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No, I did not start a construction business! I am just regressing in pure childhood memories and tastes. It must be the end of the summer that makes me nostalgic and longing for homely desserts. This season flew by. The particular name of this cake is the "Quatre Quarts". Each major component, butter, flour, eggs, sugar have to weigh the same and all four equal parts come together to make a whole of goodness. It is lighter than the American pound cake although the one my mom used to get at the store was close to an etouffe chretien, something so dense it could have "choked a Christian".
This recipe comes out of ones of the first cookbooks I received as a child, and pictured above. It was really neat to be able to see the dancing egg on the pages transformed into a talking character, helping me to whip up some goodies for the family. Some of desserts are quite daunting for a child, like cream puffs or genoise. This cake is really easy to come together and is a staple of most French household I know, much like the Yogurt Cake we learn to make early on. It is traditionaly baked into a loaf pan, but since I can never do everything like everybody else and I have a tendency de n’en faire qu’a ma tete (do things my way)

Here is the recipe from the book "Desserts en Dessins, la patisserie en bande dessinee"

Quatre Quarts

3 large eggs
same weight in flour
same weight in sugar
same weight in butter
1 tsp. baking powder

In a bowl, cream together the butter and sugar, add the eggs one at a time, and mix until the whole thing is pale white and very creamy. Add the flour and baking powder. Mix thoroughly. Pour into a 9 inch baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 40-45 minutes.
Note: add a tsp vanilla, or other flavoring of your choice. That day, I used coconut extract to celebrate summer.

Even my husband could make that! Yeah well, he probably does not because the kitchen is my terf!


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Comments


Julia August 30, 2006 um 4:23 pm

Helene, I love your blog and what a cute little cookbook!
I know exactly what you mean with wanting to capture that nostalgic homey feeling. I love the summer and it’s so horrible those cold and icy winter days soon will come… your Quatre Quarts look perfectly simple for then with a nice cup of tea…=)


Anonymous August 31, 2006 um 8:20 pm

Call it whatever you like … it’s gorgeous and delicious!


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