Taste USA: Pastry

Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Chocolate Ganache

How to Make Chocolate Ganache Recipe - preparation 10 minutes cooking time 1 minute plus cooling

Makes 225g/8oz

Ingredients:
225g/8oz white or plain (semisweet) chocolate (at least 70% cocoa solids), chopped
into small pieces
250ml/8fl oz/1 cup double (heavy) cream

Method:
1 Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring the cream to the boil in a small pan and pour on to the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool for 5
minutes.

2 Whisk until it begins to hold its shape.

3 This is enough to cover an 18cm/7in cake.

Best Apricot Glaze

How to Make Best Apricot Glaze Recipe - preparation 5 minutes cooking time 2 minutes

Makes 450g/1lb

Ingredients:
450g/1lb/2 cups apricot jam (jelly)
4 tbsp water

Method:
1 Gently heat the jam and water in a pan, stirring occasionally, until melted. Boil hard for 1 minute, then strain through a sieve, rubbing through as much fruit as possible.

2 Pour the glaze into a clean, hot jar, then seal and cool. Store in the refrigerator for up to two months. You only need 3–4 tbsp apricot glaze for a 23cm/9in cake, so this quantity will glaze six to seven cakes.

Vanilla Frosting

How to Make Vanilla Frosting Recipe - preparation 5 minutes

Makes 175g/6oz

Ingredients:
150g/5oz/1 cup icing (confectioner’s) sugar, sifted
5 tsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp milk
a few drops of vanilla extract

Method:
1 Put the sugar in a bowl and beat in the oil, milk and vanilla extract until smooth.

2 This is enough to cover the top and sides of an 18cm/7in cake.

Royal Icing

How to Make Royal Icing Recipe - preparation 15 minutes

Makes 450g/1lb

Ingredients:
2 large (US extra-large) egg whites
2 tsp liquid glycerine
450g/1lb/3⅓ cups icing (confectioner’s) sugar, sifted

Method:
1 Put the egg whites and glycerine in a bowl and stir just enough to break up the egg whites. Add a little of the sugar and mix gently with a wooden spoon to incorporate as little air as possible.

2 Add a little more sugar as the mixture gets lighter. Keep adding the sugar, stirring gently but thoroughly, until the mixture is stiff and stands in soft peaks.

3 Transfer to an airtight container, cover the surface with clingfilm (plastic wrap) to prevent it drying out, then seal. When required, stir the icing slowly.

4 This is enough to cover the top and sides of a 20cm/8in cake.

American Frosting

How to Make American Frosting Recipe - preparation 15 minutes cooking time 5 minutes

Makes 225g/8oz

Ingredients:
1 large (US extra-large) egg white
225g/8oz/1 cup golden caster (superfine) sugar
a pinch of cream of tartar

Method:
1 Put the egg white in a clean, grease-free bowl and whisk until it forms stiff peaks.

2 Put the sugar, 4 tbsp water and the cream of tartar in a pan and heat gently, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil and boil until the sugar syrup reaches 115°C/239°F on a sugar thermometer. Or drop a little into cold water – when it forms a soft ball that you can squash between your finger and thumb, it’s ready.

3 Remove from the heat and when the bubbles subside, pour on to the egg white in a thin stream, whisking constantly, until thick and white. Set aside to cool slightly.

4 When it is almost cold, pour quickly over the cake and spread evenly with a palette knife.

5 This makes enough to cover the top and sides of a 20cm/8in cake.

Glace Icing

How to Make Glace Icing Recipe - preparation 5 minutes

Makes 225g/8oz

Ingredients:
225g/8oz/1⅔ cups icing (confectioner’s) sugar
a few drops of vanilla extract (optional)
a few drops of food colouring (optional)

Method:
1 Sift the icing sugar into a bowl. Add a few drops of vanilla extract, if wished.

2 Using a wooden spoon, gradually stir in 2–3 tbsp hot water until the mixture is the consistency of thick cream. Beat until smooth and thick enough to coat the back of the spoon. Add colouring, if wished, and use immediately.

3 This is enough to cover the top of a large cake or 18 cupcakes.

Buttercream

How to Make Buttercream Recipe - preparation 10 minutes

Makes 250g/9oz

Ingredients:
75g/3oz/6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
175g/6oz/1 cup icing (confectioner’s) sugar, sifted
a few drops of vanilla extract
1–2 tbsp milk

Method:
1 Put the butter in a bowl and beat with a wooden spoon until light and fluffy.

2 Gradually stir in the sugar, vanilla extract and milk. Beat until light and smooth.

3 This is enough to cover the top of a 20cm/8in cake.

Coffee Fudge Frosting

How to Make Coffee Fudge Frosting Recipe - preparation 5 minutes cooking time 5 minutes

Makes 400g/14oz

Ingredients:
50g/2oz/4 tbsp butter
125g/4oz/½ cup light muscovado (brown) sugar
2 tbsp milk
1 tbsp coffee granules
200g/7oz/1⅓ cups icing (confectioner’s) sugar, sifted

Method:
1 Put the butter, muscovado sugar and milk in a pan. Dissolve the coffee in 2 tbsp boiling water and add to the pan. Heat gently, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil and boil for 3 minutes.

2 Remove from the heat and gradually stir in the icing sugar. Beat with a wooden spoon for 1 minute or until smooth.

3 Use the frosting immediately, spreading it over a cake with a wet palette knife, or dilute with water for a smooth coating.

4 This is enough to cover the top and sides of a 20cm/8in cake.

Gluten Free Pastry

How to Make Gluten Free Pastry Recipe - preparation 10 minutes plus chilling

Makes 300g/11oz pastry

Ingredients:
175g/6oz/1½ cups rice flour
125g/4oz/1 cup tapioca flour
1 tsp xanthan gum
a pinch of salt
150g/5oz/⅔ cup unsalted butter, diced
2 medium (US large) eggs, beaten

Method:
1 Put the flours, xanthan gum and a little salt in a bowl and mix well. Add the butter and rub in with your fingertips until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Gradually mix in about three-quarters of the beaten egg – enough to mix to a soft dough.

2 Knead the dough on a clean lightly floured surface until smooth. Rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before rolling out and using.

Flaky Pastry

How to Make Flaky Pastry Recipe - preparation 25 minutes plus chilling

Makes 225g/8oz pastry

Ingredients:
225g/8oz/2¼ cups plain (all-purpose) flour plus extra to dust
a pinch of salt
175g/6oz/¾ cup butter, chilled
1 tsp lemon juice

Method:
1 Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Cut the butter into 2cm/¾in cubes and add to the flour. Mix to coat the butter with the flour.

2 Mix in 100ml/3½fl oz/⅓ cup chilled water and the lemon juice with a round-bladed knife, to make a soft elastic dough. If the pastry is too dry, add more water.

3 Turn out on to a lightly floured surface and knead the dough until smooth.

4 Roll out to a rectangle, 30 x 10cm/12 × 4in. Fold the bottom third up and the top third down, then give the pastry a quarter turn, so the folded edges are at the sides. Press the edges with a rolling pin to seal. Wrap in clingfilm (plastic wrap) and rest in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

5 Place on a lightly floured surface with the folded edges to the sides. Repeat the rolling, folding and turning sequence four more times. Wrap in clingfilm (plastic wrap) and rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

6 Roll out and shape as required, then chill again for 30 minutes before baking.

Choux Pastry

How to Make Choux Pastry Recipe - preparation 20 minutes cooking time 3 minutes

Makes a 2-egg quantity

Ingredients:
65g/2½oz/⅔ cup strong plain (all-purpose) flour
a pinch of salt
50g/2oz/4 tbsp butter
2 large (US extra-large) eggs, lightly beaten

Method:
1 Sift the flour and salt onto a large sheet of parchment paper.

2 Put the butter and 150ml/¼ pint/scant ⅔ cup cold water in a pan over a low heat. When the butter melts, turn up the heat and bring to a rolling boil.

3 Take off the heat and tip in the flour. Beat well with a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth and leaves the sides of the pan to form a ball. Cool for 1–2 minutes.

4 Gradually beat in the eggs to give a smooth dropping consistency. The pastry should be smooth and shiny.

Sweet Pastry

How to Make Sweet Pastry Recipe - preparation 10 minutes plus chilling

Makes 225g/8oz pastry

Ingredients:
225g/8oz/2¼ cups plain (all-purpose) flour plus extra to dust
a pinch of salt
125g/4oz/½ unsalted butter, at room temperature, diced
2 egg yolks
75g/3oz/6 tbsp caster (superfine) sugar

Method:
1 Sift the flour and salt into a mound on a clean surface. Make a well in the centre and add the butter, egg yolks and sugar.

2 Using your fingertips, work them together until well blended. Gradually work in all the flour to bind the mixture together.

3 Knead the dough on a lightly floured clean surface until smooth. Wrap in clingfilm (plastic wrap) and rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before rolling out.

Puff Pastry

How to Make Puff Pastry Recipe - preparation 40 minutes plus chilling

Makes 450g/1lb pastry

Ingredients:
450g/1lb/4½ cups strong plain (bread) flour plus extra to dust
a pinch of salt
450g/1lb/2 cups butter, chilled
1 tbsp lemon juice

Method:
1 Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Cut off 50g/2oz/4 tbsp butter and flatten the remaining large block with a rolling pin to a slab, about 2cm/¾in thick. Set aside.

2 Cut the smaller piece of butter into dice and rub into the flour, using your fingertips.

3 With a round-bladed knife, stir in the lemon juice and 300ml/½ pint/1¼ cups chilled water to make a soft elastic dough.

4 Turn out on to a lightly floured surface and quickly knead until smooth. Cut a cross through half the depth, then open out to form a star.

5 Roll out, keeping the centre four times as thick as the flaps. Put the slab of butter in the centre and fold the flaps over the top. Press down with a rolling pin and roll out to a rectangle, 40 × 20cm/16 × 8in.

6 Fold the bottom third up and the top third down, keeping the edges straight. Wrap in clingfilm (plastic wrap) and rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

7 Put the pastry on a lightly floured surface with the folded edges to the sides. Repeat the rolling, folding, resting and turning sequence five times.

8 Shape as required, then chill again for 30 minutes before baking. Read More

Rich Shortcrust Pastry

How to Make Rich Shortcrust Pastry Recipe - preparation 10 minutes plus chilling

Makes 225g/8oz pastry

Ingredients:
225g/8oz/2¼ cups plain (all-purpose) flour plus extra to dust
a pinch of salt
175g/6oz/¾ cup butter, diced
2 tsp caster (superfine) sugar
1 large (US extra-large) egg, beaten

Method:
1 Put the flour and salt in a bowl and rub in the fat until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar.

2 Stir in the egg with a round-bladed knife until the ingredients stick together.

3 Knead lightly for a few seconds to give a firm, smooth dough. Wrap in clingfilm (plastic wrap) and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before rolling out.

Suet Crust Pastry

How to Make Suet Crust Pastry Recipe - preparation 10 minutes

Makes 300g/11oz pastry

Ingredients:
300g/11oz/3 cups self-raising (self-rising) flour
½ tsp salt
150g/5oz/¾ cup shredded suet

Method:
1 Sift the flour and salt into a bowl, add the shredded suet and stir to mix.

2 Using a round-bladed knife, mix in about 175ml/6fl oz/⅔ cup cold water to make a soft dough. If it’s too dry, add more liquid.

3 Knead lightly until smooth. Use as required.

Shortcrust Pastry

How to Make Shortcrust Pastry Recipe - preparation 10 minutes plus chilling

Makes 225g/8oz pastry

Ingredients:
225g/8oz/2¼ cups plain (all-purpose) flour, plus extra to dust
a pinch of salt
125g/4oz/½ cup butter, diced

Method:
1 Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

2 Sprinkle 3–4 tbsp cold water evenly over the surface and stir with a round-bladed knife until the mixture sticks together. If it’s too dry, add a little water. Form it into a ball.

3 Knead on a lightly floured surface but do not over-work. Wrap in clingfilm (plastic wrap) and rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before rolling out.

Creme Patissiere

How to Make Creme Patissiere Recipe - preparation 15 minutes cooking time 5 minutes, plus cooling

Makes 450ml/¾ pint/1¾ cups

Ingredients:
300ml/½ pint/1¼ cups milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 medium egg yolks, beaten
50g/2oz/4 tbsp golden caster (superfine) sugar
2 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour
2 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)

Method:
1 Put the milk and vanilla extract in a heavy-based pan and bring to the boil.

2 Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl until thick and creamy. Whisk in the flour and cornflour until smooth. Gradually whisk in the hot milk, then strain back into the pan.

3 Slowly bring to the boil, whisking constantly. Cook, stirring, for 2–3 minutes until thickened and smooth.

4 Pour into a bowl, cover the surface and set aside to cool.

Saturday, June 11, 2016

Peach Filo Baskets

How to Make Peach Filo Baskets Recipe - preparation 15 minutes cooking time 8 minutes calories 160 kcals

Serves 4

Ingredients:
6 x 15g/½oz sheets filo pastry
1 small egg, beaten
50g/2oz/⅓ cup mascarpone
75g/3oz/⅓ cup 0% fat Greek yogurt
4 ripe peaches, stoned and chopped
icing (confectioner’s) sugar to dust

Method:
1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6. Place four small ceramic ramekin dishes upside down on a baking sheet.

2 Cut each filo pastry sheet in half to form two squares, so you end up with 12 filo squares. Brush three squares lightly with beaten egg and place one of them over a ramekin dish, pressing it over the sides. Press two more squares down on top of it, at uneven angles. Repeat the process with the other three ramekins.

3 Bake in the oven for 8 minutes or until crisp and golden. Cool before removing the baskets from the ramekins.

4 Mix together the mascarpone and yogurt and stir in the peaches. Divide the mixture between the filo baskets and dust lightly with icing sugar before serving.

Monday, June 6, 2016

Lemon Tuile Biscuits

How to Make Lemon Tuile Biscuits Recipe - preparation 10 minutes plus resting cooking time 6 minutes per batch plus cooling

Makes 24

Ingredients:
100g/3½oz/7 tbsp butter, softened
100g/3½oz/⅔ cup icing (confectioner’s) sugar, sifted
3 large (US extra-large) egg whites
100g/3½oz/1 cup plain (all-purpose) flour
grated zest of 1 large lemon

Method:
1 Beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg whites, one at a time, then stir in the flour and lemon zest. Cover and leave to rest for 30 minutes.

2 Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

3 Put 3 teaspoonfuls of the mixture, spaced well apart, on the prepared baking sheet and spread out into 9cm/3½in circles.

4 Bake in the oven for 6 minutes or until starting to brown.

5 Remove from the oven and shape each warm biscuit over a rolling pin to curl it. Repeat with the remaining mixture. Set aside on a wire rack until cold.

Amaretti

How to Make Amaretti Recipe - preparation 5 minutes cooking time 15 minutes plus cooling

Makes 24

Ingredients:
225g/8oz/2 cups ground almonds
225g/8oz/1 cup caster (superfine) sugar
2 medium (US large) egg whites
½ tsp almond extract
a few drops of amaretto liqueur (optional)

Method:
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4. Line two baking sheets with rice paper.

2 Mix together the ground almonds and sugar. Beat in the egg whites, almond extract and amaretto (if using).

3 Using a teaspoon, drop small heaps of the mixture on to the paper, leaving plenty of room for the amaretti to spread out during cooking.

4 Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until pale golden brown. Cool on a wire rack and remove the rice paper from around the amaretti before serving.