Contents
CoverAboutthebookAbouttheauthorTitlePageIntroduction
BasicsGenoisesponge
Variations
Chouxpastry
Sweetpastry
Meringue
Creams
Caramelisednuts
Raspberryjam
Strawberryjam
Lemoncurd
Dryingfruit
Decoratingwithcocoapowderandchocolate
Pipingcreams
1 Small: A COLLECTION OF SWEET THINGS MADE IN INDIVIDUALPORTIONS
Rumbaba
ParisBrest
Minicoffee,chocolate,rosewaterandalmondéclairs
Almondéclairs
Meringues
Minibananacakes
Tiramisu
Nougatglace
Fraisier
Quatre-quartBreton
Îlesflottantes
Raspberrybiscuits
Lemontrifles
Jellyparty
Macaronparty
2 Shared: MOUSSES, CAKES AND TARTS TO SLICE AND HANDAROUND
Blackcurrantmousse
Passionfruitmousse
Chocolatliegeois
BlackForestgâteau
Vind’orange
TarteTropezienne
GâteauStHonoré
Charlotteauxpommes
Chocolatemeringuetart
Bloodorangetart
Flanpatissier
3Treats:BITE-SIZED THINGS TOMUNCHANY TIME, OR TO SERVEWITHCOFFEEAFTERDINNER
Ricepuddingtartlets
Madeleines
Cannelés
Minidoughnuts
Framboisiers
Strawberryandlavendermarshmallows
Billionairebiscuits
Chocolaterumprunes
Chocolatesaltedcaramels
Coconutandpineapplebites
Chocolatelollipops
Pâtedefruits
Fruitworms
Dodos
4Festive:EVERYYEAR IAMASKEDFORMYCHRISTMASRECIPES–SOHERETHEYARE
Christmaspudding
Christmascake
BûchedeNoël
Croqueenbouche
Copyright
Aboutthebook
FROM THE AUTHOR OF PASTRY, A BRAND-NEW, ACCESSIBLE GUIDETOMAKINGAUTHENTICPATISSERIEANDDESSERTSATHOME.
Manynovicesaswellasexperiencedcookswanttotaketheirpastryskillsonestepfurther.TheartofpatisserieisnowyourstomasterundertheexpertguidanceofRichardBertinet.
In Patisserie Maison Richard takes you through basic techniques, covering theclassics of the patisserie counter.With over 50 easy-to-follow recipes, includingAlmondéclairs,GâteauStHonoré,Rumbaba,ParisBrest,ChocolatemeringuetartandBlackcurrantmousse, and step-by-step photographs, this book opens up theworldofdivinesweetcreations.
OriginallytrainedasabakerinBrittany,Richardhasover20years’experienceinthe kitchen, baking, consulting and teaching. In 2005 he set up The BertinetKitchencookeryschoolinBath,whichnowattractspeoplefromallovertheworldtoparticipateinhisclasses.Hisfirstbook,Dough,wasawardedTheGuildofFoodWritersAwardforBestFirstBook,theJuliaChildAwardfortheBestFirstBookandtheJamesBeardAwardforBestBookBakingandDesserts.PatisserieMaisonishisfifthbook.
Abouttheauthor
OriginallyfromBrittany,France,RichardBertinettrainedasabakerfromtheageof fourteen. Having moved to the UK in the 1980s, he is now very much anAnglophile.
Withtwentyyears’experienceinthekitchen,baking,consultingandteaching,RichardmovedtoBathin2005toopenTheBertinetKitchencookeryschool.TheschoolattractspeoplefromallovertheworldtoparticipateinRichard’sclassesandhas been highly praised, including recognition byUSGourmetmagazine and thetelevision seriesAdventureswithRuth [Reichl], inwhich it featured as one of thebestcookeryschoolsintheworld.
Aswellasinstillingpassionthroughhisteaching,Richardworksasaconsultantformajormanufacturersdevelopingspecialityproductsthroughouttheindustry.
The Bertinet Bakery started life as a weekly pop-up shop above the cookeryschoolin2007buthasgrowntoamuchlargeraffair,producingbreadsandpastriesfor restaurants, hotels and food stores in the South West. It also supplies thebakery’s own shops in Bath, with more to come further afield. The bakery’ssignature sourdough loafwas thewinnerof theSoilAssociation’saward forBestBakedGoodin2010and2011.
Richard’sfirstbook,Dough,receivedahostofaccolades,includingtheGuildofFoodWriters’BestFirstBookAward,theJuliaChildAwardforBestFirstBook,aJames Beard Award for Best Book Baking & Desserts and the InternationalAssociationofCulinaryProfessionalsCookeryBookoftheYearAward.Hissecondbook,Crust,wasalsopublishedtocriticalacclaimandreceivedaWorldGourmandAward.Histhirdbook,COOK,focusedonmanyofthedishestaughtatthecookeryschool.Hismostrecentbook,Pastry,waspublishedin2012.
RichardwasnamedBBCFoodChampionoftheYear2010attheBBCFood&FarmingAwards.FormoreinformationaboutRichard,TheBertinetKitchenandTheBertinetBakery,visitwww.bertinet.com.
Introduction
When I began my apprenticeship in Britanny I had the choice of training as abaker,patissierorchocolatier. InFranceeachoneisadistinctprofessionwithitsown set of qualifications.Even though I knew that at heart Iwas a baker, Iwasalways fascinated to knowwhatmy friends thepatissierswereup to in thenextroom.Becausebakersstartworkattwointhemorningandfinishataboutmidday,I was able to put in a double shift helping them outwith the tarts and genoisesponges.
From being covered in flour and working with simple ingredients in theserenityofthebakery,whereIhadonlyoneotherpersonforcompany,itwassucha contrast to be in the frenetic atmosphere of the patisserie,where half a dozenpeopleseemedtodoathousandthingsatonce.Whiskswereconstantlyonthegoand there would be fruit, cream, chocolate and sugar everywhere, and somuchmorewashing up than in the bakery! Sundaywas always the busiest day, wheneveryonecameintobuytheirdessertsforSundaylunch.
The very finest patissiers, who have risen to the top of their profession, arephenomenalartists,incrediblyskilledanddedicatedtotheartofconstructionandperfectpresentation–butIwanttoshowyouthatatasimplerlevelyoucanstillachieve great-tasting and great-looking patisserie.The recipes in this book are amixofthosethatweteachinourcookeryschoolinBath,andthekindofthingthatyouwould find in a small boulangerie-patisserie in France.They arewhat I callpatisserie‘maison’:simpletarts,mousses,meringuesandpastriesthatyoucanmakein your own kitchenwith little experience. I have tried to keep the ingredientsaccessible,andthetechniquesassimpleaspossible,usingonlybasicequipment.
Most of the recipes rely on a combination of classic base recipes: genoisesponge, sweet pastry, meringue, a selection of creams and syrups, chocolateganache, and so on. The key tomaking life easy is to be forward thinking andorganised.Whenyoumakeaspongeorpastry,forexample,makedouble,tripleorquadruplethequantityandputwhatyoudon’tneedimmediatelyintothefreezer.Andreadtherecipesthroughfirst,assometimes,especiallywhenyouareworking
withmousses,glazesor jellies,youwillhavetoseteachlayerinthefridgebeforeyoucanmoveon to thenext.So, althougha recipemightnotbe complicated, itmightmeanyouneedtostartmakingitthedaybeforeyouwanttoserveit.
Wealltastewithoureyesbeforeweevenputfoodintoourmouths,soIhavegivenafewideasonsimple,smartpresentation.Sometimesjustaminimaldustingofcocoapowderoverachocolateglaze,athreadofcoffeerunthroughameringue,oracleverlypipedcreaminsideanéclaircanmakethedifferencebetweenordinaryandeye-catching.
Mostofall,Ihopethatonceyougettogripswiththevarioustechniques,youwillhavetheconfidencetopersonalisetherecipesbyexperimentingwithdifferentcombinationsofflavours,texturesanddecorations–andjusthavefun.
RecipeList
RecipeListGenoisesponge
Variations
Chouxpastry
Sweetpastry
Meringue
Creams
Caramelisednuts
Raspberryjam
Strawberryjam
Lemoncurd
Dryingfruit
Decoratingwithcocoapowderandchocolate
Pipingcreams
Genoisesponge
A good genoise sponge is one of the fundamentals of patisserie. Youwill find alayerofplainorchocolatespongebeingusedinmanyoftherecipesinthisbook,suchasTiramisu(seehere),Fraisier (seehere),andtheBlackcurrantandPassionFruitMousseshereandhere. I suggestyoubakea few traysat a timeand freezewhat you are not using immediately, ready to defrost when you need it. Thequantitybelowwillmakeenoughfortwoshallow(2cm)rectangularspongesbakedinatrayapproximately35cm×27cm.
You could also use this recipe tomake one 21cm round or equivalent squarecake(7cmdeep),whichwillneedaround20minutesintheovenuntilitisgoldenand springsback if you touch it gently in the centre.A skewer inserted into themiddleshouldcomeawayclean.
Once the cake has baked and cooled, you could simply halve it horizontally,brusheachcutsurfacewithsugarsyrupflavouredwithadashofkirsch(seehere)then sandwich the two halves together with whipped double cream or crèmeChantilly(seehere)andfreshraspberriesorstrawberries.Finishwithadustingoficingsugarontop.
125gcastersugar
4mediumeggs
125gplainflour,sifted
25gbutter,melted
alittlebutterforgreasingthetin
Greasetwo35cm×27cm×2cmbakingtrayswithalittlebutterandthenlinethemwithbakingpaper.
Preheattheovento180°C/gas4.
Putthesugarandeggsinabowl(usethebowlofyourfoodmixerifyouhaveone),and stirwith awhisk, then put the bowl over a pan of barely simmeringwater(don’tletthebaseofthebowltouchthewater).
Whiskforabout3–4minutes,untilthemixtureisfoamyandhastripledinsize.
Transfer to a foodmixerwith awhisk attachment, or use a hand-held one, andwhiskathighspeedforabout4–5minutesuntilthemixturehascooleddownandclingseasilytothewhisk,whichwillleaveribbonpatternsinthemixtureasyouliftit.
Verygentlyfoldintheflouralittleatatimewithametalspoon–youwanttokeepasmuchairinthemixtureaspossible.
Then,againverygently,foldinthemeltedbutter.
Withaspoon,turnthemixtureintoyourtraysandtiltitsothatitspreadsintothecorners.
Bake in the preheated oven for 12–15 minutes until golden and the centre isspringytothetouch.Withshallowtrayspongeslikethisyoucantelleasilywhentheyaredone,sothereisnorealneedtodotheskewertest–thoughyoucan, ifyouprefer.
Whenthespongeisbaked,turnoutontoacoolingrack.Nowthespongeisreadyto use in your chosen recipe. Or to freeze, leave the sponge on its greaseproofpaper,putanotherlayerontop,andwrapwellinclingfilmbeforeputtingintothefreezer,whereitwillkeepforaroundthreemonths.
Variations:
Forchocolategenoisesieve1tablespoonofcocoapowderwiththeflour.
Forcoffeegenoisesieve1tablespoonofveryfineinstantgroundcoffeewiththeflour.
Forvanillagenoiseadd either 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste, or theseedsofonevanillapodtothemixturewiththeeggandsugar.
Fororangegenoise
addthegratedzestofoneorange,andadropoforangeessenceororangefloweressencetothemixturebeforefoldingintheflour.
Forlemongenoiseaddthegratedzestofonelemonandadropoflemonessencetothemixturebeforefoldingintheflour.
Chouxpastry
Chouxissofashionable–ineverypastryclasswerunatthecookeryschoolitisthetechnique thatmostpeoplewant to learn. It is thegreatversatile classic thatanyapprenticepatissiermustmaster,andthemoreoftenyoumakeittheeasieritwillbecome.Don’tbeafraidtodoubleorevenquadrupletherecipebelow,pipeitintodifferentshapesfromroundbunstolittleéclairs,bakethemandthenkeeptheminthefreezer,tobringoutanytimeyouneedalast-minutedessert.
This recipe makes around 500g of dough, enough for the Paris Brest here,éclairs here and Gâteau St Honoré here. For the Croque en Bouche here – thefestivetowerofchouxbuns–youwillneedtotriplethequantity.Onequantityofdoughcanbemadeeasilybyhand;however,ifyouaremakingbiggerquantities,Isuggestyouuseafoodmixerwithapaddleattachment.
MAKES500G
125gplainflour
4mediumeggs
225mlwater
60gbutter
½teaspoonsalt
Sievetheflourintoabowlandhavetheeggsreadyinanotherbowl.
Bringthewater,butterandsalttotheboilinalargepan.
Tipintheflour,whiskingallthetime.
Continuewhisking until themixture clings to the whisk and resemblesmashedpotato.
Swapthewhiskforawoodenspoonandbeatovertheheatfor2–3minutesuntilthemixture isglossyandcomesawayfromtheedgesof thepancleanly.Then, ifusingafoodmixerwithapaddleattachment,transferthemixturetothebowlnow,otherwiseleavethemixtureinthepanandtakethepanofftheheat.
Add the eggs, one by one, either beating them in by hand or with the motorrunning.Whethermixingbyhandorbymachine,gocarefullywiththeeggs.Addthemoneata time,makingsureeachone iswell incorporatedbeforeaddingthenext.Beforeyouaddthelastone,checkthetexture.Youareaimingforamixturethat issmoothandglossybutthatwillholditsshapeforpiping(it isbettertobeslightlytoostiffthantoorunny).Ifitisalmostatthisstageyoumightnotneedtoaddallofthelastegg.
Nowthedoughisreadytouse.
Pipingchouxpastry
OneofthethingsIamaskedaboutmost inmyclasses ishowtofillapipingbagcleanly,whetherforpipingchouxpastry,creamoricing.Thebestwaytodoitistoturnthebaginsideoutoveronehandand,withtheotherhand,fillithalffullonly.Thishelpstostopthemixturesmearingovertheoutsideof thebagasyoufill it.
Pullup thesidesof thebagand twist the topso that themixture is forceddowntowardsthenozzle.
Topipe,hold thebag inonehand,with theotherhandunderneath to steadyandguideit.Squeezewiththehandthatisholdingthebag,pipe,thenturnthebaganticlockwise, squeeze again, applying the same pressure all the time, and pipeagain.
Anoteaboutbakingchouxpastry
Whenyoubakechouxpastry,theheatoftheovencausesthepastrytoexpandandbecomehollowinside.Thetricktokeepingchouxbuns,éclairs,andsoon,puffedupandcrispysothat theydon’tdeflate(crucial forsomething liketheCroqueenBouchehere)istodryoutthepastrywellduringbaking.Don’tbescaredofleavingthem in theoven longer thanyoumight expect. Ihave seen recipes that suggesttakingoutéclairsandbunshalfwaythroughbaking,thenmakingalittleholeinthebase for theair toescape,beforeputting themback in. I thinkabetterway is to
mimicwhathappens in aprofessionalbakery,whereyou canpress abuttonandallowsteamtoescapefromtheoven.Youcandothisquitesimplybyleavingthedoorofyourovenopenjustalittleforthelastfewminutesofbaking.
Sweetpastry
Someoftherecipesusesweetpastryasabase.Althoughyoucanmixitbymachine(see here), it is such a quick and easy process that I suggest you do it by hand,especiallyifyouarenewtomakingpastryasthishelpsyoutogetthefeelofwhatyouarelookingforintermsoftexture.
Thepastrywillkeepforuptoaweekinthefridgeanduptothreemonthsinthefreezer,soitmakessensetomakeatleastdoublethequantityandthenfreezewhatyoudon’tneedimmediately.Agoodtiptostopthepastryfromdiscolouring
slightlyinthefreezeristoaddacoupleofdropsof lemonjuiceorvinegartothedoughduringmixing–youwon’ttasteitinthepastry.
Iwrappastryforthefreezer ingreaseproofpaper, followedbya tight layerofclingfilm.Whenyoutakeoutthepastryanddefrost itreadytouse,youwill findthatitisbeautifullyeasytoroll.
MAKES360G
175gplainflour
pinchofsalt
60gsugar
1mediumegg,plus1mediumyolk
60gbutter
Puttheflourandsaltinamixingbowl.Havethesugarinaseparatebowlandbreakyoureggsintoyetanotherbowl–thereisnoneedtobeatthem.
Thekey togoodpastry is tokeep thebutterverycoldbut still softandpliable. Ileave thebutter in the fridgeuntil I amready touse it, thenput it between twopiecesofgreaseproofpaperandbashitwitharollingpinuntilitisabout1cmthick.
Putthewholepieceofbutterintothebowloffloursothatitiswellcovered,thentearitintolargepiecesandrubintotheflour,withaslightatouchaspossible.Theway toachieve this is tokeep thepiecesofbutter constantly covered in flour, asyourepeatedlyscoopthemupinbothhandsandjustflickyourthumbsovertheminasoftskimmingmotion,as ifyouweredealingapackofcards.Don’tpressorgrindthebutteroritcanbecomeclumpy.
Recipesoftensaytorubthemixtureuntilitlookslikebreadcrumbs,butIfindthatpeopleoftenoverdoittryingtoachievethis,andendupwithpastrythat isquitestickyanddifficulttohandle.Instead,Ialwayssaytostopwhentheshardsofbutterarestillthesizeofyourlittlefingernail.
Addthesugar,mixingitinevenly.
Tiptheeggandyolkintotheflourandbutterandmixeverythingtogether.
(N.B.thepicturesshowdoublethequantitybeingmade)
Youcanuseaspoon,butIalwaysuseoneofthelittleplasticscrapersthatIhaveforbread making, as it is easy to run it around the edge of the bowl, pulling themixtureintothecentreuntilitformsaveryroughdough,thatideallyshouldn’tbesticky.
Pressdownonthedoughwithyourthumbs,thenturnitclockwiseafewdegreesandpressdownagain.Repeatthisafewtimes.
Nowturn thepastryoutontoawork surface. If it isn’t sticky, youdon’tneed toflouryourworksurface,butifyoudo,justverylightlyskimitwiththefinestfilmof flourasyouaregoing towork thepastryverybrieflyandanyextra flour that
goesinatthisstagewillmakeitheavier.Holdingthedoughwithbothhands,pressdown again gently with your thumbs and then turn the dough clockwise a fewdegrees,asbefore.Repeatthisfourorfivetimes.
Finallyfoldthepastryoveritselfandpressdownwithyourfingertips.Repeatthisacoupleoftimesuntilthedoughislikeplasticineandlooksevenandhomogeneous.
Pickupthepieceofpastryandtapeachsideontheworksurfacetosquareitoffsothatwhenyoucometorollit,youarestartingoffwithagoodshape,ratherthanwithraggedyedges.
Tomakethesweetpastrybymachine
WITH A MIXER: use a paddle attachment. Before putting the cold butter in the
machine,bashitwitharollingpin,asonhere,thenbreakitintofourorfivepieces.Putitintothemixerwiththeflourandsaltandmixataslowspeeduntilthepieces
ofbutterareaboutthesizeofyourlittlefingernail.Stirinthesugar.Youwillneedtoscrapethebutterfromthepaddleafewtimes,asitwillstick.Addtheeggandmixverybrieflyuntiladoughforms.Assoonasitdoes,turnitoutontoyourworksurfacewiththehelpofyourscraperandfollowtherestofthemethodhere–here.
WITHAFOODPROCESSOR:gocarefully,asitisveryeasytoover-processpastry.Take
thebutter straight fromthe fridgeandcut it into smalldice, thenput it into thebowlwiththeflourandsalt.Usethepulsebutton,inshortbursts,sothattheflourjustliftsandmixes,ratherthanwhizzesintoagreasyballthatwillresultindense,tensepastry.Addthesugarandpulseinthesameway.Addtheeggandagainjustpress thepulsebuttonbrieflyuntil thepastrydoughcomes together.Turn itoutwiththehelpofyourscraperandfollowtherestofthemethodhere–here.
Restingthepastry
Wrap the dough in greaseproof paper rather than clingfilm (as thiswillmake itsweaty)andputitintothefridgeforatleastanhour,preferablytwo,orbetterstill,overnight. The point of resting the dough is to allow the gluten in the flour torelax,sothatthedoughbecomesmoreelasticandeasiertoroll.Thisalsohelpstostopitshrinkingwhenitgoesintheoven.
Ifyouareinahurrytousethepastry,flattenitbyhalfwitharollingpinbeforewrappingitingreaseproofpaper.Thiswillhelpittochillmorequickly.Oryoucanputitintothefreezerfor15–30minutes.
Sweetpastry
Meringue
The two most widely used styles of meringue are French and Italian. Frenchmeringue,whichistheonemostpeoplearefamiliarwith,ismadebywhiskingeggwhitesandthenaddingsugarandcontinuingtowhiskuntilthemixtureformsstiffpeaks.The Italian recipe ismadewith a hot sugar syrup, rather than sugar, andpeople tend to shyaway fromit, thinking it isharder tomake–but ifyouuseasugar thermometer to take the syrup to just the right point, the rest isstraightforward.
Youcanseethedifferencebetweentheconsistencyofthetwodifferentstylesinthe photograph here: on the whisk the French meringue (on the left) is morecompactanddry,whereastheItalianmeringueismore‘stringy’withaglossy,silkyshinetoit.
IgenerallyprefertheItalian-stylemeringuebecauseitismoreversatiletoworkwith,andwhile it is firmontheoutside, itretainsawonderfulgooeysoftness inthe centre,whereas Frenchmeringue is light, but a little drier andmore brittle.However, it really is an individual choice, and though I have suggested Italianmeringueintherecipes,youcansubstituteFrenchmeringueifyouprefer.
Thequantities Ihavegiven for each stylewillmakearound sixbig individualmeringues, or one tart case, which you can use for the recipe for ChocolateMeringueTarthere,orsimplyfillwithChantillycream(seehere)andfreshfruit.
Workingwithsugar
Someoftherecipesinthisbookinvolvesugarsyrupsorcaramel,whicharereallyonlyaboutboilingsugarandwater,buttodifferentstages.Iknowfrommyclassesthatpeoplefindtheideaofworkingwithsugardaunting,usuallybecausetheyhave
comeacrosstermslikethread,softballandhardball,softcrackandhardcrack,soIhavedeliberatelykeptthingssimple.
Mostofthesugarsyrupsaresimplyequalquantitiesofsugarandwaterboileduntilthesugardissolvesandyouhaveacolourlesssyrupthatcanbeflavouredwithan alcohol such as rum or kirsch. I use these syrups for brushing over genoisesponge, tokeep itmoistand infuse itwithextra flavour,whenIamusing itasalayerwithvariouscreamsandfruit.
A slightly more dense sugar syrup, made with less water, and some glucoseadded to the sugar, isneeded formaking Italianmeringue (seehere)and for thisandthefewrecipesthatrequirecaramel,thewaytomakeyourlifeeasyistoinvestinasugarthermometer.Theseareinexpensive,andthebestarethosewithdigitaldisplays that you can pre-set to a certain temperature and justwait for them tobleepwhenitisreached.Iusemineformuchmorethanworkingwithsugar–foranythingthatIwanttemperature-controlled,forexampledeepfrying.
Meringue
Meringue
Italianmeringue
MAKES6LARGEINDIVIDUALMERINGUESOR1TARTCASE
190gsugar
45mlwater
20mlliquidglucose
3mediumeggwhites
Putthesugarinapanwiththewaterandheatgentlyforabout5–8minutesuntilthe sugar has dissolved and formed a colourless syrup, and small bubbles arebreakingthesurface.Thesyrupisreadywhenthetemperaturereaches121/122°Cmaximum,soIalwayssetmythermometerto122°C.
Nowyouarereadytowhiskyoureggwhites.Youcandothisusingafoodmixerwithawhiskattachment,orahand-heldwhisk,butwhicheveryouuse,makesureyourbowlisabsolutelycleananddry,aswaterorgreasecanpreventtheeggwhitefrom stiffening.Whisk the eggwhites until soft foamypeaks form, then stop assoonasyou reach thispoint, as if youover-whisk, theairbubbles thatyouhavecreatedwillburstandtheeggwhiteswillcollapsebackintoliquid.
Nextyouaregoingtopourthehotsyrupontotheeggwhites.Sinceyouneedbothhandsfree–onetowhisk,onetopour–ifyouarewhiskingbyhand,thenbeforeyoustart,wrapateatowelaroundyourbowlandwedgeitintoanemptysaucepantoholditsteady.
Pourthesyrupinaslow,steadystream,whiskingcontinuouslyuntilthemeringuehascooleddowntoroomtemperature,andissilkyandglossy.
Nowthemeringueisreadytouseaccordingtoyourrecipe.
Frenchmeringue
MAKES6LARGEINDIVIDUALMERINGUESOR1TARTCASE
4mediumeggwhites
125gcastersugar
125gicingsugar
Whether you use a foodmixerwith awhisk attachment, or a hand-heldwhisk,makesureyourbowlisabsolutelycleananddry,asanywaterorgreasecanpreventthe eggwhite from stiffening.Whisk the eggwhites and caster sugar until softfoamypeaksform,thenstopassoonasyoureachthispoint,asifyouover-whisk,theeggwhiteswillbecomeliquidandyouwillhavetostartagain.
Before you add the icing sugar, if you are whisking by hand, wrap a tea towelaroundyourbowlandwedgeitintoanemptysaucepantoholditsteady.Youneedbothhandsfree–onetowhisk,onetosieveinthesugar.
Sieve in the icing sugar slowly, whisking continuously until the mixture formsfirm,shinypeaks.
Nowthemeringueisreadytouseaccordingtoyourrecipe.
Frenchmeringue
Creams
Theseareallthecreamsthatweusethroughouttherecipesinthisbookandinourbakery. They are very versatile and some are actually a combination of twodifferentcreams,broughttogethertogivedifferenttexturesandflavours.Theyarealso interchangeable, so ifyou like,youcansubstitutea simplecreamforamorecomplex one and vice versa. Flavourings such as chocolate can be added (seeoverleaf).
Crèmepâtissière
The all-purposepastry cream is really a thickened custard,which canbeused inanynumberofconfectionsanddesserts,fromafillingforéclairstoabaseforfruittarts.Youcanusesemi-skimmedmilkifyouprefer.
MAKESABOUT400G
250mlwholemilk
1vanillapod
3mediumeggyolks
60gcastersugar
25gplainflour
Pourthemilkintoaheavy-bottomedpan.Laythevanillapodonachoppingboardandslicealongitslengthwithasharpknife.Openoutandscrapetheseedsintothemilk,thenputthehalvedpodsintoo.
Puttheeggsandsugarintoabowlandwhiskuntilpaleandcreamy.Addtheflourandmixuntilsmooth.
Putthepanofmilkoveramediumheat,bringtojustundertheboil,takeofftheheatandslowlypourhalfofitintotheegg,sugarandflourmixture,whiskingwell
as you do so. Add the remainder of themilk and whisk in well, then pour themixturebackintothepan.
Bring to the boil, whisking all the time, then keep boiling and whisking for 1minute,takeofftheheatandpourintoacleanbowl.
Scoopoutthehalvesofthevanillapod.Youcanwashanddrythemandkeepthemin a jar of sugar,whichwill give you vanilla-flavoured sugar for use in all yourbaking.Coverthesurfaceofthebowlwithgreaseproofpaperstraightaway,asthiswillhelp toprevent a skin from forming.Cool and thenkeep in the fridgeuntilreadytouse.
FORCOFFEECRÈMEPÂTISSIÈRE:add1tablespoonofgoodgroundcoffeetothemilk
andthenfollowtherecipeasusual.
FORCHOCOLATECRÈMEPÂTISSIÈRE:add3teaspoonsofcocoapowdertothemilkand
then follow the recipe as usual. Alternatively, you can use 75g of dark, milk orwhitechocolatechips.
CrèmeChantilly
Probablythequickest,mostsimpleandversatilecreamofthemall–itisniceandlight for filling éclairs, or simply to serve with any tart or ice cream. You canperfume itwith a few drops of rosewater or orangewater instead of the vanillaextractifyouprefer.
MAKESABOUT300G
250mlwhippingordoublecream
2tablespoonscastersugar
afewdropsofvanillaextractorpaste
Whisktheingredientstogetheruntilthick,butdon’tover-whisk,orthecreamwillturntobutter!
Crèmeaubeurre
Thisissimplycrèmepâtissièrewithbutteradded–theadvantageofthisisthatthebuttersetsthecreamquitefirmly,soitisgoodinrecipeswhereyouneedthecreamtoholditsshape.
MAKESABOUT300G
200gcoldcrèmepâtissière(seehere)100gbutter,cutintopiecesandallowedtobecomeverysoft
Take your cold crème pâtissière from the fridge and whisk it until it has theconsistencyof a lightmayonnaise, thenwhisk in thepiecesof butter a little at atimeuntilthecreamissmoothandhasturnedquitewhite.
Crèmelégère
Thisisabeautifulcreamandmyfavourite.Itislighterthancrèmeaubeurre,butmore substantial thanChantilly, and I always think it has the flavour of a greatvanilla ice cream,butwithoutbeing frozen.Youcoulduse it as analternative tocrème aubeurre for theFraisier here, for filling éclairs, or simply to fill a sweetpastrytartcaseandthentopitwithfreshfruit.
MAKESABOUT300G
200gcoldcrèmepâtissière(seehere)100mldoublecream
Take your cold crème pâtissière from the fridge and whisk it until it has theconsistencyofalightmayonnaise.
Whiskthedoublecreamuntilthickandfluffythenfoldintothecrèmepâtissière.
Crèmeanglaise
WeusethisfortheÎlesFlottanteshereandthejellyhere,butyoucanserveitwithanypuddingortart.
You could also substitute double cream for the milk, and churn it in an icecreammakertomakeagreatvanillaicecream.
MAKESABOUT320G
3mediumeggyolks
40gcastersugar
250mlfullfatmilk
½vanillapod
Puttheeggsandsugarintoabowlandwhiskuntilpaleandcreamy.
Putthemilkandvanillapodandseedsintoaheavy-bottomedpanandbringtojustundertheboil.Pourthemilkslowlyintotheeggmixture,whiskingwellasyoudoso.
Return themixture to thepanover amediumheat.Using awooden spoon, stircontinuouslyinafigureof8untilthecreamthickensenoughtocoatthebackofaspoon.(Totest,liftthespoonoutofthecreamanddrawalinedownthebackofthespoon.Ifthelinestayscleanitisready.)
Strain immediately into a clean bowl and continue stirring for a few minutes.Removethevanillapod.Eitherservehotorleavetocool,coveredwithasheetofgreaseproofpaper toprevent a skin forming.Once cool, store in the fridgeuntilyouarereadytouseit.
Creams
Creams
Caramelisednuts
These are great to have on hand in the kitchen – you can make up batches ofdifferent varieties of nuts, and theywill keep for about threemonths in airtightjars.Youcanthenusethemwheneveryoulike,forexampletomaketheChocolateLollipopshere.
MAKESABOUT300G
75gcastersugar250gwholeBrazilnuts,almonds,hazelnutsorpistachionuts(shelledweight)
Heatthesugar inapanuntil itdissolvesandbeginstobubble.Continuecookinguntilitisgoldenbrown(ifyouhaveasugarthermometer,thetemperaturewillbe140°C).Takeofftheheatandstirinthenuts.
Havereadyanon-stickbakingtrayorasiliconemat.
Liftthenutsoutofthepanwithaslottedspoonandspreadthemoverthetrayormatsothattheystayseparateanddon’ttouchoneanother.Leavetobecomecoldandsolidified,thentransferthenutstoanairtightjar.
Raspberryjam
I always have home-made or high-quality jams on hand, for use in all kinds ofassembliesandcakes.Weservethisraspberryjamforbreakfastbeforeclassesatthecooking school andeveryonealways asks for the recipe, sohere it is. It is averyquickjamtomake,cookedonlybrieflysothatyouretainallthevibrantcolourandsharpness of the berries. Out of season you can still make it using frozenraspberries.Youcanuseathermometertogaugewhenit isready,ordotheold-fashioned‘crinkle’test.
MAKES2SMALL(200G)KILNERJARS
½teaspoonpectinpowder
400ggranulatedsugar
500graspberries
juiceof1lemon
smallpinchofsalt
Ifyoudon’thaveathermometer,putaplateintothefridgebeforeyoustartsothatitiswellchilled.
Mixthepectinpowderintothesugar.
Putalltheingredientsinalarge,heavy-basedpanandbringtotheboil.Ifyouhavea thermometer, bring the temperature up to 106°C – this will take about 10minutes–thentakeofftheheat.
Alternatively, after the jamhasboiled for 10minutes, take your saucer from thefridgeandspoonateaspoonofjamontoit.Putitbackinthefridgeforaminute,thenwithyourfinger,pushthejamtoseeifitformsacrinklyskin.Ifso,itisready.Ifnot,letitboilforafurtherminuteandthentestagain.
Whilethejamisstillhot,potitinsterilisedjars(seehere).
Raspberryjam
Strawberryjam
MAKES2SMALL(200G)KILNERJARS
1teaspoonpectinpowder
450ggranulatedsugar
500gstrawberries,cleanedandhulled
juiceof2lemons
Ifyoudon’thaveathermometer,putaplateintothefridgebeforeyoustartsothatitiswellchilled.
Mixthepectinpowderintothesugar.
Put the strawberries in a pan and give them a squash with a potato masher toreleasealittleoftheirjuices.Addthesugarandlemonjuiceandbringtotheboil.Ifyouhaveathermometer,bringthetemperatureupto106°C–thiswilltakeabout10minutes–thentakeofftheheat.
Alternatively, after the jamhasboiled for 10minutes, take your saucer from thefridgeandspoonateaspoonofjamontoit.Putitbackinthefridgeforaminute,thenwithyourfinger,pushthejamtoseeifitformsacrinklyskin.Ifso,itisready.Ifnot,letitboilforafurtherminuteandthentestagain.
Whilethejamisstillhot,potitinsterilisedjars(seehere).
Strawberryjam
Lemoncurd
Weuse this in the LemonTrifles here, or you could substitute it for the bloodorangecream,madeusingthesametechnique,thatisusedinthetarthere.Italsomakesagoodfillingforchouxbuns,mixedinaratioofonepartcurdtothreepartscrèmepâtissière(seehere)orChantillycream(seehere).
Lemoncurdisverysimpletomake:you justneedtomakesurethatyoulet itthickengently inabowloveryourpanofbarelysimmeringwater,watchingandwhiskingallthetime.If itgoestoofastitcanturnintoscrambledegg,butifthisstartstohappenyoucanstillrescueitbytakingthepanofftheheatandpushingthemixture through a fine sieve into a cleanheatproofbowl.Put thisover yourpanasbefore,onalowheat,andcarryon.
You can keep the curd in a bowl in the fridge (covered in clingfilm) for 3–4days.Orpotitwhileitisstillhot,insterilisedjars,inwhichcaseitwillkeepforuptotwomonths.Isterilisemyjarsbyputtingthemthroughadishwashercycle,thenintoapreheatedovenat100°C/gas¼for15minutestodryoutcompletely.
MAKES2SMALL(200G)KILNERJARS
zestandjuiceof3mediumunwaxedlemons
2largeeggs
200gcastersugar
125gunsaltedbutter
1teaspooncornflour
Inaheatproofbowl,whiskall the ingredientstogether, thenputthebowloverapan of barely simmeringwater,making sure the base doesn’t actually touch thewater.Whiskconstantlyoveralowheat,movingthemixturearoundthebowlsothatnonesticks to thesides.Once it starts tobecomea little thicker thandoublecream,continuetowhiskforonemoreminutethentakeofftheheat.
To test that themixture is ready, scoopa littleof itwith a teaspoonandpush itagainsttheinsideofthebowlnearthetop.Itshouldstayputwithoutdripping.Ifitdoesn’t, put it backover theheat andwhiskverybriefly for anotherminute at atime,untilitpassesthetest.Eitherpotintosterilisedjarswhilestillhot,orleavetocool,thenputinthefridgeuntilreadytouse.
Dryingfruit
You can buy special dehydrators for drying fruit, or a plate-warming drawer isfantastic for the job.Alternatively,dryyour fruit afteryouhavebeenusingyourovenandhaveswitcheditoff.Slicethefruitandarrangeonanon-stickbakingtrayor, better still, a siliconemat, thenwaituntil the temperaturehas gonedown toaround80–90°Cbeforeputtingitintheoven.Leaveovernight,andbymorningthefruitshouldbeready:dry,butnotbrittle.Ifitstillhastoomuchmoisureinit,turnyour oven back on to the lowest temperature possible and leave in for a whilelonger.
ThefruitsthatImainlydryinthiswayareapples,bananasandpineapple,butyoucanalsoexperimentwithslicesofmango,papaya,strawberry–whateveryoulike.
APPLE:
Don’tpeelthem,justslicehorizontally,about2mmthick.Ignorethecore,justcutthrough it.Thepipswill falloutafterdrying, and the slices lookmoreattractivewithlittleholesinthemiddlewherethepipshavebeen.
BANANA:
Use firm ones with their skins verging on green, rather than very yellow ones,whichwillbetoosoft.Peelthemandslicethemonthediagonal,3–4mmthick(ifyouslicethemtoothinly,theywilllosetheirshapeandbedifficulttouse).Ruba
littlelemonjuiceoverthetopofeachslicebeforedrying,asbananasturndarkveryquickly.
PINEAPPLE:
Cuttheskinoffandthenslicecrossways–about5mmthick.Takeasmallpastrycutteranduseittostampoutthehardcentre,thenyoucandrytheringswhole,orcutthemintowedges.
Dryingfruit
Decoratingwithcocoapowderandchocolate
Don’tunderestimate thepowerof a little dustingof cocoapowderover cakesorpuddings.Whereyouhavechocolateicing,trydustinghalfofit,usingasmall,veryfine sieve (you can even dust through one of the many stencils you can buy atbakingshops).Ifyouwantasharpedge,layasheetofbakingpaperoveroneareaof the icing, then dust the remaining area and lift off the paper – you will besurprisedhowthecontrastofshinyandmattcreatesasmarteffect.
Decoratingwithcocoapowderandchocolate
Decoratingwithcocoapowderandchocolate
Chocolateshavingsand‘pencils’
InFrance,chocolateshavingsandcurlsareknownascopeaux,andtheyareaveryeffectivewayofaddingsomedramatoacakeortart.
Havereadyapieceofcleanmarble,oraheavynon-stickbakingtray–theideaisthatwarmchocolategoesstraightontosomethingcoldtosetit.
Breaksomegoodchocolateofyourchoice(itcanbedark,milkorwhite) intochunks,puttheminaheatproofbowloverapanofbarelysimmeringwater–makesurethewatercomesclosetothebottomofthebowlbutdoesn’tactuallytouchit.Keeptheheatverylowsothatyoudon’tgetsteamintothebowl,asthiscanmakethechocolatebecomedull-lookingandstiff.Keepstirringall thetimeand let thechocolatemeltslowly,thenremovethebowlfromtheheatandpouritontoyourmarbleorbakingtray,spreadingitoutwithapaletteknifetoabout2mmthick(nothinner,oritwon’troll).
Leaveatroomtemperatureuntilset,butnotcompletelyhard,thentakeawidespatulaormetalscraperandpushitthroughthechocolate.Thefurtheryoudosothemorethechocolatewillrollupintocurlsand‘pencils’.
Chocolateshavingsand‘pencils’
Chocolateshavingsand‘pencils’
Pipingcreams
You can achieve easy, eye-catching patterns on tops of cakes and mousses, orfillingsforéclairs,justbypipingoneofthecreamshereusingdifferentshapesandsizesofnozzle.Thetiniestdotofcolouredfoodpasteaddedtoyouricing,butjuststreakedthroughratherthanmixedinthoroughly,willgiveatwo-toneeffect.
Aswithchouxpastry,thefirstthingtodoisbecomfortablewithfillingapipingbag(seehere).Thenexperimentwithdifferentnozzles.Ihaveacollectionofmetalones,becausewhen I first startedbaking thesewere theonlyones available, andthere is something quite pleasing and permanent about metal. However, metalnozzles can get squashedout of shape if you arenot carefulwith them,whereasplasticonestendtoholdtheirformbetter.Bothdoagoodjob,though,soitisuptoyouwhichyougofor.Themoreyoutryoutdifferentonesyouwilldiscoverthatjustbymovingyourwristdifferently,youcanmakeallkindsofnewshapes. It isdifficult togivespecificnames to thenozzles Ihaveused for theexamples in thepicturehere,aseachmanufacturertendstohavetheirown,butbelowisaroughguide:
1. This shape, known as rosace, is made with a large star nozzle. You need tosqueezeandturnthewristquicklyinananticlockwisedirection.
2. This is a wide ribbon nozzle. The skill here is to start at the top and workdownwards,movingthenozzleforwardsandbackwards,forwardsandbackwards,inawave-likemotion.
3.Thisshapeismadeusingasmallstarnozzlewithtiny‘teeth’.Squeezeandliftupagainstraightaway.Themorepressureyouusethebiggertheshape.
4.Asmallpetalnozzlecanbeusedtocreateasingletear,orawoveneffect.Startatthetopandthenmovethenozzlerepeatedlyfromrighttoleftinafigureof8.
5.Alargeplainnozzlecanbeusedtomaketheseshell-likeshapesbysqueezingandpressingdownwardsthendraggingthenozzleslightlytowardsyou.
6.Asmallshellnozzlecanbepipedinthesamewayasnumber4above.
Pipingcreams
Pipingcreams
RecipeList
RecipeListRumbaba
ParisBrest
Minicoffee,chocolate,rosewaterandalmondéclairs
Almondéclairs
Meringues
Minibananacakes
Tiramisu
Nougatglace
Fraisier
Quatre-quartBreton
Îlesflottantes
Raspberrybiscuits
Lemontrifles
Jellyparty
Macaronparty
Rumbaba
Babas are a classic Sunday lunch dessert in France.Often they aremade in ringmoulds,butinthebakerywhereIservedmyapprenticeshipweusedtobakethemindariolemoulds, and this is theway Ihave continued todo them, as I like theshape. You also frequently see them decorated elaboratelywith cream and glacécherriesorother fruits,but Iprefer togo forminimaldecorationandmaximumflavour.SoIservethebabaswithsomeofthegoodstrongrumsyrupinwhichtheyhavesoakedandjustalittlepoachedorangepeelontop.
Thisrecipemakesquitealotofbabas–aroundeighteen–asitiseasiertomakethebatterusingafoodmixerthanbyhand,butyouneedacertainvolumetowork
with.However,youcanbakethebabasandthenfreezeanythatyoudon’twanttoserveimmediately.Youcanalsomakethesyrupandkeepitinaplasticboxinthefridgeforuptothreemonths,readytosoakthedefrostedbabasinit.
MAKESABOUT18TALLMOULDS
FORTHEFERMENT:150gstrongbreadflour
15gfreshyeast
150mlwarmmilk
FORTHEBATTER:4mediumeggs
150gbutteratroomtemperature,plusalittleextraforgreasingthemoulds50gcastersugar
½teaspoonsalt
125mlwarmmilk
400gstrongbreadflour
gratedzestof1orange
FORTHESYRUP:1orange
1lemon
800gsugar
500mlwater
200mlrum
Firstmake the ferment. Place the flour in a bowl. Crumble the yeast into it byrubbingitbetweenyourfingertips.Whiskinthemilkuntilthefermentisthick.
Leaveforatleast2hoursatroomtemperatureandoutofdraughts,bywhichtimeitwillbecomebubbly(asshownintherightofthepicture).
Usingamixerwithadoughhook,beatthefermentwithallthebatteringredientsuntilthemixtureisstrong,elasticandstretchy.
Greasethemouldsheavilywithbutter.
Ifinditeasiesttopipethemixtureintothemoulds,butifyoudon’twanttodothis,you can justmoisten your handswithwater then scoop out small pieces of thebatterwithyourfingersanddropthemintothemoulds.Eitherway,fillthemouldstwothirdsfull.Leaveinawarmplaceforabout40–50minutesuntil themixturehasrisenabout1cmabovetherimsofthemoulds.
Preheattheovento190°C/gas5.
Forthesyrup,firsttakeofftheorangeandlemonpeelinlong,thinstrips(ideallyuseajuliennepeeler;oruseavegetablepeelerandthencutthestripsintothinnerlengths)thenputintoapan.Squeezethe juiceandaddtothepanalongwiththe
sugar and thewater. Bring to the boil then turn down the heat and simmer forabout5–10minutesuntilitthickensslightlyintoasyrup.Takeofftheheat,addtherumandallowtocooluntiljustwarm,thenpourintoadishwideenoughtoholdthebabas.
Meanwhile bake the babas in the preheated oven for about 15–20minutes untiltheyaregoldenandhaverisenup likechampagnecorks.Carefully turneachoneoutofitsmouldandcoolonawirerack.(Atthispointyoucanfreezeanythatyoudon’twanttouseimmediately.)Putthebabasintothesyrup,turningthemtocoatreallywell, and leave for2–3hours at room temperature so that they soakupasmuchsyrupaspossible.Verygentlyprodthemeverysooften,andwhentheyfeelsoft,theyareready.
Placeeachbabaintoaglassbowlorsmalldish.Scoopoutsomeofthestripsofpeelfromthesyrup–apairofkitchentweezersisidealforthis–andcurlontopofeach
baba.Spoonalittleofthesyruparoundandserve.
Rumbaba
Rumbaba
ParisBrest
Thesewerecreatedin1891tocelebratethefirst1200kmParis-to-Brestbikerace,oneofcycling’soldestevents.It issaidthatapastrychefwhowasworkingalongthe route cameupwith the ideaof the chouxpastry rings to represent thepuffypneumatictyresthatweretakingoverfromtheoldsolidrubberones.
Leavetheskinonthenutsasthisgivesflavourandcolour.
MAKES10–12
100ghazelnutsintheirskins
1quantitycrèmeaubeurre(seehere)1quantitychouxpastrymixture(seehere)1mediumegg,beatenwithapinchofsalt
icingsugar,fordusting
Preheattheovento200°C/gas6.
Spread the hazelnuts out over a baking tray and put into the oven for about 10minutes, shaking the tray occasionally so that they toast evenly.Take out of theoven,leavetocool,thencrushhalfofthemwitharollingpinandkeeptooneside.Puttherestintoacoffeegrinder,oruseapestleandmortartogrindthemintoapaste.Mixthisintothecrèmeaubeurre,andkeeptooneside.
Snipthecornerofapipingbag,ifusingadisposableone,insertalargestarnozzle,fillwiththechouxpastrymixture,andthenpipe10–12circlesofaround8–10cmontoasiliconematornon-stickbakingtray(seepicturehere).Brushlightlywiththe beaten egg. Scatter your reserved crushed nuts on top and put into thepreheatedoven.
Turn the oven down to 190°C/gas 5 and leave for about 15minutes, until lightgoldenandpuffedup, turning the trayaroundhalfway through.For the last fewminutesofbaking,proptheovendoorslightlyajarwithawoodenspoontoallowthesteamtoescape,andhelpthechouxtodryoutproperly.Removethetrayfromtheovenandleavetocool.
Cut inhalfhorizontally,pipe thebaseof eachwith the reservedhazelnut cream,replacethetopanddustwithicingsugar.
ParisBrest
ParisBrest
Minicoffee,chocolate,rosewaterandalmondéclairs
Therearetwodifferentwaystofilléclairs.Youcanmakeasmallholeinthebase(oratoneend)oftheéclair,andusingapipingbagwithastraightnozzle(about5mm), squeeze the cream into the hollow. This way you don’t actually see thecreamfromtheoutside.Alternatively,youcanhalvetheéclairsall thewayalongtheir length – or almost all the way – and then pipe in the cream, using aninteresting nozzle (see here), which can make them look quite special. In thefollowingrecipesIhavesuggestedoneortheothertechnique,butitisreallyuptoyou.
You canuseChantilly cream for the filling,which isnice and light, or crèmepâtissière,whichismoresubstantial.
If you are glazing the éclairs with chocolate you don’t need a very highpercentageofcocoasolidsortheglazewillbequitebitter.Agood53%darkormilkchocolateisfine.Dustinghalfoftheglazewithsomecocoapowderisaneasywayofmakingtheéclairslooksmart.
MAKES24SMALLÉCLAIRS
1quantitychouxpastrymixture(seehere)alittlebutterforgreasingthebakingtray
FORCHOCOLATEÉCLAIRS:1quantitycrèmeChantilly(seehere)400ggoodmilkordarkchocolate(53%cocoasolids),brokenintochunkscocoapowder,fordusting
FORCOFFEEÉCLAIRS:1quantitycoffeecrèmepâtissière(seehere)300gwhitefondanticing
about2tablespoonswater
afewdropsofcoffeeessence
24coffeebeans,fordecoration(optional)
FORROSEWATERÉCLAIRS:1quantitycrèmeChantillymadewithafewdropsofrosewaterinsteadofvanilla(seehere)300gwhitefondanticing
about2tablespoonswater
afewdropsofredfoodcolouring
Preheat the oven to 190°C/gas 5. Lightly grease a non-stick baking tray or havereadyasiliconemat.
Snipoffthecornerofapipingbag,ifusingadisposableone,insertaplainnozzleabout1cmindiameter,thenfillwiththechouxpastrymixtureandpipe24linesofaround8cmontoyourbakingtrayormat(seepicturehere).
Bakeinthepreheatedovenfor12–15minutesuntilgoldenandpuffedup.Forthelast 4minutes of baking, leave the oven door slightly ajar to allow the steam toescape,andhelpthedryingprocess.Removethetrayfromtheovenand leavetocool.
Minicoffee,chocolate,rosewaterandalmondéclairs
Minicoffee,chocolate,rosewaterandalmondéclairs
Forchocolateéclairs:
Take each éclair, and use a skewer to make a hole large enough to insert yourpipingnozzle(5mm)inthecentreoftheunderside.FillamediumpipingbagwithChantillycreamandsqueezegentlyuntilyoucanfeelthecreamfillingtheinsideoftheéclair.
Put the chocolate into aheatproofbowlover apanofbarely simmeringwater–make sure thewater comes close to the bottomof the bowl but doesn’t actuallytouchit.Keeptheheatverylowsothatyoudon’tgetsteamintothebowl,asthiscanmake the chocolate become dull-looking and stiff.Keep stirring all the timeandletthechocolatemeltslowly,thenremovethebowlfromtheheat.
Onebyone,dipthetopsoftheeclairsintothechocolate.Lettheexcessdrainoffintothebowlandthenplaceonarackuntil thechocolatehasset. Ifyouwanttodust half of each topwith cocoa powder, use a small piece of baking paper as aguide.Lay itacross the firstglazed topatanangle,anddust theotherhalf finelywithcocoapowder,usingasmall,finesieve.
Forcoffeeéclairs:
Fillwithcoffeecrèmepâtissièreasforthechocolateéclairshere.
For the icing,put the fondant andwater in apanover avery lowheat andbeatwithawoodenspoonuntilitmelts.Stirinthecoffeeessence.Takeofftheheat.
Take the éclairs and dip the tops into the icing as for the chocolate éclairs here,thendecorateeachone,ifyoulike,withacoffeebean.
Forrosewateréclairs:
This time, to fill the éclairs, cut them carefully in half lengthways.Keep the tophalvestooneside,thenusingapipingbagfittedwithaflatnozzle(orsimilar,see
here),pipethecreamalongthelengthofthelowerhalves,liftingthenozzleupanddownasyougo,tocreateawaveeffect.
For the icing,put the fondant andwater in apanover avery lowheat andbeatwithawoodenspoonuntilitmelts.Stirintheredcolouring.Takeofftheheat.
Dipeachtophalfintotheicingasforthecoffeeéclairsabove,andthenassemble.
Almondéclairs
The addition of toasted, flaked almonds on top gives a little crunchiness and anunusuallooktotheselittleéclairs.
MAKES24SMALLÉCLAIRS
alittlebutterforgreasingthebakingtray
4tablespoonsflakedalmonds
1quantitychouxpastrymixture(seehere)2tablespoonsgroundalmonds
2tablespoonscastersugar
1quantitycrèmeChantilly(seehere)FORTHECARAMEL:200gcastersugar
2tablespoonswater
Preheat the oven to 190°C/gas 5. Lightly grease a non-stick baking tray or havereadyasiliconemat.
Toasttheflakedalmondslightlyinadryfryingpanuntilpalegolden.Takeofftheheatandtransfertoaplate.Keeptooneside.
Snipoffthecornerofapipingbag,ifusingadisposableone,insertaplainnozzleabout1cmindiameterandfillwiththechouxpastrymixture.
Pipe24linesofaround8cmontoyourbakingtrayormat.
Mixthegroundalmondswiththesugarandsprinklealittleontopofeachéclair.
Bakeinthepreheatedovenfor12–15minutesuntilgoldenandpuffedup.Forthelast 4minutes of baking, leave the oven door slightly ajar to allow the steam toescape,andhelpthedryingprocess.Removethetrayfromtheovenand leavetocool.
Makeacaramelbyputtingthesugarinapanwiththewater,bringtotheboilandcontinue to boil until golden brown (if you have a sugar thermometer, thetemperaturewillbe140°C).Itwillbereallyhot,sobecareful.
Speareachéclairwitha forkanddip the top just into thesurfaceof thecaramel,and then straight onto the reserved plate of toasted almonds so that a cluster ofthemclingstothesurface.Leavetosetonawirerack.
Whenthecaramelhasset,cuteachéclairhorizontallyalmosttotheend,butnotquite.Snipoffthecornerofapipingbag, ifusingadisposableone, insertaplainnozzle, and fillwithChantilly cream.Oneata time,holdanéclair inyourhand,prisethe‘lid’upalittleandpipeinthecream,squeezingandliftingasyougoina‘wave’fashion.
Almondéclairs
Almondéclairs
Meringues
WesellthesebigcraggymeringueseverydayinourshopinBath.IprefertouseItalianmeringue(seehere),butifyoudon’tfeelcomfortablewithusingsugarsyrupyoucan try therecipe forFrenchmeringuehere instead;however, themeringuewillbealittlemoredryandbrittleinside,whereastheItalianmeringueissoftandalittlechewy.Iliketorunchocolateorcoffeethroughthemforflavourandcolour,butyoucanalsokeepthemplain,ordecoratethemwithalittlegratedlemonzestorgroundpistachionutsbeforetheygointotheoven.
MAKES6
1quantityItalianmeringue(seehere)1goodtablespooncocoapowderorgroundcoffee(optional)
Preheattheovento90°C/gas¼.Havereadyalargebakingtraylinedwithbakingpaper.
If using cocoa powder or ground coffee, sieve it over the top of yourmeringuemixtureandfoldinwithabigspoon.Youdon’twanttomixitinuniformly, juststreakitthrough.
Usingtwospoons,scoopoutthemeringue,swappingthemixturefromonespoonto the other to shape it intomounds, but don’t entirely smooth it – leave somegoodpeaksandcrags.
Dropeachmoundontoyour lined trayandput into theoven forabout4hours.Themeringues shoulddryoutand feelhard to the touch,but shouldnotcolour,andifyouliftoneupandtapthebaseitshouldfeelsolid.
Meringues
Minibananacakes
Theseareindividualversionsofthemoretraditional loaf.Simple,butelegantforservingwithafternoontea.
MAKES6–8
120gbutter
220gdarkbrownsugar
2mediumeggs,beaten
3ripebananas,crushed
230gplainflour
1teaspoonbakingpowder
pinchofsalt
2tablespoonshotmilk
TODECORATE:100gicingsugar,sieved
3tablespoonswater
1banana,dried(seehere)
Preheattheovento190°C/gas5.
Inabowl,creamthebutterandsugaruntilfluffy.Beatintheeggsalittleatatime.
Mixinthecrushedbananas.
Sievetheflour,bakingpowderandsalttogetherandfoldintothemixture.Stirinthemilk.
Spoonintoindividualovalorroundtinsormuffintrays,fillingthemthreequartersfull.
Bake in thepreheatedoven for25–30minutesuntilgolden, the tops feel springyandaskewerinsertedintothemiddlecomesoutclean.Takeoutoftheoven,leaveuntilcoolenoughtohandleandthenturnoutandcoolonawiretray.
Todecorate,mixtheicingsugarwiththewaterandwithasmallspoondrizzleoverthetopofeachcake.
Topwithtwoorthreeslicesofdriedbanana.
Minibananacakes
Minibananacakes
Tiramisu
Iliketomakethetiramisuinalargeslab,thencutitintoroundstoserveit,butyoucouldsimplycutitintosquaresifyouprefer.
MAKES8PORTIONS
3gelatineleaves
100gcastersugar
3tablespoonswater
4mediumeggs,separated
250gmascarpone
250mldoublecream
200mlMarsalawine
½quantitygenoisesponge(seehere)300mlstrongcoffee,cooled
TODECORATE:cocoapowder,fordusting
TODECORATEWITHCARAMELHAZELNUTS(OPTIONAL):8hazelnuts,shelled
100gcastersugar
1tablespoonwater
Ifyouaredecoratingthetiramisuwithcaramelhazelnuts,makethesefirst.Putthesugarinapanwiththewater,bringtotheboilandcontinuetoboiluntilgoldenbrown(ifyouhaveasugarthermometer,thetemperaturewillbe140°C).Itwillbereallyhot,sobecareful.Usingapairofkitchentweezersdipeachhazelnutintothecaramelandpulloutslowlytocreatealittle‘tail’.Layonasheetofbakingpapertocoolandhardenup.
Soakthegelatineincoldwatertosoften,thensqueezeouttheexcesswater.
Putthesugarinapanwiththewaterandheatgentlyforabout5–8minutesuntilthe sugar has dissolved and formed a colourless syrup and small bubbles arebreakingthesurface.Ifyouhaveasugarthermometer,thesyrupisreadywhenthetemperaturereaches121/122°C.Removefromtheheat.
Inabowl,whisktheeggwhitesuntiltheyformsoftpeaks,thenslowlywhiskinthesugarsyrup.
Inaseparatebowl,whisktheeggyolkswiththemascarpone.Inyetanotherbowl,whiskthecreamuntilthick.
Inasmallpan,warmhalfoftheMarsala,addthegelatine,stiruntilithasdissolvedandthentakeofftheheatandstirintherestoftheMarsala.Nowstirthisintotheeggandmascarponemixture.
Foldinthedoublecreamandfinallytheeggwhite.
To assemble, cut the genoise sponge in half. Lay one half in the base of a deepserving dish. Brush liberally with half of the coffee, so that the sponge is wellsoaked.
SpreadhalfoftheMarsalamixtureevenlyoverthetopanddustwithalittlecocoapowder.Laytheotherhalfofthespongeontopandpressdownalittle.Soakwiththerestofthecoffeeasbefore.
SpreadtherestoftheMarsalamixtureoverthetop,smoothingitsothatitisflat.
Putintothefridgeforabout2–3hoursorpreferablyovernight.
Toserve,takeapastrycutter(about10cmindiameter)andstampouteightcircles.Useawidepaletteknifeorfishslicetoliftoutintoservingbowls,dustwithcocoa,andtopeachonewithacaramelhazelnut,ifusing.
Tiramisu
Tiramisu
Nougatglace
This is a very easy recipe – and you canmake two at a time andput one in thefreezer,whereitwillkeepforthreemonths,soyoualwayshaveadessertreadytogo. If you prefer a nut-free version, use some fresh fruit instead: raspberries,blueberries,blackberries,apricotsorpineappleworkespeciallywell.
MAKES1×30CMTERRINE
100gwholeblanchedalmonds
100ghazelnuts,shelledweight
50gbrokenwalnuts
25gpistachionuts,shelledweight
1heapedtablespooncastersugar
150gmixedcandiedfruit
65ghoney,preferablylavender
500mldoublecream
4mediumeggwhites
Preheattheovento180°C/gas4.
Spreadthenutsoverabakingtray,sprinklewiththesugar,andputintotheovenfor 15–20 minutes, turning them halfway through, until caramelised and lightgolden.Take out and let them cool down.Then,with the back of a rolling pin,crushthemlightly.
Mixthecaramelisednutswiththecandiedfruit.
Putthehoneyinapanandbringtotheboil,thentakeofftheheat.
Inabowlwhiskthecreamuntilfirm.
Inaseparatebowl,whisktheeggwhitestosoftpeaks,thenslowlyaddthehoneyandcontinuetowhisktofirmpeaks.Addthefruitandnuts.
Gentlyfoldthefruitandnutsintothecream.
Linea30cmlongterrine(thatwillgo intothefreezer)withclingfilm, leavinganoverhang all around. Spoon in the mixture and smooth the top, then fold theclingfilmovertoencloseit.Putintothefreezerforatleast4hours.Toserve,takeoutandleavefor15–20minutestosoftenslightly,thenunwraptheclingfilm.Toturn out, place a flat plate or cake board on top of the terrine and, using bothhands,firmlygripbothandturnovertogether.Removetheclingfilmandslice.
Nougatglace
Nougatglace
Fraisier
This is the lovely light layering of genoise sponge, strawberries and kirsch-flavouredcreamthatyouseeineverypatisserieinFrance.WhenIwasservingmyapprenticeship,itwasoneofthefirstthingswemadewhenthestrawberryseasonbegan:fraisierandstrawberrytarts.Bepatientandwaitforthestrawberriestobeat their sweet, fruitiestbest anddon’tbe tempted touseout-of-seasonorunripeandhardberries,whichwon’tmatchupintermsofflavour.
Theclassicwayofpresentingafraisieristolayereverythinginsideabigringorindividualrings,startingwithalayerofspongeforthebase,andthenarrangingthestrawberries in a circle around the edge,with their rounded ends sitting on thespongeandtheirpointedendsupwards.Thecreamisspoonedinsideandasecondlayerofspongeisplacedontop,sometimesfinishedwithstrawberryglaze.Whentheringslidesoff,youhaveacrownofstrawberriesallaroundtheoutsideofthecake.
Ononeoccasion,however,wewantedtomakeafraisierforabigpartysoweexperimentedwiththesesmallersquareversionsthatpeoplecouldjustpickupandeat easily in a couple ofmouthfuls.They are easier tomake at home,while stilldeliveringalltheessentialflavoursofstrawberries,kirschandcream.Ifyouwantamoresimplecream,youcanusecrèmeChantillyinsteadofthecrèmeaubeurre.
MAKES8PORTIONS
½ quantity genoise sponge (see here) double quantity crème au beurre (see here) 4 large ripestrawberries
FORTHESYRUP:100gsugar
100mlwater
2tablespoonskirsch
Tomake the syrup,put the sugar in apanwith thewater andbring to theboil.Reducetheheatandsimmeruntilthesugarhasdissolvedandyouhaveacolourlesssyrup.Takeofftheheatandstirinthekirsch.
To assemble, cut the genoise sponge in half. Lay one half in the base of a deepserving dish. Brush liberally with half of the syrup, so that the sponge is wellsoaked.
Spreadhalfof thecrèmeaubeurreevenlyover the top.Lay theotherhalfof thespongeontopandpressdowna little.Soakwithmoresyrupasbefore (youmaynotneedallofit).Spreadtherestofthecrèmeaubeurreoverthetop,smoothingitsothatitisflat.Putintothefridgeforabout2–3hoursorpreferablyovernight.
To serve, dip a sharp knife into hotwater and cut the fraisier neatly into eightsquaresorrectangles.Cutyourstrawberriesinhalfandplaceahalf,cutsidedown,ontopofeach.
Fraisier
Fraisier
Quatre-quartBreton
Mymother used tomake these little cakes forme forwhen I came home fromschool, and they are still fashionable in Brittany. The name, whichmeans ‘fourquarters’,comesfromthefact thattheyaremadewithonlyfour ingredients:youbreaktheeggsandweighthem,andthenaddthesameweightofbutter,sugarandflour (with a little baking powder). The key to the flavour is the salted Bretonbutter.
MAKES8
For4shelledmediumeggs,youneedthesameweightof:castersugarplainflour(plus1teaspoonbakingpowder)saltedbutter,melted(plusalittleextraforgreasingthetins)2eatingapples(somethingwithalittlesharpness,likeaCoxorBraeburn)Preheattheovento200°C/gas6.
Inabowl,beattheeggsandsugaruntilpaleandfluffy.
Foldintheflourandbakingpowder.
Stirinthemeltedbutter.
Greaseeightsmalltarttins(about10–12cmindiameterand2.5cmdeep)verywellwithbutter,anddividethebatterbetweenthem.
Peeltheapples,cutinhalf,takeoutthecore,andthensliceeachhorizontally.Putaroundfourslicesontopofeachtinofbatter.
Putintothepreheatedovenandbakefor25–30minutesuntilgoldenandslightlypuffedup.Leaveuntilcoolenoughtohandle,thenturnoutandcoolonarack.
Quatre-quartBreton
Îlesflottantes
ThisistheclassicpuddingIrememberfromrestaurantsinFranceintheseventies,andyoustillfinditacrossthecountryinlocalbistros.Itisallaboutthecontrastingsoftness of the poached meringue, the cold cream, and the crunchiness of thecaramel.
MAKES6
1litremilk,forpoaching
½quantityItalianmeringue(seehere)doublequantitycrèmeanglaise(seehere)80gflakedalmonds
FORTHECARAMEL:200gcastersugar
4tablespoonswater
Putthemilkinawidepanandbringtoasimmer.
Using two tablespoons, scoop up themeringue, swapping themixture fromonespoontotheothertoshapeit intosixeggshapes–assmoothlyasyoucan–andlowereachone into themilk (youwillprobablyhave todo this in twobatches).Keep the milk under a simmer and let the meringues poach for 8–9 minutes,turningthemoverhalfwaythrough,untiltheyarefirmtothetouch.Liftoutwithaslottedspoonandplaceontokitchenpapertodrain.Whentheyaredry, transferthemtoasheetofbakingpaperorasiliconemat.
Makeacaramelbyputtingthesugarinapanwiththewater,bringtotheboilandcontinue to boil until golden brown (if you have a sugar thermometer, thetemperaturewill be 140°C). Itwill be really hot, so be careful. Pour a little overeachmeringueandsprinkleafewflakedalmondsontopofeachone.
Toserve,poursomecrèmeanglaiseintoeachofsixbowls,putameringueontopandsprinklewithanyremainingalmonds.
Îlesflottantes
Îlesflottantes
Raspberrybiscuits
MAKES6
1quantitysweetpastry(seehere),madewithseedsscrapedfromavanillapod,addedwiththesugaralittleflour,forrolling
TOASSEMBLE:1quantitycrèmelégère(seehere)around250graspberries
icingsugar,fordusting
6pistachionutsorsmallleavesofmint,todecorate
Preheattheovento180°C/gas4.
Lightly flour your work surface, roll out the sweet pastry dough thinly (about2mm)andcutintotwelvesquaresofabout8cm.
Laythesquaresonabakingtrayortraysandbakeinthepreheatedovenforabout10minutesuntilgolden.Removeandleavetocool.
Toassemble,takesixofthebiscuitsandlaythemroughsideupwards,spoonsomecrème légère neatly in the middle of each one, then arrange your raspberriesaround the outside. Top with the rest of the biscuits, smooth side upwards.Sprinklewithicingsugar,then,ifyoulike,placeametalscraperdiagonallyacrossonehalftocreateaneatlineand,usingablowtorch,caramelisethevisibleareaofsugar.Decoratewithapistachioormintleafinthecentre.
Raspberrybiscuits
Raspberrybiscuits
Lemontrifles
Howmanytriflesyoumakereallydependsonthesizeofyourglasses(oryoucanmakeonebigoneinaglassbowl).
Ifyoukeepany trimmingsofgenoise sponge leftover fromanother recipe inthefreezer(wrapthemingreaseproofpaperinsideafreezerbag),youcanusethemhere,ratherthanbakingthespongespecially.
MAKESAROUND6
½quantitygenoisesponge(seehere)(orequivalenttrimmings,seeabove)100mllimoncello
½quantitylemoncurd(seehere)
FORTHELEMONJELLY:3gelatineleaves
100gcastersugar
100mlwater
zestandjuiceof3unwaxedlemons
FORTHECUSTARDJELLY:3gelatineleaves
1quantitycrèmeanglaiseingredients(seehere)TODECORATE:Chantillycream,orwhippeddoublecream,orsomestripsof lemonzest,poachedinsyrup(seehere)Soak the gelatine leaves for the lemon jelly and custard jelly briefly in coldwater to soften, thensqueezeouttheexcesswater.
Forthecustardjelly,makethecrèmeanglaiseashere,butwhileitisstillwarm,stirinthethreeleavesofgelatine.
Forthelemonjelly,putthesugarandwaterinapanwiththelemonzestandjuiceandwarmuntil thesugarhasmelted.Takeoff theheat,add thegelatineandstiruntildissolved.
Cut your genoise sponge to fit each of six glasses (or use trimmings) and brushwithlimoncello,thenputinthefridgeforabout15minutesuntilset.Nowyoucanlayer up the lemon curd, lemon jelly and custard jelly – if you have any spongetrimmings left over, you can add these to a jelly layer. I quite like tomake eachtriflealittledifferent.Theimportantthingistoputtheglassesinthefridgetoseteachlayerbeforeaddingthenextone.
When all the layers are chilled, decoratewith creamor poached lemon zest andserve.
Lemontrifles
Lemontrifles
Jellyparty
Thesearefun,multi-colouredjellieswithcustardthatImadeforachildren’sparty,and everyone loved them, adults included. You can use blackcurrant or orangesquashinsteadofgrenadine.Ifyoulikeyoucanbakethebiscuitsheretoservewiththem.
MAKES10–12
1quantitylemonjelly(seehere)1quantitycustardjelly(seehere)FORTHEGRENADINEJELLY:4gelatineleaves
100gcastersugar
250mlgrenadine
200mlwater
sweetbiscuits,toserve(optional)
For the grenadine jelly, soak the gelatine briefly in cold water to soften, thensqueezeouttheexcesswater.
Putthesugar,grenadineandwaterinapanandwarmuntilthesugarhasdissolved.Takeofftheheat,addthegelatineandstiruntildissolved.
Playaroundwithlayersofeachjellyinglasses,ormouldsthatcanbeturnedout.Asinthetriflerecipehere,putyourmouldorglassinthefridgetoalloweachlayertosetbeforeaddingthenextone.Whencompletelyset,ifyouareusingmoulds,dipeachoneintoabowlofhotwaterforasecond,turnitover,shakegentlyandthejelliesshouldslitherouteasilyontoaplate.
Jellyparty
Macaronparty
Minimacarons have become incredibly popular in every colour and flavour, butmyfavouritemacaronisabigonethatyoucanshare–orforfunIliketopileuplots of them in a tower of diminishing sizes. The method for making them isessentially the same as for an Italian meringue, and like a good meringue, amacaronshouldbealittlecrispyontheoutsideandslightlychewyinthecentre.
Therecipemakesenough for fourbigmacaronsabout15cm indiameter, andthequantitiesgivenforeachofthefillingswillbeenoughforthese,oryoucanmixandmatchwithwhateveryouhave.Andofcourseyoucanmakethemacaronsinanysizeyoulike.
MAKES4LARGEMACARONS
FORTHEMACARONMIX:300gicingsugar
45mlwater
220geggwhite(fromabout6mediumeggs)
300ggroundalmonds
300ggranulatedsugar
FORTHEFILLINGS:choosefrom:
½quantitychocolateganache(seehere)½quantitylemoncurd(seehere)
½ quantity of crème Chantilly (see here), plus a punnet of fresh raspberries Preheat the oven to130°C/gas1.
Putthesugarinapanwiththewaterandheatgentlyforabout5–8minutesuntilthe sugar has dissolved and formed a colourless syrup and small bubbles arebreakingthesurface.Ifyouhaveasugarthermometer,thetemperatureshouldbe121/122°C.
Nowyouarereadytowhiskyoureggwhites.Youcandothisusingafoodmixerwithawhiskattachment,oruseahand-heldwhisk,butwhicheveryouuse,makesureyourbowlisabsolutelycleananddry,aswaterorgreasecanpreventtheeggwhitefromstiffening.Whisktheeggwhitesuntilsoft,foamypeaksformthenstopassoonasyoureachthispoint,asifyouover-whisk,theairbubblesthatyouhavecreatedwillburstandtheeggwhiteswillcollapsebackintoliquid.
Nextyouaregoingtopourthehotsyrupontotheeggwhites.Sinceyouneedbothhands–onetowhisk,onetopour–ifyouarewhiskingbyhand,thenbeforeyoustart,wrapateatowelaroundyourbowlandwedgeitinsideanemptysaucepantoholditsteady.
Whisk in the syrup, then mix the ground almonds and sugar together and tapthroughasieveintothemeringue,foldinginwithabigspoon.
Snip the corner from a piping bag, if using a disposable one, insert a 1cm plainnozzleandfillwiththemixture(seehere).
Pipeontoasiliconematorbakingtraylinedwithbakingpaper,inspiralsstartingin the centre – you canmake them any size you like. Remember you need twospiralspermacaron.
Putintothepreheatedovenforabout25–30minutesforalargemacaronofabout15cm in diameter, and allow less time, down to about 12–14minutes, for smallonesofabout3–4cm.Keepaneyeonthem:theyarereadywhentheyarefirmtothetouchontop.
Sandwichtheroundswiththefillingsofyourchoice.
Macaronparty
Macaronparty
RecipeList
RecipeListBlackcurrantmousse
Passionfruitmousse
Chocolatliegeois
BlackForestgâteau
Vind’orange
TarteTropezienne
GâteauStHonoré
Charlotteauxpommes
Chocolatemeringuetart
Bloodorangetart
Flanpatissier
Blackcurrantmousse
Oneofmyfondestmemoriesofworkingasanapprenticeistheintensesmelloftheblackcurrants andpassion fruitwhen themousseswerebeingmade.Thearomasand flavours were incredible. While the mousses were setting in their rings, Icouldn’t help running my fingertips around the mixing bowls and licking myfingers.
MAKES1×23CMMOUSSE
1quantitygenoisesponge(seehere)
50mlcrèmedecassis
FORTHEMOUSSE:6gelatineleaves
400gblackcurrants(freshorfrozen)plusafewextrafordecoration
1quantityItalianmeringue(seehere)
150mldoublecream
FORTHEGLAZE:2gelatineleaves
50gcastersugar
150mlcrèmedecassis
For the mousse, soak the gelatine leaves briefly in cold water to soften, thensqueezeouttheexcesswater.
Inablender,puréetheblackcurrantsandpushthroughafinesievetoremovetheskinandanystems.
Heataquarterofthepuréeinapan(don’tletitboil)thentakeofftheheatandstirinthegelatine,thenstirintherestofthepurée.LeaveuntilcompletelycoldthenfoldintotheItalianmeringue.
Whipthecreamuntilitformssoftpeaks(justenoughtohold),andthenfoldthisintothemeringuemixture.
Youneedapastryring(about23cmindiameterand6cmdeep).Usethisasaguidetocutoutacircleofgenoisesponge.
Placetheringonaroundcakeboardandputthespongeintothebase.Brushwiththecrèmedecassis.Pourthemoussemixtureontopandspreadoutgentlysothatit is level.Youneedtostopabout1mmbelowtherimofthering,toallowspacefora layerofglazeon top.Liftonecornerof thecakeboardvery slightlywithapaletteknife,andtapitverygentlyupanddownjusttoremoveanylargepocketsofairfromthemousse.Putinthefridgeforatleastanhouruntilsetandcold.
Tomaketheglaze,soakthegelatineincoldwatertosoften,thensqueezeouttheexcesswater.Putthesugarandcrèmedecassisinapanandwarmuntilthesugarhasdissolved.
Takeofftheheat,addthegelatineandstiruntildissolved.Leaveuntilcoolbutnotset.
Dipthecurrantsfordecorationintotheglazetocoatthem,andkeeptooneside.
Takethemoussefromthefridge,pourathinlayerofglazeoverthetop.Decoratethetopwithreservedblackcurrantsandputbackintothefridgeforaminimumof4hours,orpreferablyovernight,toset.
Toremovethering,loosenitfirstaroundtheedgeofthemoussewithaveryslimbendyblade,orwarmtheringwithablowtorchverybrieflyfromadistance,thenslideoff.
Blackcurrantmousse
Blackcurrantmousse
Passionfruitmousse
IfirstmadethisintheeightieswhenpassionfruitwerealltherageinFrance,anditisstilloneofmyfavouritefruitmousses.Ideallyusefreshpassionfruit–butbeaware that you need around twenty! Alternatively, there are some good ready-madefrozenpuréesoutthere.
MAKES1×23CMMOUSSE
6gelatineleaves
50gcastersugar
8mediumeggyolks
around20ripepassionfruit(enoughtogive250gpulp)or250gready-madefrozenpurée,defrosted550mldoublecream
80mlmilk
1vanillapod
½quantityItalianmeringue(seehere)
1quantitygenoisesponge(seehere)
FORTHESUGARSYRUP:100gsugar
100mlwater
2tablespoonsrumorMalibu
FORTHEGLAZE:2gelatineleaves
50gcastersugar
250mlapplejuice
seedsfromthreeorfourofthepassionfruit
Soakthegelatineincoldwatertosoften,thensqueezeouttheexcesswater.
Tomake the syrup,put the sugar in apanwith thewater andbring to theboil.Reducetheheatandsimmeruntilthesugarhasdissolvedandyouhaveacolourlesssyrup.TakeofftheheatandstirintherumorMalibuandallowtocool.
Whiskthesugarandeggyolksinabowluntilthemixturehasbecomepale.
If using fresh passion fruit, cut them in half, scoop out the seeds and scrape thepulpintoapan(keeptheseedsfromthreeorfourofthefruittoonesidetousefortheglazelater),orusepurée.Add50mlofthecreamandallofthemilktothepan,withthevanillapod(cutinhalfandseedsscrapedin),andbringtoasimmer.Takeofftheheatandslowlypourontothesugarandeggmixture,whiskingallthetime.
Returnthemixturetothepanandsimmergently,stirring,untilyouhaveacustardthickenoughtocoatthebackofawoodenspoon.
Takeofftheheatandleavetocoolslightly.Removethevanillapod,thenstirinthegelatineuntilitdissolves.Leavetocoolcompletely.FoldintheItalianmeringue.
Inaseparatebowl,whisktherestofthedoublecreamuntil thickenoughforthewhisktoleavearibbontrailwhenyouliftitup,thenfoldthisintothecustardandmeringuemixture.
Youneedapastryring(about23cmindiameterand6cmdeep).Usethisasaguidetocutoutacircleofgenoisesponge.
Place the ring on a round cake board and put the sponge into the base. Brushliberallywiththesyrup.Pourthemoussemixtureontopandspreadoutgentlysothat it is level.Youneed to stopabout1mmbelow the rimof the ring, to allowspaceforalayerofglazeontop.Liftonecornerofthecakeboardveryslightlywithapaletteknife,andtapitverygentlyupanddownjusttoremoveanylargepocketsofairfromthemousse.Putinthefridgeforatleastanhouruntilsetandcold.
Meanwhile,maketheglaze.Soakthegelatineincoldwatertosoften,thensqueezeouttheexcesswater.Putthesugar,fruitjuiceandpassionfruitseeds,ifyouhave
them,inapanandwarmthrough.Takeofftheheatandstirinthegelatine.Leaveuntilcoolbutnotset.
Takethemousse fromthe fridge,poura thin layerofglazeover the topandputbackintothefridgeforaminimumof4hours,orpreferablyovernight,toset.
Toremovethering,loosenitfirstaroundtheedgeofthemoussewithaveryslimbendyblade,orwarmtheringwithablowtorchverybrieflyfromadistance,thenslideoff.
Passionfruitmousse
Chocolatliegeois
Thisisatakeontheclassiccaféliegeois,whichismadewithcoffeeicecreamandcream.WeusechocolatespongeandChantillycream–andnoicecream.
MAKESAROUND8SLICES
1quantitychocolategenoisesponge(seehere)1quantitycrèmeChantilly(seehere)
cocoapowder,fordusting
FORTHECHOCOLATEGANACHE:400mldoublecream
50mlliquidglucose
500ggoodqualitydarkchocolate(atleast70%cocoasolids)
100gbutter
FORTHESYRUP:100gsugar
100mlwater
2tablespoonsstrongcoffee
FORTHEGLAZE:200ggoodqualitydarkchocolate(atleast70%cocoasolids)
50mlvegetableoil
Cutthespongeintothreestripslengthways.
Tomaketheganache,heatthecreamandglucoseinapanuntiljustbelowtheboil,pour onto the dark chocolate and whisk or use a hand blender to emulsifyeverythingtogether.Allowtocoolfor5–10minutesthenwhiskinthebutter.
Tomake the syrup,put the sugar in apanwith thewater andbring to theboil.Reducetheheatandsimmeruntilthesugarhasdissolvedandyouhaveacolourlesssyrup.Takeofftheheatandstirinthecoffee.
Toassemble,beatthechocolateganachejustbeforeusing,asthishelpstolightenit.Laythefirst layerofspongeonarectangularcakeboardandbrush liberallywiththesyrupuntilwellsoaked,thenspreadwiththreequartersoftheChantillycream.Add the next layer of sponge and brush with syrup as before. Spread with theganache.
Topwith the final layer of sponge and brushwith syrup again. Spreadwith theremainingChantillycreamandput intothefridgeforat least30minutestofirmup.Meanwhile,tomaketheglaze,breakthechocolateintochunksandputintoaheatproofbowloverapanofgentlysimmeringwater,makingsurethebasedoesn’ttouch the water – you don’t want to get any heat or steam in the bowl, whichwouldmakethechocolatestiffenandbecomedull.
Letthechocolatemeltgently,stirring,thenstirintheoilwithawhiskandallowtocooltoaspreadingconsistency.
Takethecakeoutofthefridgeandpourtheglazeoverthetop.Don’tworryif itdrizzlesoverthesidealittle.Putbackintothefridgeforanother2hours,thenifyouwanttoneatenitupyoucantrimthesideswheretheglazehasdrizzled,withaknife dipped first into hot water. Then slice crossways into around eight slices,dependingonhowwideyoulikethem.
Dusteachslicewithcocoathroughafinesieve.Ifyoulikeyoucancoverhalfofthetopwithbakingpaperdiagonallyasyoudothis.Whenyouliftitoffyouwillhaveasharplinebetweenmattandshinychocolate.
Chocolatliegeois
Chocolatliegeois
BlackForestgâteau
ThisfamouscakeisactuallyverysimilartotheChocolatLiegeoishere,inthatitisconstructedwithlayersofchocolatespongeandcream,butofcourseithascherriesadded–preferablyusethebigsyrupyItalianAmarenaones,ifyoucanfindthem.
MAKES1×30CMCAKE
200gcherriesinsyrup
about4tablespoonskirsch
1quantitychocolategenoisesponge(seehere)1quantitycrèmeChantilly(seehere)
cocoapowder,fordusting(optional)
FORTHECHOCOLATEGANACHE:400mldoublecream
50mlliquidglucose
500ggoodqualitydarkchocolate(atleast70%cocoasolids)
100gbutter
Drainthecherries,reservingthesyrup,andmixthiswiththekirsch.
Cutthecherriesinhalfiftheyarelarge.
Linea30cm-longterrineorbreadtinwithclingfilmtooverhangtheedges.
Cutthespongeintothreestripsthatwillfitinsidethemould.Laythefirststripinplaceandbrushliberallywiththekirschsyrupsothatitiswellsoaked.
Spreadwithhalfof theChantilly cream.Push inhalfof thecherries as evenlyasyoucan.Laythenextlayerofspongeontopandbrushwithsyrupasbefore.
Spreadwith the rest of theChantilly creamandpush in the rest of the cherries.Finish with the remaining layer of sponge and press down gently. Fold the
clingfilmoverthetop.
Putinthefridgeforatleast2hourstoset.
Meanwhile, tomake the ganache, heat the cream and glucose in a panuntil justbelowtheboil,pourontothedarkchocolateandwhiskoruseahandblender toemulsifyalltogether.Allowtocoolfor5–10minutesthenwhiskinthebutter.
Takethegâteaufromthefridgeandopentheclingfilm.Toturnout,placeacakeboardontopoftheterrineorbreadtinand,usingbothhands,firmlygripbothandturnovertogether.Removetheclingfilm.
Pourhalfoftheganacheoverthetopandsidesofthegâteauandsmoothitalittlewithapaletteknife.Putintothefridgetosetforatleasthalfanhour,thentakeoutandpourovertherestoftheganache,smoothingitwellwithapaletteknifesothatit is even.Put back into the fridge and chill for a further 2hours at least beforeserving.Dustwithcocoapowder,ifdesired.
BlackForestgâteau
BlackForestgâteau
Vind’orangeThiscooldrinkrecipecomescourtesyofLaFontained’Ampus,alovelyrestaurantina courtyard in thepretty littlehillsidevillageofAmpus,France,nearmywifeJo’sfamilyholidayhomeinProvence.Itisbrilliantonasummer’seveningwithawedge of Tarte Tropezienne. In France you can buy ‘l’alcool pour fruit’ in thesupermarket,butIsuggestyouusevodka.Youdoneedspaceforabigtupperwareboxinthebottomofthefridge(oryoucouldhalvethequantity)–andyouneedpatience,asyouhavetowait40daysforittobeready!
Quarter8orangesand2lemons,leavingtheskinon.Putinalargetupperwarebox(thathasalid)alongwith5litresofroséwine,1litrevodka,850gsugar,abayleaf,3 cloves and a stick of cinnamon. Put on the lid and leave in the bottomof thefridgefor40days,thenfilter,bottleandkeepchilled.
TarteTropezienne
ThisisatraditionaltarteinandaroundStTropez.MyfriendThierryPezzuli,whorunsabakeryinnearbyLesArcssurArgens,makesgreatbigtartes,andwhenwearethereonholiday,healwaysbringsonewhenhecomesaroundforanaperitif.Thisrecipeisinspiredbyhisversion.
It isn’t a classic tart aswe thinkof them in theUK; it ismore like aVictoriasponge,butmadewithalight,sweetdough.Althoughitwillkeepforacoupleof
daysinthefridge,itisbesteatenfreshatroomtemperaturewithaglassofroséor,evenbetter,vind’orange,thelocaltipple.
Thedoughisdifficulttomakeinsmallquantities,soIsuggestyoueitherfreezehalfofthedoughforanothertime,oruseittomaketinydoughnuts(seehere).Theeasiest way tomake it is using a foodmixer, otherwise you need to followmyspecialstretch-and-foldtechniquefordough.
MAKES2×23CMTARTES
alittlebutterforgreasingandflourfordusting,ifusingabakingring
FORTHEFERMENT:125mlfull-fatmilk
½teaspoonfreshyeast
125gstrongbreadflour
FORTHEDOUGH:375gstrongbreadflour
10gfreshyeast
35gcastersugar
10gsalt
1mediumegg
60gbutter
125mlfull-fatmilk
Warmthemilkforthefermentuntiljusttepidthenpourintothebowlofafoodmixer.Crumbletheyeastintotheflour,addtothemilkandwhiskuntilyouhaveamixture like a thick porridge. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and leave for aminimumof2hoursatroomtemperature.
Addall thedoughingredients to the fermentandmixfor3–4minutesonaslowspeed,thenabout10minutesatmediumspeeduntilthedoughcomesawaycleanlyfromthesidesofthebowl.
Lightlyflouryourworksurfaceandturnoutthedough.Folditoveronitselfafewtimesthenformitintoatightball.Coverwithacleanteatowelandleavetorestforatleastanhourinadraught-freeplace.
FORTHEFILLING(FOR1TARTE):afewdropsoforangefloweressence
1quantitycrèmelégère(seehere)
TODECORATE:1mediumegg,beatenwithapinchofsalt
2tablespoonsflakedalmonds
alittleicingsugar,fordusting
Divideintotwoballs.Freezeoneatthispoint,oruseitfordoughnuts(seehere).Roll the remaining ball into a circle, roughly 23cm in diameter and about 5mmthick.
Youcaneitherlaythedoughstraightontoanon-stickbakingtray,orifyouwantaneateredge,placearing,about23cmandlightlybutteredandfloured,ontopofthetray, and lift the circle of dough into it. Cover againwith a clean tea towel andleavetoprovefor1hour.
Preheattheovento190°C/gas5,andideallyputabakingstoneorupturnedbakingtrayonthemiddleshelftoheatup–whenyouplaceyourtrayofdoughonit,thiswillhelptodirecttheheatquicklytothebaseofthetart.
Brushthetopofthedoughwiththebeatenegg.Scatterwithflakedalmonds.Placethebakingtrayontopofyourbakingstoneorupturnedtrayintheovenforabout20–25minutesuntildarkgoldenbrownonthetop.Ifyouliftanedgeofthebasewithapaletteknife,itshouldbelightbrownandfirmunderneath.
Takeoutoftheoven,liftofftheringifusing,andleavethetartetocoolonarack.
Mix theorange flower essence into the crème légère andwhen the tarte is cool,sliceinhalfhorizontallyandsandwichwiththecream.Dustthealmondswithicingsugar.
TarteTropezienne
GâteauStHonoré
St Honoré is the patron saint of the boulanger, and this construction of chouxpastry,creamandcaramelwascreatedasakindoftributetohim.Honoréwasalsothenameofmyfirstboss,whichIfoundveryamusingatthetime.
MAKES2SMALLGÂTEAUX
1quantitychouxpastrymixture(seehere)
doublequantitycrèmeChantilly(seehere)
4tablespoonsflakedalmonds(optional)
FORTHECARAMEL:200gcastersugar
2tablespoonswater
Preheat the oven to 190°C/gas 5. Lightly grease a non-stick baking tray or havereadyasiliconemat.
Ifdecoratingwithalmonds,toasttheselightlyinadryfryingpanuntilpalegolden.Takeofftheheatandkeeptooneside.
Snipoffthecornerofapipingbag,ifusingadisposableone,insertaplainnozzleabout1cmindiameterandfillwiththechouxpastrymixture.
Pipetwospiralbasesabout15–18cmindiameterontothebakingtrayormat(startpiping from the centre and work outwards in circles). Then pipe twelve dots(aboutthesizeofa£1coinindiameter)–makesuretheyarespacedwellapart.
Bakeinthepreheatedovenfor12–15minutesuntilgoldenandpuffedup.Forthelast 4minutes of baking, leave the oven door slightly ajar to allow the steam to
escapeandhelp thedryingprocess.Remove the tray from theovenand leave tocool.
Makeaholeinthebaseofeachbun.FillanewpipingbagfittedwithasmallplainnozzlewiththeChantillycreamandpipealittleintoeachbun–keepabouthalfofthecreambackfordecoratingthegâteaux.
Makethecaramelbyputtingthesugar inapanwiththewater,bringtotheboiland continue to boil until golden brown (if you have a sugar thermometer, thetemperaturewillbe140°C).Itwillbereallyhot,sobecareful.
To assemble, carefully dip thebaseof eachbun into the caramel and stick sixofthemaroundtheedgeofeachspiral.
PipetherestoftheChantillycreaminthecentreandinthegapsaroundthebuns.
Take a spoonor fork, dip it into the caramel and swirl it around the top of thegâteaux in thin strands to decorate. Finish, if you like, with toasted almondsscatteredover.
GâteauStHonoré
GâteauStHonoré
Charlotteauxpommes
Thisalwayslooksimpressive,andsopeoplethinkitmustbedifficulttomake,butitisn’t.Itjusttakesabitoftimeandplanning…anditiswellworththeeffort.
It ismadewith abavarois – a light cream,madewith custard andmeringue–mixedwithcaramelisedapples,encasedinslim,light,puffybiscuitsàlacuillère(thelong, thinbiscuits thatgoaroundthesideofacakeareoftencalled ‘ladyfingers’).Youwantsomeappleswithabitofcharacterandsharpnessforthis,suchasCoxorBraeburnoragoodlocalvariety.Youcouldalsousepears.
I like to decorate the charlottewithwafer-thin slices of dried apple scatteredoverthetop,whichgivesitanautumnallook.
MAKESAROUND8SLICES
FORTHEAPPLEBAVAROIS:50gbutter
2tablespoonssugar
4eatingapples,peeled,coredanddiced
2tablespoonsCalvadosorSomersetCiderBrandy
4gelatineleaves
80gcastersugar
3mediumeggyolks
150mlapplejuice
1vanillapod
250mldoublecream
1quantityItalianmeringue(seehere)
FORTHEBISCUITSÀLACUILLÈRE:3mediumeggs,separated
90gcastersugar
90gplainflour,sifted
TODUSTTHEBISCUITS:60gicingsugar
FORTHESUGARSYRUP:100gsugar
1tablespoonCalvadosorSomersetCiderBrandy
100mlwater
TODECORATE:Driedapples(seehere)
Youneedanumber3(2-pint)puddingbowl.Preheattheovento170°C/gas3.
Tocaramelisetheapplesforthebavarois,meltthebutterandsugarinapanuntillightgolden,putintheapplesandstirwell.AddtheCalvadosandtosstheapplesaround,untiltenderandlightlycaramelised,thentakeofftheheatandkeeptooneside.
Tomakethesugarsyrup,putthesugarinapanwiththeCalvadosandwaterandbringtotheboil.Reducetheheatandsimmeruntilthesugarhasdissolvedandyouhaveacolourlesssyrup.Takeofftheheatandallowtocool.
Tomakethebiscuitsàlacuillère,whisktheeggwhitestosoftpeaks,thenadd60gofthesugarandcontinuetowhiskuntilyouhaveameringuethatisthickenoughtoholdontothewhisk.
In a separatebowl,whisk the rest of the sugarwith the egg yolksuntil pale andcreamy.
Mix themeringue into the egg yolkmixwith awooden spoon, then fold in theflour–themixturewillnowbeverythickandcreamy.
Havereadyanon-stickbakingtray,orpreferablyasiliconemat.Snipoffthecornerof apipingbag, ifusingadisposableone, insert a1cmplainnozzle, fillwith thebiscuitsmixtureandpipefourteenfingers,eacharound11cmlong.Nextyouneedtopipe three spirals (startpiping from the centre andworkoutwards in circles).Thefirst,forthebaseofthebowl,shouldbearound8cm;thesecond,whichwillgo
inthemiddleofthebowl,shouldbearound10cm;andthe largest,whichwillbeforthetop,needstobearound12cm.
Sprinkletheicingsugaroverthetopusingasmallsieve.
Put the tray or mat into the preheated oven and bake for 10minutes until thebiscuits colour very lightly, expand and are spongy to the touch.Take out of theovenandleavetocool.
For the bavarois, soak the gelatine in coldwater to soften, then squeeze out theexcesswater.
Whiskthesugarandeggyolksinabowluntilpale.
Puttheapplejuiceinapanwiththevanillapod(halvedandseedsscrapedin)andbring to a simmer. Take off the heat and slowly pour onto the sugar and egg
mixture,whiskingallthetime.
Return this apple custard to thepan and simmergently, stirring,until thickenedslightly.
Takeofftheheat,removethevanillapod,thenleavetocoolslightlyandstirinthegelatineuntilitdissolves.Leavetocoolcompletely.
Inalargebowlwhiskthedoublecreamuntilthickenoughforthewhisktoleavearibbon trail when you lift it up. Now fold in the Italian meringue, caramelisedapple,andapplecustard.
To assemble the charlotte, line your pudding basin with clingfilm and put thesmallest spiral of biscuit into the base, with the sugary side facing downwards.Arrangethefingersofbiscuitverticallyaroundthebasin,withthesugarysidefacingoutwards,andoverlappingslightly–makesuretherearenogaps–thenbrushthe
insidesofallthebiscuitsliberallywiththereservedsugarsyrup–theywillsoakitupwell,sobegenerous.
Spoonintheapplebavaroismixturetocomehalfwayupthebasin.
Place themedium-sized spiral of biscuit on top– again this should go in sugaredsidedownwards–andbrushwithsyrup.
Spoonintherestofthebavaroismixture.Youaregoingtoputthefinalbiscuitontop,withthesugaredsideupwardsthistime,sobeforeyoudoso,brushthesmoothundersidewiththerestofthesyrup.
Placethebiscuitgentlyontop.Don’tworryaboutthefingersstickingupbeyondthefinalspiralofbiscuitatthispoint,asoncethecharlotteissetyouwilltrimthem.Ifyouhaveanymixture leftover,put it intoa freezerboxand let it set–apple icecream!
Putthebowlintothefridgefor4–5hours,ideallyovernight,toset.Whenreadytoserve,trimthetopsofthespongefingerssothattheyarelevelwiththetopspiral.
Toturnout,placeaservingplateontopofthebasinand,usingbothhands,firmlygrip the plate and basin and turn both over together.The charlotte should slideeasilyontotheplate.Decoratewithslicesofdriedapple–theywillstickwhereveryouputthem.
Charlotteauxpommes
Charlotteauxpommes
Chocolatemeringuetart
Thisisaplayontheclassicfondantpudding–softandmeltinginside–combinedwithItalianmeringue.SometimesIembednuggetsofchocolatesaltedcaramelintothe chocolate filling before baking – if you want to do this the recipe for thecaramels ishere.Withorwithout them it is a serioushit of rich sweetness: youhavebeenwarned!
MAKES1×30CMTART
1quantityItalianmeringue(seehere)
FORTHECHOCOLATEFILLING:50gcastersugar
2largeeggs,plus3mediumyolks
200ggoodqualitydarkchocolate(atleast70%cocoasolids)
150gunsaltedbutter
80gplainflour
TODECORATE:Long,thinchocolatepencils(seehere),optionalPreheattheovento90°C/gas¼.
Topipe themeringue for the tart case, cut the cornerof apipingbag, ifusingadisposable one, and insert a 1cm star nozzle. Fillwith half of themeringue and,beginninginthecentre,pipeitroundandroundinaspiraluntilyouhaveacircleofabout24–25cmindiameter,whichwillbethebaseofyourtartcase.Nextpipean edge about 2cmhigh – you can either do this by going around twice, or justonce,liftingthenozzleupanddownasyougo,inawavemotion(seepicturehere).
Putintothepreheatedovenforabout4hoursuntildriedoutandsolidtothetouchbutnotcoloured.Removeandkeeptooneside.
Turnuptheovento160°C/gas3.
Forthechocolatefilling,whiskthesugarandthewholeeggsandyolksuntiltheyturnapalestrawcolourandcreamy.
Break the chocolate into chunks and put into a bowl over a pan of gentlysimmeringwater,makingsurethebasedoesn’ttouchthewater–youdon’twanttoget any heat or steam in the bowl,whichwouldmake the chocolate stiffen andbecomedull.
Letthechocolatemeltgently,stirring,thenaddthebutterandcontinuetostiruntilthistoohasmelted.
Takeofftheheatandstirintothesugarandeggmixture,untilitisallincorporated.Gentlyfoldintheflour.
Spoon into themeringue case and smooth the top, then put into the preheatedovenandbake for15minutesuntil themixture isspringyto thetouch.Don’tbetemptedtoleaveitinanylongerasthecentreshouldbesoftandgooeywhenyoucutintothetart.
Leavetocoolandthendecorate,ifyoulike,withthechocolatepencils.
Chocolatemeringuetart
Chocolatemeringuetart
Bloodorangetart
Bloodorangeshaveanalmostgrapefruityflavour,butwhentheyarenotinseason,youcanuseboughtbloodorangejuice,plusthezestofthreeordinaryoranges.
Youcoulddustthetopofthetartwithicingsugarafterbaking,andcarameliseitwithablowtorch,however it looksquite special ifyoudecorate itwith slicesofcaramelisedoranges.Ifyoulike,youcanmakemorethanyouneedandpotthemwhile still hot into sterilised jars (see here), where they will keep for severalmonths.
MAKES1×20CMTART
1quantitysweetpastry(seehere)
butterorbakingspray,forgreasingthetarttin
alittleflour,forrolling
6mediumeggs,plus1mediumeggbeatenwithapinchofsalt
zestandjuicefromaround3bloodoranges(youneed250mlofjuice)
400gcastersugar
250gunsaltedbutter
1tablespooncornflour
FORTHECARAMELISEDORANGEDECORATION:100gsugar
200mlwater
1bloodorangeorordinaryorange,cutcrosswaysintothinrounds(about5mm)
Lightlygreasea20cmloose-bottomedtarttinwithbutterorbakingspray.
Lightly dust your work surface with flour, then roll out the pastry into a circle5mmthickandlargeenoughtofitintothetin,leavinganoverhangofabout2.5cm.
Rollthepastryaroundyourrollingpinsothatyoucanliftitupwithoutstretchingit,thendrapeitoverthetinandletitfallinside.
Easethepastrycarefullyintothebaseandsidesofthetinwithoutstretchingit,andleave it overhanging the edges. Tap the tin lightly against yourwork surface tosettleitin.Prickthebaseofthepastryalloverwithaforktostopitfromtryingtoriseupwhenintheoven(eventhoughitwillbehelddownbybakingbeans,itcansometimesliftalittle).
Youcanusealargesheetofbakingpaperforliningyourtartcase,howeverIpreferto use clingfilm (the kind that is safe for use in the oven ormicrowave) as it issofterthanpaperandwon’tleaveindentsinthepastry.
Place three sheetsof clingfilm(oronesheetofbakingpaper)over the topof thepastry case, then tip in your baking beans and spread them out so that theycompletelycoverthebase.Don’ttrimthepastryyet.Putthecaseintothefridgeforatleastanhour(orthefreezerfor15minutes)torelaxit.
Preheattheovento190°C/gas5.
Removethepastrycasefromthefridgeandputintothepreheatedovenforabout20minutesuntilthebasehasdriedoutandisverylightlycoloured,likeparchment.
Removefromtheovenandliftouttheclingfilm(orbakingpaper)andbeans.Don’tworry if the overhanging edges are quite brown, as youwill be trimming theseawayafteryouhavefinishedbakingyourtart.
Brushtheinsideofthepastrycasewiththebeateneggandputitbackintotheovenforanother10minutes.Theinsideofthepastry,andparticularlythebase,willnowbequitegoldenbrownandshinyfromtheeggglaze,whichwillactasabarriersothatthepastrywillstaycrispwhenyouputinthefilling.
Letthepastrycasecooldownandthenyoucantrimawaytheoverhangingedges.
Turndowntheovenheatto120°C/gas½.
To make the filling, whisk together the orange zest and juice, the eggs, sugar,butterandcornflour inabowl, thenplaceoverapanofbarelysimmeringwater,making sure the base of the bowl doesn’t actually touch the water. Whiskconstantlyoveralowheat,movingthemixturearoundthebowlwell,sothatnonestickstothesides.
Onceitstartstobecomealittlethickerthandoublecream,continuetowhiskforonemoreminutethentakeofftheheat.Totestthatitisready,scoopalittlebitofmixturewithateaspoonandpushitagainsttheinsideofthebowltowardsthetop.Itshouldstaywhereit iswithoutdripping.If itdoesn’t,put itbackovertheheatandwhiskbrieflyforanotherminuteatatime,untilitpassesthetest.
Pourintothepastrycaseandbakeinthepreheatedovenforabout15minutesoruntilthefillingisset.
Leavetocoolforacoupleofhourstoroomtemperaturebeforeeating.
Meanwhile,forthecaramelisedoranges,makeasyrupbyputtingthesugarinapanwith thewaterandbringing it to theboil.Reduce theheatandsimmeruntil thesugar has dissolved and you have a colourless syrup. Turn the heat as low aspossible.
Putintheorangeslicesandletthempoachverygentlyinthesyrupforagoodhouratleast.Takeofftheheat,coolanddrainoffthesyrupbeforearrangingonthetopofthetart.
Bloodorangetart
Bloodorangetart
Flanpatissier
This is the tart that you see in patisseries all over France (the equivalent of acustardtart).Itisoftenmadeinalongslabthatcanbeslicedasatreatatanytimeoftheday,butespeciallyforchildrencominghomefromschool.
MAKES1×20CMFLAN
1quantitysweetpastry(seehere)
alittlebutterorbakingspray,forgreasingthetin
alittleflour,forrolling
FORTHEFILLING:200mlfull-fatmilk
200mldoublecream
1vanillapod
1mediumegg,plus1mediumyolk
100gcastersugar
40gcornflour
20gbutter,melted
Preheattheovento190°C/gas5.
Lightlygreasea20cmloose-bottomedtarttinwithbutterorbakingspray.
Lightly dust your work surface with flour, then roll out the pastry into a circle5mmthickandlargeenoughtofitintothetin,leavinganoverhangofabout2.5cm.
Rollthepastryaroundyourrollingpinsothatyoucanliftitupwithoutstretchingit, then drape it over the tin and let it fall inside. Bake blind according to theinstructionshere–here.
Turndowntheovento180°C/gas4.
Tomakethefilling,putthemilk,creamandvanillapod(splitandseedsscrapedin)inapan,bringtoasimmer(becarefulnottoletthemixtureboil),thentakeofftheheatandleavetoinfuseforatleastanhour.Removethevanillapod.
Inabowl,mixtheegg,yolkandsugaruntilpaleandcreamy,andthenwhiskinthecornflour.Stirinthemeltedbutter.
Put the pan containing themilk and creammixture back on the heat and bringslowlytotheboil,whiskingallthetime,thenturndowntoasimmerfor1minute,still whisking all the time. Take off the heat and pour onto the egg and sugarmixture,stirringwell.
Pourthemixtureintothetartcaseandbakeforaround45minutes,untilthefillingisfirmtothetouchandadeep,darkgoldenontop–likethetopofacrèmebrûlée.Takeoutoftheoven,slideoffthetin,andcoolcompletelyonawirerackbeforeserving.
Flanpatissier
Flanpatissier
RecipeList
RecipeListRicepuddingtartlets
Madeleines
Cannelés
Minidoughnuts
Framboisiers
Strawberryandlavendermarshmallows
Billionairebiscuits
Chocolaterumprunes
Chocolatesaltedcaramels
Coconutandpineapplebites
Chocolatelollipops
Pâtedefruits
Fruitworms
Dodos
Ricepuddingtartlets
Areallymoreish,comfortingcombinationofcreamyricepudding, jamandsweetpastry.Youcouldbaketheseina12-holetarttinoruseindividualtins,suchastheleaf-shapedtinsshownhere.
MAKESAROUND12
1quantitysweetpastry(seehere)alittleflour,forrolling
alittlebutter,forgreasingthetins
1egg,beatenwithapinchofsalt
around100graspberryjam(seehereforhome-made)icingsugar,toserve
FORTHERICEPUDDING:
350mlfull-fatmilk
150mldoublecream
1vanillapod
1cardamompod,lightlycrushed
zestof1lemon
60gsugar
100garboriorice
Preheattheovento190°C/gas5.
Tomake the rice pudding, put themilk, cream and vanilla pod (split and seedsscrapedin)inapanwiththecardamompodandlemonzestandbringtoasimmer.Stir in the sugar and the rice and continue to simmervery gently for around30minutesuntilthemilkandcreamhavebeenabsorbedandthericeistender.Takeofftheheat.
Skimafinefilmofflouroveryourworksurfaceandrolloutthepastrytoaround2–3mmthick.Lightlygreasea12-holetarttinorindividualtins.Cutoutthepastryintotwelveroundsorshapes,dependingonwhattinsyoudecidetouse.Ifusinga12-holetin,stampoutyourcirclesofpastrywithacutterthatisabout2.5cmbiggerthantheholes.Ifusingindividualtinsthesetendtobealittledeeper,soallowanextra3cmallround.Ifthetinsareanunusualshape,turnoneofthemupsidedownon topofyourpastryasaguideand thencutaround it,makingyour shape3cmbiggerallround.Pressthepastryintothetinsandrunarollingpinoverthetop,whichwilltrimtheedgesneatly.Thenlineeachcasewithasmallpieceofclingfilmandsomebakingbeansandbakeblind(seehere–here)inthepreheatedovenfor15minutes, then remove and brush the insides with beaten egg. Put back into theovenforanother8minutesuntilgoldenbrownandshiny.
Removefromtheovenandturndowntheheatto180ºC/gas4.
Spreadabouta teaspoonfulof jam into thebaseof each tartlet case, and then fillwithricepudding(removethevanillapodfirst).Putbackintotheovenforabout15–20minutesuntilalittlecrustformsontopoftherice.
Serveeitherwarmorcold,dustedwithalittleicingsugar.
Ricepuddingtartlets
Ricepuddingtartlets
Madeleines
You can buy madeleines – cakes with a little dome on top – in big packets insupermarketsalloverFrance,butifyoumakeyourown,itisveryrewarding.Youcanbuymetalorsiliconemadeleinetraysbigenoughtomakeupto24atatime.
InthebakerywhereIworkedinFrancewewouldaddtoppingsofchocolateandnuts– it is up to you, but Ihave suggesteddipping someof themadeleines intomeltedchocolateandthenhazelnuts,andtherestinchocolatefollowedbyalittledustingofcocoapowder.
MAKESAROUND24
4eggs
180gcastersugar
50ghoney
275gplainflour
25gbakingpowder
250gbutter,plusalittleextraforgreasingthemoulds(unlessusingsilicone)zestof½lemon
TODECORATE(OPTIONAL):about200ggoodqualitydarkchocolate(70%cocoasolids),brokenintopiecesa littlecocoapowder,fordusting
about2tablespoonscrushedroastedhazelnuts
In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, honey, flour and baking powder andleaveforaminimumoffourhoursinthefridge,ideallyovernight.
Preheattheovento190°C/gas5.
Putthebutterintoafoodmixerwiththelemonzestandbeatittosoften(oruseahand-heldmixer).Taketheeggandhoneymixturefromthefridgeandaddtothe
butter.Mixuntilitiswellincorporated.Lightlygreaseyourmadeleinetrays,thenspoonthemixtureintothetraysandputintothepreheatedoven.
Turn down the heat to 170°C/gas 3 and bake for 7–8 minutes until risen andgolden.Takeoutoftheoven,turnoutandcoolonawirerack.
Ifyouwanttomakechocolatemadeleines,putthechocolateintoaheatproofbowlover a panof barely simmeringwater –make sure thewater comes close to thebottomofthebowlbutdoesn’tactuallytouchit.Keeptheheatverylowsothatyoudon’tgetsteamintothebowl,asthiscanmakethechocolatebecomedull-lookingandstiff.Keepstirringallthetimeandletthechocolatemeltslowly,thenremovethebowlfromtheheat.
Have the hazelnuts ready in a shallow bowl. Dip the rounded ends of themadeleinesintothechocolateandthendiphalfofthemintothebowlofcrushednutssothatthenutscoatthechocolate.Returntothewireracktoset.
For the rest, dust part of the chocolate-dipped area with cocoa powder using asmall,finesieveandplaceontherack.
Madeleines
Madeleines
Cannelés
AspecialityfromtheBordeauxregion,cannelésarethesedaysfashionablealloverFrance.Theyarechewyandcaramelised,andit is impossibletoeat justone!Theold-fashionedcannelémouldswereindividualandmadeofcopper,howeverthesedaysyoucanbuysiliconetraysofthemthatallowyoutobakeuptoaround18atatime.
MAKES18–20
200mlfull-fatmilk
50mldoublecream
25gbutter
pinchofseasalt
2tablespoonsdarkrum
100gcasterorgranulatedsugar
1vanillapod
1mediumegg,plus1mediumyolk
70gplainflour
Putthemilkinasaucepanandaddthecream,butter,salt,rum,halfthesugarandthevanillapod(splitandseedsscrapedin).Bringtoasimmer,takingcarenottoletthemixtureboil,thentakeofftheheatstraightaway.
Inabowl,whisktheeggandyolkwiththerestofthesugaruntilpale,thenwhiskintheflour.
Slowlyaddthehotmilkandcreammixture,stirringconstantlywiththewhisk.
Leave to cool and then put in the fridge for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.Removethevanillapod.
Preheattheovento240°C/gas9.
Halffilleachmouldwiththemixtureandbakeforaround15minutesuntilpuffedupandcaramelised.
Removefromtheovenandallowtocoolbeforeturningout.
Cannelés
Cannelés
Minidoughnuts
Thesearebite-sizeddoughnutsthatyoucanmakewiththeunuseddoughfromtheTarteTropeziennerecipe(seehere).Theyaretoosmall to fill, soIputoutsomelittlebowlsofraspberry jam(seehere)andafewsmallforksandletpeoplespearthedoughnutsanddipthemintothejamastheylike.
Roll out the dough to about 5mm, then take a tiny cutter – about 2cm indiameter–andstampoutasmanyroundsasyoucan.Placeacleanteatowelonalargebakingtray,laytheroundsofdoughontop,nottooclosetogether,andcoverwithanothercleanteatowel.Leavetorestandswellforabout30minutes.
Todeepfrythedoughnuts,poursomevegetableoilintoapan,makingsureitcomesnohigherthanathirdofthewayup.Heatuntilitreaches180°C(ifyoudon’thave a thermometer use a doughnut as a tester: it should sizzle gently). Fry thedoughnuts in small batches (or you will overcrowd the pan and bring thetemperaturedown)for30secondsmaximumuntiltheybegintoturngolden,thenturnthemoverandfryforthesameamountoftime,untilgoldenallover.
Liftoutwithaslottedspoonanddrainonseverallayersofkitchenpaper.
Haveabowlofgranulatedsugarreadyandwhenthedoughnutsaredrainedbutstillwarm,rolltheminitandservewithraspberryjam.Youcouldalsoservethemwithchocolatesauce(madewith100gmeltedchocolateand100mldoublecream,mixedtogether)orcrèmepâtissière(seehere).
Minidoughnuts
Framboisiers
ThesearetheFrenchequivalentofJammyDodgers!Biscuitandjam:whatisnottolike? They always seem to disappear as soon as I make them. You can use anyflavourofjam.
MAKES8
1quantitysweetpastry(seehere)alittleflour,forrolling
jarofraspberryjam(seehereforhome-made)icingsugar,fordusting
Preheattheovento180°C/gas4.
Lightlydustyourworksurface,androlloutthepastrytoaround2mmthick.Usinga6cmdiametercutter,cutoutsixteenrounds.
Take half of the rounds andwith a small (2cm) cutter, stampout three holes ineachround.
Havereadyabakingtraylinedwithbakingpaper.Laytheroundsontopandbakeinthepreheatedovenforabout12–14minutesuntillightgoldenbrown.
Takeoutandleavetocool,thenspreadtheeightbases(theroundswithoutholes)withraspberryjam.Dusttherestwithicingsugarusingafinesieve,andthenplaceontop.
Framboisiers
Framboisiers
Strawberryandlavendermarshmallows
Marshmallowsarenotjustforkids–theseareeasytomakeandareagreatgift.
MAKESABIGTRAYFUL
12gelatineleaves
doublequantityItalianmeringueingredients(seehere)afewbudsoflavender
100ggoodstrawberryjam
TOCOAT:100gicingsugar
50gcornflour
Soakthegelatineincoldwateruntilsoft,thensqueezeouttheexcesswater.
Makethemeringueaccordingtothemethodhere,butdissolvethegelatineinthesyrupbeforepouringitontotheeggwhites.
Havereadyadeepbakingtray(about4cm)linedwithbakingpaper.
Mix the lavender into the strawberry jam in a smallbowl then fold this into themeringueverylightlywithawoodenspoon–youdon’twanttoturnitauniformpink,butjuststreakitwithswirlsanddotsofred.
Tipintothepreparedtray,levelwithaspoonandleaveforaminimumof4hours,preferablyovernight,inacoolplacetoset.
Cutthemarshmallowintosquares.Mixtheicingsugarandcornflourinashallowbowl,anddipeachsquareofmarshmallowintoittodustlightly.
Strawberryandlavendermarshmallows
Strawberryandlavendermarshmallows
Billionairebiscuits
There are biscuits, there aremillionaire biscuits, and now I give you billionairebiscuits!Rich,glamorousandglitzywithagold-dustfinish.
MAKES10–12
1quantity ingredientsforChocolateSaltedCaramels(seehere)1quantitysweetpastry(seehere)alittleflour,forrolling
FORTHECHOCOLATESPONGE:50gcastersugar
2largeeggs,plus3mediumyolks
200ggoodqualitydarkchocolate(atleast70%cocoasolids)150gunsaltedbutter
80gplainflour
FORTHECHOCOLATEGANACHE:160mldoublecream
25mlliquidglucose
250gdarkchocolate
25gbutter,softened
TODECORATE:alittleediblegoldpowderorgoldleaf
Preheattheovento180°C/gas4.
FollowthemethodforChocolateSaltedCaramelshere,butinsteadofpouringthemixture into a dish to set, just allow it to cool down until it is warm but stillspreadable.
Lightlydustyourworksurfacewithflourandrolloutthepastry intoasquareofabout30cmandaround2mmthick.Cutthisintofourstrips,laythemontwonon-stickbakingtraysorsiliconematsandprickthesurfaceofthepastrywithafork.
Bakeinthepreheatedovenforabout12–14minutesuntillightgoldenbrown,thentakeoutandallowtocool.
For the chocolate sponge, whisk together the sugar, eggs and yolks until theybecomecreamyandturnapalestrawcolour.
Break the chocolate into chunks and put into a bowl over a pan of gentlysimmeringwater,makingsurethebasedoesn’ttouchthewater–youdon’twanttoget any heat or steam in the bowl,whichwouldmake the chocolate stiffen andbecomedull-looking.
Letthechocolatemeltgently,stirring,thenaddthebutterandcontinuetostiruntilthistoohasmelted.
Takeofftheheatandstirintothesugarandeggmixture,untilitisallincorporated.Gentlyfoldintheflour.
Spreadthemixturethinlyoveranon-stickbakingtrayorsiliconemat–youneedarectangle a littlemore than30cm× 15cm (as youwill trim the edges to this sizeonceitisbaked).
Bake for5–6minutesuntil firmto the touch.Takeoutof theoven, then,withasharpknife,trimintoaneatrectangleof30cm×15cm,thencutinhalflengthways.
Toassemble,laytwoofthestripsofpastryonalargesheetofbakingpaperonyourworksurfaceandspreadwithhalfofthechocolatesaltedcaramel.
Layastripofchocolatespongeontopofeach.Spreadwiththerestofthecaramel,thentopwiththeremainingstripsofpastry.
Tomaketheganache,heatthecreamandglucoseinapanuntiljustbelowtheboil,
pourontothedarkchocolateandwhisk,oruseahandblendertoemulsify.Allowtocoolfor5–10minutesthenwhiskinthebutter.
Pourtheganacheovereachstripoflayeredpastry,caramelandspongeandleavetoset.Whenfirm,cutintosquaresorslices,usingaverysharpknife–cleanthebladeasyougosothatyougetnicesharpedges.
Decoratewith gold powder – either dust it on freely through a fine sieve, use astencil,orplaceasmallpieceofbakingpaperoveroneareaanddusttherestwithgold,sothatyouhaveasharplinebetweengoldandnon-gold.
Alternatively,youcouldjustdecorateeachbiscuitwithalittleediblegoldleaf.
Billionairebiscuits
Billionairebiscuits
Chocolaterumprunes
MAKESAROUND20
4cardamompods
200gprunes
4tablespoonsdarkrum
250ggoodqualitydarkchocolate(atleast70%cocoasolids),brokenintopiecesalittlecocoapowder,fordusting
Crushthecardamompodslightly,justenoughtosplitthepods,andputinacleanjarwiththeprunesandrum.Putonthelidandleavetosoakfor2–3daysatroomtemperature,shakingthejarregularly.
Put the chocolate into aheatproofbowlover apanofbarely simmeringwater–make sure thewater comes close to the bottomof the bowl but doesn’t actuallytouchit.Keeptheheatverylowsothatyoudon’tgetsteamintothebowl,asthiscanmake the chocolate become dull-looking and stiff.Keep stirring all the timeandletthechocolatemeltslowly,thenremovethebowlfromtheheat.
Draintheprunesofexcessliquid,thenputintothechocolateandmakesuretheyarecompletelycoated.Liftoutwithafork,shakingtheexcesschocolatebackintothebowl,andlayonasheetofgreaseproofpapertosetatroomtemperature.
Haveabowlofcocoapowderready,andwhenthechocolatehasset,rolltheprunesinittodustthem.
Chocolatesaltedcaramels
Thesearelittlesquaresforservingwithcoffeeafterameal,orfornibblingatanytimeofday.Alwaystakecarewhenworkingwithcaramel,asifyousplashanyon
yourskin,itcanburn.Youreallyneedasugarthermometerforthis.
MAKESAROUND36
125ggoodqualitydarkchocolate(70%cocoasolids),chopped100mldoublecream
100gcrèmefraîche
200gcastersugar
75mlwater
150mlliquidglucose
25gsaltedBretonbutter
cocoapowder,fordusting(optional)
Havereadyarectangulardishabout20cm×12cm,linedwithbakingpaper.
Putthechoppedchocolateintoabowl.
Putthedoublecreamandcrèmefraîcheintoapanandbringtotheboil,thentakeofftheheatandkeeptooneside.
Inaseparatepan,bringthesugarandwatertotheboil,thenturndowntheheat,addtheglucosesyrupandsimmerforabout10minutesuntilthemixtureisthickandsyrupy.
Take off the heat and stir in the butter, then slowly stir in the reserved creammixture. Put back on the hob and bring to 115°C, then take off the heat andcarefullypouroverthechocolate,stirringwell.
Pour themixture into the prepared dish and leave to cool for 8 hours at roomtemperature until firm.Cut into small squares, and dust in cocoa powder if youlike.
Chocolatesaltedcaramels
Coconutandpineapplebites
These are very retro, but as a kid I always lovedBounty bars –my first taste ofcoconut–andtheseareagrown-upversion,madewiththeadditionofMalibuandpineapple.
MAKESAROUND12
150gdesiccatedcoconut
4tablespoonsMalibu
50gdicedsemi-driedpineapple
250gmilkchocolate,brokenintopieces
Toastthecoconutinadryfryingpanforafewminutesuntilit justcolours,thentake off the heat.Weigh 100g of it into a coffee grinder, or a mortar, add theMalibuandpineappleandgrindintoaroughpastethatwillholdtogether.
Formintosmall, tightballsand layona sheetofgreaseproofpaper.Put into thefridgeforaboutanhour,orintothefreezerfor10–15minutes,tofirmup.
Puttherestofthetoastedcoconutinashallowbowl.
Put the chocolate into aheatproofbowlover apanofbarely simmeringwater–make sure thewater comes close to the bottomof the bowl but doesn’t actuallytouchit.Keeptheheatverylowsothatyoudon’tgetsteamintothebowl,asthiscanmake the chocolate become dull-looking and stiff.Keep stirring all the timeandletthechocolatemeltslowly,thenremovethebowlfromtheheat.
Taketheballsfromthefridgeand,usingaspoon,dipeachoneintothechocolate,lettingtheexcessdrainoff,thenroll inthebowlofcoconutandlayonasheetofgreaseproofpaperuntilset.
Coconutandpineapplebites
Coconutandpineapplebites
Chocolatelollipops
Thewayyoudecoratetheseisreallyuptoyou.Youwillneed10–12lollipopsticks.
MAKES10–12
200ggoodqualitydarkchocolate(70%cocoasolids),brokenintopieces200gwhitechocolate
mixture of some or all of: frozen raspberries, broken up; crushed hazelnuts; pieces of dried apricot;raisins;caramelisedpistachionuts(seehere)Layalargesheetofbakingpaperonyourworksurface.
Putthedarkchocolateintoaheatproofbowloverapanofbarelysimmeringwater–makesurethewatercomesclosetothebottomofthebowlbutdoesn’tactuallytouchit.Keeptheheatverylowsothatyoudon’tgetsteamintothebowl,asthiscanmake the chocolate become dull-looking and stiff.Keep stirring all the timeandletthechocolatemeltslowly,thenremovethebowlfromtheheat.
Snipoffthecornerofasmallpipingbag,ifusingadisposableone,andinsertafinenozzle.Fillwiththemeltedchocolateandpipeabout10–12lacy,petal-likepatternsontothebakingpaper–beascreativeasyoulike.
Melt thewhite chocolate in the sameway as above, thenuse a teaspoon toblobsmallamountsinthecentreofeachofyourpetalshapes.Flattenoutintodiscsbigenoughtodecoratewithfruitandnuts.
Layalollipopstickoneachroundofwhitechocolate,presslightlyandthenspoonsomemorewhitechocolateontop.Again flattenthisout intoadisc, tohold thestick in place.Decoratewith amixture of fruit and nuts, leave to set, then peelcarefullyfromthepaper.
Chocolatelollipops
Chocolatelollipops
Pâtedefruits
ThisisarecipefrompastrychefYolandeStanley,whoisoneofonlyfourpeopleintheUKtoholdthetitleofMasteroftheCulinaryArtsforPastry,andwhoteachesmasterclassesinsugarandchocolateatourcookeryschool.
Youwillneedasugarthermometertomakesureyoubringthemixturetojusttherighttemperature.
MAKESABOWLFUL
10gpectinpowder
555gcastersugar,plusalittleextrafordusting
500mlapricotpurée
100mlliquidglucose
1teaspoonlemonjuice
1teaspoonvodka,rumorPernod
Mixtogetherthepectinand55gsugarthenputinapanwiththeapricotpurée.
Bring to theboil, stirring all the time, then add the rest of the sugar a little at atime,stirringallthetimeandmakingsureeachadditionhascompletelydissolvedbeforeaddingmore.
Addtheglucoseandbringto107°C,thentakeofftheheatandaddthelemonjuiceandalcohol.
Pourintoadeep-sideddishandleavesomewherecooluntilset(notinthefridge,asthisistoocold),thenturnoutandcutintorectanglesofabout2cm.
Have somemore caster sugar in a shallowbowl anddipeachcube into itbeforeserving.
Pâtedefruits
Fruitworms
Onedayaftermakingfruitjellies,IhadsomejellymixtureleftoversoIsetitthinlyin a tray and cut it into strips for the kids. They rolled them in caster sugar toresembletheonestheybuyfromthesweetshop.Theylovedthem.
MAKESABOWLFUL
6gelatineleaves
60gsugar
either100mlfruitcordial,suchasblackcurrantorelderflower,mixedwith200mlwater;or300mlofgoodfruitjuice,suchasmango,apricotorpeachalittlecastersugar,fordusting(optional)
Soakthegelatineincoldwatertosoften,thensqueezeouttheexcesswater.
Havereadyaflatbakingtray,about38cm×28cm,linedwithclingfilm.
Putthesugarandcordialor juice inapanandheatenoughtoallowthesugartodissolve(don’tletitboil).Whiskinthegelatineuntilithasdissolved.
Pourintothetrayandputintothefridgetosetforabout30minutes–1hour.
Lift out using the clingfilm, and turn out onto a chopping board. Take off theclingfilm and, with a sharp knife or a pizza wheel, cut the jelly into long stripsabout5mmwide.Dustthemincastersugarifyoulike.
Fruitworms
Fruitworms
Dodos
WhenIfirstmadetheseandtookthemhomemywife,Jo,lovedthem.Ididn’thaveaname for them, so for a jokewe christened themdodos– sinceDodowashernicknamewhenshewasalittlegirl–andithasstuck!
Iuseasiliconetraywithoval-shapedmoulds,about5cmlongby2cmdeep.
MAKES12–18
100gunsaltedbutter,softened
100gcastersugar
pinchofsalt
100ggroundalmondsorhazelnuts
2mediumeggs
40gplainflour
12–18smallraspberries(or6–9largeones,halved),blackcurrantsorchocolatechipssomesmallmintleaves,todecorate(optional)
Preheattheovento180°C/gas4.
Beat thebutter, sugarandsalt togetheruntilpaleandcreamy.Stir in thegroundnutsandbeatintheeggsoneatatime.
Stirintheflour.
Use a teaspoon to fill your moulds to three quarters full, push in a raspberry,blackcurrantorchocolatechipandbakeinthepreheatedovenfor15–18minutesuntilgoldenontopandspringytothetouch.
Removefromtheovenandleavetocooldowninthemouldsbeforeturningout.
Dodos
Dodos
RecipeList
RecipeListChristmaspudding
Christmascake
BûchedeNoël
Croqueenbouche
Christmaspudding
IalwayssendaChristmaspuddingtomyfamilyinFranceeachyearandtheyloveit, as it is something completely different for them. The French still don’tunderstandtheconceptofmincemeat!
Myrecipeisalittledifferenttothetraditionalone,asIdon’tsoakthefruitfirst.InsteadIrestthewholepuddingmixturebeforesteaming,duringwhichtimethefruitcanplumpupandinfusewiththerestoftheflavours.
Althoughrumorbrandybutter is the traditionalaccompaniment,mostofmyfamilylikeitwithcream,butImakecrèmeanglaiseformyself!
Thepuddingshouldbemadeatleastthreeweeksinadvance,butcanbestoredforuptoayear.
MAKES1×2-PINTPUDDING(SIZE3)
100gcurrants
200gseedlessraisins
200gsultanas
60gmixedchoppedcandiedpeel
60gglacécherries
90gblanchedalmonds,slicedintoslivers
½mediumcookingapple,peeled,coredandcoarselychopped½smallcarrot,peeledandgrated
zestandjuiceof½anorange
zestandjuiceof½alemon
115gfinelychoppedsuet
115gplainflour
60gwhitebreadorbriochecrumbs
115gsoftbrownsugar
½teaspoonmixedspice
½teaspoongroundcinnamon
¼nutmeg,grated
½teaspoonsalt
3mediumeggs
½canofGuinness
2tablespoonsbrandy
Putallof the ingredientsapart fromtheorangeand lemonjuices,eggs,Guinnessandbrandyinalargebowlandmixtogetherwell.
Inaseparatebowl,beattheeggsuntil frothy, thenaddtheGuinness,brandyandorangeandlemonjuices.Addtothebowlcontainingtherestoftheingredientsandmixwelluntilallincorporated.
Fillyourbasinwiththemixture,pressacircleofgreaseproofpaperfirmlyoverthetopandputintothefridgeforatleast12hours,butupto48hours.
Wipe theoutsideof thebasin cleanof anymixture, ifnecessary, and coverwithclingfilm.
Placethepuddingonatrivetinalargepanonthehobandpourinenoughboilingwatertocomeaboutthreequartersofthewayupthesideofthebasin.Bringthewaterbacktotheboil,coverthepantightlywithalid,andthenturndowntheheatand steam for 3 hours.Check thewater level regularly, and top upwith boilingwaterfromthekettleasnecessary.
Take thepanoff theheat and,when cool enough to touch, carefully lift out thepudding.Leavetocoolandstore,stillcoveredintheclingfilm,untilyouarereadytore-steamforanother3hours.
Toturnout,takeofftheclingfilm,andcarefullyslideatableknifearoundtheedgeof thebasin to loosen thepudding.Place a servingplateon topof thebasin and
usingbothhandsfirmlygriptheplateandbasinandturnbothovertogether.Thepuddingshouldslideeasilyontotheplate.
Toserve,warmaglassofbrandy ina smallpanovera lowheat, ignite itwithamatchandpouritwhileitisflamingoverthepudding.Serveimmediately.
Christmaspudding
Christmaspudding
Christmascake
Sometimesfruitcakescanbereallydry,butthisisarecipethatisverymoist,fulloffruitandnuts.Itcandoubleupasaweddingcake,oryoucaneatitun-icedatanyteatime.
WhenIlinemytin,sothatthecakecooksevenlyanddoesn’thaveanyburntorcrunchy bits around the edge or the base, aswell as lining it insidewith bakingpaperItieafoldedstripofbrownpaperaroundtheoutside.
Of course you candecorate your cake as you like. Somepeople like to simplybrush the topwithmelted apricot jamand cover itwith assortednuts anddriedfruit,thenglazethesewithalittlemorejam.Youcanthenjusttiearibbonaroundthe cake.However, if youwant to cover itwithmarzipanand icing, ideally startdoingthisaround10daysbeforeChristmas.
AswithmyChristmas pudding, I don’t soakmy fruit in advance, but insteadleavethecakemixturetorestasawholebeforebaking.
MAKES1×23CMCAKE
245gflour
1teaspoonbakingpowder
¼levelteaspoonsalt
2teaspoonsmixedspice
½levelteaspoongroundnutmeg
½levelteaspoongroundcinnamon
¼levelteaspoongroundcloves
85ggroundalmonds
320gcurrants
320graisins
320gsultanas
150gglacécherries
150gwholemixedpeel
85gblanchedalmonds
210gsoftdarkbrownsugar
250gunsaltedbutter
gratedzestandjuiceof1mediumlemon
6largeeggs
8tablespoonsbrandy
alittlebutter,forgreasingthetin
TOICETHECAKE:2tablespoonsclearapricotjam
500ggoodnaturalmarzipan
4mediumeggwhites
750gicingsugar,sifted,plusextrafordusting
4teaspoonslemonjuice
2teaspoonsglycerine
smallediblesilverballs,todecorate
Buttera23cmround(orequivalentsquare)tin(about9cmdeep),andlinewithadoublelayerofbakingpaper.
Withstring,tieadoublelayerofbrownpaperaroundtheoutsideofthetin–thepaperneedstobetallenoughtorisewellabovetheedgeofthetin(about8–9cm).
Mixtheflour,bakingpowder,salt,spicesandgroundalmondsinalargebowl,thenstirinthefruits,mixedpeelandalmonds.
In a separate bowl, cream together the sugar, butter and grated lemon zest untilpaleandfluffy,thenbeatintheeggsoneatatime.Stirthismixtureintotheflourandfruit,followedbythelemonjuiceandhalfofthebrandy.Themixtureshouldbesoftandmoist.
Spoonthemixtureintoyourpreparedtin,levelthetopandleavetosettleatroomtemperature for 2–3 hours before baking. Preheat the oven to 150°C/gas 2 andadjusttheshelftojustbelowthecentre.
Bake the cake in the preheated oven for an hour then turn down the heat to130°C/gas1andbake fora further2½–3hours, covering the topwitha sheetof
bakingpaperforthelasttwohourstopreventitfromburning.Thecakeisreadywhenitbeginstoshrinkfromthesidesandthetopisnolongerspongyifyoupressitwithafingertip.
Takethecakefromtheovenandleaveittocoolalittleinthetinbeforeturningitoutontoawirerack.Whencompletelycold,wrap it tightly in foil.Onceaweekmakesomeholesinthecakeusingaskewer,thendrizzlealittlebrandyoveritandallowittosoakin.Re-wrapandrepeatthefollowingweek.
Todecoratewithmarzipanandicing:
Heattheapricotjamuntilliquidandbrushitalloverthesurfaceofthecake.
Dustyourworksurfacelightlywithicingsugarandthenrolloutthemarzipanintoacirclebigenoughtocovertheentirecake.
Rollthemarzipanaroundyourrollingpin,thenliftanddrapeitoverthecake,andwithyourhandsgentlysmoothandpress itagainst thetopandsidesof thecake.Trimitaroundthebase.
Wrapthecakeinfoilagainandleaveforthreedays.
Tomake the royal icing, beat the eggwhites until frothy then fold in the icingsugaraspoonfulatatime,stirinthelemonjuiceandglycerine,andthenbeatuntilthemixtureisstiffenoughtoformstrongpeaks.
With a palette knife, spread the icing all over the cake, lifting the knife up anddownasyougotoformlittlepeaksthatlooklikesnow.Decoratethetopwiththesilverballs.
Christmascake
Christmascake
BûchedeNoël
There areYule log traditions all overnorthernEurope, and some say its historygoes back to Celtic times when people would burn a huge log at the end ofDecembertosee intheWintersolstice, thentheywouldkeeptheashesforgoodluckthroughoutthefollowingyear.OtherssayitwasfashionableinrichhousestoburnsuchalogeachChristmasEve,butkeepapieceofitbackwithwhichtolightthenextone.Whencoalbegantobeburnedinsteadoflogs,thesecakesweremadeasareminderoftheoldcustom.
As a variation on the hazelnuts in the cream filling you could mix in somechestnut purée instead. You can buy this in small tins, and youwill need about150g.Mash it a little with a fork to loosen it before mixing into the crème aubeurre.
Of course you candecorate your log asmuch as you like, but I think it looksmostelegantwithjustadustingofcocoapowder,atouchofediblegoldleaf,andalittlerolledorshavedchocolate.
MAKES1LOG
50ghazelnutsintheirskins
1 quantity crème au beurre (see here) 1 quantity chocolate genoise sponge (see here) a little icingsugar,fordusting
500ggoodnaturalmarzipan
400ggoodqualitydarkchocolate(70%cocoasolids),brokenintopiecesFORTHEKIRSCHSYRUP:100gsugar
200mlwater
2tablespoonskirsch
FORTHEDECORATION:darkchocolatecurlsor‘pencils’(seehere)cocoapowder,fordusting
1smallsheetediblegoldleaf(optional)
Preheattheovento180°C/gas4.Spreadthehazelnutsoutoverabakingtrayandput into the oven for 15–20minutes, shaking the tray occasionally so that theytoastevenly.Takeoutoftheoven,leavetocool,andthengrindtoapasteusingacoffeegrinderorpestleandmortar.Mixthisintothecrèmeaubeurre,andkeeptooneside.
Tomake the syrup,put the sugar in apanwith thewater andbring to theboil.Reducetheheatandsimmeruntilthesugarhasdissolvedandyouhaveacolourlesssyrup.Takeofftheheat,stirinthekirsch,andleavetocool.
Havereadyalargesheetofbakingpaper.Turnthegenoisespongeontoitsothatthetopisdownwards.Brushwithtwothirdsofthesyrup,thenspreadthehazelnutcrèmeaubeurreontop.
Nowrolluplikeaswissroll.Liftupthebakingpaperandasthespongestartstoroll,help it to tuck inwithyour fingertips, thencontinue to lift thepaperand it
willcontinuetoroll.
Lightlydustyourworksurfacewithicingsugarandrolloutthemarzipan–Ilikeitquitethin,about2mm,butyoucanmakeitalittlethickerifyouprefer.Cutoutarectanglejustlargeenoughtowraptheloginandkeepthetrimmingstooneside.
Brushthelogwiththeremainingsyrup,thenlaythelogontopoftherectangleofmarzipan,offcentre,withtheseamsideupwards.
Bringthemarzipanoverthetopandpressdownlightly,sothatitfitssnugly.
Tuckinunderthelogandfoldintheends.
Takepiecesofthemarzipantrimmingsandsoftenintoballsbetweenyourfingers.Rolloutintolongsausages,thensnakethemoverthetopofthelog,pressingthem
downlightlysotheystick.Thiswillgiveabark-liketextureoncethelogiscoveredinmeltedchocolate.
Havereadyarackoveratrayorsheetofbakingpaper.Usingapaletteknifeorfishsliceundereachendofthelog,liftitontotherack.Leavetheseinpositionsoyoucaneasilyliftthelogupagain.
Put the chocolate into aheatproofbowlover apanofbarely simmeringwater–make sure thewater comes close to the bottomof the bowl but doesn’t actuallytouchit.Keeptheheatverylowsothatyoudon’tgetsteamintothebowl,asthiscanmake the chocolate become dull-looking and stiff.Keep stirring all the timeandletthechocolatemeltslowly,thenremovethebowlfromtheheat.
Take off the heat and, a little at a time andwith the help of a spoon, pour thechocolateoverthetopoftheloguntilitisallcovered.
Asitbeginstocoolandsetalittle,usethetipofthespoonoraforktomakeroughbark-likemarksinthechocolate.Whenitissetenoughtostayinposition,liftitofftherackandontoaboardorplate.
Decoratewithadustingofcocoapowder,chocolatecurlsor‘pencils’andsomegoldleaf,ifyoulike.
Leavefor3–4hoursatroomtemperature,thenputinthefridge,ifnecessary,inaplasticorcardboardbox,anditwillkeepitsshine.
BûchedeNoël
BûchedeNoël
Croqueenbouche
The famous French celebratory tower of choux buns ‘cemented’ together withcaramel is easier tomake than youmight think.The key is to be organised andhave twopansofcaramelon thegoat thesametime, so thatwhenyoutake thefirstoneofftheheattobegindippingyourbunsinto,youhaveasecondkeepingwarm, ready to swap over when the first cools down and the caramel starts tosolidify.
AslongasyoukeepthefinishedCroqueenBouchesomewherecoolanddry,itwill hold together for 2–3 hours, but beware that any humidity will soften thecaramel.
MAKESACELEBRATORYTOWERFOR12PEOPLE
triplequantitychouxpastrymixture(seehere)alittlebutter,forgreasingthebakingsheet
4tablespoonskirsch
doublequantitycrèmepâtissière(seehere)800gsugar
8tablespoonswater
FORTHENOUGATINEBASE:200gflakedalmonds
500gcastersugar
225mlglucosesyrup
Preheattheovento190°C/gas5.
Lightlygreaseanon-stickbakingsheetorhavereadyasiliconemat.
Snipoffthecornerofapipingbag,ifusingadisposableone,insertaplainnozzleabout1cmindiameter, thenfillwiththechouxpastrymixtureandpipeasmany
dots (about the size of a £1 coin in diameter) as you can onto baking trays orsiliconemats–makesuretheyarespacedwellapart.
Bake inbatches inthepreheatedovenfor12-15minutesuntilgoldenandpuffedup.Forthelast4minutesofbaking,leavetheovendoorslightlyajartoallowthesteamtoescape,andhelpthedryingprocess.Removethetrayfromtheovenandleavetocool.
Turndowntheovento160°C/gas3.
Laytheflakedalmondsonabakingtrayandputthemintotheovenforabout5–6minutesuntilgolden,turningthemhalfwaythrough.Removeandkeeptooneside.
Putthe500gofsugarandtheglucoseinapanoveramediumheatandbringtotheboil, thencontinuetoboiluntilgoldenbrown(ifyouhaveasugarthermometer,thetemperaturewillbe140°C).Addthetoastedalmondsandmixthoroughly,thentakeofftheheatandspreadoverasiliconemat.
Letitsetalittle,thenusingatartring(about22cm)asaguide,cutaroundit.Cutthetrimmingsintolittletrianglestousefordecoratingthecroqueenbouchelater.Leavetosetfully.
Mix the kirsch into the crèmepâtissière.Make a hole in the base of each chouxbun.Fillanewpipingbagfittedwithasmallplainnozzlewiththecrèmepâtissièreandpipealittleintoeachbun.Keeptooneside.
Havereadyabowlofcoldwater.Dividethe800gofsugarbetweentwopansandadd4tablespoonsofwatertoeach.Putbothonthehobatthesametime,andbringto the boil, then continue to boil until golden brown (if you have a sugarthermometer,thetemperaturewillbe140°C).Thecaramelwillbereallyhot,sobecareful.
Turnofftheheatbeneathbothpans.Takethefirstoneofftheheatandlowerthebaseintoabowlofcoldwater,tocoolitdownenoughtoworkwithsafely.Leave
theotherpanonthehob,butwiththeheatturnedoff.
Nowyouarereadytostartbuildingyourtower.Havereadyyournougatinebase.Take your first bun and carefully dip the top (the opposite side to the one youpierced to fillwith cream) into the caramel, thenplace it on theoutsideof yournougatinebase,withthecaramelfacingtotheleft.
Workingasquicklyasyoucan,dipthenextbunintothecaramelinthesameway,and butt it up against the first one (facing in the samedirection) andpress verygently,sothatthecaramelsticksthetwotogether.Repeat,insertingyourreservedlittletrianglesofnougatineinbetweenthebunsatequalintervalsasyougo,untilyouhaveacompletecircleofbuns.
Nowyouaregoingtostarttaperingthetoweruptoasinglebun.So,forthenextlayer,asifyouwerelayingbricks,stickeachbunoverthejoininthepreviouslayer,butinaslightlysmallercircle.
Assoonasthefirstpanofcaramelstartstoset,putitbackonthehob,turntheheattoverylow(butkeepaneyeonit)andmoveontothesecondpan.
Keeplayeringineversmallercircles,pressingthebunsgentlysothattheysticktoeachother,andswappingpans,untilfinallyyoucanfinishwithjustonebun.Keeptheremainingcaramelwarmonthehob.
Assoonasthetowerofbunshassetfirmlyliftthewholethingupverygentlyandtransfertoaservingplate.
Now,bringthepanofcaramelthatyouarekeepingwarmclosetothecroqueenbouche,takeaspoonorforkanddipitin,thenpullandswirlthecaramelinthinstrandsroundandroundthetower,finishingitinaballatthetop–youcanbeascrazyasyoulikewithit!Againleavetosetfirmly.
Toserve,letpeoplejustbreakoffbunsastheylike–preferablyworkingfromthetopdownwards!
Croqueenbouche
Croqueenbouche
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