Claudia&Julia's Blog

Related to the family of flans and the puddings, Calatrava bread may be one of the easiest and most rewarding recipes to prepare. Its basic ingredients couldn't be simpler: milk, eggs and sugar, to which a portion of pastry or bread (hence its name) is added as the main feature. Basically, a classic egg flan only with a bonus. Not bad, right?

The origin of this tart lies in Saint-Tropez where, in the 1950s, Polish pastry chef Alexandre Miccka prepared and sold a delicate brioche filled with cream. The invention was so delicious that even Brigitte Bardot fell for it. In fact, it was the actress who suggested the name “Tarte Tropézienne”, which today is both a recipe and a registered trademark and remains as popular as ever.

The olive oil brioche I'm bringing you today has nothing to envy from the classic French sweet enriched with butter. In this brioche you'll find all the goodness of the original but with the added benefit of extra virgin olive oil.

You know I love sharing recipes from different parts of the world with you, it’s something that drives me crazy. I believe there’s nothing better than getting to know a place through its food and traditions. When we travel, I would dare say I almost prefer going to markets, restaurants, shops, bakeries... more than visiting the place itself! haha. It’s something I really enjoy. Today we’re not going very far, I want to share with you how to make and enjoy an incredible Mallorcan potato coca.

The coca de forner or baker's coca is a flat, elongated bread very typical in Catalonia that was originally made with plain bread dough, brushed with olive oil, topped with pine nuts and sugar, and sprinkled with anise as it came out of the oven. Simple and very effective.

The brioche is a light, soft bread enriched with butter. It is a French classic. This recipe has a delicious chocolate praline filling with a chocolate decoration and chopped hazelnuts. A delicious sweet to serve with a good coffee at any time.

If you like soft, sweet buns, you'll love this chocolate brioche. The Emile Henry crown mold gives it a beautiful shape, perfect for serving at a celebration.

The mascarpone brioche recipe is, without a doubt, the most popular recipe we've had these past months in our closed Facebook group (if you're not in it and you like cooking, I strongly encourage you to join and enjoy!). That's why I asked Beatriz, author of To Be Gourmet, if she could bring the recipe to the blog, and she does so in style, debuting Emile Henry's beautiful new bread pan, the crown mold. Success is guaranteed!

We couldn’t get to this time of year without the recipe for Hot Cross Buns, those delicious Easter buns filled with raisins and marked with that cross that makes them so recognizable, so pretty and so tempting. The truth is there are many stories surrounding them; Rosa (author of Pemberley Cup&Cakes) tells us some of them — you’ll see how lovely! — and brings us this delicious recipe so you can make them at home too. Happy Holy Week!