I wasn’t sure I needed this book, despite all the positive posts here. Then I got it from the library and was surprised twice over; first because if includes a much higher number of recipes than I expected, and second because at least three-quarters of them sound like things I want to eat. I’ll try to bake at least a couple of things before it has to go back, and if the results are as good as the recipes read (which seems likely, based on all of your reports), it’ll definitely go on my wish list.
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QUATRE-QUARTS (ALMOND) P. 21
Jury is still out on whether I like the crumb of this dense cake. I think it might be ideal for eating a slice with a cup of coffee. Although I worked through my entire dozen of eggs looking for a quartet that would weigh roughly 200 grams in their shells, I ended up with more weight in eggs (around 216 grams). Not sure why I decided not to flex the amount of sugar, butter and flour to match those inflated eggs. Duh! There is a reason why the recipe is called QUATRE-QUARTS! Since there are 52 versions of this cake, I suspect I will try this one again in the future and hopefully will do just that. Otherwise, the cake truly came together quickly. It took an extra five minutes in the oven - 60 minutes - to cook. I made the Almond version with lightly toasted sliced almonds (a whopping 1/2 cup) and some almond extract in place of the vanilla extract.
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I was in the same boat but I trusted the Hungry Onion community who voted for this one, purchased a copy and I’m enjoying baking these cakes which have been as simple as promised so far.
I made another variation on the Yogurt Cake. LLD had his colonoscopy this past week, which of course meant restrictions on what he could have. He wanted more cake. When he got home i immediately started putting together another cake, and in my rush I did it wrong. I put the flour in when I should have put the sugar in. So I just dumped everything in together, whisked, and hoped for the best. I added flour-dusted butterscotch chips and walnuts, along with some rum. I had hoped to add some pears, but the fresh ones were too hard, and the can was gross (and tossed … another pandemic can gone!). I was nervous about it, but while the crumb is not as nice, and the butterscotch mostly sunk (the walnuts didn’t) it tastes delicious. It looks a bit of a mess, but tastes good.
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Is there an Angel Food Cake recipe in the book? I wanted to try making that next time…? Thanks!
Third time a charm. After about 15 minutes of cooling, i stretched the silicon mold a bit. Continued cooling maybe for about 30 minutes and then placed them mold and all into the freezer for about 30 minutes. They popped out beautifully. The things you think of when you have insomnia. This is a lovely moist chocolate little cake. We loved it with our afternoon coffee
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They look perfect and sound delicious! So happy you got the molds to work and had such great results.
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Beautiful!
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So good to persevere; practice makes perfect!
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We really liked them
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Thanks
I think I’ll have to make them again 
. I’ve been thinking about the chocolate madeleines, she mentions that refrigerating is not necessary but optional. If I refrigerate, I’ll be sure to use a pitcher rather than attempting the covered filled molds.
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Definitely dont use the covered mold. I did and when i took the wrap off the tops of the madelines went with it. I baked them anyway and they were delicious. I did the honey one.
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Thank you, I remember you warning about that “method”!
Not by that name anyway, I checked the index.
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GATEAU AU YAOURT ET AUX POIRES. P.10.
Another yogurt cake – this one calls for powdered sugar and oil.
I made the apple version. Initially I was vexed by the prompt to resist the urge to add Calvados - I love Calvados in an apple cake. However, her variation offers an alternative booze element - dark rum - so I went with that, along with the recommended increase in vanilla. I used honeycrisp for the apples, and for the glaze, a very thin spread of warm honeycrisp jelly which I had put up last fall using fruit off our own tree. I mixed everything by hand – adding the oil at the start with the eggs and sugar - and baked in an 8” x 3” loose bottom pan. I got a few bubbles but nothing major - I attribute this to the hand whisking.
Another winner. So simple and very appealing. We tried it warm, as she urges. It is a not-too-sweet cake. I think I will like it even more once cooled, when the crumb has firmed up and the flavors have settled; DH is happy to cut into one straight away. We’re both pleased, and the cake won’t last long.
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Dorie Greenspan’s Custardy Apple Squares and Marie-Hêlène’s Apple Cake both include dark rum (the former as an option), and it works very well.
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Like @MunchkinRedux, we also tried the GATEAU AU YAOURT ET AUX POIRES p. 10.
I wish we’d had some Poire Williams-- I also heeded the advice to omit Calvados, but without any liquor, the cake was a little plain. Don’t get me wrong, still lovely, but not as big of a hit as the Gateau Au Yaourt pour le diner, which I’ve now made three times and continues to be a hit with the neighbors and family. One of the things I like about this cake is slices of it hold up well in lunchboxes.
GATEAU AU YAOURT POUR LE DINER, take two
The pear cake is one of the prettiest I’ve made (most of my desserts look homemade, if you know what I mean). Glazed with last summer’s apricot jam. All of both disappeared.
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They both look great. I would love to make the dinner party cake, but it will have to wait until I have someone to help me eat it. Too much booze and syrup for DH’s taste (but just right for mine).
Looks to me like your pear cake got quite a bit more rise then mine, and she mentions it’s a high riser. What did you use to mix it? Stand mixer? Other?
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MR…I think you could very successfully cut that recipe in half and make a small boozy cake!
@redwood2bay
Regarding the pear cake, I had made half upthread, I think Feb 1 and added chocolate flakes , hazelnuts and Poire Williams, served with a chocolate sauce, not so plain 
