vanilla

The French Magic Cake is a one-bowl wonder that transforms into three distinct layers as it bakes: a dense flan-like base, a silkier custard center, and a light sponge cake top. Like magic! Flavored with bright citrus and warm vanilla, this easy-to-make dessert is light, creamy, and full of charm. When sliced, its beautiful layers create a show-stopping presentation that’s perfect for impressing your guests.

This Chocolate Vanilla Marble Cake is typically what we call a “Gâteau régréssif” in France – meaning it makes you feel like a kid again. With a buttery and tender crumb and beautiful chocolate and vanilla swirls, this is a staple French afternoon snack for kids and adults alike. Ready for this childhood favorite?

Halfway between a cake and a pie, the classic Basque Cake, known as “Gâteau Basque”, is a staple from southern France and northern Spain – the lands of the Basque people. It has a deliciously rich and buttery double layered crust encasing a delicious pastry cream. Although locals tradtionally serve this cake to accompany coffee or tea, its elegant crosshatch pattern on the top gives it a rustic charm and makes this cake plenty elegant for special occasions, or as a centerpiece for dessert.

Riz au Lait with Caramel Sauce is what we call a recette de grand–mère, aka a “grandmother’s recipe”. Practically every French grandmother knows their way with pantry staples (rice, milk, sugar and vanilla) to make this creamy rice pudding topped with caramel sauce. This is a comforting and thrifty dessert that always pleases both kids and adults. 

Known in France as “Flan Coco”, this famous Coconut Flan hails from the French Antilles. With the exotic flavors of coconut milk, shredded coconut and vanilla, this recipe may be a stretch from what you would expect of a classic French dessert, yet it is a very popular flan in mainland France too. Most French, myself included, love to indulge in the cuisine from the French Antilles Islands, and this flan may be one of their most beloved recipes to recreate at home.

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) …

Flans and custards of all kinds hold a high rank in French baking, and this Parisian Vanilla Custard Pie (more commonly known as a “Flan Parisien”) is no exception. This hefty pie features a sturdy, sandy blackened crust hiding a rich and creamy vanilla custard under a thick blackened skin. You’ll find it sold in most French bakeries, and basically every bakery in Paris, as it is inarguably a Parisian favorite. Like many rustic French flans, this Parisian Vanilla Custard Pie bears a black-spotted top that can give the impression …

A “Gâteau au Yaourt” (Yogurt Cake) is a simple French classic and is very often the first cake that kids learn to bake (I remember being taught to make a yogurt cake in our classroom when I was 6 or 7, using the yogurt pot as the measuring tool). It’s quick and easy, as you only need 1 bowl and 10 minutes of prep time. It’s moist, fluffy, and endlessly adaptable. It makes for a great recipe to have in your baking repertoire, that can be adjusted to any season or …