Make your own pâtisserie creation that tastes as good as it looks.
Makes one 9-inch tart
Serves 8 to 10
If you don’t have a vanilla bean, substitute 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract with the butter in step 4. Don’t wash the berries or they’ll lose their flavor and shape.
http://www.americastestkitchenfeed.com/bake-it-better/2012/05/secrets-to-making-a-fabulous-fruit-tart/
- PASTRY CREAM
- half-and-half
- cornstarch
- CLASSIC TART DOUGH
- large egg yolk
- heavy cream
- FRUIT
- red currant or apple jelly
Serves 12
This recipe must be prepared with natural cocoa powder. Dutch-processed cocoa will not yield the proper color or rise.
- buttermilk
- white vinegar
- natural cocoa powder
- FROSTING:
- confectioners’ sugar
- CAKE:
Serves 8
Use a melon baller or a metal teaspoon measure to core the apples. We like to serve the dumplings warm with vanilla ice cream and Cider Sauce (see Cider Sauce recipe). Other sweet, moderately firm apples, such as Braeburns or Galas, can be used in this recipe.
- Apple Dumplings:
- cold buttermilk
- Dough:
Even opinionated Bostonians approve.
Serves 8 to 10
Be careful not to overbeat the egg whites or they will not combine well with the batter. Try to use a 9-inch sponge cake for this recipe; if using an 8-inch cake, the layer of pastry cream will be on the thick side. Before serving, be sure to refrigerate the finished cake until the glaze has set (this will take at least 2 hours), but do not refrigerate the cake for more than 24 hours or it will turn soggy.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: We needed a tender, flavorful base for our Boston Cream Pie, so we opted for a hot-milk sponge cake. Unlike other sponge cakes, this kind includes some melted butter and warm milk, which makes for a cake with a tender, moist crumb.
http://www.americastestkitchenfeed.com/bake-it-better/2012/09/the-secret-to-boston-cream-pie/
- light corn syrup
- GLAZE
- ⅔ cup heavy cream
- cornstarch
- whole milk
- PASTRY CREAM
- cream of tartar
- SPONGE CAKE
This French pastry is impressively elegant and deceivingly simple.
Makes 6 Napoleons
You will need two large rimmed baking sheets of the same size to make this recipe. If the dough becomes too warm and sticky to work with, cover it with plastic wrap and let it chill in the refrigerator until firm. You can substitute a 1-pound box of store-bought frozen puff pastry for the homemade puff pastry if desired. If using store-bought puff pastry, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight, then unwrap both pieces of dough, stack one on top of the other, and roll into a 16 by 12-inch rectangle between two sheets of parchment paper, proceeding with the recipe as directed.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: In order to prevent the puff pastry from puffing up during baking, we weighted it down with a rimmed baking sheet and an ovenproof dish. For the Napoleons’ traditional decorative swirl, we used the tip of a small knife to drag the vanilla glaze over the chocolate glaze.
http://www.americastestkitchenfeed.com/bake-it-better/2012/09/secrets-to-french-napoleons/
- FILLING:
- ⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract
- VANILLA GLAZE:
- CHOCOLATE GLAZE:
- BUTTER SQUARE:
- fresh lemon juice
- ice water
- PUFF PASTRY:
- White Cake Mix
- Peppermint Extract
- Red Food Coloring
- Crushed Peppermint
- Crushed Peppermint
- Pwd Sugar
- Milk
- Crisco
- White Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla
- Flour
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Chocolate Chips
- Black Walnuts
- Flour
- Sugar
- Cinnamon
- Salad Oil
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Eggs
- Grated Raw Carrots
- Walnuts
Serves 12
For this recipe, we recommend using light or mild molasses so it won’t overpower the subtle bourbon flavor.
- bourbon
- CAKE
- NUT FILLING:
- BOURBON GLAZE:
- bourbon
- light molasses
- water
- Bite sized waffle shaped pretzels
- M&M's