Redsugar
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That “traditional” dish might very well be chicken pot pie! There are scores of recipes available for that dish using phyllo dough. I concur w/ blackcat whose surmise that the chicken dish you were served was based on Bastila, the North African pigeon pie "surrounded by a very thin pastry leaf called warqa."
For an in-depth treatment of the Bastila's origin & pedigree, including its probable migration across Europe en route to Scotland, read Bastila: a Culinary History of Morocco's Famous Pigeon Pie.
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I own two mandolins: The French-made, stainless-steel Bron Professional requires that the cook devote sufficient time to become proficient in its use. I use the Zyliss V-type slicer much more frequently. It’s well-designed & durably constructed from ABS plastic & polycarbonate plastics, so it will stand up to tough usage. The V-slicer is ideal for making rapid processing of vegetables for mirepoix, for slicing apples for tarts, or onions for chowder. The food holder properly secures items such as cucumbers & zucchini for longitudinal cutting. Thin or thick slicing, julienne or batonnet – all in all, a tool which I would recommend for anyone’s batterie de cuisine.
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I would not want, by any means, to appear disputatious, but it is somewhat astounding to read that cake flour should be deemed “swill.” The use of this wonderful flour ensures a lighter, more tender crumb due to its delicate gluten structure. (Pastry flour has marginally greater structure. It’s not quite as delicate as cake flour, but it’s still softer than a.p.) All-purpose flour is not commonly used in bakeshops. Both cake & pastry flours are made from soft wheat that produces flour lower in gluten than a.p. flour. Cake flour is specially milled to produce delicate pastries and cakes. Although figures basically vary from brand to brand, cake flour usually has about 7 percent protein (i.e., gluten) content; whereas pastry flour has 8 to 10 percent.
If a baker has a view to creating Italian recipes such as Casareccio Bolognese, Ciambella, or those polenta cookies known as Gialetti, then it would be important to use flour a low protein content. In Italy, a grade “0” flour is used, which is a very weak flour, perfect for the types of bread they bake. American high-gluten, hard-wheat flour would be inappropriate as it would not provide optimal results in such products.
Here's a notable San Francisco bakery that uses unbleached cake flour in the production of its fine goods:
To each his own, of course! Yet, if anyone is still not persuaded to use bleached cake flour, the unbleached version can be purchased in bulk from a natural foods market.
The question, Why is chlorinated (or bleached) flour used in cake and cookie formulations? was answered substantially by the April 2002 ed. of Baker’s Journal –
Soft wheat flours intended for use in cake and cookie production are often chlorinated to enhance baking performance by improving the functional properties of flour components. In the chlorination process, the flour is treated with chlorine gas. During this treatment the flour undergoes a pH reduction proportional to the level of chlorine applied. Manufacturers can then use pH as a specification for the purchase of chlorinated flours. Unbleached flour has a pH range of 5.8 to 6.1 while optimum performing bleached flour has a pH range of 4.6 to 5.1.In cakes, chlorinated flours improve the structure forming capacity, allowing the manufacture of cakes with high ratio formulations (high level of sugar to flour). At the optimum chlorination level, cakes have improved product symmetry, increased volume and a more desirable grain structure and texture over those produced with non-chlorinated flours.
In cookie manufacturing, chlorine treatment of flour is used to control cookie spread. Consistent cookie diameter improves overall product quality and helps avoid packaging problems. Chlorinated flour reduces spread and tightens the surface grain of cookies. The higher the level of chlorine applied, the smaller the diameter.
The exact action of the chlorine treatment on flour is not fully understood since chlorine is a non-specific reagent that can alter various components of the flour. The changes in functional properties are often attributed to the breakage of bonds in protein molecules. For cakes it is generally accepted that the structural strengthening effect is caused by the action of chlorine on starch as well as proteins. Studies on cookies have shown that the role of chlorination in the reduction of cookie spread may be attributed to oxidative changes in flour proteins.
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To begin, I must say that fredbram has spoken on this thread w/ a well-informed voice. If I may be so bold, I should like to add a few thoughts:
Recently, I have been using a mixture of three-quarters unbleached bread flour to one-quarter pastry (i.e., soft wheat) flour. I would by no means stipulate that it’s strictly necessary to use the pastry flour for good results w/ baguettes, but to my palate the flavour bears closer affinity to the real thing when it’s included.
On the other hand, you may prefer to comply with the instructions provided by Bernard Clayton in his New Complete Book of Breads (p. 253): “This excellent bread is made with hard-wheat flour to give the dough the ability to withstand the expansion it undergoes when it rises more than three times its original volume. Baking at high heat provides the oven-spring that makes possible the formation of a large cellular structure the distinguishing characteristic of pain ordinaire." (I bake my baguettes at 450° F, which corresponds to 232° C.) Moreover, I use commercial-quality, blued-steel baguette pans. These pans ensure results superior to that derived from flat sheets. As the The Well-Tooled Kitchen aptly describes, these forms "rapidly transmit a high heat, assure quick setting, thorough baking, and overall golden brown color, while the perforated strips...foster even baking by allowing heat to circulate freely." A very beneficial investment!
Since you are living in Italy, I am wondering which grade of grano tenero or grano duro you are using for your breads. The 3-to-1 ratio I’m using for baguettes would approximate the Italian “00” flour. (For pasta-making, I would strive to approximate the "0" grade.) In France, the boulangers use a flour known as French type 55.
When adding the flour, I beat the mixture very well., continuing until the dough is stiff & clears the sides of the bowl. After turning it out onto the work surface, I knead it w/ determination. This dough will start to rise very quickly – so, after about 8 minutes of kneading, slam the cushion of dough down hard on the bench to compress the CO2 bubbles. When this had been done the dough will have a better skin. Continue kneading until little blisters appear under the skin.
The ideal texture of baguettes ought to be coarse & porous. The purpose of a second rising is to achieve a denser or “closer” texture. Since this French bread has no fat content, the crispy, crackly crust will be derived from the hot, misty oven chamber, and the rapid expansion during the early stage of baking.
I'd like to share another point: Use a straight-sided pail in which to raise the dough. Many bakers neglect to realize that the nature of yeast in dough is to grow upward, not outward!
Incidentally, have you made other shapes & sizes of your French bread? Le Bâtard, la Ficelle, or le Pain?
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Yes, sorbet is an excellent suggestion. On Day One of my first restaurant job, years ago, I was assigned to make 3 sorbets: grapefruit, strawberry…and kiwi. I’ve retained the recipes, and for the kiwi sorbet 2 pounds (about 9) fruits were puréed for a 1-cup sugar, ½-cup water proportion. Zap it w/ some Cointreau, if desired.
To make the sauce, you could combine 24 fl. oz. (3 liq. cups) purée, 2 fl. oz. lemon juice, and sweeten to taste. Its vivid colour & distinctive tart flavour would go well w/ the richness of chocolate pound cake.
Kiwi sherbet is an unusually refreshing treat -- almost a frozen kiwi daiquiri!
Also, consider blending a few dynamic smoothies: Kiwi, banana, fresh pineapple, and orange juice all whirred together.
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I concur w/carswell that turbinado is a very suitable choice for the top sugar. I like to burn a thin layer and then sprinkle on another amount in order to achieve a proper crust. But, as jackal10 advises, not too thick. The standard test in many restaurants offering fine French cuisine is commonly that the tap of an elegant silver spoon should suffice to crack the crust. That is a guideline worth embracing.
Two of my favourite c.b.’s are Pear-Cardamom & Pumpkin. Or even a regular c.b. along w/ pears poached in Beaujolais. I recall having read a few years ago about a restaurant in Belgium whose c.b. custard was made from duck eggs. For those of you who are enamoured by East/West fusion cuisine, Lemongrass c.b. w/ a crystallized gingerroot julienne would likely provide an appropriate dessert.
Some other suggestions gleaned from my notebooks that you may like to add to your repertoire: Serve a plain vanilla c.b. w./ prune-&-walnut filled rissoles. For an Italianate interpretation, perhaps an espresso version served w/ almond biscotti. Going for a Mexican theme? Be adventuresome and present your crème brûlées in tostada shells, along w/ sliced cactus pears. Here’s another possibility: A plate featuring a selection of 3 small cheeses, fresh dates, and a little cup of mauve-hued Port Crème Brûlée.
I had mentioned in one of my earlier posts on eGullet that I once baked individual angel food cakes, filled them w/ stovetop stirred c.b. custard and served the cakes nestled beside a rum-spiked banana-mango compote.
Obviously, there is a a wide berth for the imagination in the variations of these exquisite custards.
On a final note, we so often conceive of Crème Brûlées being sent to table as single servings. But, let’s also appreciate the impact of one presented in a 6-cup soufflé dish wrapped in a crisp white linen napkin. Refined & generous service indeed!
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Would les maîtres in Hermé's kitchen prepare a version of the Macarons de Nancy batter? That would be an Italian-meringue type of macaroon.
Far be it from me to contest Nicole Kaplan's understanding of this matter. But, for our own purposes, should the mold-theory be completely discounted as a means of making the square-shaped macaroons? Perhaps I am misunderstanding the exactness of the prodecure.
Earlier today, I received an e-mail response from a chef w/ very capable technical knowledge. She wrote in response to my inquiry re the topic at hand. I shall not reveal her identity because (a) I have not asked her permission, and (b) it is not prudent to make anything disputatious about the issue. She wrote:
You are indeed correct. They use special pans. If you would like to recreate these lovely cookies and want to do them in a shape, there are number of places where you can get these pans. The latest and greatest thing is called a "flexipan. These are silicon baking pans in all sorts of shapes and sizes. The nice thing about them is that it's easy to get the pastries out of them. Also, they are good in hot or cold preparations. There are a number of places you can get them. I order them from J.B. Prince (www.jbprince.com). Have fun.
Oh well, perhaps my two-cents'-worth have been devalued! But I do appreciate the belief that "feet are a sign of beauty" on macaroons. Exquisite!
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Macarpone is a rich, unripened, very soft Italian cheese. The first time I had a dessert containing mascarpone was at Boston in 1984, most likely in the Four Seasons Hotel. (Was Lydia Shire in those kitchens at that time?) It was a chocolate roulade filled w/ orange-scented mascarpone. Then coffee followed by brandy, to put a big exclamation mark on the meal!
I echo Albiston’s enthusiasm for tiramisu – w/ a good light rum mixed in with it for extra-good measure!
Cirtus flavours offset it very nicely. One can prepare a frozen mascarpone cream and serve it, sliced, w/ a gingery tropical fruit compote. And Emily Luchetti actually gives instructions on how to make substitute mascarpone by heating heavy cream to 180° and adding tartaric acid to it. It’s then chilled in a lined strainer, covered w/ plastic wrap and chilled up to 18 hours until very thick & firm. Much more wonderfully inviting, though are her instructions for making Caramel-Mascarpone cream by adding caramel sauce, heavy cream, and a pinch of salt to the cheese and whipping it to soft peaks. Hedonistic!
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At this point in our discussion, I propose that “Zirmer” refers to a legitimate family surname – thus, the cake would be a hotel restaurant or "haus torte," as suspected by both ludja & Peter. (Last evening, I looked up the term ‘zirmer’ in my Collins German-English dictionary and no such spelling was listed.)
However, I do not think it possible for me to agree w/ Peter’s speculation that Zirmertorte may be “a version of the Linzer Torte.” A linzertore is composed of a latticed (ground-nut) crust and jam filling, rather than anything like a fresh-fruit compote or garnish. The linzertorte crust is, moreover, a flour-based one, and the Zirmertorte is specifically described for us as being a flourless cake. (“Linzer” is a derivative of Linz, a city in northern Austria.) Albeit, I concur w/ the remark in Norman Krohn’s Menu Mystique that torte “is a difficult term to pin down with but one definition because it applies to many different types of cakes, as well as filled pies.” So perhaps I should broaden my expectations? :-)
Still, for the time being, I’ll cast my vote for a nusstorte as being the most probable classification for Zirmertorte.
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Although somewhat tangential to the topic at hand, I noticed in my baking journal that for Xmas 10 years ago, I had baked about 3 dozen crescent- and star-shaped Chocolate Shortbread cookies – which I gilded by brushing on nontoxic 24-karat gold dust! (I purchased it at an art-supply store; but it may also be available from vendors specializing in cake-decorating supplies.) They looked very striking on red-rimmed platters decorated w/ seasonal motifs.
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Steve KLC’s comments are eminently well-reasoned & clearly stated. If I may so observe, there are a couple of clarifying points which are warrantable to add – least for the sake of fleshing-out some details:
The method under consideration is called the “wet method,” in which the initial stage of making caramel sauce is cooking the sugar w/ water. (I use an approx. 3-to-1 ratio.) The alternative method is “dry,” in which more experience is advisable in order to melt the sugar all by its lonesome, or w/ the addition of rubbed-in lemon juice.
James Peterson (Sauces: Classical & Contemporary Saucemaking) stresses that “the most important precautions to follow when preparing caramel [by the wet method] are: stir the mixture continuously, and do not use too high a heat; otherwise the sugar will burn rather than caramelize evenly.”
Caramel, with the exception of deep-fat frying, is the hottest and potentially most volatile liquid in the kitchen. We’re talking HOT: It’s rating is beyond hard-ball and hard-crack! Because sugar has reached an incredibly high temperature by the time it caramelizes (although it can dissolve in liquids at low temps, it doesn’t acutally begin to melt until it’s heated to 320°), it can burn you badly if you touch it. As Steve very prudently warned, please don’t allow yourself to become distracted by other things while preparing this sauce.
Furthermore, I appreciate Steve’s cautionary note re warming the cream prior to adding it to the pan: It should be brought to the point of scalding; juice need only be warmed. If cold liquids were added, they could turn the caramel to a solid. It would, of course, eventually melt, but this delay retards progress. I usually add about a tablespoon of corn syrup once the sugar-&-water mixture boils; when it reaches a light-med. brown caramel colour (about 338°), the pan is withdrawn from the flame, and bits of butter are whisked in, then orange juice to finish. (Ideally, we should use really fresh cream because if it’s less-than-fresh, the cream might curdle when mixed w/ the rather acidic caramel.)
Lastly, as Steve indicated, caramel sauce will store well under refrigeration for several months. Ah, how one longs for Gâteau St.-Honoré, Dobosh-Torte, or even Crème Caramel!
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Prompted by CarrotTop’s intuitively appropriate suggestion for a nusstorte, here is a recipe for Haselnuss Torte – a worthy candidate for your Zirmertorte:
4 large eggs, separated
1/3 cup sugar (generous)
Zest of lemon
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1 Tbs. rum
9 oz. finely ground, skinned toasted hazelnuts
Pinch of allspice
4 Tbs. apricot jam
Hazelnut Whipped Cream:
8 fl. oz. heavy cream, whipped
Confectioners’ sugar, to taste
2 oz. finely ground hazelnuts
Beat yolks & sugar until pale & creamy. Add zest, juice, & rum. Combine hazelnuts w/ spice. Fold into batter w/ stiffly beaten egg whites. Pour into buttered, floured 9-inch springform pan.
Bake in preheated 350° F. oven for 30 minutes, or until tests done.
When completely cooled, slice torte into two equal layers. Spread w/ warmed apricot jam. Sandwich together. Cover top w/ hazelnut whipped cream, or simply w/ plain whipped cream. Garnish w/ fresh fruits, or served w/ stewed plums.
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amccomb: Per your request [("although I was really searching for a plain passion fruit jam online (which I never did find, if anyone has one, I would be so happy!)"], you may order jars of passion-fruit jam from either of these online vendors:
http://www.thequickgourmet.com/hafrpr.html
http://www.agroworld.com/preserves.htm
Should you proceed to making your own passion-fruit preserves, make sure that the fruit is well-shriveled & wrinkled. That appearance indicates that the fruit is ripe and ready to consume. If they're not ready, simply ripen them at room temp., uncovered, out of direct sunlight. To prepare, cut in half crosswise, and scoop out the pulp & seeds w/ a spoon. 10 or 12 passion fruits should yield about 1 cup of pulp.
Be sure you have enough of them on hand to provide the amount of pulp the recipe requires. For example, to make a sorbet, you'll need 2 cups of pulp for a 1-cup each sugar-&-water proportion. (Please note: lemon juice is not added to either kiwi or passionfruit sorbets!) I once made a passionfruit filling for a cake. Twice I've baked soufflés, using the purchased (Dewlands-brand) juice. A mousse made w/ this fruit would be appealling, too.
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Chefperson: I am generally inclined to agree w/ you that these macaroons are formed in molds.
Dehillerin (http://www.e-dehillerin.fr/presentationA.html), for example, wasn’t informative at all. But, wait a moment, petits fours molds are manufactured in many shapes, including square! There are numerous high-quality silicone brands readily available, such as Gastroflex.
The adventurous must strive first to approximate the technique – which, btw, will be an exacting process (much more fastidious than shaping the traditional macaroon "sandwiches"), considering that three layers are to be enclosed! The square macaroons produced by Ladurée, Hermé, and other Paris pâtisseries, have such a consistently well-coated (and molded) appearance, we could be persuaded that they're covered by poured fondants.
Our brainstorming continues....
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ANGELICA
This herb, which grows wild in the European Alps, in the Pyrenees and in northern Europe, has long been highly valued because every part of the plant has some use. Oil distilled from the seeds & roots is used in flavouring liqueurs & drinks. The leaves are used for flavouring stewed fruit. The fresh stalks & leaf stems, candied in sugar, are used in fruit cakes, to garnish desserts, and as a flavouring component. Undoubtedly, all of us have seen it used in marzipan modelling; one suggestion offered by Flo Braker, in her marvellous book, Sweet Miniatures: The Art of Making Bite-Size Desserts is to use tiny pieces for stems on marzipan grape clusters. (I bought crystallized angelica only once and used the stems to garnish an English Trifle and the remainder to accessorize, along w/ crystallized flower petals, the icing on a butterceam-filled Lemon Sponge Cake.) According to The Oxford Companion to Food, “the candied stalks have been sold as ‘French rhubarb’ in the USA.” Elizabeth David (Spices, Salts and Aromatics in the English Kitchen) identified angelica (along w/ citrus zest and orange-flower water) as “one of my favourite [aromatics] that go in all desserts and confectionery.”
f you have access to a copy of Culinaria France – mygod, I treasure that magnificent series of Könemann reference books! – you can delight in the article on Angélique de Niort, bearing the ethereal, perfume-like title, “Heavenly Allure.” The amazing French culinary artists even carve decorative figures out of the transcendently-named plant, angelica archangelica; and pictures in a sidebar show a cow, a duck, a frog, and a marsh marigold. Enchanting reading. We also learn that “as early as the late 18th century, the bright green stems were famous as candy, referred to as confiture d’angélique, because they had been preserved in sugar (French: confire)."
The lead instructor during the last 12 weeks of my culinary schooling was a lady from New Zealand. Her English heritage was celebrated occasionally in class when she would introduce recipes that were updated (French) interpretations of some favourite family dishes. I recall that we used candied angelica to decorate a huge Trifle, as well as, not surprisingly, a beautifully pristine Pavlova. I was impressed by her intimation that she had made her own Angélique Confite. Although it takes over a week to prepare – most of which time it is drying on a rack -- it is simple to do. Once made, it must be kept in a well-stoppered glass jar. Our instructor gave us a few recipes using angelica, including a tart with a rich, shortcrust filled with a rather bland cheese filling and flavoured w/ candied angelica.
One summer I included an angelica plant in my herb garden; but, alas, it didn’t grown very successfully. Later, I learned from The Encyclopedia of Herbs, Spices and Flavourings that it probably would have fared better in a potting tub. If it had flourished (it dies after flowering), then I would have proceeded to make Angélique Confite:
A dozen 4-inch lengths of tender, young angelica stems
20 fl. oz. boiling water
1 lb. granulated white sugar
20 fl. oz. water
Place angelica in bowl. Pour over the boiling water and leave to soak for 24 hrs.
Remove the angelica. Peel & wash in cold, running water. Mix remaining water & sugar in saucepan. Heat to make a simple syrup. Add the angelica and simmer steadily for 20 minutes.
Remove it from the pan and place in a sieve to drain. Cove the syrup and set aside. Leave the angelica to air-dry for 3 days. After that period, bring the syrup to the boil, add the angelica, and gently boil it for 15-20 minutes. Remove the angelica and leave on a rack for 4 days. Sprinkle w/ sugard and store in an airtight confiture jar.
BTW, I wonder whether Angelica Huston is interested in this topic?
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A Chocolate-Pecan Pie custom-baked for a second date…lucky chap!
I have baked a couple versions of this pie. But to elevate these two classics to a higher echelon, consider (perhaps for a later get-together) the presentation of a Caramel-Pecan Black Bottom Pie. This morning, I’m not up to typing in the full set of instructions; however, here’s an outline: Prebake a buttery 9-inch crust that’s been scented w/ vanilla. Powdered gelatin is softened/bloomed over brandy & vanilla. Next, 5 oz. chopped chocolate is readied. Sugar, cornstarch, salt are placed in a saucepan. Whisk in lt. cream & egg yolks to make smooth custard. Temper and incorporate choc. Add gelatin mixture to hot custard. Spread this filling in prepared crust. Refrigerate. Then make a caramel topping of sugar, water, heavy cream, butter...and, of course, roasted pecans. Cool the topping, stirring so that it doesn’t set. Spoon it over the filling. Chill until toppin is set and then pour the Cajun coffee!
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KarenS: I do not think that I mis-stated my opinion in the original post: Pots de crème and Crème Brûlées ARE custards. I would not maintain otherwise. Also, I fully agree w/ you that custards can be prepared stovetop. The point I wished to present was that there simply exists a distinct similarity between the two desserts. I have made stirred stove-top custards and they are, as you astutely noted, even smoother than baked versions. (Using arrowroot or cornstarch can enhance smoothness because these flours help to prevent curdling if the heat gets too intense.) For the ultimate in smoothness, the custards ought to be cooked, while strirring, in the top of a double-boiler pan just until the mixture is thickened. No more! Then cool the custard over iced water.
Thank you for the reference to Howard McGee’s text. In his discussion, he goes on to note some of the standard keypoints (which are technically relevant to the stirred variety) for achieving properly baked custard: “Use a low temperature, never neglect to use the water bath, which slows the transmission of oven to egg, remove the custard as soon as possible after setting, and bring its temperature down in a cold water bath (like scrambled eggs, a custard will continue to cook w/ the heat it retains).” [On Food & Cooking, p. 71]
Additionally, I pull off the chalazae – those little membranous strips in the whites – otherwise there’s a risk that they’ll harden during cooking. And I always pour the custard mixture twice (before cooking) through a seive in order to ensure maximized smoothness.
I have made Crème Brûlée on the stovetop and used the custard to fill small cakes – e.g., individual-sized coconut-angel cakes, served w/ warm rum-flavoured fruit compote. Yet, the cook must note that there is a change necessitated in the formula; for instance, a version based on 12-fl.oz. of milk may require 9 egg yolks -- that is, if an additional thickener isn't used.
Let's also mention another simple but perfect pleasure -- Coeurs à la Crème. A white-chocolate version is a delicate, melt-in-the-mouth confection. And, naturally, no cooking required whatsoever!
Regards,
Lawrence
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Believe me when I say that I don't wish to spoil anyone's fun. But, I must agree w/ Chezmarie, above, who calmly questioned the notion that Pots de Crème might be mousses. Naturally, a Pot de Crème is analagous to Crème Brûlée, in that they are both oven-cooked (bain-marie) custards, the main differences being that the former are baked w/ lids and the latter version is caramelized after being cooled.
Crème Brûlées are somewhat less rich: For example, to serve 6 to 8 you'd need 4 cups heavy cream, 10 egg yolks, ½ cup granulated sugar; compared w/ 4 cups heavy cream, 10 egg yolks, 1 cup sugar, and vanilla for the Pots de Crème.
Custard connoiseurs have no reason to complain, though, as these dishes are among the world's most satisfying desserts. I'll eat any good custardy dessert, regardless of the name or authenticity!
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Some pastry cooks producing a large output, may prefer to use commercially prepared glazes, such as this Italian product (available in either neutral or apricot flavour) . Packed in big (13kg/26lb) containers.
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Anni: Surely a marvellous expérience is to be unfolded at your arrival in the land of bon vivant! Yet, now may be the hour to hearken to Chef David Ruggerio’s sage advice: “You don’t learn to cook in France. You learn a way of thinking…the attitude that everything has to be perfect.” And this profound summation from Peter Mayle: "I can't pretend to have scratched the surface of French gastronomy."
And, “for what to do when you first reach Paris,” you may like to read a brief introduction: http://www.bonjourparis.com/pages/articles/articleId/1483
Rest assured that regular readers of this forum would be delighted to have an “investigative reporter” gourmandising her way through Paris. It is a hedonistic, but highly rewarding, metropolis. Keep your camera active and send us pictures through the digital pipe. ;-)
A few of the premier chocolatiers et pâtissiers in Paris:
Dalloyau
http://www.boulevard-des-gourmets.com/doss...oyau/bouche.htm
DeBauve & Gallais
http://www.debauve-et-gallais.com/
La Maison du Chocolate (6th Arrondissement)
Jean-Paul Hevin…the “chocolate jeweller.”
Gérard Mulot
All the best to you in your endeavours.
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I will by no means attempt to posit my views as being authoritative on the subject of gelatin. During my apprenticeship in the late 1980s, I was encouraged to focus on gelatin as something of a “secret agent” stabilizer. It would function so admirably when used to give a featherweight mousse the wherewhithal to firm up a layer in gâteaux, or firmly restructuralize a chibouste. I have not used leaf gelatin for quite a while, so your best bet would be to ask someone such as Nightscotsman to field your queries. He, and his colleagues, would certainly be apprised of recent developments in its food science, as well as in the optimal selection & handling of the products.
I am perhaps not absolutely certain, but it is consistent w/ my recollection that leaf (or sheet) gelatin has an almost indefinite shelf life – particularly when it is stored properly in a cool, dry environment.
I’ve had good success w/ the softened, unflavoured granulated form of gelatin by popping it in the microwave to hasten dissolving it. I buy bulk packages because they are freshness-dated (the old stuff just doesn’t perform well). Normally, 7 grams will be sufficient to set 500 ml. of liquid.
Incidentally, the first tip I ever learned about gelatin, years ago, was that a very small amount added to whipped cream will prevent it from weeping when it has to stand a while before serving. Be cautious about never adding too much gelatin to anything! After all, rubber is for tires!
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Sheet gelatin is generally preferred by many professionals because it is flavourless and, moreover, less likely to lump. The substitution formula is usu. rendered as 5 sheets = 1 Tbsp granulated. After soaking the sheets for a few minutes in very cold water, they're squeezed gently.
If you're using dry gelatin powder, remember to slake it first w/ a little cold water in order to soften & hydrate the crystals. Then, when hot water (no more than 180° F.) is added, the moist crystals will readily dissolve.
If gelatin desserts develop a rubbery skin, either the surface of the prepared gelatin was overly exposed to air; or, possibly, there was too high a proportion of gelatin to liquid.
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CHRIS: I've tried several Belgian beers, but I must say that I have yet to adapt my palate to any beer (such as Bavaria) that exceeds 8% alc./vol.! According to a Belgian acquaintance of mine, there are more than 700 brands of beer in his homeland. Surprisingly, he ordinarily drinks Stella Artois – which, incidentally, has become phenomenally popular here in my city. (Sales have risen 55 per cent during the past yr. and it has become the third-highest-selling import beer.)
I recently attended a four-course dinner hosted by a brewmaster for about 200 or so diners. Each dish created for the gala was prepared & served w/ a different Belgian beer. The Belle-Vue Kriek (made by macerating fresh cherries in the lambic) was poured as the liquid accompaniment for the bittersweet choc-&-cherry cake composite.
ANNE: Your tag line "Beer & Cigarettes" is utterly hilarious! And we're not talking about Cigarettes Russes!
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Store your version of this scruptious cake for a day or two to let the rum flavour mellow.
Cake:
6 oz. softened butter
1½ cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
¼ tsp salt
4½ tsps baking powder
½ cup dark rum (I use Appleton Estate-Extra 12 yr.)
1 cup whole milk
1 cup Thompson raisins
1 cup chopped pecans
Syrup:
2 oz. butter, melted
2 fl. oz water
1 cup granulated sugar
¼ cup dark rum
Butter 10-inch heavy-guage tube pan; line w/ paper. Preheat oven to 350° F.
Cream butter & sugar on low speed for 10 mins. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
Combine dry ingredients thoroughly. Add to butter mixture alternately w/ rum & milk, careful to mix only until batter is smooth. Stir in raisins & nuts.
Place halved pecans on bottom of the tube pan. Spread cake batter evenly over the nuts. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until tester come out clean. Turn the cake onto a wire rack to cool, before glazing.
To make glaze: In sm. saucepan, combine butter, & sugar. Place over moderate flame and stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and add the rum. Using a skewer, pierce holes all over top of the cake. Drizzle the syrup over until it is all absorbed. Store in a sealed container at room temp. Serve w/ vanilla bean ice cream and good Columbian coffee.
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In England, there is the famous Cornish Caudle Chicken Pie. Travel throughout Great Britain and you’ll find that any pub/restaurant worth its supply of lard will pride itself on the classic steak-&-kidney pie, pork-&-apple pie, and hamd-&-veal pie. They also serve spicy fish pies and crusted beef cobblers. In Yorkshire, pigeon pie is baked w/ back bacon, mushrooms, and boiled eggs – all wrapped in puff pastry. The variety of savoury pies in Britain is sufficient to fill a whole cookbook. The legendary food halls at Harrod’s and Fortnum & Mason offer large displays of raised savoury pies.
Above the border, Scotch pies are filled with minced meat, although much of the meat is often replaced with offal. Traditionally, this meat is mutton, although in modern times beef is almost always used.
I have often baked Chicken-&-Leek Potpie; but either under short-crust pastry, or topped w/ cheddar biscuits.
Ultimately, it will be interesting to learn the true genesis of this dish.