Saturday, January 20, 2007
Mastering the art of perfection – Riz au lait parfumé à la vanille
I am a real
perfectionist; the kind that would throw away a sheet of paper whenever something looks wrong: either the writing, the colours... just about anything in fact.
I’ve been known to remake things entirely for
un petit rien [barely anything] from school notebooks to cakes; from paintings to recipes.
Indeed when it comes to recipes I’m rarely satisfied. It has to and it needs to be P-E-R-F-E-C-T.
Though, sometimes it clearly isn’t. But in this case, I could do anything to achieve perfection; and
if it involves staying, covered with chocolate, flour and sugar, in a kitchen all night, then I don’t mind.
Riz au lait perfume à la vanilleIt took me a long time to find the perfect recipe for riz au lait à la vanille.
Indeed, I did find my redemption in riz au lait au chocolat, but really wasn’t satisfied with the white kind of riz au lait.
It’s something quite tricky: too much rice and it’ll end up rock-hard; too much milk and what you’ll get will be looked over as a soup.
This riz au lait is just as it should be: creamy, beautifully flavoured and very comforting.
What makes it special is its cooking technique inspired by the lovely Dorie Greenspan. Parboiling the rice in water makes for an almost starchless grain which is unlikely to get sticky resulting in a perfectly balanced ratio of 'rice grains' and 'vanilla cream'.
For extra comfort, you can have it while it’s still warm. And then, you’ll understand what perfection really means.Riz au lait parfumé à la vanille
serves 2
75 g arborio rice
400ml water
350 ml milk
1/2 vanilla pod, scraped
60 g caster sugar
Put the rice and water in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Lower the temperature and cook the rice, uncovered for 10 minutes.
Drain the rice in a strainer and rinse it; set aside.
Rinse out the saucepan, then pour in the milk, sugar and the scraped vanilla bean. When it boils, stir in the cooked rice. Reduce the heat and let the mixture bubble away for about 30 minutes, stirring from time to time.
Remove the pan from the heat and transfer either into a large bowl or two small ramekins.
You can eat it warm or cold from the refrigerator.
Labels: favourites, recipe inside, spoon desserts, vanilla
Monday, December 18, 2006
Fétichiste, moi? – Emotion infiniment vanille
[Fetishist, me? – Emotion infiniment vanille]
Inspired by Pierre Hermé and adapted from:
Lisa Yockelson’s babas, Damien Pignolet’s chiboust and Bill Granger’s panacotta
Since I saw a television program about vanilla the other day, my dormant love for this delicate spice has been stimulated and definitely awaken.
There must be
something unique about this plump, dark and oily pod; which makes it a
fetish for every food lover.
Pierre Hermé says nothing less than
‘j’aime la vanille pour la pureté de son goût’ and it shows: November’s fetish collection was all about vanilla; from macarons to tartes, from éclairs to émotions.
Mais pourquoi faire simple quand on peut atteindre la perfection?Because perfection there is: Pierre Hermé created a blend of three different vanilla types to achieve the perfect
‘goût vanille maison’.
Les vanilles
beloved Bourbon vanilla beans
La vanille du Mexique – Vanilla planifoliaIt seems logical to start with mexican vanilla as it’s considered to be the ‘mother of all vanillas’.
Indeed, the first vanilla crops were found in Mexico where the Aztec would call it
tlixochtitl - black flower.
Back to the kitchen, Mexican vanilla is creamy and sweet with woody undertones and has lots of seeds; which makes it perfect for uncooked puddings: from blanc-manger to ice creams.
La vanille de Madagascar – Vanilla bourbon (though, scientifically
Vanilla bourbon is the same specie as
Vanilla planifolia)
This one is perhaps the most sold over the world.
I guess its strong and rich vanilla flavour and its fat pod are the reasons for this success.
I am myself a self-proclaimed addict of bourbon vanilla – I throw it in nearly everything and the results are always lovely. Especially with baked goods; while with other vanillas the flavours can be altered by high temperatures, the strength of bourbon beans makes for a beautifully perfumed cake/bread...
La vanille de Tahiti - Vanilla tahitensisI have a strange relationship with Tahitian vanilla – although it’s very different from the two species mentioned above I really like it.
Do you think the fact that my mother was born in Papeete has got something to do with it?The pods are short and very plump (due to high water content – almost 35%) and have a pleasing floral and fruity fragrance. In few words: perfect with fruits – as part of a glaze brushed over the juicy berries of a tart or in syrup poured over a freshly-baked baba to serve with a dollop of whipped cream and caramelised pineapple slices.
Emotion infiniment vanilleThis recipe is inspired by Pierre Hermé’s Emotion created for the Fetish Infiniment Vanille collection (14-26 nov. 2006).
As I had no recipe for it, I went ‘par-ci et par-là’ and came up with somewhat a recipe.
Yes, I know the actual Emotion has mascarpone in it – but I ran out of mascarpone so I went for the chiboust option and I’m glad I did as it brings creaminess to the whole thing.
It entremet is basically made of three layers (from top):
- Bourbon vanilla chiboust
- Bourbon vanilla baba infused with Tahitian vanilla syrup
- light Mexican vanilla 'gelée'
It’s not as time-consuming as the lengthy recipe suggests. You just need to prep up the things:
1. make the babas
2. while the babas are baking, make the vanilla syrup
3. make the vanilla gelée
4. make the crème patissière
5. make the Italian meringue and fold into the crème pâtissière to get a light yet creamy chiboust
6. ‘montage de l’Emotion’ = place each baba over the light vanilla gelée and top witn pipped chiboustEmotion infiniment vanille
serves 6 (makes 6 x 170ml glasses)
1. for the baba5g dried yeast
30ml tepid water (35°C)
1/4 tsp + 40g sugar extra
40g butter, melted and cooled down a little
1 egg
25g sugar
seeds from half a Bourbon vanilla pod
250g flour
Mix the yeast, water and 1/4 tsp of sugar. Stir well and let stand until the yeast swells.
In a large bowl, whisk the egg with the remaining sugar and vanilla. Mix in the melted butter. Combine the flour, a little at a time (fanny: more flour can be added if necessary) until you get a soft dough (fanny: it shouldn’t be sticky though).
Knead for 5 minutes and transfer to a well buttered bowl; loosely cover with foil and let the dough to rise at room temperature for an hour.
When doubled in size, lightly press the dough with the palm of your hand.
Butter and flour the inside of six cooking rings (of the same diameter as the glasses in which you’re going to serve your Emotions) or line them with baking paper.
Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces and form each piece into a ball. Place a ball of dough at the bottom of each cooking ring; repeat with the remaining balls.
Allow to rise for another hour and preheat the oven to 180°C.
Bake the babas into preheated oven for 20 minutes or until puffy and golden. Transfer to a wire rack, unmould and place them in a deep baking dish and drench with vanilla syrup (fanny: try to coat them evenly).
2. for the vanilla syrup240ml water
200g sugar
half a Tahitian vanilla pod
Place the water and sugar in a saucepan and bring to the boil.
Slice the vanilla pod lengthways and scrape the seeds. Mix both the sliced pod and the seed to the syrup and simmer for 3 minutes until thickened but not coloured.
3. for the vanilla gelée250ml semi-skimmed milk
40g sugar
2 leaves gelatine
seeds from half a Mexican vanilla pod
180ml single cream
Place the milk, sugar and vanilla in a saucepan over a medium heat, then bring to the boil before removing from the heat.
Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water until soft. Squeeze out the excess water and drop the gelatine into the hot milk mixture and whisk until dissolved.
Add the cream and whisk until smooth.
Strain the mixture through a fine sieve and divide between six glasses (capacity of 170ml) and chill for at least three hours.
4. for the crème pâtissière250ml milk
half a Bourbon vanilla bean
3 egg yolks
40g sugar
20g cornflour
Put the milk into a saucepan, scrape out the seeds from the vanilla bean and ass to the pan along with the pod. Bring to the boil and set aside.
Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until white and fluffy; mix in the corn flour.
Return the milk to the boil and beat into the egg mixture. Put this back into the pan and place over moderate heat.
Bring it to the boil, stirring constantly – until thick.
Place the crème into a bowl and mixing from time to time, bring it to room temperature.
5. for the vanilla chiboust100g + 20g white sugar
50ml water
120ml egg whites (fanny: I used the three whites left after having made the crème pâtissière)
pinch of salt
1 quantity of crème pâtissière (see above)
In a sauce pan, place 100g of the sugar and water and bring to the boil.
When the temperature of the sugar syrup reached 110°C begin to beat the egg whites with the salt until stiff then add the remaining sugar.
As soon as the sugar syrup reaches 120°C (fanny: I usually spot this stage without a thermometer – the bubbles are smaller and the steam has disappeared), immediately add it to the meringue while beating continuously until the mixture cools down to room temperature.
Fold into the crème pâtissière and refrigerate for half an hour.
6. Montage des EmotionsFor each glass, place a disk of soaked baba over the vanilla gelée, pressing down slightly in order to make it fit.
Place the chiboust in a piping bag (with a 1cm nozzle) and pipe it to cover the baba.
Chill for at least an hour.
Labels: favourites, pierre hermé, recipe inside, spoon desserts, vanilla
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Je suis en retard, en retard; ou peut-être au pays des merveilleuses tartes – Riz au lait au chocolat
[I’m late, very late; or maybe I’m just in wonder(tart)land – Chocolate riz au lait]
Time goes by and I suddenly realise that all I’ve been writting about last month are a
pie, a
tarte and a
crostata.
Have I missed something? Was October the month of tart?There must be something
comforting in baking tarts.
The reward of turning simple ingredients such as butter, flour and sugar into a delicious dough, the calmness of kneading it and the reassuring fragrance that fills the entire house.
And indeed, there are – at least for me - few things that make me feel as comfy as tarts do.
A tart seems to be
perfect to warm up the cold days autumn is now bringing us.
I guess my current passion for tarts will not stop anytime soon: I can’t wait to recreate the lovely pecan tart I had in Toronto and the
pasteis de Belem a sweet friend brought me back from Portugal.
A never-ending tea tart party!Though, I feel like something will – for a short moment – sooth my tart cravings.
Riz au lait au chocolatRiz au lait, litteraly milk rice, is the French name for a pudding made of rice cooked in sweetened milk.
It is usually flavoured with vanilla or even cinnamon if one wants to feel warm and cosy.
But I like my riz au lait best when very chocolaty. But then I am the ultimate chocolate lover!
This quite unusual twist brings out – in my humble opinion – the creaminess of the pudding and transforms the rather homely dessert into a luxurious treat.Riz au lait au chocolat au lait
serves 4
300g milk
60g arborio rice
25g sugar
seeds from 1 vanilla pod
15g butter
100g milk chocolate
Put the milk, rice, sugar and vanilla seeds in a pan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to the lowest possible and simmer for 30 minutes or until almost all the milk has been absorbed.
Off the heat, mix in the butter and milk chocolate until melted and combined.
Divide the riz au lait between four ramekins and chill until set (at least 4 hours).
Labels: chocolate, recipe inside, spoon desserts
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Mousse au chocolat au lait et au caramel au beurre salé
[Caramel au beurre salé and milk chocolate mousse]
On caramel au beurre saléCaramel au beurre salé [salted butted caramel] might sound strange but it is a classic combination. The
beurre salé [salted butter] enhance the caramel flavour, resulting in a delicious treat.
Caramel au beurre salé comes from the north-west of france, from somewhere between
Bretagne and
Normandie. In these places, it's a common statment to produce milk and thus cream and butter. And because of the proximity of the ocean/sea, salt is also produced for our greatest pleasure, leading to the confection of the famous caramels.
On chocolate and caramelThe association of caramel and chocolate is also un classique these days; from Pierre Hermé's macarons Plénitude to Michael Recchiuti's Burnt Caramel ganache.
This pair is also a favourite of mine.
It seems the caramel boosts the chocolate aroma. And to tell the truth it's nothing but science.
Chocolate = fermented + roasted + ground cocoa beans = Maillard reactionCaramel = caramelised sugar = caramelisationMaillard reaction and
caramelisation are both non-enzymatic browning.
Non-enzymatic browning is responsible for
colours (brown tones) and
flavours (subtly burnt).
As a result, chocolate and caramel are made to go together, highlighting each others.
On chocolate, caramel AND saltSalt is an effective taste-enhancer and adding salt to a confection enable to develop its flavours. Nothing less, nothing more!
Mousse au chocolat au lait et au caramel au beurre saléThis mousse is a delight. Chocolaty, caramely!
I love the way the chocolate and the caramel complement each others to form a perfect after-dinner pudding.
I like serving this mousse (and any other chocolate mousse) in espresso cups.
Let me think... Everything's been said! Enjoy.
Just a short note - The NY times recipe says 'deglaze with the cream and butter', while the butter should be added first until melted, then the boiling hot cream should be poured over. If you follow these two steps, seizing should not occur.Mousse au chocolat au lait et au caramel au beurre salé
serves 6
100g granulated sugar
2 tbsp water
30g good-quality salted butter
200ml double cream or
crème fleurette, heated to the boiling point
200g milk chocolate (38% cocoa solid)
3 eggs, separated
Make a caramel with the sugar and water.
Off the heat, mix in the butter until melted.
Then pour over the boiling hot cream and continue mixing til smooth.
Add the milk chocolate and wait for a minute or two for the chocolate to melt. Homogenise by mixing.
Mix in the egg yolks. Whisk the egg whites until they form firm peaks and fold into the chocolate mixture.
Divide between six ramekins and chill for at least 6 hours.
Labels: chocolate, recipe inside, spoon desserts
Friday, June 02, 2006
My secret love affair with Mr Cheese
Same dessert, different presentation
I have a
great love affair with cheese. I love to eat it and even more, to make it.
So when Itay from
Recipe asked me to write an article about cheese i couldn't help but say YES. I'm French after all and who can ignore that France is one of the leading countries regarding cheese produce.
Indeed more than 400 different cheeses are produced in France, 42 of these having a quality label called AOC (
Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée) and lots being made under the AB (
Agriculture Biologique) laws.
This doesn't mean that all French cheese are necessarily good -- both in taste and quality.
But
when you buy your cheese, try to know where it comes from: a farm or an industry.
And if you ever come to France, i deeply advise you to visit local farmers, to talk with them and eventually to buy their produce.
That way you can't be wrong.
The best surprise on a farm: babies!
I have no idea on how people from other countries eat their cheese, but as a French, i can't imagine a weekend lunch without a
well-furnished cheese platter.
Usually i like to keep it simple with 3 or 4 different cheeses. I try to serve big portions so the people don't get afraid to have a piece and i like to combine strong and mild flavours:
-
a blue cheese (like Roquefort or Bleu d'Auvergne)
Bleu d'Auvergne cheese
- a
fresh goat cheese (now I've worked on a farm, making goat cheese, i can't live without this cheese. It is so versatile and delicious)
- a
Corsican sheep's milk hard cheese served either with some fig jam or chestnut honey.
- a piece of
Brie de Meaux: a soft mild-in-taste cheese
But a
full cheese lunch could be a good idea as well if the flavours are well combined. That's what i tried to put together for this 4-course lunch. No main course!
Just 4 small dishes, high in taste yet subtle.
Tarte fine aux asperges et au chèvre frais
[Asparagus and fresh goat cheese tart]I made this for my birthday a month ago and everyone loved it. Three simple flavours: green asparagus, fresh goat cheese and fine puff pastry.
Actually this is far better if you make your own puff pastry -- i know it's time-consuming, but the difference is real: homemade puff pastry is so delicious.
The goat cheese should be 2-3 days old, as i think a fresher cheese would had more creaminess than taste.
(
Recipe)
Soufflé au bleu d'Auvergne
[Bleu d'Auvergne soufflé]I love soufflés because they're light and tasty at the same time. Don't be afraid to make them -- it's so easy. The only thing you have to keep in mind is: soufflés must be eaten straight away from the oven or they'll just fall.
An easy way to make soufflés without having to be in the kitchen during the lunch is to prepare the batter up to an hour before you start eating and to pop the small filled soufflé tins in the oven when you get the tart out of the oven.
These soufflés are nice served with some bitter leaves like rockets and a vinaigrette made with a nutty oil (like walnut oil).
Individual soufflés make for a highly rewarding treat!Soufflé au bleu d'Auvergne
serves 4
200g bleu d'auvergne
4 eggs, separated
salt and pepper
50g butter
50g flour
150ml milk
The oven should be preheated to 200°C.
In a bowl, mash the cheese with the egg yolks and season to taste.
Melt the butter over low heat in a saucepan and add the flour. Mix well until all the flour is incorporated. Whisk in all of the cold milk at once and pour this mixture over the cheese-egg paste. Put back into the pan and bring to the boil over low heat. You should mix all the time to prevent the egg whites from cooking.
In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff and fold into the previous mixture.
Fill four small soufflé tins and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden and well-risen. Eat straight from the oven.
Camembert aux fruits secs, aux noix et au miel
[Camembert with dried fruits, nuts and honey]This is hardly a recipe. You should consider it as a reminder: camembert goes well with dried fruits and nuts which go well with runny honey.
For this 'recipe' you should choose a mild camembert: if it's too strong it will be overpowering and you won't get that soft 'longueur en bouche' (literally - length in mouth, which means great after taste).
Yum, runny honey. I love the contrast between the tenderness of the camembert and the crunch of the nuts.Camembert aux fruits secs, aux noix et au miel
serves 4
a camembert
almonds
raisins, golden sultanas…
dried apricots
and any other dried fruits or nuts: think dates, figs, walnuts!
Entremet mousseux au Manslois et fraises au vinaigre balsamique
[Manslois mousse with balsamic vinegar strawberries]Manslois is a strange little cheese. It's cow's milk fresh cheese from Charentes, where it's used to make a delicious cheese tart called 'tourteau au fromage frais'. I could have taken the easy way and make this tart but i reckon it would have been a bit too heavy after that 100% cheese lunch, so i went for the cold mousse.
I think you might have troubles getting Manslois cheese. Anyway, you can replace it by any fresh cheese -- goat cheese would be a good option.
The weird Manslois cheese!
The mousse is served with balsamic vinegar strawberries. So refreshing!Entremet mousseux au Manslois et fraises au vinaigre balsamique
serves 4
3 sheets of gelatine
250g Manslois cheese
250g fromage blanc (thick yogurt)
100g sugar
seeds from 2 vanilla pods
50ml milk
500g strawberries
50g sugar
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water for 5 minutes.
Beat the cheese with the fromage blanc. Add the sugar and vanilla seeds and mix well.
Bring the milk to the boil. Squeeze the gelatine leaves to get rid of any excess water and mix into the milk until dissolved. Add to the cheese mixture and mix well for 1 minute.
Fill four small ramequins with the mixture and refrigerate overnight.
For the balsamic vinegar strawberries
Rinse the strawberries and cut them into small pieces. Put into a large bowl and add the sugar and balsamic vinegar. Mix well and set aside for 2 hours.
Before the lunch
Unmould the mousses into small plates and arrange the strawberries on top. Serve.
Labels: cheese, favourites, make a meal of it, recipe inside, spoon desserts
