Eclair

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 eggs
• 1 (5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
• 2 1/2 cups cold milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons hot water

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Grease a cookie sheet.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine 1/2 cup butter and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, stirring until butter melts completely. Reduce heat to low, and add flour and salt. Stir vigorously until mixture leaves the sides of the pan and begins to form a stiff ball. Remove from heat. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well to incorporate completely after each addition. With a spoon or a pastry bag fitted with a No. 10, or larger, tip, spoon or pipe dough onto cookie sheet in 1 1/2 x 4 inch strips.
3. Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven, then reduce heat to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) and bake 20 minutes more, until hollow sounding when lightly tapped on the bottom. Cool completely on a wire rack.
4. For the filling, combine pudding mix and milk in medium bowl according to package directions. In a separate bowl, beat the cream with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Beat in 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Fold whipped cream into pudding. Cut tops off of cooled pastry shells with a sharp knife. Fill shells with pudding mixture and replace tops.
5. For the icing, melt the chocolate and 2 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Stir in 1 cup confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in hot water, one tablespoon at a time, until icing is smooth and has reached desired consistency. Remove from heat, cool slightly, and drizzle over filled eclairs. Refrigerate until serving. 

sources : allrecipes.com  

 

Pain Au Chocolat

Prep Time: 3 hours

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours, 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 teaspoons instant dried yeast
• 1/2 cup lukewarm water
• 3 1/2 cups bread flour
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 9 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons milk

Preparation:

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water for 5 minutes. Add the bread flour, milk, sugar, melted butter, and salt to the dissolved yeast and water and mix the dough on medium speed for about 2 minutes. If the dough is too sticky, add 1 tablespoon of extra flour at a time, until the dough is just firm enough to fold a shape.
Shape dough into a ball and loosely cover it with plastic wrap. Allow it to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Roll the dough into a 10-inch by 15-inch rectangle, and then cover it loosely and allow it to rise for 40 minutes.
Brush the rectangle with the softened butter and then fold the dough into thirds, like a letter. Roll the long, thin rectangle back into the original 10-inch by 15 shape. Fold the dough into thirds, again, and then cover the dough with plastic wrap and allow it to rest in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Repeat this process one more time.
Using a sharp knife, cut the dough crosswise into 12 rectangles. Arrange 2 teaspoons of chopped chocolate across one of the short ends of the rectangle and fold that third of the dough over the chocolate, toward the center. Repeat the process on the opposite side of the dough, folding it over and tucking the end under to create a cylindrical shape.
Arrange each finished pain au chocolate on a lightly greased baking sheet with at least 1 1/2 inches between each pastry. Cover them loosely with plastic wrap and allow them to rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until they are nearly doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 400F. Whisk the egg and 2 tablespoons milk together to make an egg wash. Brush the egg wash across the surface of each pastry. Bake the pan au chocolate for 12 to 14 minutes, until they are puffed and golden brown.
sources : frenchfood.about.com

Soufflé

Ingredients :

• 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ½-1 teaspoon salt, to taste
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 12 oz bittersweet baking chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup brewed strong coffee
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided
• 5 egg yolks
• 7 egg whites
• Confectioners sugar 

Prep Work :

Make ahead:
Get all the ingredients together and prepare the coffee, make sure the chocolate is chopped.
Make the base and chill up to a day before.
The Day of Baking:
Preheat oven to 375ºF.
Coat the inside of the baking dish with butter and sugar.

How to make it :
Make ahead:
Melt butter in a sauce pot over medium heat, whisk in flour, salt and then milk and cook until it comes to a boil for a few seconds and thickens. What you have just made is a very basic béchamel sauce.
Off the heat, stir in chocolate and stir constantly until it's melted. Add coffee, vanilla, and ¼ cup of sugar, whisking until smooth. One at a time, add the egg yolks while whisking constantly. With the addition of these ingredients, you have just made chocolate pastry cream, or chocolate pudding.
Cool, cover and chill the base for at least four hours and up to a day ahead.
About an hour before you want to serve the soufflé, butter a 2-2 1/2 quart soufflé dish or straight-sided baking dish. Add about 2-3 Tablespoons of granulated sugar, and then tap and rotate the dish to cover the bottom and sides with sugar.
In a perfectly clean and dry bowl, whisk the egg whites to soft peaks, and gradually whisk in the remaining ¼ cup of sugar. Continue to whisk until the peaks are stiff and glossy.
Stir ¼ of the whites into the soufflé base to lighten it. Then, thoroughly but gently fold in the rest of the whites.
Fill the soufflé dish all the way to the top. If you’d like, run your thumb around the top inside of the soufflé dish to clean off the rim. Some chefs say this helps the soufflé to rise more evenly.
Bake for 35 - 40 minutes until the soufflé rises 2 inches above soufflé dish and/or the top of the soufflé is golden brown. Dust with confectioners sugar and serve immediately because the soufflé will deflate in less than two minutes.
For individual soufflés, butter and sugar individual ramekins and bake for about 20 minutes, or until well risen.
source : http://www.reluctantgourmet.com

Meringue

Step 1: You will need…..

• 2 large egg whites
• Half cups sugar
• 1 electric whisk
• 1 large bowl
• 1 baking tray
• 1 spatula
• greaseproof paper
• 1 teaspoon

Step 2: Preheat the oven

Set the temperature to 100ºC (200ºF/ lowest gas mark)

Step 3: Prepare the baking tray

Lay a piece of greaseproof paper on the baking tray.

Step 4: Whip the eggs and sugar

Pour the egg whites into the bowl, add a little sugar and start to whip. Gradually, add the rest of the sugar, while continually whipping until the mixture becomes stiff and glossy.
For this to be a success the egg whites have to be completely yolk free and all utensils very clean. Any grease or yolk will prevent the whites from whipping.

Step 5: Shape the meringues

Drop a teaspoonful of the mixture onto the baking tray. Repeat to create the individual meringues. Place each one an inch apart.

Step 6: Bake

Place the baking tray in the centre of the oven and bake for 45 minutes.

Step 7: Turn off the oven and leave

Switch the oven off and leave the meringues inside for another hour.

Step 8: Remove the meringues and cool

Take the baking tray out of the oven and leave the meringues to cool.

Step 9: Serve or keep

Once cool, the meringues are ready to serve immediately. Try taking a couple, adding some whipped cream and fresh fruits and sticking them together for a delicious sweet dessert. Or they can be stored in an airtight container for up to one week.
sources :  www.videojug.com

Macaroon Marie Antoinette

Ingredients

• 110g ground almonds
• 225g icing sugar
• 4 eggs
• 50g caster sugar
• ½ vanilla pod

For the vanilla butter cream

• 150g unsalted butter, softened
• 75g icing sugar
• 50g vanilla sugar

METHOD

How to make macaroon Marie Antoinette

1. Preheat the oven to 150°C/gas mark 2. Sieve the icing sugar and ground almonds to produce a fine powder.
2. Separate the eggs and whisk the whites at full speed until they start to thicken, then slowly add the caster sugar until they form stiff peaks.
3. Scrape the seeds from a vanilla pod and, using a rubber spatula, fold into the egg whites along with the almond mixture or add your chosen flavouring and colour, mix to produce a thick, shiny and smooth mixture.
4. For the vanilla butter cream, add all the ingredients to a bowl and beat well to produce a smooth cream.
5. Place the mixture into a piping bag with a round nozzle and pipe 3cm discs onto a lined baking tray. Leave to stand and set a little, about 5-10 minutes so that they dry out a little before placing in the oven for 12-15 minutes. Once the macaroons have cooled, sandwich together with the vanilla butter cream and pile together on a plate.
credits : http://www.channel4.com

Mille Feuille

Ingredients :

• 410 g puff pastry (thawed)
• 500 g fresh strawberries
• 315 ml whipping cream
• 1 -2 drop vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons caster sugar
• 5 tablespoons red currant jelly 

 Step :

1. Preheat oven to 220C (425F).
2. Roll out pastry to a thin rectangle and cut into 3 even sections.
3. Place rectangles onto baking sheets and prick all over with a fork.
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Cool on a wire rack.
5. When cold trim the edges with a very sharp knife. Reserve the trimmings.
6. Cut half of the strawberries in half and reserve for decorating the top.
7. Slice the remaining strawberries.
8. Whip the cream until stiff and stir through the sugar and vanilla. Fold in the sliced strawberries.
9. Place a pastry slice on a serving plate and spread with half of the cream mixture. Lay another slice on top and spread with the remaining cream. Place the third slice on top.
10. Put the redcurrant jelly and 2 Tblspn water in a small saucepan and heat gently until the jelly is liquid.
11. Brush the top pastry slice with some of the jelly and arrange the halved strawberries on top. Brush with the remaining jelly.
12. Crush the reserved pastry trimmings and press onto the sides of the slice with the blade of a knife.
     
    
     

Kouign Amann

About 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients :
1 tablespoon (12 g) dried yeast, not instant
¾ cup (175 ml) tepid water
2 cups (260 g) all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 cup ( 200 g) sugar (which will be divided later)
(Plus additional sugar for rolling out the pastry)
1 stick salted butter (110 g), cut into ½-inch (2 cm) pieces and chilled
2-3 tablespoons additional salted butter, melted

Step :
1. In a medium bowl, dissolve the yeast in the water with a pinch of sugar. Stir briefly, then let stand for 10 minutes until foamy.
2. Gradually stir the flour and salt. The dough should be soft, but not too sticky. Lightly dust your countertop with flour and transfer the dough onto it.
Knead the dough with your hands until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 3 minutes. If the dough is very sticky, knead in just enough flour, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough doesn’t stick to your hands.
3. Brush a medium bowl with melted butter, put the dough ball into the bowl. Cover, and let rest in a warm place for 1 hour.
4. Meanwhile, line a dinner plate with plastic wrap and set aside.
5.On a lightly floured countertop, roll the dough into a rectangle about 12″ x 18″ with the shorter sides to your left and right.
The dough may be sticky and difficult to handle. Use a metal pastry scraper to coax the dough into shape, and a minimal sprinkling of flour, as necessary.
(It will all be beautiful later, trust me.)

Distribute the butter in the center of the dough and sprinkle with ¼ cup (50 gr) of sugar. Grab the left side of the dough, lift and fold it over the center, than do the same with the right side (like a letter). You should have what resembles a 3-level pastry.

6. Sprinkle the entire length of the dough with ¼ cup (50 gr) of sugar and (without rolling) fold again into thirds, as before.

Place on the plastic wrap-covered dinner plate and chill for 1 hour.
(At this point, wipe excess flour from the countertop and dust the countertop with a rather liberal handful of sugar for rolling out the pastry again.)
7. Once chilled, remove dough from refrigerator.

Ease it away from the plastic onto the sugar-covered countertop.
(Use more sugar than shown. I was busy doing double-duty as the photographer and baker.)
Top the dough with ¼ cup (50 gr) of sugar, press it in a bit with your hands, and roll into a rectangle for the last time.

Now wasn’t it easier this time?
Again, fold into thirds and let rest in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes.
8. Preheat oven to 425° F (220° C) and brush a 9-inch (23cm) pie plate, preferably non-stick, with melted butter.
9. Remove dough from refrigerator. Roll dough into a circle about the size of the baking pan. It will be sticky; dusting the top with a sprinkle of sugar will help.
Once rolled, lift the dough and coax it into the pan. (It will want to break. If so, fold it in half and quickly slide something flat under it, like the metal bench scrape AND a metal spatula and quickly slip it into the pan. If it does break, just piece it back together in the pan.)
10. Sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup (50 gr) of sugar and drizzle with 1 tablespoon melted butter.

Bake for 40-45 minutes, until the top is deeply caramelized. Let stand a few minutes, then run a spatula around the edges to release the Kouign Amann and slide the cake from the pan onto a cooling rack.

credits : http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2005/08/long-live-the-k/

Esterhazy Torte

Ingredients:

• Sponge Cake:
• 5 large egg yolks
• 1 3/4 ounces sugar
• 1 3/4 ounces GROUND almonds (not chopped)
• 2 1/2 tablespoons flour
• 3 large egg whites, stiffly beaten
• Juice of 1/2 lemon OR 1 tablespoon vanilla
• .
• Chocolate Buttercream:
• 10 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 pound softened UNSALTED butter
• 5 large egg whites
• 1 cup sugar
• .
• Apricot Glaze:
• 1/4 cup melted apricot jam mixed with 1 tablespoon hot water
• .
• Easy Fondant Icing:
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
• .
• Garnish
• 2 ounces melted semisweet chocolate mixed with 1/4 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 4 ounces toasted or untoasted sliced almonds

Preparation:

1. For the sponge cake: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line four (8-inch) round baking pans with parchment circles. Alternatively, you can line one (8-inch) round pan with parchment, but you will have to split this cake into four layers.
   
   
2. Beat egg yolks with sugar until light and lemon colored. Sprinkle ground almonds and flour over batter and fold in gently. Fold in the egg whites and lemon juice or vanilla carefully so as not to deflate the batter.
   
   
3. Portion batter evenly into prepared pans. For four pans, bake about 10-15 minutes or until cakes pull away from sides of pan and underside is golden brown. For one pan, bake 30-40 minutes or until golden on the bottom. Cool in the pans.
   
   
4. Meanwhile, prepare the Chocolate Buttercream: Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl in the microwave. Stir and set aside to cool. With a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the butter with the paddle attachment on low for 2 minutes, medium for 3 minutes and high for 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
   
   
5. Place egg whites and sugar in the top of a double boiler over medium heat. Whisk gently to 120 degrees on a candy thermometer. Transfer to a clean and dry mixer bowl and beat with the balloon whisk on high until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes. Fold melted chocolate into butter, then fold in egg whites.
   
   
6. To Assemble: On a serving platter, place one sponge cake layer and spread with 1/4 chocolate buttercream. Repeat 2 more times and top with the last sponge cake layer. Reserve the last 1/4 of buttercream for the sides. Refrigerate, covered, 1 hour.
   
   
7. Prepare the Apricot Glaze: Strain the apricot mixture and brush entire top of cake with glaze and let dry for 15 minutes.
   
   
8. Meanwhile, make the Fondant Icing: Place all fondant ingredients in a small saucepan and stir until well mixed. Set over low heat and stir until dissolved. Don't let the temperature exceed 100 degrees on a candy thermometer. If glaze doesn't look opaque enough, add more confectioners' sugar.
   
   
9. Place chocolate-oil mixture in a squeeze bottle and set aside. Pour warm fondant over torte, tilting so the entire top is covered. If some drips down the sides, that's OK because it will be covered with the reserved buttercream. If it looks too transparent, you will have to apply another coat, but wait until this one dries.
   
   
10. If the fondant is the way you like it, before it dries, take the squeeze bottle and draw 4 or 5 concentric circles on the top of the torte. Using a skewer or the tip of a knife, drag it lightly through the lines from the center of the torte to the edge 8 times to make a chevron pattern.
    
    
11. Frost the sides of the torte with the reserved frosting, pressing in the sliced almonds. Refrigerate until ready to serve. For easier slicing, cut the torte while it is cold but let it come to room temperature before serving. This is a very rich dessert, so small slices work best.