Chocolate, Banana and Teff Cupcakes and A Blog Anniversary

Two years ago, on a sunny Sunday afternoon, I made a batch of lemon bars and I thought "why don't I start a blog to keep a journal of all my recipes?" and so I did. I barely knew anything about blogs or how they worked. I went to Blogger and follow the instructions one by one and that's how Cannelle Et Vanille was born.



In these two years, life, the blog, my career... they have all changed dramatically. I would have never guessed in a million years that this is where it would all lead me to. I love that about life, the surprises around the corner.

The blog has connected me to so many new people that share my passion and continue to inspire me everyday. I love the collaborations and brainstorming that happens even through this virtual world. It is amazing. So this post is dedicated to all of you who read Cannelle Et Vanille day in and day out. It wouldn't have been possible without you.



Now, can I tell you how good these cupcakes are? And can I tell you that they are gluten free and that it took three batches to perfect them? But so worth it. Very moist, chocolaty and full of great nutrients.

I first heard of Teff a few years ago when I used to visit a gluten free bakery in Colorado Springs called "Outside The Bread Box". They have an amazing bread made out of Teff that seriously, I would have never been able to tell that it was gluten free if I hadn't read the label. Teff is an ancient grain from Ethiopia that is rich in iron, calcium and protein. It has a distinct rich flavor and dark color that I think goes great with chocolate.

"Do you want to help amatxu mash these bananas?", I asked J. Once again, he brought out his step stool, got the masher and started mashing those ripe bananas away. Because, did you know that children are 95% more likely to eat those foods they have prepared themselves? I love that. But again, not like I would have had to force him to eat these.

Chocolate, Banana and Teff Cupcakes

Makes 1 loaf and 12 cupcakes

3 eggs
200 grams natural cane sugar
300 grams ripe bananas, mashed
175 grams light olive oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
100 grams teff flour
50 grams sweet rice flour
50 grams hazelnut meal
15 grams cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
100 grams chocolate chips

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, banana puree, oil and vanilla.

In a large bowl, whisk together the teff, sweet rice flour, hazelnut meal, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk until all combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Divide the batter between the loaf pan and cupcake molds. Bake at 350F for about 45 minutes for the loaf pan and 20 minutes for the cupcakes.

For the icing, I used my basic buttercream recipe and added cocoa powder to it.

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Potato, Parsnip and Watercress Tortilla

I was looking through some of my blog archives a few days ago and I realized how things have changed around here. From complex petits gateaux to an array of laminated doughs, this blog started as a way to keep alive my passion for the art of pastry, the technique and precision. However, with small babies in our lives and all the time that involves, this blog has transformed into a recollection of the simple meals and desserts we eat in our everyday lives. It might be just a phase, but I'm really enjoying it too.



Where I grew up, tortilla de patatas is a staple. It is the snack we eat on Sunday mornings at pintxo bars, it is the bocadillo we take on school trips, it is part of all birthday parties... it is everything to us. Simple as can be, but such an emblem of our gastronomic culture.

A friend just told me yesterday something that stuck with me. When someone you love comes over for dinner, you make them a tortilla de patata because it takes time and love to make it. When someone that means nothing to you comes over for dinner, you buy the most expensive fish and just stick it in the oven. I love that.



Everyday I get many emails of readers asking me questions about macarons and how to perfect their technique, but a close second are the emails I receive asking me about how to make a good Spanish tortilla. Making a decent tortilla is not difficult, but making a great one is a different story. How can a recipe that only contains potato, onion and eggs be so difficult to master? The answer is the oil and what you do with that oil.

It is all about a good quality extra virgen olive oil, how much of it and how that oil is heated. It is very important that the oil is not too hot so the potatoes end up poaching rather than frying. It is almost like making fondant potatoes.

This is a slight variation to the traditional recipe with the addition of parsnips and watercress. Try this recipe and let me know what you think. You won't be disappointed.



Potato, Parsnip and Watercress Spanish Tortilla

makes 1 8" tortilla

1/2 cup extra virgen olive oil
1/2 medium onion, medium dice
2 medium russet potatoes, medium dice
1 medium parsnip, medium dice
1 tsp salt
4 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup of watercress, roughly chopped

In an 8" non stick skillet, heat the olive oil in medium heat. Add the onions and sweat them for about 2 minutes. Add the diced potatoes and parsnip and the 1 tsp of salt. Keep the heat in medium for about 2 minutes and then lower it lo medium low for about another 15 minutes. The point here is that the potatoes must poach in the olive oil not really fry. We don't want crispy potatoes inside the tortilla. Towards the end, I even take a fork and gently mash them a bit so the olive oil gets inside the potato as well.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and the 1/2 tsp of salt. Add the watercress. Drain the potatoes and parnsips slightly and add them to the eggs. It's ok if they are hot and the eggs scramble a bit.

Remove most of the oil from the pan. Leave about 1 tsp of oil. Turn the heat back to medium. Add the egg mixture and using a wooden spoon, stir the center so the egg starts to cook. When the center starts to scramble, let it be and don't stir anymore. Tuck in the edges nicely with the spatula and cook for about 2 minutes.

Flip the tortilla with the help of a plate and finish cooking the other side. Some people like the center a bit runny, others all the way cooked. Personally, I like it when some of the egg still a bit runny but not too much.

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A Food Photography Workshop With Penny De Los Santos

I am excited beyond words to announce that one of my favorite food photographers in the world, Penny De Los Santos will be coming to South Florida to teach a hands on food photography workshop.

Penny and I have never met in person, but I have followed her work through the pages of Saveur magazine and other publications. It was when I saw her photos of Basque sheep ranchers in Idaho when I decided to contact her and let her know how much I admired her work. I was surprised and flattered that she knew of my blog and from that moment on, we have stayed in touch through blogging and Twitter.



There is something so real about how Penny photographs food and people. Her organic and non fussy style resonates with me. Her client list is impressive. National Geographic, Saveur Magazine, Martha Stewart, Newsweek, Time, Latina and many more.

Her photographs always tell a story, a bit like a documentary. Just take a look at this man's face. This photo says so much. I am completely in love with it.



A few weeks ago, when I learned about her workshops, I realized I had to bring her to South Florida. What a treat and luxury is that! I quickly got one of my old culinary school instructors involved and we were able to have Lincoln Culinary Institute (formerly Florida Culinary Institute) to sponsor it.

The workshop will be held at the culinary school in West Palm Beach on Monday, February 22nd from 12:30pm until 4:30pm. Please visit here to register and for details or email me at aran@arangoyoaga.com.

If you want to get a better idea of how the workshop works and Penny's approach to photography, you can read Matt's review about Penny's workshop in Seattle on his blog.

If you are in the South Florida area, this is an opportunity you shouldn't miss. I hope to see you there!


All photos courtesy and copyright of Penny De Los Santos

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Meyer Lemon, Lime and Quinoa Pudding Cakes and Thoughts of Hope

It seems frivolous and inhumane to talk about food when not far from here, there are thousands and thousands of people fighting for their lives and the lives of their families. Watching the images that are coming from Haiti break my heart. I'm sure yours too. Such a poor country doesn't deserve this. It's hard to understand why the poor always suffer, but perhaps it should be a wake up call to all of us who do have our families with us, who do have a home and a roof and a bed to start appreciating this moment more. Because this moment is all we have.

I have worked with many Haitians in my restaurant and hotel days and they would always share horror stories of survival and hunger. My heart goes out to all of them.



There are many ways we can all help a little bit. I made my donations here. The blogging community has quickly risen up to the circumstances and many people have organized fund raisers and donations. You can visit here and here.

I would say that I would love to dedicate this post and these pudding cakes to all of those in despair, but that seems cruel in a way. I don't know how I feel right now. I think the only way to feel should be empathetic and hopeful.



The limes for these pudding cakes came from my neighbor N.'s tree. She kindly shared them with me when the frost of last week almost destroyed all plants, herbs and anything that was growing around here. We put them to good use in these super light, almost souffle-like gluten free pudding cakes.



Meyer Lemon, Lime and Quinoa Pudding Cakes

makes about 8 4 oz ramekins

2 egg yolks
185 grams whole milk
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp lime zest
30 grams meyer lemon juice
30 grams lime juice
100 grams sugar
25 grams quinoa flour
pinch salt
2 egg whites

In a medium bowl, combine the egg yolks, milk, lemon zest, lime zest, lemon juice and lime juice.

In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, salt and quinoa flour. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk.

Whip the egg whites until medium peaks form. Fold a third of the egg whites into the batter. Add the rest and fold gently.

Pour the batter into the greased ramekins. Fill them to the top. Place the ramekins on a deep baking pan and bring the pan to a 325F preheated oven. Pour hot water into the baking dish enough to cover the ramekins half way. Bake for about 25 minutes until set.

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Butterscotch Pot de Creme, Gianduja Macarons and a Farewell

Today I said goodbye to my parents who have been with us for almost two months. Time flies, doesn't it? People ask me how I manage to find time to blog after just giving birth. Well, the answer is my parents. They have been incredible help during this transition time, trying to get adjusted to having M., still tending to J., managing small projects and continue blogging. I could have not done it without them.

As I was watching them walk away, I realized how having children has made me appreciate them much more. It might be just age and the process of growing up. I don't know why, but I do.



We had freezing temperatures in Florida all last week. It was actually wonderful as I love cold and sunny days. We stayed home, cooked and baked more than ever. We made arroz con leche two days in a row as it disappears faster than what we can make it.



I woke up at 2am one night, a bit restless and unable to fall back to sleep. I got out of bed, turned my laptop on and started browsing through Shauna's recipe index looking for some gluten-free dessert recipes to make. As soon as my eyes read butterscotch, I thought "that's it". The following morning, I pulled out the eggs, cream, muscovado and demerara sugar and made these butterscotch pot de creme inspired by this recipe.

Instead of caramelizing the top, we sprinkled some hazelnut praline crunch and accompanied it with gianduja macarons we had made a few days earlier.



Butterscotch Pot de Creme

makes about 8 6 oz ramekins

500 ml heavy cream
225 ml whole milk
1 vanilla bean, split and seeded
1/2 tsp fleur de sel
160 grams muscovado sugar
80 grams demerara sugar
8 egg yolks

Place the heavy cream, whole milk, muscovado, fleur de sel and vanilla bean in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Keep it hot.

In a separate medium saucepan, make a dry caramel with the demerara sugar. Sprinkle half of it on the bottom of the pan spacing it evenly. When it starts to melt, sprinkle in the rest of the sugar and let it melt and turn to a light caramel.

Deglaze the caramel with the hot cream mixture. Be careful because it will bubble up. Whisk to make sure there are no large chunks of undissolved caramel. If there are, keep the pot on the heat for a bit to melt them.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks together and temper the hot caramel and cream mixture into them. Strain the custard through a fine sieve.

Pour the custard into the ramekins. Place the ramekins on a sheet pan and bring it to the oven that's been preheated to 300F. Pour hot water on the sheet pan to make a water bath. Bake until the center of the ramekins is set. Cool and refrigerate.

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Baking with Kumquats: a Pistachio Pavlova, Chocolate Financiers and a Pot of Jam

Winter in Florida makes me happy.

Bright blue skies, the possibility to wear my favorite purple scarf, lush landscape, cold breeze coming in through the windows and lots of citrus. Oh the citrus! I told you about my friend N.'s citrus trees and how I usually take the longer route to the mail box just so I can smell the lime tree on her front lawn. It's just one of the simple pleasures of life.



We started the new year with lots of pints of Florida kumquats. I think this was the first time my parents had ever seen or tasted a kumquat. "What do they taste like?", asked my mom. "Well, try one!", I told her. She looked at me in surprise wondering how she would peel such a thing. "There will be no flesh left!", she followed. So I just took one and put it in her mouth. She was taken back by the sour punch as she expected something sweeter, perhaps like a clementine, but she soon got used it.



We poached most of the kumquats in simple syrup and used them in different desserts we made throughout the days. First a pistachio pavlova with lemon curd made with N.'s fruit fresh clementines and the poached kumquats. And later, inside some gluten free chocolate financiers that were as fudgy and moist as the best brownies you have ever tasted.

Our little boy's best friend D. came over for a play date one afternoon and they loved the financiers which made me the happiest mother on earth. They wore they favorite costumes, as always and covered their mouths in chocolate. Spiderman and the princess. Never fails.

We used the rest of the two pints of kumquats to make a marmalade that is out of this world. It reminded me of the bitter orange marmalade I use to eat in London every morning for breakfast.



I hope everyone had a great start to the new year and that you are sticking to your resolutions. I certainly did as I broke a new record. Yes, I will confess. I fell asleep at 8pm on New Year's Eve while I was lying in bed nursing M. We both fell asleep comfortably under a cozy blanket. So peacefully.



Pistachio Baked Meringue

makes 6 small pavlovas

155 grams egg whites
pinch of salt
155 grams sugar
155 grams powdered sugar, sifted
35 grams chopped pistachios

Place the egg whites with the pinch of salt in the bowl of an electric mixer. Whip until peaks start forming. Slowly sprinkle in the sugar. Whip for 2 minutes until shiny and stiff.

Combine the sifted powdered sugar and the chopped pistachios and fold them into the meringue base.

Make six mounts of meringue on a sheet pan lined with parchment. Bake at 225F for about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 min.

Poached Kumquats

300 grams sugar
300 grams water
1 pint of kumquats

Blanch the kumquats in boiling water 3 times using clean water every time.

Make a simple syrup by boiling the sugar and water together until sugar is dissolved. Reduce heat to low and add the kumquats. Simmer them on low heat with the lid half on for about 20 minutes or until soft.

Store them in the poaching liquid in the refrigerator.

Lemon Curd

100 grams eggs
50 grams sugar
100 grams lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
50 grams butter

Whisk the eggs, sugar, lemon juice and zest in a medium bowl. Place this over a water bath and cook until it thickens. Strain the curd through a fine sieve. Let it cool slightly.

Add the room temperature butter one teaspoon at a time and blend using a submersion mixer. Let it set in the refrigerator for about 1 hour.

Gluten Free Kumquat and Chocolate Financier

120 grams egg whites
125 grams sugar
100 grams almond flour
15 grams cocoa powder
pinch of salt
150 grams brown butter, cooled
Poached kumquats

Mix the whites and the sugar with a hand whisk. Add the almond flour, cocoa powder and pinch of salt. Add the cooled brown butter and whisk until well combined. Let it rest in the refrigerator overnight or at least 4 hours.

Pipe the batter into molds and place half a poached kumquat on top. Bake at 350F for about 8 minutes or until done.

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