Monday, June 27, 2011

Clafoutis Normand (Apple and Cream Tart)


Clafoutis Normand is a delightful French dessert that blends the simplicity of baked custard with the richness of apples and cream. While purists might argue it should be called a "flaugnarde" since it doesn't feature cherries, this Normandy-inspired variation holds its own with buttery baked apples and a hint of Calvados (if you fancy). Whether you choose to make it with a flaky crust or as a crustless custard, this dessert is both elegant and comforting.

Recipe: Clafoutis Normand (Apple and Cream Tart)

Serves: 6



Ingredients:

Pâté Brisée Sucrée
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup cake flour
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
Pinch salt
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 egg, lightly beaten, for glazing

Baked Apples
3 apples (preferably Golden Delicious)
1 lemon, halved
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon Calvados (I left this out)
1 tablespoon sugar

Custard
1 egg yolk
2 eggs
¼ cup sugar
1 ounce fine-ground almonds (about ¼ cup)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup crème fraîche or heavy cream

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Pastry (Optional):

  • Combine the flours, salt, sugar, and butter in a food processor. Pulse until crumbly.
  • Add the egg, water, and vanilla. Blend until the dough comes together.
  • Roll out the pastry and line a tart pan. Chill for 30 minutes. Pre-bake at 375°F for 10 minutes.

2. Bake the Apples:

  • Peel, core, and slice the apples. Rub with lemon to prevent browning.
  • Toss the slices with melted butter, sugar, and Calvados (if using).
  • Arrange on a baking sheet and bake at 375°F until golden and tender (about 15 minutes).

3. Make the Custard:

  • Whisk together the egg yolk, eggs, sugar, almonds, vanilla, and cream.

4. Assemble and Bake:

  • If using pastry, line the pre-baked tart shell with the baked apples. For a crustless version, layer the apples in a greased baking dish.
  • Pour the custard mixture over the apples.
  • Bake at 375°F for 25–30 minutes, or until the custard is set and a knife comes out clean.
You can find the recipe for Clafoutis Normand (Apple and Cream Tart) in the book Le Cordon Bleu at Home (affiliate link).

Tasting Notes
I love pudding, so this dessert is in my "make-again" pile. I made it both with a pie crust and without (since I ran out of leftover pastry). The crust gave it some texture, but I prefer the baked custard version, even though it was a touch darker than it should have been.

More Clafoutis
• No Special Effects: Tartine's Cherry Clafoutis (Clafoutis aux Cerises)
• Cooking with Amy: Julia Child's Clafouti Recipe
• Gastronomer's Guide: Plum Flognarde
• Nourished Kitchen: Flaugnarde with Roasted Berries

Next Time
Crème chantilly, Crème pâtissière, Crème anglaise, Crème bavaroise
(Whipped cream, pastry cream, Bavarian cream)
::Whisk::
I'm baking my way through a cooking school curriculum using the Le Cordon Bleu at Home (affiliate link) cookbook. The "classes" are based on the Le Cordon Bleu curriculum found online and used as a guideline. Not all the items in the curriculum are in the cookbook, but most are. Where the items are not in the book, I try to find a suitable substitution.

More to Explore:





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Monday, June 20, 2011

Tartelettes aux Fraises (Strawberry Tartlets)


Tartelettes aux Fraises, or Strawberry Tartlets, are a delightful celebration of simplicity and freshness. Combining a buttery pie crust, lightly sweetened Chantilly cream, and ripe, juicy strawberries, this dessert is perfect for summer. With strawberry season in full swing, it’s the ideal treat to showcase the flavor of fresh-picked berries.

It's strawberry season in Ottawa, so I walked over to the fields by my house to the local "pick your own" farm and pinched off fresh, sun-kissed red strawberries. I used the leftover pastry from last week's Tarte aux Agrumes (Citrus Tart). A quick whisk of whipping cream, and this dessert was ready.


Recipe: Tartelettes aux Fraises (Strawberry Tartlets)

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

Pâté Brisée Sucrée
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup cake flour
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
Pinch salt
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
7 tablespoons unsalted butter,  cut into pieces
1 egg, lightly beaten, for glazing

1 ½ pint basket of strawberries

Raspberry Glaze
6 ounces raspberry jam (a generous ½ cup)
1 tablespoon kirsch (I left this out)

Chantilly Cream
1 ¼ cups heavy cream
¼ cup confectioner’s sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Pastry:

  • Combine flours, salt, sugar, and butter in a food processor. Pulse until crumbly.
  • Add egg, water, and vanilla. Blend until the dough forms.
  • Roll out and cut into small circles to fit tartlet pans. Chill for 30 minutes.
  • Pre-bake at 375°F for 10–12 minutes until golden. Let cool.

2. Prepare the Glaze:

  1. Warm the raspberry jam in a small saucepan. Add kirsch (if using) and mix until smooth.

3. Whip the Chantilly Cream:

  • In a chilled bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, confectioner’s sugar, and vanilla extract until soft peaks form.

4. Assemble the Tartlets:

  • Spread a thin layer of Chantilly cream over the cooled tartlet shells.
  • Arrange strawberries on top.
  • Lightly brush the strawberries with the raspberry glaze for a glossy finish.
You can find the recipe for Tartelettes aux Fraises (Strawberry Tartlets) in the book Le Cordon Bleu at Home (affiliate link).

Tasting Notes
Tartelettes aux Fraises are a crowd-pleaser. They combine the crunch of buttery pastry with the lightness of whipped cream and the natural sweetness of strawberries. Similar to a strawberry shortcake, these tartlets elevate the experience with their elegant presentation and fruity glaze.

Links
Dorie's La Palette’s Strawberry Tart
Confessions of a Tart: Fresh Strawberry Tart

::Whisk::
I'm baking my way through a cooking school curriculum using the Le Cordon Bleu at Home (affiliate link) cookbook  The "classes" are based on the Le Cordon Bleu curriculum found online and used as a guideline. Not all the items in the curriculum are in the cookbook, but most are. Where the items are not in the book, I try to find a suitable substitution.




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Monday, June 13, 2011

Tarte aux Agrumes (Citrus Tart)


The Tarte aux Agrumes, or Citrus Tart, is a bright and refreshing dessert that highlights the natural sweetness and tang of oranges and lemons. While its components—pâté brisée sucrée, citrus pastry cream, macerated fruit, and a citrus glaze—may sound daunting, each step is manageable when taken one at a time.

I've always had trouble with pie crusts (or pâté brisée sucrée if you want to be all French about it). But this crust came together easily for me. I didn't use the traditional method of putting the ingredients on the counter, making a well and "fraisage-ing" the dough. I used my food processor, threw all the ingredients in and whizzed until the dough formed a ball. So much simpler, and it was my best crust yet.

This tart (a pie has a crust on top and bottom, but a tart just has the bottom crust) is composed of orange pastry cream and macerated slices of orange and lemon.


Why Do Fruits Retain Shape in Sugared Water? Osmotic pressure! When cooking fruit in plain water, the sugars inside the fruit cells want to escape, causing the fruit to break down. Adding sugar to the cooking liquid equalizes the pressure and helps the fruit retain its structure. (Michael at Herbivoracious)

Recipe: Tarte aux Agrumes (Citrus Tart)

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

Citrus
1½ cups sugar
1½ cups water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 small oranges, unpeeled and sliced thin
2 lemons, unpeeled and sliced thin

Pâté Brisée Sucrée
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup cake flour
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
Pinch salt
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 egg, lightly beaten, for glazing

Orange Pastry Cream
1 cup orange juice, strained
3 egg yolks
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon Cointreau (I left this out)

Orange Glaze
Juice of 3 oranges, strained
½ cup apricot jam or jelly, strained
Fresh mint for garnish

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Citrus in Syrup:

  • Combine sugar, water, and vanilla in a saucepan. Bring to a boil.
  • Add citrus slices and simmer for 10–15 minutes until translucent. Drain and set aside.

2. Make the Pastry:

  • Combine all pastry ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until the dough forms a ball.
  • Roll out dough, fit into a tart pan, and chill for 30 minutes.
  • Pre-bake the crust at 375°F for 12–15 minutes until golden. Let cool.

3. Cook the Orange Pastry Cream:

  • Whisk egg yolks, sugar, flour, and cornstarch in a bowl until smooth.
  • Heat orange juice in a saucepan until warm but not boiling. Slowly whisk into the egg mixture.
  • Return to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened. Let cool.

4. Prepare the Glaze:

  • Simmer orange juice and apricot jam until reduced and syrupy. Strain if necessary.

5. Assemble the Tart:

  • Spread the cooled pastry cream into the tart shell.
  • Arrange citrus slices on top.
  • Brush with the orange glaze and garnish with fresh mint.
You can find the recipe for Tarte aux Agrumes (Citrus Tart) in the book Le Cordon Bleu at Home (affiliate link).


Tasting Notes
This tart offers a balance of sweet and tangy flavors, with the macerated citrus slices adding a slight bitterness that complements the creamy pastry cream. While I’m not typically a fan of pastry cream, the orange version in this recipe is smooth and refreshing. However, the buttery and tender crust is what truly stood out—it was my best yet!

Links
Dorie's The Most Extraordinary French Lemon Cream Tart
Dorie's Tartest Lemon Tart
David Lebovitz: Tarte au citron: Lemon Tart Recipe

Next Time
Tartelettes aux Fraises (Strawberry Tartlets) page 504

::Whisk::
I'm baking my way through a cooking school curriculum using the Le Cordon Bleu at Home (affiliate link) cookbook  The "classes" are based on the Le Cordon Bleu curriculum found online and used as a guideline. Not all the items in the curriculum are in the cookbook, but most are. Where the items are not in the book, I try to find a suitable substitution.




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Monday, June 6, 2011

Dacquoise (Nut Cake)


Dacquoise—it may sound fancy, but it’s simply a delightful nut-based meringue dessert that can be adapted in countless ways. Whether you aim for soft, cakey layers or crisp, Pavlova-like textures, this versatile recipe is a gateway to dessert creativity.

It’s time for sweetness and whisking up a Dacquoise, which sounds all fancy schmancy but not when you spell it like this: DAH-KWAH! And though the ingredient list is simple and short, I know from experience that those recipes are the hardest to pull off. So I did some research and found this video that shows the technique.

Distracted by the caster sugar in the recipe (also known as superfine sugar), I googled images for caster shakers and found an assortment of antique, modern, and art deco containers that are now on my wish list. (One was even selling for $1139 on eBay.) I already own a variety of shakers, but you can never have too many beautiful things to hold something sweet.

“fruiter di una torta di noci”
("fruitier than a nutcake" which is a bad translation of "nuttier than a fruitcake")

Back to the recipe. The first step is to make a meringue (egg whites and sugar) and whisk until soft peaks form. Soft, firm, stiff. The difference can only be seen, and Kitchn has a visual guide and descriptions to help in that area.

"Soft Peak - When you turn your whisk upside down, the peaks are just starting to hold. They're soft and melt back into themselves after a second." ~Kitchn

Folding in the ground almonds, icing sugar and flour is more fun with your hands.



Finally, it’s time to dust off the piping bag and with one of the larger tips, pipe it into a fun shape. {I used my round egg shaper!} Bake “until done”, as a chef at LCB would say. How long depends on your oven, the temperature you use, and how big the shape of your dacquoise is. Sometimes, your dacquoise may turn out cakey and other times more crispy like Pavlova. I’m aiming for cakey.

After that, it’s up to your imagination how you want to dress it up.

"If you use chocolate buttercream and chocolate ganache, it's a marquise. If you use hazelnuts in the meringues and bake them in rectangles, with chocolate buttercream and ganache, it's a marjolaine." ~BondC

You can also use other nut meal for variety. Mmmm hazelnuts, chestnuts, pine nuts...

Recipe: Spiced Pear Dacquoise with Chocolate and Red Wine Sauce

Serves: 6


Clockwise from top: Dacquoise, Spiced Pears, Chocolate and Red Wine Sauce, Ganache

Ingredients:

Dacquoise
4 egg whites
50 g caster sugar
70 g ground almonds, sifted
75 g icing sugar, sifted
30 g flour, sifted

Ganache
90 g bitter chocolate (55 to 70% cocoa)
100 ml double cream
15 g honey of neutral flavour
35 g unsalted butter, softened

Spiced Pears
6 pears
½ lemon
30 g unsalted butter
40 g honey of neutral flavour
ground cinnamon
cloves
ground nutmeg
freshly ground black pepper

Chocolate and Red Wine Sauce
100 g chocolate
½ bottle red wine
3 star anise
20 ml water, only if necessary
30 g caster sugar

Instructions:

1. Make the Dacquoise:

  • Whisk egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add caster sugar, whisking until stiff peaks form.
  • Gently fold in ground almonds, icing sugar, and flour using a spatula or your hands.
  • Pipe into desired shapes using a piping bag with a large round tip.
  • Bake at 325°F (160°C) until lightly golden and set. Baking time varies based on the size and shape, but check after 20 minutes.

2. Prepare the Ganache:

  • Heat cream and honey until just boiling.
  • Pour over chopped chocolate, let sit for 1–2 minutes, then stir until smooth.
  • Add softened butter and mix until glossy. Set aside to cool.

3. Poach the Spiced Pears:

  • Peel pears, halving or quartering them as desired. Squeeze lemon juice over to prevent browning.
  • Melt butter in a skillet, add honey, and heat until bubbling.
  • Add pears, spices, and a touch of water if needed. Cook until tender and caramelized, about 10–15 minutes.

4. Make the Chocolate and Red Wine Sauce:

  • Simmer red wine with star anise and sugar until reduced by half.
  • Stir in chocolate until melted. Add water to adjust consistency if necessary.

5. Assemble the Dessert:

  • Layer or stack Dacquoise rounds with ganache and poached pears.
  • Drizzle with the chocolate and red wine sauce.
You can find the recipe for Spiced Pear Dacquoise with Chocolate and Red Wine Sauce here.


Tasting Notes
The Dacquoise, with its nutty, meringue-like texture, acts as the perfect base for the rich chocolate ganache and spiced pears. The red wine sauce adds a sophisticated, slightly tangy note that ties everything together. While the components are delicious individually, their harmony is what elevates this dessert.

More Dacquoise
My French Yule Log
Ezra Pound Cake: Coconut-Roasted Pineapple Dacquoise from Dorie Greenspan
Zoe Bakes: Dacquoise with Peaches and Cream
David Lebovitz: Poaching Pears
Sea Salt with Food: Matcha-Green Tea Dacquoise

Next Time
Tarte aux Agrumes (Citrus Tart) in Le Cordon Bleu at Home cookbook (page 102)

::Whisk::
I'm baking my way through a cooking school curriculum using the Le Cordon Bleu at Home (affiliate link) cookbook  The "classes" are based on the Le Cordon Bleu curriculum found online and used as a guideline. Not all the items in the curriculum are in the cookbook, but most are. Where the items are not in the book, I try to find a suitable substitution.

More to Explore:





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