Friday, April 4, 2014

FFwD - Visitandine


Today´s recipe for the French Fridays with Dorie group is ”Visitandine” – a simple white cake with a small-grained crumb.




The recipe for this French Visitandine is very similar to the recipes for Coconut Friands that we baked back in April 2012 and Financiers that we baked back in April 2013. These are all my favorite kinds of cakes. Simple, yet elegant. Not cloyingly sweet and very versatile.




You can use all kinds of fancy and pretty baking pans for these cakes. There are the madeleine molds, financier or tartlet pans or even muffin pans but then there are also pie plates or springform pans. I decided to divide the batter in two and used heart-shaped pans.




Dorie mentions in her recipe that the her friend Claudine Martina , the author of this recipe, likes to use a “plat à tarte” because using it, the cake bakes into "a nice flat galette”. That is exactly what I wanted my cakes to look like, nice flat and elegant.




The recipe is fairly simple, all you require is egg whites, plain flour, fine sugar, a pinch of sea salt and melted unsalted butter – as usual, I substituted the vanilla extract with pure vanilla sugar. Other than that, no changes to the recipe.




The name of the cake goes back to the “Visitandine” or “Visitation Order” (in German “Orden von der Heimsuchung Mariens”) formally the Congregation of the Visitation of Holy Mary, a Roman Catholic order of nuns founded by St. Francis de Sales and St. Jane Frances de Chantal at Annecy, France, in 1610. The order was originally destined for charitable work, visiting and caring for the sick and poor in their homes, as well as for prayer. To this day, many Visitandines are devoted to education.

Apparently the nuns baked these simple cakes to sustain them during times of famine – the egg whites in the batter were considered to be a good source of protein.




Since I was quite taken by the elegant look of these cakes, I did not really want to serve them with whipped cream or turn them into strawberry shortcakes – I chose to dust them liberally with confectioners´ sugar to showcase the simplicity and elegance of these cakes. And since we are in the midst of rhubarb season around here and since I am a devoted rhubarb addict and love to use this wonderful spring vegetable (not fruit) in my baking (you might want to take a look here or here), I served the Visitandines with a very seasonal rhubarb-strawberry compote and some more fresh strawberries. Perfect!




To see how much the other members of the French Fridays with Dorie group enjoyed today´s recipe, please click here.

If you happen to own Dorie Greenspan´s book “Around my French Table”, you will find the recipe for ”Visitandine" on pages 436-37.


72 comments:

  1. This is my favorite kind of cake too, Andrea. So simple yet flavorful. It reminded me of the financiers as well (I didn't try the friands because I loathe coconut). I'm glad you enjoyed it. I also served mine with rhubarb (compote I froze last summer). Great photos, as always. I particularly like your sweet strawberry spoon. Have a great weekend!

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    1. Betsy, thank you kindly for your comment - great minds...rhubarb compote is wonderful with this cake, with or without added berries - I used some lovely ornge juice and homemade vanilla sugar for the compote - delicious. Glad we all seem to have liked this simple, elegant recipe so much.

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  2. The thick dusting a rhubarb-strawberry compote both make for an amazing dessert!!! Well done, my friend!

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  3. Beautiful Andrea! I love a simple cake like this too, they're so versatile. Such an interesting history to this lovely dessert!

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    1. Chris, well, I kept the "history part" to a minimum this Friday - although, I was tempted for a moment as I found so much fun facts on French food history websites.

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  4. Your cake looks beautiful. Lovely photographs !

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    1. Tanusree, thank you very much! Glad you like the pictures.

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  5. lovely cake....especially with icing sugar on top and along with strawberries......very elegant presentation,thanks for sharing :-)

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    1. Kumar, glad you enjoy the presenation - a simple cake seems to call for a simple presentation.

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  6. Your cake looks so elegant and luscious! As always, just a gorgeous presentation! This was a really good cake, I know I will revisit it often because it was not only easy, but delicious, too! Happy Weekend, Andrea!
    I love the heart spoon!!

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    1. Kathy, elegant was what I was aiming for and considering the history of this cake and the fact that the French serve this cake in a very simple kind of way, I thought it fitting to keep it simple.

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  7. Very elegant indeed! Love your rhubarb and berries compote!

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    1. Emily, thank you - rhubarab is is season here right now and we often combine it with strawberries.

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  8. It's funny that we've done similar recipes in past Aprils, as well. I wonder what it is about this month that's attracted us to these recipes?

    I love your heart-shaped cakes. They really are elegant. And strawberry-rhubarb is my favourite dessert combination. I can hardly wait until rhubarb starts appearing in the markets here, any day now. The rhubarb in my garden won't be ready for a few weeks, yet.

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    1. Teresa, yes, April seems to be the month for elegant French cakes and this weeks´ recipe was a nice reminder of the Friands and Financiers that we baked in the past. I will be using my small molds for these and bake them again this week - I loved the way they looked and tasted.
      As far as the rhubarb is concerned, just bought another kilo and getting ready to bake my lovely Spring Rhubarn Tart again today:
      http://kitchenlioness.blogspot.de/2014/03/spring-rhubarb-tart-fruhlings.html
      Have a nice week!

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  9. What a perfect presentation!

    We are still a couple of months away from fresh rhubarb and berries, but it gives me something to look forward to. (I was happy that I had a stash of both in the freezer for this dessert)

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    1. Cher, thank you very much - the presentation of this cake was quite fun this week and we really liked the rhubarb-strawberry compote with these cakes. Although the strawberries still hail from Spain these days, the rhubarb is local.

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  10. I love everything about the way you presented this cake: the heart shape, the sugar dusting, the compote... wonderfully done.

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    1. Diane, so nice of you to let me know that you enjoy this post! Thank you!

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  11. Looks wonderful. I walked by a large bunch of rhubarb in the market today and thought that I should give it another try one of these days. I used to hate it as a child, but yours looks so tasty.

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    1. Rose, you should buy that rhubarb - just give it a try and if you do need some inspiration, I do have a few rhubarb recipes on my blog, of course. Seriously, rhubarb deserves a second change. Thanks for the comment!

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  12. Looking at the name "Vistadine" I would have had NO idea it was related to the Visitation! I should have known, I guess! I love the history of this and, even more, the simplicity of it. I don't have Dorie's book, so need to consider getting it, if just to have this recipe! As always, Andrea, your photos are some of the most beautiful ever taken! Heute, es ganz schön ist! 24 grad für Uns ist nicht warm!

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    1. David, you know, the first time I looked at the title of this recipe, I was at a loss but then I remembered that we baked a recipe before that was related to this particular Order of Nuns too. Who would have thought that five ingredients make for such a lovely cake. Mind you, I did find some recipes on French websites that call for almond meal to be added to a Visitandine. Nice idea as well. I will mail you the recipe if you want - no need to buy the book just for that recipe. Thank you also for the lovely compliment with respect to the photos!

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  13. On Andrea, I love recipes with stories, this cake is simple and elegant. Beautiful pics as always. Love your style.

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    1. Cheri, well, that is so nice, thank you very much - it makes me happy to read that you enjoy the pics and the my blog posts!

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  14. Such a beautiful tale...you always weave your lovely recipes with such interesting histories. One of the many things I love about you :-)

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    1. Monet, my dear, I really hope that baby Lucy is doing much better! Hopefully she will recover soon from her second bout of infection! And thank you so much for your very kind comment!

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  15. Well now my dear I think you are just showing off here. Wow. What a great presentation! This is how i want this dessert whenever I have it again. Just like this.

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    1. Trevor, dear, that´s music to my ears!!! Thanks so much!

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  16. Lovin this kind of crumbly cake....
    beautifully captured too!!!

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    1. Dedy, thank you - although I do not know about this French cake being all that crumbly - I would describe it raher like Dorie says, a cake with "a small-grained crumb" but be that as it may, it is delicious and easy.Thanks for commenting!

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  17. Your cake looks beautiful as ever! And I love the idea of the rhubarb compote - making some today! I thought this was quite wonderful myself. So happy you enjoyed!

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    1. Candy, thank you very much. Rhubar compote seemed to be the natural choice, seeing that it is rhubarb season around here. And the compote pairs well with some strawberries.

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  18. Like you I adore financiers and so this cake already appeals to me! Love the little note of history, Andrea, always an interesting read. The star of course, is your lovely cake and the fact you have paired it with rhubarb....that's even better :) Have a wonderful week ahead, Andrea!!

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    1. Dear Nazneen, we do share a passion for these simple, French cakes and rhubarb - how nice. Aren´t they just the best?!

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  19. Immer sind die einfachsten Rezepte ins perfekte Licht gerückt und was die passenden Teller schmückt, sieht immer zum Anbeissen aus, umsponnen von wunderbaren Erläuterungen. Danke, Andrea, für einen Blog, den man sich immer gerne anschaut :-)

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    1. Liebe Wally, vielen Dank! Das freut mich sehr, dass dir mein Blog so gut gefällt - für mich gehört immer ein bißchen Geschichte zu jedem Gericht und Rezept - ich weiß immer gerne woher ein Rezept stammt und wie es entstanden ist. Macht das Ganze eine weing interessanter. Liebe Grüße aus Bonn!

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  20. Gorgeous photos and I just love the heart shaped pans. I agree that sometimes simple cakes, not too sweet, make the most elegant desserts.

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    1. Renee, thank you so much - heart-shaped pans are a nice change to the ususal round baking pans. And the recipe was just enough for two cakes. Really liked this week´s recipe.

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  21. WOW - I love the heart shape and the thick layer of icing sugar - so pretty!

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  22. What an elegant cake. It looks wonderful!

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    1. Beth, we enjoy the look and the taste of this lovely, simple recipe. Thank you for the comment!

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  23. Andrea, I've never heard of visitandine. Yours is just so lovely in the heart shape w the homemade compote.
    I've got to get the recipe and see how this tastes!
    Hope you had a wonderful w/end w your family. xoxo

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    1. Colette, the recipe can be found online, if you cannot find it, please let me know, I will mail it to you!
      Thanks for the kind comment!

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  24. Andrea,
    NOBODY presents their ART quite like you, dear. Every detail means something...every strawberry is poetry. xx

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    1. Kim, you are always making me blush...love your fabulous comments!

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  25. Hi Andrea! Sorry for the late comment :( This is such a beautiful cake! I love that you used rhubarb and strawberries with it! So seasonal and delicious. Have a great week! :)

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    1. Maria, no need to be sorry, please - thank you for stopping by! I think we all loved this recipe this week, so elegant and versatile and delicious to boot!

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  26. Beautiful job, Andrea. The rhubarb compote looks scrumptious.

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    1. Adriana, thank you so much - rhubarb is in season right now and we love it, so this was a natural choice for compote.

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  27. What delicious-looking cakes and even more delicious-looking pictures. You do have an eye, Andrea, and you are only getting better. I also read about the nuns and their order. There are still some in America. Yes, they did good work. I am a rhubarb addict also but have been unable to find it here, of course. Too hot. Hopefully, I'll find some in Colorado where it's cooler and it grows better. Loved the powdered sugar and your placement of the compote.

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    1. Dear Mary, I certainly am quite pleased that you enjoy my blog, pictures and all - this was such a wonderful and easy recipe this week - those kinds of cakes are my favorites, elegant and not overly cloyingly sweet! Ah, rhubarb season, we enjoy it while we can and if I add a few sweet strawberries to the mix, even the kids love it! Thank you so much for the wonderful comment!

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  28. What a pretty cake! I have a heart shaped cake tin that I love but have only used once as it was such a hassle to line it with baking paper.

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    1. Trishie, these baking pans were non-stick and I must admit that the cake did not stick at all - thanks to agreat recipe I guess. But putting baking paper in a fancy-shaped baking mold can be a hassle indeed. Thank you for the kind words!

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  29. This looks so lovely and delicate Andrea! Love the fruit (rhubarb is just appearing again in the shops here, so perfect timing) and the dusting of powdered sugar! You write so well, the history of this cake is quite fascinating xx

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    1. Laura, the history of foods always fascinate me - I tried not to overdo it this time but it is quite interesting to learn how this lovely little French cake came about. Thanks so much for dropping by!

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  30. What a great recipe which has rhubarb and strawberries! the dusting of powdered sugar looks just perfect and no comments on your photography at all…one delicious cake!

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    1. Thank you so much - glad that you like the simplicity of this French dessert cake.

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  31. Your heart shaped Visitandine is so pretty - and I love your cute strawberry topped forks.

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    1. Gaye, thank you - sometimes the props do seem to steal the show!

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  32. Beautiful cake Andrea...and yes the strawberry rhubarb compote looks just perfect with this simple and elegant cake. Te pictures are awesome!
    Hope you are having a wonderful week :D

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    1. Juliana, thank you so much, my dear, always so nice to hear from you - strawberry-rhubarb compote complements this lovely, elegant French cake in the most delightful of ways.

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  33. You do have the prettiest molds for your baking. Rhubarb hasn't arrived in our markets yet but now that the cold and snow are behind us, I'm sure we should start seeing it shortly.

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    1. Karen, I am quite confident that the fresh rhubarb will arrive soon at your markets - I know that it was an unusually long and hard winter but, of course, you could also use frozen rhubarb for a rhubarb compote. Thank you so much for stopping by - keeping my fingers crossed for warm weather to arrive in your neck of the woods soon.

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  34. Rhubarb, strawberries and visitandine - what a great combination. I always feel like I'm right there dining at your table, you create such lovely visuals.

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    1. Christy, that is such a nice thing to say - it certainly makes my day to have you mention that!

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  35. Again, I'm so jealous. I think we have another month or two before our rhubarb will be ready to eat. I love the spoons you used. How festive!

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    1. Jora, the only ones in Europe that can get rhubarb earlier than we can are the British - I am always jealous of their forced rhubarb, it is bright pink and I would love to bake with it just once. Thank you so much for the comment!

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