Desserts from Paris - 5 Day Masterclass Recipes

Tarts

Servings: 1 x 18 cm tin or 2 x 10 cm tins.

Pastry- pâte sucrée - Yields about 400g pastry

40g almond flour
130g All-purpose flour (APF)
30g powdered sugar
½ tsp salt
113g butter, cut into pieces, chilled
1 large egg yolk (16g)
½ tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

1. Toast the almond flour until golden, between 6-9 minutes. Place in a bowl to cool down. This adds a subtle toasty almond flavour to the pastry.

2. Sift the almond flour, flour, icing sugar, and salt together. Grate the chilled butter into the dried ingredients, rub into pea-sized pieces.

3. Whisk the egg yolk and vanilla pour into the dry ingredients. Bring together to form a pastry. Shape into a ½ inch thick disc and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

4. Divide the pastry into two halves. One for the base and the other for the sides. First, line the sides of the pastry. This is a very brittle pastry; rolling it out would not be an efficient way of lining the tart case. Divide the one-half into 6 strips with a bench scraper and apply to the edge of the pastry tin. Push it up the sides so that there is an overhang. This will compensate for the gluten relaxing and essentially prevent shrinking when the pastry bakes. Now, line the base of the tart tin. Use a floured glass bottom or cup measure to press the sides and base evenly. Rest the lined case for at least an hour in the freezer to ensure the pastry will not shrink.

5. Remove the tart from the freezer and cut off the excess pastry. Keep this aside to seal any punctures in the dough after it is baked. Dock the pastry base with a fork by making multiple punctures into the base of the tarte. Line with foil. Place a piece of foil over the entire tart and press into the pastry without making indentations. This serves as the ‘blind bake’ method without using the beans in the tin.

6. Fully bake the pastry: Bake at 180°C for approx. 25-30 minutes, or until all visible pastry is thoroughly cooked. Remove the foil or paper and beans, bake for another 5 minutes, until golden. If looking for a par-baked pastry take it out after 20 minutes.

7. Switch off the oven and set the pastry shell aside in a safe space to cool down.

Chocolate Ganache

120g (1/2 cup) 35% cream/heavy cream
225g semisweet chocolate chips/broken into pieces
¼ cup light corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla

1. Place the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl.

2. Heat the cream in the microwave until steaming- just before boiling. Pour over the chocolate, corn syrup and ,vanilla let it sit for a minute or two. Stir it with a whisk until it is smooth, and the chocolate is completely melted.

Apricot jam glaze

50ml smooth apricot jam
Juice of ½ lemon
15ml water

Chocolate and Berry tart:

Pour the chocolate mixture into the cooled case, taking the mixture as high up the sides as you can. It should be almost flush with the top.

Garnish with your choice of berries and paint with apricot jam, place in fridge to set.

Tarte au Citron with an Italian Meringue

Lemon Curd:

150g sugar
Grated zest of two lemons
4 large egg yolks (70g)
1 large egg
170g lemon juice
½ tsp salt
113 g butter
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Place the sugar in a small saucepan, using your fingertips massage in the lemon peel until the sugar is zesty and fragrant. Add the yolks and the whole egg to the pot and whisk vigorously, making sure everything is mixed in well.

2. Add the lemon juice and cook the curd. Slowly stream in the lemon juice into the sugar mixture, whisking constantly. Add the salt and transfer the pot to the medium-low heat, whisking the constantly for about 7-10 minutes. The colour will be opaque yellow and the temperature on a thermometer must read 76 °C (the safe temp for an egg yolk to be consumed).

3. Whisk in the butter and vanilla one piece at a time, waiting for each piece to disappear. Add the vanilla.

4. Chill the curd until set. Place a piece of plastic wrap and contact wrap to prevent skin from forming.

5. Mix the filling: In a medium bowl, whisk the curd and yogurt until smooth. Cover the bowl and set aside to allow the filling to come to room temperature.

6. Preheat the oven: Arrange an oven rack in the center position and preheat the oven to 350°F.

7. Bake the jam layer: Place the parbaked tart crust on a foil-lined baking sheet.

Spread the jam evenly across the bottom of the tart, working it all the way to the sides. Bake just until the jam is set, 5 to 7 minutes (this layer creates a seal between the curd and the crust so the latter stays crisp). Remove the tart from the oven. (Leave the oven on.)

8. Fill and bake the tart: Scrape the filling into the hot crust to the very top, then use an offset spatula to smooth the surface. (Depending on the height of your crust, you may have a tiny bit of curd left over; save it for another use.

Carefully transfer the tart to the oven and bake until the filling is set and puffed around the edges and the center wobbles gently (it will wobble as a cohesive mass, not ripple) 25 - 30 minutes.

7. Cool and chill the tart: Let the tart cool completely on a wire rack before removing the ring.

Italian Meringue

90g egg whites (approx. 3 eggs,)
180g sugar
55ml water
Pinch cream of tartar

1. Italian meringue: Dissolve the sugar and water. Add the cream of tartar, and simmer until 118°C.

2. Beat the egg whites to a stiff peak, whisking, add the boiled syrup in a steady stream. Continue whisking until the meringue is firm.

3. Once the tart is chilled, pipe meringue onto the base with a St. Honoré piping tip or a star tip.

Cardamom Buns

Prep Time: 24 hours 20 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

70ml milk
30g sugar
8g instant yeast
6 large eggs
500g flour (plus extra for dusting)
15g salt
350g softened butter
Egg wash

Cardamom sugar spread:

100g or ½ a cup of brown sugar
56g or ¼ cup of soft butter
1 tablespoon of Cardamom

Specialized equipment: 750g loaf tin, pastry brush

Method:

Warm the milk with sugar gently, remove from the heat and allow to cool until tepid. Add the yeast and stir to dissolve.
Beat the eggs, then add the yeast mixture
Sift the flour and salt together; add to the egg mixture and mix to form a dough.
Place dough in an electric mixer with a dough hook attachment and knead until smooth and elastic. This will take at least 10 minutes
Gradually beat in the butter, tablespoon by tablespoon, waiting until each addition is completely amalgamated before adding the next. Continue to mix for 5 minutes after all the butter has been incorporated. The dough must be completely smooth, elastic, and very shiny.
Cover and allow to proof until doubled in size and jiggly (1 hour at room temperature or overnight in the fridge)
Cream brown sugar, butter, and ground cardamom together until light and fluffy using a whisk or stand mixer
Once proofed, punch down dough and, onto a floured surface, roll dough into a large rectangle, apron 1/2 cm in thickness.
Spread cardamom filling evenly over the entire rectangle of dough, all the way to the edge
Fold dough in half lengthwise and cut long strips, 1-2 cm in thickness
Twist strips and wrap around pointer and middle finger 3 or 4 times, wrap tail around the middle and tuck under bun
Place buns on tray spaced slightly apart to allow for growth - allow to proof for 30 -45 minutes until doubled in size
Brush buns lightly with an egg wash and sprinkle with a little sugar
Place in oven preheated to 350°F and for about 12 minutes or until golden brown

Intro to Bread - Challah 2 Ways - Recipe

For the Garnishing

Sesame or poppy seeds (just for garnishing the loaves,the so you do not need too much)
Nutella or jam, this is your choice
75 grams or 5 ½ tablespoon brown sugar
65 grams or 6 ½ tablespoon All purpose flour
70 grams or 4 ½ tablespoons Butter
70 grams or ¾ cup of Quick cooking oats/rolled oats

For the Bread (this will make 2 loaves)

10 grams or 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
50 grams or ¼ cup of granulated sugar
180 grams or ¾ cup of tepid water
50 grams or 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 eggs
½ tablespoon salt
420 grams or 3 ½ cups of bread flour (plus a little extra for dusting)

Method:

Add yeast to warm water. The temperature of your water is key to your bread's success, this is because Yeast is a living organism known as fungus. Fungus needs moisture and warmth to grow; this is why we bloom the yeast in warm water as part of its activation process. Essentially the water is “waking up” the yeast. If the water is too hot, there is a risk of killing your yeast.
While the yeast is blooming, get the rest of your ingredients together.
Combine all dry ingredients together in a bowl.
Once yeast is frothy, add to dry ingredients.
Add oil.
Add eggs one at a time.
If mixing by hand, follow instructions 1-6 in a bowl. Once the dough looks like it has come together, turn it out onto your counter and knead. Knead until the dough is smooth on the outside. When you press the kneaded dough lightly it will spring back. It is hard to over-knead bread; don't stress about how long this process takes.
If using a stand mixer, follow the instructions 1-6. Do not turn your mixer on high, it is not good for your mixer or the bread! Mix until a smooth dough ball forms and is able to pull away cleanly from the edges of the mixing bowl. This is a little softer dough so it may stick a little at the bottom of your mixing bowl. Take the dough out of the mixer at this point and form into a ball.
Place the dough ball in a lightly greased bowl and cover it with plastic wrap for its first rise. This will vary depending on how warm your kitchen is. If you have a proofing setting on your oven you can use it to proof the bread. If you do not have a proofing setting, you can proof in your oven at around 70-90℉. You can also simply place the bread in a warmer area of your home or kitchen.
After the first proof, punch the dough down and shape it into loaves. Remember, this recipe can be divided into 2 loaves.
Once the loaves are formed they will proof for a second time. Make sure to cover them while they are proofing. The loaves should double in size.
After proofing you will bake the loaves in a 375℉. Remember everyone's home oven is different; you may need to adjust the baking temperature based on your own oven. It is ok to have the baking temperature a little lower if needed. You should bake for approximately 20-25 minutes.
Before removing bread from the oven, check the temperature with a thermometer; it should read 190℉

Croissants;

500g of the dough yields 12 big croissants or 8 smaller ones

This recipe makes a 2 x batch

Ingredients

600g All-purpose flour
10g salt
50g sugar
7g instant yeast
100g cold, pliable butter
380g Cold milk or water
125g butter for lamination

Method

Making the Dough:

1. Combine all of the dough ingredients, except the butter, in the bowl of the stand mixer and using the dough hook, mix, beginning at a slow speed.

2. When the dough starts to come together add the butter. Increase the speed until the dough is blended.

3. Blend until the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl and looks smooth and even (like skin). This time will vary depending on the strength of your machine and the size of the recipe. Approximately 15-20 mins.

4. Remove from the mixing bowl. Weigh out the portions of dough and form into balls. Let the dough rest on a lightly greased surface, grease the tops of the dough, cover with plastic wrap and let rest at least 1 hour before rolling.

Laminating the Dough:

1. Roll the dough into a 10inchx10inch square or 1 forearm x 1 forearm square. Using a cheese grater, shred the butter in the middle of the dough, press down and fold the dough corners into the center of the dough, like an envelope.

2. Seam side up, roll the dough into a rectangle and do a pamphlet fold (producing 3 layers). Saran wrap and rest in the fridge for approximately 30 minutes.

3. Roll out the dough a second time and do a booklet turn (producing 4 layers) this time, plastic wrap again and into the fridge

4. Roll out dough, do the final fold, a pamphlet fold, plastic wrap and into the fridge. You have now done 3 folds/ turns. Once completed, you have prepared the Paton.

Rolling and Baking the Croissants:

1. Roll the dough into a rectangle and cut into triangle shapes. Dough should be approximately ⅛ inch thick.

2. Let your croissants proof/ grow on a parchment-lined baking sheet that you will be baking them on. Place your croissants spaced out and cover lightly with plastic wrap while they grow. They will take 3-4 hours to leave on your countertop faster, depending on the temperature of your space. Warmer environment the faster the dough grows. Alternatively you can let your croissant grow slowly in the fridge for 7-8 hours. This is a great option if you want warm croissants for breakfast. Let your croissant grow overnight in the fridge so you can bake them fresh the following morning.

3. Your croissants are fully proofed when they ‘jiggle’ when you shake the tray and they have doubled in size.

4. Egg wash and bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.

** Note: If you are planning to bake frozen croissants, they will have to thaw before proofing, so the process of proofing will take longer.

Frangipane Filled Croissants

Yield: 1.5 cups

Ingredients

113g ground almonds
66g sugar
½ tsp salt
85g butter, softened
1 egg
1 egg yolk
½ tsp almond or vanilla extract
2 tablespoons almond or vanilla extract

Syrup:

2 tbsp Sugar
1 cup water
(Optional) 4 tbsp rum

Garnish:

Sliced almonds

Powdered sugar

Method

Preheat the oven to 350.

1. Scatter the almond flour on a baking sheet, shaking halfway through until golden and nutty for about 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool completely.

2. Place the softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer. With a paddle attachment, mix the butter until it is smooth and pliable. Add the almond flour, sugar, and salt and mix for a minute. Add the whole egg, yolk, and almond extract and mix until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Then add the flour and mix again until it disappears.

3. Scrape the mixture into a container with a lid, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use.

Syrup:

In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup water, 2 Tbsp sugar and 4 Tbsp rum.
Bring to a simmer for a minute and stir until the sugar dissolves then remove from heat and let cool to room temperature,.

Build your day-old croissants

Slice croissants in half as if making a sandwich
One by one, dip them in the syrup, once on each side - they should not be too wet, just moist.
Spread about 2 tbsp of almond filling on the bottom half of each croissant
Place the top halves on and spread another tbsp of filling over the top, and sprinkle with sliced almonds
Bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until the filling is golden
Once cooled, dust with powdered sugar before serving

Filling will keep in the fridge for up to four days. Let it come to room temperature before

using.

Variations: this can be made with alternative nuts like shelled hazelnuts, pistachios,

pecans, or walnuts.

Berry Compote and Cream Cheese Filling for Danishes

Ingredients

Berry compote

2 tbsp lemon juice
2tbsp cornstarch
454g frozen/fresh fruit
Lemon zest
Cream cheese
170g cream cheese
1 yolk

Method

1. In a ramekin or bowl, combine the lemon juice and cornstarch to make a slurry.

2. In a small saucepan, combine the berries, sugar, lemon zest and ¼ cup of water and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a heat-proof spatula or wooden spoon, until the berries have released their juices and the mixture has come to a simmer.

3. Continue to cook for about 5 minutes, then stir in the cornstarch mixture and mix in. Bring to a boil to activate the cornstarch until the mixture thickens.

4. Remove the compote from the heat and transfer to a bowl and allow to cool completely. Refrigerate until you are ready to assemble the Danishes.

5. Make the cream cheese mixture. In a small bowl, cream the cream cheese and add the egg yolks, combining with a spatula until a smooth, pipeable paste comes together.

Dollop cream cheese and berry mixture on a square

Allow to proof 30-40 minutes

Turn oven down to 350 and bake for 25-30 minutes

Choux Pastry: Eclairs, Profiteroles, Paris Brest

Craquelin

Servings 50 cream puffs

3 ounces (85g) unsalted butter, cubed, at room temperature
1/2 cup (100g) packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup (100g) all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
Pastry Cream
500 ml milk
5 ml vanilla essence/extract
30g cornstarch
5 egg yolks
100g caster sugar
2.5 ml salt
80g butter
250ml cream

Choux Pastry

125g butter
125g water
125g milk
160g cake flour
2g salt
3-4 eggs

Ganache Topping

150g semi-sweet chocolate chips

Method

Craquelin

In a bowl, cream together the butter and sugar with a sturdy spatula or wooden spoon, then add the flour and salt, and continue to mix the dough until it’s smooth. (You can also use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.)
Put the dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll the dough until it’s about 13 inches (33cm) round. Slide the dough onto a baking sheet and freeze the dough.

Pastry Cream

Place the milk on the heat in a medium-sized pot, preferably a heavy base saucepan. Add the vanilla essence and bring to the boil. Heating the milk with the vanilla will result in a better infusion.
While the milk is heating up, make a slurry with the cornstarch, egg yolks, and caster sugar. This will prevent any lumps from forming in the final mixture.
Once the milk has been scalded, temper the milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly.
Pour the mixture back into the pot and return to the heat, whisking constantly. The mixture will start to thicken after about 3 minutes, or longer depending on the heat of the stove. Once it is bubbling and the whisk leaves marks in the thick pudding-like liquid, both the eggs and cornstarch are cooked out.
Strain the pastry cream through a fine mesh sieve. This process ensures a smooth end product.
Add salt and whisk. With the whisk, incorporate the cold butter one piece at a time into the hot pastry cream. Cover the surface of the liquid with cling wrap;, this will prevent the mixture from forming a skin. Place in the fridge to cool down.
Once the mixture is cold, whisk the cream to a medium peak stage. Fold the cream into the pastry cream in three parts. Make sure the cream is fully incorporated without knocking out too much air. Scoop some of the mixture into a piping bag, ready to fill the pastry products.

Choux Pastry

Preheat oven to 190C/375F

In a heavy base pot, bring the butter, water, and milk to a rapid boil.
Once the mixture is boiling, turn off the heat and add in the flour and salt. Using a spatula, vigorously stir the paste until the mixture starts to come away from the sides. This is called a panade.
Transfer the panade to the KitchenAid bowl. With the paddle attachment, mix on a medium speed until the mixture cools down, about 5 minutes. This can be gauged by feeling the sides of the mixing bowl.
Whisk the eggs and gradually add them to the choux paste, pausing between each addition. Mix on medium-high for about 5 minutes. The paste is ready if you scoop up some of the mixture and it forms a deep ‘V’ shape on a spatula or the paddle attachment.
Place the mixture into a piping bag with a 1 cm tip. Keep a cup of water with a small offset spatula to the side to neatly cut off the choux paste after piping each ‘shape’.
On a tray lined with parchment paper, pipe out the desired shapes.
Sprinkle the tray with water. The water will create steam in the oven, resulting in a better rise. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the choux are golden brown.
Cool the puffs and poke holes in the bottom of each puff to allow the steam to escape. Cool completely before filling with the pastry cream.

Assemble

Assemble choux pastry by filling it with the pre-made pastry cream.
Make the ganache topping. Place the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl and, in 15-second intervals, melt in the microwave, stirring between each interval until a glossy chocolate liquid is achieved.
Carefully dip each choux (eclair or profiterole) into the melted chocolate. Set on a serving platter and enjoy!

Macaron Shells

Ingredients:

500g of TPT (250g icing sugar + 250g almond flour. Grind in food processor and sieve)
60g of water (more may be needed for larger pot)
200g of sugar
200g of egg whites (+15g for bad weather days, separate from 200g)
100g of sugar
2 pinches of salt
Gel-based food colouring (optional)

Method:

Preheat the oven to 330°F, no convection
Pour the sugar (200g) into the middle of the pot, avoiding the sides. Add enough water to fully cover the bottom of the pot and the sugar. Place the lid on the pot and turn the heat to Max.
Place the egg whites in the mixing bowl using the whisk attachment. Whip on medium-high speed until bubbles form, then slowly sprinkle (rain) sugar (100g). Turn the mixer down to low speed.
Test #1: Steam test - Wait for steam before you remove the lid on the pot
Test #2:Bubble test - You will be using your fork to test the syrup's density. The sugar should be thick enough that it sits in the prongs of the fork. Once this test is passed, remove it from the heat immediately.
Turn egg whites on medium/high speed and whip until they are firm and you can see the whisk marks.
Slowly pour in sugar syrup, aiming the stream between the whisk and the side of the bowl.
Continue to mix until the egg whites are firm and shiny. Add food colouring (no more than 1 tablespoon)
Test #3: Meringue Trust Test - With the attachment in, flip the bowl over. The meringue should not fall out.
Fold meringue into TPT in two stages, if you are working with a smaller bowl, or all at once if the bowl is larger. Fold until incorporated. If you are using the extra 15g of egg whites for bad weather, add them at this time.
Begin macaronage, continue to mix with the spatula, making sure to wipe the sides of the bowl down to ensure even mixing.
Test #4: Figure 8 test - Fold the mixture onto itself to form a figure 8. Count to 10 seconds, waiting for the line to disappear.
Fill the piping bag and pipe mixture into small circles on your parchment paper. Bang the bottoms of the tray to remove excess air and bake for 8-12 mins.
Macarons are ready when they come fully off the tray with no markings left behind.

PLEASE NOTE: Let the macaron shells cool down before filling

Swiss Meringue Buttercream

600g of sugar
450g of egg whites
675g of butter (soft and unsalted)
t.t vanilla (t.t = to taste)

Method:

In a large bowl over a Bain-Marie, combine egg whites and sugar and cook
occasionally whisking to allow for even cooking.
Mixture is ready when it's warm to the touch and sugar is dissolved completely (rub the mixture between your fingers, continue to cook if you feel any gritty texture.)
Transfer to a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and whisk until it is cool to the touch, approximately 25 minutes.
Add softened butter gradually and whip till incorporated, then add vanilla or the flavours of your liking.

*If using buttercream for another purpose, flavour the buttercream however you like, whip in extract, melted chocolate, fruit purees or even Oreo crumbs, let your creativity shine!!!

Buttercream Troubleshooting

The number one problem with buttercream is splitting. If this happens, try one of the following solutions.

With heat - Warm Buttercream slightly, this can be done by microwaving it in 10-second blasts, whisking each time until it comes together. If you like, you can remove a tablespoon of the mixture, melt it completely in the microwave and add it back to the mixture.

With friction - Continue to whip buttercream in a stand mixer; sometimes it can take ten minutes to come back together.

With butter - Add more room temperature butter, do this tablespoon by tablespoon till the mixture comes back together.

Chocolate Ganache

250g of dark chocolate
250g of cream 35%
5g of corn syrup or glucose (optional)

Method:

Chop the chocolate and place it in a heatproof bowl with corn syrup.
Scald the cream (do not boil), pour it over the chocolate and let it stand for approximately 2 minutes, stir to incorporate.
Allow to cool before filling macarons.

Tip - flavour your ganache with tea, citrus peel, spices, or liquors. Steep your desired flavours in the cream while scalding, then allow it to stand for 3 minutes and sieve it over the chocolate.

Chocolate Souffle

Yield: 3 servings
Portion size: 1 x 6 ½ cm
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

100 g dark chocolate, chopped
5 ml butter
25 ml cream (or butter)
2 large eggs, separated
Pinch of cream of tartar
35ml castor sugar
Garnish
Icing sugar – dust

** Specialized equipment: Baking slide, 3 x 6 ½ cm ramekins, greaseproof paper &
string

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan).

2. Line and butter 3 ramekins, then dust with caster sugar.

3. To melt the chocolate over a bain-marie: Place the chocolate, butter and cream
in a glass bowl. Bring a pot of water to the boil. Remove the pot from the heat and
place the bowl over the pot. (the water must not touch the bottom of the bowl) Allow
to stand for 3-5 minutes, then stir.

4. Remove the bowl from the bain-marie. Add the egg yolks to the melted chocolate
mixture and stir to combine.

5. Beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar until soft peaks. Slowly add the sugar
to the egg whites and continue to beat until you reach stiff peaks.

6. Fold in 1/3 of the whites into the chocolate, then fold the chocolate into the
remaining whites. The mixture must be thick.

7. Place the batter into the prepared ramekins. Run a knife around the edge of the
soufflé to ensure it has a flat top.

8. Place the ramekins on a baking tray and bake at 190°C (170°C fan) for 10 - 15 minutes.

To serve:

- Dust with icing sugar and serve immediately