Breakfast

Nothing screams a French breakfast like a classic Brioche on the table. But not just any brioche… If you ask me, it has to be a Classic French Butter Brioche – known in French as “Brioche pur Beurre”. This French bakery staple is a soft bread that is light, pillowy and enriched with lots of butter to create a taste and texture that is uniquely rich. Unlike other French brioches that can include milk or cream to create an unctuous crumb, this brioche – as its name suggests – is …

Strawberry jam is a classic, especially in the early Summer months. But have you ever tried a Strawberry Banana jam? The addition of banana brings warmth and richness to the bright strawberries, and creates a wonderfully smooth texture. This is a quick, easy and delicious homemade jam, making the most of a childhood favorite flavor combo – strawberry and banana – which is sure to please the whole family!   

If you’re a first-time bread-baker, this recipe is for you. This Overnight No-Knead Bread is a basic loaf that doesn’t require kneading nor does it include a sourdough starter. The yeast-base dough is simply stirred together and rests overnight on your counter top to slowly ferment, rise and develop flavors. Baked the next day in a sizzling skillet, the bread grows into a crusty bakery-style loaf with a flavorful airy crumb. Trust me, it will not disappoint!

A sweet tangy filling bubbling underneath a buttery oat crumble… This Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp has to be one of my favorite Spring desserts. It just has it all: it’s a snap to prepare, it doesn’t have to look perfect and it’s a delicious crowd pleaser. It’s best enjoyed with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream on top, or just on its own.

I used to love Granola when I was younger, but I stopped eating it when I finally read the ingredients listed on most packages. Store-bought granola often has a large amount of refined sugar in it, and I decided I didn’t want to start the day off with a big breakfast bowl of sugar-filled granola.

Marmalades and Jams are the spreads of choice on the French breakfast table, for topping a classic baguette with butter. And in the Winter, I do love a good citrus marmalade that packs a punch of bold and bright flavors. This Honey Lemon Marmalade recipe is a great Winter project, if you’re looking for that kind of spread. It has a great balance of sweetness and bitterness, with the fresh acidity from the lemon and the mellowness from the honey. It’s the perfect way to preserve citrus season and bring …

Homemade jams, marmalades and jellies are deeply anchored in French cooking traditions, and I never miss an occasion to jar up some seasonal fruits. This ensures that no seasonal produce goes to waste and that they can be enjoyed all year round. At this time of year, the abundance of ripe Concord grapes here in Ontario makes it a natural fruit of choice for jam. Made with just a few ingredients, this Concord Grape and Thyme Jam is perfectly tart and sweet with lovely floral notes. It will likely remind …

When life gives you Apricots, make an Apricot Flaugnarde! This dessert hailing from the Limousin region, in south-central France, is a delicious variant of the Cherry Clafoutis – but made with Apricots. Resembling a large pancake, this dessert is made with seasonal stonefruits placed in a buttered dish, covered with a flan-like batter and baked until puffy. A “Clafoutis” is in fact the name given to this dessert when made with cherries, while “Flaugnarde” (also spelled Flognarde) is the name given when made with apricots, plums, peaches or apples and …

Making brioche for Easter morning is a dear French tradition that I follow religiously every year – even in Canada (although you’ll know that I am partial to brioche all year round). And for this year’s Easter holiday, I am excited to be sharing with you my recipe for this Orange and Anise Sugared Easter Brioche, also known as a “Mouna”. This plump and fragrant Mouna brioche hails from the Pied-Noir (“black-foot” in French) and Oran Cuisine, from Algeria. If you don’t know, Pied-Noirs was the name given to the …

Marmalades and fruit jams of all kinds play a huge part in French gastronomy. Of course, they’re ubiquitous on the breakfast table, enjoyed with the staple bread and butter. But they’re also deeply anchored in a “no-waste” French philosophy. Making jams, marmalades and preserves has always been a privileged tradition in France for home-cooks to ensure no seasonal fruits went to waste, and that they could be enjoyed all year round. So with Spring just around the corner, I wanted to bid a proper farewell to Winter by jarring (literally) …