#Vol Au Vent recipe

[psudopod-art]

Chocolate Raspberry Vol Au Vents

AKA Psudo's favorite dessert flavors combined in about 20 minutes. This recipe is easy as fuck and all but one of the ingredients can be stored indefinitely in the pantry or freezer.

Recipe, advice, process photos, and a gif below the cut!

Ingredients:

Frozen Puff Pastry Shells (6 per pack) aka vol au vents

Frozen or fresh raspberries

About 1 cup heavy whipping cream

About 1 tablespoon cocoa powder

About 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Instructions

Start baking the puff pastry in the oven according to package instructions. Put your cream whipping bowl of choice in the freezer.

When the shells have about 5 minutes left in the oven, take your cream whipping bowl out of the freezer.

Scoop the cocoa powder and powdered sugar into the cold cream whipping bowl.

Add a splash of the heavy whipping cream to the bowl and stir the slurry break up all the clumps and dry spots on the bottom. Dump in the rest of the cream. Whip it until it's just reached stiff peaks, when the cream remains in shape after you remove your hand mixer.

When your puff pastry is finished, remove the lids and add a layer of raspberries inside the shells. Top with the cocoa whipped cream, pop the lid onto the cream and serve.

Chef logic over explained section:

I always use premade frozen puff pastry. If you prefer, you can try your hand at making your own. It just takes a lot of time and effort. Vol au vents are pretty easy to shape, but layering the butter and dough to make the puff pastry dough takes so long.

Chilling your cream whipping tools will help the cream whip faster. It's not necessary but you've got like 5-15 minutes to wait while the pastry bakes what else are you going to do? Scroll Tumblr?

Powdered sugar dissolves easier than granulated sugar, and it includes a small percentage of corn starch. The corn starch can act as a stabilizer for whipped cream, allegedly.

I usually just eyeball the cream proportions, honestly. Obviously, from those nonspecific ingredient amounts. Sorry lol. I just use the large flatware spoons I use later to shape the whipped cream into quinelles.

Creating a slurry of your dry ingredients and a splash of the wet ingredients is a good way to get the clumps out that would otherwise float around if you dumped all the liquids in at once. Not necessary, but useful for this recipe, as well as powdered drinks and powdered desserts like pudding or jello.

Don't whip your cream past the stiff peaks stage, you'll get cocoa flavored butter.

The heat of the freshly baked pastry defrosts frozen raspberries, even if you forget to defrost them ahead of time.

[ilikepearszine]

TIMELINE for I Like Pears vol. 2

Applications open - September 1 (Friday) NOW!

Applications close - October 1, 2023 (Sunday)

Contributors contacted - October 5

Proposal confirmation - November 1  

Process Check in 1 - November 15 

Process Check in 2 - December 15 

Final Due - December 31 

RELEASE DAY! (no preorder) = January 19, 2024

Still time to apply for the next savory edition of I Like Pears! Do you have a delicious recipe for an oat milk coffee drink (please, hold the almond)? Or a vol-au-vents-centric fic? Perhaps Gabriel makes some Eccles cakes for Beelzebub and you capture this in your art? Whatever it may be, go ahead and apply before Ocotober 1 2023 to take part!

LINK: https://forms.gle/kmi3q9WK349k6Uje9 Check out our last volume still available for free download HERE

[petermorwood]

I'm definitely going to make this.

Meanwhile, here's a related appetiser / starter recipe from the first cookbook I ever bought for myself.

Mushrooms Paprikash (serves 4)

Ingredients

1 oz / 30 g butter

2 Tbsp chopped shallots

1 lb /400 g mushrooms, sliced

coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tsp Hungarian paprika

1 tsp flour

4 fl. oz /125 ml sour cream

fresh chopped parsley to garnish

Method

Melt the butter in a large frying pan and soften the shallots without burning.

Add the mushrooms and salt and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the juices begin to form.

Add the pepper, paprika, and flour and cook for another two minutes, stirring.

Add the sour cream just long enough to heat through, remove, and serve with parsley on top.

Note: the book suggests serving on toast or in pastry shells. Instead of toast, fry slices of bread in butter, that way they stay crisp. As for pastry, make small shortcrust pie shells or puff-pastry vol-au-vent cases (here you could cheat and buy frozen ones. I won't tell...) ;->

*****

To round off Soup and Starter, here are a couple of Mushroom Paprikash recipes which are Main Course. This one's from GoodFood, and this one's from Offbeat Budapest.

*****

And here's the cookbook. First published in the USA in 1977, this UK edition is from 1985. I don't know if it's still in print, but a used copy is well worth getting hold of, because these dishes are fairly easy to make.

They are (even 40 years ago when my Kitchen Adventures expertise was printed in very small letters) the sort of things you can make at home, rather than accumulated complex ingredients, elaborate instructions and beautiful pictures that drive home the reason why restaurants exist.

They range from Mexico to Morocco, Hungary to Hunan, and from pretty hot to pleasantly mild, and one is the recipe I adapted into my Pork with Chillis and Chocolate, an Irish take on molé.

O'leagh, perhaps...? Well, perhaps not. :-P

I've made it at home and for friends in England, Austria and the USA. That last one, in Los Angeles, was pretty memorable, because after dinner was over @dduane found George Takei in the kitchen, mopping a few last dregs from the casserole with a chunk of crusty bread.

I've never, ever had a higher compliment about my cooking. :-D

I made Hungarian mushroom soup and it's a little too delicious to be real

[kingjamesroystonpub]

Christmas Day - Royston |  Christmas  Festive Food in Royston

The delicious feast that graces tables across the nation is just one more way that dazzling lights, festive decorations. Also, exchanging of gifts in Britain distinguish the wonderful season of Christmas. The main course is the focal point of this festive feast. A meal that has come to represent the spirit of Christmas. Come with us as we explore the history of Christmas Day - Royston dinner staples in Britain and the customs that surround them.

Christmas Day - Royston

The Festive Main Course: Christmas Day - Royston

Roast Turkey

In Britain, the magnificent roast turkey is the unrivalled star of Christmas dinner. When turkeys were brought to England in the 16th century, this tradition began. Still, the turkey didn't firmly establish itself as the festive table centrepiece until the nineteenth century. Turkey became even more synonymous with Christmas in Charles Dickens's masterpiece. "A Christmas Carol," where it was immortalised as the centrepiece of the Cratchit family's joyous feast.

Beyond Turkey: Options Abound

Even though roast turkey is the best, the British have an excellent choice of options for people who like variety. As an example of the type of flavours found on Christmas dinners, roast goose, duck, or juicy beef frequently make an appearance. Adding depths of tradition to the holiday table, each choice carries its own history and regional significance.

Royal Complements:

The main course of any Christmas meal isn't complete without the accompaniments that round out the meal. The scrumptiousness of stuffing, the crunch of roast potatoes, and the rainbow of colours from the Brussels sprouts, carrots, and parsnips all come together in perfect harmony. Of all the components of the dish, the gravy—a delicious liquid gold—is the show-stopper.

Sweet Finishes:

Christmas pudding or mince pies are served after the main meal for a sweet ending. These traditional desserts are the ideal way to round off a dinner. Also, a Christmas pudding is a merry sight in and of itself, what with all the dried fruits and spices and the dramatic explosion of flames that often tops it off.

Importance of Christmas Meal:

British Christmas feasts are cultural treasures and wonderful. Friends and family gather to tell stories, and generate lasting memories during this holy season. The joy of giving and gathering with loved ones is embodied in the preparation and sharing of this meal.

Every family's Christmas supper is cherished because of the recipes. The customs that have been preserved over the years are about much more than simply a feast. This feast symbolises the coming together of loved ones. The happy mood that characterises the Christmas season.

The British Christmas main course traditions are like unravelling a cultural tapestry. Rich with history, delicious flavours, and the comforting memories of shared times. No matter how many years pass, this joyous feast will always remind us of the true meaning of Christmas. A time to fill our appetites and our hearts with the bounty of the season.

Christmas Menu in Royston:

Smoked Salmon Tartines with Crème Fraîche, Dill, and Capers:

Savour the harmonious blend of smoked salmon's subtle richness and crème fraîche's velvety smoothness in our Smoked Salmon Tartines. These tartines have a crisp foundation and are topped with fresh dill and capers. It makes it for a delightful combination of flavours and textures. The delicate salmon dances with the tart crème fraîche in every mouthful, transporting your taste buds on a voyage of refinement.

Garlic and Chilli Tiger Prawns on Vol-au-Vents:

Delve into a world of flavour with our Garlic and Chilli Tiger Prawns, artfully arranged atop golden, flaky vol-au-vents. A symphony of flavours that arouses the senses is created by infusing these luscious prawns with the aromatic dance of garlic, and the subtle heat of chilli. With every bite, you'll savour the irresistible combination of flaky puff pastry and juicy prawns. Thus creating a memorable and gastronomic experience. These vol-au-vents are a new standard for delicious decadence; they are a real treat for the senses.

Prawn Cocktail on Baby Gem, Mango, and Red Pepper Salsa (GF):

Our delicious Prawn Cocktail will take your dinner to the next level. It's served on a bed of crisp Baby Gem lettuce, and topped with colourful, naturally gluten-free Mango and Red Pepper Salsa. The crunch of Baby Gem lettuce pairs well with the subtle flavours of the succulent poached prawns. With its tropical touch, Mango and Red Pepper Salsa combine sweet and spicy flavours for a delightful explosion of flavour. Indulge in every mouthful of this gluten-free delight. This isn't just food; it's a jubilant ode to harmoniously complementary flavours.

Veggie Macaroni Bites:

Enjoy the nostalgic flavour of traditional macaroni and cheese in a perfectly bite-sized form with our Macaroni Cheese Bites (V). With their freshly cooked macaroni encased in a velvety cheese sauce, these bite-sized treats wonderfully embody the spirit of creamy mac 'n cheese. With a golden, crispy exterior and a creamy, gooey inside, these bite-sized treats are sure to fulfil any craving. These vegetarian Macaroni Cheese Bites are a small tribute to the classic comfort food that everyone loves. They make a great appetiser or snack, and are sure to be a hit with any crowd.

Tandoori Paneer Skewers with Mint and Coriander Chutney (V):

Veggies will swoon over our Tandoori Paneer Skewers. It's a delectable vegetarian dish that marries the velvety paneer with the smokey aroma of tandoori spices. The marinated paneer cubes on each skewer are grilled to perfection, creating a work of art. This recipe is a harmonious blend of cooling herbs, fragrant spices, and tangy mint and coriander chutney. The strong tandoor spices give the soft paneer an excellent taste, and the crunchy chutney is the perfect accompaniment. This vegetarian wonder will take your taste buds on a gastronomic adventure like no other. The flavours reminiscent of India in every tantalising bite.

Okra & Onion Bhaji with Mango Chutney (VE):

Our vegan Okra and onion Bhaji is a delectable take on classic Indian food. Its harmonious blend of flavours will transport you to a world of pure bliss. These bhajis are a visual feast—crisp and golden on the outside, and a gustatory delight. The ideal combination of Okra and onions seasoned to perfection. Delicious Mango Chutney adds a burst of sweetness and tang to the savoury bhajis. Thus, balancing out the dish with its perfect blend of flavours. Indulge in every mouthwatering bite of this vegan cuisine and relish the irresistible crunch and aromatic spices that accompany it.

Christmas in Royston

This winter, King James Royston is pleased to provide you with the finest canapé menu to commemorate the season. The special canape menu will be available from November 25th through December 24th, with prices ranging from £6 to £18 per serving or £8 to £24. We also serve some of the best drinks at King James Pub. Our entertainment nights like karaoke nights, live musics, open mic etc bring in a lot of fun among the people.

[cheffathimashifnaz]

Firm Buttercream on cupcake rose flowers ​⁠ #buttercreamflowers #buttercreamfloweroncakes cupcakes

https://youtu.be/gCtoNA1zvAg

#buttercream #buttercreamflowers #flowercupcakes firm #buttercreamoncake, #buttercreamflowers on #cake #Buttercreamrecipe for #pipingflowers

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Firm #buttercreamfrosting for #cake

#Howtobakecake, #howtobake #cookies, #howtobakecupcakes, how to bake chocolate cakes, Brownings The Bakers TV Commercial edit, How to bake brownies,

How to decorate #Halloween cookies, How to bake Halloween cakes, how to bake Halloween #brownies, ice #cookiesdecorations, #easycakerecipes, #easy cookies recipes

#Croissant #Eclair #Macaron #Danish #Baklava #Cannoli #PuffPastry #churro #Scone

Strudel

Palmier

Beignet

. Cinnamon Roll

. Profiterole

. Mille-Feuille

. Palm Leaf

. Brioche

. Turnover

. Rugelach

. Éclair

. Kouign-Amann

. Pithivier

. Panettone

. Galette

. Financier

. Choux Pastry

. Pretzel

. Danish Kringle

. Krapfen

. Spanakopita

. Pain au Chocolat

. Stroopwafel

. Kolache

. Bear Claw

. Pastel de Nata

. Chorley Cake

. Gâteau Basque

. Pączki

. Cornish Pasty

. Striezel

. Cronut

. Shortcrust Pastry

. Flaky Pastry

. Filo Pastry

. Vol-au-vent

. Caramel Slice

. Muffin

. Pop-Tart

Bakewell Tart

. Cannelé

. Gougère

. Jalousie

. Empanada

. Chausson aux Pommes

. Pâte à Choux

. Roulade

. Lemon Bar

. Madeleine

. Butter Tart

. Linzer Torte

. Napolitana

. Spanische Windtorte

. Banoffee Pie

. Berliner

Stollen

. Faworki

. Samsa

. Koeksister

. Mochi

. Chocolate Chip Cookie

. Lamington

. Paratha

. Margherita

. Shortcake

. Zwieback

. Kreppel

. Meringue

. Gâteau Saint-Honoré

. Pretzel Croissant

. Kanafeh

. Dobos Torte

. Pasteis de Tentúgal

. Rugalach

. Milk Tart

. Struffoli

Cheesecake

. Fig Roll

. Kouignette

. Elephant Ear

. Chocotorta

. Knish

. Calisson

. Basler Läckerli

. Pitha

. Pasty

Blueberry Pie

. Shoofly Pie

. Shrewsbury Biscuit

. Welsh Cake

. Börek

. Tarta de Santiago

. Natas do Céu

. Florentine Biscuit

. Fig Newton

. Fat Rascal

. Sachertorte

. Pinwheel Pastry

. Chelsea Bun

. Cremeschnitte

. Raspberry Tart

. Kue Lapis

St. Martin's Croissant

Krapfen

Pasteis de Chaves

Timbits

Teurgoule

Brioscia col Tappo

Galette des Rois

Chikki

Mohnschnecke

Tiramisu

Mooncake

Turban Biscuit

Dobosh

Pionono

Sachima

Raspberry Bar

Russian Tea Cake

Chausson à la Pomme

Tarte Tatin

Figgy Pudding

Rice Cake

Palkova

Sachlav

Fenek

Tartelette

Dobrada

Cannolo Siciliano

Eccles Cake

Trdelník

Käsekuchen

Mantecadas

Galaktoboureko

Shoemaker's Cake

Cinnamon Twist

Pie Floater

Pogača

Pampushka

Dobosh Torte

Praline

Soufflé

#Kringle

Cheese Blintz

. Pan de Muerto

. Bánh Bò

. Faworki

. Nut Roll

. Pecan Pie

. Victoria Sponge

. Pita Bread

. Raspberry Muffin

. Buche de Noel

. Profiterole Tower

. Schnecken

. Caramel Brownie

. Esterházy Torte

. Palm Leaf

. Puff Puff

#Hamantash

#Pastie

. Cream Horn #WalnutStrudel #Pionirka #AnzacBiscuit #StarchCake #ChocolateÉclair

[askwhatsforlunch]

Vol au Vents aux Escargots (Snail Vol au Vents)

We rang in the New Year with a Broadway show --the brilliant, enthusing, mood-cheering 42nd Street!-- an on-the-road display of fireworks from six different cities and towns, and a supper of delicious hors-d’oeuvres and cocktails watching an excellent doco on Charlie Chaplin and another one on stunning gardens! My sister has been living in Burgundy for about a year and a half now, so when we visit her, we shop excellent wine and gorge ourselves with delicious regional dish like escargots. And thus, I found it our New Year’s Eve dinner a great occasion to make these scrumptious Vol au Vents aux Escargots, a special treat! Have a wonderful New Year, friends, one hopefully full of good food, good wine, and good people to share it with at your table!

Ingredients (makes 6 vol au vents):

1 egg yolk

½ tablespoon milk

about 300 grams/10.5 ounces Rough Puff Pastry

1 ½ tablespoon unsalted butter

a dozen and a half large Escargots de Bourgogne (Burgundy snails, prepared with parsley and garlic butter)

3/4 cup cream cheese

a pinch of salt

a pinch of salt and freshly cracked black pepper

4 fluffy sprig fresh Parsley

In a small bowl, whisk egg yolk and milk until well-blended. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 180°C/355°F. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

Roll out Rough Puff Pastry onto a lightly floured surface to about 1cm/0.5” of thickness. Using a 9cm/3.5” round cutter, cut out 12 discs of the Pastry. Brush the edges of 6 of the discs with egg wash, and place another disc on top of each, pressing very gently to seal. Using a smaller cookie cutter, lightly press in the centre of each double Pastry circle, to define a centre. Place the 6 Pastry circles onto prepared baking tray, and brush the tops with egg wash. Place in the middle of the hot oven, and bake, at 180°C/355°F, 20 to 25 minutes, until beautifully golden and puffed, and the bottom is a nice golden brown colour.

Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.

With a sea shell fork, remove snails (and the parsley and garlic butter) from their shells and into a small frying pan. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, and half of the snails’ parsley and garlic butter. Season, with a pinch of salt and black pepper. Finely chop Garden Parsley, and add to the bowl. Stir energetically until well-blended. Set aside.

Place frying pan on the stove, over a high flame, and cook, a few minutes until garlic and parsley butter is melted, and snails just sautéed in it. Keep warm.

Using a sharp knife, cut out and remove the centre of each vol au vent, and generously fill them with Parsley cream cheese mixture, and three warm sautéed snails each. 

Serve Vol au Vents aux Escargots immediately.

[antikristrecipes]

Mushroom vol-au-vent

[cocinacondibi]

Volovanes o vol-au-vent rellenos de merluza y gambas

Ingredientes:

-6 volovanes de hojaldre grandes

-18 langostinos crudos

-1 filete de merluza (congelado sin piel y sin espinas)

-1 cucharada de harina

-250 ml leche

-Sal

-Nuez moscada

Prepacación:

Cocemos el filete de merluza en un cazo con agua hirviendo, una hojita de laurel y un chorrito de aceite durante un par de minutos. Reservamos. Pelamos los langostinos y apartamos seis, el resto los picamos. En una sartén con unas dos cucharadas de aceite hacemos los langostinos. Una vez que se pongan rosados, añadimos la merluza desmenuzada. Echamos la harina y la tostamos un poco. Incorporamos la leche. Si es necesario añadimos más, no debe de quedar muy espeso, como si fuera una crema. Salamos y echamos la nuez moscada. Rellenamos los volovanes y los metemos unos minutos en el horno. Lo justo para que el hojaldre se caliente.

[joyofcooking]

This a classic vol-au-vent recipe (chicken and mushroom). Making the puff pastry crusts yourself is actually quite easy.

You can prepare both the crusts and filling in advance, keep the filling in the fridge and the baked crusts at room temperature. When ready to serve, reheat the filling and pour in the crusts. The best thing about vol-au-vent is the contrast between the crispy pastry and the creamy filling so they have to be assembled at the last minute to avoid a soggy mess.

Chicken and mushroom vol-au-vents

Inspired by Marmiton

Takes

45 min

Ingredients for 2

2 portions puff-pastry (homemade lighter puff recipe here)

100g chicken breast

1 small onion

200g mushrooms (please no white mushrooms here, you need something with stronger taste such as a mix of shiitake, oysters, ceps, chanterelles etc.)

100g white wine

half a cube chicken stock

12g butter

12g flour

125g milk

mustard

salt, pepper

Recipe

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Roll out the puff pastry and cut it into three equal rectangles. Use two of them as the bottoms of the crusts: prick them with a fork so they don’t puff up to much.

Cut the third rectangle into 8 strips. With a little water, stick those strip to the sides of the two “bottoms”. Bake for 20-30 until the puff pastry is golden-brown and the sides have puffed up.

Meanwhile, chop the onion, chicken and mushroom. Sauté the onion and chicken on high heat until golden (~10 min) then lower the heat to medium and add the mushroom, wine and chicken stock. Season with pepper but not with salt (stock cubes are always very salty). Cook until there are only a couple of tablespoons of liquid left (~15 min).

Meanwhile, make a béchamel: melt the butter in a small pan, add the flour and cook until you’ve got a white paste. Add the cold milk in one go and cook on high heat, mixing constantly until the sauce thickens. It will go very fast because there is only a little milk. Season your béchamel with mustard to taste.

Mix the chicken filling and béchamel, taste and adjust seasoning.

Pour in the crust and eat immediately.

[sinfullydesilicious]

Vol-Au-Vent is a puff pastry shell or patty case.I transformed these puff pastry cases into bread cases as they’ll be easily available in all kitchen pantries. I air-fried the bread cases, played with the idea of Indian Ragda patties on it, and gave a complete makeover as Ragda Vol-Au-Vent…😍. Tacos are traditional Mexican street food or finger food.. Here, I filled these Mexican taco shells with Indian Ragda, topped with chaat chutneys, chopped onion, tomato, capsicum, and finally drizzled with chaat sev and spice mix. Check out my authentic Mexican Tacos and another fusion tacos which was Palak/spinach tacos.

[diyshelf]

Vol-au-vent

[petermorwood]

These aren’t Gratin dauphinois, or potatoes au gratin, or Pommes gratinée dauphinois, or any of the several other names, for one very important reason: pommes or potatoes aren’t involved.

Instead it’s a “Coiner’s Bake” using parsnips, because @dduane​ has been adding to the “Food and Cooking of the Middle Kingdoms” project, a cuisine where potatoes don’t exist.

The name comes, obviously, from its coin-shaped slices; for the rest it’s an adapted version compiled from the best bits of about six Gratatommes recipes. The cream sauce winds up a bit more liquid than regular Dauphinoise because parsnips are wetter than potatoes; the slight pepperiness of their flavour makes for a delicious variant.

It was made to accompany Darthene Garlicked Chicken.

We made a no-knead loaf, cut it into chunks and, along with butter, pepper, chopped onions and garlic both raw (but smoked) and roasted then puréed, we transformed it into stuffing with which the chicken was, well, stuffed. Or indeed well-stuffed, including under the breast skin. It was then roasted and let rest while a knife was sharpened and the drippings made into gravy.

The Coiner’s Bake was divvied into separate servings...

...and the whole thing plated up to have its picture taken...

...before the photo props were eaten, and very good they were.

Now, two people CAN dispose of an entire roasted chicken & trimmings between them if they put their minds and a good appetite to it, but DD wanted to try another dish mentioned in the Middle Kingdoms stories: Steldene spiced-honey Chicken Pastries.

So the meat was stripped from the chicken (carcass into stock-pot) and chopped together with an onion, a generous pinch of salt and several grinds of pepper. We did the chopping in our Magimix with blips of the pulse button, since DD wanted chunkiness, not mince.

This mixture was then put by spoonfuls onto puff pastry squares (ETA arranged in the recesses of a muffin tin) and drizzled with spiced honey *, a nut of butter went on top, the pastry corners were folded in and these packages were then baked until golden (the muffin tin goes on a tray, because butter and honey tend to boil, overflow and wander about when hot, and chipping involuntary caramel off the bottom of an oven is a task best avoided).

* The honey was heated gently, then had chilli, cubeb, long and Sichuan pepper steeped in it for about 48 hours. Next time we'll let the infusion go on for about a week, but even after a couple of days it had perked up enough that  it wasn't just honey any more.

The first pastry was too big, but we kept it (briefly) for reference purposes.

Double-bite-size is best, since these are finger food (think vol-au-vents). They’re excellent hot from the oven, and just as good as part of a cold collation, which is nice because that's how they're served in the story.

A sharp dipping sauce would be a Good Thing, perhaps based on tamarind assuming the Middle Kingdoms have tamarind, though any fruit that goes with meat would do, such as blackcurrants, gooseberries, cranberries...

The Palate of the Mind is is going “Ooh! Ooh!” and waving a hand while suggesting that adding the cooked, sieved, unsweetened fruit to a sharp Greek-style yogurt would be Another Good Thing.

I’m inclined to agree, but that’ll have to wait for next time because yet again, we seem to have eaten all the props.

Well, wouldn’t you?

I’m just surprised there were this many left to photograph...  :->

[pane-bistecca]

Vol-au-vent with Salmon and Coconut Milk

[emospritelet]

27 - GoldRushBelle

27: “All I want for Christmas is like a dozen orgasms. Is that too much to ask?”

Yes, it really has been 2 years since I posted the first part of this fic, but I promised threesome smut and I’m delivering!

[AO3 Part 1] [Part 2]

-

Gold looked at the Santa hat he had been given, let out a defeated sigh, and tugged it down onto his head. Belle beamed at him, turning on her toes and heading for another door, and Gold shared an amused glance with Rush. The white pom-pom on her Santa hat bounced as she entered the kitchen, and an excited squeak floated back to them. 

“You do realise she’s already set her heart on this place,” said Rush, and Gold smiled.

“So it would appear,” he said. “I have to say that my initial impression is positive, though. You?”

“Yeah.” Rush looked around, hands on hips. “It’s got a nice feel to it, I suppose. Seen anywhere for my whiteboards?”

“No, we didn’t look in the basement yet.” Gold grinned at Rush’s snort of annoyance. “You should check upstairs. There are five bedrooms, all decent sizes with plenty of light.”

“I’ll take a look.”

“I’ll go check out the kitchen,” he said. “Sounds as though Belle likes it.”

He turned on his heel to follow Belle.

“You should wear that hat to class,” Rush called after him, and his grin widened.

The kitchen was everything he could have wished for. Gleaming cupboards, granite worktops and modern appliances, and a large tiled floor with space for a table and chairs so they could eat breakfast in the morning sunshine, and within easy reach of the coffee maker. He walked around slowly, opening cupboards and mentally planning the dishes he would cook. The layout was exactly what he would have chosen himself, the appliances perfectly placed for efficient movement between fridge, sink and stove, and there was plenty of worktop space for preparation. He peered into the larder, nodding approvingly at the shelving and storage space. The sound of Rush’s footsteps made him back out, and he caught Belle’s eyes as he turned to face her. She was beaming at him, barely restrained excitement making the pom-pom on her Santa hat quiver.

“Well?” she said eagerly. “It’s everything we wanted, right?”

“Looks alright,” he said warily, and she huffed at him.

“Come on! You can do better than that!”

“Okay, it’s perfect,” he admitted, and she bounced up to him, rising up and sliding her hands over his shoulders as she kissed his nose.

“Told you,” she said happily.

“Looks ideal for you, Gold,” remarked Rush, from his place in the doorway. “Enough cupboard space for your collection of weird ingredients that no one else uses. You can spend the evenings in here making truffle vol au vents and asparagus foam, or whatever.”

Gold gave him a flat look.

“You like my cooking.”

“Well, it’s certainly better than mine.”

“Given that your idea of an exciting recipe is putting tomato on your cheese sandwich, that’s not exactly hard.”

“Stop sniping,” said Belle, and bounced over to Rush. “What do you think? It’s perfect, isn’t it?”

Rush sniffed.

“Found a room for my whiteboards,” he said, and Belle squeaked and bounced on her toes.

“You both like the house, I knew it!” she exulted, clapping her hands. “This is the one, and we’re gonna buy it and live here and get a dog!”

Rush blinked rapidly.

“We’re getting a dog?” he said. “Since when?”

“Since you both decided that you love me,” she said sweetly, batting her eyelashes.

“That was bloody ages ago.”

“Then it was decided ages ago.”

“Yeah, but I don’t remember discussing getting a dog at the time.”

“And some cats!” added Belle.

“Some cats?”

“This is what happens when you’re late,” said Gold snidely, and Rush sighed, running a hand through his hair and making it even messier.

“Fine,” he said, “but you can walk the dog.”

“We’ll all walk it,” said Gold. “It’ll do you good to get your arse out of the house and get some Vitamin D once in a while.”

Rush grumbled under his breath, and Belle giggled as she grabbed his hand.

“Come on, the realtor said there was a hot tub!”

Gold watched with a grin as she dragged Rush towards the back door. It led out onto a wide section of decking that overlooked the extensive rear garden. Thick evergreen trees marked the boundary, and he nodded approvingly.

“Nice and private,” he said.

“All the better for shenanigans,” said Belle, winking at him.

Rush had found the hot tub sunk into the decking, and was squatting beside it with a puzzled look on his face. Gold was about to ask him what the problem was when he reached out and dipped his fingers in the water.

“This thing’s on,” he said.

“What?” Belle dropped down beside him and stuck her hand in. “Weird. It’s warm.”

“The owner’s definitely out of town, right?” said Gold.

“Yeah, I had a look in the fridge, and it’s empty,” said Belle. “Plus there’s only really the bare minimum of furniture here. Definitely no one in residence.”

“Maybe the cleaning staff turned it on or something,” suggested Rush.

“Maybe.” She pushed to her feet with a wicked grin on her face, brushing water from her palms as she looked them over. “Lucky for us, hmm?”

“Lucky?” Rush was looking confused, and Gold wanted to sigh as Belle’s grin widened and she sidled up to him.

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” she purred.

“No,” said Gold flatly, and Belle pouted.

“Oh, come on!”

“I am not stripping off and getting in that hot tub,” he said. “The realtor could be back at any minute.”

“No she won’t, she’ll be back at two, she said so.”

“And if she’s early?”

“She won’t be!” insisted Belle. “She has to get to the airport and back in the Christmas Eve traffic! If she’s even back by two I’d be surprised.”

She was grinning at him with that wicked glint in her eyes that he loved, and he was surprised to find himself giving her proposal serious consideration.

“I’m still not keen on the idea of getting in someone else’s hot tub,” he said. “I doubt it’s what they expected to happen when they decided to sell the place.”

“Yeah, but we already decided we’re gonna buy the house,” she reasoned. “It’ll be our hot tub soon. Imagine all the fun we can have in it.”

“Which can wait until after we’ve purchased this place.”

“Where’s your sense of adventure?”

“Currently standing shoulder to shoulder with my sense of propriety,” he said. “Looking at you very judgmentally.”

“Well, tell it to lighten up, it’s Christmas.”

“Yeah, come on, it’s not that big a deal,” put in Rush. “There are cleaning products in the kitchen. If it makes you feel better, you can clean it afterwards.”

Belle raised an eyebrow, that grin still on her face, and Gold sighed, feeling his resolution drain away. It was true, he could always clean it.

“When I said I wanted to spend some quality time together this Christmas, this wasn’t quite what I had in mind,” he said, in a dry tone. 

“I’ll even help you clean it, if you like,” offered Rush, and Gold gave him a look.

“Well, now I have to agree, just to get you to clean.”

Rush grumbled under his breath.

“Look, why don’t you call the realtor and make an offer?” he said. “It’ll make you feel better, and then we can concentrate on enjoying ourselves.”

Gold nodded.

“Good idea. Hang on.”

He fished out his phone, thumb flicking at the screen to call the realtor. The dial tone sounded, and then the whooshing sound of a car on a highway.

“Cara Deville-Waters.” The familiar drawl came oozing out of the phone, and Gold smiled.

“It’s Mr Gold,” he said. “We’d like to make an offer on the property on Arendelle Drive.”

“Excellent,” she said, with relish. “I thought it might be what you wanted, after our initial discussions. I told you the price has recently been reduced in order to achieve a quick sale, but given that discount, the seller is unlikely to be too flexible. I’m authorised to accept offers within a certain range, so that should help to grease the wheels, as it were.”

“Yes, well, I don’t propose to bandy offers back and forth,” said Gold. “We both have things we’d rather be doing, I’m sure. Four percent off the asking price. I’m not trying to rip your client off, but I won’t pay more than it’s worth.”

There was a moment of silence.

“I do admire a man who knows what he wants,” said Cara. “Very well, Mr Gold, that’s within the range that the seller has authorised. I accept. Subject to contract, of course.”

“Of course,” said Gold. “As long as there’s an understanding that the house will be taken off the market immediately.”

“I’ll call the office directly after you hang up,” she said. “Would you be able to pop to the office today to sign the preliminary documentation? It’s just with it being Christmas…”

“Yes yes, we’ll drop the keys around later,” Gold assured her. “We just want to spend a little more time here. Uh - planning, you know.”

“Oh yes, I’m sure there’s a lot to plan, what with the three of you to consider,” she said carelessly. “Did you find the hot tub, by the way?”

Gold hesitated.

“We did.”

It was almost as though he could feel her smirking.

“A pleasure doing business with you, Mr Gold,” she drawled. “Do give my regards to your partners. Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas to you too.”

He hung up, and turned to the others, grinning widely.

“We have our house,” he said, and Belle squealed in excitement and hugged him. Rush piled in after, making him stagger, and Gold laughed.

“Well, at least next Christmas should be different,” he said. “We’ll have to ask how soon we can move in.”

The other two drew back, and Rush kissed Belle’s cheek.

“So,” said Belle, raising a brow. “Are we gonna try this hot tub?”

Gold gave her a level look.

“I suppose there’s no harm in giving the thing a test run.”

“Is that a yes?” asked Belle eagerly, bouncing on her toes, and he couldn’t help chuckling at her excitement.

“How could I possibly resist the look on your face?” he said. “It’s like you just got everything you want for Christmas.”

Belle pursed her lips, shaking back her dark curls.

“All I want for Christmas is like a dozen orgasms,” she said. “Is that too much to ask?”

“A dozen?” said Rush, scratching his chin and looking thoughtful. He glanced at Gold. “What’s our record?”

“Eight, I think.”

“We might be pushing it to fit a dozen in one session.”

“Then you’d better get on with it, hadn’t you?” she said tartly. “Come on, you’re both scientists. This must be a calculation you can both make.”

“What about half now and half later?”

Belle sighed dramatically.

“Alright, fine!”

Rush grinned, sharing an amused glance with Gold, who smirked.

“Last one in buys the drinks this evening,” he said, and tugged at the knot of his tie.

Belle squeaked, tossing her bag to the side of the tub and shrugging out of her coat. There was a flurry of motion as pieces of clothing were shed, a pile of jeans and shirts and underwear tossed onto the deck, and twin splashing sounds as Belle and Rush jumped into the hot tub. Gold had already accepted that he would be last, but there was no way he was about to toss his suit onto the floor, thank you very much. 

“Would you get in here?” called Rush. “You must be freezing your bollocks off.”

“I assure you they’re perfectly fine,” he remarked, shaking out the suit pants.

“I can kiss them better if there’s a problem,” offered Belle, making him grin.

He could hear splashing and murmuring, interspersed with wet-sounding kisses, which made his grin widen. He was getting cold standing in the nude, though, so when everything was folded to his satisfaction, he hurried over to the tub, leaning his cane to the side. It was a relief to sink into the water, which was pleasantly warm, and Belle slipped from Rush’s lap, scooting over to him and pulling him with her until he and Rush were either side of her.

“Turn on the jets!” she said excitedly.

Rush reached behind himself, pushing a large button. The water began to bubble and seethe, and Belle kissed Gold, straddling his lap as his arms went around her.

“When we came out here to do a house viewing, I hadn’t planned to get naked,” remarked Rush.

Belle broke the kiss, leaning back a little.

“It’s nice though, isn’t it?” she said, and Gold nodded.

“It’s relaxing, certainly.”

“I can just imagine us all snuggled in here with a glass of wine, watching the sunset.”

“I suppose that could be arranged.”

“With our new dog.”

“You want the dog to come in the hot tub?” said Gold. “I draw the line at having sex in front of the dog.”

“Agreed,” said Rush.

“The hot tub isn’t just for sex,” said Belle reprovingly. “Honestly, do you two think of nothing else?”

Rush made an indignant sound, and Gold had to agree.

“Says the woman who suggested sex in the hot tub in the first place.”

“Oh, come on, this is definitely a joint venture!”

“I’ll remind you, Miss French, that the multiple orgasms were your idea,” he said severely, and Belle pouted.

“I love it when you’re strict, Professor Gold.”

“So help me…” he sighed, and she giggled.

“Sorry,” she said. “It’s just that this is so exciting! A new house for all three of us! It’s the best Christmas present ever!”

“The master bedroom looks big enough for three,” said Rush. “If we get a king bed, of course.”

“We can each have our own bedrooms, too,” said Belle. “If we want to, that is. And I get my library. It really is perfect.”

She kissed Gold again, her mouth soft and hungry, and he ran his hands over the curves of her hips, feeling himself begin to swell and harden. Belle pulled her mouth from his, kissing down his neck, and he groaned as a shiver of pleasure ran through him. Her lips pulled at his earlobe.

“How do you want me?” she whispered, and Gold let his head roll back with a moan.

“We could start out in the tub and maybe end up on the deck,” suggested Rush, from his right. Gold raised his head.

“I vote for staying in this nice warm water.”

“Fine, but it could make positioning a little difficult.”

“That deck’s pretty hard, though,” said Gold. “And it’s cold.”

“Oh, it’s okay, I saw something.” 

Rush heaved himself out of the tub and ran, dripping, through to the lounge. After a moment he returned, wrapped in the rug from the lounge floor with his thin legs sticking out beneath it. Soft twists of wool were standing up from his shoulders like the fur of some great beast, and he whipped it off, spreading it on the deck.

“Fucking cold out here,” he said. “This should be okay, though. Soft and warm.”

“So now we’re ruining the rug too?” said Gold flatly.

“There’s dry cleaning.”

Gold sighed, shaking his head.

“This is the worst thing we’ve ever done.”

“Worse than that time on the plane to London?”

Gold inclined his head.

“Okay, maybe not,” he acknowledged.

“That was your idea,” Rush reminded him.

“In my defence, I thought the toilet door was locked,” said Gold patiently. “And we agreed we weren’t going to mention it again.”

“You can always up the offer a little, if you feel that bad about it,” suggested Belle, and he frowned.

“Well, let’s not get carried away…”

“Thought as much.”

Gold rolled his eyes, clicking his fingers.

“Give me my phone again.”

Rush reached for it, handing it over and spreading out the rug before getting back in the tub and heaving a sigh of relief. Belle slid onto his lap, kissing him, and Gold brought up the call history to call the realtor again. The call went to voicemail, and he assumed she was on a call.

“Yes, it’s Mr Gold again,” he said airily. “I’ll throw in another grand for the rugs. Pleasure doing business with you.”

He hung up, setting the phone down, and turned to the others, grinning wryly.

“I guess we’re all set.”

Belle beamed, and slipped from his lap to sit between them. He felt her hand on his knee, slowly stroking upwards, and glancing to the side he could see that she was doing the same to Rush. He felt his cock twitch in anticipation, and Belle’s fingertips gently caressed his inner thigh, stroking in slow circles, inching closer. He heard Rush gasp at the same time as him, Belle’s finger stroking up the length of his cock, the fingertip circling the head. The bubbling water was a pleasant sensation against his skin, increasing the pleasure of her touch, and he groaned as she wrapped her hand around his length and began to stroke, palm tugging at his flesh, the pad of her thumb flicking over the head.

Gold let his head fall back against the deck with a thump, a contented groan coming from him. He could hear Rush making a similar sound, and surmised that Belle was touching him in the same way, both hands working to the same rhythm. He closed his eyes, mouth open, breath quickening as he concentrated on the delightful push and pull of her palm. The past week had been busy and stressful, and he thought how wonderful it would be to come home from the university to this house. How pleasant to sit together in their hot tub and do this at the end of a long day.

His pleasure was building, and he didn’t want it to be over, but Belle sensed him nearing climax and let go, leaving him tingling and aching. She pushed up, turning to straddle him and sinking down onto him with a moan of pleasure as she took him deep inside. Gold groaned, pushing his hips upwards, sliding into her as he gripped her hips. Rush had shuffled closer, and Belle reached out to him, grasping him beneath the water and continuing to stroke in time with the rise and fall of her hips.  

Gold raised his head, putting his mouth to her wet nipple and sucking hard, and Belle moaned again, quickening her pace a little. Her cheeks were flushed, her thigh muscles tense against his, and he could sense she was close. She gripped his shoulder, rocking against him with tiny, high-pitched cries, and let out a long moan of pleasure as she came, her flesh fluttering around him. Gold groaned in answer, pushing deep inside her, feeling the scalding heat of her against his hard flesh. Belle continued to rock against him, her moans fading to a contented murmur that made him grin. She raised sleepy eyes to his and kissed him hard before lifting off him and straddling Rush in turn.

Gold missed her heat, his cock still hard and eager for her, and he growled in pleasure as she reached beneath the water with a firm hand to tug at him once more. Glancing to the side he could see her take Rush deep inside, pale thighs opening wide. Rush groaned as she sank down onto him, cupping her breasts with his hands and putting his mouth to her. Gold watched as he licked her, pink tongue circling her hardened nipple, and Belle moaned, shaking her hair back as she began to move her hips in small thrusts. Her hand was still stroking him, her grip firm, and he licked perspiration from his upper lip, the heat of the water and the pleasure of her touch making his heart thump and his skin hum.

Rush had licked across to her other breast, lips pulling at her nipple, and Gold watched as his tongue stroked upwards to her throat. Belle let out a cry as he bit down, squeezing Gold’s cock as her hips jerked and making him gasp. 

“Fuck, you feel incredible!” growled Rush. “Come for me, love.”

Belle moaned, rocking her hips, her pace increasing as her hand pumped. Gold could feel his pleasure rising, his skin tingling as his pulse throbbed, and he closed his eyes, waiting for the bliss to take him. He was so close, so close, but then Belle released him with a cry, making his eyes fly open at the loss of her touch.

“Fuck!” he gasped.

Glancing to the side, he could see her in the midst of her pleasure, head thrown backwards as she bucked her hips. Rush’s arm was clamped around her waist, his mouth pulling at the hard peaks of her nipples, and Gold let his hand drop to grasp his cock with long, slow strokes. Belle was slowing her pace, rolling her shoulders with a sleepy grin on her face, and she leaned in to kiss Rush before reaching for Gold’s arms and sliding over onto his lap. Her mouth was hot and sweet, her body soft and yielding in his arms. She pulled her mouth from his, kissing down his neck and sucking at the point where his pulse throbbed. Gold groaned in pleasure, and Belle’s lips trailed up to his ear.

“Was that bad timing?” she murmured. “It felt like you were almost there.”

“Just makes it all the sweeter when it comes,” he rasped. “Just like you.”

Belle giggled, kissing his neck again, and slipped from his arms, heaving herself out of the tub to sit on the deck between them. She leaned back on the rug, knees bent and her feet in the tub, the water frothing around her pale calves. He watched Rush rise up out of the water, parting her knees with his body, hands pushing her thighs wider as he bent his head to her. Belle arched her back with a moan of pleasure as Rush’s tongue stroked her, the soft tip parting her folds. 

Rush eyed him, inclining his head, and Gold shifted closer, grasping Belle’s foot and lifting it out of the water. He drew his tongue along the arch, making Belle jerk and moan, then sucked a toe into his mouth and circled it with his tongue. Belle gasped in pleasure, and Gold continued to lick and suck as he watched Rush’s hands slide up over her belly to squeeze her breasts. His head was working as he licked at her, and Belle’s eyes were closed, a rapturous expression on her face, full lips flushed and parted. She arched her back, hips pushing upwards, and Gold stabbed his tongue between her toes, watching the colour rise in her cheeks and chest as her breathing hardened. Rush’s right hand slid down, fingers pushing between her legs, and Belle let out a desperate whimper that rose to a cry as she came, legs jerking with the force of it.

Rush was letting out a contented groan as he licked at her, and Gold tapped him on the shoulder, making him start to kiss along Belle’s thigh as Gold kissed his way up the other. Belle was still murmuring, and Gold licked the soft skin of her inner thigh, tasting a hint of salt on her. He could smell the scent of her pleasure in the air, and ran his nose over her wet flesh, inhaling deeply. Belle jerked at the touch of his tongue on her sensitive flesh, her sex already wet and swollen with pleasure, and he was careful to only graze her clit as he licked her. His tongue pushed inside her, tasting salt and sweetness, and she sighed contentedly, opening her legs a little wider. His tongue flicked over her again, circling her clit, and she moaned, pushing upwards a little to meet his mouth. He growled at the taste of her, covering his face in her scent, breathing her in.

There was a tap on his shoulder, and Gold began kissing down her thigh to let Rush take his place. Belle moaned, pushing fingers through his wet hair, and Gold kissed all the way down to her toes once more. They had done this for her before; alternating places was always pleasant, and helped with stamina. He thought perhaps they could try it with penetrative sex; when he was deep inside Belle, pulling out to let Rush have his turn would be exquisite torture.

Belle was starting to whimper in pleasure, and Gold smirked before tapping Rush on the shoulder. He got a growl in response, and Belle made a disgruntled noise as Rush moved aside. Her grumble turned to fresh moans as Gold took his place, his tongue moving in circles. Her limbs were stiffening, tension evident in the shortness of her breath and her rocking hips. She clutched at his hair, fingers twisting as her thighs gripped his head, and cried out in climax, pushing up into him. Gold groaned at the taste of her, warm fluid against his tongue.

Rush tapped him on the shoulder, and Gold drew back, slipping down into the water a little to catch his breath and warm his cold torso. Belle was murmuring in pleasure, and she grasped Rush’s hand, tugging him further out of the water.

“Fuck me,” she whispered.

Gold watched as Rush reached down, slipping two fingers into her, the pad of his thumb rubbing over her clit. He took himself in hand, guiding his cock into her, and grasped her hips as he slid deep inside with a low groan of pleasure. Belle lifted her knees with a gasp, back arching as she wrapped her legs around him. Her head rolled to the side, her eyes meeting Gold’s, and she held out a hand. He pushed up out of the water, the cold air biting at him as he lay down on the rug at her side, and Belle reached for his cock, stroking it firmly in time with Rush’s thrusts.

Gold shifted closer until he was pressed against her side, the touch of her hand sending ripples of pleasure through his body. He reached up to cup her cheek and turn her face towards him, her skin hot against his palm, her eyes bright and her lips plump and wet. He kissed her, tongue pushing deep, and she moaned into his mouth, squeezing his cock and making him groan. He rolled his hips, increasing the friction, and slid a hand down to cup her breast, thumb rubbing over her nipple. Belle let out a tiny whimper, a shudder of pleasure.

“Fuck, Belle, you feel amazing!” growled Rush.

Belle gasped as his pace quickened, and her hand moved faster, making stars begin to burst behind Gold’s eyes. A tingle started low at the base of his spine, a rising tide of pleasure.

“Oh, sweetheart!” he whispered. “Yes! Oh, fuck yes!”

A wave of bliss poured over him, his vision going black before the explosion of colour in his head. He came with a rumbling groan, his cock pulsing in Belle’s hand, hot fluid spurting over her thigh and coating her fingers in sticky trails. She let go as Rush came, thrusting rapidly, a long, groaning cry pulled from his throat. Belle rocked her hips, her cries of pleasure high-pitched and stuttering, and Gold bent to suck a nipple into his mouth, tongue working in circles as his cock continued to pulse.

Belle’s movements slowed and stopped, her head thumping down on the rug, and for a moment there was no sound other than their heavy, ragged breathing. Out of the corner of one eye, Gold watched Rush pull out and flop down on Belle’s other side, gasping for breath. He grinned to himself, pushing up on one elbow to gaze down at Belle. She was watching him through half-closed eyes, looking thoroughly debauched and utterly beautiful. He kissed her forehead, and she smiled, one hand reaching out to take Rush’s, her other taking Gold’s.

“See?” she murmured. “This is the perfect house. Imagine doing that every evening.”

“I may die,” said Rush, and Belle giggled.

“I’ll just kiss you back to life, then.”

He chuckled, and pushed up, catching Gold’s eyes.

“I suppose we’d better get dressed,” he said. “We have a hot tub to clean and another six or seven orgasms to plan.”

Belle heaved a contented sigh.

“Merry Christmas to me,” she murmured, and Gold grinned.

“Merry Christmas to us.”

[2manyfandoms2count]

Love you (not) - Chapter 1

I can't believe it's already @marichatmay again... What a year. This time, I won't be jumping in completely blindly into the challenge, I've got it mostly planned out in a single fic, which starts on the same day as Weredad, but embraces the fake-dating shenanigans because yes. This relationship will be mutually unrequited from our beloved characters' point of view, until it's not anymore.

Hope you enjoy!

Read on AO3 | Next

---

Chapter 1: In which the author sees the fake dating shenanigans canon provided and deems they weren’t enough

“That’s because I’m… In love with you!”

The words still echoed in Marinette’s head hours after they’d been said, and covering her eyes and ears with her arms as she laid in bed did nothing to make them less loud.

Stupid words coming out of her mouth unbidden. Untrue, too.

She ought to have told Chat Noir that she’d had every right to be standing on her rooftop at night, after an Akuma had destroyed her room. She totally would’ve been allowed to feel slightly claustrophobic and want to take a breath of fresh air; or even to want to check that everything was back to normal.

But noooooo. She’d had to declare her love for him. She grunted at the thought that saying she had a crush on him would have been more than enough. He would’ve gotten the gist, he could’ve turned her down gently, and they could have marched on as if nothing had happened. It wasn’t like they ran into each other that often - like this, anyway.

But now Chat was coming over for lunch with her family, and he’d surely want an explanation. How could she backtrack? How could she explain to him that she’d blurted the first thing that had come to her mind to avoid him discovering that she was his superhero partner, whom he happened to be in love with, without telling him that part? You don’t just accidentally confess your love to someone instead of saying you were just hanging out on your balcony.

She tossed in her bed. She had to solve the situation. She had to come clean to him at lunch, at least to clear her conscience.

Maybe sleep would help organise her thoughts so she wouldn’t say anything stupid.

If she could only get the damn words out of her head.

---

“That’s because I’m… In love with you!”

Saying Marinette’s words had been unexpected was probably the understatement of the year, Adrien thought as he lay in bed, staring at the ceiling.

His first thought after seeing her had been that she must’ve been a fan. Of Ladybug, at least, and maybe of his. Given how close she and Alya were, he wouldn’t have been surprised if she’d been out to catch something to contribute to the Ladyblog. After all, her balcony had been a particularly excellent spot that night to snatch some close-up pictures of the heroes, and maybe even an interview.

Not to mention the other reason that explained her presence, which he’d realised after giving it a little more thought: they’d been fighting quite literally on her doorstep.

But even if he could’ve thought about it for ages, there was no way that he could have even suspected the real reason she’d been waiting on her balcony. That she was in love with him. With Chat Noir.

But then again, he thought as he shifted to his side, maybe it did make sense. It kind of explained why she didn’t have a significant other (not that girls needed a boyfriend or a girlfriend, but couples were pretty common at Françoise Dupont). Given how kind and amazing Marinette was, and how many people had had crushes on her (Nino being a fine exhibit A), Adrien had kind of wondered why she didn’t have people flocking around to ask her out. Her being in love with Chat Noir was new information for him, but maybe it was common knowledge, and he just hadn’t paid enough attention.

It wasn’t like they talked about their feelings much at school, he supposed, wondering if that meant she didn’t trust him enough to confide in him. He shook away the small wave of sadness and... was it yearning? that overcame him at the thought, and recentered the topic.

The point was, he’d been too taken by surprise by Marinette’s confession to process it in time and turn her down in the gentlest way possible. Or even at all.

If anything, he’d dived straight into a potential relationship by accepting lunch at her parents’.

That didn’t send out the right message at all.

He had to fix it. Soon, before it got out of hand, so as not to lead her on. He had to do it the next day.

Sleep would help him make his rebuttal as smooth as possible.

If only he could just get her words out of his head.

---

As she stood guard on her balcony the next morning, threatening grey clouds hanging over the horizon, Marinette entertained the hope that Chat Noir wouldn’t come over at all, which would solve the problem of coming clean to him, and the newly formed outrage that Chat Noir was falling in love way too easily these days. So much for the strength of his love towards Ladybug, really.

It seemed a little cowardly for him not to respect his commitment to lunch, but it had been pretty last minute, and kind of surreal; she would have understood, and she was sure her parents would have as well. It wasn’t like Chat Noir wasn’t one of the superheroes of Paris; she would have been ready to sign him a waver as Ladybug saying he’d been dealing with some Very Important Business on the other side of town if the topic ever came up with her parents.

This is why she was almost surprised to see him vault across the rooftops, clearly making his way towards the Dupain-Cheng Bakery, just as she’d been ready to give up on his presence. She grunted internally as Tikki gloated, and made her way downstairs to greet him.

Tom stood proudly next to the table, which she’d laid out for four people. She hid an embarrassed eye roll. It almost felt like he was the one who was waiting for his date. At least, he seemed a lot more excited about it than she was.

“Come on Marinette, open the door for him!” He all but pushed her towards the entrance.

She did as she was told, and had barely had time to register Chat Noir’s greeting when she was pushed aside, Tom engulfing her guest in a bear hug. She facepalmed. This was not sending the right message at all .

He’s going to think that I stayed up all night gushing about him to my parents, and that I’m convinced that I’m going to marry him even though we’ve only talked like twice before, this is a disaster, he’s going to think I’m insane and -

Her inner freak out was interrupted by her mother reminding her father that Chat Noir did need to breathe, which coincidentally shut down any analysis of why Chat thinking she was insane would be such a terrible thing, when really, sending him running would solve most of her immediate problems.

She was suddenly facing her partner with a mind void of all social etiquette. How did one greet someone one had recently declared their love to? Was shaking hands appropriate? Or was it more of an elaborate fistbump situation? This situation would be a lot less awkward if my parents weren’t staring and- woah, what does he think he’s doing?? She thought as she saw Chat lean forward with his lips puckered up. Surely we’re not there yet?! Even if I told him I loved him?

She froze as his face approached hers, her lips automatically kissing Chat’s cheeks when she realised he was simply going in for the classic, friendly, Parisian bise . Thank goodness , she sighed discreetly as they pulled away.

“Here, I wasn’t sure what to bring,” Chat Noir scratched the back of his head awkwardly as he handed her a rose.

A pale pink rose, she noted as she took it. Symbolising gentleness and gratitude. He wasn’t jumping into this relationship like he did with Ladybug. There was hope yet.

“Thank you, that’s very thoughtful of you,” she replied with a smile, interrupting her father before he blurted out whatever well-meaning, but unhelpful and slightly embarrassing speech he had lined up. She turned towards her parents. “Maman, Papa, is lunch ready yet?”

“Not exactly, I’m sorry, Mr. Chat Noir, I wasn’t exactly sure when you were arriving…” Tom replied a little sheepishly.

“That’s perfect! I mean, it’s fine, Papa, don’t worry about it. Can Chat Noir and I go upstairs for a bit?” Marinette laughed awkwardly.

Sabine smiled knowingly, and put a hand on her husband’s arm. “I think that’s a great idea. Tom, why don’t you prepare some vol-au-vents for them to snack on?”

“Of course!” Marinette watched her father rush around the corner and pile the amuse-bouches on a plate. “You’ll have to tell me what you think, I tried a new recipe in honour of young love.” He shoved the plate in Marinette’s hands and all but pushed them up the stairs. “Have fun, you two! And leave the door open!”

Marinette ran up the stairs and put the plate down on her desk before hiding her face in her hands, mortified. “I’m so sorry about my Dad.” She peeked at Chat Noir from behind her fingers. “He’s not usually this intense with people he’s just met.”

“I kind of like it, actually.” Chat smiled. “It’s nice that he cares.” He picked up a vol-au-vent and studied it, before gobbling it down. Marinette could have sworn that his gaze had darkened.

She played with a piece of fabric that poked out from her project hamper, unsure what to say next. Chat ate another pastry. In the silence that surrounded them, the slight pitter-patter of the rain that had finally broken out on her roof was deafening.

“Listen, I need to tell you something-” They both started simultaneously.

“You go,” Marinette gestured towards him.

“No, you,” he gestured back.

“You’re the guest, you should go first,” she encouraged him.

Chat Noir took a deep breath and accepted to bite the bullet. “Listen, Marinette, I really like you. You’re amazing. To be honest, I’d love to know you better…” He scratched the back of his head.

Marinette had bitten the inside of her cheeks as she kept a smiling façade during his praise, but she had to interrupt him. “Chat… I really don’t want you to feel uncomfortable, I put you on the spot last nice and I’d really hate you to think that because I... have feelings for you,” she winced as she spoke, even though she knew deep inside that there was no better way of putting it and that she had to stick with her lie, “you have to go out with me or something, or even stay here.”

“There’s no obligation, I promise, Marinette,” Chat said earnestly as he looked at her put on a brave face. It was just like her to put her feelings aside if it could make him happy, but he couldn’t just leave. He had to make sure she was alright. She deserved that much, if not more. She was such a great friend.

“But really, if you have better things to do, I’d totally understand it…”

In the peculiar light of the spring shower, Marinette looked particularly anxious and tormented, Chat Noir noted. Leaving now, even though it would be best in the long run, was just a recipe for an Akuma. And if she did indeed get akumatised, he would feel like he’d planted a seed, and their environment had quite literally immediately gone to water it.

“If it’s what you want…” He probed.

Marinette realised that Chat looked very dejected at the idea of leaving; the way he gazed longingly at the vol-au-vents made her question if her partner ate enough as a civilian. She sighed as she saw that outside, the rain had intensified. She really couldn’t let him go now. Cats didn't mix well with water.

“ A table! ” Her mother’s voice came exactly at the right moment.

“I’d be very happy if you stayed.” She smiled, extending a hand towards him.

“Really?” His tone was hopeful as he walked towards her and took it.

“Yeah.” She led him downstairs, shaking her head imperceptibly at the thought that she was probably making a big mistake by doing this.

Seeing him laugh out loud at her father’s bad jokes, tears streaming down his face as he held his sides, before proceeding to eat like he hadn’t in a decade, encouraged by her mother, made her change her mind. Maybe she could keep up the charade for a bit, if it meant he could be this happy.

After all, even though she didn’t love Chat Noir that way, she still loved him a little bit. Enough to keep him out of the rain, that was for sure.

[friends-of-dorothy]

Béchamel Sauce

(aka white sauce, aka cheese sauce, aka the top layer of a good lasagna)

My cat has recently decided that her favourite place to get a drink is in the shower. That would be fine, but she wanders in there at all hours of the night and leaves muddy paw prints in the bathroom. She’s lucky she’s cute.

Béchamel is what you could call a “mother sauce” if you were into sounding like the food critic from Ratatouille. What it is, most simply, is butter, flour, and milk. Of course, there are other things you can add, but these three ingredients are the essentials.

The word béchamel (bey-sha-mell) is intimidating at first, especially if you’re a starter cook looking to use it as a base for something, but this sauce is far easier than it sounds. So easy in fact, that I’m going to teach you how to make it in the microwave. Let’s go!

Microwave cheese béchamel sauce:

A spoonful of butter

A few twists of cracked pepper (optional)

About three spoonfuls of all purpose flour

About a cup of milk

Two cheese slices

First things first- you need a nice big microwave safe container. The perfect thing to use is a two cup measuring jug.

You also need a microwave safe spoon, or a microwave unsafe spoon and a place to rest your dirty spoon.

Oh! A microwave would be useful too.

Step one:

Add your butter and your pepper to the jug (or other container). Microwave this until the butter has melted, about 20-30 seconds.

Step two:

Slowly add your flour, a bit at a time. Keep going until you have a thick paste with no lumps. Congratulations! You have made a ~white roux~

Step three:

Next, slowly add your milk, making sure that you don’t go above the three quarter mark of your jug. If you aren’t sure how much milk you should add, go with less. You can always add more later.

Stir vigorously until the butter paste has considered mixing into the milk.

Step four:

The mixture won’t all combine until the milk is warm, so back into the microwave. You’ll need to keep stirring it, so stop it every minute and a half to two minutes to pull the jug out and stir the sauce. You’re waiting for the point when the milk is warm enough that it is smooth and the butter-flour is gone. This usually takes around five minutes, depending on the microwave.

Step five:

Cheese time! Now you have nice warm milk, the sauce can have the cheese added. Tear bits off your cheese slices as you add them to the jug so they melt easier. Give the sauce a bit of a stir to encourage the cheese, then back in the microwave. Keep checking on it and stirring it until the cheese has completely melted and (more importantly) it has started to boil.

Pause! What consistency is your sauce?

Too thin- That’s fine! It will thicken in the next step.

It’s fine- Great! Continue on.

Too thick- Add more milk! It will only get thicker in the next step, so add a bit more milk until you think the consistency is fine and then put it back in the microwave until it boils again.

Step six:

All of the ingredients are in, and the cooking is done. Now, let your sauce rest for a while until it’s thickened up a bit. It may form a bit of a skin on top- don’t worry, that will melt back into the sauce. just let the sauce sit until you need it.

Step seven:

Reheat the sauce by stirring it and putting it back in the microwave and letting it run until it starts to boil again, or seems hot enough. It doesn’t need to boil during this step. Now your sauce is ready to use!

Oh? You don’t know what to use it on? Okay, here’s some suggestions!

Broccoli and cauliflower

A classic accompaniment to a roast, just pour it over you vegetables and enjoy your cauliflower having taste for once.

Alternatively, pour it over the vegetables of any fussy kid and watch them transform into a not fussy kid.

This recipe could cover about four people, or five if you skimp.

Alternatively, you could cover two people very well and then eat the leftover sauce straight out of the jug.

Crumbed cauliflower

This is more a shared dinner table piece.

Get a whole cauliflower and roast it.

Pour béchamel sauce over the top and sprinkle with breadcrumbs of your chosen flavour (garlic! use garlic!)

Put back in the oven to toast your breadcrumbs.

Ta da! It’s impressive on the table and it tastes great.

Lasagna

Not enough people use béchamel sauce on top of lasagna at home, especially considering thats how it’s usually made.

Instead of using just ordinary cheese, use béchamel instead. It’s that simple, just pour on top and enjoy a superior lasagna.

It’s also good with most other forms of pasta bake.

Vol au Vents/Pies/Pasties

That’s just a fancy way of saying ‘puff pastry cases’ don’t worry about it.

Béchamel is great with a white protein and creamed corn, spooned into a vol au vent case and baked.

It’s so good and I miss it.

This used to be my favourite dish as a kid! Then Coles stopped selling the right size of vol au vent shell.

Oh right the pies and pasties. Thats the same principle, go nuts! It’ll taste good, it’s cheese and pastry.

Macaroni and Cheese

Macaroni and béchamel sauce, then add more cheese. yessssss

There are other ways you can make béchamel sauce, or course. Lots of recipes use mustard powder and nutmeg, and some even flavour the milk before using it in the sauce! It is primarily a sauce to be used as a base, so don’t be afraid to mess around with it.

It’s also very good to prepare early, so it sits while you do all the other, more time consuming things. That or you decide the nearest child isn’t busy enough and set them on the task of stirring the sauce for you.

Hey, how’d you think I learnt this recipe in the first place?