I am working hard at the moment. I mean, harder than usual as I sit at my desk for long hours in the evenings, busy working on the edits of my cookbook manuscript. That invariably makes my eyes look puffy in the morning, and have me crave for long naps in the afternoon. I wish I could take those naps when Lulu takes hers, but the thing is that as she reaches almost 11 months of age, her naps become scarce–and so do mine malheureusement!

Naturally, this increased brain activity makes me even more hungry than usual for healthy homemade foods.

So to keep a semblance of life normalcy and keep my energy going–and my sanity–Lulu and I take walks to the park where she plays on the swings, never wanting to leave; we have afternoon excursions to local farms before the season is over; and I take her to see the animals, oh yes, we both enjoy that part: the sheep and chicken and Lizzie the cow.

And when we are back at the house, we cook and bake together.

While I stand in front of the stove, she sits on the floor with, in front of her, a large box in which she endlessly puts miscellaneous objects in and out. In and out again.

Lulu seems to like our partnership. How we work together. She laughs when she hears the sizzling sound of butter in the frying pan when I prepare crêpes; she stares at the pot on the stove when I lift the lid to check on a meat stew. She watches me attentively when I whisk and beat and dust and make a mess in the kitchen–I am a specialist of that craft! I hope that she notices the smells that diffuse in the house, of the many cakes that go in the oven, the tarts that cool on the counter top, and the tajines and vegetable stews that simmer on the stove. The fact is that, Dieu merci, there’s always something going on in the kitchen.

A lot of things cooking.

And since I am busy retesting, perfecting and eating all of these foods that will go in the cookbook, at least, despite the lack of sleep and free time, we keep our healthy eating habits. I know that no matter what, that’s simply never going to change.

This chocolate dessert, for example, was supposed to go inside the cookbook. But as I looked back at my recipe list that keeps growing and growing, I realized that I had to stop saying “this recipe has to go in the cookbook“. You know, not everything will, and can, go in the cookbook–and it’s a good thing. It’s all yours now.

I baked the dessert last year, I remember now, and have made it a number of times since then. I find that it’s an easy way to dress-up an honest chocolate cake. In fact, thinking about it, it’s a nice idea to keep handy should you suddenly need dessert brought on the table and you’re short of time but still want something that catches the eye.

I might just have to make it again.

I came with the intention to tell you about beautiful purple eggplants and how delicious they turned into dinner but instead, here I am, again, with the story of a cake.

It came as the priority — my eggplants will have to wait a little.

After spending ten days with us, my mother traveled back to France yesterday night, which left me with a sudden urge to bake at 10 pm. It was hard to see her go. “I should be used to it by now,” I thought. But it’s not becoming easier and I’ll never get used to it, in fact.

While I was nursing Lulu on the bed upstairs, I was thinking about P. driving my mother to the airport, and the two of them waiting in terminal B by the American Airlines gate with the sign Paris Charles de Gaulle.

I know well that I am going to miss our daily lunches and walks together — between her, Lulu and I. Every time it happens, that traveling-back-home and saying-goodbye-we-will-see-each-other-soon, you know, there is the same pinch to the heart, the same tightness in the stomach — and the same urge to bake.

And then, with my hands busy beating eggs and sugar, I kept thinking about how much my mother would have enjoyed making that special cake with me. It’s something that I didn’t learn from her, that cake. It’s something that belongs to the culture that I slipped into. Here. It’s about the recipe and culture of a cake that I am happy to share with her, something that she can bring back home. To France.

By 11:30 pm, as P. and I walked upstairs to slip into bed, the cake sat at one corner of the kitchen counter top, leaving a waft of sugar everywhere in the house. Making us dream about something soft and sweet. Delicious.

When I was little, my mother taught me what I needed to know about how to start to bake. Today, I like to think that I can also teach her something new and different about baking.

It’s something about the relationship between a mother and her daughter in the kitchen.

Bon et le gâteau alors !

This cake is deliciously dense. Add as much chocolate and nuts as you like — more than required cannot hurt. It’s a cake that isn’t too sweet, because I like cakes this way; it’s cake that keeps well for a few days, if you need to, but it rarely reaches the point when you need it to keep. It’s made quickly; it’s eaten just as fast.

My friend Y. loves chocolate. Well in fact, more than anything else, she loves dessert.

She is quite happy that I know this distinctive trait of personality of hers. In the hope, I know well, that whenever she stops by at our house, there will be something sweet to please her taste buds.

It’s a good thing that chances of this happening are high.

Y. is also one of the sweetest and kindest persons that I know: she is funny, smart, sporty, caring, gourmande, full of energy, and a woman who absolutely loves babies. She really does!

Smart me, I remembered that characteristics of hers too.

It’s not that I was actually craving to go out since Lulu’s birth. In fact, as odd as it might sound to many, I don’t miss going out at the moment at all. Far from it. Instead, I prefer quiet nights at home, between P. Lulu and I. Our small family gathered.

“My friend K. asked if we wanted to go to a ballet next Saturday,” P. asked one evening, a few weeks ago.

“We can’t!”

“Why not?”

“What about Lulu?”

“We can sort that out.”

And so, with two ballet tickets purchased and a dinner plan with our friends made, I really could only say yes. Thus the issue of a baby sitter arose, for the first time.

Of course, it had to start gently for me.

Since I could not imagine have a stranger take care of our precious princess, I immediately thought about Y., and my other dear friend E. They would be able to dine together, watch TV5 if they wanted to. And I would make sure that the fridge was full so that they would be well fed too.

Essentiel !

“What are you making?” P. asked when he saw that I was wearing an apron, obviously busy baking. He looked puzzled, which showed he had no idea why I was cooking something on a night we were dining out.

“Chocolate mousse. For Y. and E.,” I responded. I was holding a pot in one hand and was licking the chocolate-covered spoon I had in the other.

I went on: “I know they’ll like that.”

“I bet!”

Y. and E. cooked beefsteaks and made a medley of sauteed vegetables with a salad on the side. They teased me too, and sent a picture of their meal with their Iphone, after I texted them to make sure that everything was going well.

“Uneventful, the princess is asleep, and the chefs are in the kitchen making dinner.”

And they enjoyed the chocolate mousse. Especially Y.

“Oh my goodness, these are so lovely,” Y. had exclaimed after seeing the chocolate mousse glasses lined up on the higher shelf of the fridge.”But they are tiny!”

“I know,” I answered, smiling. “But I am sure you’ll be eating more than one!”

She did.

And we ate the rest the next day.

“Areuuu… areuuuu*…aaaaaa…ooooooo….” Lulu was repeating happily.

She’s becoming so vocal these days, talking to herself when she lies in her bed, or when she plays with her hands that she holds tight together, her arms stretched out above her eyes. Each sound, in fact, is more charming than the other; they all make me melt. Things change so quickly!

“Regarde ce que maman fait (look at what mummy is making),” I told her as she stared at the wooden spoon I was holding in my right hand. She was obviously intrigued by the steady circular movement of the spoon inside the chocolate bowl. The rich smell of melted chocolate and butter diffused throughout the kitchen, despite the window I had cracked open to let the lovely spring air filter through. That put me in an even better mood for the upcoming activities of the day.

“Un jour, you will be like papa et maman,” I added as I squeezed her tighter in her sling by my right hip. “Tu seras fan de chocolat noir. (you’ll be fan of dark chocolate.)”

We surely hope so.

I was preparing for an early afternoon work meeting and felt happy that between Lulu’s naps and play times, I was able to pull together a small treat we would enjoy while working.

“What did you bake today?” S., my editor, asked a few minutes after she walked into the kitchen. Lulu gave S. an open frank smile when she picked her up from her yellow play mat, to hold her close. I sensed that she was in fact more interested in Lulu than what I had baked, and I was not blaming her.

“Something with chocolate. You’ll tell me what you think. I want you to guess what’s in it.”

“That should get her gourmande attention,” I thought deep inside, smiling.

I call the cakes muffins but I am actually not sure that they are muffins, technically speaking. But muffins or cakes, whatever the name, these chocolate treats were really simple to prepare.

“Do you like chocolate?” I asked H., the art director, also present. I loved the wide smile that lit her pretty face. And her response.

“Of course, I am normal!”

“Right! How can someone not like chocolate, n’est ce pas ?”

Ok, I know that it happens. And this is totally fine. In fact, you might well be one of the people who does not care at all about chocolate. Like my brother B., for example.

But if you like chocolate, like David for example, you might easily fall for this recipe: it uses buckwheat and hazelnut flours — making the recipe gluten free, if that matters to you — good quality dark chocolate, blond cane sugar, fresh eggs and lightly salted butter. Straightforward, simple and genuine.

“Approved?” I asked S. and H. as they were getting ready to leave.

“YES!”

A recipe that I am glad to share with you just in time for Easter, non?

Because I don’t know about your family, but in mine, chocolate is always on the menu for Easter, no matter what.

So, if you celebrate this holiday, I hope you have a wonderful time. And hopefully the weather will be nice so that we will all be able to go out for a walk, and feel the wonders of Spring.

I cannot wait.

I have five minutes this morning. Just five short minutes to share only a photo with you, between baking a soufflé for the book — oh boy they fall fast — and playing with Lulu. This one has become my favorite chocolate cake.

Every day, I keep hoping that I will have the time to come here to chat with you. I wait until the evening. But I’ve come to realize that it’s simply a bad idea. Because do you know what happens at night? I am wrecked. Crevée ! And believe me, you do no want me to start to speak English when I am exhausted. Ask P., he will tell you what it pretty much sounds like.

So I thought to pop here quickly to at least post a photo.

Better than nothing.

And to say hi! I cannot believe it is March, already!

Can you?

I hope your Christmas will be merry and full of joy — and great company and food. We shall talk soon!

Three years already? I am still amazed when I think about it.

Three years ago, on Nov 28th 2005, I started to blog. And in three years, needless to say that much has happened. I am aware that I am quite lucky: I met great people, virtually or in real life; I learned a ton; I started a new carrier; I am able to do, every day, something I continue to love just the same way, even more; and I am able to share pieces of it with you.

I want to dedicate this post to all of you without whom this blog would simply not be what it is today. Your constant encouragements and notes always bring me warmth. And make me smile and happy.

And yes, I am thankful!

Merci !

I designed this chocolate cake a few weeks ago, and made it already twice — it is light and deliciously chocolaty. The first one I made was for my friend L.’s baby shower, and the second one was for our Thanksgiving dinner, only yesterday. Irene, my friend Ron’s mum who is an amazing 97-year old woman, once also a modern dancer who lived and danced in Argentina and Europe, kept asking who baked the cake — her memory is leaving her, but she remembers tiny details of her life like no one else. “Did you bake the cake?” she asked P.

“Not me, Bea did,” he said pointing at me. She looked back, stared at me and said assertidly: “It’s really delicious. Can I have another slice?”

That was the best compliment.

You will get to know about it more soon — I will have to tell you something else then too!

P. and I both love snacks combining dark chocolate and nuts. They are a favorite during the days we are lucky to spend at home, when we are hiking and traveling — perfect for any on-the-go occasion, really. Being pregnant has not changed this habit in me whatsoever — quite on the contrary, I should admit.

I remember that when I first moved to Boston, we used to buy a sweet treat called temptations bars. Whole Foods sold them. They were simple but deliciously good: a shortbread base, caramel, pecans and chocolate were combined to make an irresistible treat.

They were the first thing that caught my attention in my friend baker and food blogger Anita Chu’s new cookbook, Field Guide to Cookies, which she kindly asked me to review, along with eight other avid and talented food blogger/bakers (which list is easily found by following this link).

[...] This book will help you identify many of the most popular cookies around the world, discover what makes each one special, and recreate them in your home kitchen [...]

Field Guide to Cookies, or How to Identify and Bake Virtually Every Cookie Imaginable, is a small compact cookbook designed to cover the basics of many popular cookies, some of which I am sure you know, and some which you will be delighted to discover. The book itself is divided in four clear sections covering 100 illustrated recipes: Drop Cookies, Bar Cookies, Molded Cookies and to finish, Rolled Cookies — enough to bring you in a comfortable sugar coma. Each recipe is introduced with a general description followed by a short history, which is a nice way to become better educated about cookies. And, since the book holds easily in one hand too, it can conveniently be packed for a trip, should you feel the need to bake while you are away. A nice gift to make to anyone with a sweet tooth, really.

Who could not be tempted by a homemade cookie?

I asked Anita a few questions about the making of the book, to hear more about her recent experience.

Anita’s Turtle Bar recipe is straightforward. It requires basic ingredients easily available for any baker. I did not have any issue with the recipe beside finding out along the way that the measurements of the pan used to make the base of the cookie were inaccurate. Unsure at first, I asked Anita, of course. She agreed that the measurements of the pan were indeed wrong. Nothing serious, and I was glad to have had the intuition.

The cookie has three layers: a shortbread base on top of which pecans, caramel and dark chocolate are combined. I first made the recipe as it was, then decided to adapt it, preparing a variant using gluten free flours (quinoa, white rice flours, along with quinoa flakes) and less caramel. Both were a great treat.

Lots of luck for the launch of Anita’s new cookbook, and a big thank for including me in the bunch of happy testers!

“What’s this nice smell?” P. asked as soon as he opened the front door, coming back from the grocery store. “You’ve been baking!”

I had indeed.

I had not planned to bake during the weekend though, but then I kept imagining the taste of chocolate in my mouth. For sure, with many other things, bébé will have to love chocolate, dark more precisely.

At least this is what I hope.

My friend K.’s lovely daughter does; she started to develop this strong liking when she was only a toddler. She used to call dark chocolate the adult chocolate.

I used to smile each time I heard her say that, with her mouth and fingers covered with melted chocolate. After all, it is all a question of taste, even if I am still going to praise dark chocolate versus the others.

So I gave in to the craving and baked a chocolate cake. A very simple chocolate cake using some of the 1 kg piece of Valrhona chocolate Akiko and Pierre kindly gave us during their recent visit, homemade applesauce flavored with vanilla, and buckwheat and hazelnut flours. Out of curiosity, to see what taste I would end up having, and also because buckwheat* flour, like quinoa flour, is full of protein and rich in iron, amongst many other fantastic nutrients (like rutin and zinc). Then, since I also had recently ordered a bag of Valrhona’s Grué de cacao (cocoa nibs), I added 2 tablespoons of those as well.

Note that unlike its name suggests, buckwheat is not related to wheat, and is a gluten free product, for people sensitive and intolerant to gluten.

The cake did not disappoint. In fact, I loved everything about it. It was extremely moist in texture, with a strong taste of dark chocolate hued by the addition of apple compote, with also just the right amount of sugar to my liking — I tend to not like cakes too sweet. And to finish, a discreet nutty touch came through, complementing the dark chocolate perfectly.

In the end, I was quite glad I had decided to bake, even if the cake did not last for very long. Then, it was really hard to with P. and I always finding clever excuses to have another slice, a few times during the entire weekend.

Hopefully, you will enjoy it as much as we all did in our household.