Inspiration for this salad came from Bon Appetit, back in 2018. I changed a few details, but two things make this preparation special: fresh tarragon leaves and orange flower water .
ORANGE AND AVOCADO SALAD WITH PISTACHIOS (slightly modified from Bon Appetit)
2 Navel oranges 2 Blood oranges 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoons orange-flower water Large pinch of kosher salt 2 avocados, cut into large pieces 3 tablespoons roasted pistachios fresh tarragon leaves to taste Extra-virgin olive oil (for drizzling)
Using a paring knife, remove peel and white pith from oranges. Slice into rounds, then cut into 1-inch pieces. Transfer to a medium bowl and add lemon juice, orange-flower water, and salt. Toss and let sit 5 minutes so citrus can release some of their juices.
Transfer citrus, leaving juice behind, to a large plate. Tuck avocado in between and around citrus. Spoon citrus juice over salad, scatter pistachios and tarragon over, and drizzle with oil.
Comments: I advise you to exercise restraint with the orange-flower water, because you don’t want to go the perfume route… It will give it a background of flavor that is hard to define, until you ask your dining companion: “Do you taste the orange-flower water?” Once you know it is there, your tastebuds recognize it and it’s very special. I rarely use fresh tarragon, and was lucky to find some at our grocery store. It beautifully complements the salad. I confess to going back and picking some extra pieces of orange after dinner was over. Almost as if it was the dessert course. I doubt anyone would criticize me…
I adapted this recipe from a salad version published a few years ago by Jessica, from howsweeteats. Absolutely delicious, it will be part of our rotation for sure from now on. I urge you to give it a try.
FARRO AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH WITH CRANBERRY-CINNAMON DRESSING (slightly modified from Jessica’s howsweeteats)
for the grain and squash component: 2 cups cooked farro 3 cups cubed butternut squash, cut into 1-inch cubes 1 tablespoon olive oil kosher salt and pepper 1 cup whole pecans 1 tablespoon maple syrup 1 cup dried cranberries feta cheese to taste, crumbled chopped fresh parsley, to taste
for the dressing: 3 tablespoons cranberry juice 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon honey 2 teaspoona Dijon mustard 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1/3 cup olive oil
Heat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place the squash on a baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes, or until slightly caramelized and fork tender. While the squash is roasting, cook the farro, or you can cook that hours in advance and warm up before assembling the dish.
Toast the pecans on a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Drizzle in the maple syrup. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often, as the maple syrup sizzles. Spread the pecans on a sheet of parchment paper until ready to use.
Make the dressing: Whisk together the vinegar, juice, honey, mustard, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil until emulsified. Reserve.
Place the farro in a large bowl. Toss in the roasted butternut squash cubes, the dried cranberries, feta cheese and pecans. Drizzle on a few tablespoons of the vinaigrette and mix it all well. Taste the farro and adjust seasoning, if needed. Drizzle in more of the vinaigrette, top with the fresh parsley.
Comments: I fell in love with this recipe from the first bite and felt quite sad when I had the last one. Which, by the way, happened next day, when I polished what was left for my lunch, with a tasty fried egg on top.
Everything works, all flavors mingle together in harmony, the chew of the farro, the crunch of the pecans, the absolutely delicious dressing. Speaking of it, the dressing will be awesome on many types of salads also. This recipe is a total winner!
Early December, 2025. The husband sends me a text with a link and the words: we should make this. I agreed we definitely should. And so “we” did. Let me just add that this was quite likely one of the best desserts “we” ever made. I don’t say this lightly.
for the meringue discs: 4 large egg whites (122 grams) ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar 1 + ⅓ cups (240 grams) granulated sugar
For the mocha cremeux: 4½ ounces milk chocolate, chopped into ½-inch pieces (about 1 cup) ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt 4 egg yolks (63 grams) 1 tablespoon cornstarch 2 teaspoons instant coffee ¾ cup whole milk
for the chestnut topping: ⅓ cup (60 grams) brown sugar Pinch of fine sea salt 1⅓ cups (200 grams) chopped canned or vacuum-packed chestnuts 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
for the whipped cream: 1 cup (233 grams) heavy cream ½ cup (112 grams) mascarpone cheese, softened ¼ cup (30 grams) powdered sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Make the meringues: Heat the oven to 225 degrees and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. On one sheet of parchment, trace a 7-inch-wide circle and a 6-inch-wide circle. On the other sheet of parchment, trace a 4-inch-wide circle and a 2½-inch-wide circle. Flip the parchment papers upside down so the marks are underneath.
Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Using an electric mixer, whisk the egg whites until frothy, 30 to 60 seconds. Add the cream of tartar, then, with the mixer on medium-high, gradually add the granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Continue to beat until glossy and stiff peaks form, scraping down the bowl once or twice, 10 to 15 minutes. Spoon about 1 ½ cups (175 grams) of meringue into the 7-inch circle and, using circular movements with the back of a large spoon, shape a 1-inch-deep divot in the middle. Use the remaining meringue to fill the smaller circles, spreading about ½ cup (70 grams) into the 6-inch circle, ¼ cup (30 grams) into the 4-inch circle, and about 2 tablespoons (10 to 15 grams) into the 2½-inch circle. These three remaining meringues should be about ½ inch thick and fairly flat for neat stacking once baked.
Bake meringues for 1½ hours, until crisp and dry to the touch. Turn off the oven and leave the meringues inside with the door slightly ajar until completely cool, at least 2 to 3 hours but overnight if possible.
Meanwhile, make the mocha crémeux: Combine the milk chocolate and salt in a small bowl and set alongside the stove, along with an empty medium heatproof bowl. Whisk together the egg yolks, cornstarch and instant coffee in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan until smooth. Gradually whisk in the milk. Take care to make sure it’s well combined, giving extra attention to the edges of the pan as you whisk.
Cook over medium heat, whisking continuously, until the mixture comes to a gentle boil and thickens to a pudding-like consistency, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the heat down to low and whisk rapidly as the mixture gently simmers for 30 seconds longer. Immediately turn off the heat and whisk in the milk chocolate and salt until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is glossy. Immediately pour the crémeux into the heatproof bowl and cover with plastic wrap or parchment paper directly against the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Once cool to the touch, transfer to the fridge to chill completely and set, about 2 hours minimum.
Make the chestnut topping: Combine the brown sugar, salt and ½ cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute, then turn off the heat and leave to cool for about 10 minutes. When the sugar syrup has cooled, blitz the cooked chestnuts in the food processor for about 30 seconds, until finely ground, then slowly pour in the cooled sugar syrup while the motor is running. Blend until completely smooth, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the food processor bowl as necessary. Add the butter and blend until incorporated. The purée needs to be smooth and soft enough to pipe easily without breaking. If the chestnut mixture doesn’t seem smooth, pass it through a fine-mesh sieve. Set aside until ready to use.
When you are ready to assemble, make the whipped cream: In a large bowl, whip the cream, mascarpone, powdered sugar and vanilla until very stiff peaks form, about 1 minute. To build the dessert, place the 7-inch meringue onto a serving plate. Using an offset spatula, spread a thin layer of whipped cream (½ cup) across the base, pushing it up and over the sides of the meringue so it slightly overhangs the sides. Give the mocha crémeux a quick stir, then dollop it into the hollow (it should fill it completely), smoothing it level with the cream.
Place the 6-inch meringue disk on top, pressing gently. Spread a thick layer of whipped cream over the meringue and top with the 4-inch disk. Repeat with another generous layer of whipped cream, then add the smallest disk. Finish with a final helping of the remaining whipped cream, shaping it into a conical peak with an offset spatula. Chill the Mont Blanc in the fridge for about 1 hour, until the cream has firmed up enough to support the chestnut strands you’ll add on top (be sure to give it a wide berth in the fridge).
When the Mont Blanc has finished chilling, transfer chestnut cream to a piping bag fitted with a 2-millimeter-wide round tip. Starting from just above the overhang of cream at the base of the Mont Blanc, pipe the chestnut strands horizontally around the Mont Blanc, gradually working your way upward to cover the “mountain” completely with several layers of chestnut strands to create the look of a craggy mountain.
Store the Mont Blanc in the fridge until ready to serve: 2 to 4 hours is best, but up to 24 hours.
Comments: This was a complete, total labor of love, but I am so glad Phil suggested this recipe for our Christmas meal. I must tell you that the recipe is perfectly written, instructions were flawless and everything worked exactly as it should have. The baker was in Nirvana.
The photo above makes the dessert look huge, in fact it is 7 inches in diameter at the bottom, largest dimension. We had it on Christmas and also next day and loved each bite. Truly spectacular, the layers of meringue turn into one entity with the whipped cream, the chestnut cream is absolutely perfect and matches well with the chocolate coffee cremeaux at the bottom. Super rich, I won’t lie. But for a special occasion, you cannot ask for a better option.
I would love to re-visit this dessert turning it into a small, individual portion, make maybe 4 for a dinner party. That would be perfect. Speaking of perfection….
Final thoughts: Make the meringue discs the day before. Make the chocolate cremeux the day before. Then on the day of serving this beauty, just whip the cream and make the chestnut topping. I tried to use the special grass piping tip to make the ribbons, but it worked much better with a simple round open tip, about 2mm wide. Having my little turntable was a huge help. You can see it in action in this post from my past.
In My Kitchen posts are hosted by Sherry, from Sherry’s Pickings. Please visit her site to see what everybody else is sharing this month. I join four times each year, on the first day of January, April, July and October. If you are a food blogger, consider taking part of this fun event. It is a chance to share those little things you bought or received as gifts and that make your life in the kitchen easier.
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Starting with some super special gifts…
If you follow this site, you may remember that we said goodbye to our Osky Boy back in November. To my surprise, I got this beautiful artwork in the mail, from Veronica, who does not even know me in real life. We’ve been friends online for a very long time and she is an amazing artist. She captured the essence of Oscar in a way that was incredibly touching. Thank you, we are framing this to showcase in our home.
These amazing pottery pieces were a gift from Marlyn, former cookie decorator wizard, turn Pottery Art Extraordinaire. The teacup has a tiny little frog peeking from the bottom and I adore it. This was a gift that left me speechless when I opened the package. Thank you, not only for the gift, but for everything you taught me over the years. I never get tired of seeing your beautiful productions online, and now I am the proud owner of some of them!
And my special gift to Phil…
His Birthday is December 27th, which happens to be the day we met in a lab at Institut Pasteur. Years went by, we got married, and lived again in Paris, where Cafe de Flore and Les Deux Magots were part of our routine. Our dear friend Alain and his wife Corinne gave us little coffee cups from Cafe de Flore more than 10 years ago. I decided to splurge and get this set of cappuccino cups to celebrate his day.
A call from the past. On my Birthday, March 2007.
In our kitchen…
These were a joint acquisition, I got the small cast iron first, Phil loved it so much he went ahead and splurged on a bigger version. They are both from Field company, and super high quality. We are using them almost daily now.
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In our kitchen…
This is a fun gadget that Phil installed. He had it for years, probably bought at a flea market somewhere, it is a bottle opener and works like a charm. With a vintage look, to match the owners of our home (wink, wink).
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In our kitchen…
Ready to eat (or use) chestnuts. They came in very handy to make a special dessert that should be featured in the blog soon. Stay tuned. Ordering info here.
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In our kitchen…
This pan was recommended by a food blogger I follow. They are perfect for egg muffins, or any kind of muffin you bake. Non-stick, easy to clean, bake perfectly without the need to line or grease. I am in love! Ordering info here.
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In our kitchen…
This is a very tasty chutney, recommended by Amber, a cookie decorating artist I’ve been following for a long time. Available here. I put it to use in two different types of cookies, will blog about them hopefully soon.
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Speaking of cookies, I have three little cookie-related things to close this post with…
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In our kitchen…
This set of cutters is simply adorable! Available from amazon (click here). It will work not only for the cookie itself, but also if you like to cut rolled fondant or rolled buttercream to decorate. Very handy for Christmas cookies, as you can see in this post.
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In our kitchen…
These are new products by SugarArt, natural food colors. They aren’t cheap, but they provide a good alternative for food dye using exclusively natural pigments.
In our kitchen…
. I saved the best for last. This is the best acquisition ever if you are a cookie decorator! I am so in love with it, I don’t know how I lived without it. Seriously. You stick the bag with icing through the opening and slide it down. It comes out with the tape neatly closed around it. No mess, no struggle with bands. Works also with bigger bags of buttercream if you need. Available at amazon (click here). The tape is not sold with it, must be ordered separately.
So that’s all for now, my friends! We wish you a wonderful New Year, and….
Well, with the New Year I was hoping to do things differently but apparently the furry friends feel the need to bark their piece…. So be it… Let’s see what they’ve been up to.
But truth is, with the holidays and the fireplace going inside, we have perfected The Art of the Snooze!
Every once in a while, we manage to circumvent the sophisticated security system of The Kingdom and take a nap where we really belong.
Unfortunately, for the most part the Door to Nirvana is kept annoyingly closed, which forces Royalty to sit, stare and show his displeasure.
But Prince is not the only one to stir trouble in our peaceful palace. Star decided to destroy a very important cookie decorating tool: textured parchment paper. Guilty on all counts.
This was the last cookie made with the murdered paper… A moment of silence, please and thank you…
In her defense, she seems ashamed and apologetic, so yeah, all forgiven for the time being…
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Together, the two Black Dotted Heroes can create quite a bit of chaos…
And make dinner preparation a bit tricky…
But even with all the trouble, the pups are a ton of fun and keep the Humans happy, either watching their favorite shows on TV….
Or playing a super fun ball game…
Santa decided that they’ve been nice enough to get new toys for Christmas….
And maybe even an invitation to sit at our table….
This is the first time in many many years that our beloved Grumpy Terrier is not around. We miss him, and share one of the last pictures of him, just a few days before he crossed The Rainbow Bridge.
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That is all for now, friends! We hope 2026 will be a kind year for all of you, and for us here as well at The Kingdom of Tatarrax… See you when Spring starts!
Not my first time, in fact it is my fourth, but it is hard to resist such a classic for the holiday season.
So many components, but apart from the decorations, nothing is that complicated, and of course even the decorations can be simplified to a minimum: a dusting of powdered sugar. Your cake, your choice!
for the chocolate sponge cake: ¾ cup sifted cake flour (75 grams) ¼ cup sifted cocoa (25 grams) ¼ teaspoon baking powder 6 eggs separated ⅔ cup sugar, divided (140 grams) 1 teaspoon vanilla
for the filling: 4 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature 1/2 cup powdered sugar (100g) 1 cup heavy cream 1 tsp. vanilla extract
for the buttercream frosting: 1 + ¼ cups unsalted butter softened (284g) ¼ teaspoon salt 8 tablespoons cocoa powder (48g) 2 + ¾ cups confectioners’ sugar sifted (330g) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract several tablespoons of heavy cream to adjust consistency
for the meringue mushrooms: 2 egg whites room temperature ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar 6 tablespoons superfine sugar cocoa powder for dusting melted chocolate or Royal icing for assembling
Make the meringue mushrooms, the day before. In a large mixing bowl, combine the egg whites and cream of tartar. Beat on medium speed until frothy and doubled in volume. With the mixer running, slowly sprinkle in the sugar. Once all of the sugar is added, continue beating until stiff and glossy peaks form, about 5 minutes. Place the meringue in a piping bag fitting with a large round tip.
Pipe half of the meringue into stems by placing the piping tip on the parchment and squeezing the piping bag while slowly moving the tip up, creating a column of meringue. Pipe round tops. Dust the tops and stems very lightly with cocoa powder. Bake for about 2 hours or until the meringues easily release from the paper. Turn the oven off and let cool completely in the oven.
Once cool, use a sharp knife to make a little indentation on the bottom of the caps, brush with melted chocolate or Royal icing, and stick the stem into it. Set aside for at least one hour before moving them.
Make the cake: Heat the oven to 350. Spray the bottom of ½ sheet pan with cooking spray. Line with parchment paper and spray the paper. Do not spray sides of pan. Set aside.
Whisk together the flour, cocoa and baking powder, mixing well. Set aside. Combine the egg yolks, ⅓ cup sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat until very thick and very pale yellow.
In a clean mixing bowl with a clean whisk, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Slowly add the remaining ⅓ cup sugar and beat until fairly stiff. Place the egg yolks over the egg whites and sift half the flour/cocoa mixture over the beaten eggs. Fold together. Fold in the remaining flour/cocoa. Gently pour into the prepared pan and spread out evenly. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. The top will spring back when lightly touched. Immediately cover directly with foil and place on a rack to cool completely. When ready to assemble, it will roll out easily.
Make the filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer on low speed until just smooth. Add the powdered sugar and beat until smooth, about 1 minute. Gradually beat in the heavy cream 1/4 cup at a time. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until stiff peaks form, 2 to 4 minutes. Add the vanilla and beat just to combine.
Make the frosting: Place the butter and salt in a mixing bowl and beat on medium speed until smooth. Add the cocoa powder and beat until well combined, stopping to scrape down the bowl a few times, about 2 minutes. With the mixer on low, beat in the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla. Slowly stream in the heavy cream while beating. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat until fluffy and easily spreadable, about 2 minutes.
ASSEMBLE THE CAKE: Remove the cake from the pan, invert over parchment paper. Peel off the bottom paper. Add filling to the whole extension of the cake, then roll from the long side. Place in the fridge preferably overnight to completely set the rolled cake.
Cutting at a diagonal, cut about two inches off of one end. Place the log on a serving plate. Spread a few tablespoons of frosting onto the end of the cut-off and stick to the side of the log. Spread the remaining frosting all over the cake roll, leaving the ends exposed.
Run fork tines through frosting in one direction to give the appearance of bark. Trim the un-cut end of the log to expose a perfect swirl. Refrigerate the cake until ready to serve.
Just before serving, decorate the log with your choice of goodies.
Comments: I love the method of cooling the cake completely, covered with aluminum foil. It rolls like a dream and the cake is not at all soggy from the steam generated during cooling. I am quite fond of the cream cheese filling, a nice contrast with the chocolate sponge cake.
The decorations are a lot of fun to plan and make. I used Royal icing piped as transfers, made several days earlier, and meringue mushrooms which are of course a classic.
Bewitching Kitchen 