Tag: baking

Choux Pastry
75g butter, cubed
115g plain flour
3 medium eggs, beaten

Whipped Cream
1 vanilla pod, split
500ml double cream
3 tsp icing sugar
Cointreau, to taste

Chocolate Sauce
100g dark chocolate
15g unsalted butter
3 tbsp milk
Cointreau, to taste

Method

1. First make the choux pastry. Put the butter into a medium saucepan with 200ml cold water and bring to the boil, melting the butter. Once it has melted, tip in all the flour and a pinch of salt, then remove the pan from the heat. Using a wooden spoon, beat the mixture really well for about 20 seconds until it comes away from the sides of the pan and forms a ball. Leave to cool completely. You can transfer it to a bowl if you want to speed things up.
2. Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. Once the pastry mixture has cooled, start beating in the eggs, a little at a time, until it is shiny and of reluctant dropping consistency. You may not need to add every last drop of the egg to reach this stage, so stop when it gets to the correct consistency. To test this, scoop some of the mixture onto your spoon: it should need a small nudge before dropping off and falling back into the pan. If it needs a flick of the wrist to help it slide off the spoon, then you should beat in a little more egg.
3. Line the baking sheets with the parchment. Pipe 20 walnut-sized blobs onto the sheets, spaced evenly apart or spoon them out and smooth into balls with a wet finger. Bake on the top shelf of the oven for 30–40 minutes. However tempted you are, do not open the door until at least 25 minutes have passed. The profiteroles should appear golden-brown; also, tap them to see if they are firm – they should sound hollow. Once ready, remove them from the oven and, using a skewer, make a hole, big enough to take the 7mm piping nozzle, in the side of each one. Bake for 5 more minutes to dry out the insides, then cool on a wire rack.
4. While the choux pastry is in the oven, make a start on the cream. Scrape the beans from the vanilla pod into a pan with the cream. Sieve in the icing sugar and whisk until strong peaks form. Chill it in the fridge until ready to use.
5. To make the chocolate sauce, first chop the chocolate. Using a double boiler, melt chocolate, butter and milk until smooth. Be careful to not scald the chocolate.
6. To assemble, fill the piping bag with the thick cream and squeeze a little into each bun. Don’t fill them any more than 2 hours ahead: they’ll go soggy if left standing for too long.
7. Pile up the profiteroles in a dish and pour over the hot chocolate sauce.

Ingredients
225g/8oz self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
50g/2oz butter
25g/1oz caster sugar
150ml/5fl oz milk combined with 1/2 beaten egg

Method

1. Heat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7.
2. Sieve together the flour, baking powder and rub in the butter until a fine breadcrumb consistency is achieved.
3. Stir in the sugar.
4. Add just enough of the milk/egg mixture to get a soft dough. Note that you will probably not need to add all of it.
5. Turn on to a floured work surface and knead very lightly. Divide the dough in half and roll out to a round 2cm thick. Use a 5cm/2in cutter to stamp out rounds and place on a baking sheet lined with grease-proof paper.
6. Lightly knead together the excess cuttings with the other half of the dough and stamp out more scones to use it all up.
7. Brush the tops of the scones with the remaining milk/egg mix. Bake for 12-15 minutes until well risen and golden.
8. Cool on a wire rack and serve with butter and good jam and maybe some clotted cream.

I made these over xmas. My mom had been given a madeleine pan but had never used it. They were NUMMAY!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup (140 grams) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
2/3 cup (133 grams) granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

First, melt the butter and allow it to cool while you make the batter.

In a small bowl place the flour, baking powder and salt and whisk until well blended.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until the mixture has tripled in volume and forms a thick ribbon when the beaters are lifted (about 5 minutes). Add the vanilla extract and beat to combine.

Sift a small amount of flour over the egg mixture and, using a large rubber spatula, fold the flour mixture into the beaten eggs to lighten it. Sift the rest of the flour over the egg mixture and fold in being sure not to overmix or the batter will deflate.

Whisk a small amount of the egg mixture into the melted butter to lighten it. Then fold in the cooled melted butter in three additions. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or several hours, until slightly firm.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Generously butter two 12-mold madeleine pans. Dust the molds with flour and tap out the excess. (Make sure the pans are well greased or the madeleines will stick and be hard to remove.)

Drop a generous tablespoonful of the batter into the center of each prepared mold, leaving the batter mounded in the center. (This will result in the classic “humped” appearance of the madeleines.)

Bake the madeleines for 11 to 13 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the centers spring back when lightly touched. Do not overbake these cookies or they will be dry.

Remove the pans from the oven and rap each pan sharply against a countertop to release the madeleines. Transfer the madeleines, smooth sides down, to wire racks to cool. The madeleines are best served the same day but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days or frozen, well wrapped, for up to 1 month.

When serving dust with confectioners sugar.

Variation: Lemon-Poppy Seed Madeleines – Substitute 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated white sugar for 2/3 cup white sugar, substitute 1/2 teaspoon pure lemon extract plus 1 teaspoon finely minced lemon zest for 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and add l tablespoon poppy seeds after adding butter. Proceed with recipe.

Bittersweet Chocolate Madeleines – Melt 4 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate (in pieces) in top of double boiler (stainless steel bowl over a saucepan) until melted. Let cool slightly. Follow the above recipe but add the melted chocolate to the batter after adding the melted butter. Proceed with recipe.