Strawberry and Blueberry Fruit Salad Recipe (Coupe Fraises Myrtilles)

Berries are in season and we bought delicious flavorful blueberries and strawberries from Rogue Valley Farmers' Market in Ashland, Oregon. I was amazed to discover all the locally grown produce there.

Here's an easy and simple fruit salad I made for a picnic we had in Lithia Park that I wanted to share with you. I took the blueberries and strawberries from the market and served them along with brownies and chantilly (whipped cream). It was a real success, as there were only empty bowls to bring home.

Nutella Crepes with Kiwi

Chocolate and kiwi are two of my favorite flavors. When combined, they enhance one another, creating subtleties that cannot be found in either ingredient on its own. In the past I've used them in cakes and other desserts, and today I thought it would be fun to use the combo as a crepe filling.

The chocolate part of the equation is satisfied by the French mainstay Nutella. Nutella, in case you don't know, is a chocolate hazelnut spread. I wasn't sure at first how the hazelnuts would play with kiwi, but after tasting the finished product, I can't imagine it any other way!

Canneles Bordelais Recipe

Cannelés Bordelais are French miniature sweets from Bordeaux. The batter is very similar to crêpe batter; butter is melted in warm milk, then eggs, rum (I used Cointreau liqueur), vanilla, citrus zest and flour. The two most difficult steps are to be patient about letting the batter rest and to bake the cannelés at the right temperature or they can deflate rapidly.

The traditional baking method requires a special fluted copper mold, greased with beeswax (I used butter) for a golden outer crust and easy unmolding. I use silicone molds, which are not quite authentic but the results are just as delicious. After baking, the tiny desserts will have a thick, caramelized crust and a tender custard center. The contrast is very nice, and they're wonderful right out of the oven.

Eggless Dessert: French Crepe Recipe

This eggless crepe recipe requires less liquid than regular crepe batter, along with a bit of baking powder. You could serve them as is, or you could add your favorite filling. This time around I smothered the warm crêpe with butter, added a layer of apricot preserves, topped it with sweetened whipped cream and finished with fresh fruits.

Most French desserts contain eggs, but as I’ve mentioned in the past, one of my sisters-in-law is allergic to them. I’m always trying to find ways to make egg-free alternatives to please her sweet tooth. After many attempts, I’ve found that crêpes translate incredibly well without eggs, perhaps better than any other treat. Being able to watch her enjoying the dessert with a wide smile across her face makes it all worth it!

Asian-Style Strawberry Napoleon Recipe (Mille-feuille Fraise Noix de Coco Dessert)

Mille-feuille, called "Napoleon" in the U.S., is a very popular French dessert. Traditionally [according to Wikipedia], a mille-feuille is made up of three layers of puff pastry, alternating with two layers of cream pâtissière, but sometimes whipped cream or jam. The top is usually glazed with icing or fondant in alternating white (icing) and brown (chocolate) strips, and combed.

I’ve made traditional mille-feuilles many times before, and I was in the mood for a change. I assembled a gluten-free version using layers of Vietnamese coconut paper called bánh phông sữa. They are paper-thin sheets made of coconut milk, sugar, cassava and condensed milk. I flavored the dessert with fresh strawberries and a coulis de fraise, which is a strawberry sauce. This dessert is bake-free and so easy to create, that I had the girls do the assembly. They had so much fun putting them together and even more making them disappear!