White Chocolate Meringue Nests with Summer Berries

This side of the Atlantic it is the world's worst kept secret that today officially kicks off the long awaited Diamond Jubilee celebrations honoring Queen Elizabeth II and her incredible 60 years on the throne.  

The buildup for this long-awaited event has been growing steadily over the past few months, with every newspaper, magazine, high street shop, department store, supermarket and endless television adverts all showcasing the Union Jack, festive bunting, scores of summer garden party recipes and of course, the requisite array of baked goods and sweets in patriotic reds, blues and whites. 

While I haven't gotten irretrievably swept away with Jubilee fever just yet, I admit it's hard not to get inspired by some of the amazing displays of mouth watering treats being showcased right now in literally every patisserie window and foodie publication in the country. 

This swell of patriotism also offered the perfect excuse to roll out these fabulously light and delicious white chocolate meringues topped with a a trio of fresh berries, conveniently completing the requisite Union Jack color scheme. (Bonus! I get to enjoy a gorgeous summer treat AND feel satisfied I've done my patriotic duty. It really doesn't get better than that!)  

While we will definitely be treating ourselves to some of these delicious little meringues between toasting Her Majesty with a glass jug or two of Pimms this weekend, you don't need a historical monarch celebration in order to do the same--they're just easy enough to whip up as a fun little "just because it's summer" treat for any occasion. Enjoy!

Madeleines au Chocolat | Easy & Delicious French Sponge Cakes

Ok first off, a little confession.  I've been a tiny bit neglectful of the blog this past week or so as London has officially come out of its bleak Transylvanian-esque coma and we've all been overloading on the bliss of experiencing our very FIRST taste of summer. I don't know whatever happened to spring, we skipped it altogether apparently.  Nonetheless, blue skies and balmy temperatures have had everyone in the capital dying to be outside soaking up as many UVB rays as humanly possible.  Needless to say, baking in a hot kitchen has not exactly sounded appealing lately.  

I actually started to wonder if I was EVER going to be tempted back indoors for the duration of this magnificent heatwave (otherwise known as normal June weather everywhere else in the world).  And then a little package arrived on my doorstep the other day... 

I spied this little vintage baking gem online a few months ago, but when I tried to purchase it, I was told they were completely sold out.  That's the problem with vintage goodies, no mass reproductions mean they can be tricky suckers to get your hands on!  Trying to be graceful in my shopping defeat, I moved on.  

Fortunately my dear hubby apparently did not because unbeknownst to me, he had tracked it down and the next thing I knew it was sitting on my doorstep begging me to put it to work.  How could I deny this little vintage work of art?  Then it hit me...what DO you make in a tin with such uniquely shallow molds?  That part had me stumped until I cracked open one of my favorite go-to baking bibles for some inspiration. (Seriously, Donna Hay is a deity when it comes to all things chocolate and if you haven't tried any of her recipes yet, here's your chance!)  

Want to know the best part?  Despite their chi chi French name, these chocolate madeleines are honestly incredibly easy to make.  You'll be able to whip up a batch of these delicious treats and still manage to top off your suntan an hour later.  Seriously, what more can a girl ask for?   Enjoy!

Pain au Chocolat Cinnamon Rolls

One of the things I love most about living in close proximity to continental Europe is the access to the best pastries on earth.  I know the English have a profound weakness for the ever popular Full English Breakfast, complete with its eggs, mushrooms, sausages, grilled tomato and all the rest of the trimmings, but give me a frothy cappuccino and basket of fresh croissants or pain au chocolat and I'm a very happy girl.

Having spent the bank holiday in Spain for a friend's wedding this past weekend, I had the opportunity to get my long overdue fix of those classic continental treats. While nothing (in my humble opinion) equals the kind of magic the French seem to elicit from simple mixtures of sugar, eggs and yeast, I will admit that the Spanish bread and pastries I sampled definitely held their own and left me wanting more.  

After returning to London and counting up the days to our anniversary weekend that will be taking place in Paris this year, I decided a month was simply too long to wait and decided to take matters into my own hands and attempt some Parisian inspired treats of my own. It's fair to say that there are plenty of recipes for traditional French pastries out there, however when I tripped over Kerry Saretsky's French Revolution blog with her creative recipe mash up of classic pain au chocolat meets American style cinnamon rolls, I knew this was the one for me.

I concede, nothing can really top the experience of having a fresh-from-the-oven basket of delicate pastries delivered to your room by a man with a charming Gallic accent.  However for those of you awaiting your next visit to Paris, these delicious hybrid pastries should more than help get you by in the meantime!  

White Chocolate Easter Egg Cupcakes--With a Twist

Every now and then there are holidays or events that serve to remind me that despite a common language and many cultural similarities, the UK and US are still quite different places, and customs and traditions cherished back home often leave them scratching their heads (or rolling their eyes!) over here.  

Case and point: Easter eggs.  Never in a million years would I have imagined ever feeling any level of remorse for taking your basic plain white American egg for granted.  But just try to find a carton of good 'ol classic white eggs over here and you'll embark on a scavenger hunt beyond your wildest dreams.

Want to make things really interesting?  Go out and try to find easter egg dye in London. Seriously, I dare you. Walk into your local supermarket and explain that you want white eggs and Easter egg dye to color them.  Now get out your iPhone and capture the precious look on their faces as they try to figure out if your a certified mental case or just a sad art school flunkie with too much time on your hands. (For the record, eggs in the UK by comparison are already exceptionally colorful with colors ranging from pale blue to vibrant mahogany) but neither of these will do you much good when you want to dye them that traditional pallet of Easter pastels. 

After learning my lesson several years ago, I've long since given up on the whole dying Easter eggs thing. I thought it would be a cute tradition to share with my husband.  We like to swap customs and  cultural oddities and this seemed like a fun little project to crack open a bottle of wine and do together on a rainy Sunday night.  

When that failed, I planned to buy lots of little colored plastic eggs and fill them with fun surprises to hide around our flat for both he and Dexter to find. Cute right?  Not so much as it turns out, considering finding colored plastic eggs around here was just about as bad as locating white versions of the real thing, and the explanation process was only marginally less embarrassing.  This year for Easter #4, I decided it was time for a change of tact.  

I was bound and determined to do something Easter egg themed, although "traditional" would clearly have to go out the window.  And that's when I remembered the most awesome cupcake book ever and the amazing egg-themed project that would officially be my attempt at keeping (American) Easter commercialism alive!  Hurrah!  

And so....voila! My new interpretation of Easter egg festivities and homage to yummy Easter indulgence. True, these may not be the plastic eggs filled with chocolate buttons of my childhood, but they are fresh baked vanilla cupcakes filled with decadent white chocolate chunks.  And that's a trade-off I can live with....at least for this year!  

For an ultra decadent, alternative version to vanilla cupcakes, try this recipe by the never-fail Hummingbird Bakery.  Click on the link for deets on how to create the "All Cracked Up" broken egg centerpiece.

Happy Easter!

Chic & Charming Primrose Hill

With London temperatures setting new highs this past week, there really wasn't a better way to toast the arrival of Spring than by taking in the gorgeous views of the city from the top of Primrose Hill and enjoying a few leisurely afternoon strolls through the ridiculously cheery and colorful streets that surround this posh little "village" on the fringe of central London. 

{even the cars are bright and cheery in Primrose Hill}

This neighborhood is fast becoming one of my favorite hidden corners of London, although there's probably not much left "hidden" about an area with such a disproportionate number of famous faces strolling about. Believe it or not though, celebs are just a tiny piece of the eye candy that makes Primrose Hill so fab. There's probably nowhere outside of Paris that I find as enjoyable sipping a cappuccino at a sidewalk cafe and watching the world go by.  And then there's the sweet shops... Primrose Hill is literally tripping over chic little patisseries and cupcake shops, including the cute-as-a-button Primrose Bakery, which has been known to inspire more than a few recipes on this blog, including this summery treat for ladies who adore their afternoon tea.

Despite the brilliant array of colors that give this neighborhood its distinctive personality, the most beautiful time of day to see this area in all its glory is definitely sunset.  Sunset in Primrose Hill is something pretty special. A tranquil hush falls over the streets while the big vintage globe lanterns of the local pubs quietly start to cast their warm amber glow and the local church spires are illuminated against a vibrant red and gold sky.  There's not too many better ways to wind down a day.

*  *  *  *  *  *  

If you find yourself passing through North London, this little gem of a neighborhood should not be missed.  I promise it will be well worth the detour.

To get you started, here's a little cheat sheet of five things you must do when visiting Primrose Hill:

1.  Indulge in a lemon meringue or malted marshmallow cupcake from Primrose Bakery

69 Gloucester Avenue, London  NW1 8LD

2.  Enjoy a pre-dinner glass of champagne at the romantic French bistro, L'Absinthe

40 Chalcot Road  London NW1 8LS

3.  Dine al fresco on incredibly fresh seafood and Mediterranean cuisine at Limonia,  a favorite gastro haunt of  local residents

89 Regents Park Road, London NW1 8UY

4.  Take a stroll around Chalcot Square and drool over the exquisitely colored 

multi-million pound townhouses 

5.  Pack a picnic (or spontaneously load up at any of the local delis) and watch the sun set over the city from the top of Primrose Hill

A Taste of Spring: Zesty Lemon Poppyseed Cakes

It's a strange thing when the magazine editors decide to declare Spring has arrived.  The message is shouted loud and clear from every bookstore, magazine stand and supermarket checkout line in town. It's  impossible to ignore the fabulous colors and cover stories announcing the latest in everything from Spring fashion to haircuts to the best garden party brunch dishes. It's official, Spring IS here!  Except, of course, that it isn't...  

Like this week in London for instance.  The sky remains a very dull grey covered in those endlessly heavy clouds that seem to follow you everywhere, threatening rain at a moment's notice. (And more often than not, delivering on those threats.)  Spring may have arrived in other parts of the world, but London has most certainly not gotten the memo.  

That said, the cheery colors and reminders of the bright sunny days ahead have put me in the mood to get a jump start on the season.  It may not yet feel like Spring, but there's no reason it can't taste like it! 

I've made no secret of my love of lemons and I'm happy to find a way to bake them into any form of sugary perfection known to man.  However it must be said, this might be one of the best recipes I've come across in a long time. The cake is a perfect texture and remains moist and delicious even several days after baking (assuming of course you have better willpower than we do!)  

Enjoy!

Mandarin Orange & Olive Oil Mini Doughnuts

I recently discovered this recipe for the cutest (and yummiest!) strawberry jam doughnuts and couldn't wait for an excuse to make them again. This time however, I fancied putting a more creative twist on the classic version, whatever that would turn out to be.  It was only after a recent outing to Pierre Hermé where I may or may not have (but totally did) indulge in a few of his legendary macaroons, that divine inspiration struck me.

If a crazy French confectionary genius can fuse together such eclectic flavors as white truffle and hazelnut or olive oil and vanilla, why must these be limited solely to his exquisite macaroons?  Can't simple old pastries and baked goods get in on the fun? 

And so, voila! Allow me to introduce you to these fun and chic little mandarin orange & olive oil doughnuts. True, they're not your classic American style doughnut.  Just think of them as Crispy Creme's smaller European cousin. You know, the one with a French accent and cooler wardrobe.