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FRENCH

CAKE RECIPES

2011

CONTENTS:Tarte aux Pommes 1Strawberry Pie elegance 2Canard aux Framboises 3macaro0n 4

Crèmes Fritters 5Pevlova 6

For the pastry:60g plain flour1 tsp sugarpinch salt30g cold butter, cut into cubescold water to bind (about 1.5 tbsp)

For the filling:1 tsp lemon juice1-2 fairly tart apples, such as Granny Smith1 tbsp granulated sugar1/2 tsp cinnamon2 tbsp double cream or sour cream

Sieve the flour, sugar and salt into a mixing bowl. Toss in the cubes of cold butter. Rub the butter into the flour using your fingers until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add a tablespoon of water and use a blunt knife to combine with the crumbs. Add a drib-ble more water until the dough comes together into a ball (use your hands at the end). Squish into a disc, wrap in cling film and chill for at least 20 minutes.

When the pastry has chilled, roll it out on a lightly flour-dusted surface into a circle an inch larger than your tin (a shallow 8” tin is perfect) – there is enough dough but it will be thin. Drape the pastry over your rolling pin and place it into the tin. Press into the corners and sides. Leave to rest in the fridge for 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Trim the sides down to 2cm, press in again and prick the bottom all over with a fork. Then line with paper and pack tightly to the top with baking beans. Bake for 20 minutes or until the pastry is cooked except for a little dampness in the centre.

Place the lemon juice in a medium sized bowl and add a few inches of water. Peel the apples, placing them in the water as you go to stop browning. Half and quarter the apples and slice out the core. Thinly cut them lengthways into strips, so you have a pile of semi-circles – this is faster if you have a mandolin.

Turn the oven up to 220C/425F. Mix the sugar and cinnamon together in a small container. Spread the sour cream over the bottom of the pastry case in a thin layer. Drain the apple slices, then tart arranging them in the case – begin with a row down the middle, tightly overlapping them so you don’t see the cored middle. Continue to the bottom and then start another row, repeating until the case is covered.

Sprinkle evenly with the sugar mix and bake at the top of the oven for 10-15 minutes or until the apples are soft (and knife should easily go through them) and the pastry is lightly browned. Best eaten while it’s still warm with your hands, like a slice of pizza.

Tarte aux Pommes

INGREDIENTS3 pints fresh Sweet Berry Farm Strawberries1 BAKED PIE SHELL2 TBSP. CORNSTARCH4 TSP. FLOUR1 CUP SUGARWHIPPED CREAM

INSTRUCTIONSWash, drain, and hull fresh strawberries. Allow strawberries to juice.

Add water if necessary to make 1 1/2 cupfuls. Cover cooled pie shell with strawberries, keeping out a few for garnish. Bring juices to a boil over low heat; add cornstarch, flour, and sugar. Continue boiling, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute.

Chill for several hours. Cover strawberries n pie shell with cooled juices. Chill again. Try to make the pie in the morning and serve it that evening. Cover with whipped cream and garnish with strawberries.

Strawberry Pie Elegance

4 lbs magret duck breast halves (boneless, with skin)12 cup shallot (finely chopped)2 garlic cloves (chopped)2 tbsps sugar13 cup raspberry vinegar 1 cup demi-glace (6 12 ounces; preferably d artagnan duck and veal)2 cups raspberry (12 ounces divided)1 12 tbsps unsalted butter (cut into bits)

1 Put a large shallow flameproof roasting pan in middle of oven and preheat to 400°F.2 Pat duck dry and trim off any excess fat. Score skin in a crosshatch pattern at 1/2-inch intervals with a sharp knife, then season with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper (total). Roast, skin side down, in hot pan until an instant-read thermometer inserted diagonally into center registers 125°F, 20 to 25 minutes.3 Turn on broiler. Turn duck skin side up. Broil 4 to 6 inches from heat until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Transfer duck to a cutting board and let rest (skin side up) 10 minutes.4 While duck rests, pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from pan, then add shallots and garlic and saué over medium-high heat until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add sugar and cook, stirring, until dissolved. Stir in vinegar, scraping up brown bits. Add demi-glace and bring to a simmer. Stir in half of raspberries.5 Force sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a small saucepan, discarding solids. Skim off excess fat. Over low heat, swirl in butter. Remove from heat and add remaining raspberries.6 Slice duck and serve with sauce.

Canard aux Framboises

40g/5oz ground almonds275g/9¾oz icing sugar25g/1oz cocoa powder4 free-range egg whites, beaten until stiff peaks form For the filling75ml/2½fl oz whipping cream75g/2½oz mascarpone cheese 25g/1oz icing sugar1 vanilla pod, seeds only

Preparation method

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

For the macaroons, blend the almonds, icing sugar and cocoa powder until very fine. (The finer the better - a spice grinder is a great way to achieve this.)

Fold the egg whites into the mix. Place into a piping bag and pipe 3cm/1in circles onto a sheet lined with baking parchment. Leave to set for 15 minutes. Technique: Using piping bags Using piping bagsWatch technique1:15 mins

Place in the oven to bake for 7-8 minutes with the door slightly ajar.

Remove the macaroons from the parchment to cool. To do this without them sticking or tearing, lift one corner of the parchment and pour some just boiled water onto the tray. As the water hits the base of the parchment the macaroons will lift off easily.

For the filling, whisk the cream, mascarpone, icing sugar and vanilla seeds together in a bowl. Spread the filling onto one maca-roon, then sandwich with another macaroon. Repeat with all of the remaining macaroons until all are used up.

Macaroon

Crèmes Fritters

Ingredients:1 cup cream

5 eggs-the whites only2 full cups prepared flour

1 salt-spoonful nutmegA pinch of salt

Preparation:

Stir the whites into the cream in turn with the flour. Put in nutmeg and salt, beat all up hard for two minutes. The batter should be rather thick.

Fry in plenty of hot sweet lard, a spoonful of batter for each fritter. Drain and serve upon a hot, clean napkin.

Eat with jelly sauce. Pull, not cut them open.

Crèmes Fritters

1 tablespoon cornflour 6 eggwhites 1 teaspoon cream of tartar 1 1/3 cups caster sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon white vinegar 200ml pure cream 250g frozen raspberries, slightly mashed

Preheat oven to 200°C. Draw a 24cm (diameter) circle on a sheet of baking paper. Place, pencil-side down, on a baking tray. Dust lightly with 1 teaspoon cornflour.

Using an electric mixer, beat eggwhites and cream of tartar in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating constantly until thick and glossy. Add remaining 3 teaspoons cornflour with the last tablespoon of sugar. Fold through vanilla and vinegar.

Spoon meringue onto baking paper. Shape into a circle, using the pencil mark as a guide, with a slightly higher edge and a low centre. Reduce oven to 100°C. Bake for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours or until dry and crisp. Turn off oven and open oven door. Cool completely in oven (pavlova may sink during cooling).

Slide pavlova onto a serving plate. Spread with cream and top with raspberries. Serve.

Pevlova

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

http://dailydeliciousthai.blogspot.com/2011/03/mille-crepes-au-vert-matcha-your-cute.html

http://shizuokagourmet.com/2009/12/04/my-top-10-french-cakes-of-the-past-year/

http://traveltips.usatoday.com/famous-french-desserts-3352.html

http://petitplatbysk.blogspot.com/2012/02/pastel-rainbow.html

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/bakery/

http://www.britishlarder.co.uk/recipe/breads-bakery-recipes/

http://www.marthastewart.com