Bretagne

  • Apple Breton Pound Cake (Quatre-Quarts aux Pommes)

    by Audrey

    A Breton Pound Cake, known as “Quatre-Quarts” (four quarters) is the ubiquitous French snacking cake. It’s simple, not-too-sweet, just dense enough to be eaten with your hands and full of buttery flavors. This version is studded with lightly caramelized apple chunks to keep it moist and irresistible. A great year-round recipe for your baking repertoire!

  • Chocolate Chip Cookies with Fleur de Sel

    by Audrey

    We all need a classic chocolate chip cookie recipe in our baking repertoire – and this is mine. These Chocolate Chip Cookies with Fleur de Sel are chewy on the inside, crispy on the outside, rich and buttery, and full of chocolate chips. They are sprinkled generously with Fleur de Sel before baking to make all the flavors pop and give them an incomparable taste. 

  • Putting a Breton twist on Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies! Today’s recipe revisits the American classic recipe of Chocolate Chip cookies, with the use of buckwheat flour and sea salt – two staple ingredients from my home region Brittany. Buckwheat flour gives earthy and nutty flavors to these chewy cookies, boosted with sea salt that is used both inside the dough and sprinkled over top. If you think chocolate chip cookies couldn’t get any better – just wait, and try! 

  • If you are a crêpe lover like me and always look for different ways to enjoy them throughout the seasons, this recipe is a great one to add to your arsenal. This Summer-perfect dessert includes a luscious homemade Blueberry Balsamic Sauce poured on a big scoop of ice-cream and a few Classic French Crêpes underneath.  The marriage of the warm, tangy, sweet Blueberry Balsamic Sauce (made with White Balsamic Vinegar) with the smooth, cold vanilla ice cream is a match made in heaven. The tender, soft crêpes bring another level …

  • Sardine and Cream Cheese Rillettes

    by Audrey

    Growing up in Brittany, on the Atlantic coast, sardines were a staple food – coming in fresh every morning from the harbor and sold at the local “poissonnier” (fish shop); in cans or in the form of the utterly popular sardine rillettes. This tasty spread is a delight for sharing during the French Apéro (pre-meal drinks & small bites) and makes the perfect nutritious snack too. So what are “Rillettes”, exactly ? If you’re unacquainted with it, a “rillette” (pronounced “ree-yet”) in French is similar to a pâté, often made …

  • It’s berry season! And what could be a better pairing for berries than a hefty slice of pound cake with a generous dollop of whipped cream? But not just any pound cake, a Breton Pound Cake! In French, this Breton Pound cake is called a “quatre-quarts“, which translates to “four quarters”. It is very popular in Brittany, of course, but also widely known and enjoyed all throughout France. It consists – just like a classic pound cake – of four ingredients of equal weight: one quarter flour, one quarter butter, …

  • Nuns’ Farts Carnaval Puffs

    by Audrey

    It’s Carnaval season! And with Mardi Gras just around the corner, it’s time to dig out the large pots, slotted spoons and oil jars, and whip up some batches of beignets – something the French excel at! Whether they’re the classic soft “Beignets”, the crisp “Bugnes” or “Oreillettes” from the city of Lyon, the “Ganses” from the city of Nice, “Shenkeles” from the Alsace region… you’ll find carnaval fried doughs with so many different shapes, textures and names in France. But, some of my favorites are these little round puffs, …

  • Chocolate Fondant Cake from La Baule

    by Audrey

    This Chocolate Fondant Cake is a delicious recipe from La Baule, and is possibly one of the most well-kept culinary secrets in France… (updated recipe – January 2019).  La Baule is a picturesque seaside resort town on the Atlantic coast, where beautiful stoned-façade villas and casinos mass along stunning sand beaches. It is a beloved weekend getaway spot for Parisians, who yearn for a slower, sun-bathed atmosphere and some fresh Atlantic air.

  • French Salted Butter Cookies (Sablé Breton)

    by Audrey

    If there’s one type of cookie that defined my childhood in Brittany, it’s the Sablé Breton! These traditional French salted butter cookies are crispy, buttery, and perfectly balanced with a hint of salt. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or just starting out, this easy recipe will transport you straight to a Brittany kitchen.

  • Known in French as buckwheat “galettes”, these Brittany-style buckwheat pancakes are a variation on the utterly classic Buckwheat crêpes (a recipe that I shared here). They differ from the latter as they are thicker and smaller, but are made with the same ingredients and have the same delectable nutty, earthy flavors and fluffy texture dotted with little holes.

Pardon your French

Let’s bring French flavors to your kitchen! I share uncomplicated and classic recipes, lesser-known regional dishes and a few modern takes. Making French cooking easy, approachable and cliché-free is my priority.