Gateau au chocolat qui tue

Over the weekend I finished reading Elizabeth Bard's memoir Lunch in Paris, and all I can say is "J'adore"! It's one of the funniest books I've read in a while. My fiancé kept asking me why I was laughing out loud but I simply couldn't help myself, especially because I absolutely recognized myself in Elizabeth's story. So many of her Parisian experiences were once mine: the first encounter with French bureaucracy, an impossible real estate market, carving my own career path and that famous French "shrug" telling me "who the hell are you"? It felt like Elizabeth was writing about me! 

This book brings together two things that will always make me immensely happy: Paris and French food, so don't even get me started on all the tempting and mouthwatering recipes scattered across the pages. As a true chocoholic, I couldn't resist making one of the recipes straight away: le gateau au chocolat qui tue (or the French equivalent of Death by chocolate). It's an extremely easy dessert and such a crowd pleaser! I made only a small batch (6 cakes) and I had a really hard time resisting the temptation to devour them all, straight from the oven! These little chocolate cakes are beyond delicious all by themselves, but you can also serve them with a spoonful of crème anglaise, or a touch of vanilla ice cream. Just remember, simplicity is key!

Le gateau au chocolat qui tue

* 75g of dark chocolate (70% of cocoa)

* 75g of butter

* A pinch of sea salt (fleur de sel)

* 2 eggs

* 1/6 cup of sugar

* 1 tablespoon flour

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C.

2. Melt chocolate and butter together in bain-marie. Add salt.

3. Beat together eggs and sugar until they're slightly foamy.

4. Add the egg mixture to the warm chocolate and whisk to combine. Then add flour and gently stir in.

5. Butter generously a baking sheet for cupcakes and divide the batter evenly among the molds. 

6. Bake cakes for 7-8 minutes, let cool down a little bit before unmoulding them.

Bon appétit!

 

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Little miss sunshine

Forever 21 top (similar here), necklace Dorothy Perkins skirt and ring, Deichmann pumps, H&M bracelets, Galeries Lafayette bag, Marks & Spencer sunglasses (similar here), Essie "Size Matters" nailpolish

Sometimes when the sun is conspicuously missing, you need an outfit to replace it. Lemon yellow is one of the major colors of this summer and since I have a huge crush on anything with stripes, I simply couldn't resist this adorable top from Forever 21. Lemon yellow looks best with neutrals, especially whites, but if you want to make it more interesting, add a dash of purple with your accessories. And if you want to sparkle like a sun, add a touch of gold here and there (with a statement necklace or a stack of bangles) and a conversation-starting cocktail ring. Now, with such a sunny outfit, who cares if the afternoon is overcast?

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How to: Make your list (and stick to it)

My to do list for today

I've always been big on making various kinds of lists: a list of things to do, a list of books to read, a list of recipes to try. The only problem I've ever had is actually sticking to these lists. Classic. Call me the world's biggest procrastinator, but I haven't always been like this, and I certainly don't want to continue like that. They say that it's the fear of failure that prevent us from doing certain things, and I have too many dreams to accomplish to let the procrastination stand in my way. So here is my own strategy to make an effective to do list, and stick to it:

1. Choose the best support. And the best means the most convenient for you. Your list must be easy to access - if you can't have it with you at all times, it won't work. Personally, I've always been a paper & pen kind of girl: I simply love the act of jotting down tasks and ideas on my notepad, and then crossing them out. Plus, I've had a major disappointment with Evernote so now I'm a little bit weary when it comes to phone apps. However, there's one great exception: Remember the Milk, that has proven its effectivity while grocery shopping. The bottom line is: find what works best for you and stick with it.

2. Always list a realistic number of tasks. Are you the one to jot down 50 tasks and then feel overwhelmed? Believe me, I've been there, done that. I call this "my superwoman moments", when I feel like tackling all the world's problems (starting with the world peace, obviously). Of course, that never happens. Now I write down 20 tasks maximum, and I try to have them all finished by the end of the day. Believe me, it really decreases the pressure. 

3. Break down large projects into smaller, more specific tasks. Let's be honest: tasks like "clean out my closet" or "make my blog successful" scream of vagueness and frankly, they are more terryfying than motivating to me. Now, if instead of these daunting projects you list something like "edit my dresses" and "find out ways to monetize my blog", that's another question. Suddenly, we are talking about concrete actions that can be accomplished in one day. Remember, baby steps are everything.

4. Use your productivity to your best advantage. Figure out when, during the day, you feel most productive, and schedule the most demanding tasks during this time. I'm most productive in the morning, after my daily caffeine kick and my workout. That's when I feel that everything is possible and that I can do almost anything. Figure out "your time", and make the most of it. 

5. Don't be too hard on yourself. This is definitely something I need to work on. Remember, we are human, not machines. If you weren't able to accomplish a task (or two; just make sure it isn't the entire list), send it to tomorrow's list and make sure it's one of the first tasks you tackle the next day.

Voilà! It seems easy, doesn't it? All you need is a little organization and a healthy dose of willpower. I now make sure to set aside 10-15 minutes every evening to think about what I've accomplished during the day and to compile my next day's list. I feel much more in charge and seeing that I'm making an actual progress toward my dreams always gives me an extra boost. 

Now tell me, what is your approach to the "to-do lists"? Do you have your own special method to make it work?

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Pop of orange

H&M blouse, clutch and bangles, Orsay skirt, Deichmann pumps, Tally Veijl earrings, Ray Ban Aviator sunglasses

There is a three-day weekend ahead of us, and I couldn't be more grateful for it. I'm in desperate need to slow down a bit, organize my thoughts and make a few decisions concerning my future plans. But don't worry, it will not be a serious stuff only: I plan a trip to the Farmers Market to refill our fridge, I want to experiment in the kitchen with some new ingredients (rhubarb is my latest discovery), enjoy a few walks in town with a delicious ice-cream and finish watching the 6th season of 24 with my fiancé. That's quite a program and I'm really looking forward to it! 

Have a wonderful weekend!

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Perfume Garden

I've never been one of those girls always recognizable by their perfume. On the contrary, I love switching scents according to my mood, my outfit or even according to the weather. I always have at least three or four perfumes ready on my dresser (my current favorites being Love, Chloé, Idylle by Guerlain and Fleur Chérie by L'Occitane). And if I had a perfume garden (which I'm planning to "build" in a very near future), these would be the "flowers" blooming there:

1.  Gucci Flora by Gucci Gorgeous Gardenia, $70.00

2.  Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau So Fresh, $88.00

3.  Yves Saint Laurent Parisienne, $65.00

4.  Dior Miss Dior EdT, $66.00 

5.  Annick Goutal Petite Chérie EdP, $165.00

6.  L'Occitane Pivoine Délicate EdT, $45.00

7.  Chanel Coco Mademoiselle, $105.00 

8. Salvatore Ferragamo Signorina, $98.00 

9.  Gucci Flora by Gucci Glamorous Magnolia, $70.00

PS: Don't forget to enter my current giveaway here, you can win a $50 gift certificate to shop the new Classically Charming collection by Peerless Charm. 

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Living in pastels

When in need of some serious home décor inspiration, I always turn to the British web House to Home. There are thousands of photos and stories from amazing magazines like 25 Beautiful Homes, Country Homes and Interiors, and my personal favorite, Ideal Home. 

Lately, I've been trying to incorporate pastels into our place's décor (see my shopping spree at Ikea here). It's not always an easy task, as my vision is chic and sophisticated, and definitely not tacky and saccharine. Each of these photos has something that strongly appeals to me and my aesthetics: plush and comfortable beige sofa, lacquered white perfectly styled coffee table, incredible fireplace, floral cushions, vintage mirror hanged above snow white chest, candles and candlestick spread all around the place...I can very well imagine having all these pieces in my own living room!

Photo source: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

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Chocolate biscuits

I've always had some kind of weird relationship with the tea: there are times when I can't even see it, and then there are times when I drink it almost every day. I don't really understand my tea cravings, but be it. But what I definitely love about the tea time, are the cookies. When I visit my parents, I always renew my stock at food department of Marks & Spencer (their chocolate and lemon curd Bourbon cookies are among the best things I've ever tasted). And when my fiancé brought me this adorable little recipe book with an assorted cookie stamp from Paris, I had just the perfect motivation to try my hands on the homemade biscuits. They were really easy to make and exceptionally delicious: crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside. An instant classic!

You'll need:

* 100g softened butter

* 125g sugar

* 200g all-purpose flour

* 50g cocoa powder

* 1 egg

* milk

1) Mix well butter and sugar, add flour, cocoa and egg. Knead with your hands, then wrap the dough in a plastic film and put in the fridge for two hours.

2) Preheat the oven to 180°C, line the baking sheet with the baking paper.

3) Roll out the dough (still wrapped in the plastic film - il'll make less mess) to 3mm of thickness, and cut out the biscuits with a round cookie cutter.

4) Place the biscuits on the baking sheet, stamp them and brush each of them with a little bit of milk. 

5) Bake for 15 minutes, let cool down, then serve with a cup of tea or a glass of milk.

Bon appétit!

Don't forget to enter my Peerless Charm giveaway to win a $50 gift certificate!

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