I received a surprise Christmas gift from my aunt ten days ago. A gift that I would not have ever expected. It was a little cookbook, but not any cookbook! It is written by the residents and staff of the retirement house where my paternal grandfather lives. They all contributed to it and you can find some lovely recipes in it.
I was only browsing my new little cookbook when I noticed I had an email from my aunt: "check out the dessert section, there is your grandmother's recipe for the crème bourguignonne in it".
Now this is something that brought tears to my eyes.
I was only browsing my new little cookbook when I noticed I had an email from my aunt: "check out the dessert section, there is your grandmother's recipe for the crème bourguignonne in it".
Now this is something that brought tears to my eyes.
My grandmother passed away 11 years ago, she had leukemia. She was a truly amazing cook and I feel like what she left me is the best inheritance you could think of: an unconditional love for food and cooking.
I remember spending holidays at my paternal grandparents occasionally. My brother and I would be woken up at the crack of dawn by the sound of my grandfather writing books on his old typewriter. There were not many toys for us to play with in their house. We had to use our imagination a lot and make the best use out of two random pieces of a puzzle, a dozen Lego bricks and the leg of a Playmobil toy. I would occupy myself by drawing a lot and creating stories on paper.
But one of the best things was to sit quietly on a chair in the corner of the kitchen and observe Mamie cooking (we called her Mamie; my other grandmother is Mamy, spot the difference). It did feel like a cooking show. I was never asked to help, I was only allowed to look and then eat.
I remember spending holidays at my paternal grandparents occasionally. My brother and I would be woken up at the crack of dawn by the sound of my grandfather writing books on his old typewriter. There were not many toys for us to play with in their house. We had to use our imagination a lot and make the best use out of two random pieces of a puzzle, a dozen Lego bricks and the leg of a Playmobil toy. I would occupy myself by drawing a lot and creating stories on paper.
But one of the best things was to sit quietly on a chair in the corner of the kitchen and observe Mamie cooking (we called her Mamie; my other grandmother is Mamy, spot the difference). It did feel like a cooking show. I was never asked to help, I was only allowed to look and then eat.
It felt like the robot culinaire (mixer) was working constantly. Cakes, sauces, fish dishes, soups, terrines, patés, meat stews... There was always something delicious to eat.
During the Summer, we would eat cherry clafoutis practically every day. My grandmother used to leave the stones in the cherries and it gave the dessert such a wonderful flavour!
And then, during Winter time, we would eat la crème bourguignonne. This dessert is wonderful and fluffy, it is just like a warm hug. A warm hug with caramel and vanilla scents!
For the past few years, I have looked for the crème bourguignonne recipe a few times on the internet with no result. Every time, I meant to ask my mother for the recipe (my grandmother and aunts shared it with her) but then forgot. Did my grandmother call it like that? Is it meant to have another name? I have no idea. All I want is make the dessert and eat it, and try to share it...
And that is why it brought tears to my eyes: all the memories, my grandmother, the fact I have looked for the recipe for a while and now it is here in my hands. Now, I can cook it, sit down with my bowl of crème bourguignonne, close my eyes and be transported to my childhood and my holidays spent observing my grandmother cooking many wonders.
I have decided to share the recipe with you because all of us deserve a vanilla and caramel scented spoonful of fluffy warm hugs this Winter! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
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If you have not done so yet, feel free to 'like' my facebook page, follow me on twitter or on pinterest.
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Et pour les français et francophones, la recette de la crème bourguignonne est tout en bas de l'article pour vous aussi.
During the Summer, we would eat cherry clafoutis practically every day. My grandmother used to leave the stones in the cherries and it gave the dessert such a wonderful flavour!
And then, during Winter time, we would eat la crème bourguignonne. This dessert is wonderful and fluffy, it is just like a warm hug. A warm hug with caramel and vanilla scents!
For the past few years, I have looked for the crème bourguignonne recipe a few times on the internet with no result. Every time, I meant to ask my mother for the recipe (my grandmother and aunts shared it with her) but then forgot. Did my grandmother call it like that? Is it meant to have another name? I have no idea. All I want is make the dessert and eat it, and try to share it...
And that is why it brought tears to my eyes: all the memories, my grandmother, the fact I have looked for the recipe for a while and now it is here in my hands. Now, I can cook it, sit down with my bowl of crème bourguignonne, close my eyes and be transported to my childhood and my holidays spent observing my grandmother cooking many wonders.
I have decided to share the recipe with you because all of us deserve a vanilla and caramel scented spoonful of fluffy warm hugs this Winter! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
****************************************************************************
If you have not done so yet, feel free to 'like' my facebook page, follow me on twitter or on pinterest.
****************************************************************************
Et pour les français et francophones, la recette de la crème bourguignonne est tout en bas de l'article pour vous aussi.
My Mamie's Crème Bourguignonne Recipe (Vegetarian)
Ingredients (serves 6 to 8 people)
For the caramel
70g caster sugar
15g liquid glucose
For the cream
1 litre milk
70g caster sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla essence
150g unsalted butter
3 tbsp flour
3 free range eggs (separate the whites from the egg yolks)
Put the sugar and liquid glucose in a small saucepan over medium heat. Agitate constantly with a metal spoon until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture has turned into a golden caramel.
Transfer the caramel quickly into a baking dish as it will set quite fast. Move the dish around to spread the caramel all over the bottom. The baking dish I use is 27cm x 22cm and is 7cm deep. Make sure the dish you use is deep enough.
Preheat the oven to 180ºC.
Boil the milk with the sugar and the vanilla essence and set aside.
Put the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once it has melted, add the flour and stir well. Add the boiled milk gradually and stir well until the mixture has thickened (it should coat the back of a spoon).
Take the saucepan off the heat and after 2 to 3 minutes, add the egg yolks and mix well.
Let this mixture cool down for 5 to 10 minutes.
In the meantime, whip the egg whites until you get stiff peaks.
Fold them in delicately with the custard-like mixture. Pour in the baking dish over the caramel. Put the dish on the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the top of the dessert is puffed and golden.
Serve it warm or cold in dessert bowls.
I love eating it warm on its own on a cold Winter day. But when served cold, it goes well with a fruit coulis such as raspberries for example.
Bon appétit!
Ingredients (serves 6 to 8 people)
For the caramel
70g caster sugar
15g liquid glucose
For the cream
1 litre milk
70g caster sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla essence
150g unsalted butter
3 tbsp flour
3 free range eggs (separate the whites from the egg yolks)
Put the sugar and liquid glucose in a small saucepan over medium heat. Agitate constantly with a metal spoon until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture has turned into a golden caramel.
Transfer the caramel quickly into a baking dish as it will set quite fast. Move the dish around to spread the caramel all over the bottom. The baking dish I use is 27cm x 22cm and is 7cm deep. Make sure the dish you use is deep enough.
Preheat the oven to 180ºC.
Boil the milk with the sugar and the vanilla essence and set aside.
Put the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once it has melted, add the flour and stir well. Add the boiled milk gradually and stir well until the mixture has thickened (it should coat the back of a spoon).
Take the saucepan off the heat and after 2 to 3 minutes, add the egg yolks and mix well.
Let this mixture cool down for 5 to 10 minutes.
In the meantime, whip the egg whites until you get stiff peaks.
Fold them in delicately with the custard-like mixture. Pour in the baking dish over the caramel. Put the dish on the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the top of the dessert is puffed and golden.
Serve it warm or cold in dessert bowls.
I love eating it warm on its own on a cold Winter day. But when served cold, it goes well with a fruit coulis such as raspberries for example.
Bon appétit!
Recette de la Crème Bourguignonne de ma Mamie (Végétarien) (En français)
Ingrédients (pour 6/8 personnes)
Pour le caramel
70g sucre en poudre
15g sirop de glucose
Pour la crème
1 litre de lait entier ou demi-écrémé
70g sucre en poudre
1/4 càc essence de vanille (càc: cuillère à café)
150g beurre doux
3 càs farine (càs: cuillère à soupe)
3 oeufs (séparez les blancs des jaunes)
Faîtes fondre le sucre avec le sirop de glucose dans une casserole (à fond épais si possible). Agitez constamment jusqu'à l'obtention d'un caramel blond. Versez-le dans un moule et bien répartir dans le fond (le caramel prend très vite alors cela doit être fait rapidement). Vous pouvez utiliser un moule à charlotte ou à soufflé, ou comme celui sur la photo au début de l'article, à partir du moment où le moule à des bords hauts.
Préchauffez le four à 180ºC.
Faîtes bouillir le lait avec le sucre et la vanille, et réservez-le dans un récipient.
Faîtes fondre le beurre et ajoutez-y la farine, mélangez bien. Versez le lait bouillant jusqu'à épaississement, puis hors du feu, ajoutez les 3 jaunes d'oeufs.
Battez les blancs en neige ferme et incorporez-les délicatement dans la crème légèrement tiédie.
Versez dans le moule sur le caramel et mettez au four pendant 20 à 25 minutes jusqu'à ce que le dessus de l'entremet soit soufflé et doré.
Vous pouvez manger la crème bourguignonne tiède ou froide.
Je la mange tiède en particulier lors d'une journée hivernale bien froide. Cela se déguste aussi très bien froid avec un coulis de fruit comme des framboises par exemple.
Bon appétit!
Ingrédients (pour 6/8 personnes)
Pour le caramel
70g sucre en poudre
15g sirop de glucose
Pour la crème
1 litre de lait entier ou demi-écrémé
70g sucre en poudre
1/4 càc essence de vanille (càc: cuillère à café)
150g beurre doux
3 càs farine (càs: cuillère à soupe)
3 oeufs (séparez les blancs des jaunes)
Faîtes fondre le sucre avec le sirop de glucose dans une casserole (à fond épais si possible). Agitez constamment jusqu'à l'obtention d'un caramel blond. Versez-le dans un moule et bien répartir dans le fond (le caramel prend très vite alors cela doit être fait rapidement). Vous pouvez utiliser un moule à charlotte ou à soufflé, ou comme celui sur la photo au début de l'article, à partir du moment où le moule à des bords hauts.
Préchauffez le four à 180ºC.
Faîtes bouillir le lait avec le sucre et la vanille, et réservez-le dans un récipient.
Faîtes fondre le beurre et ajoutez-y la farine, mélangez bien. Versez le lait bouillant jusqu'à épaississement, puis hors du feu, ajoutez les 3 jaunes d'oeufs.
Battez les blancs en neige ferme et incorporez-les délicatement dans la crème légèrement tiédie.
Versez dans le moule sur le caramel et mettez au four pendant 20 à 25 minutes jusqu'à ce que le dessus de l'entremet soit soufflé et doré.
Vous pouvez manger la crème bourguignonne tiède ou froide.
Je la mange tiède en particulier lors d'une journée hivernale bien froide. Cela se déguste aussi très bien froid avec un coulis de fruit comme des framboises par exemple.
Bon appétit!
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