H
ave you ever tasted an éclair or glazed petit four? Of course you did! Do you remember that thick, shiny, sweet paste on the top, which was probably the same color and taste like the inside of the pastries? That is fondant icing!
How to Line a Tart Mold and Bake the Tart Shell
A
dmit, are you one of those people who toss their freshly prepared shortcrust pastry in the tart mold and then press it in with your fingers? Are you?! Well, don’t get me wrong – I’m not saying that you won’t make some sort of tart that way, but…
Eggs
O
ne egg a day keeps the doctor away! Yeah, yeah, I know, it’s the apple, not an egg, but try explaining that that to my grandmother! Every morning, she would cook one soft boiled egg for me and then she would serve it mixed with the crust of freshly baked white bread. Aaah, grandma!
Leavening Agents
W
e have all experienced a cake disaster, I believe. You know, when it just doesn’t turn out as you planned it would. It didn’t rise well, maybe it is dense, hard or/and dry? Well, one of the most probable reasons for that could be the improper use of leavening agent, whether you used a natural one like yeast, or chemical leavening agents, such as baking soda or baking powder.
How to Make Pâte à Bombe and Zabaglione
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oday it is all about egg yolks and the point of view. To some people, egg yolks are a reminder of fat and cholesterol, but I like to look at my glass as half full. That means, my dear readers, that when I look at egg yolks, I see their delicious future: a decadent chocolate parfait, creamy bavarois, silky crème pâtissière, or a luscious zabaglione melting in my mouth…
Milk and Dairy Products
T
here are currently approximately 1.3 to 1.5 billion cows grazing, sleeping, and chewing their cud at any given time on planet Earth. There are an estimated 300 million cattle in India where the cow is a sacred animal.
Thickeners
D
o you like gummy bears? I love all gummy stuff, except the sour ones. I know it is not the healthiest food in the world, but I really enjoy its chewy texture, various colors, and different flavors. I don’t eat them every day, of course, but every once in a while, I wonder out to the candy section of the supermarket and treat myself with a bag of cola bottles, jelly beans or gummy bears.
Flour
W
hile I was in Paris studying pâtisserie, I ate two baguettes a day! Yes, you’ve red it well, TWO. I absolutely love great baguette, and in Paris you can find one in any neighborhood boulangerie, especially if in the name of the place it proudly says “MOF boulanger” (I will tell you all about MOF some other time). In Paris, 85% of bread sales are baguettes. French bakers sell about 10 to 12 billion of the long breads per year!
Fats
F
at. Now, that is one depressing word, right? The first thing that comes to mind is obesity, followed by cholesterol, cardiovascular diseases… Brrrrr! But let’s not think about that now, happy thoughts, please! A slice of warm, crunchy baguette, with a layer of melting butter on top, crispy slices of bacon, French breakfast full of buttery croissants and brioches, foie gras, duck confit, French buttercream, beurre noisette, oh I’m so hungry now… So, in order to master the art of baking, what do you need to know about fats?
How to Cook Sugar Syrup
W
hat is so special about sugar syrup? Not unusual ingredients for sure, since, in most cases, it contains only sugar and water. So what is so difficult in mixing some sugar and water?
