“You’ll do well! ” P. said in a soft voice that sounded reassuring. He was looking at me straight in the eyes. Intensely as if to convince me even more.
I knew that it would be fine. That I would fine. But I was still feeling rather nervous — thrilled and excited! In fact, I couldn’t fall easily asleep at night, tossing again and again, thinking about Thursday, Friday and then Saturday, and about the French TV journalist and cameraman who were flying from Paris to meet me.
Thursday, Friday and Saturday happened. It’s been magical — and I can sleep again! They walked into our home and for two full busy days, they filmed and interviewed me, in my small kitchen. I am sure you can imagine the scene of me, P. and Lulu behind the camera — oh how much she liked it — and the kind of adrenaline I’ve been on! I think I still don’t realize that it happened.
But I am lucky: they were extremely friendly and made me feel at ease — we had a lot of fun. I’ll tell you more about it, I promise: details about the program and when it airs; about what we saw, what I cooked and what we ate.
Meanwhile, an overwhelming chocolate craving took me over. A few days ago, we started the day with a pile of chocolate crêpes on the breakfast table — Lulu enjoyed her first one too — then I made chocolate mousse, and the next day, I had a chocolate snow eggs for dessert at lunch. One full serving* just* by myself! Juste pour moi!
It tasted rich and chocolaty, leaving wonderful aromas in my mouth.
It filled me with so much happy energy that after I licked my fingers and the spoon clean, Lulu and I went for a long walk in one of your favorite nature reserves close to the house.
It was still somewhat mild for the season so I decided to lay a blanket on the grass where she and I sat. She looked at me, surprised, and then smiled, clapping her hands and moving her legs and feet swiftly. She was a happy baby, with her hands full of the grass she grabbed.
And me a happy maman to be sitting there with her under the apple tree, with a stomach full of scrumptious chocolate custard.
You need:
- 2 1/3 cups whole milk
- 6 eggs, separated
- 1 vanilla bean, split open and seeds scraped out
- 3 green cardamom pods, crushed
- 1/2 cup blond cane sugar
- 3.5 oz dark chocolate, 64% cocoa, finely grated
- 2 tablespoons caster sugar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch, sifted*
- Cocoa powder, to dust
Note: using cornstarch makes the custard thicker. It’s not necessary, and I don’t always use it.
Steps:
- In a pot, combine the milk, vanilla pod and seeds, and cardamom pods and seeds. Bring to a boil and then stop the heat. Cover and let infuse for 30 minutes. Filter the milk and reheat it.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg yolks with the sugar until light and pale in color.
- Pour the milk slowly while beating.
- Stir in the chocolate and mix until the chocolate is melted.
- Stir in the cornstarch and cook on low to medium heat, stirring, never leaving the cream boil but until it thickens. Let cool and refrigerate, covered, until ready to use.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt. When they form soft peaks, add the caster sugar gradually while continuing to beat.
- In a pot, heat a large volume of water. When it’s reaching boiling point, reduce the heat so that the water simmers. Drop a large tablespoon of egg whites in the water and cook for 30 seconds on each side. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel. Repeat with the rest of egg whites; set aside.
- Serve the egg whites on top of the chocolate custard and dust with cocoa powder.
Ingrédients :
- 600 ml de lait entier
- 6 oeufs, les blancs séparés des jaunes
- 1 gousse de vanille, fendue et grattée
- 3 capsules de cardamome verte, pilées
- 100 g de sucre de canne blond
- 100 g de chocolat noir à 64% de teneur en cacao, râpé
- 2 càs de sucre en poudre
- 2 càs de maïzena, tamisée*
- Cacao en poudre, pour saupoudrer
Remarque : si vous utilisez de la maïzena, cela rend la crème plus épaisse. Je n’en utilise pas toujours.
Etapes :
- Dans une casserole, faites chauffer le lait avec la vanille et la cardamome. Une fois que le lait atteint ébullition, arrêtez le feu. Couvrez et laissez infuser pendant pendant 30 minutes. Filtrez et réchauffez le lait.
- Dans le bol de votre robot à pied, battez les jaunes d’oeuf avec le sucre jusqu’à blanchiment.
- Versez le lait doucement tout en remuant.
- Ajoutez le chocolat et remuez jusquà ce qu’il soit fondu.
- Ajoutez la maïzena et faites épaissir cette crème sur feu doux à moyen. Laissez refroidir et mettez au frigo, couvert, jusqu’au moment de servir.
- Battez les blancs d’oeuf en neige avec une pincée de sel. Quand ils commencent à devenir fermes, ajoutez progressivement le sucre en poudre.
- Dans une casserole, chauffez un large volume d’eau. Quand l’eau frémit, déposez une grosse quenelle de blancs en neige et cuisez pendant 30 secondes de chaque côté. Recommencez jusqu’à épuisement des blancs en neige. Déposez-les sur une feuille de papier absorbant.
- Servez la crème au chocolat avec les blancs en neige posés dessus. Saupoudrez de cacao en poudre.
Wow Bea, congratulations to your TV program! It sounds great! 🙂 Lulu looks so cute sitting under the tree, a happy little sprite 🙂
Why had I not thought of this combo before? Ile flotante au chocolat, bien sur!
nice photos!
this makes me excited for winter 🙂 can’t wait to try this at home tonight!
exciting news! beautiful photos & dessert.
Subtle, yet gorgeous photography… I love the first picture so much. Just the name makes me want to try this out.
You made my day! I was looking for something new to make one of these days for my family. Oeufs a la neige is something we are all big fan of around here…but I had never thought about the chocolate custard. I’m sure it will be a success among my little ones and my husband.. so merci! Congratulations on your upcoming TV appearance. Do you already know on which program/when they are going to broadcast it? Happy Holidays.
You’re awesome Béa, truly awesome. Your little angel is so sweet. Almost 1 year old? First birthday, first Christmas. It will be a busy holiday for you. Enjoy!
I love a recipe that uses both the yolks and the whites of the egg! Cardomom and chocolate is a divine combination too.
Bravo Béa! j’espère que l’on pourra voir cette interview bientôt!
How exciting! je comprends que tu aies eu du mal à t’endormir!! Tiens nous au courant pour la diffusion du reportage, je ne voudrais surtout pas le manquer!
Lovely Bea.. you left me wanting more.. hahaha.. am looking forward to read about the TV program! Now I’m wondering how this maman is going to celebrate her little girl’s 1st birthday..
Merci Béa. Tu ne mets vraiment plus tes recettes en francais?
PS : merci pour le coin francais que tu avais ajoute pour le gateau au chocolat.
PSS: bravo pour le reportage
waow, c’est super !
J’ai hâte de voir ça sur la tv française… Tu sais déjà quand ça passera?
En tout cas, félicitations, tu le mérites largement !!
Oh j’espere qu’on pourra voir ca en Grande Bretagne! Congratulations Bea, you totally deserve it. And I too wonder what the special Christmas/ Lulu birthday is going to be this year.
Congratulations, what an adventure that must have been!
I’ve only made the traditional oeufs a la neige, never the chocolate version – it is the favorite dessert of one of my stepsons, I am wondering if it would be nice for the weekend after TXG. Of course, the pumpkin pie is something hubby won’t do without (sigh) 🙂
Congrats – and these look so gorgeous!
J’ai hâte de découvrir ce reportage !
Le bonnet de Lulu est vraiment superbe, je veux le même !!!
🙂 bravo !! et moi je me rejouis de voir ce reportage 🙂 !! bravo, continue comme ca, c’est tjrs un vrai plaisir de venir se promener du cote de ton blog !
What can I say, you absolutely deserve it…please let me know when it will air on the french tv. And this chocolate dessert is just decadent, just mouth watering, mmmmmm, Merci Bea! xoxo ELise
Lulu is a precious sight all snug in her adorable knits. Congratulations on the filming! This dessert looks divine.
Congratulations on the french TV program. I hope we get to see it. What is it about fall that makes us crave chocolate. Everything looks delicious.
Oh how gorgeous, and congratulations on the TV program – brilliant! You so deserve it! Chocolate craving is especially bad for me this year, don’t know why, but I ain’t complaining, especially with that divine recipe you just posted! =)
Félicitations. Quelle bonne nouvelle. J’espère voir une partie de l’émission sur le web. Quand tu auras un lien de l’émission poste le svp. Je comprends ton adrénaline. J’aurai pas bien dormi non plus. Quand on est sur la bonne voie, les choses se réalisent à pas géants. Bravo Béa.
Bravo, I’m trill to see the tv show as well now, you said too much…
Did you know you could “bake” the snows eggs” on the microwaves? (sorry if I brake all the good maners of a real kitschen godess…) It’s working perfectly and so quick that you (me) can have more…
Great job.
so well deserved and i cant wait to watch it! this is what i would want right about now!
Congratulations Bea, what fun I truly hope I will get to see the show too!
Chocolat snow eggs sound divine too!
that looks soooo warm… beautiful pics, as always…
Hopefully the interview will be posted on the internet too so we all could enjoy it! Lovely pictures. As always.
i really appreciate the atmosphere of yours photos. In this time, it’s pretty peaceful and nostalgic, just a moment of bliss. Congrats for interview, I cannot wait to see it !
Hey there and congrats as well… this looks absolutely DELISH, I’ve changed my URL (noted above) had a few bullies following me around.. so unfortunately I had to get a new domain… The photos look fab.
Never heard of this before … Thanks for sharing! Hope I get to try this someday … Happy Thanksgiving to you!
Cheers from Malaysia
Sounds exciting!! Let me know the program!! 🙂
The colours of the tree, the leaves and the grass look so nice. Like a painting. May I ask you what camera you have used?
This looks delightful, but just a touch too detailed for my impatient self. Off to see just how many steps I can skip…
Thank you so much everyone. I will keep you posted when the show airs. I think it will be available on Youtube once it has been on TV.
Tes photos sont merveilleuses et ces oeufs à la neige au chocolat, c’est fantastique, je n’y aurai jamais pensé, bravo et merci 😉
Hello!
Super meme a la tele maintenant – une vraie star! tu nous tiens au courant quand ca passe, je ne veux pas rater ca.
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I just found your website but you have the most beautiful photos here.
Bea, sur France 2? Chouette!
Une petite coupe qui donne très envie. une jolie recette revisitée
The chocolate sounds nice, but the baby under the apple tree is superb! Magnifique.
Cheers, Molly
This blog is totally gorgeous. Congrats! I love looking at your photos…really amazing.
beautiful images indeed!
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Chocolate heaven, gorgeous photography by the way!
je viens de trouver mon dessert de pâques. Un classique revisité. Génial.
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Thanks Bea, they turned out wonderful and just perfect. Merci!