patisserie maison: the step-by-step guide to simple sweet pastries for the home baker

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

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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.

http://www.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


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


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.


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


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.


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’.


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

RecipeList

RecipeListRumbaba

ParisBrest


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.


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


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


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.


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


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)


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

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


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

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

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


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

RecipeList

RecipeListBlackcurrantmousse

Passionfruitmousse

Chocolatliegeois

BlackForestgâteau

Vind’orange

TarteTropezienne

GâteauStHonoré

Charlotteauxpommes


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


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

BlackForestgâteau

ThisfamouscakeisactuallyverysimilartotheChocolatLiegeoishere,inthatitisconstructedwithlayersofchocolatespongeandcream,butofcourseithascherriesadded–preferablyusethebigsyrupyItalianAmarenaones,ifyoucanfindthem.

MAKES1×30CMCAKE

200gcherriesinsyrup

about4tablespoonskirsch

1quantitychocolategenoisesponge(seehere)1quantitycrèmeChantilly(seehere)

cocoapowder,fordusting(optional)


50mlliquidglucose


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

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


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

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


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


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


FORTHECHOCOLATEFILLING:50gcastersugar

2largeeggs,plus3mediumyolks


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.

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.


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


100gcastersugar

40gcornflour

20gbutter,melted


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

RecipeList

RecipeListRicepuddingtartlets

Madeleines

Cannelés

Minidoughnuts

Framboisiers


Billionairebiscuits

Chocolaterumprunes



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


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.


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


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.


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


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


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.


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


25mlliquidglucose

250gdarkchocolate

25gbutter,softened

TODECORATE:alittleediblegoldpowderorgoldleaf


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

Chocolaterumprunes

MAKESAROUND20

4cardamompods

200gprunes

4tablespoonsdarkrum

250ggoodqualitydarkchocolate(atleast70%cocoasolids),brokenintopiecesalittlecocoapowder,fordusting

Crushthecardamompodslightly,justenoughtosplitthepods,andputinacleanjarwiththeprunesandrum.Putonthelidandleavetosoakfor2–3daysatroomtemperature,shakingthejarregularly.


Draintheprunesofexcessliquid,thenputintothechocolateandmakesuretheyarecompletelycoated.Liftoutwithafork,shakingtheexcesschocolatebackintothebowl,andlayonasheetofgreaseproofpapertosetatroomtemperature.

Haveabowlofcocoapowderready,andwhenthechocolatehasset,rolltheprunesinittodustthem.


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.



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.


Taketheballsfromthefridgeand,usingaspoon,dipeachoneintothechocolate,lettingtheexcessdrainoff,thenroll inthebowlofcoconutandlayonasheetofgreaseproofpaperuntilset.


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)


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)


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.

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

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.


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


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

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patisserie maison: the step-by-step guide to simple sweet pastries for the home baker

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