August Daring Bakers' Challenge - Chocolate Éclairs!

Sunday, August 31, 2008

 Pierre Hermé’s Chocolate Éclairs from Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Hermé.

The Éclairs consist of :

* Pâte à Choux, Cream Puff Dough (see below for recipe)
* Pastry Cream (see below for recipe)
* Chocolate Glaze (see below for recipe)

Pierre Hermé’s Cream Puff Dough - Pâte à Choux
Recipe from Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Hermé
(makes 20-24 Éclairs)

• ½ cup (125g) whole milk
• ½ cup (125g) water
• 1 stick (4 ounces; 115g) unsalted butter,
cut into 8 pieces
• ¼ teaspoon sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (140g) all-purpose flour
• 5 large eggs, at room temperature

1) In a heavy bottomed medium saucepan, bring the milk, water, butter, sugar and salt to a boil.

2) Once the mixture is at a rolling boil, add all of the flour at once, reduce the heat to medium and start to stir the mixture vigorously with a wooden spoon. The dough comes together very quickly. Do not worry if a slight crust forms at the bottom of the pan, it’s supposed to. You need to carry on stirring for a further 2-3 minutes to dry the dough. After this time the dough will be very soft and smooth.

3) Transfer the dough into a bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or using your handmixer or if you still have the energy, continue by hand. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each egg has been added to incorporate it into the dough. You will notice that after you have added the first egg, the dough will separate, once again do not worry. As you keep working the dough, it will come back all together again by the time you have added the third egg. In the end the dough should be thick and shiny and when lifted it should fall back into the bowl in a ribbon.

4) The dough should be still warm. It is now ready to be used for the éclairs.

Notes:
1) Once the dough is made you need to shape it immediately.

2) You can pipe the dough and the freeze it. Simply pipe the dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets and slide the sheets into the freezer. Once the dough is completely frozen, transfer the piped shapes into freezer bags. They can be kept in the freezer for up to a month.

Baking the Éclairs

1) Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Divide the oven into thirds by positioning the racks in the upper and lower half of the oven. Line two baking sheets with waxed or parchment paper.
2) Fill a large pastry bag fitted with a 2/3 (2cm) plain tip nozzle with the warm cream puff dough. Pipe the dough onto the baking sheets in long, 4 to 4-1/2 inches (about 11 cm) chubby fingers. Leave about 2 inches (5 cm) space in between each dough strip to allow them room to puff. The dough should give you enough to pipe 20-24 éclairs.
3) Slide both the baking sheets into the oven and bake for 7 minutes. After the 7 minutes, slip the handle of a wooden spoon into the door to keep in ajar. When the éclairs have been in the oven for a total of 12 minutes, rotate the sheets top to bottom and front to back. Continue baking for a further 8 minutes or until the éclairs are puffed, golden and firm. The total baking time should be approximately 20 minutes.
Notes:
1) The éclairs can be kept in a cool, dry place for several hours before filling.

Crème Pâtissière - Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream
(Adapted from The Cambridge School of Culinary Arts)

* 1 3/4 cup Half and Half
* 1 tsp Vanilla
* 1/2 of a Vanilla Bean
* 4 Egg Yolks, large
* 1/2 cup Sugar
* 1/3 cup Flour
* Pinch of Salt

1. Heat half-and-half in a medium saucepan until warm. Set aside.

2. Using a mixer or by hand, ribbon egg yolks and sugar until very thick and pale yellow and there is no presence of sugar granuals. Stir in flour and the salt. Very gradually add warm half-and-half to yolk mixture stirring with a whisk or using your mixer.

3. Transfer mixture to a saucepan and add the inside of half of a vanilla bean. Cook over medium-low heat stirring continuously with a wooden spoon. When mixture begins to bubble (must boil) continue stirring for 1-2 minutes (lower heat if necessary).

4. Remove from heat, add vanilla extrat and strain into a bowl. Refridgerate. Makes 2 1/2 cups.

Notes:1) The pastry cream can be made 2‐3 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator.

2) In order to avoid a skin forming on the pastry cream, cover with plastic wrap pressed onto the cream.

3) Tempering the eggs raises the temperature of the eggs slowly so that they do not scramble.

Chocolate Glaze
(The Cambridge School of Culinary Arts)

* 8 ounces Callebaut semi-sweet chocolate chopped.
* 2 teaspoons vegetable shortening
* 2 Tablespoons corn syrup

In a double boiler, melt chocolate. Remove from heat. Add vegetable shortening and corn syrup. Stir. Let cool to desired consistency.

Notes:
1) You can make this sauce ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for two weeks. Reheat the sauce in a microwave oven or a double boiler before using. .

2) It is best to glaze the eclairs after the glaze is made, but if you are pressed for time, you can make the glaze a couple days ahead of time, store it in the fridge and bring it up to the proper temperature (95 to 104 F) when ready to glaze.

Assembling the éclairs:

1) Slice the éclairs horizontally, using a serrated knife and a gently sawing motion. Set aside the bottoms and place the tops on a rack over a piece of parchment paper.

2) The glaze should be barely warm to the touch (between 95 – 104 degrees F or 35 – 40 degrees C, as measured on an instant read thermometer). Spread the glaze over the tops of the éclairs using a metal icing spatula. Allow the tops to set and in the meantime fill the bottoms with the pastry cream.

3) Pipe or spoon the pastry cream into the bottoms of the éclairs. Make sure you fill the bottoms with enough cream to mound above the pastry. Place the glazed tops onto the pastry cream and wriggle gently to settle them.

Notes:

1) If you have chilled your chocolate glaze, reheat by placing it in a bowl over simmering water, stirring it gently with a wooden spoon. Do not stir too vigorously as you do not want to create bubbles.

2) The éclairs should be served as soon as they have been filled.

Great Grains Muffins

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Great Grains Muffins

(Baking From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan)

1 cup All-Purpose Flour

1/3 cup Whole Wheat Flour

1/3 cup Yellow Cornmeal

1/3 cup Old Fashioned Oats

1/4 cup Sugar (I used 1/3 cup)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup Buttermilk

1/3 cup pure maple syrup

2 large Eggs

1 Stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

3/4 cup dried fruit of any kind (raisins, cranberries, cherries, prunes etc. cut up as necessary) and/or chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:

1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Butter or spray the 12 molds in a regular-size muffin pan or fit molds with paper muffin cups. Place the muffin pan on a large baking sheet.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, cornmeal, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk together buttermilk, maple syrup, eggs and melted butter. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and, with the whisk or rubber spatula, gently but quickly stir to blend. Don't worry about being thorough - if the batter is a bit lumpy, that's fine. Stir in the fruit or nuts, if you are using them. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.

3. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a thin knife inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for a minute, then carefully lift each muffin out of its mold and onto the rack to cool.

Storing: These are best warm right out of the oven, although they're delicious the next day, particularly if you split and toast them and serve with some butter and jam. They will keep wrapped airtight in the freezer for up to two months. Rewarm in a 350 degree oven, if you'd like, or split and toast them.

Frangipan & Fresh Fruit Tart

Monday, August 11, 2008

Today we learned how to make pies and tarts in my baking class.  We made a Frangipan Fresh Fruit Tart.

FRANGIPAN & FRESH FRUIT TART

(By Roberta L. Dowling)

Pate Sable -Tart Crust

2 Cups Flour

2 Tablespoons Confectioners' Sugar

1 Teaspoon Salt

12 Tablespoons unsalted butter

1 Egg plus 1 Tablespoon Ice Water (and more if needed)

1 Teaspoon Vanilla

Place the flour, confectioners' sugar and salt on countertop. Make a well, add the butter cut into 1 inch pieces. Rub the butter and flour between your fingertips until the mixture resembles meal. Mix the egg and ice water together. Toss some ice cubes with the water before measuring to make sure it is as cold as possible. Add the water and egg mixture a tablespoon at a time and fluff with your fingertips until large lumps form and the pastry is blended. Add additional water if necessary. Gather the dough into a ball and flatten the dough with the heel of your hand so that the butter will layer between the flour. Repeat once again. Refridgerate a minimum of 30 minutes or overnight.

Rolling Out Tart Dough

• Roll out dough between plastic if it is too soft.
• If the dough is hard, hit it a few times squarely with a rolling pin.
• Roll out dough to 1/8" thick circle.
• Dust lightly with flour and fold in quarters. Place it in the middle of the buttered tart pan. Open up the pastry and fit into pan, folding down excess to reinforce sides. Press the pastry against the fluted edges. Trim off excess dough.
• After pastry is rolled out, you can rest it in the refridgerator for 1 hour or freeze for 15 minutes before baking.
• Roll out on floured cool surface to about an 1/8 inch thick and place in greased tart pan(s).

Frangipan

1/2 Cup Softened Butter

1 Cup Almond Paste

2 Eggs, beaten

1 Teaspoon Lemon Rind

2 Teaspoons Flour

Cream the butter, stir in paste a bit at a time. Beat for a good amount of time until paste is incorporated and there are no lumps. Add eggs alternately in about four additions. Beating after each addition. Beat until smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients. Spread evenly into the tart crust. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees until golden brown and center is set well. Check after about 10 minutes and if it starts to brown too much, put a foil tent over the top to finish baking. Cool completely before adding your glaze and fruit.

Glaze

3/4 cup apricot jam

2-3 Tablespoons cognac, kirsh or other fruit liqueur

Heat jam in saucepan until smooth. Strain through sieve. Add flavoring and brush a little on top of the tart before adding your fruit and then after adding your fruit brush the entire tart with the glaze.

Fresh Fruit Options:

(anything you like)

1 Pint Fresh Strawberries

Fresh Figs

1 Pint Rasperries

2 Kiwi

Blueberries

Canned Madarin Organge Segments

Tips for Baking Pies

(Roberta L. Dowling)

• All ingredients must be cold: butter, water, your hands.
• Work Quickly and handle the dough as little as possible.
• Never pour all the water in at once
• Chill your dough to let the gluten rest and the butter firm up.
• Weather conditions will affect your dough; e.g., on a humid day, use less water.
• You know your dough has rested enough when you can poke it and the hole will remain without moving.
• Enclose your dough in plastic wrap or foil to prevent drying out; it can be stored 2 days in the refridgerator this way or frozen for several months.
• A cool marble slab is excellent is excellent for pastry; formica and butcher block are fine also. You can put ice on a baking sheet and set on work surface to cool it.
• Start pies at 425 degrees to help cook bottom of crust and prevent sogginess. Reduce heat to 350 degrees to insure proper cooking of the filling.
• Reduce heat by 25 degrees when using a glass pyrex pie plate.
• Always cut a vent in a double crust pie.
• Bake pies in lower half of the oven.

Allergen-Free Brownies

Saturday, August 2, 2008

Allergen-Free Brownies

(Baby Cakes Bakery NYC - Erin McKenna)

Ingredients

1/2 cup canola oil, plus more for pans
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons garfava flour(garbanzo and fava bean)
1/4 cup potato starch
2 tablespoons arrowroot
1 cup unrefined sugar or 10 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons agave nectar
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup store-bought unsweetened applesauce
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup brewed coffee or hot water
2 cups vegan gluten-free chocolate chips, such as Enjoy Life Foods

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Brush 3 dozen mini-muffin pans with oil; set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, potato starch, arrowroot, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, salt, and unsweetened cocoa powder; set aside.

3. In a large bowl, mix together applesauce, 1/2 cup canola oil, and vanilla. Slowly add flour mixture, stirring to combine. Stir in coffee until it forms a batter. Fold in chocolate chips.

4. Place 1 tablespoon batter into each prepared muffin cup. Transfer muffin pans to oven, and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack before unmolding. Makes about 5 dozen mini brownies.