List of recipes from category Basic recipes: 145 recipes

List of recipes from category Basic recipes

Aromatic preparations

Beurre d'escargot
Beurre d'escargot
Beurre d'escargot is the typically French flavoured butter added to snails before they go into the oven. In principal, this a simple mixture of butter, chopped parsley and garlic, but here is a more sophisticated gastronomic version with a flavour that simply oozes French savoir-faire.
55K3 51 min. November 7th 2018
Bouquet garni
Bouquet garni
Used very frequently in French cuisine, a secret of French chefs, it adds flavour to a lot of recipes, and it's easy to prepare. The basic principle is to make a small bundle of herbs, bind them in green leek leaves and to tie it up, so that the whole thing can be removed and discarded easily after...
403K3.5 12 min. March 21th 2017
Feta in olive oil with herbs
Feta in olive oil with herbs
This recipe tells you how to preserve cubes of feta with herbs. It will keep for a long time and improves with keeping. Using this feta in a salad, such as Greek salad, adds an amazing flavour.
90K4.6 14 min. August 2nd 2015
Herb olive oil
Herb olive oil
This flavoured olive oil, easy to prepare, goes very well with Mediterranean cuisine: pizzas, pastas, pan bagnat, etc...
296K3.8 21 min. February 21th 2011
Herb salad
Herb salad
Herb salad is a small salad made with leaves of all kinds of aromatic herbs, it's highly flavoured, and should be considered almost as a condiment. It really is a salad, the leaves are not chopped.
219K4.6 22 min. October 13th 2010
Home-made chilli oil
Home-made chilli oil
It is very simple and economical to make your own chilli oil. Here's how to do it.
19K 15 min. March 30th 2022
Mushroom duxelles
Mushroom duxelles
A duxelles consists of finely sliced mushrooms cooked in butter with shallots. It is more of a preparation than a dish in its own right, which can be used in other recipes.
42K 24 min. May 10th 2023
Noisette butter
Noisette butter
"Noisette" means hazelnut in French. Noisette butter is made by melting butter, then boiling and raising it to a high temperature until it takes on both a light brown hazelnut colour and also a characteristic nutty smell. Compared with simple clarified butter, this noisette butter has a delicate...
112K4.5 15 min. December 30th 2019
Pickled gherkins
Pickled gherkins
Preparing your own gherkins in vinegar is quite straightforward, if you know how to avoid a few pitfalls. Here's a recipe which works every time.
753K 73.1 4 hours 36 min. August 21th 2013
Praline
Praline
Praline is a preparation of caramelized nuts (in this case almonds), with a very characteristic flavour. Either crushed or as a paste, it is used to fill or flavour all manner of things like creams, chocolates, biscuits, etc.
252K3.5 55 min. August 3rd 2012
Preserved lemons
Preserved lemons
For this recipe, the lemons are sliced first (this makes them easier to use later), then salted to drain off the juice before being bottled in herb-flavoured olive oil. These preserved lemons can be used in all sorts of dishes, especially with fish and poultry.
116K 15 12 hours 36 min. December 2nd 2012
Red mixed pickle
Red mixed pickle
This mixed pickle is made with a variety of vegetables left to mature for 2 weeks in diluted vinegar. The result is similar to gherkins and can be added to lots of recipes, or eaten with a snack or sandwich. This red version gets its name from beetroot and red cabbage, which eventually colour...
34K 1 hour 29 min. April 29th 2020
Vanilla sugar
Vanilla sugar
Almost essential in patisserie, you can find it in expensive little sachets of about 10g. It's necessary to distinguish between the vanilla sugar which really contains vanilla, and vanillin sugar, purely chemical which has never seen a vanilla pod. Here is how to quickly make a whole jar full of...
403K 15 26 min. August 12th 2018
Vegetable stock
Vegetable stock
Vegetable stock is a very easy and versatile basic recipe. It can be used in many different ways: for cooking rice, making soups, sauces, etc. It's a good idea to keep a supply of vegetable stock in your fridge or freezer.
251K4.3 1 hour October 5th 2011

Breads

Home-made breadcrumb coating
Home-made breadcrumb coating
The crispy crust on many fried (or baked) foods comes from a breadcrumb coating. You can buy this, of course, but it's easy and much better to make your own at home. For one thing, you will know excatly what's in it – just bread – which is not the case for the commercial product. This is also a...
106K1 1 hour 7 min. October 28th 2018

Cakes

Almond macaroon cake
Almond macaroon cake
This is a cake version of an almond meringue, moister and denser in texture. This cake can be eaten on its own or made smaller, like finger biscuits. It can also be used as the base in a boozy dessert, such as a framboisier.
48K4.3 58 min. December 30th 2019
Biscuit de Savoie sponge cake
Biscuit de Savoie sponge cake
Biscuit de Savoie is not a "biscuit" in the English sense, just a very light sponge cake. It is delicious plain, but it can also be filled with cream, fruit, etc.
101K5 1 hour 8 min. December 23th 2014
Génoise (Genoa sponge)
Génoise (Genoa sponge)
A Génoise (or Genoa sponge) is a very light and delicate cake. It is good on its own, but is more often used as the base for many different French-style gâteaux, with layers of mousse or cream between 2 (or more) layers of sponge. It is a tricky recipe to get right, rather technical, but here's a...
219K 53 1 hour 13 min. March 10th 2019

Confectionery

Nougatine
Nougatine
Nougatine is a delicious nut toffee: caramel mixed with toasted flaked almonds. Not a dessert in itself, it is often used to decorate cakes and pastries. But those who enjoy good things are sure to want to eat it on its own!
313K3.9 32 min. March 29th 2018

Creams and foams

Almond cream or frangipane
Almond cream or frangipane
Light and delicious, it is used in a lot of desserts like tarts, cakes and pies (epiphany galette).
438K 25 44 min. January 23th 2022
Apple confectioner's custard
Apple confectioner's custard
For this strongly apple-flavoured version of confectioner's custard (crème pâtissière, or french pastry cream), apple juice is used instead of milk and the quantity of sugar is reduced.
118K4.6 21 min. July 23th 2014
Bavaroise cream
Bavaroise cream
A "bavaroise" is made with custard, set with gelatin after cooking, and with whipped cream added once it has cooled. This makes a delicious, smooth cream that can be used to create many different desserts.
16K 40 min. May 8th 2022
Butter cream
Butter cream
Butter cream is made with egg yolk, sugar syrup and, of course, butter. These days it has fallen rather out of fashion, probably because it's very rich, but it still has its aficionados. Here is the classic plain version, which you can lighten and flavour as you wish.
311K4.6 58 min. October 13th 2010
Chantilly cream
Chantilly cream
Chantilly cream, it's simply whipped liquid cream with sugar. It is use in many desserts, but already delicious simply with strawberries or other fruits.
654K5 18 min. September 17th 2013
Chocolate Chantilly
Chocolate Chantilly
If we look at the more scientific side of Chantilly cream we can see that it's mainly cream, and cream is a mix of very small droplets of milk fat and water, which is called an emulsion. When we whip this emulsion, we incorporate air into it and so create a mousse or foam. In the end Chantilly is a...
164K5 15 min. September 25th 2013
Chocolate ganache
Chocolate ganache
A chocolate ganache is a mixture of cream and chocolate made while hot. This gives a kind of paste which solidifies somewhat as it cools but remains fairly soft. This is the filling used in many chocolates.
315K 13.7 15 min. January 25th 2022
Clafoutis batter
Clafoutis batter
Clafoutis is a cake from the Limousin region of France, made with a liquid batter similar to pancake batter, into which fruit is added before baking. Here's a recipe for clafoutis batter, which you can use with any fruit you like.
7,927 5 min. August 23th 2023
Clementine Chantilly
Clementine Chantilly
As the Clementine season is now in full swing, I would like to tempt you to try this surprisingly different clementine-flavoured Chantilly. The recipe is very simple but delicious.
23K 20 min. February 2nd 2022
Clementine confectioner's custard
Clementine confectioner's custard
This clementine confectioner's custard makes the most of the delicious fruity flavour by using both the juice and zest.
25K 30 min. January 23th 2022
Clementine Creamy
Clementine Creamy
A clementine cremeux is a little different from cremeux based on pulpy fruits (such as blackcurrant or raspberry), this time more juice is used and the zest.
14K2 2 hours 36 min. January 18th 2023
Clementine diplomat cream
Clementine diplomat cream
Diplomat cream, as delicious as ever, in a double clementine-flavoured version. It can be used in lots of desserts and pastries.
27K 28 min. February 13th 2022
Coffee custard
Coffee custard
You are probably familiar with the classic real custard (crème anglaise). Here's a coffee-flavoured version.
18K 29 min. May 4th 2022
Confectioner's custard (Crème pâtissière, or French pastry cream)
Confectioner's custard (Crème pâtissière, or French pastry cream)
Quite similar to crème anglaise but much thicker. It is used in many pastries like choux pastry (pâte à choux) or millefeuille.
731K 313.7 36 min. January 27th 2017
Diplomat cream
Diplomat cream
Diplomat cream or "crème Madame" (a much prettier name) is one of many creams in French pâtisserie based on confectioner's custard. The classic confectioner's custard (crème pâtissière, or french pastry cream) has gelatin added while hot, then whipped cream is folded in when cold. This gives a...
56K 1 hour 47 min. October 30th 2019
Foie gras Chantilly
Foie gras Chantilly
Chantilly is a method which is applied to cream of course, but also to other surprising ingredients. If we look at the more scientific side of Chantilly we can see that it's mainly cream, and cream is a mix of very small droplets of milk fat and water, which is called an emulsion. When we whip this...
104K4.6 28 min. September 17th 2013
Fruit crémeux
Fruit crémeux
This kind of "crémeux" (it means "creamy", but contains no actual cream) is a basic recipe in the repertoire of French pastry chefs. It is smoother but less frothy than a mousse and uses gelatin to set it as it cools. Often used as a tart filling or in other desserts, crémeux is usually poured to...
159K2.5 40 min. September 12th 2020
Italian Meringue
Italian Meringue
Italian meringue is made with sugar cooked to 120°C or 248°F. This is different from the French, which is made from caster sugar. The cooked sugar gives a softer meringue which can be added to other preparations or use as it is.
461K4.3 30 min. June 2nd 2015
Lemon Confectioner's Custard
Lemon Confectioner's Custard
This recipe is for a confectioner's custard with a difference: it's a little less sweet than the classic confectioner's custard (crème pâtissière, or french pastry cream) and has double lemon flavour, using both zest and juice, for plenty of tangy lemon taste. It's the perfect filling for lemon...
186K4.4 23 min. May 9th 2018
Lime (or lemon) curd
Lime (or lemon) curd
Lime curd is a delicious conserve and variation on the traditional lemon curd, made with limes, eggs and butter. It's the perfect filling for either large or small tarts.
150K5 54 min. July 10th 2011
Lime confectioner's custard (pastry cream)
Lime confectioner's custard (pastry cream)
Taking its inspiration from lemon confectioner's custard, this version has a distinctive lime flavour. Both juice and zest are used to combine the juice's slight acidity with a hint of bitterness from the zest.
85K2 56 min. July 21th 2019
Lime crémeux
Lime crémeux
This "crémeux" is a creamy mixture ideal for filling tarts, either on its own or as a bottom layer topped with fruit, for example.
56K 46 min. April 14th 2021
Panna cotta
Panna cotta
Panna cotta is an Italian dessert which means "cooked cream". It's a set vanilla cream, similar to blancmange, which is frequently served with other things like fruit coulis (fruit purée), caramel etc.. Here is the basic panna cotta recipe.
335K4.3 25 min. February 21th 2011
Paris flan filling
Paris flan filling
This is how to prepare the custard filling for a classic Parisian "flan". This is not the whole recipe, just the filling mixture, which can be used in lots of other flan-style recipes on this site.
50K5 41 min. February 25th 2023
Pear compote
Pear compote
Stewed pears are not as easy to prepare as stewed apples, as they contain more juice and you risk ending up with more of a coulis than a compote. So here are two simple methods to help you succeed.
450K4.3 37 min. April 26th 2012
Pistachio confectioner's custard
Pistachio confectioner's custard
This is very similar to the classic confectioner's custard (crème pâtissière, or french pastry cream), but its marked pistachio taste brings a distinctive flavour to a whole range of desserts.
186K4.7 31 min. November 21th 2018
Pistachio cream
Pistachio cream
Very similar to almond cream, pistachio cream is ideal for filling or topping all kinds of cakes and tarts. Just like almond cream, it swells during cooking.
288K 64.1 33 min. October 4th 2012
Quince and apple compote
Quince and apple compote
This compote is a tricky balancing act between the characteristic quince flavour and just enough apples to sweeten it. You should end up with a compote that has a delicate quince flavour rounded out by the apples and brown sugar.
100K3 59 min. December 30th 2019
Quince compote
Quince compote
Quinces make an excellent compote, full of their delightful perfume and flavour. However, preparing the fruit is hard work, so here's a recipe to show you how to manage this.
30K 55 min. November 11th 2020
Real custard sauce (crème anglaise)
Real custard sauce (crème anglaise)
Real custard or vanilla sauce consists of egg yolks beaten with sugar and cooked slowly in vanilla milk. It is the base or the accompaniment for many desserts.
401K 24.3 44 min. January 17th 2018
Rich hazelnut buttercream
Rich hazelnut buttercream
This delicious preparation is an alternative to almond frangipane: a nutty buttercream enriched with eggs, designed to be cooked into various pastries.
141K4.1 40 min. November 15th 2017
Royal icing
Royal icing
Royal icing is a mixture of egg white and icing sugar. From its pasty consistency when fresh, it dries to give a lovely white crust.
186K4.7 13 min. February 12th 2012
Stewed apple (compote)
Stewed apple (compote)
Here is a very basic but delicious recipe, and the pitfalls to avoid.
2.4M 14.8 1 hour 13 min. November 8th 2017
Stewed apricots
Stewed apricots
Here is how to make delicious stewed apricots, both an easy and a more sophisticated way.
752K 143.6 1 hour 17 min. July 12th 2023
Stewed plums
Stewed plums
Quick and simple, stewed plums can also be spread like jam.
450K2.6 38 min. June 27th 2010
Stewed rhubarb
Stewed rhubarb
This is perhaps the best known use of rhubarb, and can be used as the basis for other recipes.
280K4.4 55 min. October 13th 2010
Swiss meringues
Swiss meringues
Swiss meringues are a variant of the classic French meringue. The eggs whites and sugar are beaten together in a bain-marie at first, then beaten stiff as normal. This makes for a firmer meringue which can be used to make small items or figures to decorate cakes or ice creams (such as mushrooms,...
109K3.8 1 hour 17 min. June 2nd 2015

Fruits

Clear strawberry juice
Clear strawberry juice
In French this is called a "clarification". The method for making a clear strawberry juice is simple, with little added sugar. The delicious juice obtained can be used in lots of recipes: mousse, cream, jelly, etc.
23K5 59 min. July 25th 2021
Dried apricots
Dried apricots
Making your own dried apricots at home is perfectly feasible. It's really quite simple, though it takes a long time. Basically, the apricots need to be cut in half, destoned, then the halves put to dry slowly for several hours in a cool oven.
117K3.9 6 hours 6 min. July 12th 2023
Poached pears
Poached pears
Poached pears are used in a number of desserts. Here's a method for poaching them that you can use in all your recipes.
4,369 28 min. November 22th 2023

Gratins

Polenta
Polenta
Polenta is made from maize meal and can be prepared in a number of ways. In this recipe, it is cooked in milk, then moulded and set before being fried.
193K5 1 hour 27 min. May 24th 2022

How to...

How to cook potato grenaille
How to cook potato grenaille
The French call very small potatoes "grenaille". This is a typical way of cooking them: the tiny potatoes are pan-fried in their skins and make an excellent accompanient for meat. Grenaille can be made with any kind of potato; it is a question of size, rather than variety, though I think that...
436K4.5 43 min. September 16th 2015
How to prepare apricots
How to prepare apricots
Here's how to prepare apricots for use in a recipe, from washing to slicing.
728K3.7 32 min. July 12th 2023
Vol-au-vent cases
Vol-au-vent cases
Vol-au-vents, whether large or bite-sized, need a special pastry case that is hollow to take the filling. Here is how to prepare these delicate cases using puff pastry.
290K4.1 44 min. October 16th 2013

Meat

Meatballs
Meatballs
Used in several recipes like couscous, meatballs can also be a dish on thier own. The secret of this recipe is in the mix of two different kinds of meat with a little Parmesan. Note that it's a dish children always love.
278K 24.7 43 min. February 21th 2011
Sausagemeat
Sausagemeat
Sausagemeat is a mixture of fatty pork (belly bacon here) with leaner meat, all minced and seasoned. In this version I have used veal as the additional meat.
195K3.8 15 min. October 3rd 2019

Miscellanous

Caramelised walnuts
Caramelised walnuts
These delicious nuts can be used in several cakes, but you can also put them on ice-cream, pancakes, fruit salad, or eat them just as they are.
354K5 22 min. February 21th 2011
Citrus crunch
Citrus crunch
These are fine crumbs of candied citrus peel. It can be used to sprinkle a dessert or other preparation to add both crunch and the flavour of the chosen citrus fruit. It is easy to prepare well in advance, and will keep in an airtight jar. This recipe is given for clementines, but can be made with...
220K3.7 1 hour 16 min. February 2nd 2016
Clarified butter
Clarified butter
This is a way of melting butter to eliminate all the impurities. The clarified butter can then be heated without spoiling, and is more digestible. It is ideal for cooking at high temperatures where small black specks would spoil the appearance, or for emulsified sauces like béarnaise or mousseline.
446K4.2 2 hours 14 min. June 21th 2017
Poached eggs
Poached eggs
Poached eggs are cooked, without the shell, in barely simmering (nearly boiling) water. White should be firm and yolk soft, that's the difficulty. This recipe teaches you how to succeed with three important points.
301K5 2 hours 40 min. January 8th 2013
Potimarron (Japanese chestnut pumpkin) purée
Potimarron (Japanese chestnut pumpkin) purée
Potimarron can be easily made into purée, you don't need to peel it, which makes for a quick and delicious recipe.
317K4.6 1 hour 12 min. October 13th 2010
Preserved tomatoes
Preserved tomatoes
Softer than dried tomatoes, they can be used as a kind of chutney in pasta dishes for instance, or simply served to accompany an aperitif.
329K4.8 5 hours 6 min. February 21th 2011
Quiche filling mixture
Quiche filling mixture
The basic mixture for filling quiches is made with seasoned eggs, cream and/or milk. It can be used in many kinds of savoury quiches and tarts, with different ingredients added (lardons, cheese, salmon, etc.).
63K 4 min. April 17th 2022
Scrambled eggs (Oeufs brouillés)
Scrambled eggs (Oeufs brouillés)
French-style scrambled eggs are rather special. It's not very difficult, just a bit long because it's cooked slowly in a bain-marie. Eventually you will get a delicious, refined and delicate preparation which can be eaten "as it is" or added to another recipe.
259K5 30 min. February 21th 2011
Toasted flaked almonds
Toasted flaked almonds
Toasted flaked almonds are the perfect finishing touch for desserts, ice creams in particular, because of their delightful crunch.
293K4.8 27 min. March 9th 2020

Pasta and rice

Fresh pasta dough
Fresh pasta dough
You can use this dough to make lasagne, ravioli, spaghetti, etc. - in fact, any fresh pasta you wish.
172K3.8 1 hour 13 min. December 6th 2012
Pilau rice
Pilau rice
Pilau rice (also called "restaurant rice" in France) is a way of cooking rice that's very different from using a rice-cooker. In this recipe, the rice is first "pearled" with onion in olive oil, then chicken stock is added, and the whole lot is put in the oven. This produces a very tasty moist rice,...
371K 14.4 33 min. February 21th 2011

Pastries

"Moelleux" cake batter
"Moelleux" cake batter
This French-style "moelleux" cake batter gives a softer, moister texture than a classic cake batter. It can be made plain or varied with different flavourings.
23K5 19 min. January 26th 2022
Almond dacquoise
Almond dacquoise
A dacquoise is a sort of almond meringue that can be eaten like a biscuit or can be used as the base of more sophisticated desserts.
192K5 44 min. June 28th 2011
Armagnac marzipan
Armagnac marzipan
Almost the same as plain marzipan, but this almond paste is flavoured with a hint of Armagnac or Cognac.
39K4.8 9 min. September 12th 2018
Basic cake batter - the French way
Basic cake batter - the French way
The French have adopted the word "cake" for one that will stand up to being transported (usually made a loaf tin and sometimes called a "travel cake" in French). There are many versions, but here is a new basic recipe to which you can your choice of flavours (pistachio, lemon, chocolate...) and...
35K 17 min. November 18th 2020
Breton sablé biscuit dough
Breton sablé biscuit dough
Brittany is famous for its rich, sandy textured "sablé" biscuits. Similar to shortbread, they are made with lots of butter and egg yolk, and just a hint of vanilla. This dough can be made into simple biscuits – already delicious on their own – or used as the base for tarts and other desserts.
97K 26 min. August 1st 2018
Brioche dough
Brioche dough
It's a soft and rich dough, with butter and eggs which give a smooth and incredibly tasty brioche. This is the basic recipe for brioche dough, used for all other brioche-based recipes on the site.
505K 44.2 14 hours 27 min. September 16th 2020
Buckwheat pancakes
Buckwheat pancakes
Buckwheat pancakes (galettes de sarasin in French) are typical of Brittany and are often served as a savoury dish. They are made with buckwheat flour (a cereal-like seed which is gluten free).
161K 24.3 15 min. July 21th 2015
Chocolate sweetcrust pastry
Chocolate sweetcrust pastry
This simplified sweetcrust pastry gets its chocolate flavour simply from cocoa powder, added towards the end of kneading. Chocolate aficionados will enjoy using this in all sorts of recipes that call for sweetcrust pastry (pâte sablée).
52K1 16 min. July 4th 2018
Choux pastry (pâte à choux)
Choux pastry (pâte à choux)
Choux pastry is used for making profiteroles, eclairs and other small pastries.
518K4.5 1 hour 4 min. February 13th 2022
Coconut paste
Coconut paste
Similar to marzipan or walnut paste, coconut paste can be used in a variety of cake or sweet recipes, but you can enjoy munching it just as it is.
277K 14 15 min. October 13th 2010
Coconut sweetcrust pastry
Coconut sweetcrust pastry
You might already be familiar with sweetcrust pastry (pâte sablée) which contains a small amount of ground almonds. This is the coconut version, made with dessicated coconut, ideal for tarts with a more exotic flavour.
39K1 13 min. October 25th 2020
Craquelin (sweet cracker dough)
Craquelin (sweet cracker dough)
This sweet cracker dough ("craquelin" in French) is a very simple mixture: equal parts of flour, butter and light brown sugar. It is simlilar to a shortbread dough and can be rolled out very thinly and cut into any shape as desired. Craquelin is mostly used (though not exclusively) on top of choux...
94K5 54 min. February 10th 2019
Financier batter
Financier batter
This delicious mixture is for the classic little French cakes called "financiers" (because of their ingot shape), but it can also be used with fruit, like a clafoutis.
328K4.6 12 min. April 14th 2020
Macaronade mixture
Macaronade mixture
Macaronade is the sweet almond and egg-white mixture (inspired by macarons (the original french macaroons) that French pâtissiers use as a topping on cakes and brioches. It forms a delicious crust when baked.
55K 2 min. November 25th 2020
Marzipan (almond paste)
Marzipan (almond paste)
Very easy to do if you have a food processor which can slice or grate a lot of things.
619K 34.5 11 min. December 19th 2021
Muffin dough
Muffin dough
This dough can be used to make this delicious and classic of the English cooking: muffins. It can be sweet, in different flavours, with fruit, but also savoury in other recipes.
545K5 21 min. February 6th 2013
Pancake batter
Pancake batter
Here is a pancake batter that is a little more sophisticated than the traditional version. The pancakes will be tastier with a softer texture.
311K3.8 13 min. February 2nd 2020
Pistachio powder or paste
Pistachio powder or paste
Pistachio paste has a similar texture to almond paste, but the similarity ends there, as its flavour and colour are quite characteristic.
356K 154 48 min. October 13th 2010
Pizza dough
Pizza dough
Pizza dough is a lind of bread dough with olive oil, which make it softer. This is the same dough that I use for pizzas and flammenkuches, this is no doubt incorrect, but it's very good nevertheless. At home we used to make pizza dough quite thick, and flammenkuche as thin as possible.
494K4.6 1 hour 59 min. August 27th 2020
Puff or flaky pastry (pâte feuilletée)
Puff or flaky pastry (pâte feuilletée)
Puff pastry is an incredible assembly of thin layers of butter enclosed in thin layers of dough. After cooking this give a succession of thin crisp pastry leaves that produce exceptional desserts or pies. It's a jewel of French patisserie. Making your own puff pastry is not very difficult, it's just...
435K 63.3 2 hours 45 min. January 19th 2011
Shortcrust pastry (pâte brisée)
Shortcrust pastry (pâte brisée)
This is for sweet or savoury tarts, quiches or pies. The difference between this and sweetcrust pastry (pâte sablée) is in the very small amount of sugar and the absence of ground almonds.
368K 24 31 min. December 29th 2019
Sweet pastry
Sweet pastry
This sweet pastry is one of the basics of French pâtisserie, just like shortcrust pastry (pâte brisée) and sweetcrust pastry (pâte sablée). It is less rich in butter, so less "short" but crisper, it can be used in all tart recipes, or for any other pastry-based desserts.
48K 13 min. June 27th 2018
Sweetcrust pastry (pâte sablée)
Sweetcrust pastry (pâte sablée)
Sweetcrust pastry is one of the basic pastry of French patisserie, used in many tart and cakes recipes, but it can also be rolled out and cut into biscuits, delicious with tea or coffee. This recipe is given for those who have a mixer (Kenwood, KitchenAid or other), but it can also be done with your...
464K 24.4 33 min. July 1st 2019
Walnut paste
Walnut paste
Very similar to marzipan (almond paste) in method, walnut paste is very tasty.
290K 63.5 14 min. February 21th 2011
Yeast-based flaky dough (for croissants)
Yeast-based flaky dough (for croissants)
This yeast-based flaky dough (or croissant dough) is where puff pastry meets a yeast dough (such as brioche dough). This means that not only will we get flaky layers, but the dough will also swell and rise. The method is along the same lines as for a feuilletage: the basic dough is first kneaded,...
135K 4 3 hours 58 min. June 9th 2019

Sauces

Béarnaise sauce
Béarnaise sauce
This very tasty sauce, flavoured with tarragon, chervil and shallot, with its hint of acidity, is perfect for grilled fish or meats. Its well-known as a difficult sauce, but here are all the tips that you need to succeed.
329K4 1 hour 6 min. May 22th 2016
Bechamel sauce
Bechamel sauce
Bechamel sauce is a classic, made from a cooked butter-flour mix called "roux", where milk is added and slowly cooked. We get a thick sauce, used in many recipes.
409K4.3 18 min. February 21th 2011
Beurre blanc sauce
Beurre blanc sauce
Beurre blanc sauce is a great classic of French cuisine, made with vinegar, white wine and shallots. It is a wonderful accompaniment for fish and shellfish.
168K3.8 35 min. February 2nd 2012
Carrot-top pesto
Carrot-top pesto
You will no doubt be familiar with classic pesto. Here is an alternative, zero-waste version using carrot tops for a surprising pesto, full of fresh flavour.
33K 16 min. September 16th 2020
Chocolate sauce
Chocolate sauce
This rich smooth chocolate sauce, with its full flavour, is one of the indispensable ingredients of profiteroles, but it can be used with many others desserts.
291K 24 32 min. February 21th 2011
Cocktail sauce
Cocktail sauce
Cocktail sauce is a spicy mayonnaise with cognac, Tabasco and concentrated tomato paste (or purée) added.
193K4 9 min. October 13th 2010
Coriander and cashew nut pesto
Coriander and cashew nut pesto
You are probably familiar with the classic pesto,made with basil and pine nuts. I'd like to tempt you with a rather different (but quite delicious) version, made with coriander and cashew nuts.
58K 26 min. December 9th 2018
Cream and herb dressing
Cream and herb dressing
A quick and easy recipe for a cream and herb dressing to go with all kinds of dishes, from simple jacket potatoes to fish.
13K 13 min. June 12th 2022
Cream sauce with Vin Jaune
Cream sauce with Vin Jaune
This sauce made with Vin Jaune ("yellow wine") is emblematic of Comtoise cuisine from Eastern France. It combines the smoothness of cream with the slight acidity and typical flavour of the Vin Jaune. The tricky aspect of cooking with Vin Jaune is that its fugitive flavour tends to disappear when...
182K4 46 min. October 3rd 2018
French dressing (vinaigrette)
French dressing (vinaigrette)
Here is a very simple recipe, but it could completely transform, maybe even transcend, your salad.
1.0M4.5 7 min. July 7th 2011
Greek Pesto
Greek Pesto
You may already know the pesto, this delicious Italian sauce, well here is the Greek variation of the thing: the basil is accompanied by thyme and oregano, and the Parmesan replaced by feta cheese. Greek flavors, but in an Italian spirit, a true European recipe.
18K5 18 min. July 24th 2022
Green parsley sauce
Green parsley sauce
This sauce, with a great parsley taste, is perfect with steamed vegetables or fish. At the bottom you will find the coulis version of this recipe.
492K 44.3 23 min. February 21th 2011
Green parsley tahini sauce
Green parsley tahini sauce
This greeen sauce with tahini and parsley is an excellent accompaniment for lots of vegetables (raw or cooked) and also goes well with poultry.
39K 9 min. April 8th 2020
Gribouille dressing
Gribouille dressing
Gribouille dressing is based on a rémoulade dressing, with shallot, herbs, hard-boiled egg and tuna added. It goes well with fish and vegetables of all kinds and makes a great sandwich filling.
24K 18 min. February 17th 2021
Hollandaise sauce
Hollandaise sauce
This sauce is quite similar to Béarnaise sauce, but with a light lemon flavour. It can be used hot, warm or cold on several things: vegetables, fish, eggs... Not easy to get right, like all "emulsified warm sauces" (Béarnaise, Hollandaise, etc.), but you will find all the tips you need here.
230K 14.7 22 min. July 25th 2019
How to succeed in making sabayon (syllabub)
How to succeed in making sabayon (syllabub)
A sabayon is a delicious and delicate preparation based on egg yolks and sugar, with a liquid added (wine, alcohol, fruit juice, etc), which is then whipped in a bain-marie until it is both light and smooth. Usually sabayon is sweet (syllabub), but you can make it savoury, in which case there is...
917K 54 18 min. November 12th 2017
Lemon Mayonnaise
Lemon Mayonnaise
This is almost as simple to make as a plain mayonnaise, but with the double lemon flavour of both zest and juice for a delicate, fresh tang.
75K4.5 5 min. February 17th 2016
Light herb sauce
Light herb sauce
This is a very quick and easy recipe for a delicious sauce! It goes particularly well with baked potatoes, fish (such as salmon) and cold white meats.
82K4 8 min. May 20th 2015
Marchand de vin sauce
Marchand de vin sauce
The rich "marchand de vin" sauce, made with red wine and shallot, is a classic accompaniment for meats that is traditionally made in the roasting tin or dish. This is a simplified version that can be made while the meat is cooking, even beforehand, so there is no risk of it going cold.
252K4.1 34 min. May 31th 2012
Mayonnaise
Mayonnaise
Mayonnaise is a cold egg dressing, quite thick, served with many dishes, usually cold too: meat, fish, vegetables, etc.
798K5 6 min. February 16th 2014
Pesto
Pesto
Pesto is an Italian sauce made from pine nuts, Parmesan and basil. It's very simple but quite delicious, and goes particularly well with pasta.
257K 25 15 min. July 25th 2020
Pistachio and spinach pesto
Pistachio and spinach pesto
You are no doubt familiar with classic pesto, made with basil and pine nuts. Here's a winter version with spinach and pistachios that's just as delicious.
17K 34 min. January 16th 2022
Provençal remoulade sauce
Provençal remoulade sauce
The classic remoulade sauce is, in this recipe, declined in a Provençal version, where we use olive oil and to which we add chopped basil before mixing. You will obtain a classic remoulade texture, but a very typical and fresh taste.
13K 9 min. September 18th 2022
Purple Pesto
Purple Pesto
You may already be familiar with the classic green basil pesto , but here is a version with purple basil that gives a very aesthetic purple pesto with a more peppery taste, quite similar to ginger.
21K5 19 min. August 7th 2022
Rémoulade dressing
Rémoulade dressing
This dressing is a kind of mayonnaise with vinegar, used for some salads like celeriac rémoulade. Usually it is prepared from mayonnaise, but here is another version, simpler and just as tasty.
861K3.9 6 min. October 3rd 2010
Rémoulette dressing
Rémoulette dressing
This is similar to rémoulade dressing, but with lemon juice instead of vinegar and with chopped chives added. The name comes from the French for chives: "ciboulette". In technical terms, it is a cold emulsion, like mayonnaise. Not just a tasty dressing for vegetables and salads, it also goes well...
63K 8 min. March 27th 2019
Roquefort sauce
Roquefort sauce
This is an ideal sauce to make when you have been cooking meat, as it uses the juices left in the pan, but there's a tip for making it without meat juices.
194K4.9 22 min. December 19th 2010
Sauce Normande (for fish)
Sauce Normande (for fish)
Sauce Normande (or Normandy sauce) is a classic of French cuisine. It is rather "old school", but deliciously velvety and comes in two versions, one for meat and one for seafood. Here is the version to accompany fish or shellfish.
207K4.8 40 min. January 1st 2020
Tapenade
Tapenade
Tapenade is a classic of Mediterranean cuisine, basically a purée of black olives and olive oil. This version is little more sophisticated, with a less marked olive flavour.
181K 14.1 13 min. November 21th 2010
Tartar sauce
Tartar sauce
Tartar sauce is a remoulade sauce with the addition of chopped pickles and herbs. It is an ideal accompaniment to cold dishes, such as cold meats, or hot dishes, such as fries or cooked vegetables.
9,223 18 min. March 15th 2023
Tomato pesto
Tomato pesto
This is a variation on the classic pesto sauce (basil and pine nuts), using cherry tomatoes, basil and almonds.
157K4.5 13 min. June 29th 2011
Tomato sauce (for pizzas)
Tomato sauce (for pizzas)
This is the sauce to put on pizza bases before the toppings.
513K4.3 1 hour 15 min. October 19th 2010

Syrups and coulis

Blackcurrant coulis
Blackcurrant coulis
Blackcurrants make a very good coulis, but it's a bit more difficult than with other fruits. Here is a simple method to help you succeed.
434K 23.5 25 min. February 21th 2011
Citrus syrup
Citrus syrup
This citrus-flavoured syrup blends the bitterness of the zest with the delicious acidity of the juice. It can be used to soak biscuits or cakes when making desserts. You can make this with whatever citrus fruits you prefer. It can be prepared in advance and will keep for several days.
56K 1 hour 13 min. December 30th 2019
Fruit coulis (fruit purée)
Fruit coulis (fruit purée)
Contrary to what people usually think, coulis is not just a simple fruit purée with sugar. Of course, this is the general principle, but it's possible to make something much better and more refined. This recipe is for a strawberry coulis (see below for other fruits): how to make it, but also how...
759K 44 24 min. October 20th 2012
Poaching syrup
Poaching syrup
Less sweet than normal sugar syrup, poaching syrup is specially for slow cooking fruits to be used in other recipes.
278K5 14 min. September 2nd 2012
Sugar syrup
Sugar syrup
This syrup is mainly used as a basis for all sorbet recipes, which consist of this syrup and fruit pulp, but it can be also used to soak biscuits for example, or for fruit salads.
731K3.5 8 min. February 21th 2011

Vegetables

Green bean purée
Green bean purée
Green (or French) beans are usually served whole, for instance as an accompanying vegetable or in a salad, but they make a good purée, too. This is tasty on its own, but also goes very well with meats, and children usually prefer it to "normal" beans.
70K 23 min. August 11th 2023
Leek fondue
Leek fondue
Leek fondue (literally "melted") consists of finely sliced leeks cooked until barely tender then simmered gently in cream until thickened. The aim is to keep the fresh green of the just-cooked leeks but with a lovely soft, melting consistency. This can be a side dish or an ingredient in lots of...
64K2.5 36 min. March 4th 2020
Macédoine of vegetables
Macédoine of vegetables
A macédoine is simply vegetables diced small (carrots and turnips) or cut small (green beans) with peas. The different vegetables are cooked separately "à l'anglaise", then thoroughly drained. They are only combined at the end in a mayonnaise dressing.
147K4 1 hour 24 min. September 3rd 2014
Onion fondue
Onion fondue
Onion fondue is a delicious classic of French cuisine: finely-sliced onions, cooked long and slow until they are melting and caramelized. This can be used in many other recipes.
125K 50 min. March 25th 2020
Pan-fried potatoes
Pan-fried potatoes
What could be simpler than fried potatoes? No need of a recipe for that! Quite right, but it's also very easy to end up making fried mash instead. Here are the main pitfalls to avoid.
286K4.4 1 hour 37 min. February 3rd 2011
Potato purée
Potato purée
The French have fond childhood memories of this, and while nothing will ever be as good as "Maman" made, here's a fairly straightforward way to make it.
226K5 1 hour 35 min. October 3rd 2010

Work on/prepare an ingredient

Lettuce "chiffonade"
Lettuce "chiffonade"
Chiffonade is a French term meaning "made of rags.", it consists of shredding the heart of a lettuce into thin ribbons.
210K 15 32 min. February 21th 2011

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