How to prepare a bain-marie

Macarons (the original French macaroons)

This recipe really is "of the moment": the success of these small, highly-coloured cakes, in an infinite variety of flavours, is impressive. It's a recipe which needs some care, in order to produce a result worthy of a professional pastrychef. No problem, I will guide you through the recipe, particularly the tricky parts. This variety of flavours means that I test many alternatives, so don't be surprised if in the pictures the colour of the macarons changes, I used the best photograph available...

Koulibiak in pie dish

Koulibiak is a traditional russian recipe from, usually served in a flat puff pastry fish shape. Here is an easier version, in a pie dish.

Arlesian Biscuits

These small almond and lemon-flavoured biscuits have a short, melt-in-the-mouth texture. They are known as "sablés arlésiens" in French.

Toffee apple upside-down cake

With a flavour reminiscent of the French classic tart tatin, this cake is made with a ring of tart apples arranged on a layer of caramel, then covered with the batter. After baking, the cake is turned out while still hot so that the caramelized apples are on the top with the moist cake underneath.

Rice pudding with fruit and nuts

This is cooked like a normal rice pudding, but with fruit and nuts added halfway through: toasted almonds and pistachios, sautéed diced apple and strips of dried apricot. These added flavours and textures make an already creamy rice pudding even more delicious.