Last week, Antwerp welcomed the French theater group 'Royal de Luxe' with their performance 'the Sultan of the Indies on his Elephant which can travel through Time'. The story of the 40 ft tall hydraulic elephant and the little giant girl had smitten London at the beginning of May. More than 100.000 visitors watched the Antwerp spectacle, mostly adults allowing themselves to experience the fairytale.

To link the elephant with chocolate (that's what we're here for, right?)... The best Belgian milk chocolate has been associated with the (formerly Belgian) 'Côte d'Or' (now Krafts') brand. Considered a 'classic' by most, it often serves as a basis for chocolate desserts. Sweeter and less bitter than its 'dark' sister, it contains at least 34% cocoa butter.

The following recipe was listed in my favorite on line source of Belgian Cuisine , and seems to fit the exotic occasion with sensuality and sweetness. The milk chocolate is used in its most successful form: as a hot chocolate sauce!

Gratin of Figs
Serving 4
- 4 beautiful fresh figs
- 3 tbs orange juice
- 2 small sachets vanilla sugar
- 0,5 cup heavy cream
- 2 coffee spoons Grand Marnier liqueur
- 1 coffee spoon cinnamon powder
- 4 scoops quality vanilla ice
- unsalted butter to grease the pan
For the sauce
- 3 oz milk chocolate (40%)
- 4 tbs heavy cream

Preheat the oven grill.
Grease an oven proof gratin dish with some butter.
Reduce the orange juice with one sachet vanilla sugar to a think syrup.
Deglaze with the cream and Grand Marnier. Stir well.
Cut the figs crosswise making sure they remain joined at the bottom.
Place them 'opened' in the gratin dish.
Sprinkle the inside of the fruit with the rest of the vanilla sugar. Top with the orange cream and dust with cinnamon.
Melt the chocolate slowly in the cream over low heat. Stir frequently making sure the chocolate does not burn.

Place the gratin dish under the grill for 3 minutes or until golden brown.
Serve immediately with a scoop of vanilla ice on the fig, topped with the chocolate sauce.

Source: Smakelijk meegenomen

Technorati : Belgian, belgian waffle, chocolate, dessert, fig, royal de luxe
Flickr : antwerp, belgian, elephant, milk chocolate, royal de luxe, sultan

Summer Sales are on in Belgium. Although my male characteristics prevail when it comes to shopping, I was in dire need for some authentic Belgian chocolate.
In Antwerp excellent chocolate can mean only one thing: go to Burie and spend some (more than -...) hard earned euros on the divine goodies.

Truffles were my choice of delicacy this time.

Chocolate truffles are named after the expensive mushroom truffle delicacy: dark in color, rough around the edges, but ooooooooh so succulent.

A chocolate truffle is a "bonbon" made from chocolate in 'ganache'. Ganache is a chocolate mixed with cream and often butter as well. It is used to make chocolate truffles, as filling for chocolate cakes and other chocolate pastry. Chocolate truffles can be brought to taste with the addition of liquor or essences.
Chocolate truffles are usually cylinder shaped and coated with cocoa powder. The high quality truffles (like the ones from Burie and as shown in the pictures) are coated in a thin layer of dark chocolate first.

Belgian Chocolate Truffles

- 1 fl. oz. cream

- 1 tbsp vanilla extract

- 400 gr dark chocolate (>70% cocoa)

- 3 ounces creamed butter

- 1/2 lb. (best quality) cocoa powder

- 1 tbsp. cognac

Bring the cream to a boil and add the vanilla.
Remove the saucepan from the heat, at 10 ounces of the chocolate to melt. Stir continuously and allow to cool.
Using a spatula, carefully mix in the creamed butter, the cocoa and the brandy. Allow to rest in a cool place for at least 12 hours.
Fill a coffee spoon with the ganache and roll into a cylinder/Ball with your hands. Allow to cool in the refrigerator for another 3 hours.

Melt the remaining chocolate in a saucepan with a small amount of milk. Be careful not to burn the chocolate!
Cover a plate with 1/2 inch of cocoa powder.
Using a spoon lower the ganache balls into the chocolate (make it a quick dip!); shake off the excess chocolate and roll in the cocoa.
Allow to rest for another hour in the refrigerator.

Terrific as a gift; even better when enjoying a quiet afternoon treating yourself to a Lait Russe and a handful of truffles!

Technorati : Belgian, Burie, butter, chocolate, truffle, waffle

Belgium might not be renowned for its coffee, but the dark liquid is indispensable to any grown-up. On average, we drink 135 litres per capita per year, which "boils down to" about 1,7 cups a day. Americans drink slightly higher quantities.
No doubt Starbucks changed American coffee culture profoundly. I remember visiting one of their fist shops in Seattle back in 1995, and reminiscing of Belgian coffee at home. Starbucks has not ventured into Belgium, most likely because of strong local brands, existing 'tea-room' culture (read: waffle and coffee culture) and the increased popularity of Italian coffee brands.
One of the most successful recent innovations in the Northern European food industry has to do with coffee: Dutch companies Philipsand Douwe Egberts joined forces to create the Senseo appliance combining espresso power with handy coffee pads. Strong but silky coffee as only Swiss espresso engines could produce, were in the reach of all households at a democratic price.
Still …
We tend to visit our favourite local brasserie "Zurich" at the Vlaamse Kaai in Antwerp a bit more often than necessary, and the coffee they brew has lots to do with it (… let's not forget the many many dog cookies Louis the Lab gets thrown at him by the waitresses either…). Cfr. the picture I included of their 'Lait Russe', a drink of ½ cup of frothed heated milk, ½ cup strong espresso, a dash of cocoa and some drops of honey. Can't start the weekend without one, so I am off!

Technorati : Belgian, cocoa, coffee, senseo, starbucks, waffle, http://technorati.com/tag/www.belgianwaffle.eu
Flickr : Belgian, cocoa, coffee, senseo, starbucks, waffle, http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/www.belgianwaffle.eu

Grandmothers' recipes are the best! My "mémé" is 85 and is still going strong. At family dinners - where food remains the main activity and topic of discussion -, she proudly presides over the table .

The following recipe isn't my grandmothers', but has been in the family for a while. Vanilla waffles are a popular snack served when children return from school, or baked fresh at birthday parties. They are most delicious when eaten warm and can be preserved for a couple of days in an airtight container. Enjoy and let me know what you think!

Recipe yields 80 small waffles
2 1/4 lbs all-purpose flour
1 1/2 lbs. butter, at room temperature
3 sachets vanilla sugar
10 (medium) eggs, split

Mix the softened butter, the yolks, sugar, vanilla sugar and a dash of milk into a homogenous mass.
Add the sifted flour, and allow the dough to rest in a refrigerator for 1/2 hour.
Warm the waffle iron (high heat). Add two coffee spoons of dough per waffle. Bake for a 2 minutes and turn the iron upside down. Bake for another 1 and check the waffles for color. They are ready when colored golden brown and still soft on the inside.

Tip: use an ice cream scoop to scoop the dough. Easy!


[Tags: waffle, Belgian,vanilla]