I can eat the same thing everyday: breakfast, lunch and dinner; and still feel happy about what I eat. Obviously, those things will change every now and then.

This habit must come from my dad who has been known to have paella for lunch for a month before enrolling in a mussel and chips extravaganza for another thirty days.

At the moment, I’m in love with the five listed below. Now I’m curious, what are your current five favourites to eat?

One. Guacamole. Slice a ripe avocado, place it in a bowl. Squeeze out the juice from one lemon. Mix in some finely sliced red chili pepper, a handful of cherry tomatoes, and rings of spring onions. Sprinkle with a little maldon sea salt. Top with fresh coriander leaves, slighlty torn.

Two. Ben and Jerry’s cookie dough ice-cream. Bike to the closest convenience store. Bike home. Grab a tablespoon. Open the tub.

Three. Salt and pepper prawns. Mix rice flour with a good dose of maldon sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roll a handfull of prawns (with their shells on) into the flour. Heat a pan of oil. Deep-fry until golden brown. Top with sliced spring onion. Eat with your fingers.

Four. Banana pancakes. Combine 150g flour, a little sugar, one teaspoon of baking powder, half a teaspoon of baking soda. Mix in 250g milk (full fat, or I might as well go back to bed) and one egg. Fold in two ripe bananas, slightly mashed. Cook on a well buttered pan, flip over until lovely. Have with a drizzle of dark maple syrup.

Five. Find a watermelon, preferably ice-cold. Make sure not to drop it on the floor. Using a serated knife, slice a big fat wedge. Allow the juices to splash on your face.

Sometimes, it all gets down the simplest things. A few words exchanged with a new friend, an idea that as has been kept asleep for too long, a birthday cake assembled and eaten.

And suddenly, it makes sense.

I have decided to launch my own business. Possibly a small pastry stall. Possibly at Borough Market. Possibly selling some fine French patisseries and English favourites with a twist.

Possibly.

But I can make it happen. With some endless research and business plan writing, delicious recipe development, adorable moments, and perhaps, if you feel like it, with your support.

As a matter of fact, I am now accepting donations that will go straight into the opening of la pomme d’amour. There is a small cupcake on the side bar right here which allow you to give me as little or as much coins as you wish. In return, I promise you thousands chocolate kisses and tons of sugar, flour, and eggs to be used.

Now I just can’t wait for this to happen. I’ve already started working on the carte and it’s looking sweet. The classics will include my hands-down favourites. Tarts, loaf cakes, sables, viennoiseries, meringues and many many more.

To finish this, just three words: peach melba tart.

It sounds perfect. It tastes even better!

And since we’re on the subject, I thought I would share some dessert ideas that have been haunting me lately (I can’t be trusted around a punnet of strawberries, but who can – in all honesty?).

One one them even made it to the menu: sour cherry clafoutis with almond sorbet and cherry-stone jelly.

I am home – or more accurately I have been home for a week or so – forced to stay here.

Sometimes, nature compels us to slow down, perhaps for the right reasons.

Spending time here – just doing simple things – especially after the impulsive decision to fly back to France after a night – filled with tears and screams – that I can barely remember, make my stay in London feel as brief as a dream.

Something so ephemeral that I can hardly think it was real. Particularly after the nightmare I’ve just had. A nightmare that isn’t one. A nightmare I have to face. In fact, not a nightmare at all, just a fact.

I keep wondering about how I am going to breathe the same air as before except it will taste different now that I am on my own.

Luckily, I have time to think. And time to let my passion guide me.

During this break, I have made the most delicious vanilla mousse, which I topped with slowly poached rhubarb and slices of the pinkest rhubarb compote.

It was delicious, light, and just tangy enough.

With the same elements, I also assembled an entremet that I will share later this week if I ever find my way back to London. Something I want so hard and yet fear.

But as nature told us, there is no need to rush. So why not spend a day or two in company of the coolest kid in town – Peanut, the bunny – or maybe, enjoy some drinks at a café or on a beach with friends – old and new.

See you later my lovelies. You make my world a little bit better and I just want to give each and everyone one of you a big hug. x

Spring is here again, or so says my once upon a time number one favourite rock band.
Although Nirvana is still occasionally listened to – preferably loud in my headphones – my music interests have changed.

So has my life.

Rather unexpectedly, I realised some of the old posts, which pictures got lost during the move from blogger to wordpress didn’t really fit the person I’ve now become.
I’ve thus decided to temporarily delete them until I get the chance to re-upload the pictures.

It hasn’t been an easy choice, and certainly doesn’t mean I’m not grateful for foodbeam to having pushed me to make my dream come true by becoming a pastry chef.

I just wasn’t comfortable with the words-only – and sometimes, very random – articles; and I do truly hope you understand.

I guess the fact that Spring is finally showing up might have had some effect on this sudden urge to declutter. I’m just so excited with those sunny beams and blooming flowers.

Some things should be taken for granted.

A delicious afternoon tea is served with freshly baked scones. A boyfriend comes with amazing pastry skills, a lovely smile, and a happy heart. This pastry blog should be updated more often, yet I spent lots of time documenting my life in my journal. A night out genuinely can’t be called one unless spicy bloody mary is involved.

And: I am not good with emails.

So not good in fact, that I started using formspring to answer all your questions. I’ve even placed a little box on the side bar right here, so please my favourite little bunnies, don’t be shy and ask me.

About whatever you like. Pastry or not. I’ll make y best to answer and my email inbox will be happy not to have so many read – yet unanswered – emails.

I find this – not so – new app (why am I always way behind?) quite useful to implement a sort of FAQ. I mean, you might find the one thing you’re looking for by reading through the answers.

However, I want you to promise me you’ll still be comfortable sending me emails if you feel like it. I love them. Each and everyone one of them holds a special place in my heart.

PS. I might end up getting tired of it, but really want to give it a try. Come what may!

It all started this past Wednesday. My first day off in a while.

And quite coincidentally, the day before Christmas Eve.

And quite coincidentally, I didn’t realise this until I spotted the big 23 on my wall clock as I woke up seconds before noon.

Lunch on granola. Quickest shower. Legging, sweater and UGG boots on. Brisk walk to High Street Kensington through Holland Park. Whole Foods.

There I got everything we needed to celebrate Christmas in the most proper way.

Here is our menu for Christmas day:
- homemade blinis with crème fraiche and Scottish salmon
- honey and wholegrain mustard roast pork with crisp potatoes
- selection of French cheeses with homemade focaccia
- banana cream pie with a chocolate mousse quenelle

And, lots of Champagne!

We’re going to party like there is no tomorrow since it’s the first time – for the both of us – that we are away from our families during the holidays.

If things go well, expect to see a small banana cream pie around over the next few days.

Happy Christmas. All my love. x fanny.

I should probably warn you straight away: I don’t know where to start. Today, I have no glorious recipe to share, no amusing anecdote to tell, and no sweet place to show you.

And yet, I felt the need to write in my sugar-coated journal; yes, right here on foodbeam.

One simple reason: I’m thankful. For having you as friends. For calling London home. For having the most adorable job ever. For the small flat Guillaume and I lovingly share. For London’s treasures. For the Christmas tree that sits in our living room.

In fact, I’m thankful for life.

And for Jamie Oliver’s perfect roast chicken and vegetables. It’s the primary component of our food diet at the moment. And this time, Guillaume isn’t complaining (yes, I thought it was necessary to bring this up yet again: he does NOT like pumpkin pie; and yes, I also stopped breathing as I typed this, just as you probably did when reading this dreadful sentence).

I could possibly give you the recipe, but since it’s written in perfect words over on Jamie’s website, I highly suggest you rush to the butcher before it closes, get yourself a plump organic chicken and roast it along some roughly chopped onions, carrots, potatoes, mushrooms and mange-touts.

Or you could also gather all the polaroids you took and stick them on the wall behind your bed to form a lovely heart.

Another suggestion for a happier life, would be to buy some blue leopard leggings from hache and emm, and go for a walk through Holland park.
Make sure you have some warm UGG at your feet though.

Now, I realise I might be a week late for this, but what are you thankful for? It always makes me happy to know what makes other people happy.

It’s now time for me to stop writing, I seem to have become way too random. I promise foodbeam is a blog about pastry and it will remain as such. I do, on the other hand, hope you liked this little glimpse into my new world. Love x fanny.

Before I started getting serious with pâtisserie – more clearly, before I started waking up at three am and actually enjoy it – I must confess I felt quite confident with many things. From making pâte feuilletee to piping meringues; from assembling a series of entremets to decorating a cake.

Those were the things I was comfortable with. However, it didn’t take long for me to realise that even with some of them, there would be some sort of hitches.

Read: glazing a mille-feuilles. Period.

The concept itself doesn’t seem delicate. I mean, it’s just a matter of fondant. First pour the white fondant, then pipe thin lines of chocolate fondant – made dark by the addition of cocoa powder -, and stripe using a knife.

However, the realisation recquires special care.

The fondants have to be tempered, and at same temperature for best results. The chocolate fondant lines have to be piped very quickly after the white fondant has been spread all over the feuilletage top. The stripes have to be made with the back of the knife, and quite obviously, this must happen fast, before the fondant gets a chance to set.

Definitely not undoable, yet definitely not doable without having seen it at least once.

So tonight, I thought I’d thank you all for your kindness by showing you how we – at pâtisserie Lac – glaze our mille-feuilles.

And to be honest, I really felt like sharing something new over here, but didn’t have the courage to write a long recipe down, especially knowing what a busy day tomorrow is going to be. The fact that today was lazily spent with my boyfriend, daydreaming, sleeping, cuddling, and contemplating the beauty of Autumn might play a role as well.

Please welcome this short animation – featuring the hands of my favourite person from Montpellier, namely Alexis – warmly.

PS. ‘raye, raye’ translates to ’stripe, stripe’. I, apparently, had a strong desire to express myself in French at the time I put this together.

Then, you just have to clean the sides by running a spatula around them when the fondant is set, and finally, slice the mille-feuilles using a sharp serrated knife.

That’s all for today me friends. I know, I know… But since you’re the most amazing readers ever, and I’m lucky enough to have you and some other supportive people around me, I shall share more and more recipes.

Good night. Don’t dream too much about mille-feuilles, although it seems very tempting!

Welcome to my new home.

I thought it was well enough time to give foodbeam a new design. I do hope you’ like it.

As usual, you’ll find touches of pink, and quite obviously, some cute details.

So please, welcome my new mascotte, the cake-obsessed flamant rose [flamingo]. He loves ice-cream cupcakes, but anything sweet will satisfy his high-sugar diet.

xx fanny

There are some things that you never forget. A kiss. A delicious cake. A fresh wind. A secret place where a couple of fig trees grow.

Today, I decided to take a break from my vacances routine – read: sleep, eat, swim, take pictures, drink cranberry juice, sleep – and go for a walk with my shiny new film camera. On the way back home, I thought I could go and check on the figs trees.

Just in case.

And there they were. Plump little dark guys. Juicy and perfectly sweet. Now I have plenty of them and need your help.

What’s your favourite fig recipe? Please, please do tell me, and I might give you the absolute location of the abandoned backyard where the trees grow. Oh pretty please.

And in case you’re just like me, here is some figish inspiration from blogs I’m in love with:
- fig and sesame tarts with orange blossom whipped cream, on Sunday Suppers.
- figs and red currants slices, on fresh365
- ginger fig streusel tarts with lavender honey ice cream, on Tartelette.
- roasted figs frozen mousse, on Cannelle et Vanille.

Oh, just one last question. Are you also looking forward Autumn and its rainy days? I am. Positively.

See you soon my lovelies, with a delicious berry recipe, and hopefully a gorgeous fig something.