Cuisine: French

Puff Pastry

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 Puff Pastry
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Course Dessert
Cuisine French
Servings
sheets
Ingredients
Course Dessert
Cuisine French
Servings
sheets
Ingredients
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Instructions
  1. Mix together the cold water, vinegar and salt. Stir to dissolve the salt. Place the all purpose flour into a large mixing bowl. Pour the water over the flour and use a silicone spatula or wooden spoon to mix until most of the water is absorbed.
  2. Still working in the bowl, gently squeeze the dough until it comes together. Knead just a few times to form the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
  3. Draw an 8" square in the center of a 12"x16" piece of parchment paper. Flip the paper over and line the 4 sticks of butter, side by side, in the middle of the square. Fold the parchment over the butter to form a packet. Use a rolling pin or other heavy object (I use the flat side of a meat tenderizer) to flatten the butter to fill the 8"x 8" square. You can lift the paper if it sticks. Trim and rearrange the edges of the butter as needed to make a neat square. Fold the butter into the parchment and place in the refrigerator.
  4. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Roll the dough to a 10" square. Once you have a square, roll from each of the four sides to form a 3" flap of the dough, leaving the center thicker than the flaps. You should end up with a square with four "flaps" coming out from each side.
  5. Unwrap the butter and place it in the middle of the square. Fold the flaps so they overlap and enclose the butter, tucking in the corners as necessary. You should now have an 8" square of dough with the butter enclosed.
  6. Use the rolling pin to gently press on the square to flatten it. Roll the dough to a 8" x 24" rectangle. Take your time to roll gently and evenly so the butter stays in one layer in the dough.
  7. The long side of the rectangle should be facing you. Brush off the excess flour. Brush the entire surface of the dough with cold water. Fold the right 1/3 of the dough towards the middle then fold the left 1/3 of dough over enclosing it like a letter. This is the first "turn".
  8. Spin the dough so the closed edge is on the top side and the flap edge is facing you. Roll the dough again to a 24" long rectangle. Brush off the excess flour. Brush the entire surface of the dough with cold water and again fold the dough like a letter. This is the second "turn". Use your fingers to make 2 indentations in the dough. This helps keep track of how many turns you have completed.
  9. Wrap the dough with the parchment used to enclose the butter. Set it on a sheet pan, cover with plastic and refrigerate at least 60 minutes.
  10. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and do another 2 turns exactly like the first 2. Make 4 indentations in the dough, wrap and refrigerate at least 60 minutes.
  11. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and make the final 2 turns exactly as you did the others. You've now done all 6 turns.
  12. Split the dough into 2 equal portions. Wrap the dough and refrigerate at least 1-2 hours, preferably overnight, before using. The dough is now ready to be used in any recipe. Unused dough can be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost before using.
Recipe Notes

Thank you so much for the recipe!  The original can be found here:  https://www.baking-sense.com/2018/09/15/how-to-make-classic-puff-pastry/

I've made this several times, it's pretty simple, but you do have to pay attention and take some care when rolling.  And the butter is extremely important!  I tried using my normal unsalted butter that I use for baking, and it was not pretty.  Definitely splurge for the good stuff!  I've been using Kerrygold, and it' amazing for this purpose!  Not sure I'd splurge for all my baking, but it really makes a difference for this recipe!

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Nutrition Facts
Puff Pastry
Amount Per Serving
Calories 3197 Calories from Fat 1746
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 194g 298%
Saturated Fat 130g 650%
Cholesterol 486mg 162%
Sodium 1454mg 61%
Potassium 631mg 18%
Total Carbohydrates 347g 116%
Dietary Fiber 16g 64%
Protein 47g 94%
Iron 95%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Chocolate Mousse

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 Chocolate Mousse
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Course Dessert
Cuisine French
Prep Time 20 minutes
Passive Time 2 hours
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Course Dessert
Cuisine French
Prep Time 20 minutes
Passive Time 2 hours
Servings
servings
Ingredients
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Instructions
  1. Place the butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Break the chocolate into small pieces directly into the bowl. Microwave it in 20-second intervals, stirring between each bout of heat, until the chocolate is about 75% melted. Stir, allowing the residual heat in the bowl to melt the chocolate completely. (Alternatively, place the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and place over a saucepan containing about 1 inch of barely simmering water. Stir with a wooden spoon until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.) Let the mixture cool for a few minutes, then whisk in the egg yolks one at a time, mixing until smooth after each addition. Set aside.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer or electric hand mixer, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form (the peaks should be just starting to hold, and will melt back into themselves after a second). Gradually beat in 1/4 cup of the sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form (the peaks will stand straight up when the beaters are lifted from the mixture). Using a large rubber spatula, fold the egg white mixture into the chocolate mixture until uniform. Set aside.
  3. In another bowl, beat the heavy cream on medium-high speed until it begins to thicken up. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and the vanilla and continue beating until the cream holds medium peaks (when you lift the beaters or whisk out of the bowl, the peaks will slightly droop down, but they won't lose their shape entirely). Fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture. Be sure it is fully incorporated but don't mix any more than necessary. Divide the mousse between 6 individual glasses, cover, and chill until set, at least 2 hours.
Recipe Notes

Can be served with whipped topping.

Original recipe:  https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/chocolate-mousse.html

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Nutrition Facts
Chocolate Mousse
Amount Per Serving
Calories 343 Calories from Fat 216
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 24g 37%
Saturated Fat 14g 70%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 3g
Cholesterol 148mg 49%
Sodium 43mg 2%
Potassium 89mg 3%
Total Carbohydrates 35g 12%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Sugars 30g
Protein 5g 10%
Vitamin A 12%
Vitamin C 0.2%
Calcium 3%
Iron 3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Baker’s Croissants

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 Baker's Croissants
I got this recipe from https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/bakers-croissants-recipe. I haven't tried it yet, but so far I've had really good luck with all of the recipes of theirs I've tried. I highly recommend their gingerbread cookies, which I also have on my website!
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Course Dessert, Side Dish
Cuisine French
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings
croissants
Ingredients
Course Dessert, Side Dish
Cuisine French
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings
croissants
Ingredients
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Instructions
  1. For the dough: Put the eggs and water in a large mixing bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of the sugar, 3 cups (362g) of the flour, and the yeast. Mix until well blended; set aside to let the sponge work.
  2. For the butter: Cut the butter into 1˝ chunks and combine with the salt and flour at low speed in a stand mixer just until smooth, with no lumps. Be careful not to beat too much; you don’t want to incorporate any air.
  3. Spread the butter on a piece of plastic wrap and shape into an 8˝ square. Wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  4. Finish the dough: Add the melted butter to the sponge. Whisk together the remaining sugar, 2 1/2 cups (298g) of the flour, the dry milk, and salt and add to the sponge. Mix until the dough forms. Knead for 5 minutes; touch the dough lightly with your finger. If it’s still sticky, add the remaining flour 2 tablespoons at a time until the dough is the desired consistency. Once the dough is smooth and elastic, pat it into a 9˝ square, then wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  5. To laminate the dough: Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and gently roll it to a 12" square.
  6. Unwrap the butter square and place it in the center of the dough at a 45° angle, so it looks like a diamond in a square. Pull the corners of the dough into the center of the butter diamond. Moisten the edges with a little water and pinch the seams together well to enclose the butter. Dust the top with flour and turn the packet over.
  7. Tap the dough all over with a rolling pin, encouraging it into a rectangular shape. Once it’s pliable, roll it to a 20˝ x 10˝ rectangle, picking it up and dusting lightly with flour as needed.
  8. When you’ve reached the proper size, use a dry brush to sweep off any excess flour and fold the dough in thirds, like a business letter. Take care to keep the edges straight and line them up directly over each other. If the dough slides around, use a little water at the corners to tack them in place. This is your first turn.
  9. Rotate the dough out so it looks like a book about to be opened. Roll the dough out once more to 20˝ x 10˝ and fold it as before. This is the second turn. Wrap the dough and refrigerate it for 30 minutes to allow the gluten in the dough to relax.
  10. Give the dough two more turns after its rest, then wrap the dough well and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight before using. You can also freeze the dough at this point.
  11. To shape the croissants: Cut the packet of dough in half. Wrap and refrigerate or freeze one half.
  12. Roll the other half to a 13˝ x 18˝ rectangle. Trim the edges about 1/4˝ all the way around with a ruler and pizza cutter. This removes the folded edges that would inhibit the dough’s rise.
  13. Cut the dough in thirds lengthwise and in half down the center. This will give you six 4˝ x 9˝ pieces. Cut these pieces in half diagonally and arrange them so the points are facing away from you. Stretch them gently to make them a little longer, then cut a 1˝ notch in the center of the base of each triangle.
  14. Take the two inside corners of the notch and roll them up toward you, building a curved shape as you roll the base of the dough toward the tip. Make sure the tip ends up under the bottom of the croissant. Place the shaped pastry on a parchment-lined baking sheet, curving the ends toward each other. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  15. Take the croissants out of the refrigerator, and let them warm and rise for 60 to 90 minutes at room temperature. They should expand noticeably, and when you gently press one with your finger, the indentation should remain.
  16. Towards the end of the rise time, preheat the oven to 425°F. Brush each croissant with an egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven’s temperature to 350°F and bake for 10 to 15 minutes more, until deep golden brown and no raw dough is visible where the layers overlap. Remove from the oven and let cool on the pan on a rack for 20 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes

Tips from our Bakers Bubbles and leaks: It's not unusual to have air trapped inside your laminated dough. If this happens, simply pop the bubble with a toothpick and press the dough down to lie flat. If there's a bare spot where butter is coming through, dust the leak with flour, pressing down lightly so it sticks, and continue on with the fold. Refrigerate the dough as soon as the fold is done, to firm it up. Adding flour to the butter inlay helps to stabilize it, so the butter won't flow out the seams of the dough as it's being rolled. As you work, keep the dough, work surface, and your rolling pin well dusted with flour. Turn over the dough from time to time. As you roll, you tend to expand the top layers more than the bottom. By flipping the dough over, you'll even that out. Before folding the dough over on itself, use your pastry brush to sweep off excess flour. This will help the dough stick to itself after folding, so the layers don't slide around. Have a little water on hand; don't be afraid to brush the corners of the dough with it, to tack the dough in place. When rolling the dough, especially for the first time, be sure the dough and butter are at the same consistency; this will make rolling much smoother and the layers will be more even. To make Danish from this dough, add 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/8 teaspoon of ground cloves to the dough when mixing. Proceed with the rest of the recipe as shown until the dough is finished. You can make rectangular, filled croissants, too. See our blog for step by step instructions on how to do this. Fill croissants with ham and cheese, spinach, or use our pain au chocolate sticks for a special treat.

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Orange Mint Creme Patisserie

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 Orange Mint Creme Patisserie
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Course Dessert
Cuisine French
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Course Dessert
Cuisine French
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings
servings
Ingredients
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Nutrition Facts
Orange Mint Creme Patisserie
Amount Per Serving
Calories 314 Calories from Fat 63
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 7g 11%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 3g
Cholesterol 315mg 105%
Sodium 12mg 1%
Potassium 39mg 1%
Total Carbohydrates 56g 19%
Dietary Fiber 0.2g 1%
Sugars 32g
Protein 5g 10%
Vitamin A 8%
Calcium 3%
Iron 6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

BASIC BEIGNETS

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 BASIC BEIGNETS
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Course Dessert
Cuisine French
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Course Dessert
Cuisine French
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings
servings
Ingredients
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Instructions
  1. Combine the water, milk and etg in a large mixing bowl and mix well.
  2. Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and the sugar and mix until the batter is smooth.
  3. Pour the oil into a large, deep pot or a deep fryer and heat to 360ºF.
  4. Drop the batter by spoonfuls into the hot oil and fry, turning two or three times, until they are golden brown and puffy.
  5. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with confectioners sugar.
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Nutrition Facts
BASIC BEIGNETS
Amount Per Serving
Calories 119 Calories from Fat 9
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g 2%
Saturated Fat 0.3g 2%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.0002g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.001g
Cholesterol 9mg 3%
Sodium 222mg 9%
Potassium 58mg 2%
Total Carbohydrates 25g 8%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Sugars 3g
Protein 4g 8%
Vitamin A 0.5%
Vitamin C 0.2%
Calcium 5%
Iron 6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Spinach balls

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 Spinach balls
Those Cheesy Spinach balls are the best easy appetizer to impress your guest. It is made in few minutes using only 5 ingredients.
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Course Appetizer
Cuisine French
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Servings
balls
Ingredients
Course Appetizer
Cuisine French
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Servings
balls
Ingredients
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Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C).
  2. Trim and wash the fresh spinach leaves.
  3. Place the leaves in a large mixing bowl and over with boiling water. Cover and set aside for 3 minutes.
  4. Rinse the spinach with cold tap water. Drain using your hands to squeeze all the remaining water. You should obtain about 2/3 cup (160 g) of packed cooked spinach leaves. If you are using frozen spinach, defrost and measure this quantity.
  5. Place on a chop board and finely chop the cooked spinach. Transfer into a mixing bowl.
  6. Add eggs, cheese, herbs and panko gluten free crumbs. You can also add salt and pepper if your cheese is not very salty. I did not add salt.
  7. Combine with a spoon or your hands, until it forms a batter from which you are able to form balls with your hands or use a small cookie scoop maker to avoid the mess
  8. If too moist add slightly more crumb until easy to roll as ball with your hands palms.
  9. Place the balls on a non-stick cookie tray covered with baking paper.
  10. Bake at 350F (180C) for 15-20 minutes or until golden on the top.
  11. Serve immediately or cold in luchboxes.
  12. Serve with dips of your choice like pesto, hummus or homemade ketchup.
Recipe Notes

[recipe]Spinach measurement : you need about 6 cups of fresh spinach. It makes about 2/3 cup (160 g) of cooked, squeezed and packed spinach. It is OK to use frozen spinach as soon as you have 2/3 cup cooked, squeezed, packed spinach. Cheese options: you can replace grated cheddar but mozzarella, parmesan, colby, emmental or any hard grated cheese you love. Herbs options: those spinach balls are very tasty with fresh parsley, dill or basil. Use your favorite herb or mix it!

https://www.sweetashoney.co/spinach-balls/

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Nutrition Facts
Spinach balls
Amount Per Serving
Calories 30 Calories from Fat 18
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 2g 3%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.1g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.2g
Cholesterol 23mg 8%
Sodium 68mg 3%
Potassium 271mg 8%
Total Carbohydrates 2g 1%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Sugars 0.2g
Protein 3g 6%
Vitamin A 90%
Vitamin C 22%
Calcium 8%
Iron 8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Gougères

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 Gougères
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Course Appetizer
Cuisine French
Servings
gougères
Ingredients
Course Appetizer
Cuisine French
Servings
gougères
Ingredients
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Instructions
  1. The easiest way to describe gougères is to call them cheese puffs. Their dough, pâte àchoux, is the same one you’d use for sweet cream puffs or profiteroles, but when the pâte àchoux is destined to become gougères, you fold in a fair amount of grated cheese. In France, I use Gruyère, Comté, Emmenthal, or, just for fun and a spot of color, Mimolette, Gouda’s French cousin; in America, I reach for extra-sharp cheddar, and sometimes I add a little smoked cheese to the mix.
  2. Gougères are made everywhere in France (and can be bought frozen in many stores), but their home is Burgundy, where they are the first thing you get when you sit down in almost any restaurant. In Burgundy, gougères are often served with the local aperitif, kir; chez Greenspan, where I serve them no matter what I’m pouring as a welcoming glass, my favorite sip-along is Champagne. I love the way Champagne’s toastiness and gougères’ egginess play together.
  3. Although you must spoon out the puffs as soon as the dough is made, the little puffs can be frozen and then baked straight from the freezer, putting them in the realm of the doable even on the spur of the moment.
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Quiche Lorraine

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 Quiche Lorraine
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Course Main Dish
Cuisine French
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Course Main Dish
Cuisine French
Servings
servings
Ingredients
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Instructions
  1. If you are making your own pie crust, roll out the pie dough into a 12-inch round. Place it in a 10-inch wide, 1 1/2-inch high tart pan, pressing the dough into the corners. Use a rolling pin to roll over the surface of the tart pan to cleanly cut off the excess dough from the edges. Freeze for at least half an hour before blind-baking.
  2. Pre-bake the frozen crust (also called “blind” baking). Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the frozen crust with heavy duty aluminum foil or with parchment paper. Allow for a couple inches to extend beyond the sides of the tart or pie pan. Fill two-thirds with dry beans or other pie weights (I’ve heard copper pennies work well for this too). If you are using a pan with a removable bottom, place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet in the oven to catch any spillage. Bake for 20 minutes. Then remove from oven, remove the pie weights (the easiest way to do this is to lift up the foil by the edges) and the foil. Using the tines of a fork, poke little holes all around the base of the crust. Return to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes, until lightly browned all over. Remove from oven and set aside.
  3. Cook the bacon. Heat a large frying pan on medium heat. Arrange strips of bacon in a single layer on the bottom of the pan (you may need to work in batches or do two pans at once). Slowly cook the bacon, turning the strips over occasionally until they are nicely browned and much of the fat has rendered out. Lay the cooked strips of bacon on a paper towel to absorb the excess fat. Pour fat out of the pan into a jar (not down the drain, unless you want to clog the pipes) for future use, or wait until it solidifies and discard in the trash. Chop the cooked bacon crosswise into 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch pieces.
  4. Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Add the nutmeg, salt, black pepper and chives and whisk a little more. Add the milk and cream and whisk vigorously to incorporate and introduce a little air into the mix – this keeps the texture of the quiche light and fluffy.
  5. Arrange the bacon and cheese in the bottom of the pie crust.
  6. Whisk the egg-milk mixture hard again for a few seconds, then pour it gently into the pie crust. You want the bacon and cheese to be suspended in the mix, so you might need to gently stir it around just a little. You also want the chives, which will float, to be evenly arranged on top, so move them around with a spoon until you like where they are.
  7. Put the quiche into the preheated oven and bake for 30-40 minutes. (If using pan with removable bottom, be sure to place a rimmed baking sheet underneath.) Check for doneness after 30 minutes by gently jiggling the quiche. It should still have just a little wiggle. (It will finish setting while it cools.) Cool on a wire rack.
Recipe Notes

Onions or shallots can be used in place of the chives. Use about 1/2 cup, finely chopped, and sauté in butter first, before spreading over the bottom of the quiche crust with the bacon.

Eat at room temperature, cold (a quiche will keep for several days in the fridge), or reheated gently in a 200-degree oven.

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