Category Archives: Dips and Sauces

Easy Caramel Sauce

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This is a very easy (or you can say lazy) way of making caramel sauce. I actually tried, many times, the more classic way, using brown sugar, butter and cream. Somehow, I just couldn’t get the right color or the sauce just curdled. So this recipe is more practical and it tastes as good, if not better than the other one ! You can use as a dip for fruits or drizzle over cupcakes, coffee, ice cream, etc. Add some sea salt on top and you have salted caramel sauce!

Makes about 1 cup

  • 8 ounces caramel candies
  • 1/2 cup whipping cream
  1. Unwrap and melt candies in a non-stick pot over a pan of simmering water
  2. When candies are completely melted, add whipping cream
  3. Remove pan of water and heat non-stick pot directly on stove on low heat (remember to wipe the bottom of the pot)
  4. Stir constantly until smooth, be careful not to scorch
  5. Serve warm or at room temperature, store remaining sauce in refrigerator for up to one week
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Light Creme Anglaise

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This is a modified version of the recipe I learned from my pastry course a few months ago. I didn’t have whipping or half and half cream at home, so I thought I would use milk and do a light version. It came out better than I thought! It may not be as creamy but it tastes almost as good as the original recipe! You can use it over any dessert, e.g. cakes, pies, puddings, pastries, cobblers, etc. 

  • 300 mL 2% milk
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 50 gram granulated sugar
  • 1/2 to 1 vanilla bean
  1. Gently whisk 1/3 of the milk with sugar and egg yolks, set aside
  2. Cut and scrape vanilla bean
  3. Put vanilla bean, including the pod, into the remaining of the milk and heat in a non-stick pot over medium heat until boil.
  4. Turn heat down to low
  5. Pour some boiled milk into egg mixture to temper, then pour back into the pot
  6. Heat mixture until thick enough to coat back of wooden spoon,  stirring constantly
    (Coat back of wooden spoon with sauce, draw a streak in the middle with your finger, if streak stays clear, the sauce is ready. Watch closely when cooking, the sauce thickens quite quickly. Do not over cook or you will have scrambled eggs instead!)
  7. Remove from heat, strain twice through a fine mesh
  8. Serve immediately or cool then refrigerate
  9. Use within one week

Original recipe by Chef Marco Ropke at the Pastry Training Centre of Vancouver

Lemon Curd Meringue Cookies

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Meringue and lemon curd go very well together. These cookies are light and delicate but very rich in flavour. To balance the sweetness, I added less sugar to the meringue than I normally would. I also diluted the juice with a little bit of water, you can just use the juice if you prefer a more tangy flavour. Eat them right away though, otherwise the meringue will turn soft and sticky or you can sandwich them just before serving if you want to make them ahead. You can use the leftover lemon curd as a jam on your toasts, pancakes or waffles! Enjoy!

For the lemon curd

Makes about 1/2 cup

  • 2 egg yolks
  • 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 50 gram unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
  1. Whisk together egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, water and zest
  2. Heat mixture in non-stick pot over low heat, stirring constantly until thickened (mixture should coat back of spoon)
  3. Turn heat off, mix in butter, a few pieces at a time until all melted
  4. Cool, and refrigerate up to 2 weeks

For the meringues

Makes about 24 single cookies or 12 sandwiches

  • 2 egg whites
  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  1. Preheat oven to 225°F
  2. Using an electric mixer with whisk attachment, whisk egg whites and cream of tartar at medium speed until frothy
  3. Increase speed to high and slowly add in sugar
  4. Whisk until a stiff peak is formed
  5. Pour into piping bag with star or round tip
  6. Pipe onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper, 2 inches apart
  7. Bake for about 40 minutes, depending on size of cookies, they should be dry to touch, turn off oven
  8. Leave cookies in oven for about 2 more hours to dry 
  9. Remove from oven to cool completely on rack

Cream Cheese Whipped Cream

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This can be used as a fruit dip or topping for your pancakes, waffles, pies and crepes.  The cream cheese makes it extra creamy and tasty!

Makes about 3 cups
Total time = 15 minutes

  • 1 cup whipping cream (cold)
  • 100 g cream cheese
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons icing sugar (adjust to your own taste)
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  1. Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese,  sugar and vanilla until fluffy
  2. Whisk whipping cream until thick and creamy
  3. Gently mix whipped cream and cream cheese until smooth
  4. Keep in refrigerator

Butter Cookie Sandwich with Chocolate Ganache

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This cookies are so fun to make. You can use any of your favourite cookie cutters to make different shapes and decorate any way you want. Get the kids involved ! They would love it. For the fillings, I used chocolate ganache just because I love chocolate. You can actually sandwich these cookies with any fillings, e.g. fruit jams, nutella, peanut butter, vanilla cream….even ice cream!

Makes about 20-25 sandwiches

For the cookies

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 cups pastry flour
  • 1 + 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoons milk
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F
  2. Sift flour, baking powder, salt together, set aside
  3. Using an electric mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until fluffy
  4. Add egg, vanilla and milk, mix well
  5. Add flour mixture in 2 – 3 portions
  6. Mix until a dough is formed, scraping sides of mixing bowl
  7. Roll dough flat on flour surface, about 2-3 mm thickness
  8. Cut with cookie cutters
  9. Bake on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper for about 8-9 minutes until edges turn brown
  10. Cool on cookie sheets for about 5 minutes,  then completely on rack

If the dough is too soft to roll, you can put it in the fridge for about 1 hour before rolling.

For the chocolate ganache filling

  • 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate,  finely chopped
  • 1 cup whipping cream
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  1. Heat whipping cream in a non-stick pot just until starting to boil
  2. Pour hot cream over chopped chocolate
  3. Wait 1 minute, add vanilla, then stir until smooth
  4. Let cool to room temperature

To assemble, spoon chocolate ganache between 2 cookies and decorate