Creations from The Art of the Dessert

[gfron1]

I double checked and I'll paraphrase - she goes into great detail to make sure you get it right.

To prepare the butter. Dust each stick with a bit of flour. Use a cheese slicer or madoline, and cut into 7 lengthwise slices. This has been where I stopped because my store doesn't sell American shaped butter (Kerrygold and Lurpak). Ending up with 28 thin 5x1 slices (from 4 sticks). Group them into 3 groups (9, 9, 10). Put on parchment paper, long sides slightly overlapping and press them together into three 7 3/4 x 5 inch sheets. Chill. Roll out the dough to 20 x 8. With ruler, mark the dough into fourths crosswise. Place one 7 3/4 x 5 sheet on the dough...and on and on. She does what looks like a 4-fold brochure that folds into one panel (if you know what I mean). Her diagrams make it very simple. So its not the traditional envelop fold.

[Tri2Cook]

Interesting. I don't think I'm likely to go to that extra trouble to make puff dough but it's still cool to see how others do things.

[lperry]

When the book came out, the Washington Post did a story with Amernick, and the technique they (or she?) chose to highlight was this one. I saved the paper for the photos (only to have a well-meaning BF recycle it!), and I can't seem to find it on the website. At any rate, I got the impression that this technique was something new and worthwhile - hence the full page of photos and big feature in the food section. I remember that the layers looked very clean cut and flaky. I haven't tried it because I rarely use puff, and then I cheat with Trader Joe's.

[Tri2Cook]

There may be a good reason for doing it that way, not questioning that at all, but it would have to be a fairly significant difference for me to do the extra work. Kinda like Herme's reverse puff dough. I tried it and it's cool but it's not different enough from the usual suspects to be worth the effort to me. Now his chocolate puff dough is a different story... a thing of beauty.

[gfron1]

Having done both of those, and Julia's techniques...I always go back to Julia's. I have a bit of butter oozing with her technique, but that's my sloppiness. Ann's technique is for the perfectionist or a great way for a beginner since she diagrams it so well.

[Lior]

Rob- about your cake: Well!! It does look yummy and one should not judge books by their cover (similar reactions to my delicious desserts-taken well by their maker-no worry) I must admit that I got this little evil smile on my face when I read about your cake!

Edited December 13, 2007 by Lior (log)

[fooey]

I haven't purchased the book yet, so I don't have the recipe, but it's on my Amazon.com wish list.

What rice is called for? Which did you use?

I think the age of the rice is probably less important the the type of rice. I once tried to make risotto using something other than the usual Arborio Rice, and no matter how much I stirred, the right textire evaded me.

Look forward to the book!

I think the rice may not have been as fresh and didn't give off as much starch. The rice cream never coated the back of the spoon enough to make a trail in it. I actually set the timer for each stage to be sure I didn't short time it; then when it looked so liquidy, cooked it a bit more. (In fact, I pulled out some of the rice and smashed it into a paste to stimulate thickening.)  Could I have not have had the heat high enough? I used a diffuser to be sure not to burn the half and half.

[gfron1]

She has a few rice pudding recipes, and they use different rices. The Turkish Rice and Rose water pudding calls for basmati. Another one calls for jasmine. I haven't made any of them yet, so I can't comment, but she is a very particular chef, so I'm assuming there's a method to her madness.

[gfron1]

This is a failed attempt at the pistachio cake. I made my typical altitude adjustments and something didn't work, so I'm going to remake it tonight without any adjustments and see what happens. I had plenty of rise since these forms were only filled half way, so they must have risen enough to be able to ooze over the side when they fell.

[gfron1]

I just finished round #2 where I used the recipe exactly. I had the same result. So, if someone is motivated to try the pistachio cakes, I would appreciate knowing if its me or the recipe.

[CanadianBakin']

I just finished round #2 where I used the recipe exactly.  I had the same result.  So, if someone is motivated to try the pistachio cakes, I would appreciate knowing if its me or the recipe.

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How disappointing, Rob! I don't have the book out of the library right now but I do have the pistachio paste.

[gfron1]

For what its worth, here are the two batches of pistachios that I used. The first batch (course) was used in the altitude modified recipe which fell worse than the other. The second batch (fine) was used in the no modifications recipe which fell, but I think I'll be able to salvage something.

[fooey]

Did you peel those pistachios yourself?

If so, you have 10x more patience than I do!

[gfron1]

oh good heavens no - I had a 50 pound box show up at my store already shelled and skinned.

[Lior]

It looks delicious. Can you somehow use it? Like pry it out and use as a cup for ice cream? Or crumble it for a topping? Or as a base for a custard cake? I love doing stuff like that. I am good at it as I often end up with such cakes...

It seems like the recipe is too liquidy...?

[gfron1]

Now that the holidays are behind us I was able to make my first Amernick dessert of 2008. I have quite a few coming in the next two weeks since my spouse is out of town - time to plump up those neighbors again!

Cheese Danish Sucrée

A delicate cheese filling with orange zest, Grand Marnier marinated yellow raisins, and topped with pomegranate seeds (my addition). This is the second time I've made her pastry dough and I really like her technique. The short version is after you've chilled it, work it under the heel of your hand on the counter until workable, then roll - very durable while working with it, but also delicate when you eat it.

[K8memphis]

So pretty with the pomegranates. Good call. Beautiful work.

[gfron1]

Chess Cake - which is a tartlet not a cake. Plumped raisins (I used currants) with crushed walnut in a light custard. I didn't care so much for these last night, but I really enjoyed them for breakfast. I focused on thinning my pastry shells on this dessert...better than the last one, but I think they could be thinner.

[alanamoana]

i think your shells look great rob. nice and consistent. my only comment would be to bake a little longer and get a touch more color on the dough...color is flavor. maybe it is me, but i always feel that people don't bake stuff enough.

of course, it could just be the color from the camera?

[gfron1]

No, its not the camera - I completely agree. Her recipe calls for 14 minutes (rotated). I went to 22 going by nose and touch, and I still didn't think it was done. I think what happened is I used a silcone pan, and she calls for aluminum or steel. What if I did like I have been, but then removed them from the silcone and then finished on a baking sheet not in the form? That might get it to a better color. Either that or I'll fix it in Photoshop for you next time

[alanamoana]

that's one of the reasons i hate silicon. i know how convenient it is, but it just doesn't give the right coloring to baked goods. little metal tartlette pans work very well, but end up being expensive when you have to buy tons of them. oh well.

i'm not sure if taking them out and baking would work. sometimes, with certain fillings and things it softens up too much and you lose the shape you were looking for or even worse, it falls apart.

sorry, it's just me being nitpicky!

[Tri2Cook]

They look tasty Rob, you're rocking that book. I wish I'd work through an entire book sometime but I'm betting it won't happen.

[gfron1]

Thanks. And Alana, you're not being picky. I wouldn't post if I didn't want feedback for improvement. On the the last two tartlets, they were, by the directions, finished out of the mold, so they do have the strength to pull it off. So my thought was, why not double back like a biscotti (very loosely compared) and then fill, then final bake. That might give it the color and a bit more dryness. I've got one more batch of dough waiting for me and a lemon caramel tartlet coming up in the book, so I'll give it a try.

[gfron1]

Tonight Patrick A made the Galette Bretonne. It had raisins and candied grapefruit peel soaked in rum. It was slightly underbaked (sorry Alana), but still very good. I would have liked an even more pronounced grapefruit flavor so in the future I would mix candied with fresh zest.

[alanamoana]

looks beautiful!