and leave it until it boils. Lower the fire and add a bunch of freshly cut up mint and 500 g of peas (you can easily use frozen ones). 

When the peas are cooked and soft, mix it all up.

This soup can be savoured warm or cold, depending on the climate and your taste.

When you serve it you can add a few leaves of fresh mint and a little piece of bacon.