Roasted Rhubarb, Strawberry, White Chocolate and Pistachio

We finally got a glimpse of sunshine here today. It has been stormy for the last few days, which always seems to put a damper on all my Spring plans. However, rhubarb is abundant on the produce shelves and that is always a reminder that Spring is here. It has such a short season that I feel I have to take full advantage of it while I can.

I made these pistachio, roasted rhubarb, strawberry and white chocolate petits gateaux about a week ago, but had not had a chance to enjoy them until last night.




I always seem to poach rhubarb in a simple syrup and then eat it with plain yogurt. That is for some reason encrusted in my brain, but this time I decided to roast it. Roasted fruit is one of my favorite things indeed.

I didn't notice that much of a difference between poaching and roasting as far as texture and flavor. The rhubarb didn't completely caramelize because of the amount of water in it but it did maintain a very vibrant color which seems to dissipate when poached.



Jill was of course first to taste them. She was honest and seemed to like the different components, but said it lacked texture, so that's when the macarons came into play. I had these leftover in the freezer from when I made the strawberry and vanilla bean macarons. Always good to have them handy.

And then there are these ranunculus. My friend M. is the florist at Whole Foods and always seems to bring the best ones out for me from the back. Love her.



Pistachio Joconde

makes quarter sheetpan

52 grams almond flour
53 grams pistachio flour
75 grams powdered sugar
25 grams flour
125 grams eggs
92 grams egg whites
37 grams sugar
17 grams butter

Place this first five ingredients in a bowl of an electric mixer. With a whip attachment, whip this mixture until a thick ribbon forms, about 5 minutes. Transfer this mixture to a large bowl and wash the electric mixer bowl and whip attachment.

Place the egg whites in the bowl of the electric mixer and whip until a light meringue starts to form. Slowly, sprinkle in the sugar and whip until semi-stiff peaks form.

Mix a third of the meringue into the first mixture. Add the rest of the meringue and fold gently. Add the melted butter and fold until it is all incorporated.

Pour the batter into a quarter sheetpan lined with parchment paper and spread the batter into an even layer. Bake at 375 degrees for about 12 minutes or until it starts to form a light color on top. Let it cool and refrigerate until ready to use.

Cut disks of cake that are the same diameter of the ring mold you will be using. About 8 3-inch rings.

Roasted Rhubarb

300 grams rhubarb, cut into 2 inch strips
40 grams sugar

Toss the rhubarb with the sugar and place on a baking pan. Bake at 375F for about 15 minutes or until it is soft and slightly caramelized.

Process it into a fine puree while hot. Let it cool in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Roasted Rhubarb Mousse

250 grams roasted rhubarb puree
20 grams sugar
5 grams gelatin sheets
250 grams heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks

Warm half of the puree with the sugar until sugar dissolves. In the meantime, soak the gelatin in ice water to soften it. Add the softed gelatin to the warm puree. Add the rest of the cold puree and mix.

Fold in the whipped cream into the puree base until well combined.

Place the mousse in a piping bag and pipe on top of the pistachio joconde and freeze until set.

Strawberry Gelee

300 grams strawberry puree
60 grams sugar
5 grams gelatin sheets

Warm half of the puree with sugar. In the meantime, soak gelatin in ice water to soften it. Add the softened gelatin to the warm puree. Add the rest of the cold puree and mix well.

Pour a thin layer on top of the frozen rhubarb mousse and freeze until set.

White Chocolate Chantilly

200 grams heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks
100 grams white chocolate, melted and slightly cool

Add a third of the whipped cream into the bowl with the melted and cooled chocolate. Whisk vigorously. Then add the remaining cream and now, fold gently with a spatula.

Place chantilly in a piping bag and top the ring mold with it. Using an offset spatula, level the tops. Freeze or refrigerate depending on when it will be eaten.

Top with a quenelle of sweetened vanilla whipped cream, chopped pistachios and macarons.

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Pistachio and Grapefruit Macarons and a Pot De Creme Craving

When I was thinking about my Paris inspired post for Deb, I immediately went to the refrigerator and started separating eggs and scaling the ingredients for macarons. I later decided to go with croissants, but made the macarons regardless. How could I have a dessert related post about Paris without macarons?

It seems like there is always a large crowd of friends ready to taste whatever new flavor combination comes out of my kitchen. Although, I have to say, my macarons are pretty conservative compared to the new trends and all the experimentation that is going on in the world.




The filling on these is a white chocolate, campari and a citrus ganache that I adapted from Pierre Herme's "Macarons". I am not a big fan of white chocolate, but I do enjoy it when paired with citrus or any sour fruit. I added a bit of grapefruit zest to the shell along with pistachios.

Because I have been in an inexplicable craze for all things custard, I made small pot de cremes scented with lemon thyme. It is time for me to replant all my herbs. Unfortunately, the chamomile plant I very much love didn't make it through the winter, but the lemon thyme is still hanging in there.



Grapefruit and Pistachio Macarons

180 grams almond flour
240 grams powdered sugar
140 grams egg whites, aged
3 grams egg white powder
2 grams fine sea salt
80 grams sugar
1 tsp grapefruit zest, finely grated
few drops of red food coloring
few drops of yellow food coloring
chopped pistachios

Make sure that the egg whites have been separated from the egg yolks at least the night before. This bit of aging really makes a difference in the macarons.

In a large bowl, sift together the almond flour, powdered sugar and sea salt. Set aside.

Whip the egg whites with the egg white powder until very fluffy, almost fully whipped. Start adding the sugar slowly while whipping. Add a few drops of red and yellow food coloring and continue whipping to stiff peaks.

Add the dry ingredients and the grapefruit zest to the meringue and fold with a spatula until a shiny mass forms. We want to achieve a batter that makes ribbons. You might have to test it to see if it's done. Pipe a small amount on your sheetpan. If it keeps a little bit of a top when piped, then you have to mix it a bit further, if it spreads really fast, you have gone too far and your macarons will turn out flat.

When you have the right consistency, place the mass in a pastry bag with a number 5 tip and pipe small rounds onto sheetpans lined with parchment or silpat. Sprinkle the tops with chopped pistachios. Let them dry at room temperature for at least 45 minutes to an hour. The tops must be dry when you touch them.

Have the oven preheated to 350F degrees. Place one sheetpan in the oven at a time and reduce the temperature to 300F degrees. Bake for 10 minutes and rotate sheetpan and bake for another 5 minutes.

Let the macarons cool on the sheetpan.

Grapefruit, Campari and White Chocolate Ganache

adapted from Pierre Herme's "Macarons"

10 grams lemon juice
55 grams grapefruit juice
22 grams orange juice
25 grams campari
210 grams white chocolate

Melt the white chocolate over a double boiler. Make sure not to heat it too much or it will burn.

Combine the juices and campari and warm them to about 110F (45C). Add the juice mixture slowly into the chocolate while whisking. Mix the ganache with an immersion blender for about 3 minutes to obtain a good emulsion. Pour onto a quarter sheetpan or square cake pan. Place plastic wrap directly on the ganache and refrigerate overnight.

Lemon Thyme Pot de Creme

1 liter of heavy cream
10 egg yolks
200 grams sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
2 grams (about 3 Tbs) of fresh lemon thyme leaves

Place the heavy cream, lemon thyme leaves, lemon zest and half of the sugar in a medium saucepan.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and the rest of the sugar. Temper the hot cream over the yolks and whisk until well mixed. Strain the custard through a fine sieve to get rid of any coagulated egg yolk.

Place the ramekins you are using on a roasting pan or a sheet pan. Pour the custard into the ramekins and bring them close to the oven. Pour hot water in the roasting pan or sheet pan and place in the oven.

Bake in the water bath at 300ºF until the center of the custard doesn’t giggle when we shake the pan.

Let the ramekins cool a little bit, cover them with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a few hours.

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Tuile Madness with the Daring Bakers

January has flown by and here we are at the end of the month with another Daring Bakers challenge. It is tuile madness this month.

We were given three tuile recipes. We had to choose one and build a dessert around it. A pretty simple task that had my brain spinning for days. "What to do, what to do". Sometimes simple doesn't mean easy, but that is what I liked about the challenge. It is wide open to each individual's imagination.



Although I only followed one of the recipes given to us, I created similar tuiles with slightly different methods.

I had many ice creams and sorbets in the freezer so immediately thought about making chocolate and vanilla ice cream cones with the sugar tuile recipe. I paired the cones with chocolate and devonshire lemon ice creams. I was really inspired by the bi-color Italian cookies we used to eat with ice cream growing up.



Then came the chocolate tuiles. The recipe we were given called for dark chocolate and almonds, but I decided to use white chocolate and vanilla bean instead. I paired it with lemon streusel and blood orange sorbet. I love the contrast of the vanilla specs next to the white chocolate and the sweet and sour flavor combination.



Finally, and the most delicate of them all, are these nougatine cannelloni that were inspired by a recipe I learned from chef Christophe Michalak a few years ago. I remember having to make them for an entire week for a special we had at the restaurant where I was working. Every day, I guarded those little cannellonis with my life because the slightest movement could crush them into a million pieces. One must be gentle with these, but the result is out of this world.

They are filled with gianduja chantilly and they just dissolve in your mouth.



Vanilla and Chocolate Tuiles

adapted from “The Chocolate Book” by Master Chef Angélique Schmeinck.

65 grams / ¼ cup / 2.3 ounces softened butter (not melted but soft)
60 grams / ½ cup / 2.1 ounces sifted confectioner’s sugar
1 sachet vanilla sugar (7 grams or substitute with a dash of vanilla extract)
2 large egg whites (slightly whisked with a fork)
65 grams / 1/2 cup / 2.3 ounces sifted all purpose flour
1 table spoon cocoa powder
A couple of drops of red food coloring

Oven: 180C / 350F

Using a hand whisk or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle (low speed) and cream butter, sugar and vanilla to a paste. Keep stirring while you gradually add the egg whites. Continue to add the flour in small batches and stir to achieve a homogeneous and smooth batter/paste. Be careful to not overmix.

Mix a small amount of the batter with red food coloring and some with cocoa powder.

Cover the bowls with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to firm up. (This batter will keep in the fridge for up to a week, take it out 30 minutes before you plan to use it).

Line a baking sheet with a silicon mat. Place a stencil with a circle cut out (about 4" in diameter) on the mat. Press the stencil on the bakingsheet and use an offset spatula to spread the chocolate and vanilla batters. Leave some room in between your shapes. Place the red batter in a paper piping bag and pipe lines on the circles.

Bake in a preheated oven (180C/350F) for about 5-10 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown. Immediately release from baking sheet and proceed to shape into cornettes. Keep them in an airtight container until ready to use.

Devonshire Cream and Lemon Ice Cream

adapted from "Frozen Desserts" by Chef Migoya

450 grams whole milk
Zest of 3 medium lemons
180 grams sugar
100 grams egg yolks
375 grams devonshire cream

Place the whole milk, lemon zest and half of the sugar in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and the rest of the sugar. Temper the hot milk mixture into the egg yolk base and whisk. Return this to the saucepan and cook to 84C.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the devonshire cream. Whisk to break up any lumps. Strain the whole ice cream base through a fine sieve into a clean bowl.

Chill the mixture in an ice bath and once cool, refrigerate overnight. Churn the base in ice cream machine.

Nougatine Cannelloni

adapted from Christophe Michalak

150 grams fondant patissier
100 grams glucose
87.5 grams slivered blanched almonds
12.5 grams butter

Cook glucose and fondant to 180C. Remove from heat and add the almonds and butter. Spread this on a silicon mat and let it cool completely. Grind to a fine powder in a food processor.

Place the powder in a sieve and dust over a rectangular stencil that is placed on a silicon mat. Sprinkle enough to cover the entire surface but not too much. We want a thin nougatine.

Lift up stencil from the mat carefully and bake in a 375F oven for about 4 minutes until lightly golden and the sugar lightly melts. Let the nougatine cool for about 30 seconds on the hot baking sheet and when pliable, roll around a cylinder forming a tube. Work quickly so the nougatine doesn't harden and break. If cools down too fast, you can return the nougatine to the oven to warm up.

Store in an airtight container until ready to use.

Gianduja Chantilly

250 grams heavy cream
100 grams gianduja

Boil the cream and pour over the gianduja. Stir until the gianduja is completely melted. Refrigerate this ganache overnight and whip to thick ribbon when ready to use.

Place cream in a pastry bag and pipe into the nougatine tubes. Serve right away.

White Chocolate and Vanilla Bean Tuiles

100 grams white couverture pistoles
1 vanilla bean

Temper the couverture, and stir in the vanilla bean seeds. Take some of the couverture with the tip of an offset spatula and spread over acetate paper strips. Place the strips on a tuile pan to shape them before the chocolate hardens. Let the tuiles sit at room temperature to harden completely.

Blood Orange Sorbet

250 grams blood orange juice
110 grams sugar
2 grams sorbet stabilizer
60 grams atomized glucose
200 grams water

Place water in a saucepan and heat slightly. Add the atomized glucose, whisk and bring to a boil. Mix the sugar and the sorbet stabilizer in a bowl and add to the boiling syrup. Whisk and return syrup to a boil. Remove from heat.

Refrigerate the syrup for at least 4 hours. Add the blood orange juice to the syrup and churn in ice cream machine. Freeze.

This month's challenge is brought to us by Karen of Bake My Day and Zorra of 1x umruehren bitte aka Kochtopf. They have chosen Tuiles from The Chocolate Book by Angélique Schmeink and Nougatine and Chocolate Tuiles from Michel Roux.

Please visit other Daring Bakers to see their interpretations of the challenge.

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Tuile Madness with the Daring Bakers

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Strawberries and Vanilla Bean

I know to some of you, it might seem strange that I am using strawberries in the middle of winter, but here in Florida, we have a funny strawberry season that starts in December and lasts through May. The peak of the season and the best strawberries will be around next month and into March, but I couldn't wait to start eating them and baking with them. So I made a strawberry pate de fruit to go inside these vanilla bean macarons that I filled with a white chocolate and vanilla bean cream.




I had an eventful week filled with positive things and not so fun ones (like having my car broken into and my handbag stolen while picking up my son from school), so I am looking forward to a camping trip we have planned for this weekend. I will be taking some of these macarons on our trip and sharing the rest with friends who really deserve a thank you for all the support I have been getting lately.

I just realized yesterday that this little blog of mine will be turning one next week. Time flies, doesn't it?

Thanks everyone for your kind words, comments, votes, support... have a great weekend!



Strawberry Pate de Fruit

120 grams strawberry puree, strained
3 grams yellow pectin
15 grams sugar
150 grams sugar
30 grams glucose
4 grams lemon juice

Puree about 175 grams of strawberries to get 120 grams of seeded strawberry puree (it might vary a bit).

Mix the pectin with the 15 grams sugar.

Place the strawberry puree in a small saucepan and bring to a light boil. Add the pectin and sugar mixture and whisk. When it comes to a boil, add the rest of the sugar. Whisk and let it come to a boil again. Add the glucose and cook to 106C. It will take about 3 minutes or so on medium heat. Stir so the sugar doesn't burn on the bottom.

When it reaches the desired temperature, remove from heat, add the lemon juice and cast into half sphere silicon molds (or any mold that you would like). let it sit for a few hours until it hardens completely.

Cut into small pieces that will go inside the macarons.

Vanilla Bean Macarons

180 grams almond flour
240 grams powdered sugar
140 grams egg whites, aged
3 grams egg white powder
2 grams fine sea salt
80 grams vanilla sugar
few drops of red food coloring

Make sure that the egg whites have been separated from the egg yolks at least the night before. This bit of aging really makes a difference in the macarons.

In a large bowl, sift together the almond flour, powdered sugar and sea salt. Set aside.

Whip the egg whites with the egg white powder until very fluffy, almost fully whipped. Start adding the vanilla sugar slowly while whipping. Add a few drops of red food coloring and continue whipping to stiff peaks.

Add the dry ingredients to the meringue and fold with a spatula until a shiny mass forms. We want to achieve a batter that makes ribbons. You might have to test it to see if it's done. Pipe a small amount on your sheetpan. If it keeps a little bit of a top when piped, then you have to mix it a bit further, if it spreads really fast, you have gone too far and your macarons will turn out flat.

When you have the right consistency, place the mass in a pastry bag with a number 5 tip and pipe small rounds onto sheetpans lined with parchment or silpat. Let them dry at room temperature for at least 45 minutes to an hour.

If you want to sprinkle them with anything, you must do it right after piping while the batter is still wet. If you want to paint them, wait until they are dry and before they go in the oven.

Have the oven preheated to 350F degrees. Place one sheetpan in the oven at a time and reduce the temperature to 300 degrees. Bake for 10 minutes and rotate sheetpan and bake for another 5 minutes.

White Chocolate and Vanilla Bean Cream

125 grams heavy cream
60 grams white chocolate
1 vanilla bean, split and seeded

Chop the white chocolate nto a bowl. In a saucepan, boil the cream and the vanilla bean and pour over the chocolate. Let it sit for a minute and stir until the chocolate is completely melted.

Let this ganache sit in the refrigerator overnight and whip the next day until a thick cream is formed.

Pipe onto the macarons shells and place a piece of strawberry pate de fruit in the middle. Top with another macarons shell.

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