Paper-thin Sugar Hydrangeas
Let’s make of this Easter time something more than chocolate…a time of reflection, of understanding, sharing our time, our smiles with others…! A peaceful Easter to all of you!
Porque este tiempo de Pascua sea mas que chocolate…tiempo de reflexion, de comprension, de compartir nuestro tiempo y sonrisas con los otros…! Que tengan mucha Paz en estas Pascuas!
A Chocolate Wedding Cake, by Paris Luxury Cakes
Un beso enorme,
Cristina
En Español, en color!
In the past people used to go to London to see castles, palaces…museums…musicals… Now, most people go to London to have tea at Peggy Porschen’s Parlour (well, the Olympic Games too) And I’m no exception, of course! My girls neither..We had to have tea, and eat!! cakes & cupcakes…AND you know me, I had to do something to be able to see Peggy and have a photograph with her! Yes, I am very “cholula” (Argentinean slang for those people who always want to have photos with all the VIPs!) I adore Peggy’s work in general and her wedding cakes leave me in a kind of “admiration comma!
Antes la gente iba a Londres para ver los castillos, palacios…museos..musicales…Ahora, la mayoria va a Londres a tomar el té en lo de Peggy Porschen ! (bueno, las Olimpiadas también). Y yo no soy excepcion, por supuesto! Y mis hijas tampoco….Teniamos que tomar té, y comer cupcakes y torta..Y ademas, ya me conocen, yo tenia que hacer algo para verla a Peggy “en vivo y en directo” y sacarme una foto con ella!! Si, soy re-cholula (para las Argentinas, algo asi como “Figuretti”) Si bien me encanta todo el trabajo de Peggy, sus tortas de casamiento me dejan “en coma de admiracion”!
So, even though it’s summer time here (Is it summmer-time here in Paris??!??) and we crave for fresh, fruity desserts…thanks God (really, really thank you God!!) I have a lot of readers in the southern hemisphere..not only in Argentina, but in Australia, Brazil, Chile, and over there it is winter-time, so a cup of tea with this cake….it’s sheer indulgence! So for my southern readers AND northern readers in need to be pampered…this cake!
In fact, Peggy calls this cake “Creamy Caramel Cake”, but then when I looked at the ingredient list in her latest book, Boutique Baking, she writes “dulce de leche“. Actually, I noticed there are several recipes in her book with dulce de leche ! and this made my Argentinean ego big! (or should I say even bigger, to be more precise…yes! I know…Argentineans are infamous for our obnoxious chauvinism!
Aunque aqui es verano (o eso se supone ?!?), y uno tiene ganas de comer postres con frutas y frescos…gracias a Dios (realmente, muuuchas gracias, Dios!) tengo muchos lectores en el hemisferio sur..no solo en Argentina, sino en Australia, Chile, Brasil..y ahi es invierno, asi que qué mejor que una taza de té con un pedazo de esta torta? QUE pla-cer!! Asi que para la muchachada del sur, y para los nordicos en necesidad de un “mimo”…la torta dedicada!
En realidad, Peggy llama esta torta “Torta de Caramelo Cremosa“, pero cuando lei los ingredientes, en su ultimo libro, Boutique Baking, vi que puso la palabra “dulce de leche“. En realidad vi que hay varias recetas con dulce de leche! y esto hizo que mi ego argentino se agrande! (o que se agrande aun mas!!! para ser mas precisa..Si! ya sé..Los argentinos somos “famosos” por nuestro INSOPORTABLE nacionalismo!
Peggy chose what she calls the classic Victoria Sponge, paired with a dulce de leche buttercream !!! for the filling and decoration. But, since I don’t have Anglo-saxon origins (as you must have noticed ;D ), I’m not a fan of buttercream in excess, so with all my respect and admiration for Peggy I adapted her recipe to my taste, and I believe this is “the game” exactly! To find inspiration in a great recipe, but then, make it yours!
So, I used plain dulce de leche for one layer, and then a ganache de Valrhona Grand Cru Manjari (66% cocoa) fresh and tangy. For the syrup to imbibe the cake, I added a little bit of Bailey’s (that IS Anglo-saxon but whisky unites the world (?!)
And now that you have a well-rounded and terrible idea about my habits, I leave you with Peggy’s recipe to enjoy!
Peggy eligio lo que ella llama bizcochuelo Classic Victoria, junto con buttercream de dulce de leche!! para el relleno y decoracion. Yo, como no tengo origenes anglo-sajones (como habran notado!), no soy muy fan del buttercream en exceso, asi que con todo mi respeto por Peggy, adapté su receta a mi gusto, y creo que éste es el “juego”. Encontrar una receta que nos inspire, pero después, hacerla propia!
Yo usé dulce de leche solo, en una capa, y luego, para la otra, una ganache de Valrhona Grand Cru Manjari (66% cacao) fresco y ligeramente acido! Y al almibar le agregué Bailey’s (eso si es anglo-sajon, pero el whisky une al mundo !?!?
Y ahora que ya tienen una idea terrible sobre mis habitos y reputacion, los dejo con la receta de Peggy. Que la disfruten!
Today I wanted to share with you these elegant treats: Chocolate Mendiants! There is nothing incredibly difficult in making a mendiant on “surface structure” (my linguistics teacher would have said), but in “deep structure” yes….because in order to make a mendiant worthy of my readers, chocolate has to be tempered !!! Most recipes you will find in the web for mendiants tell you to melt chocolate and go ahead…! You can do that, of course, but that is not serious work in pastry. Tempered chocolate is shiny and glossy, it “cracks” when you bite it, it does not melt instantly in your hands..We don’t have the time? Ok, let’s say it! we don’t know how to temper chocolate? Ok, let’s admit it!! But for respect for our readers, please, let’s not call that a mendiant!!!!
And now the question of temperatures for tempering:
Bittersweet chocolate: It should melt at 45°/50°C; descend to 27°C; rise to 31°/32°C
Milk/White Chocolate: It should melt at 40°/45°C; descend to 25/26°C; rise to 29/30°C
Since, obviously I don’t have a marble top, I used this metal baking tray…I poured 3/4 of my chocolate there…The idea is that we will make descend the temperature of the chocolate on the tray, while the chocolate in the bowl stays approximately at the same temperature (or will lower very little) Careful!!! one drop of water of the bowl on the chocolate and “Kaput”!!! (notice the towel !)
But today’s version is “revisitée”, that means that I took my license to make some changes..What’s more, the way of presenting this dessert is what is called now in France “dessert à l’assiette”, i.e. a playful and why not whimsical arrangement of the elements in a dessert….I would say an opportunity to show personality, taste, or to transmit a concept, an idea....
For the poached pears, you will need:
* pears, 2 (firm, not to ripe)
* water, 600gr
* sugar, 60 gr
* cinnamon, 1 stick
* lemon, 1/2
* vanilla, 1 pod, cut lengthwise and grated
* star anise, 1
Put the water and sugar in a tall saucepan, and bring it to a boil. Peel the pears, keeping the pod. Place the pears in the saucepan, together with the lemon, and the spice. Lower the heat to simmer. Poach for 15′ aprox. Check with a toothpick. Let them cool in the syrup.
For the vanilla ice-cream (1 litre), you will need:
* whole milk, 150 ml
* cream, 500 ml
* vanille, a pod, cut lengthwise and grated
* egg yolks, 7
* sugar, 150 gr
In a saucepan, place the milk, cream, and the vanilla pod. Take it to a boil. Turn off the heat and let it infuse for 30′. Sieve. In another saucepan, whisk the yokes and sugar until pale and thick; slowly pour the milk/cream into the yolks (the milk shouldn’t be hot!!!), stir well. Take the saucepan to low heat, constantly stirring until the mixture coats the back of the spoon (aprox 80°C, it shouldn’t boil !!!) Good !! You have made a “crème anglaise”. Now put it to “bain Marie inverse”, i.e. fill a bowl with water and ice-cubes, and put inside a bowl with your cream…like this, you will stop the cooking process. Let it cool. If you have the time, place it in the refrigerator 12 hours. Make the icecream following your ice-cream maker instructions.
For the Pain d’épice, you will need:
* egg, 4
* butter, soft, 250 gr
* all-purpose flour, 250 gr
* cane sugar (cassonade), 200 gr
* almond flour, 100 gr
* baking powder, 7gr
* honey, 2 tablespoons
* cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, 1/2 coffeespoon each.
* star anise, 1
Pre-heat oven at 180°C. Coat a cake mold with baking spray. In a stand mixer, with a paddle attachment, mix the butter and sugar until creamy. Add the eggs one by one, mixing well after each addition. Then, fold in the spices and honey. Sift the flours, and baking powder, and add by hand to the batter. Put it in the mold. Bake for 45/50′. Let it cool.
I'm Cristina and this blog summarises what I love: cooking, writing, talking with friends, talking with friends while eating....sharing what is beautiful: beauty being in the colour of a fruit, in the fragrance of Provence herbs....in music.... in the architecture of Paris.
