Thursday, September 13, 2007

What about my easy « gâteau au yaourt » ?

It is such an easy cake that children can make it without help ! Each french grand-ma teaches their grand-children how to cook the « gâteau au yaourt » and it is often the first French cake that franch children learn to make. This is also the cake you do when you have no time, no ideas, not lots of ingredients...

You have to use the yaourt pot, once empty, like a measure. A french yaourt pot is equivalent to a cup (see the picture) !
Ingredients :
1 pot of plain yogurt
2 pots of sugar
3 pots of flour
1/3 pot of canola oil
2 eggs
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 pinch of salt
1 tablespoon of amber rum (if you like)

Preheat the oven to 350 ° F. Buttered or grease a 10 inch round cake pan or a loaf pan or a pbread pan.

The preparation is very easy. You just have to put the ingredients one by one. As for me, I start with yogurt, sugar, eggs, oil, salt, baking soda and baking powder and I just mix everything untill it is smooth.

Pour the batter in a butterecake pan and bake for 30 minutes. Insert a knife in the middle of the cake, if the knife is clean, it’s ready. If not, just put 10 minutes more. Transfer to a rack to cool. Sprinkle with confectionner’s sugar.

The yogurt cake is a real base for lots of yummies cakes !

With this basic yogurt cake, you can add everythings you love. My favorite is with lemon zest ! it’s so yummy !

A lemon yogurt cake : just add rated zest (yellow peel) in the mixture and a little bit of lemon juice.

A nut yogurt cake : instead of putting two pots of flour, put one of almond or of hazelnut or any nuts that you like.

A flavored yogurt cake : use flavored yogurts (lemon, vanilla…)

A fruit yogurt cake : add some fruits (apple, pears, apricots..) in the top of dough. Or just in the plate.

A chocolate yogurt cake : add 6 teaspoon of cocoa powder or chocolate chips.

A salt yogurt cake : instead of sugar, just add some olives, ham, grated cheese and your favorite fresh herbs… A good cake fo picnic !

What about doing your own yogurt at home ?

Just take 4 cups of whole milk and heat at 113 ° F. Add one yoghourt or one teaspoon of yogurt starter (I use « yogourmet »* ) in a little bit of heated milk. Stir well, mix with all the milk, stir well again. And just put the milk in a thermos for one night or in a yogurt machine for 9 hours.

* Yogourmet can be found in « Wholefood market» or « Mother’s market