With perfect timing for Mother’s Day, here’s a lovely book that brings together a selection of Bonne Maman’s delicious treats.  Sweet Treats with Bonne Maman encourages bakers to bring the iconic taste of the Bonne Maman range into their own kitchens. The recipes are organised into family treats, bite-sized treats and treats for sharing, there is something for every baker – from kids to connoisseurs. It includes bakes such as marble cake, banana bread, madeleines, cookies, linzer biscuits, shortbreads and double chocolate muffins. 

Just published by White Lion, at £14.99 for a hardback, it’s written by Ilona Chovancova, a passionate food stylist, photographer, and cookbook writer based in Paris.  It will make a lovely Mother’s Day or Easter gift, and, of course,you can also try one of these recipes yourself and present the results as a gift.  

Double chocolate muffins 

MAKES 9 PREPARATION 20 MINS BAKING 25 MINS + COOLING

160g (5¾oz) butter + a little more for the tin

180g (61/4oz/1 1/3 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour + a little more for the tin

100g (3½oz) dark chocolate (70% cocoa), broken into pieces

3 eggs

170g (6oz/¾ cup + 1½ tbsp) granulated sugar

2 tsp baking powder

15g (½oz) unsweetened cocoa powder, sieved

¼ tsp salt

100g (3½oz) white chocolate, broken into pieces

Preparing the batter

Preheat the oven to 180 °C fan/200°C/400°F/Gas 6. Grease a 9-hole muffin tin with butter and dust with flour (or line the holes with muffin cases). 

Put the butter and the dark chocolate in a small bowl and microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring in between, until the mixture is melted and smooth. Alternatively, place in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water set on a low heat, stirring regularly until melted. Leave to cool. 

Whisk the eggs with the sugar in a large bowl until the mixture becomes white and foamy. 

Combine the flour with the baking powder and add the melted butter and chocolate, cocoa powder and salt. Mix thoroughly. Stir three quarters of the white chocolate pieces into the batter. 

Baking and finishing touches

Divide the batter between the 9 holes. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes. 

Remove the muffins from the oven. Leave to cool completely. 

Once the muffins have cooled, melt the rest of the white chocolate and decorate the muffins with it.

Lemon Squares  

MAKES 12 SQUARES PREPARATION 25 MINS BAKING 40 MINS

SHORTCRUST PASTRY

260g (9¼oz) butter, softened

60g (2oz) icing (confectioner’s) sugar + a little more for dusting

320g (11¼oz/scant 2½ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour

¼ tsp salt

LEMON CREAM

Juice of 4–5 lemons (220ml/7½fl oz/scant 1 cup)

220g (8oz/heaped 1 cup) caster (superfine) sugar

7 medium eggs

50g (1¾oz) cornflour (cornstarch), or plain (all-purpose) flour

Preparing the pastry

Preheat the oven to 180 °C fan/200°C/400°F/Gas 6. Line a 20 × 30cm (8 × 12in) cake tin with baking parchment.

Make the shortcrust pastry by whisking together the butter and icing sugar in a large bowl or food processor. Then add the plain flour and salt. Mix to obtain a smooth, even dough.

Baking

Spread out the dough in the cake tin. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk the lemon cream ingredients together in a large bowl to obtain a smooth, even mixture. Pour this mixture onto the baked dough. Lower the temperature of the oven to 140 °C fan/160 °C/320 °F/Gas 3. Bake in the oven for a further 20 minutes.

Leave to cool before removing from the tin, then cut the pastry into squares. Sprinkle with icing sugar.

Remember to remove the butter from the fridge 2 hours before starting.

Linzer Torte With Raspberry Jam

SERVES 6-8 PREPARATION 15 MINS + RESTING BAKING 30 MINS + COOLING

Ingredients

250g (9oz) slightly salted butter, softened

80g (2¾oz/1/2 cup + 1 tbsp) icing (confectioner’s) sugar

2 egg yolks

250g (83/4oz/13/4 cups

+ 2 tbsp) plain (all-purpose) flour + extra for dusting

150g (5½oz/1½ cups) ground hazelnuts

Zest of 1 lemon

1 tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp ground cloves

185g (6½oz) raspberry jam or redcurrant jelly

1 tbsp demerara sugar

Preparing the dough

Whisk the butter, icing sugar and egg yolks in a large bowl. Add the plain flour, ground hazelnuts, lemon zest and spices and beat until it begins to clump together. Make a ball, then squash it slightly with a rolling pin. Wrap in cling film (plastic wrap) and rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Assembling the cake

Preheat the oven to 160°C fan/180°C/350°F/Gas 4. Remove one third of the dough and set aside. On a flour-dusted surface, use the rolling pin to roll out the largest piece until it is 5mm (1/4in) thick. Line a 25cm (93/4in) round pie tin with the dough. Use a knife to trim any excess from the edge. Spread the jam over the dough.

Use the rolling pin to roll out the rest of the dough until it is 5mm (1/4in) thick. Sprinkle on the demerara sugar. Cut this dough into strips about 1cm (3/8in) wide. Create a lattice on top of the jam with the strips of dough.

Baking

Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Leave to cool completely before removing from the tin.

Tip from Bonne Maman

Cut the strips of dough in different widths to create a more elaborate decoration.