Creme brulle

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 4 egg yolks
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• powdered sugar for the crusts
• Groceries
• Baking Pans
• Cooking Pan
• Mixing Bowls
• Ramekins
• Wire Whisks
• Propane Torches
• Mixing bowls

1. Step 1

   To make creme brulee, heat the oven to 135 degrees C.

2. Step 2

   Mix the cream and vanilla extract in a nonreactive pan over low heat until steaming.

3. Step 3

   When the cream is hot, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until well blended.

4. Step 4

   When cream starts to steam, shut off the heat.

5. Step 5

   Pour some cream (maybe 1/2 cup) into the egg yolks while whisking quickly. This will slowly heat the yolks, reducing the chance of curdling them.

6. Step 6

   Remove the whisk from the eggs, start whisking the cream, and steadily pour the yolks into the cream while whisking quickly.

7. Step 7

   When thoroughly mixed, divide mixture into oven-safe individual ramekins.

8. Step 8

   For best results, an optional step is to chill the filled ramekins overnight before cooking.

9. Step 9

   Place ramekins in a tall-sided baking pan. Pour hot water into the pan about halfway up the sides of the ramekins.

10. Step 10

    Bake for about 35-45 minutes.
    

11. Step 11

    Cover and chill at least two hours.

12. Step 12

    When ready to serve, sprinkle the top of each serving with a thin, even layer of sugar.

13. Step 13

    If you have a propane kitchen torch, heat the sugar with the flame until it begins to brown. Stop when it reaches a golden color. It should not get too dark.

14. Step 14

    Without a torch, use the oven's broiler setting to caramelize the sugar. Broil for 20 to 30 seconds within at least an inch of the flame or heating element.

Saffron Kheer

I know looking at this photo must make your mouth water. I am sure you are going to try this out at home and have your friends and relatives enjoy this Indian dessert.

Ingredients:

1 can sweetened condensed milk
3 cups milk
1/2 cup rice flour
10gms of raisins

Strands of saffron (be liberal) just joking

1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
2 cups cooked rice
pista for garnish
pomegranate seeds for garnish

Heat milk, & rice powder in a heavy pan over medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring constantly. As it starts to thicken, add raisins, cardamom, saffron and rice. Stir rapidly until thick. Eat warm or also chilled as dessert. Can garnish with pista and pomegranate seeds fresh.

Tapioca Pudding

When you are catering for large group there are many simple dishes that would work wonders at the party. Among them is the tapioca pudding which blends good with any events.

This recipe yields 80 portions.

Ingredients:

Milk 9 qt
Small pearl Tapioca 3 lb
Sugar 1.5lb
Salt 2 tsp
Vanilla bean 5 ea
Egg yolks 8 ea
Sugar 1.5 lb
Heavy cream 1 qt

Method:

• Soak tapioca in milk overnight
• Bring tapioca, milk, salt, 1lb of sugar and the vanilla beans to a hot, using a double boiler. Cook tapioca until it's translucent and tender and mixture is very thick.
• Mix egg yolks with remaining sugar. Remove tapioca from heat, add egg mixture into tapioca and cool mixture over ice.
• When cold, fold in one quart of soft peak whipped cream.
• Garnish with your choice of fresh fruit (i.e raspberreis, blackberries and sauteed apples).

Pate d Choux photos

Swan made with pate d choux

pate d choux with whipped cream and vanilla sauce

pate d choux with cream and strawberry

In my earlier post i had explained the method of making pate d choux. Here i got the photos of the various presentation that can be done with pate d choux. The pate d choux is also used in the garde manger, with filling of foie gras.

A dessert revered as tiramisu

Working in the kitchen, has a different edge to itself. The previledge of working in the kitchen is that you get to know the history of the food, the ingredients, chemical compositons and also the combinations that makes sure the recipe goes the extra mile. As the title for this post goes "A dessert revered as tiramisu" is because i have worked with this dessert for quite sometime now. Tiramisu has a unique taste of kalua which gives it a coffee liquourish flavor and has pieces of sponge cake which are again soaked in kalua that just melts in your mouth. There are other coffee liquors in the maket but it is advicable to use the kahlua because it reatains the sponge cake pieces together, in case of other coffee liquor it soaks the sponge cakes and does not retain the shape. I would not recommend this dessert for kids under the age of eighteen.

Ingredients:

Whipping cream 1 Pint
Mascarpone cheese 1 Pint

For the sabayon sauce

Egg Yolks 6 oz
Sugar 6 oz
Marsala wine 5 oz
Lemon rind (optional)

For the common maringue

Egg whites 8oz
Sugar 10oz

Sponge cake (lady finger) sprinkled with kahlua 3 ea(per serving)

Garnish

Coco powder

Method:

• Soak the sponge cake (individual pieces of sponge cake has to be arranged on a tray and soaked with kalua)


• In a mixing bowl whip the cream and the mascarpone cheese together until it gets stiff


• In a bowl mix egg yolks and sugar on a double boiler constantly mixing it, once it gets stiff add in the marsala wine (at this point chefs use lemon rind to flavor).


• Place it on the double boiler until i changes color and leaves a ribbon when the whisk is lifted.


• Make a common maringue unti it is soft peak.


• Add the mixture of whiped cream and mascarpone cheese to the egg whites and fold it, gradually add the sabayon and mix.


• Line matini glasses with the soaked sponge cake and pipe the mixture into these glasses and layer it in the middle with the soaked sponge cake. (I prefer piping to just pouring into the glasses is because when piped we do not get any air pockets and gives a good presentation)


• Sprinkle with coco powder.

Bavarian Cake

A bavarian cream cake is basically vanilla sauce that has it's shape retained by gelatin. The reason that it maintains it's texture and strength is due to the aerated structure. This is derived by measuring out equal proportions of ingredients in terms of weight. The bavarian cream as such can be used for various dessert preperations.

To make the Bavarian cream, we need to whip the cream, mix it with the vanilla sauce. The vanilla sauce should be allowed to cool and should maintain a temperture that is just warm. Any kind of flavoring needs to be added at this point. It is desirable to add extra flavoring as the whipped cream would reduce the final flavor of the product. (It is recommended to have the molds ready before preparation as the bavaraian cream will set soon).

Bavarian Cream:

Gelatin 1oz

Water 8floz

Heavy cream 32floz

Vanilla sauce 32floz

• Have the molds ready before preparation.
• In a bowl immerse the gelatin, until it is bloomed.
• Whip the cream to a soft peak.
• Have the vanilla sauce warm, into the sauce add the bloomed gelatin.
• Blend one third of the vanilla sauce with the whipped cream fold gently (as it is aerated it may loose volume)
• Mix in the remaining vanilla sauce and fold thoroughly.
• Pour the mixture into molds of your choice and refrigerate.

Vanilla sauce:

Egg yolks 12ea

Milk 1quart

Sugar 8oz

Vanilla extract 1/2tsp

• Heat the Milk and sugar with the extract to a boil.
• In another bowl whip the egg yolks thoroughly
• Add 1/4 portion of the mixture gently into the whipped egg yolks and temper it.
• Whisk it thoroughly and then add it back to the mixture and whisk it thoroughly, once it comes to a boil remove from heat and let cool.

Sugar Decorations

Sugar decoration

This is a world, filled with fantasies. I would describe a true fantasy is in any form of art. My friend who is a baking and pastry student at the culinary institue of america was exited, when she heard i was going to take photos of her work. I found that nature comes alive in the forms we create, there are different ways to interpret this and she found solice in expressing it with sugar. I was overwhelmed, as i looked at the various creations that they had in store for me when i entered the classroom filled with future pattisiers readily allowing me to take photos of their decorations with sugar.

This is one of the sites that i found would help my picture above:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qs2vkjYUaKA&feature=related

Meringues a pastry delight

Swiss maringue garnish over tarts and blowtorched
Piping of Maringue before baking in oven

Whipping egg whites and sugar together creates the light yet stable aerated mixture known as a meringue. Meringue is commonly used for topping and filling cakes and pastries. It can also be flavored and or dried in a low oven to make cookies, containers (which can be used to hold fruit, mousse, or sorbet) or layers for cakes. Meringue is also used as an ingredient in mousses and batters to lighten, aerate, and leaven them.

A basic ratio for a meringue is 1 part egg whites to 2 parts sugar. As the egg whites are whipped, air is incorporated and the whites break into smaller and smaller globules to form bubbles. When sugar is whipped into the egg whites, the agitation of the mixture and the moisture of the whites begin to dissolve the sugar, which in turn surrounds the air bubbles, coating them and making them more stable.

There are a few basic rules to keep in mind for making a successful meringue. All utensils must be impeccably clean and dry. Make sure that no traces of fat of any kind come in contact with the egg whites, whethere in the form of grease on the utensils or other equipment or from traces of egg yolks in the whites themselves. Fat will interfere with the protein stands which will prevent the egg whites from developing into a foam. A small amount of an acid (cream of tartar, lemon juice, or vinegar) will relax the proteins,helping to stabilize the meringue. You can introduce an acid simply by wiping the bowl clean with lemon juice or vinegar before adding the egg whites or by adding a small amount of cream of tartar to the whites just as they begin to foam. Never use cream of tartar when whipping in a coppor bowl, as it will cause a toxic reaction, turning the whites sightly green. Room temperature egg whites will whip up more readily. Be careful to use sugar that is free of impurities such as flour or other ingredients. Whip the egg whites on high speed until they are frothy, then gradually add the sugar while continuing to whip to the desired consistency (soft, medium, or stiff peak). Avoid overhwipping egg whites, as they become dry and lumpy, making them difficult to incorporate into other ingredients. Prepare meringue (espcially common meringue) just before you intend to use it, because it will begin to collapse if it stands for long time.

There are three types of meringue: common (french), swiss and Italian. Simply whipping the egg whites and sugar to the desired consistency makes common meringue. This is the simplest type of meringue to prepare and the least stable. Also, unless pasteurized whites are used, because of the potential danger of salmonella, uncooked or unbaked common meringue should not be eaten. Therefore, it is most often used in batters to provide leavening. It can also be used for making merinuge shells, bases or layers for cakes, and for piping simple decorations that are baked.

Swiss meringue is made by stirring the egg whites with sugar using a whip ove a hot water bath until they reach a temperature between 115*F and 165*F/46and 74*C, depending on the intended use. The whites are then whipped in a mixer to the desired peak. The meringue can be piped and baked, or dried, in the oven. Swiss meringue can also be used for the same preparations as common meringue to lighten mousses and creams, to fill various cakes, or to add a delicate piped shell border or other decoratie element. Swiss meringue is more stable than common meringue.

Italian meringue is made by whipping the egg whites in a mixer and then adding a cooked sugar syrup. The sugar is cooked to the soft ball stage (240*F/116*C) and added in a thin, steady stream to the whipping egg whites when they have reached the medium peak stage. The whites are then mixed on a medium speed to the desired peak. Italian meringue is the most stable of the meringues and is used in various mousses, buttercreams and for decor work.(above topic taken from baking and pastry)

Mousse

Rolls before the egg wash

The rolls right out of the oven

Creme Brulee being garnished

Though the photos do, not relate to the topic mousse, i just would like to bring the activities that happen in our kitchens.

Mousse

The name for this delicate dessert cmes froma french word that translates literally as frothy, foamy or light. To make a mousse, an aerator such as a whipped cream and or a meringue is folded into a base such as a fruit puree, vanilla sauce, cream or pudding, curd, sabayon, or pate a bombe. The base should be light and smooth so the aerator can be incorporated easily.

To make an egg-safe mousse, use pasteurized egg whites or a swiss or italian meringue. Stablizers such as gelatin may be used in variying amounts depending on the desired result. If a mousse is stablilized with gelatin, it will begin to set immediately, so prepare all molds, serving containers, and so forth before preparation.

Folding is the techinique used to combine a foamy mixture, such as meringue, shipped cream, or beaten egg whites, into a base mixture. The base is usually denser or firmer than the foam and will inevitably collapse the foam somewhat. Proper folding ensures that the foam loses as little volume as possible.

The base should be cooled if necessary befoe the foam is added. Add the foam to the base, rather than the other way around, and if using more than one foam, add the least stable one last. For example, if you are adding both a meringue and whipped cream, add the meringue first and then the cream.

Working quickly, add a small amount of the foam to the base to lighten it. Some pastry chefs add the foams in thrirds for the greater possible volume. Fold the foam in with a rubber spatula or other tool with a similar broad, flat surface. Using a cirular motion, gently run the spatula over the mixture, down and across the bottom of the bowl, and back up to the top again. Rotate the bowl as you work to mix the foam in evenly. Continue to fold the base and foam together until you have an even color and consistency, with no visible pockets of meringue, whipped cream.(Above topic taken from baking and pastry mastering the art and craft)

Maringues are devided into three types:

Common ratio 10oz sugar, 1#egg white

Swiss ratio 1#egg white, 1to2#sugar

Italian ratio 22oz sugar, 7oz liquid and then add common maringue.

Franchipan Apple Tartlet

The above photo is the mixing of cookie dough

This is the video of the production of Franchipan apple tartlet

This is a easy but delicious dessert that i enjoyed making. This was kind of hard for me to understand when my friend first treated me to this dessert. But when i tried out the recipe that is when i found that it was easy and great.

The production of Franchipan apple tartlet, begins with the making of the cookie dough. The cookie dough basically cosists of:

Sugar 1part

Fat/Butter 2parts

Flour 3parts

Egg 4ea

This needs a creaming method which involves mixing the sugar and fat, then add the eggs and then the flour. Once the dough is done, it needs to be rolled out flat and thin, cut them into rounds and lay them flat on tart moulds.

Once the dough is layed flat on the tart moulds, the franchipan can be piped onto the tarts.

(franchipan consists of almond paste, sugar, butter, egg and flour). Once it is piped it needs to be layered with sliced granny smith apples (good for baking). Once this is done it is baked in the oven and glazed with lemon jelly.

Cherry clafouti

This is a recipe that serves for 4 people

For the clafouti

Eggs 6ea
Sugar 3oz
Vanilla bean Split and scraped 1ea
Salt 1 pinch
Brown Rum 2Tbsp
Milk 3/4cup
Flour 3oz
Butter for greasing
Fresh Cherreis pitted 1.5#

For the Cherry Sauce

Fresh Cherries pitted 1Cup
Confectioners sugar 1Tbsp

For the Garnish

Fresh Cherries
Melted White chocolate
Confectioners Sugar
Cookie twirls
Mint

Directions:

For the clafouti: Crack the eggs into a bowl, and sugar and whisk together until foamy. Add the vanilla bean and salt, whisk in the rum and milk, then fold in the flour. Liberally grease four oven-proof remekins with the butter. Fill each ramekin 1/4 full with the batter. Divide the cherries evenly among the remekins, and fill to the top with the remaining batter. Bake in a 325* oven for 40 minutes. Remove, allow to cool slightly, then turn the clafoutis out of the remekins.

For the cherry sauce: Place the cherries and sugar together in a blender and puree to a smooth consistency.

To Serve: Cut a wedge out of the clafouti, positon together on the plate, and spoon the sauce onto the plate beside it. Place fresh cherries on the plate and drizzle the chocolate over them. Garnish the dish with the confectioner's sugar, cookies and mint.