DESSERTS BY Pierre Hermé WRITTEN BY Dorie Greenspan Author of Baking with JuliaPierre Hermé is France’s premier pastry chet. In his first cookbook published in English, he has collaborated with Dorie Greenspan, bestselling author of Baking with Julia, to veveal the secrets of his exceptional desserts, ‘This treasury of recipes includes something from ‘every part of Pierre's repertoire and some for everyone, regardless of experience in the kitchen. If baking is new to you, start with the Fruits, Creams, and Cookies” eh liant Créme Brilée Lee Cream, the luxurious Deep Chocolate Cream with Raspherry Coulis, the Coconut Tailes, and the easy-to-prepare fruit desserts will make stars out of first-timers and th na tlets” chapter and enjoy the aromatie Poached il Walnat Tact or the tiny, tie P Chocolate Tartlets. To finis! simple but deeply flayoxful lemon, ocolate, and spice loaves: such, ations as the Coffee and Walnut Ca soft, chewy walnut base, light coffee mousse layer of sweet-spicy ginger: and a collect and others as. audacious as the Crispy and Creamy Bice I a charlotte filled with cinnamon-scented rice puslding and thick chocolate custard and topped with crackly caramelized Rice Krispies. And just asa fashion show closes with a wedding dress, Desserts by Pierre Hermé closes with a Wedding as the ritual it marks, Finally. in what must be considered a book within a book, there are the indispensable Basie Recipes” chapter and the comprehensive Dictionary of Terms, Techniques, Equipment and Ingredients.” Together they form a complete ‘course in dessert making, Every recipe is tested for the American kitchen, written clearly, and arranged practically, so that everyone with a passion for the sublime ean now enjoy Pierre Hermé’s sensational sweets at homeSkins v teary Sil Videsserts BY PIE RRE HERMEAvot DORIE GREENSPAN Set Tes: Siple Deserts fr Every Occasion Maffes: rom Morning to Midnight Pancakes: From Morning to Midnight Bobing with biaYOLO COUNTY LIBRARY 208 BUCKEYE STREET WOODLAND, CA 95695 desserts BY PIERRE HERME WRITTEN BY DORTE GREENSPAN photograph by WARTMUT KIEFER LITTLE, BROWN AND COMPANY “Boston New York Toronto. LondonK &A ma femme Frédérick, Cerivain-cuisinibre, To my husband, Michael, cand my son, Joshua.Acknowledgments Inteoduction xi BASIC RECIPES. FRUITS, CREAMS, AND COOKIES 4 TARTS AND TARTLE CAKES wi \ Dictionary of Terms, Techniques, Equipment, and Ingredients 265 Mail-Order Sources 282 Index 28%ACKNOWLEDGMENT Over the two years that we worked on this book, we had help from many people, We are grateful to Jane Dystel, our agent, for introducing us to Jennifer Josephy, our editor. From the moment we met Jennifer, we knew we had been placed in exceptional hands: Our book is better for her intellige Many th Beth Davey and Kati .c and insight, our lives better for her fri \iship and humor a Sedykh, the books designer nks to the team t Little, Brown, especially Long, our publicists, and Emily Fromm, Jennifer's assistant, for their snthus 5 efforts and unflag sm, And a chocolate kiss to Judith Sutton, our all- knowing copyeditor In New York, warmest thanks to Nick Malgieri, who said held be the project’ parrain, and, good to his word, he proved the ideal godfather; Francois Payard, for his knowledge: and beyond-the-call-of-friendship help: and our recipe testers, Jeremy Meyers and David Nussbaum, for their talent, precision, patie .and perfect testing notes. In Paris, a thousand mercis to Charles Znaty for his consistently wise advice; Harmut Kiefer for his brilliant photographs: Birgit Kiefer forthe just-right props:and Richard Ledu dn preparing picture-perfect desserts At Ladurée, many thanks to Francis and David Holder for their confidence Las thankful for the love and encouragement of Fredrick Grasser- Joshua Greenspan, PIERRE HERME DORIE GREENSPANINTRODUCTION Nonstop “sweet talk” is what I remember most from my first me ws with Pierre Hermé twas 1993, [asin Parison a working holiday, and he was the chef-patissierof the fabulous, y shop Fauchon. All wanted was recipe by him fora picce Iwas.writingon chest nnutsand, heil told me, all [had to do was come to Fauch o pick it up. That morning, I got the recipe, as planned, but [also got nibbles of innumerable desserts with incomparable tastes, and three hours of conversation that careered into cannelés (soft pastries from Bor: ddeaux), fleur de sel Pierre’ favorite salt), chocolate, caramel, cinnamon, and almonds and seemed to re Left dizzy with new ide bake Pierre's now-mythie milk chocolate extravaganza. It seemed to me that this cake, which, al 1m to the chefs favorite topic, the pleasures of desser nd clutching a present, the dazzling Cherry on the: sadly.can't be replicated at home, was the dessert that epitomized the range and character of ake was risky — Pierre used milk chocolate ata time when chefs were Pierre’ gifts competing to find the darkest, bitterest chocolate. Itwas complex but seamless — he com: bined crunchy meringue, creamy ganache, crackly shards of praline cookies, thin sheets of chocolate,and crispy toasted nuts. was groundbreaking — he had collaborated with ae! brated designer, Yan Pennor’s to ereate the dramatic fall-away box and the plaster mold for the cake,awedge that looked likeaslice froma giant cake. And it was whimsical, fnot down: right silly — Pierre capped his masterpiece witha huge, glossy, clown's-nose- red cherry: its stem tilted at the jauntiest angle I was smitten, inspired, and hungry for more of Pierre's desserts, I wanted to taste everything he made and find out about everything he did. Why did his lemon eream, whieh looked like every other French lemon eream, have an otherworldly lightness? How did he get that just-right balance hetween sweetness and acidity in his chocolate-raspherry dessert? Had he really dared touse Rice Krispiesand Nestle's chocolate erunch candy in that elegant charlotte? I had a million questions. [couldn't wait to find out more. Ididn’thave to look hard — or far — tog ations of a brilliant pastry chef make headlines; ust by seanning the newspapers. [quickly andown on Pierre, In France, the ere1 haul so heguiled French jour- the modest, soft-spoken, puckish lists that they'd ran out of words to describe him. In countless stories inthe daily papers anil the numerous glossy monthly food magazines, writers didn't eall him a genius, they cian, Even the buttoned-down Le Monde, France's news- paper of record, followed Pierre's creations, In 1993, Pierre Hermé was worshipped among, the coynoscentiin France, sought after to teach in Japan and Spain, and well known across the con xy chefs who knew his name, but they. too, inent, In Ameriea, it was primarily pa had away of talking about him in hushed, reverent tones, and many had made the pilgrim: Who was this man who, at the age of thirty-two, was France's most acclaimed — and beloved — pastry chef? r id sugar of rising, Hewasaywunderkind — and that’said without exaggeration, Pierre was born in J of butter mar in 1961 and was, from birth, surrounded by the aron bread and melting chocolate, that wafted from his her's patisserie. He teasingly says that DNA — and tainly; by the time he was three he knew that heid hecome a pastry chef, the fourth genera his passion for pastry.and itisa passion, was encoded wvbe it was, Cer: tion to do so in his family Before he turned fourteen, Gaston Lendtee, who was then France’ best known pastry Pierre be apprenticed to him, We don't have this kind of chet. would request that the young F system in the United States, soi 4 to understand how monumental the request was, Think of it as heing tapped for the major leagues when you're only in junior high school, OF ‘course, Messrs, Her né senior and junior were in accord and, at fourteen, Pierre left ho for this appr 1 people stll talk about asa startling turn of events, he ‘cn command of Lenotre’s most prestigious boutique,on Avenue Vietor Hugo, Pierre ‘was just nineteen, but hei shown a sensitivity to the nuance of desserts and hef ean h ganization, one of the least talked about but most important skills fe was a ng start After military service and work in Brussels most famous pastry shop, Witamer Pierre returned to Paris to take over the pastry kitehen at Fauchon, Then twen nly-four years oli, he was given free rein to te new desserts, Oversecing a staff of thirty-five and re jonsible for everything from the window displays, which became so fantastical you could barely sce the glazed chocolate cakes for the nose prints left by admirers, to the plated desserts served in Fauchon's restau nts, Pierre turned outa hundred and fifty different spe cialties each day: And, like a top fashion desi igner, he presented a new collection of sweets Just wh it seemed as if there couldn't be more, Pierre’ first hook, Seerets Gour- ‘mands, was published and promptly won France's most eoveted cookbook prize, (Pierre has. published four books in France: this is his fi 1 book for America) [twas also at about this, time that Jeffrey Steingarten, writing in Fogue, ealled Pierre the Picasso of Pastry” and the moniker, so apt, stuck.neddat Fauchon foreleven years, creating eakes like the Riviera (pa perfectly balanced chocolate and lemon cake, and desserts like the Gourmandise (p an ingenious combination of pineapple, coconut milk, and pearl tapioca, now a“h t oldest patisserie-tea salon, Then, as his thiety-fifth birthday neared, he announced that he would go to Paris’ durée, tod Champs-Flysé The new “Ladurée by Pierre Hermé” opened in the fall of 1997. Its filled with an tiques, paneled with marble from the Louvres former Salle Rubens, and entered through a greenhouse designed by Gustave Eiffel, And, in addition to a pastry shop and tea salon, a chocolate boutique, and a bread counter, there is a tvo-hundred:-seat restaurant al whieh wests ake breakfast, lunch, dinner, and, of course, dessert all from menus both sweet and savory conceived by Hermé. The chef-pitissier has donned a second toque and become che [euisinier too, Iwas during this time of tremendous change that Pierre was decorated asa Chevalier of Arts and Letters, the only pastry chef ever to attain this honor (usually reserved for the likes of Colette), and named Frances Pastry Chefof the Year, the youngest ever Tt was also when we began working on this book. To start, we set aside a no: interruptions-no-matter-what week. I had expected to spend the week in the kitchen, but Pie Basin in Bordeaus, ta sisted wego tothe beach, And so itwasthat [ended up facing the tranquil Arvachon. ing, ingredients and talking about desserts into the night. We recipes with the precision of grammarians parsing sentences, dissected the merits of flavor ygainst the ess of a combinations, and discussed texture until | found myself rubbing my tongue roof of my mouth, imagining [ could feel the erunch of a streusel and the suppl pound cake’ fine crumb, Butwe didn’t makea single dessert — nordid we even talk much about what it would take to make one, Technique is not so significant, claimed Pierre. “Anyone ean make my ceipes, But itSimportant to understand the taste And, indeed, for Pi he doesn't put too much stock in the package, He dislikes superfluous decorations — he estasteiskey. Although he realizes that we feast with oureyes first never tosses a mint sprig hi redient’s only purpose is appes out — and he disapproves of architectural food, skyserapers of ingredients that have to be deconstructed before they ean he eaten. Instead, Pierre holds to the “architecture of taste hisexpression to describe the way he builds flavor and uses testure to enhance and sustain it Naturally, the best way to appreciate Pierre's genius for flavor isto taste his desse But even before you bake, you ean get a feel for his style by doing what we did that first week — reading through the recipes. Skim these pagesand you'll find a homey coconut loaf cake (page 165) with the unexpected — and inspired — addition of coriander: a simple dessert of earpaceio-thin pineapple made spectacular with a speckling of salt, pepper. and ) that conceals caramelized ban: (page 73); a chocolate tart (page soaked raisins; a made-in-a-flash assembl of grapefruit slices, ruby port, and mint grannarkable creation of soft circles of ladyfinger cake, impossibly light Mueberries, and slightly browned meringue (page 189). Noth: ite brisée (page 16 (page 77-and a wssies: His has even redefined the el bout the recipes is typical. risper with the addition of milk, yolks, and than usual so that it emerges from the oven with a light caramel flavor, a try (page 21) is Titer 62) ismade 1 butter: his meringue (page 5) is baked lon thin, sh aly turned inside out — reversing convention, he puts the lion’ share of the butter on th il his puff p ter-at-a-touch crust, and a chewy interior outside, ren 1 to rolland the pastry exceedingly flaky and capable of ris ye dougl ing to extreme heights Its these refinements in taste and texture and these extraordinary flavor re. And they are what will please riages that capture Pierre imagination and bringhim such pleas you, too, when you make these desserts notwithstanding, to make these recipesyou do need some technical skill uge home baker although require above-average patience. What the Pierre’ lai However, none of the recipesis heyond the eapabilities ofan a because they take a while to prey recipes demand isan attention to detail. Pay attention, and youl akvays be rewarded with a sensational dessert — you'll usually learn something too. As you work your way through these recipes, you'll discover scores of Pierre's frucs, tricks, and techniques. You'll be more before. You won't add butter to a conscious of the t cooked mixture untilithas cooled to 140°F,so that the butter nperature of ingredients than nlain its best flavorand testure, and youll wat for chocolate to cool to 101°F before you blenditwith abatter — the instant-read thermometer will become your steady, trusted companion, Youll put aside raditional eake pans to do as the pros do and construct cakes in bottomless metal some ofy rings so that they always look pastry-shop perfect, even on the first try. You'll add salt to carameland black pepper to berries and wonder why you hadn't thought to do this sooner. Most of all. you'll have the pleasure of working with the ingredients and the satisfa: tion of making something with your own hands, One day, [was trying to describe to Pieroe the pleasure I derived from making his Tarte Tropézienne (page 201), tried to explain that itwas not just that the cake tasted wonderful, but that it was.ajoy to make, and that Lwas de- lighted when I served it to friends. He smiled his quiet smile, nodded with understanding, and said, "T know; [feel that every day This treasury of recipes with something from every part of Pierre's repertoire will let you, foo, “feel that every day” [have translated, adapted, written, and tested these recipes ‘ith the homehakerin mind. organizingand presentingthem sothat theyllwork or youn your own kitchen with American ingredients. ; Youll ind everything you need to get started in the frst anc last chapters. To begin, there's "Basic Recipes” those comerstones of the pastry chef's repertoire that, once mas- tered, become the foundation for so many other eakes, ts, and desserts, All the classies (at least the classies as Pierre interprets them) are here, including a downy but quite sturdy Snoise, France’ favorite sponge cake: meltingly sweet meringue: ladyfingers; silken erémeanglaise and its cousin, PierreSone-of-a-kind lemon c doughssweet and not so sweet:a flourless chocolate cake that you'lluse in many other eakes but also make ul over again; and glazes, syrups, and sauces. At the back ofthe book, there's“ Dictionary of Terms, Techniques, Equipment, and Ingredients.” This is where you'll learn about chocolate in all its forms, find out about cake rings, discover leur de sel and Tahit Vanilla beans. and look up thede othe: inition of fa minute." For some thiswill bearefresher, for introduction tothe language of sweets, but think everyonewill ind ta useful ref erence if ever a question comes up mid-mousse. You can think of these two chapters as a brief course in pastry and dessert making, They're just whats needed to get you ready to hapters, the heart ofthe book delve into the middle th ils, ‘There's a far-ranging collection of Fr ams, and Cookies.” including eréme bralée and a brilliant ereme teed to. supplant puddingin youraffections:linzer cookies filled with homemade red raspberry jam: and a grand assortment of simple, easy-to-prepare fresh fruit desserts, Following are the ‘Tarts a ion without rival. From the Mirliton-C rus Tart with its ng + and the tiny Passionately Chocolate Tartlets that | Tartlets.” a compil soothing almond filling and the Coconut and Dried Cherry Flan with its haur the mile-high Caramelized Ginnamot pack a punch, there are tarts to match every oceasion and mood, as well as every level of ex pe varied “Cakes” chapter ise — but most of the tarts can he mastered by heginners, And to finish, the rich and ‘The first six cakes are easy,a tyr0's paradise. You'l find lemon, coconut, chocolate, spice id that Turge everyone who loves lemon to make straight- and carrot loaves whose simple forms belie their sophisticated flavors, as well as a r0 raspherry-dotted ' highlights fruits and nuts, and includes such notables as the Philadelphia Almond C neheese Coffee Walnut Cake, and the brioche-b a cherished Cate d’Azure specialty. Anyone with an affinity for chocolate should start with the nousse and blue-ribbon streusel, the elegant ed Tarte Tropézienne, the chefs luscious rendition of chocolate cakes in this chapter recipes that explore — and celebrate — each facet of choco- late enduring appeal. Th ind-th chocolate gla ouip encompasses everything from the Chocolate Dome, a shiny joo constructed of chocolate mousse, chocolate eake, and ote filed wit through ugh chocolate to the Crispy and Creamy Rice Treat, a cha tha layer of thick, velvety chocolate cream, (This is the dessert in which Pierre was pudding and topped audacious enough to use caramelized Rice Krispies and Nestlé chocolate crunch candy fabulous) Fi Wedding Cake,” one as timelessas the ritual it marks, wedding dress, the hook closes with ally, just as fashion shows close with If baking is new to you, start with the “Fruits, Creams, and Cookies” chapter, Most but all are of th ped with Pierre’ signature style. Then move on to the easy cakes at the start of the e recipes are exceptionally easy — actually, many need no bakin to the Dietionary fo fakes” chap quick answer. Andif the excitement of early success or the eraving for a more elaborate creation strikes you, suc fa question comes up, tucumb and ship ahead, For the most part, the long recipes for fancy cakes are complex but not ‘complicated, Read the directions throught least twice hefore you set to work, then jump in And if you'r yy af you have waited for Pierre's a professional — and know recipesto beadapted forthe American kitchen — Lean only hope you will be inspired to try everything and have the same pleasure preparing, tasting, and serving these sweetsas Thad Hermes recipes, each delicious proof Here for the frst tine in America, are Pi that, as Brillat-Savarin said, “The discovery of a new dish does for the happiness of mankind than the discovery of a new star: DORIE GREENSPAN Nev Tork ityBASIC RECIPESGénoise The génoise is the “Old Faithful” of French pastry chefs. Itis the most basic cake in the repertoire, the first that apprentice pastry cooks for an ideal master and the one they tur to throughout their careers when they're loo layer cake or a base for petit fours. A member of the sponge-cake clan, the génoise is a firm cake whose prime leavener is whole eggs. The eggs are mixed with sugar and warmed in a pan of simmering water, the better to help them achieve maximum — and magnificent — volume. Infact, before the flour and melted butterare added to the batter, the eguemixture is beaten until itis triple its original volume and as ight and airyasa ribbon of whipped cream. Because it isa dry cake, drier than most American sponge cakes or any American but- tereake, the génoise isthe ultimate sopper-upper — its tight, springy cel structure can al sorha splash of liqueur ora soaking of flavored syrup and, inan instant, take on innumerable tastes, Make a génoise for the Carioca (page 241) and soak it with a punchy espresso syrup. and you'll see how easily this culinary chameleon goes from French to Brazil and from plain to potently flavorful A final note on the nature of this cake: Ita tad temperamental but rarely out of con- trol Ifall goes well — if youheat everythingto the right temperature, beat everything to the right volume, fold everything in with the right touch, and appease the right kitchen witches — your batter may be so ethereally light that it will bake over the top of your two- inch-deep cake pan. On other, less-perfeet days, the batter may ust reach the top orcome out of the oven ahalf inch orso shy of the rim, Fortunately given the way génoise is used, any of these cakes tall o short, will be fine. However, ifyour batter is consistently over the top, you ‘may want to use it to bake two nine-inch cakes instead of one. Neither will be particularly high, but each one will yield as much cake as you'll need for any of Pierre's recipes. € Génoise has always been important to French baking as a base or foundation for cakes with several elements. still remember — Tean almost taste — my father’s Strawberry Diplomat, a cake he made every Friday. Iwas a single layer of énoise soaked with krsch syrup and finished with whipped cream, fesh strawberries, and a strawberry glaze. Itwas one of my favorites. ———____. Makes one Pinch round cake_—le__—_—_—_—_—_—_—_—_——ooeoeoOoOoOOOSS Génoise is stil being used like that, but in addition to making plain génoise that gets its flavor from a soaking syrup, today pastry chefs often flavor the batter itself with nuts, spices, or herbs — providing a good example of something classic becoming something modern. yy — vw * Atablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter *# large eggs * Leup sugar * 1's cupsall-purpose flour, sifted I. Before you start ng the batter, check the spes _g6noise or read the baking instructions on page 4 for information on preheating the oven and preparing the pan 2. Pour a few inches of water into a skillet large enough to hold the bowl from your mixer. Bring the water toa gentle simmerand keep ita the ready. Melt the butter and set it aside to cool — it should be just warm when you're ready fori. 3. Whisk the eggs and sugar together in the mixer bowl. Place the bowl in the skillet of si meringwater and, whisking without stop, heat the mixture untilitis foamy, slightly pale, and between 130°P and 140°F, as measured on an instant-read thermometer, about 4 minutes; remove the bow! from the water. Working in the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the mixture on high speed until it cools to room temperature and triples in volume, about 5 to 8 minutes. Youll know its just right if when you lift the whisk, the batter falls, back into the bowl and forms a ribbon that remains on the surface for 10 seconds before it dissolves. ir about 2 tablespoons of batter into the slightly cooled butter and set it aside. Now, work- ing with a large flexible rubber spatula, gently fold the flour into the batter in two or three additions (you might find it most convenient to add the flour to the bowl by shaking it through a strainer), taking care to handle the batter gently in order to maintain its bubble structure. (The batter will lose volume asyou fold in the flour and later the butter. This reac~ tionisinevitableand shouldn'tjeopardize the success ofthe finished cake, bute careful just the same) Still working with the spatula, fold in the butter mixture. At this point, the batter recipe in which you'll be using the & must be used immediately ‘to bake Recipes calling for génoise will tll you what si ‘cake you need but, ingeneral, génoise batter is baked in a 9-inch round cake pan with sides at least 2 inches high, Center a rack in the oven and prehe the oven to 350°F. Butter the pan, dust the interior with flour. and tap out the excess. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 28 to 33 minutes, or until the top is golden and springy to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the eet the cake comes out clean, T nsfer the cake toa cooling rack, then unmold after'5 minutes Turn the cake right side up to cool to room temperature on the rack, o£. Keeping While he batter cannot he kp ake géncive canbe wrappedin plastic and kept at room lemperatur fora day orto packed right ‘and frozen for amonMeringue Batter Whipped egg whites and sugar may not sound like much, but as meringue, they're one of the great wonders of the pastry kitchen Whether smoothed on a cake and baked at ul ke ‘egant frosting, or piped into disks, cookies, or rosettes and baked (actually dried) for hours at the oven's lowest setting until firm yet still fast to melt on your tongue, meringue may be the egg white’ greatest achievement Thereare three kinds of meringue: French, or plain, inwhich egg whitesand sugarare beaten together until firm and glossy; cooked, in which the whites and sugar are heated be- fore theyare beaten; and Italian, in w sofi,el- high heat for just seconds ton cha hot sugar syrup is beaten into the whites, Each is used differently, but all depend on the egg, white’s ren ‘capture and retain ait Thisreeipe is for French uncooked merin rkable expanding cell structure to ue. Although itis traditionally made with a blend of granulated and confectioner's sugar, Pierre prefers to use only granulated sugar — half of it beaten into the whites, the other half folded in gently — so that the baked meringue has alight caramel flavor, a crackly exterior, and a soft, chewy interior In other words thisis perfect meringue Since eggs separate most easly when they are fresh and chilled, but whites whip better when they are old and warm, it’s good to separate the eggs as soon as you take them from the refrigerator, then let the whites come to room temperature before you make the meringue. Healy; you should separate the whites and, ifthe eggs are very fresh, kep them covered nthe refrigerator for a day before whipping them. Aged” whites are more liquid than “young” whites, so they whip to greater volume and don’t fall as easily. » Pal # large egg whites * Loup sugar ‘© % teaspoon pure var laextract«Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds Before you start mixing the batter, check the specific recipe which you'll be using the nsbelow forinformation on preheatingthe oven and meringue or read the bakinginstru preparing the pan. Inan impeccably clean, dry mixer bowl with aclean, dry whiskattachment in place, whip the ‘opaque and form soft peaks Still whipping on high ‘egg.whites on high speed until they tu gzadually add half of the sugar and continue to beat until the whites are glossy and hold firm peaks. Beat in the vanilla, ‘Working with a large rubber spatula, gradually fold in the remain yg sugar. Work as quickly and delicately as you can to incorporate the sugar without deflating the whites. The meringue is now ready to be piped into whatever shapes or forms your recipe requires. to pipe and bake The following are general directions for piping and baking meringue batter. Ifanything more specific is needed, you'll find tin the individual recipes that use a meringue base. \d preheat the oven to 250°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and fita pastry bag with a plain inch tip. . pencil the outline of a9-inch disk on one piece of parchment and the out ‘of two9-inch disks on the other, turn the sheets of paper over (Ifyou can'tsee the outline of the circles clearly now thatthe paper is lipped over, darken the pencil lines) Gently spoon ‘one third ofthe batter into the pastry bag and begin piping the batter at the center ofa cir- cle, Work your way ina spiral to the penciled edge and try to have each coil of batter touch the preceding col. Pipe with light, consistent pressure and tryto keep the disks thin — they shouldn't be more than 1 inch high. Refill the bag twice more to pipe the remaining disks. Iyou have any leftover meringue, use itto make another disk, ifthere’s enough, or switch to haped tip and pipe out rosettes — they'llake great cookies for espresso or tea astat - If there are any spaces or uneven sections in the disks, give them a once-over-lightly with a metal spatula. Place the baking sheets in the oven and insert the handle of a wooden spoon, into the oven to keep the door slightly ajar. Bake the disks for 1¥8to 2 hours, until firm and very lightly caramel colored, rotating the pans front to back and top to bottom two or three times during the baking period. Turn off the oven and continue to dry the meringues for another 8 hours (or overnight) with the door elosed. ‘Transfer the meringues, parchment and all, to a counter. Run an offset spatula under the disks to loosen them from the paper. _———— eee ___ Keeping Storedina col dy place, suchas an tight metal tin merges wil oop for at asta weekLadyfinger Batter Thisbatter isa cornerstone of French baking. Light, airy, and spongy, itis often spiraled into rounds to serve as cake layers, formed into bands flexible enough to be wrapped around eakes, or piped into the traditional plump bis- cuits, ladyfingers, that give the batter its name. As ladyfingers, the biscuits are served with tea, used as the hase and border of fancy charlottes, or broken into pieces and laid into the bottom of afruit tart — the perfect sponge to absorb the fruits’ flavorful juices and the tasti- ‘est assurance ofa stay-crisp crust Ifyou're makingladyfinger bandsand disks, its best to pipe out the bands (the part that will showin the finished cake) firs, while the batter isat its fullest. < When I'm making a band of ladyfingers to go around a charlotte, or if Im piping individ- ual ladyfingers to eat by themselves or with ice cream, I like to dust them with confec- tioner's sugar before I bake them. Then I let the piped bands or biscuits rest on the counter _for 15 minutes, dust them again — very lightly — and bake them. As they bake, the sugar beads, giving the ladyfingers a slight crust that I think is an important part of the cake's texture. >> — 0. * Glarge egg whites ‘© % cup plus? tablespoons sugar #5 large egg yolks © Lcup minus I tablespoon all-purpose flour, sifted I, Beforeyou start mixing the batter, check the specific recipe in which you'll be using thelady- fingers or read the baking instructions on page 8 for information on preheating the oven. and preparing the pan. 2. Inanimpeccably clean, dry mixer bowl with aclean, dry whiskattachment in place, whip the egg whites on high speed until they turn opaque and form soft peaks. Still whipping on high, Males enough bater fortwo nc disks and to inch bande of BsusEe ing until the whites are glossy and hold very ygue — thisiswhat s shape, Set gradually add 4 cup of the sugar: Continue be sn peaks, Ifs important that the whites develop into areally firm m wil allow the batter to rest on the counter for 15 minutes and still maint aside for the moment. 34. Inanother bowl, whisk theyolks and the remaining? tablespoons sugar together until they i sates, Working with a rubber spatula, gently fold the yolk are well blended, about 1 to 2 mixture into the beaten whites, Then fold inthe flour, sifting the flour over the mixture in a fow additions and incorporating it gingerly. (No matter how delicately you fold in the flour, the batter will deflate. Don't worry: but do be gentle.) The batteris now ready to be piped and. baked according to your recipe’ particular instructions, to pipe and bake The following are general directions for piping and baking ladyfinger batter. If anything ‘more specific is needed, you'll find it inthe individual recipes that use a ladyfinger base. Confec oner’s sugar Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 450°. ita large pas- and setaside until needed. Cut two pieces of parchment paper ngsheets, On each sheet of paper, draw a9-inch circle and, across one of trybagwith plain Yi to fit two large ba the ends ofthe sheet, draw a band that's inches long and 4 inches wide, Turn the sheets of paper overand place each piece of parchment onabaking sheet. (Ifyou can'tsee the outlines clearly now that the paper is lipped over, darken the pencil ines) be Gently spoon alittle more than half the batter into the pastry bag, Position a baking sheet so that the top and bottom lines for the 8-inch-long band run from yourleft to your right. Start making a ladyfinger band by piping plump logs of batter from top to bottom within the pencil lines. Pipe one ladyfinger log right next to the last one — they'll toueh, and they're: supposed to, Keeping firm and steady pressure on the pastry bag, you should end up with Iadyfingers that are about 1 inch wide and about ® to % inch high. When you've piped the full 8-inch band, dust it lightly with confectioner’s sugar and pipe the second band in the same fashion; dust itwith confectioners sugar too, Refill the bag when you run out of batter. (The bands will probably take about two thirds ofthe batter) Next, pipe the disks, keepingin mind that the disks should be only about half as high as the ph np ladyfinger bands, pipingthe batter at the cen- terof the cirele, Work your way ina spiral to the penciled edge and try to have each coil of would exert less pressure on the pastry bag. For each disk, beg batter touch the preceding coil. I'you have any holes, you can run an offset spatula very. When the cakes are cool, run lightly overthe d s to fillin the spaces, Let the piped batter rest on the counter for I the confectioner’s sugar will pear, or form heads Give the bands a second light dusting of conte utes, during which, ioners sugar (theres no need to sugar the disks) and slip the baking sheets into the oven. Insert the handle of a wooden spoon into the oven to keep the door slightly ajar. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, just until the disks and bandsare very lightly golden — you don't want the eake to take on much color. Slide the parchment off the baking sheets and transfer the cakes, on their parchment sheets, to racks. Allow the cakes to cool to room temperature 1n offset spatula under the disks and bands to loosen them from the paper If you want individual biscuits, separate the cookies with a sharp knife or pizza cutter, Ifyou want a decorative ladyfinger band charlottes, keep the cookies intact b at can be wrapped around eakes or the band in half lengthwise, or according to the ‘measurements given in the specific recipe Keeping Once mixed. the batter shouldbe plasticor pack in an airtight tn wed immediately, Once bake the and hep at room temperature cakes can be wrappedvellin for 2daysorfrazen fora month. 9Flourless Chocolate Cake Batter Unlike the flourless chocolate cakes that were the rage in America in the 1970s and’80s — cakes that were exceedingly moist and seemed almost unbaked — thiscake is flat asa flapjack and exceedingly dry.In fact, the first time you ‘oull probably think you've overbaked it (it will look and feel that dry), but it will be perfect, since this deeply chocolaty, pleasantly chewy cake is always combined with other redients that soften and moisten it. You can use this batter to make a dessert that’s like « fallen souflé cake. Pour the batter into a buttered 9-inch cake pan, one with high sides (butter the rim too), and bake itin a 350°F oven with the door propped open with a wooden spoon for about 40 to 45 minutes — the cake will rise and then fall. Coolit on a rack and refrigerate itovernight before serving. Iserve the cake cold, right from the refrigerator, with ice cream. Ifyou want, you can add chopped nuts, small pieces of dried fruit or some finely chopped orange zest tothe batter p> — pt © ounces bittersweet \ocolate (preferably Valrhona Manjari), finely chopped * 6 tablespoons (3 ounces) unsalted butter, * Yecup sugar * Lteaspoon Dutch-processed cocoa powder «# 2lange egg yolks, at room temperature © Llarge egg, at room temperature: 5 Pca rnes Sa eee 2) I. Before you start mixing the batter, check the specific recipe in whi fiened you'll beusing the cake orread the bakinginstructions opposit forinformation on preheating the ovenand prepar- ing the pans, 2, Melt the chocolate over simmering water or in a microwave oven and allow it to cool to 114°F, as measured on an instant-read thermometer. bur inch disks Makes enough bate foee 3, Inamixer fitted with the paddle attachn nt, beat the butter, 3 tablespoons of the sugar, and the cocoa powder together until the mixture is ereamy. Add the yolks and beat until well blended, Add the egg (don't worry if the mixture looks curdled) and then the melted choco- late, beating only until the and blended. Asis true with all choco- late preparations its best not to overwork the mixture once the chocolate is added. Set the bowl aside for the moi ure issmooth,s 4. In an impeccably clean, dry bowl, whip the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Gradually add the remaining 5 tablespoons sugar and beat until the peaks are firm and shiny: Using a large rubber spatula, stir about one quarter ofthe egg whites nto the chocolate mixture, just to lighten it; gently fold in the remaining whites. The batter is now complete and must be used immediately to pipe and bake The following are general directions for piping and baking the batter If anything more specific is needed, you'llfind itn the individual recipes that use this cake as a base. I. Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 350°E. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and fita pastry bag with a plain %-inch tip. 2. To make disks, pencil the outline of two 9-inch circles on each piece of parchment; turn the sheets of paper over: (Ifyou can't see the outline of the circles clearly now that the paper is flipped over, darken the pencil lines) 3, Gently spoon half the batter into the pastry bag. and begin piping the batter at the center of ‘one circle. Work your way in a spiral to the penciled edge and try to have each coil of batter touch the preceding coil if there are any spac byrunninga metal spat- ula gently over the disk Repeat for the second diskon the same sheet. Refill the bag and pipe the remaining disks — you'll have just enough batter for four thin circles, 4- Bake the disks for25 to 30 minutes, rotating the pans top tobottom and front to back halfway you can fil ther through the baking period. The edges will be very brown and the cakes will seem drier and ‘more baked than those you're accustomed to, but that’ just the way these should be. fer the cakes, parchment paper and al, to racks to cool to room temperature. 5p Torelease the cakes, a spatula between the cakes and the parchment. Keeping nce mised he ater mat be baked immediately once bad te cakes canbe wrapped aright in plastic and stored at room temperate for 2 days or frsenforamonthPerfect Tart Dough Pi bakes to acrispnessand melting goodness that placesit delightfully between a flaky pie erust and a tender one. Although the dough is made in minutes, you'll need to allow chilling minutes before you bake it 's Perfect Tart Dough, o pate brisée, time — four hours before you roll it out and then at least thi ‘These refrigerated rests give the gluten in the floura chance to relax — just what's needed tokeep the dough from shrinking under the oven’s heat. Chilling also maintains the dough’ friability, something you'll appreciate with the first forkful Thisrecipe makes enough dough for three large or four smaller tarts — which maybe more th you won't get the lovely consistency that makes the dough so special. Extra dough can be you'll want for any one baking session — but ifyouwork with smaller quantities, shaped into disks and fro: Pate brisée can be made in a mixer with the paddle attachment or in a very large capacity food processor This is nota classic pate brisée, which is usually made with water and without eggs. added milk yolks, and additional butter to give the dough the crisper texture I love. This dough can be used to make savory tarts too. It's what Fuse for quiches. » pw softened «3 sticks plus2 tablespoons (13 ounces) unsalted ‘4 cup plus Ital *# Llarge egg yolk, at roo ilk, at room temper ightly beaten temperature, # Lteaspoon st # Teaspoon salt 344 cupsall-purpose flour ———————_—— Makes ough for throe Winch fon Binh tarts————— to make the dough in a mixer Putthe butte the bowl of amixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat onlow speed until creamy. Add the milk, yolk, sugar, and salt and beat until the mixture is roughly blended. (At this point, the OK the tableand ixture willlook curdled — its not pretty, but it’ ine rther mixing won't n cit ook any better, so just stop after a minute or two) With ver still on low, add the flour in three or four additions (add it steadily — there's no need to wait for the flour tobe incorporated thoroughly after each addition) and mix just until the ingredients come together to form a soft, moist dough that doesn't clean the sides ofthe bow! c mpletely but does hold together: Don't overdo i to make the dough in a large-capacity food processor Place the butter, milk, yolk, sugar, and salt in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, Pulse on and off a few times to break up the butter and start the blending, the process until the mixture is roughly blended. Add the flour and pulse until the mixture tarts tocome together, When the dough forms moist curds and clumps and then starts to gather into a ball, stop! — you don't want to overwork it to shape and chill No mater the method you used to make the dough, gather it into a hall and di three or four pieces three pieces for 10 can press the dough need it) Gently press each piece intoa diskand wrap each diskin plastic. Allow the dough to rest in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or for up to 2 days before rolling and baking, (Atthis stage, the dough can be wrapped airtight and frozen for up toa month) tarts, four for 8% ich tarts. (Of course, you to one large disk and cut off as much as you need at the time that you toroll For each tart, place a uttered tart ringon a parchment-lined baking sheet and keep close at hand, Workwith one piece of dough at atime;keep the remaining dough in the refrigerator. Working ona lightly floured surface (marbleisidea), rol the dough between Yisand inch thick, lifting the dough often and making certain that the work surface and the dough are ase this dough isso rich, itcan be difficult to roll, but well: amply loured at all times. (Bee floured surface makes the job easier Ifyou are a novice at rolling, you might find it easier to tape a large piece of plastic wrap to the counter and to roll the dough between that and an- other piece of plastic. Ifyou do this, make sure to lift the top sheet of plastic wrap from timeso that it doesn't erease and get rolled into the dough) Roll the dough up and around: your rollingpin fo the bottom and up the sides of the ring, then run your rolling pin across the top of the ring to cut off the excess, Ifthe dough cracks or splits as you work (as it may since itis so fragile), don't worry — patch the to ndunrol tonto the tartring, Fit the doug cracks with seraps (moisten the edges to “glue” them into place) and just make certain not to streteh the dough that's in the pan, (What you stretch now will shrink later) Prick the dough, wes of fork (unless the tart will be filled with a runny custard or other lit for atleast 30 minutesin the refrigerator or freezer. Repeat with the allover w loose filling) and ¢ remaining dough, if necessary to bake When youare ready to bake the crus(s), preheat the oven to350°E Fitacircle of parchment paper or foilinto each erust cut the paperor fol large enough to extend above the top of the tart) and fill wit dried beans or rice. To partially bake the crust(), bake for 18 to 20 minutes, oruntillightly colored. the erustneedsto be fullybaked, remove the parchment and beans and bake for another 5 to 8 minutes, or until golden, Transfer the crus(s) to a rack to cool —————<$§$OA$$RSc Keeping The dough canbe kept the refigs temperature to reach ago rling ‘ator for upto2days or wrapped out eonsiseney. Baked erat canbe airtight and rozenforamonth kept uncovered at room temperature Frozen dis of dough ake about 45 for about Bhours ‘minutes to ar hour at average romSweet Tart Dough This sweet cookie-like dough, pate sucrée, used for dessert tarts and tartlets, benefits from Pierre's untraditional addition of ground almonds, vanilla, and confectioners sugar and is at once crunchy and melt-in-your-mouth, smooth. Like pate brisée, it ean be made in a very large capacity food processor or a mixer, and it needs a long refrigerated rest, Also as with pate brisée, you'll get the best results if you make a larger quantity than you might need at the moment — the crust’ consistency depends on this; you can cut the dough into portions and freeze the extras. €A Work this mixture as litle as possible so that youll get a nice, crumbly texture. If everything seems mixed but you still have afew large pieces of butter it's beso leave them. It's prefer~ able to have pieces of butter rather than an overworked dough. »\> — vt © 24a sticks (10 ounces) unsalted butter, softened # Me cupsconfectioner's sugar * ‘cup (lightly packed) ground blanched almonds (see page 277) © Yeteaspoon salt * Y teaspoon vanilla bean pulp (see page 281) or %& teaspoon pure vanilla extract * 2large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten © 3% cupsall-purpose flour to make the dough in a mixer Place the butter in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on low speed until ereamy: Add the sugar, almonds, salt, vanilla, and eggs and, still working on low speed, beat to blend the ingredients, scraping down the paddle and the sides ofthe bowl as needed. The dough may look curdled — thats allright. With the machine still on low, add the flour in three or four additions and mix only until the mixture comes together to forma sofi, moist dough — amatter of seconds, Don't overdo it Makes enough for thre 10%inch confor inch tartseee to make the dough in alarge-capacity food processor Place the butter in the work bow of a food processor fited with the metal bade and pulse and process, seraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until ereamy. Add the confee~ tioner sugar and process to blend wel. Add the almonds, salt, and vanilla and continue to process untilsmooth,serapingthehowlasnecessary Ad th the flour and pulse until the mixture just starts to come together, When the dough forms -ggs and processto lend, Add moist curds and clumpsand then starts to gather into a ball, stop! — you don'twant to over work it. The dough will be very soft, pliable, and Play-Doh-ish, more like your favorite pie dough — that’s just the way itshould be. butter-cookie dough than tradition to shape and chill No matter the method you used to make the dough, gather it into a ball and di three or four pieces: three pieves for 10-inch tarts, four for 8%-inch tarts (Of course, you can press the dough into on itinto large disk and cut offas much as you need atthe time that you ne hone in plastic. Allow the dough to rest in the refrigerator for a least & hours or for up to 2 days before rolling and baking, (At this stage, the dough can be wrapped airtight and frozen for up to a month) it) Gently presseach pie {to.adisk and wrap ea toroll For each tart, place a buttered tart ring on a parchment-lined baking sheet and keep close at hand. Work with one piece of dough ata times keep the remaining dough in the refrigerator. Working on a lightly floured surface (marble is ideal), roll the dough into a round between is and 4 inch thick, lifting the dough often and making certain that the work surface and the dough are amply floured at all times. (Because this dough is so rich, it can be difficult to roll, but a well-floured surface makes th job easier I'you are a novice at rolling, you might {indi easier to tape a arge piece of plastic wrap to the counter and to roll the dough between that and another piece of plastic, Ifyou do this, make sure tolift the top sheet of plastic wrap from time to i Lit doesn't erease and get rolled into the dough) Roll the dough up and around your rolling pin and unroll tonto the tart ring, ft the dough into the bottom and up the sides of the ring, then run your rolling pin across the top of the ring to cut off the excess. If the dough cracks or splits as you work (as it may, sinee it don't so fragile the edges to “ghue” them in place), and just worry — patch the eracks with seraps (moiste hat’s in the pan, (What you stretch now will shri later) Prick the dough all over with the tines of a fork (unless the tart will be filled y make certain not to stretch the dough thaFunny custard or other loose filling) and chill it for atleast 30 minutes in the refrigerator or freezer, Repeat with the remaining dough, if necessary. to bake ‘When you are ready to bake the crust(s), preheat the oven to 350°F Fita circle of parchment paper or foil into each crust (cut the paper large enough to extend above the top of the tart) and fill with dried beans or rice. To partially bake the crust(s) bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until lightly colored. Ifthe crust needs to be fully baked, remove the parchment and beans and bake for another 5 to 7 minutes, until golden. Transfer the crusts) to arack to cool Keeping The dough cone kptin the roi temperate to reach good ling rater for plo 2 days or wrapped out conser Babe rat canbe cirightendfrcenforamanih,_—_kxptuncoveradat room mperture Frosen dks ofdough ake about 5 forabout hours minutes tam hour a average room 7Cinnamon Dough te, cinnamon-and- almond-flavored crust characterized by delectability, fragility, and finesse. Its memorable texture, across hetweena sweet pastry dough and abutter cookie, isrelated in part to the ad- dition of finely sieved hard-boiled egg. yolks, used often by Austrian pastry chefs rarely by the French, Given the erust’ heritage, ifs not surprising that it forms the base of Austrian, Linzer Cookies (page 108) and the layers of the Mozart (page 221), the apple-filled cake that Pierre named after the celebrated Austrian composer. ‘Toroll a thin layer ofthis dough, you'll need to keep your work surface and the dough very well floured. Ifthe dough cracks during rolling, as can happen, fold it up and start over again — although fragile when baked, the raw dough can stand alittle rough play: And ifthe gets too soft to work, put it back inthe refrigerator for a brief chill, then try again. # 2 sticks plus 5 tablespoons (10% ounces) unsalted butter, softened ‘© 4 cup plus2 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar ‘* 4 cup plus I tablespoon finely ground blanched almonds (see page 277) * Shard-boiled large egg yolks, cooled to room temperature and pressed through. afine strainer *# 2teaspoo * Pinch of salt # Ltablespoon dark © Pinch of doubl © 2%4 cupsall-purpose flour ngbaking powder to make the dough in a food processor Place the butter in the work bowl ofa food processor fitted with the metal blade and process until creamy, scraping down the sides of the howl asneeded. Add the confectioner’s sugar. al Mokes enough fr thre inch roundsTr monds, eggyolks, cinnamon, and salt, Continue to pulse and process until smooth, scraping, and pulse to blend. Whisk the baking powder into the flour and add to the work bow, pulsing until the mixture is blended completely. (Unlike pate brisée or pate suerée, this dough can be worked past the clump-and-curd stage) The dough vill feel soft and look like the dou at-butter cookies. the bowl as necessary; add the ru oud use to make pea to make the dough in a mixer Place the butter in the bowl of a mixer fited with the paddle attachment and beat until creamy: With the mixer on medium-lowspeed, blend inthe confectioner’s sugar, almonds, eggyolks, cinnamon, and slt, Continue to mix until smooth, scraping down the sides ofthe bovwlas necessary; mixin the rum, Whisk the baking powderinto the flourand gradually add the dry ingredients to the bow, mixing until the flour is incorporated. The dough will fel soft and look like the dough youl use to make peanut-butter cookies. to make the dough by hand Place the butter in alarge mixing bowl and, usingalarge flexible rubber spatula, beat itu creamy. Add the confectioner’s sugar, almonds, egg. yolks, cinnamon, and salt mix until smooth, seraping down the sides of the bow! as necessary; mixin the rum. Whisk the baking powder into the flour and gradually add the dry ingredients to the bowl, mixing, until the flour is incorporated. The dough will eel soft and look like the dough youid use to make peanut-butter cookies Zontinue to to shape and chill No matter which method you used to make the dough, gather it into a ball and divide it into thirds. Gently press each piece into a disk, and wrap the disks in plastic. Allow the dough to rest in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or for up to 2 days before rolling and baking, (Atthis stage, the dough can be wrapped airtight and frozen for up to a month) to roll The following are general directions for rolling and baking. If anything more specific is needed, you'll find it in the individual recipes that use this dough. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and keep them close at hand. Working with ‘one piece of dough ata time — keep the remaining dough refrigerated until needed — and keeping the work surface and the dough well floured, roll the dough into a round between(Ifthe dough softens as youwork and sticks exces it for about 30 minutes before continuing) Brush any excess louroffthe If you're making 8%-inch/22-em ‘wand Ye inch thi vely to the work sur- face, its best toch dou the dough to hat size tart or dessert ringas you would a swith a pastry brush and this dough, 1 cut the dough: Press the ring firmly against the dough, lift the ring, and pull wea small rounds, as is often the case wi cookie cutte away the excess dough by lifting it off the work surface with an offset spat dges as needed. Lift the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet with the aid of alightly flou novable bottom froma large tart panis perfect for this job. When the dough ison the sheet, prickitall over with the tines ofa fork, cover with a sheet of plastie wrap, and chill for atleast 30 minutes; repeat with the re- sharp knife to clean the etalcircle — ther maining dough, You can gather the leftovers into a all, flatten the dough into a disk chill it, revo it, and cut ‘out cookies, Baked cookies are delicious sandwiched with jam (see the recipe for Linzer Cookies on page 108). to bake When you're ready to bake, position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the plastic wrap and bake the pastry for about 18 to 20 minutes, ro- tating the pans from top to bottom and front tobackhalfway through the baking period. The disks should be honey brown, Transfer the pastry paper andall, to racks to cool to room tem- perature, Once baked, this pastry is extremely fragile, so take care when assembling your dessert. (But don't worry fa layer cracks Since most recipes use two or three layers, but only one for’showw” salvaging single perfect layer is usually al thats needed to carry the day. The hidden layers can be patched — no one will know) y ——— Keeping The dough canbe pt n the dough tobe about 20 mites refrigerator for up suropped airtight and fo foramonth Frozen dhs of conser. daysor ——_ataverage rom temperature n foreach agood rolling-outInside-Out Puff Pastry In French, puff pastry is sometimes called rille-feuille, for the one thousand leaves or layers that are created when the dough is rolled and folded over on itself several times. Its called puff pastry because it does, indeed, pull — «dramatically. When the oven’s heat hits the hundreds of layers of eold butter in the dough, the water in the butter melts, turns to steam, and pushes the pastry up, up. up. This pas- try is one of the best reasons for having a window in your oven — its meteoric rise is mesmerizing, Because ofits extremely high butter content — and you've got to use butter; nothing else will give you the rise or the flavor — puff pastry can be difficult to handle ifyou're not used to its ways. Your best friend when you're working with puffisyour refrigerator: A quick chill cures most ills. Ifyou find that the dough is getting soft and sticking to your work sur- to the refrigerator — the cold will work wonders. And keep in mind that face, just pop it this is not a dough to hurry along. It needs at least four sixty-minute chills, so what’ a few ‘more minutes here and there? This is also a dough for which neatness counts. Because you are working to create layers of lean dough and buttery dough — that's what the rolling and folding isall about — itsimportant to roll the dough evenly in every direction (except over the edges; you'llglue them together if you run them over), and to keep the alignment of the: dough as straight as possible. When you're folding the dough over into rectangle or square, keep the layers in line and you won't have to deal with a lopsided rise. -ed from the Asyou're sure to have this pul pastry is not the usual. In clas- sic puff pastry. a flour-and-water dough (to which alittle butter is occasionally added) is used toencase a block of butter and then the package is rolled and folded a half dozen timesuntil the eponymous thousand or so layersare achieved. But Pierre hasliterally turned the dough inside out: He puts the lion’ share of the butter on the outside and makes a mix of flour, water, and melted butter for the inside bundle. The result? A puff pastry whose texture Pierre describesas“at once melting and crisp.” Makes about 2! pounds doughGrissini (page 111). Whatever you do, don't toss away the scraps. Piece them together, trying, tokeep the layers in line, and roll them out again to use as the base for sweet or savory tarts or canapés. Even though the rerolled dough never puflsas proudly as fresh dough, its lovely buttery favor never fades. Jirst mixture +3 sticks plus tablespoons (14 ounces) unsalted butter, softened © Décupsall-purpose flou Put the butter in a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and work the butter just unt is smooth, Add the flour and mix just until the ingredients come together. There’ always a litle flour left in the bottom of the bow! — just mix that into the butter with a spatula Scrape the soft dough out onto a large sheet of parchment or wax paper and, working with a dough scraper, fatten the mixture into a square about 6 by 6 inches. Wrap the mixture well and refrigerate it fora least 1¥s hours. second mixture # Yeup water © 2teaspoons salt # \teaspoon white vinegar * Scupsall-purpose flour (maybe abit more) © Istick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, melted and cooled Mix the water salt, and vinegar together and keep itat the ready: Put the flourinto the mixer bowl (you can use the same bowl you were using: no need to wash it) and fit the mixer with, the paddle attachment. With the mixer at medium-low speed, add the melted butter to the flour and mix until the flour is moistened. The dough will look bumpy and lumpy, ike the topping fora fruit erisp. With the mixer still on medi n-low speed, gradually add the water mixture by pouring it down the sides of the bowl alittle ata time. Add the water very slowly and keep allitle of it in reserve — because the absorbency of flours differs its hard to pre- dict whether you'll need all ofthe water or not. Keep mixing, seraping down the bowl and adding water until you have dough that cleans the sides of the bowl. The dough will be soft, rather like an elastie tart dou nd that’ fine. Ifthe dough doesn't come together, it may tad more flour — add flour, up to about tablespoon, in sprinkles — or atablespoon or two more water: Turn the soft dough out onto a sh of parchment or wax paperr. —————_—_—_—_ shape it into a square thats about an inch or two smaller than the butterlour square. Wrap well and chill forat least 14 hours. to roll and turn Place the chilled first mixture on a very well floured work surface (marble is ideal) and dust the top of the dough with flour. Ifthe dough is too hard to roll, press your rolling pin against it to create a se indentations that will soften the dough and help you get i ‘going, Roll the dough out into a rectangle that’s roughly 12 inches by 7 inches, rolling in all directions and on both sides, and making sure to lift and turn the dough as you roll: dust the ‘work surface and the dough with flour as necessary Position the chilled second mixture so that it covers the bottom half of the rolled-out dough. Fold the top half of the rolled-out dough over it and press the dough to form a neat, sealed package. Make sure that the second of parallel mixture extends into each of the comers ofthis square. Ifyou have to, smoosh the second mixture into the corners with your fingertips so that the package is an even thickness throughout. Tap your rolling pi (vhich will probably be about 7 or against each of the sides of the dough to square the bundle inches ona side). Wrap the dough well in plastic and re- frigerate for at least an hour. ‘To make the first double turn, place the dough on a well-floured work surface and dust the top of the dough with flour. Again rolling the dough in all directions and on both sides, tak- ing eare not to roll over the edges and keeping the work surface and the dough as well floured as needed, roll the dough w Jonger th +hes wide and about 21 to 24 inches long, (Don't worry if your dough isn't exactly the itis about three Lis wide, about 7 specified measurements, Dough widens as you roll it — its only natural, What’s important isto roll the dough to three times its width, whatever its width — keep a ruler nearby) If as you're rolling, the dough cracks, ust patch itas best you can and keep going, To ereate what’ called the double turn or the wallet turn, fold the bottom quarter of the dough up to the cen- ter of the dough, then fold the top quarter of the dough down to the center. Now fold the dough in half at the center. You'll have four layers of dough. Brush off any excess flour and. ‘wrap the dough well. Chill it again forat least I hour. - For the second double turn, position the dough so that the closed fold, the one that looks like the spine of book, is to yourleft, and repeat the rolling and folding process as above, always keeping the dough and the work surface amply floured. When you have folded the dough (cits double turn, brush off the excess flour. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill itagain for about an hour. (The dough can be made to this point and kept refrigerated for up to 48 hours. In fact at this point, itis good to give the dough a restofmore than 3 hours) 43DESSERTS HY PIERRE WERME n \gof the day that you are going to use the dough, orashort while before youneed gle turn, position the dough with the closed fold toyour left and roll the dough out ashefore. Tike a business letter: Fold the hottom third of the dough up so that it eavers the middle third of the dough and then fold the top third over so that it meets the edge of the already folded dough. (If your ough was in fact three times longer than it was wide, this fold should result in a square; if not, itwillstillbe fine) Brush offany excess flour. Wrap the dough well and chill tforat least 30 minutes before rolling it out to use in any recipe. Ifyou ean, is best to give the dough a longer chill now, and then, afteryou've rolled the dough out for your recipe (you'll probably crt this large piece to divide itand roll out onlya portion of it), let the rolled-out dough chill forabout 30 minutes before cutting and baking, The best plan isto roll the dough out, trans- ferittoabaking sheet, cover, and hill ton thesheet, then, withthe chilled dough still on the thedough, giveititslastt ne, fold the dou sheet, do the actual eutting, ——_}——— MMMM — Keeping The reigerator if ofthis dough is ett stayin the eftigeator for sew- wrapped airtight, and ep in he about 3 day frm he time you make eralhours rather than the minimum freser fr up toarmonth Thaw ‘the mitures tothe fone you use the 1s hows — itcan be rolled around still wrapped. inthe efpigertor dough for adestert Youcanrolfand —yourschedul, Once the doughs. overnight before roling out to cut turn the dough and then wrap iad ‘ade itcun be divided no portions, amd bake.Creme Anglaise Sometimes called English cream or pouring the accompaniment of choice for many cakes and tarts — try it custard, eréme with Warm Chocolate and Banana Tart (page 120) — and the hase forthe bestice creams. It is. flawlessly smooth and deliberately rich amalgam of egg yolks, cream, and whole milk Don'teven think about usinga low-fat milkor cutting backon the heavy cre get the exquisite taste or texture with anythinggless than the richest ingredients, nglaise i n — youwon't Traditionally, cr?me anglaise is cooked and then quickly cooled over ice. However, by remov- ing the cream from the heat and allowing it to “poach” in the pan a few minutes before cool- ing it, as you do in this recipe, you get a smoother cream. Similarly, refrigerating the cream for twenty-four hours before using itis just the ripening period that’s needed to create a per- feet osmosis between the eggs and the lactates inthe milk. >> — v1 © Leup whole milk * Loup heavy cream ‘¢ 2 plump, moist vanilla beans, split lengthwise and seraped (see page 281) * Glarge egeyolks * Yeup sugar I, Ina small saucepan, bring t ‘eream, and vanilla beans (pulp and pods) to a boil over medium heat (ordo this in the m ture to rest for 10:minutes, time enough for the liquids to be infused with the rrowave oven), Cover the pan, remove from the heat, and. allow th ‘warm flavor of vanilla 2. Filla large bow! with ice cubes and set aside a small bow! that can hold the finished cream and be placed in thisice bath. Set aside a fine-meshed strainer too. - Put the yolks and sugar in aheavy-bottomed medium saucepan. Whisk them together until thick and pale, about 3 minutes, Whisking without stop, drizzle in the hot milk and cream, After about one third of the liquid has b ated to the heat, udded and the yolks are aecli Mabes abou 2 cups