GRAND OPENING tomorrow Sat. 28th !!!

Cornucopia will now offer you a friendly Cafe including the Bakery and a Deli where tasty Sandwiches, Salads and Soups will be served daily !

Picture from our new website that will be launch TODAY !!!

The Long Tail Monkeys 

band will be playing for our Opening !!!

So don't miss it and come enjoy good food, good music and hopefully good weather ...

HOURS

Mon-Fri :  6.30am - 5 pm

Sat :    6.30am - 3 pm

Sun : 6.30am - 2pm

Deli opens daily at 11 am

See you soon ...

Turn your Paper Napkin into a Stationary

We (at least me) always buy this designed Paper Napkins when I saw then at the store. Most of the time I am looking for the good deal at the end of a season, then I buy for next year :)

The napkins do look good on your table , but what if you could expand this design you like from the napkin to all your table presentation.

Here it is ! You will learn how to transfer very easily the napkin design to a regular paper that you can use as stationary decoration for your table.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED ...

Your favorite designed napkins

White craft paper or printer paper

Plastic Wrap

A sketch book

An iron

Step 1

- Turn ON the Iron on max and turn OFF the steam

- Separate the layers of the napkin and keep the top 

  one with the design

  

Step 2

- Cut a piece of white paper that you want to transfer the napkin on

- Then cut the napkin a little smaller than this paper

Step 3

- Place the white paper in the middle of the sketch book

- Then place a layer of plastic wrap (be sure there is no fold)

- Top with the napkin

Cover the whole thing with 4 pages of the sketch book and iron on top.

Make 6 slow motions back and forth.

Lift the pages slowly to check if the napkin has transfered to the paper.

If a corner is still not transfered: cover back with the pages and iron on this spot for 4 seconds. Repeat if necessary.

You can do it with independent papers instead of the sketch book, but it is easier with it, since the pages won't freely move 

Step 4

Trim the papers to the border of the design napkin.

From here your creativity is infinite using scissors, punch, glue,....

In this sample I made a bottle wrap and 2 tags.

Pear Cake to Delicious Truffles ... (vegan)

For the recipe of the Pear cake, read previous post...

Turn your Pear Cake into Truffles

About 10 truffles

Crumble Pear Cake

Cut half of the cooled pear cake and place in a bowl.

With your fingers crumble the cake as picture below.

Set aside.

To make the crumble moist enough to roll into shapes we need to add some sweet buttercream to it.

To make vegan buttercream it is really simple.

Vegan Buttercream

2 tbsp vegan butter (earth balance)

4 tbsp powder sugar

1 tsp rice milk (any vegan milk)

Cream the butter with a hand mixer, add one tablespoon at a time the sugar and mix well after each addition.

Finally pour the rice milk and mix until well combined. Your buttercream is ready !

Now mix the crumble and the buttercream together.

You know your mixture is ready when you can roll ball without them breaking apart.

You can make any shape you want with the dough, here I choose to make pear shapes.

To do that, make a ball, then with your finger, thin the top of the ball.

Place the uncoated truffles on a tray and place in the freezer.

(it should not stay more than 15 min in the freezer)

Chocolate Ganache

5oz. vegan semi sweet chocolate (enjoy life)

1 1/2 tbsp agave nectar

3 tbsp vegan butter (earth balance)

Pour the chocolate chips in a small sauce pan over low heat.

Right away add the agave nectar which will make it shiny, and the "butter".

Stir constantly and take away from heat as soon as liquid.

Back to the truffles...

Cover a tray with wax paper. 

Take out the truffle from the freezer and directly dip into the chocolate ganache.

With a spoon grab the truffle and place it on the wax paper.

Repeat until all truffles are covered of chocolate.

Let the truffles set on the counter for 15 minutes and it will be ready.

If you like your chocolate to be cold you can put the tray in the fridge after these 15 minutes.

But I am too impatient for that :)

Bon Appetit !!!

Pear Cake to Delicious Truffles ... (vegan)

I had this 2 pears on the counter that were too done (soft) to be eaten alone. I am very bad at using all the fruits that I buy at time. It is so tempting at the store, it smells good. it looks good, and I end up buying too much. But I hate throwing away food so I had to come up with an idea to use these very mature pears.

The first thing I thought when I saw those pears, is to dip them into chocolate :) yummyyyyy.. but they were too soft :( I had to find an alternative !

Why not make a pear cake and with the crumble of the cake make truffles ? perfect I will have the pear flavor and my chocolate craving satisfied :)

Alternative found : Pear Cake Truffles ...

Pear Cake

one loaf pan

1 cup all purpose flour

1/4 tsp xanthan gum

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/3 tsp salt

1/3 cup dairy-free butter (earth balance)

1/2 light brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp Ener-G egg replacer (mixed with 2 tbsp rice milk)

1/4 cup rice milk

2 pears 

1 tsp cinnamon

3/4 tsp lemon juice

Preheat oven at 350 degrees.

In a bowl mix the flour, xanthan gum, baking soda, baking powder and salt together and set aside.

In the mixer , cream the butter for 1 minute. Then add the brown sugar and beat well.

In the mean time put the pears cut in pieces in a food processor with the lemon juice, pulse 6 times (it should be like a puree with mini pieces, but not too liquid). Add the cinnamon powder and fold into the pear puree with a spatula. Set aside.

The butter and sugar should be well combined by now :) add the egg replacer mixture and mix well. Then add the pear puree one spoon at a time.

Alternatively add the flour mix and the rice milk. The batter will become smooth  when ready.

Pour the batter in a "greased" loaf pan , smooth the surface with a spatula.

After 35 min, insert a knife in the cake , if it comes out clean, it is ready, otherwise bake for 5 more minutes and check again.

When ready, transfer the cake on a cooling rack. Let it cool completely.

Follow next blog post to turn your Pear cake into Truffles :)

Baked Stuffed Tomato

Life is not all about sweet so I decided to post a little savory dish :)

I have been so busy that I don't have much in my fridge to cook with. 

But there is always, always tomato, because I am addicted to them :)

So today's recipe is Baked Stuffed Tomato

Baked Stuffed Tomato

1 large tomato

1/4 lbs pork sausage

1 clove garlic (chopped)

2 tbsp white onion (chopped)

2 small portabello mushrooms (chopped)

1/2 tsp oregano

1/8 tsp basil

2 tsp bread crumb

Preheat the oven on 400 degrees

Cook the pork sausage in a pan, mix with a spatula so the meat is crumbly. 

In a small pan, caramelized the onions, add the garlic and mushrooms.

Add the content of the small pan to the meat when cooked.

Then add the oregano and basil  and mix all the ingredients for a minute.

Slice a tomato in 2 and empty it with a spoon.

(instead of throwing it I add it to the stuffing)

Cover a baking dish with aluminium paper and place the pieces of tomato on it.

Spoon the stuffing into the tomato pieces and sprinkle 1 tsp of bread crumb on top of each.

Bake for 10 minutes.

Bon Appetit ...

Gluten Free Pie Crust ...

After reading my last post about Apple Pie , I got a lot of request about the gluten free crust.

As mentioned before, when I want to do Gluten free (and vegan) stuffs I usually will find my happiness in the amazing book of Cybele Pascal "The Allergen-Free Baker's Handbook".

Cybele Pascal is a food write and a proud mother of her food allergy family :)

Her husband, two sons and even her dogs have food allergies.

The Pie Crust

4 cups brown rice flour

1 1/3 cups potato starch

2/3 cup tapioca flour

6 tbsp sweet rice flour

3 tbsp confectioner sugar

1 1/2 tsp xantham gum

3/4 tsp salt

1 1/4 cups vegetable shortening

4 1/2 tsp Ener-G egg replacer

6 tbsp rice milk

2 tbsp lemon juice

To make the shortcrust , mix the flour,confectioner sugar, xanthan gum and salt in a bowl. 

Add the shortening in small pieces at a time and mix about 1 minute until you obtain a coarse meal texture.

On the side, mix the Egg replacer and 6 tbsp of rice milk.

Add the egg replacer mixture, lemon juice and remaining rice milk to the dough and mix until it forms a ball.

Take out the dough from the bowl and form a ball.

Place a sheet of parchment paper, put the dough on it and top with another sheet of parchment paper.

Roll out the dough until the thickness you like your pie to be.

Grease the pan, remove the top sheet of parchment paper, flip the crust onto the pan and remove the sheet of parchment paper.

Press down the crust to fit the dish and trim the edges

Prick the bottom 9 times with a fork.

Tarte aux pommes ... the easiest recipe ever !

The other day, I felt the need of a traditional and authentic flavor from my country. 

I didn't have anything specific in mind but I saw that I had some apples in the fruit bowl , PERFECT !

Fast, easy and delicious the traditional Tarte aux Pommes is written on the menu tonight :)

My Mom is from Normandie, a region well known for its apples, apple brandy (=calvados) and Apple Cider. So this was perfect for my authentic French flavor.

                 

                       The Shortcrust

                       3 1/2 cups flour

                       3 tbsp confectioner sugar

                       1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum

                       3/4 tsp salt

                       1 1/4 cups vegetable shortening

                       4 1/2 tsp Ener-G egg (egg replacer)

                       9 tbsp rice milk

                       2 tbsp lemon juice

                   

                 The Filling

                       3 apples

                       Apple sauce 

                       Cinnamon powder

                       Sugar

Set your oven on 400 degrees.

To make the shortcrust , mix the flour,confectioner sugar, xanthan gum and salt in a bowl. 

Add the shortening in small pieces at a time and mix about 1 minute until you obtain a coarse meal texture.

On the side, mix the Egg replacer and 6 tbsp of rice milk.

Add the egg replacer mixture, lemon juice and remaining rice milk to the dough and mix until it forms a ball.

Take out the dough from the bowl and form a ball.

Place a sheet of parchment paper, put the dough on it and top with another sheet of parchment paper.

Roll out the dough until the thickness you like your pie to be.

Grease the pan, remove the top sheet of parchment paper, flip the crust onto the pan and remove the sheet of parchment paper.

Press down the crust to fit the dish and trim the edges

Prick the bottom 9 times with a fork.

Spread the apple sauce on the crust (between 1/8-1/4 inch)

Cut thin slices of apple and place them on the apple sauce.

Sprinkle a little bit of sugar on top and cinnamon.

Bake for 20 minutes or until the crust is golden.

GLUTEN FREE

I adapted the crust recipe from an amazing book "The Allergen-Free Baker's Handbook", it is originally gluten free and requires different ingredients' quantity..

I highly recommend this book if you have allergies or food intolerances. 

It is available at Mel's store.

New Design, New Options ...

As you can see I have been designing the new look of the blog.
Belong this new design I also added some new options.

Mel's Search

Tool that will help you search specific words in the whole blog

Mel's Store

Click on this logo and it will bring you to my Baking store.

What will you find there ?

All items picked by hand by me for YOU 

Most of those items are the one we trust and use at the Bakery.

The store is under construction now because I am adding items one by one everyday. 

You can already use it, but the selection is going to expand for the next couple weeks

Sweet Smoothie ...

It is starting to be a tradition that on Sunday morning we make a family breakfast.

You know the kind where you seat  and hang out at the breakfast table with smoothie,

omelette, jelly, butter and of course ....fresh baguette... homemade !

Just an amazing way to start a Sunday, of course most of the time 

we are so full that we actually become lazy for the rest of the day :)

I thought the smoothie looked cute so I am posting a picture and an easy recipe for you 

to make some pretty but also healthy and delicious smoothie. 

Here it is, I hope to bring some sweet and healthy in your next Sunday morning :)

Smoothie

Strawberry Banana Oat

Serves 2 mugs

1 cup frozen strawberries

1 banana

1 cup organic milk

1 tsp honey or agave
Whole grain Rolled Oats (Bob's red mill)

Need a blender

Put the frozen strawberries, 1/2 banana cut in pieces, milk and honey in the blender.

Blend until smooth.

Add more or less of milk depending how you like the texture of your smoothie :)

Pour the mixture in a mug and sprinkle with rolled oats. 

Then slice the rest of the banana and top the smoothie .

Note : if you don't have strawberries frozen, add some ice and reduce the milk quantity.

Bon Appetit !

Comments difficulty...Fixed !

After hearing from some of you about having trouble to post comments. 

I went into the settings of my blog and realized only people registered with Blogger or gmail could comment.

So it is changed now to anyone can comment ! 

I hope it will work for everybody :)

Please let me know if you still have difficulty, my email is the thecornucopiabaker@gmail.com

Bite size...Raspberry Cupcakes

One of our friend had his birthday today and he didn't want any crazy cake or party :( 

so I asked him what was his favorite dessert/pastry flavor, he said vanilla !

Vanilla itself was too boring I had to add something with it , let check in my fridge. 

BINGO ! I found some raspberries and raspberry jelly :)

So today the cupcakes are vanilla with a raspberry buttercream !

Cupcake

Serves 20 mini cupcakes                                                                                   Preheat the oven on 350 degrees.

                                                          Cream the butter and sugar together until the mixture 

1/4 cup butter (half stick)                                    is smooth and pale.Add the egg.

1/2 cup sugar                                    In a bowl, combine the flour,baking powder and salt.

1 egg                                                   In another bowl put the milk and vanilla extract.

1 1/4 cup flour                                       Add 1/3 of the flour mix and 1/3 of the milk
3/4 tsp baking powder                              to the creamed mixture and beat well.             

1/4 tsp salt                                     Repeat three time until the flour mix and milk are empty.

80 ml milk                                                 

1 tsp vanilla extract                                  If you want a Vanilla/Raspberry cupcake
                                                   fold the raspberry jelly (about 1 teaspoon) into the batter.

(optional)

Raspberry jam                         Spoon the cupcake dough into the mini cupcake pan (about 2/3).

Buttercream

1/2 cup butter (one stick)                                   Cream the butter and half of the sugar. 

1 1/2 cup powder sugar                          Add the rest of the sugar and the milk and beat well.

1 tbsp milk                                                         Then add the salt and vanilla extract.

1 pinch of salt

1/4 tsp vanilla extract 

or 1/4 tsp raspberry extract                           At this point you have different options:

(optional)                                          1. Add raspberry extract and a tiny bit of pink coloring

Puree some                                2. Add vanilla extract and fold raspberry puree into the batter

fresh raspberries

Pink coloring food

Bon Appetit !

OLIVE TAPENADE, olive lovers

My husband and I love to go the Italian Market Restaurant. This place is really nice, it is a traditional Italian shop ( Deli meets, cheeses, of course pastas,...). However in the middle of the store you have a little restaurant with only Italian food on the menu ! It is always delicious and the portions are really well done, not too much or not enough, just right !

The other night there, I stopped at their Olive stand, which is amazing with tons of varieties. This is how the Olive Tapenade recipe came in my mind. 

Tapenade (pronounced tap-en-AAD) is originally a Provençal (South France). Its name comes from the provençal word for capers, tapenas. It is a popular food in the South of France, where it is generally eaten as an hors d’œuvre, spread on bread.

Olive Tapenade

Serves 4 

180g fresh black olives

1 clove Garlic (minced)

1 tablespoon Capers

1 tablespoon Olive oil

Puree the Olives, Garlic and Capers in a food processor for 10 sec.

Add the Olive oil and mix about 15 more sec.

Serving idea

Toast some wheat bread and cut it in squares. 

Then top it with a spoon of the tapenade and garnish with  some olives,

cherry tomatoes and thyme.

Gazpacho

Nothing better than the fresh taste of vegetables when the weather is warm. 

That's why this cold spanish Soup also known as Gazpacho was perfect for our dinner.

RECIPE : Veggie, Veggie, Veggie and Veggie :) and who says veggies, says Healthy !

(I can already imagine the panicked face of my husband when he is gonna read all this veggies )

The recipe is really easy but requires time to chop all the vegetables. This is why I always prepare a big bowl on Sunday and serve the Gazpacho as appetizer for the weekdays.

Gazpacho

Serves 8

2 Cucumbers (diced)

3 large Tomatoes (diced)

1 red Pepper (chopped)

1 green Pepper (chopped)

1 red Onion (chopped)

3 Garlic cloves (minced)

1/8 cup fresh Parsley (or 1 tablespoon dried )

1/8 cup fresh Basil (or 1 tablespoon dried)

1/4 cup red wine Vinegar

2 1/2 cups Tomato juice

2 tablespoon Lime juice

(Optional)

Salt

Pepper

Tabasco

In a large bowl combine all the ingredients.

Pour half of the mixture in a food processor and blend until smooth.

Combine the puree with the original mixture. 

Chill for at least 3 hours and serve cold.

Serving Idea

With a small ice cream scoop form a ball of the non-blended mixture and display in the middle of your dish. 

Top with a little of parsley.

Place the dish on the table and the soup in a gravy boat beside. 

When ready to eat the guests will pour the soup in their dish.

Bon Appetit !

Blackberry Cobbler ...vegan

The warm weather is here in Austin and all the organic fruits are appearing on the shelves of the grocery store :) Therefore when I saw those delicious blackberries I remember this recipe that I read earlier that month and decided to bake a fruity dessert for the evening !

The recipe is originally Allergy Free (gluten-dairy-egg-soy-nut free), I decided to not go for the gluten free but keep the rest of allergy away :)

I love this recipe because it is so easy to adapt it with any fruits you will find in your pantry !

Beside being a delicious recipe, it is nice to remember that blackberry is an amazing fruit with tons of Health and Nutrition Benefits. Studies have shown that blackberries help the body to avoid various types of cancer, especially breast and cervical cancer. In this case let's not feel guilty and go for it !!!

Blackberry Cobbler

serves 4

1 Cup organic all-purpose Flour

1/2 Cup organic Sugar

1 Teaspoon Baking powder

1/2 Teaspoon Baking soda

1/2 Teaspoon Xanthan gum

1/2 Cup Vanilla Rice milk

1/2 Teaspoon Apple Cider vinegar

16 oz. organic fresh Blackberries

1 Tablespoon Cornstarch

3 Tablespoons organic Shortening 

(vegetable or palm fruit)

Preheat the oven to 400°.

In a small bowl, mix the flour,half of the sugar, baking powder, baking soda and xanthan gum.

In a separate bowl whisk the rice milk with the vinegar 

(this will be the equivalent of buttermilk).

Combine the blackberries, the rest of the sugar and cornstarch in a sauce pan and cook over medium heat until the the juice thicken (stir to avoid the fruit to burn at the bottom of the pan).

Cut the shortening into the flour mix, then add the "fake buttermilk" and stir until it is combined. It should form a soft dough.

Spoon the blackberry mixture in the bottom of the ramekin and cover with the dough. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes. The top should be golden brown and the berries bubbly.

They are the best served warm !

Recipe adapted from allergy-free desserts by Elizabeth Gordon

DIY Cookie Bag

Remember the Valentine's Day Cookies ? I promised I will post how to create cute gift bags.

ahah like we would not eat all of them and actually give it away to people :)

   Instructions

What you will need :

- 4x5 treat bag (any craft store)

- 4x4 pattern paper

- 2x2 pink paper (min. size)

- 1 1/2x1 1/2 black paper (min. size)

- Love theme stamp

- white ink pad

- 2" round scallop punch

- 1 1/2" round punch

- stapler

-glue

-scissor

Note : Shape, Size and Color can be adjusted to any theme you are working on !             Be Creative !

    STEP 1 : Scallop punch

  

Turn your punch over and slide the paper in. 

This way it is easier to frame the punch you are going to do.

    STEP 2 : Stamp, Punch, Glue

   Stamp in white on your black piece of paper. Wait 1 minute until the ink is dry,

   then with the same technique as above punch around the writing (in this case it 

   becomes very useful to be able to see where you punch). 

   Next glue the round piece onto the pink scallop you cut earlier.

   STEP 3 : Fold, Decorate and Close up !
  
  Fold your last piece of paper in 2.
  Glue the decoration previously
  made on top.
  Finally slide the bag between and
  staple both right and left corner.


NOTE : Don't forget to put your 
Cookies or Candy inside the bag 
             before closing :)

DIY COOKIE BAG DONE !

Use your creativity to match any themes for any events (baby shower, birthday party,...)

Warm Weather ... Fresh Salad

My husband and I are back from our Caribbean vacations.
And you know what is the best ?
We come back home (Austin) and the weather is even nicer than on the cruise.

And for me Warm weather always rhymes with Fresh salads !

So today for lunch I made a Shrimp Citrus Salad  :)


All you need to mix together is :

- Organic Baby Spinach
- Organic Tomatoes
- Fresh cut Orange
- Sliced Carrots
- Finely sliced red onions
- Cooked Shrimps
Seasoning : olive oil mix with garlic

Bon Appetit !

TV sequence :)

Here is the link of the live video !
                                  http://weareaustin.com/entertainment-story/?nxd_id=120466

We only had 2 minutes so we couldn't finish our design. So next post on the blog will be a video on how to decorate cookies ! Come back later to check it out :)

TV show and Valentine's cookies !

Valentines's Day is around the corner. For this occasion KEYE Austin Channel invited me to demonstrate how to decorate cookies :) Big day for our bakery, this will be our first time on tv !

Here are a sample of the cookies that will be shown ! 

See you on KEYE Tuesday between 4-5pm :)