mille-feuilles for lazies

Do you know that moments when you really need to eat something sweet but you don't have time to cook, or maybe it's simply a super lazy sunday...? I do, one of them was just yesterday and I even needed to cook for some guests... so i did the laziest and easiest recipe ever! But don't worry because the result will be spectacular.. as if you've been in the kitchen for ages! Even the worst omnivors won't complain about anything ;)

ingredients
1 roll of ready-to-bake puff pastry
2 full tbsp margarine or soya butter
3 tbsp flour 00
2 3/4 cup soya milk
1 sachet vanilla sugar
1 or 2 drops vanilla essence
1 tbsp sugar
fresh strawberries pieces
granulated hazelnuts
strawberry jam
confectioners sugar (optional)

procedure
Preheat the oven at 190° C.  With a knife, cut the puff pastry dough into three equally-sized parts and pierce them all over with a fork, then bake them in the oven for about 20 minutes. While the puff pastry layers are cooling, prepare the sweet bèchamel sauce: melt the margarine in a saucepan, add flour and mix until well incorporated. Cook on medium heat for some minutes then slowly add the milk, while mixing. Continue to mix, add sugars and vanilla. The sauce is ready when starts to become thick. To assemble, just spread the jam on the first pastry puff layer then spread the sauce and add strawberries and hazelnuts. Repeat it for the second layer; on the last one it's possible to add more sauce and strawberries or just sprinkle with confectioners sugar and hazelnuts like i did.

Enjoy!

white chocolate raspberries cupcakes

i

The weather of these days has been crazy and honestly a bit worrying: 10 degrees in two days isn't normal. But, to be more honest, I can't help being happy about this beautiful sun..I was really fed up with cold and greyness! So, to celebrate the arrival of spring (finally!) I baked this colorful and fresh babies.. Made with fresh raspberries, white chocolate and Spalmarisella cream cheese. Here's to you the recipe:)

ingredients
serves 12 cupcakes

white chocolate cupcakes 
1 cup soy milk
1 tsp apple vinagre
1/3 cup oil*
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1 cup flour 00
1/3 vegan white chocolate, grated
1 tsp baking powder
2/3 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt

raspberry frosting

1/2 cup margarine, softened

1/2 cup vegan cream cheese**

2 1/2 cup confectioners sugar****

3/4 cup raspberries 

1/3 vegan cup white chocolate

for garnish
fresh raspberries

* the most tastless you can find.

**I usually use Spalmarisella and Soyananda: both delicious! I absolutely DON'T like Tofutti.

***It depends on your taste, if you prefer something not too sweet then is better using just 2 (or 1 1/2) cups.





procedure


to make the cakes

Preheat the oven to 180° C (350 degrees F), line cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners. In a large bowl, whisk milk and vinagre and let them chill for a few minutes. Add sugar, oil,  and vanilla essence to the soy milk and beat until a bit foamy. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, grated white chocolate, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the dry mixture to the wet one in two batches, and beat until no large lumps remain. 

to make the frosting
First of all, smash the raspberries with an electric mixer and melt the white chocolate in a double boiler (bagnomaria). Cream margarine and cream cheese together with a stand mixer (if you don't have one doesn't matter because a simple bowl and a fork work as well. Just be patient! ) Then add to the mixture: half of the sugar, the raspberries "sauce", the melted chocolate and beat. Add the rest of sugar and beat again, until everything is well incorporated.

mocha cupcakes with fresh rasperries filling

This is my first recipe/post on this blog, and i really hope you'll like it.

I love this cupcakes..I think raspberries and coffee are sooo special together and, let's say it, chocolate it's always a good idea ;)  It was just an experiment made on a boring sunday but I'm going to bake these delights again and again in the future.. so I've decided to share this simple recipe also with you!

Here's the recipe.. enjoy! 


ingredients 
serves 12 cupcakes

chocolate and coffee cupcakes 
1 cup soy milk
1 tsp apple vinagre
1/3 cup oil**
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tbsp coffee espresso
1 cup flour 00
1/3 cup dark chocolate, grated
1/3 cup cocoa
1 tsp baking powder
2/3 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt

raspberries filling
(by Chloe Coscarelli)
1 cup fresh raspberries

1/2 cup agave syrup

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp salt

coffee frosting
1 cup margarine, softened

2 3/4 cup confectioners sugar*

1/4 cup espresso coffee (cooled)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

for garnish
cocoa powder
fresh raspberries

** the most tastless you can find.
*It depends on your taste, if you prefer something not too sweet then is better using just 2 (or 1 1/2) cups.





procedure


to make the cakes

Preheat the oven to 180° C (350 degrees F), line cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners or paper. In a large bowl, whisk milk and vinagre and let them chill for a few minutes. Add sugar, oil, espresso and vanilla to the soy milk mixture and beat until a bit foamy. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, grated chocolate, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the dry mixture to the wet one, and beat until no lumps remain. 

to make the sauce
Cook raspberries and agave in a small saucepan over medium heat, until raspberries wilt down. Let cook on low heat for 5 minutes then remove it from heat and mix in vanilla, lemon, cinnamon and salt. Adjust sweetness with more agave if it's necessary. Let cool in refrigerator.

to make the frosting
Cream the margarine with a stand mixer until fluffy (a fork works as well!). Add the half of sugar and beat until incorporated, then add the coffee, vanilla extract and the rest of the sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Taste and, if it's necessary, adjust. 

to assemble
VERY IMPORTANT: wait until the cakes are completely cooled to assemble them, otherwise the frosting will melt down! 
With a knife, cut away a small cone from each cake, so you'll have an hole in everyone of them. At this time, fill each hole with the raspberry sauce. Pipe the frosting and garnish with cocoa powder and fresh raspberries