Red Velvet Cupcakes

Cupcakes + Muffins

February 8th 2013 in Cupcakes + Muffins by Anne

Red Velvet Cupcakes, Valentine's Day

Oh no, not another Valentine’s blog post! Well, rest assured, this one has nothing to do with schmoozy love stuff. For me this post is dedicated to my amazing family and friends, who are making my world.

So let me thank you all for being so great. Especially mum, who’s at the moment the biggest and best supporter of a huge project I’m working on.
Christine, for being such an awesome sister and always listening.
Dad for helping me work out some of the complicated tasks ahead.
Emma for inspiring me over the years and never failing to amaze.
Verena for always being there.
Carole for being such a cool fellow foodie.
Elmira for being so enthusiastic about everything I do.
Ayshea for her hard work and amazing creativeness.
Jael for sharing cakes and stories.
Lawrence for being a token Brit and always helping out.

And everyone else too!!! Thank you for following this blog and loving great food! You’re all awesome!

Red Velvet Cupcakes, Valentine's Day

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Tartiflette: Cheesy Potato Bake

Other Savouries

January 30th 2013 in Other Savouries by Anne

Tartiflette

Yup, you’ve guessed right, I’m still in comfort food mode! And how could I not?! It’s cold, grey and wet outside and I’m mostly hibernating. Hibernating for me means spending time in my kitchen, in front of my computer and in my bed. I’ve been cooking lots, trying out new recipes for an exciting project, photographing, editing the photos, writing up recipes, catching up with my social media platforms and foremost binge-watching US TV Shows in bed – including Fringe, Parenthood, Girls, How I Met Your Mother and New Girl. So you see, I’ve been busy hibernating.

But over to this recipe. My favourite comfort dishes always seem to include three ingredients: cheese, bacon and potatoes. I don’t really need to explain why I love either one of these, and even less why they work together, it’s just a winning combination, right? Back in spring, I made a light, low-fat potato bake (you can watch the video here), but this is the real deal. A heavy, creamy, cheesy potato bake pimped with slices of camembert and pancetta. Could it get any better? Frankly no!

Now, let me just briefly justify the name of this recipe. Those of you who spend every winter on the pillowy white slopes of the French alps will scream out “hold on, this ain’t a proper tartiflette”. And yes, I lower my head in shame, it ain’t… You see, a traditional tartiflette is a cheesy potato bake made with heavenly Reblochon cheese. I was craving it so badly the other day, so I went to my local shops and was let down by the meagre cheese selection… Think: cheddar, cheddar, cheddar, a weak brie, some goats cheese, a bit of blue cheese, and oh, some more cheddar. That’s all. Live with it Anne, you’re not in Luxembourg where the cheese rayons of any supermarket are stuffed with all possible kinds of mouthwatering cheeses… So, I had to compromise and buy a camembert instead (and throw in some cheddar too). So, think of this as a British version of the French classic.

Camembert Tartiflette

Before sharing the recipe I’d just like to briefly share some other exciting news. I just bought my tickets to attend The Hive blogging conferencein Berlin, on the 25th and 26th May. It will be a complete joy to return to this awesome blogging event! Last year’s conference was a real blast, I met so many lovely people and really learnt a lot. I was also leading a food photography workshop – this year I’m taking a break from being a speaker though and will enjoy the conference as a regular attendee. So, if you happen to come too, let me know, I’d love to meet you and share a slice of cake together!

Anyway, enough ramblings, time to enjoy your tartiflette!

Tartiflette

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Lentil Stew: Hearty Dinner for the Colder Months

Other Savouries

January 22nd 2013 in Other Savouries by Anne

Lentil Stew

Snow in London! Lots and lots of snow! Yes, my little terrace is covered in over 15cm of fluffy white snow. Last weekend the skies just opened up and released millions of little snowflakes, transforming the capital into a cheesy winter wonderland. Londoners wrapped up and rushed out of their flats and headed for the white parks and slopes – sledges in tow (I even caught my neighbour walking out of the flat with a snowboard tucked under his arm!).

As much as I would have loved to join the hordes of snow-lovers, I was stuck inside, working on a new exciting project which involved lots of filming in my kitchen. Still, the many snowscapes which showed up on my Facebook feed inspired me to make a hearty stew – the perfect bowl to come back to after a day in the cold. It’s super simple to prepare, and once everything is in the pot, you can just sit back, have a glass of wine and let the stew do its own thing.

By the way, you can easily make a vegetarian version of this by omitting the bacon and using a bit of oil to fry the onions in. If you want to push the boat out, throw in some smoked tofu.

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Spätzle with caramelized onions and pancetta

Other Savouries

January 9th 2013 in Other Savouries by Anne

Spaetzle

A happy new year to you all, may it be filled with great moments, great adventure and even greater food!

I started my year pretty well – it involved a big plate of homemade Spätzle, one of my favourite German comfort foods off all time! I know, I know, my Luxembourgish compatriotes will shout out “what about Kniddelen?! Why make Spätzle when you could eat Kniddelen (Luxembourgish boiled dumplings, a bit like big Spätzle – delicious)”. Well, I have a pretty good reason… using one of my Christmas presents!

See, for Christmas, my mum gave me a Spätzle hobel – a specialized instrument used to create perfect little Spätzle. Imagine a cheesegrater with a little square compartment on top, into which you put the Spätzle dough, then ‘grate’ it through the little holes, so that the Spätzle fall directly into boiling water. Pretty clever, ey?

Mum’s reasoning behind this original gift was that from now on, I wouldn’t have to smuggle bags of fresh Spätzle into the UK anymore (yes, my secret past as a noodle-bootlegger is now uncovered) – instead, I could make them myself!

So, first thing back in London, I had a go at it… And boy, did they turn out great! At first it was a bit messy, the dough was very sticky and ended up clogging the holes instead of falling through – I was covered in sticky, uncooked Spätzle dough and was shouting at the recipe that came with the Spätzle hobel. Then, I took a deep breath, decided to ditch their recipe and just add more water to it – and this time it worked. So, lesson learned: don’t always trust recipes, be creative and make your own damn Spätzle instead of smuggling them in!

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Spaetzle

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