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~ Living & Cooking in France

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Tag Archives: gouter

Crêpes – authentic sweet French crêpes

02 Saturday Jun 2018

Posted by Nadia in Biscuits/cookies and cakes, Breakfast, Desserts, General

≈ 15 Comments

Tags

crepe, crepes, gouter, pancakes

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0e95a6f0-f9fc-4201-8603-44508be32b8d.jpegCrêpes – what can be more of a french classic, and so very versatile too as they can served sweet or savoury?  These are authentic sweet french crêpes as one finds all over France, very thin and slightly crispy.  Fill them with jam, nutella, sugar, cinnamon, fruit, or a combination of the above. one of my favourites is nutella, banana and crème chantilly. Yum! I am getting hungry even thinking about it. The savoury version traditionally uses buckwheat flour and is often called a galette. That will be another post.

Note: If you are using whole milk, then use the water and milk combination. If you are using low fat milk, you can use all milk if you wish.

Ingredients:

  • 125 ml / 1/2 cup cold milk
  • 125 ml / 1/2 cup water, preferably cold
  • 2 eggs
  • 100 g / (3/4 cup +1 T) flour
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons melted butter
Preparation:
Sift the flour, sugar and salt into a large mixing bowl
Make a well in the centre of the flour and break the eggs into it, whisk together
In another bowl combine the milk, water and melted butter
Gradually add small quantities of the milk, water and butter mixture, still whisking (don’t worry about any lumps as they will eventually disappear as you whisk)

Whisk until the batter is smooth, about the consistency of thin cream
Blender method: Combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl (or blender jug). Blend with an immersion blender until everything is combined, scrapping down the sides of the bowl a few times. If there are lumps, continue blending until the lumps are gone
Cover the mixing bowl with a plastic wrap, place the bowl in the refrigerator and chill the batter for at least 1 hour before using to allow flour particles to expand in the liquid to yield a tender and light crepe. The batter can be made the day before and kept chilled until ready to use.
Heat a griddle or frying pan over medium high heat – I use a 20cm /8″ crêpe pan
Sprinkle droplets of water onto the pan and if the water sizzles immediately, it means the pan is hot enough for use
Brush a thin layer of melted butter onto the pan
Pour or scoop the batter onto the pan, using approximately 1/4 cup for each crêpe
Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly
Cook for about 30 seconds until the edges begin to brown, then loosen the crêpe with a spatula and turn to the other side to cook for another 30 seconds
Transfer the cooked crêpe onto a plate and repeat until all the batter is used up
Enjoy!
Tips:
After cooking the first crêpe, determine if ¼-cup of batter is too much or too little and adjust the batter amount for the subsequent crêpes.
The crêpe batter consistency should be that of a light cream, just thick enough to coat a spoon. If you find the batter too thick or heavy you may whisk in water, tablespoon by tablespoon. You only want enough to coat the bottom of the pan, without any extra pooled in the middle. Pour the batter into the pan, lifting the pan up to tilt it, allowing the batter to swirl all the way over the bottom of the pan in a very thin layer. If you have poured in too much, pour out the excess.
If the crêpe is burning or setting too fast for your comfort, lower the heat slightly or place the frying pan on a wet tea towel for 5 to 10 seconds to cool down the frying pan slightly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Raspberry tart / tarte aux framboises

21 Sunday Jan 2018

Posted by Nadia in Biscuits/cookies and cakes, General

≈ 12 Comments

Tags

afternoon tea, creme patissiere, framboise, gouter, raspberry, tart, tarte

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This is one of the easiest tarts to make, yet it is so delicious. You can use any fruit you wish and of course, if you make your own pastry, it will be even better. I had bought a box of raspberries recently, the last of the season and although juicy and delicious, I knew they were not going to last so what was I going to make, jam? No, I was not in the mood for making jam so I decided to whip up a tart for afternoon “gouter”. Being short on time as it was already past lunch, I did not have time to make pastry and allow it to rest but I always have a few rolls of store bought pastry handy. So, I went to get some pâte sablé (sweet shortcrust pastry) only to discover, I was out of that. What to do? Well. I had a  roll of puff pastry staring at me and begging to be used and so, even though I am sure my cooking school instructors from years back would be horrified, I decided to use the puff pastry. And it turned out beautifully. You just bake the crust, make a crème pâtissière, pop on the fruit on top et voila! Almost instant tart for afternoon tea or coffee.

Ingredients:

Crème pâtissière

 

  • 1 cup (250ml) cream
  • 1 cup (250ml) milk
  • 1/2 cup (110g) sugar
  • 1 vanilla bean, split lengthways
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup (35g) cornflour
  • 80 butter, chopped

 

1 store bought puff pastry or pàte sablé
2 cups (250g) fresh raspberries

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 180C /360F (160C / 320F fan-forced)
Butter and flour lightly a 22cm / 9″ baking dish
Place pastry into dish and trim edges
Cover pastry case with baking paper, fill with dried beans or rice
Bake for 15 minutes
Remove paper and beans and wrap a strip of foil around edges of tin to protect sides from over-browning
Bake uncovered, for a further 15 minutes or until pastry base is browned
Set aside to cool while you make the crème pâtissière
Bring the cream, milk, sugar and vanilla bean to the boil in a medium saucepan
Whisk the eggs in a large bowl then whisk in the sifted cornflour
Gradually whisk in the warm milk mixture
Return the mixture to the pan and stir over a medium heat until the mixture boils and thickens
Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter
Cover the surface with plastic wrap and cool to room temperature
Stir the crème patissiere until softened
Spoon into pastry case and smooth the top
Add the raspberries
Sprinkle some powdered sugar if you wish
Serve with whipped cream
Enjoy!

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Italian Pear and Mascarpone cake

08 Friday Sep 2017

Posted by Nadia in Biscuits/cookies and cakes, General

≈ 27 Comments

Tags

cake, fruit, gouter, mascarpone, Pears, teatime

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This Italian pear cake is so elegant in its simplicity. Italian cakes, homemade-every-day-cakes were very rarely, if ever, frosted. But most of the times they are dusted with icing sugar or unsweetened cocoa. The addition of the corn starch makes the cake fluffy and airy, very Italian style.

Serves 8

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups / 200g cups flour
  • 1/4 cup + 1 1/2 tablespoons / 50g cornstarch
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 cup / 180g sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup / 250g mascarpone
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 pears
  • Icing sugar (to sprinkle/ decorate on cake)

Preparation:

  • Preheat the oven 170°C / 340°F
  • Lightly grease and flour a 9″ / 23 cm cake pan ( I used a spring-form pan)
  • Peel the pears, 1 1/2 pears chop into chunks and the other pears thin slices, set aside
  • Cream the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy
  • Add the mascarpone and continue beating until smooth
  • In another bowl, sift the flour, corn starch, salt, baking soda and baking powder together
  • Stir in with a wooden spoon the flour mixture into the creamed mixture, stir gently to combine, then add the oil and stir to combine
  • Fold in the pear chunks
  • Pour into prepared cake pan
  • Top with sliced pears and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sugar
  • Bake approximately 45 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean
  • When cool sprinkle icing sugar on cake
  • Serve with whipped cream or crème fraîche

Enjoy!

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