| All recipes: |
NEW RECIPE Creamy Mushroom Soup-Purée
1. Cut the butter into small pieces and place it in the refrigerator. 2. Wash, peel, and slice the potatoes into rounds about 1 cm thick. Cook them in the broth until soft (about 15 minutes). 3. Wash the mushrooms, pat them dry with a paper towel, and slice them. 4. Wash the parsley sprigs, pat dry, and finely chop. 5. Using a hand mixer or an immersion blender, purée the cooked potatoes and broth directly in the pot (be sure to remove it from the heat first). 6. Sauté the mushrooms in 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a preheated skillet. 7. Pour the cream into the potato purée, stirring as you bring it to a simmer — but do not let it boil. Remove from heat. 8. Whisk the soup while gradually incorporating the cold butter pieces. 9. Add the mushrooms, salt, parsley, and pepper. Stir and serve. SERVING IDEAS: - Sprinkle finely chopped parsley or chives for a fresh, green accent. - Serve with thin slices of toasted baguette, garlic croutons, or small butter‑fried cubes for crunch. - This soup pairs beautifully with a simple green salad, warm brioche, or a slice of rustic country bread. THE MOST POPULAR Christmas Cinnamon Pies
1. Warm the milk. It should be warm, not hot. 2. Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk. 3. Add 1 tablespoon of sugar and 2 tablespoons of sifted flour to the milk with yeast. Whisk to combine. Cover the bowl with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let the sponge rise in a warm place for 20–30 minutes. 4. Separate 2 eggs into yolks and whites. 5. Add 2 tablespoons of milk to the yolks. Mix. Cover and set aside — this is the egg–milk wash for brushing the pies. 6. In a large bowl (or stand mixer bowl), combine the sponge, 1 whole egg, the 2 egg whites, the remaining sugar, salt, and 30 ml of vegetable oil. Gradually add the flour and knead until you get an elastic dough. (If kneading by hand, knead for about 10 minutes after all the flour is added.) 7. Knead the soft butter pieces into the dough. 8. Shape the dough into a ball, grease it lightly with vegetable oil, and place it into a large greased bowl. Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let rise for at least 1 hour, preferably 1.5 hours. 9. Mix 60 g sugar with 10 g cinnamon. 10. Divide the dough into 2 equal parts, then divide each part into 3 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball — you’ll have 6 balls total. Keep them covered so they don’t dry out. Each pie uses 3 dough balls. 11. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one ball into a circle about 5 mm thick. Transfer it to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with the cinnamon–sugar mixture. 12. Roll out the second ball into a circle of the same diameter. Place it on top of the first circle. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon–sugar. 13. Roll out the third ball into a circle of the same diameter. Place it on top. Do not brush the top layer. 14. Mark a small circle in the center (using a cutter or glass). From that circle, cut the dough outward to the edge: first into 4 sections, then each section into 2 — you’ll have 8 segments. In each segment, make a slit in the middle, cutting through all layers. Turn each segment inside-out through the slit, then pinch the outer corners together. Twist all segments this way to form a snowflake shape. (Make sure the layers are slightly visible; gently separate them if needed.) 15. Cover the pie with a towel and let it proof in a warm place for 20–30 minutes. 16. Repeat steps 11–15 with the second pie. 17. Preheat the oven to 385°F (195°C). 18. SYRUP. Mix 1.5 tablespoons sugar with vanilla extract and 100 ml boiling water. Stir until the sugar dissolves. 19. Brush the pies with the yolk–milk mixture. Bake in the preheated oven (no convection) on the middle rack for 20–25 minutes, until beautifully golden. 20. Brush the hot pies with the syrup and transfer to a rack to cool completely. SERVING IDEAS: - Serve with hot chocolate, mulled wine, spiced tea, or a latte — the cinnamon pairs perfectly. - Warm a slice for 10–15 seconds — it becomes soft, buttery, and perfect with morning coffee. - Pair slices with bowls of whipped cream, vanilla yogurt, or mascarpone for dipping. - Wrap in parchment and twine; it makes a beautiful homemade holiday gift. |