Feeling French

This weekend, I suffered from an overdose of baking. I was asked by May to bake something for Ji-Ye's farewell party (she invited about 80 folks from SP) and so I excitedly set out to bake 40 chocolate eclairs and an assortment of macarons. 

I started out early on Saturday and followed a recipe from a pastry cookbook to make eclair shells. After 1 hour of cracking eggs and melting butter and mixing ingredients, I was so disappointed to find that the eclair shells that came out of the oven were too soft. They had no body to them, and could not, for sure, be cut open to sandwich whipped cream. So I thought I'd give myself a break and make macarons instead. I proceeded with trepidation. I have only ever succeeded once (out of 9 tries) in baking macarons, so you can understand how nervous I was. So no surprises here - the first batch of 30 shells that came out of the oven didn't rise properly. So into the bin they went. 

I was so cheesed off (with I don't even know what) when I left to meet John and Alvin (who had been playing soccer earlier in the morning) for brunch at Soho. I had accomplished nothing the entire morning. Thank goodness brunch was yummy. I love hanging out at the Supper Club. I mentioned to John that perhaps the reason why I love it so much is because it feels as though I've just stepped out of Hong Kong, into New York or Sydney. The casual, laid back atmosphere strikes a chord with me. 

When we came home from brunch, I started baking in a frenzy. I decided to try out Pierre Herme's recipe and thank goodness that was a success. I like how he assures readers that certain outcomes of certain actions are natural, and that we need not panic. For instance, when adding eggs into batter, he mentions in his book that the batter will separate and coagulate into a weird form, but that's okay, it will come together after the addition of the forth egg. I baked till 11pm that evening. 

Chocolate Eclairs

Adapted from Pierre Herme & Catherine Atkinson

Makes 15

For the cream puff dough:

½ cup whole milk

½ cup water

115g unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

¼ teaspoon sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup all-purpose flour

3 large eggs

Prepare the cream puff dough:

Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and keep them close at hand.

Bring the milk, water, butter, sugar and salt to the boil in a saucepan. When the mixture is boiling rapidly, add the flour all at once, reduce the heat to medium, and start stirring the mixture like mad with a wooden spoon immediately. The dough will come together very quickly and a slight crust will form on the bottom of the pan, but you need to keep stirring vigorously for another 3 minutes to dry the dough. At the end of this time, the dough will be very smooth.

Turn the dough into the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.

One by one, add in the eggs to the dough, beating until each egg is thoroughly incorporated. Don't be discouraged - as soon as you add the first egg, the dough will separate. Keep working and by the time the third egg is added, the batter will start coming together again. When all the eggs are incorporated, the dough will be thick and shiny and when you lift some of it up, it will fall back into the bowl in a ribbon.

Spoon the warm dough into a large pastry bag fitted with a 2cm plain tip. Pipe out the dough onto the baking sheets in chubby fingers, about 10cm long. Make sure to leave about 5cm of puff space between each strip of dough.

Slide the baking sheets into the oven and bake for 7 minutes, then slip the handle of a wooden spoon into the door so that it remains slightly ajar. Continue to bake for another 13 minutes. 

Keep the eclair shells in a cool dry room for several hours before filling.

For the chocolate sauce:

115g dark chocolate

2 tbs water

25g unsalted butter

Prepare the chocolate sauce:

Place the chocolate and water in a small bowl set over a pan of hot water. Melt, stirring until smooth.

Remove from the heat and gradually stir in the butter.

For the whipped cream:
300ml double cream

2 tsp icing sugar, sifted

½ tsp vanilla essence

Prepare the whipped cream:

Whip the cream with the icing sugar and vanilla essence until it just holds its shape.

Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm plain tip.

To assemble:

Cut each eclair shell horizontally into two using a serrated knife.

Carefully dip the top of each eclair shell in the melted chocolate. Cool in fridge until chocolate is set. 

Pipe the whipped cream to fill the eclairs.

Not having time to bake

I know I've been slack with baking and posting. Wait. No. Actually, I haven't been slack. It's just that I haven't had the capacity nor energy to bake. Work has been utterly crazy and the long hours have certainly taken its toll on my body. Baking can serve as a form of relaxation after a hard day in the office, but since I've been working 15 hour days, something's got to give and unfortunately, it has to be my time in the pantry. I made this Nutella tart some time back, before work got crazy, but I just did not have the time to post it. So here goes. This is one really decadent tart.

Nutella Tart

Adapted from Pierre Herme

Makes one 9-inch tarts

For the crust:

70g unsalted butter, at room temperature

35g confectioners' sugar, sifted

25g finely ground almond powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg, at room temperature, beaten with a fork

125g all-purpose flour

As you'll get the best texture if you make a larger quantity of this dough, I would recommend doubling the quantity of ingredients to make dough enough for 2 tarts, and then keeping the remaining portion in the freezer.

Prepare the crust:

Place the butter in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on low speed until creamy. Add the sugar, almond powder, salt, vanilla and eggs and, still working on low speed, beat to blend the ingredients, scraping down the paddle and the sides of the bowl as needed. The dough may look curdled - that's alright. With the machine on low, add the flour in three or four additions and mix only until the mixture comes together to form a soft, moist dough - a matter of seconds. Don't overdo it.

Gather dough into a ball and divide it into 3 or 4 pieces. Gently press each piece into a disk and wrap each disk 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.

For each tart, place a 9-inch buttered tart ring on a parchment-lined baking sheet and keep close at hand. Work with one piece of dough at a time; keep the remaining dough in the refrigerator. Working on a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to a thickness of between 2 and 4 cm, lifting the dough often and making certain the work surface and the dough are amply floured at all times. Roll the dough up around your rolling pin and unroll it onto the tart ring. Fit 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, don't worry, patch the cracks with scraps. Prick the dough all over with the tines of a fork and chill it for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

When you are ready to bake the crust, preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C. Fit a circle of parchment paper or foil into the crust and fill with dried beans or rice. Bake the crust for 18 to 20 minutes, just until it is very lightly colored. If the crust needs to be fully baked, remove the parchment and beans an bake the crust for another 3 to 5 minutes, or until golden. Transfer the crust to a rack to cool.

For the filling:
200g Nutella
140g bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
200g unsalted butter
1 large egg, at room temperature, stirred with a folk
3 large egg yolks, at room temperature, stirred with a fork
2 tablespoons sugar
140g hazelnuts, toasted, skinned and cut into large pieces


Prepare the filling:
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C.
Spread the Nutella evenly over the bottom of the crust and set it aside while you make the ganache.
Melt the chocolate and the butter in separate bowls either over (not touching) simmering water or in a microwave oven. Allow them to cool until they feel only just warm to the touch.
Using a small whisk, stir the egg into the chocolate, stirring gently in ever-widening circles and taking care not to agitate the mixture - you don't want to beat air into the ganache. Little by little, stir in the egg yolks, then the sugar. Finally, still working gently, stir in the warm melted butter. Pour the ganache over the Nutella in the tart shell. Scatter the toasted hazelnuts over the top.
Bake the tart for 11 minutes. The center of the tart will shimmy if jiggled. Remove the tart from the oven and slide it onto a rack. Allow the tart to cool for at least 20 minutes or until it reaches room temperature - the best temperature at which to serve it.

Eating soap

Have I mentioned before that eating lavender infused food remind me of eating soap or body lotion? First time I ate a lavender something was at a lavender farm in Hunter Valley, NSW, Australia. I had lavender scones with strawberry jam. All I can say is that it's definitely an acquired taste. 

When I fed Alvin a spoonful of this creme brulee I made, first words that came out of his mouth were, "But it's strange". So, friends, don't say I didn't warn you. Proceed with caution!

Lavender Crème brûlée

Adapted from Bea

Serves 3

1 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon culinary lavender

1½ tablespoon caster sugar

3 egg yolks

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons caster sugar to caramelize on the top 

Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C.

Bring the cream to a gentle boil in a saucepan. Once it starts boiling, remove from heat. Immediately throw in culinary lavender and steep for 15 minutes. 

Strain.

Beat the egg yolks and mix with caster sugar and vanilla extract till light in colour.

Pour in the cream slowly and mix.

Divide the cream mixture between the 3 ramekins.

Fill the baking dish with boiling water so that the water line is half way up to the height of the ramekins. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes. Let cool before placing the ramekins in the fridge for a few hours.

When ready to serve, sprinkle top of cream with caster sugar and caramelize with blow torch or put under the broil for a few minutes.