Posts from the ‘Desserts’ Category

Sep 28

Apple Pie

Apples

I felt the need to post a dessert recipe, it’s not earth shattering or different it’s as American as apple pie, well, it is apple pie. Simple and delicious, a touch of Americana. The recipes I have posted lately have been wholesome and healthful and thats really good, I love that, but my real love is baking and I have not really been doing that lately. Maybe when the weather turns cooler I will feel more inspired to crank up the oven and bake something. To inspire myself I just got the new cookbook from Zoe Nathan, Huckleberry, it’s beautiful, droolworthy and yes, very inspiring. I hope to share some recipes from the book with you, I have already chosen several to make immediately.

Every year when apples hit the green market one of the first things I like to make is apple pie. It’s an American classic and is still one of my all time favorite desserts. Buttery flaky pie crust and sweet/tart apples scented with warm spices, cinnamon and nutmeg. Served warm with a scoop of ice cream I am in heaven. There’s a million and one recipes for apple pie, it a classic dessert and this is probably no different than most but I wanted to post as a tribute or an homage to Fall and apple season. I use several different types of apples in my pie, cortland, honey crisp, winesap,macoun,ginger gold,pink lady and always one granny smith, I don’t use Macintosh or apples with a similar texture they tend to turn mushy. Honestly, I forget what I got this go around but they looked good and I am sure they will make a great pie. Cut the apple slices fairly thin but not so thin that they will turn to mush but I do want them soft and well done. I like to use both granulated and brown sugar, a pinch of sea salt, some flour to thicken and a splash of apple cider. it’s not aggresively spiced just enough for a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg. I use 6-7 apples for a deeper pie dish and 4 or 5 apples for a normal size pie dish.

Juilia Childs Pastry Dough

Makes enough dough for a double crust 9 inch pie

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup cake flour

1 tsp salt

6 oz cold unsalted butter cut into tbs size pieces

4 tbs shortening or leaf lard cold ( I weighed and used 2 oz of shortening or lard)

1/2 cup ice cold water

You can make this either by hand or in the food processor. To make by hand, put flours, salt, butter, lard or shortening into mixing bowl, use pastry cutter to combine until it resembles pea size crumbs. Add water mix with fork, gather with your hands, divide dough into a 2 discs and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Your dough may be pretty moist, thats ok don’t add more flour.

In Food Processor, add the flours, salt, butter and shortening or lard into the bowl of the processor. Pulse a few times until the mixture resembles pea size crumbs. Add the water and pulse a few times until it becomes a cohesive dough. Divide dough into two discs and wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.

about this thickness

My apple peeler

Apple Filling:

6 apples, I like an assortment and always have 1 granny smith in the mix – peel, core and slice

1/3 cup brown sugar firmly packed

1/3 cup granulated sugar

3-4 tbs flour (You can also use cornstarch or tapioca)

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

juice of half a lemon

Note: Try to get the apple slices about the same thickness, doesn’t have to be perfect but if most of them are it cooks more evenly in the pie.

Add everything to a mixing bowl, stir gently to combine and set aside. Add the lemon juice to the apples as you slice, it will keep them from turning brown. You can adjust the amount of sugar to your personal preference.

look closely you can see the little pieces of butter in the dough, makes it extra flaky!

Making the Pie:

Have your 9 inch pie dish ready, take out one disc of dough and roll out to a thinish round, make sure your work surface is well floured as is your rolling pin. Roll dough onto the rolling pin and gently lay into the pie dish. Add the apples and put a few dots of butter. Roll out top crust following the same procedure and lay on top of the apples. Crimp the edges, cut a few vents, decorate if you like, brush with egg wash or cream and sprinkle with some sugar. Bake in a pre heated 375 degree oven for 45-50 minutes or until it’s golden brown and bubbly. Note: leave the overhanging dough on the bottom crust, trim after you lay top ccrust on and fold under then crimp, This will give a good seal so that most of the juices stay in the pie.

Apple pie right out of the oven

The pie was wonderful but I could have added a bit more flour to the filling. The apples were really juicy and the juice was not thickened quite enough. It’s almost impossible to gage really. You could do the Julia Child method and let the apples rest in a bowl and whatever juice comes off drain before baking. I didn’t do that and had quite a bit of excess juice, but I never really do that for apple pies. The flavor was great and the crust was so flaky and tender.

Aug 29

138 Comments

A Lattice Aprium Tart For Fiesta Friday #31

Aprium tart

What is an aprium, I asked myself that when I saw them at the market. Well, an aprium is a hybrid fruit that is a cross between an apricot and a plum, hence the name apri (apricot) um (plum). They are quite delicious, the skin is a little fuzzy like an apricot and the flesh is juicy and sweet like a plum. I read that the taste and texture can vary, they can be more apricot than plum and vice versa. The apriums I bought were more plum than apricot I think, but were really quite delicious. I bought a lot of them and ate what I could raw or au naturale and decided to use the rest to make a tart. I missed last weeks party for Fiesta Friday, i was sick and completely lost my sense of taste so I didn’t cook. My offering for this weeks party is an aprium tart.

Fiesta Friday is hosted by Angie@The Novice Gardener who like me has been sick, feel better Angie your Crostini/bruschetta are gorgeous. Thanks for hosting, you rock!!

Julia Childs Pie Dough Recipe

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup cake flour

1/2 tsp salt

6 oz cold butter cut into cubes

4 oz shortening or leaf lard

1/2 cup ice water

Whisk salt and flour together, add the butter and shortening or lard, using your hands or pastry cutter work into the flour until it resembles crumbs with pieces of the butter the size of peas.Alternately you could use your food processor pulsing it. Add the water and mix with a fork until combined. Don’t over work. Gather it with your hands, divide into two discs and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate overnight or for at least an hour.

The fruit:

2 1/2 cups sliced apriums skin on

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup flour

pinch of salt

1/4 tsp cinnamon

Mix everything together and set aside.

Unbaked lattice top

I used a rectangular tart pan, pressed the dough into the pan rather than rolling it. You can do either. After the dough is in the tart pan place in the freezer for 20-30 minutes. While the dough is in the freezer preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a sheet pan with foil. Roll the remaining dough into a thin round or rectangle and cut strips approximately 1/2 inch wide. Spoon fruit into cold tart shell and start making the lattice, lay strips about 2-3 inches apart diagonally snipping the ends that over hang, Lay more strips going the opposite way so they cross each other, brush each strip with egg wash and sprinkle with some sugar. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.

tart

I like to serve warm with some heavy cream, creme fraiche, whipped cream or ice cream. I guess you can tell I like a little cream with my pie/tart. Enjoy!!

ready to serve

Fiesta Friday

Aug 15

142 Comments

Peach Hand pies With Buttermilk Molasses Glaze For Fiesta Friday #29

Little peach pies

This week for the party I decided to bring dessert, you can never have too much pie IMHO. I got some O’Henry Peaches from Food52 via Frog Hollow Farm, they were expensive but I was intrigued having never heard of O’Henry Peaches and wondered how they taste in comparison to the peaches I get at the green market. Well, let me tell you they are pretty amazing, luscious, tart sweet, juicy, I could go on and on. I don’t think I have had a peach that good since I had some Georgia peaches years ago. So enough about the O’Henry’s, these little pies are pretty special not just because of the peaches. The pie crust is Julia Childs master recipe that never fails me, it’s buttery and flaky and delicious. I thought it would be nice to add a glaze or drizzle to the pies, I found this wonderful full fat farm fresh buttermilk and wondered how that would be as part of the glaze with some molasses. The glaze is wonderful, simply mixed buttermilk, molasses and powdered sugar and drizzled on top of the still warm pies. The glaze is a little tangy, has some depth from the molasses and is great with the peach pie.

As always the main event is hosted by Angie@The Novice Gardener and this weeks co-hostesses are Selma@Selma’s Table love selma and her great blog and Jhuls@The Not So Creative Cook (she is really very creative). Hope you all enjoy!!

Julia Childs Pie Dough Recipe

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup cake flour

1/2 tsp salt

6 oz cold butter cut into cubes

4 tbs cold vegetable shortening or leaf lard

1/2 cup ice water

Hand pie

Peaches

2 cups sliced peeled peaches

pinch of cinnamon

3-4 tbs flour (depends on how juicy the peaches are)

1/4-1/2 cup organic brown sugar (I went light on the sugar using only 1/4 cup)

Combine everything in bowl and set aside.

Assembling:

Pre heat oven to 375 degrees.

Roll dough quite thin, it should be thick enough that it doesn’t break but try to roll as thin as you can. Cut into rounds and lay on parchment lined baking sheet. Make an egg wash with beaten egg and milk or water. Brush some of the egg wash on the edges of one of the rounds, put a heaping tbs in the middle and place another round on top. Gently press edges together and crimp with a fork that you dip in some flour. Repeat. Cut vent in the top of each pie, brush with egg wash and sprinkle with a little sugar. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes before baking then bake for 35-45 minutes until golden brown. Let cool for about 10 or 15 minutes on a rack then drizzle some of the glaze on top. I like to serve warm.

Buttermilk molasses glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp molasses

3-4 tbs cultured full fat buttermilk (if you can find) If not regular low fat works just as well

In small mixing bowl add the powdered sugar, mix the molasses and buttermilk add by the tbs until the glaze is thick and a drizzling consistency.

Flaky pastry tart sweet peaches

Fiesta Friday

Aug 1

170 Comments

Champagne Grape Galette With Whipped Goat Cheese For Fiesta Friday #27

Just out of the oven

I love champagne or corinth grapes and look forward to their appearance every year, these are not the grapes used to make champagne and I am not sure why they are called that, but I do know that I really like them. They are so tiny, sweet/tart and bursting with flavor. I eat them au naturale most of the time but also try to come up with recipes using them. One year I made a syrup with the grapes and mosto cotto syrup for a buttermilk panna cotta. This year I decided to try them in a tart or galette. I love the way it turned out, the grapes retain their shape and texture after being baked. I used very little sugar only 1/4 cup of organic brown sugar and some lemon both the zest and juice . The combination is wonderful. I serve with a chai honey goat cheese/whipped cream combo.

I made this galette for Fiesta Friday, I hope everyone likes it. Angie @ the novice gardener really knows how to throw a party and always has amazing co hosts and this week is no different we love our dynamic Aussie duo Saucy @Saucy Gander and Margot@Gather and Graze. Thank you both for hosting this shindig. Did someone mention Dame Edna, now this will be fun!!

Ready to roll

GaletteDough

Recipe from Baking with Julia

1 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup cornmeal

1/3 cup ice water

3 tbs sour cream

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

7 tbs cold unsalted butter cut into small pieces

In mixing bowl combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar and salt. Add the cold butter and using your hands or a pastry cutter work the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles crumbs. Whisk the sour cream into the ice water and add to the flour and butter mixture, mix with a fork to combine. Press into a cohesive dough, it will be a bit sticky, thats alright it’s supposed to be. Divide into two equal pieces, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Folding

The grapes and assembly

2 cups champagne grapes removed from stems

1/4 cup organic brown sugar

2 1/2 tbs flour

zest and juice from 1/2 lemon

pinch of sea salt

1 egg beaten with cream for egg wash

course sugar for sprinkling on dough

butter to dot on fruit before baking

Optional but recommended is to add a little lemon zest on top of the grapes before baking.

Roll out one disc of dough on surface dusted generously with flour, you want it thin but not so thin that it is hard to work with. Roll into a rough circle. Mix fruit with flour, salt, sugar, lemon zest and juice, stir gently to combine. Place the dough round on a parchment lined sheet pan, spoon the fruit in the middle of the dough, dot with butter and gently fold the dough around the fruit. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. Place in freezer for 30 minutes. While in the freezer heat your oven to 400 degrees. Take straight from the freezer to the oven and bake for 35-45 minutes or until nicely browned and fruit is bubbly.

Ready for the freezer

Whipped goat cheese and cream

2 oz goat cheese softened at room temperature

1/2 cup very cold heavy cream

1 tbs honey (I used chai honey from Calmer Sutra) If you don’t have then use regular honey

1 tbs brown or white sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Beat the goat cheese until smooth, add the heavy cream, honey, brown sugar and vanilla and beat until thick and creamy. Note: Add more or less sugar to suite your taste.

Whipped goat cheese and cream

Seriously Good

Fiesta Friday

Jul 19

80 Comments

Gluten Free Cherry Crisp

cup of crisp

Crisps or Cobblers or buckles or whatever you want to make are a really simple and delicious way to enjoy summer fruit or berries. I have been wanting to try working with some different flours other than wheat and bought some barley flour. This crisp is so simple and quick to make and I must say the crumble or crisp part is wonderful, I used oats, barley flour, almond flour, butter and organic brown sugar. I bought already pitted and preserved sour cherries, I don’t have a cherry pitter. It took almost no time at all to put this together and I had it for breakfast this morning, don’t judge, think about it, grains, fruit, why not? It would also make a smashing dessert!! I’m also very excited that this is my 300th post!!

Crisp or Crumble

1 stick salted butter softened

1 cup oats (I used Bobs Red Mill, certified GF)

1/2 cup barley flour

1/4 cup almond flour

1/4 cup organic brown sugar

Mix until it’s all incorporated and set aside.

The cherries and make the crisp:

1 quart cherries (I used sour)

Scant 1/2 cup brown sugar (If using sweet cherries only use 1/4 cup)

2 tbs tapioca starch

pinch of sea salt

Pre heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix cherries, tapioca, sugar and salt together and pour into baking dish. I used a rectangular approximately 8×11. Distribute the crumble topping on the cherries, sprinkle with a little course brown sugar (like demerara or Hains organic brown. Bake for approximately 40-45 minutes or until crumble topping is browned and the fruit is bubbly.

I like to serve with a little heavy cream poured on while it’s hot.

Jul 11

117 Comments

Black Forest Cake In A Jar For Fiesta Friday #24

Black Forest Cake

It has been years since I’ve had Black Forest Cake, it’s so wonderful I really don’t know why I haven’t made one in such a long time. Honestly, you don’t hear them mentioned very much anymore. A Black Forest Cake is chocolate cake, cherries and whipped cream, pretty simple really, decorate with chocolate shavings and you have a wonderfully delicious cake. In the US and some other parts of the world the cake does not contain alcohol but in Germany they use Kirschenwasser or Kirsch a fruit (sour cherry) liquor, I happened to have some on hand so I macerated the cherries in some Kirsch and sugar. I thought it would be fun to make individual cakes in jars for the party, they are portable and neat. The cake is a chocolate sponge cake, the cake will hold up well with the moist cherries and whipped cream. I didn’t have sour cherries but did have some beautiful Rainier cherries so I used those and whipped cream of course. Very simple and very delicious.

Fiesta Friday #24 is hosted by Angie@The Novice Gardener and just a little shout out you have to see what she brought, AMAZING and so creative. This week is pretty special because we have three wonderful co hosts Indu @Indu’s International Kitchen, Selma @Selma’s Table, and HHilda @Along The Grapevine. I really love FF not only is there an amazing array of delicious food but the company is stellar, I don’t know about you but I love getting to know my fellow bloggers and what is happening in their kitchens and lives, its great to see what they are up to and get idea’s for my next meal. A really big thank you to Angie for making all this possible.

Cherries,cake and whipped cream in every bite

Black Forest Cake In A Jar

Makes about a dozen (depending on the size of your jar)

Cherries:

2 cups pitted cherries sliced in half

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup kirsch

Combine the cherries, sugar and kirsch, give them a little bit of a mash to help them along, gently. Refrigerate covered for about 2 hours.

The Cake:

1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 large eggs at room temperature
2 cups sugar
3/4 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

Note: I find the amount of batter varies every time I make this, I never like to fill the pan to the rim, it’s better to leave a small space so the cake can rise. If you have leftover batter make a few cupcakes.

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees. Place milk and butter in glass measuring cup and microwave for 45 seconds or until butter is melted. Using stand mixer with wire whisk or electric mixer whip the eggs and sugar on med/high for approximately 8 minutes or until the mixture is pale yellow, tripled in volume and thick, with the machine running slowly add the heated milk and buter. Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Fold into the egg mixture, there should be no lumps. Fold in the vanilla. Grease a 1/2 sheet pan, lay parchment sheet and grease the parchment, and sprinkle with sugar. Pour batter into the pan, spread so that it is evenly distributed and bake for 20-25 minutes. Allow to cool for a couple of minutes in the pan run a knife around the edges to loosen then invert onto wire rack, remove parchment and let cool completely.

Assembling:

This makes about a dozen small jars, I used a weck small tulip jar you can use whatever you have, mix and match.

Make your whipped cream. You will need approximately 1 pint of very cold heavy cream. Pour into cold bowl and whip with hand held or stand mixer until it thickens, add some sugar (to taste) and instead of vanilla I used some of the syrup from the cherries, about 2 tsp. If you use vanilla add 2 tsp. Whip until thick and billowy.

Break off small pieces of the cake and place in the bottom of each jar, spoon some of the cherries and the juice on the cake, add a dollop of whipped cream and repeat. End with whipped cream on top, add some chocolate shavings. Enjoy!

mmmmm…

Fiesta Friday

Jul 4

54 Comments

Brown Sugar Butter Pecan Ice Cream – Happy 4th Of July!

double scoop

Let me apologize for yet another ice cream post but I can’t help it. By now I have accumulated enough egg whites to make a hundred egg white omelets or 2 or 3 large angel food cakes or maybe a few Pavlova with berries. I am going to a 4th of July BBQ at a friends and am bringing dessert, it will be hot out and ice cream will be the perfect icy cold sweet treat for everyone. I thought I would make a few different flavors and I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like butter pecan except maybe those with nut allergies. I’ve never actually made this flavor before but I do know what I am looking for in a good butter pecan ice cream, with that in mind I set out to make this classic.

First I toasted pecans in butter and a little Lyles Golden syrup, then on to the custard. I thought adding some dark brown sugar would give the ice cream some complexity and depth of flavor, and also adding a little dab of butter would be good. It turned out really wonderfully, and I am so pleased with the flavor. The ice cream is creamy and rich and the brown sugar and butter add a really great flavor, because I used a little Lyles on the pecans it’s almost like a praline but lighter and they are just the perfect addition.

Butter Pecan

Brown Sugar Butter Pecan Ice Cream

Pecans:

3/4 cup pecans

1 tbs salted butter – melted

1 tbs lyles golden syrup

Combine the pecans butter and lyles syrup. Place on parchment on small baking sheet and set oven to 300 degree’s. Toast in the oven for 15 minutes, remove and cool and rough chop. Set aside.

Custard:

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 1/2 cup whole milk or half and half (I used 1 cup half and half and 1 cup milk)

5 0r 6 pecans

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

pinch of salt

5 egg yolks

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp butter (salted or unsalted doesn’t matter)

Place cream, milk, sugar, pecans and salt in heavy saucepan and heat to scalding. Whisk the egg yolks until they are thick and lighter in color. Remove pecans from the milk with a slotted spoon and discard or use for something else. Temper the yolks with the scalding cream/milk and add back to the pot. Cook on Medium heat until thick and the custard coats the back of a wooden spoon, you should be able to swipe the back of the spoon with your finger making a line that stays intact. Remove from heat, add the butter and vanilla and stir to combine. Pour through a strainer into heat proof bowl or cup, cover with plastic wrap that sits directly on top of the custard. Bring to room temp and then refrigerate until very cold. You can speed the process by preparing an ice bath and cool the custard in a bowl over the ice, when cool refrigerate covered until very cold at least 40 degrees.

Follow manufacturers instructions for your ice cream maker. Enjoy!!

American Flag

Jun 28

67 Comments

Yogurt And Fruit Popsicles With A Hint Of Elderflower And A Supermarket Find

Popsicles

A few years ago I went to a friends house for brunch, she served the most delicious fruit salad, it was on my mind the other day, the salad was comprised of primarily dark fruits, blackberries, red grapes and blueberries, the fruit macerated in brown sugar and when the sugar is dissolved and the fruit has given off some of its juices you add creme fraiche or sour cream. This is a delicious fruit salad and has always been one of my favorites. I thought it would be wonderful frozen. No real recipe is needed for this, you can make according to taste adding the amount of sugar and optional elderflower you like.

Belvoir beverages

I went to the supermarket the other day to pick up a few items and I’m always on the lookout for something that catches my eye, might be a tad bit unusual and has to potential to be delicious. I was immediately drawn to these little bottles, the flavors are unusual and I of course had to buy each flavor available. I used the elderflower water in the popsicles and will soon try the others. I am particularly intrigued by the elderflower rose, I love that these are really pushing the limits of the average tastebuds and catering to people who might like something different. The good people at Belvoir have no idea I am blogging about their product and I am simply passing on what I think is a great product worth trying if you happen to see it.

The Popsicle

1 cup blackberries

1 cup blueberries

1 cup red seedless grapes

1 blood plum peeled and diced

2 tbs organic sugar

2 tbs demerara or brown sugar

3 tbs elderflower water ( I found this in the store but you can make your own) OPTIONAL

1 cup yogurt (I used vanilla full fat yogurt, gently sweetened.

Mix fruit and sugars in a bowl and allow to macerate in the refrigerator for 2 hours, spoon fruit in popsicle mold, mix yogurt with fruit juices and pour over fruit into mold. Freeze overnight.

Jun 24

90 Comments

Caramel Fudge Swirl Ice Cream

Caramel fudge swirl

I make ice cream every week and have fun dreaming up great flavors, I really hope you are not thinking oh no, not another ice cream post. I am a big fan of caramel and chocolate so combining them into a creamy, dreamy buttery ice cream was exactly what I wanted. I started out by making caramel, http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2008/01/how-to-make-the/, it’s easy and really good. I made caramel sauce not the candy, adding butter and cream. The chocolate swirl recipe is also David Lebovitz and it’s perfect, I had doubts, shouldn’t have, but I did. It’s quite thin and I thought how will this work so that it looks like chocolate swirls in the ice cream. I didn’t use as much chocolate as I should have and now I wish I had added more. It really does work, don’t worry if the chocolate is a little thin. As the recipe states use very cold, it does thicken up and when layered with the ice cream it’s perfection.

Chocolate

Chocolate Swirl or Ripple

1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
1/3 cup (80 ml) light corn syrup
1/2 cup (125 ml) water
6 tablespoons (50 g) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preparation
Whisk together the sugar, corn syrup, water, and cocoa powder in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture begins to bubble at the edges.
Continue to whisk until it just comes to a low boil. Cook for 1 minute, whisking frequently. Remove from the heat, stir in the vanilla, and let cool. Chill in the refrigerator before using.
Mixing It InThe Fudge Ripple should be thoroughly chilled, as it’s easiest to use when very cold. Just before you remove the ice cream from the machine, spoon some of the Fudge Ripple onto the bottom of the storage container. As you remove the ice cream from the machine, layer generous spoonfuls of the sauce between layers of ice cream. Avoid stirring the Fudge Ripple, as it will make the ice cream muddy looking.

Caramel Ice Cream

1 1/2 cups Heavy Cream

1 1/2 cups whole milk or half and half

5 egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup caramel (see recipe link)

pinch sea salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

Heat cream and milk, sugar and salt in sauce pan until scalding and sugar is melted. Whisk egg yolks and caramel sauce together until combined. Slowly pour hot cream/milk into egg yolk /caramel mixture whisking constantly. Pour back into the saucepan and cook over med heat until it thickens and coats the back of wooden spoon. You know it’s done when you swipe your finger on the back of the spoon and it leaves a line intact. Remove from heat and add the vanilla extract. Pour into heat proof bowl, cover with plastic wrap that sits directly on top of the custard and refrigerate over night or at least 6 hours. It should be very cold.

Ice Cream

Jun 19

72 Comments

A Guest Post, Light French Crepes

Crepes Suzette courtesy Elsa La Pintade Aixouse

This beautiful recipe comes all the way from France from the beautiful Elsa of La Pintade Aixoise. Now anyone who has read my blog on a fairly consistent basis knows I am a big fan of Julia child. I have used her recipe for crepes for much longer than I care to admit and it’s perfect, I love it, but I am always excited to try a new recipe especially one that is “light. Elsa’s crepes contain no butter in the batter and I was skeptical but you know what, it really produces a wonderfully light crepe. Who knew. I always trust the French when it comes to the culinary arts, they know their stuff. This post was actually supposed to be a part of my basics series a few months ago but Elsa had a baby and was away from blogging for a while. I am so happy she is back and posting again. I do love her blog, there are several fantastic blogs that I follow from France and they are all amazing. Look at her post for the classic Crepe Suzette or her gorgeous Macaron or her Apple Cardamom Tarts

I had to try her recipe and it was easy to make and the crepes are perfect. Be sure to let your batter sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Have melted butter and brush ready to brush onto your crepe pan and make sure the pan is hot enough before adding the batter and swirl and swirl so that you have a thin coating on the entire pan. It’s really easy and crepes are always impressive and I love that they can be breakfast or an elegant dinner or dessert. The recipe makes a lot of crepes, I like to freeze them with a sheet of parchment in between each crepe and slipped into a ziplock bag. Remove what you need let come to room temperature and heat in the oven or quickly in a fry pan.

Breakfast crepes

Light french crêpes

Unlike pancakes, the french crêpes are very thin. The light can be seen through.
For 20 items of 8 inches diameter :

Pastry flour: 8.8 ounce
Salt: 2 pinch
Eggs: 4 large
Half fat milk: 2 US cups
+
A flavor of your choice:
1tsp of rhum or triple sec (orange alcool),
1tsp of orange flower water,
1 packet of vanilla sugar,
a grated citrus peel…
+
Butter or shortening for cooking

Pour pastry flour and salt in a bowl. Dig a well and put eggs into it.
Stir with a whisk. Keep carefully stirring in the center of the bowl, flour and eggs will stir together and lumps will be avoided.

Add 1/3 milk and the flavor of your choice, keep stirring at the center. Then add little by little the rest of the milk till the batter be completely homogeneous.
Whisk firmly two or three time perfectly scrubbing the edges of the bowl.Let the batter rest during an hour before cooking.

Stir the batter.
In a hot 8 inches diameter frying pan, let melt a 1/2 tsp of butter and drop the excendent with absorbing paper. Stir on the frying pan a 1/4 cup of the batter.
Turn quickly the frying pan to spread the batter very thinly all over it.
When edges of the crêpe get golden and move away from the frying pan, flip the crêpe with a wooden spatula and get the other side golden.

good food with simple ingredients

Posts from the ‘Desserts’ Category

Apple Pie

A Lattice Aprium Tart For Fiesta Friday #31

Peach Hand pies With Buttermilk Molasses Glaze For Fiesta Friday #29

Champagne Grape Galette With Whipped Goat Cheese For Fiesta Friday #27

Gluten Free Cherry Crisp

Black Forest Cake In A Jar For Fiesta Friday #24

Brown Sugar Butter Pecan Ice Cream – Happy 4th Of July!

Yogurt And Fruit Popsicles With A Hint Of Elderflower And A Supermarket Find

Caramel Fudge Swirl Ice Cream

A Guest Post, Light French Crepes

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