Buche de Noel

Ingredients
Walnut Biscuit:
5 eggs, separated, room temperature
100 grams granulated sugar
25 grams granulated maple sugar
125 grams cake flour, sifted
3 ounces toasted walnuts, finely chopped


Directions
Pastry Cream


4 large egg yolks
55 grams cornstarch
40 grams sugar, plus 75 grams sugar
75 grams maple syrup
2 tablespoons whiskey (recommended: Jack Daniels)
1/2 vanilla bean, scraped
2 cups milk
28 grams butter
1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon maple extract
1 cup heavy cream


Buttercream:
113 grams sugar
3 large egg yolks
1 whole egg
1 to 2 tablespoons whisky (recommended: Jack Daniels)
1/4 teaspoon maple extract
12 ounces butter, room temperature
Sugared Cranberries:
1 cup sugar
1 cinnamon stick
2 cups cranberries (cannot have been frozen)
Candied walnuts, store-bought
Candied orange peel, store-bought
Maple Tuiles


225 grams butter, at room temperature
350 grams maple syrup
1/2 vanilla bean, scraped
1/2 teaspoon salt
240 grams egg whites
225 grams all-purpose flour
Luster dust, optional


For the walnut biscuit:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a half sheet pan, line with parchment paper, butter the paper and dust with flour.


Whip the egg whites to soft peaks. Beat in both sugars and whip to a stiff, glossy meringue.


Alternately fold the cake flour and egg yolks into the meringue in 3 batches, starting and ending with the flour. Fold in the nuts.


Spread the batter evenly in the pan, and bake until the cake is pale gold, the center springs back when you press it lightly with your finger, and the edges start to pull from the sides of the pan, 10 to 12 minutes.


For the pastry cream:
Whisk the yolks, cornstarch, and the 40 grams sugar in a medium bowl; the mixture will be very thick, but try to whisk enough to remove most of the lumps.


Put the 75 grams sugar in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until dark brown; don't worry if it crystallizes a bit. Turn the heat to low and whisk in the maple syrup, then whisk in the whisky, turn up the heat, and let simmer for 1 to 2 minutes to boil off the alcohol.


Whisk the milk and vanilla bean scrapings into the caramel mixture and bring to simmer. Slowly whisk about half of the hot mixture into the yolks, then whisk that mixture back into the pot, bring to a boil, whisking, and cook, still whisking, until thickened. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter, salt and maple extract. Pour into a shallow dish, press plastic wrap onto the surface, and chill until set and very cold, about 4 hours.


Beat the cold pastry cream in a standing mixer until smooth. When ready to use, whip the cream until it is very stiff, then beat into the pastry cream. Chill until ready to use.


For the buttercream:
Put the sugar in a medium pot and add enough water just to moisten; use your fingers to wet the sugar evenly. Bring to a boil. While the sugar is heating, start beating the yolks and egg in a standing mixer with the whisk attachment.


When the syrup reaches about 240 degrees F on a candy thermometer (softball stage), pour it into the yolks with the mixer still running, taking care not to pour it onto the whisk. Beat until cooled to room temperature. Beat in the whisky and the maple extract.


Cream the butter in another mixing bowl using the paddle attachment. Beat in the cooled egg mixture until smooth. You can use it right away, or chill it overnight; if you chill it, rebeat when you are ready to assemble the cake.


For the sugared cranberries:
Have a cookie sheet or shallow dish and a slotted spoon next to the stove.


Put the sugar in a medium pot and add enough water just to moisten; use your fingers to wet the sugar evenly. Add the cinnamon stick.


Bring to a boil, add the cranberries, and immediately pull from the heat. Transfer the cranberries to the cookie sheet with the slotted spoon. Cool.


For the maple tuiles:
Cream the butter, maple syrup, vanilla bean scrapings and salt until smooth. Scrape the sides of the bowl and beat in egg whites until smooth. Beat in the flour. Let the batter rest and hour or so at room temperature, or overnight in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before baking.


Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with a silpat. Using a stencil, smear the batter thinly on the silpat and bake until dark golden brown, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the pan while still warm. If you want to shape the cookies, put them over a bottle or rolling pin while warm; let cool. If desired, brush lightly with luster dust.


Assembly:
Turn the cooled cake onto a piece of parchment or waxed paper with a long side near you. Spread the chilled pastry cream evenly over the surface, leaving a 2-inch border across from you. Using the parchment paper to lift, roll the cake as tightly as possible. Set seam side down on a platter or large pan, and chill for an hour or so.


Frost the cake with the buttercream, smoothing the surface so it looks like bark. Decorate with candied cranberries, walnuts, orange peel, and tuiles.


SOURCE

Steamed Mussels with Fennel and Ouzo

Ingredients
2 pounds cultivated mussels, scrubbed and debearded
2 shallots, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 bulb fennel, trimmed, cored and thinly sliced
1 ripe beefsteak tomato, diced
1 cup white wine
1/4 cup ouzo
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Grilled bread, for serving


Directions
Heat olive oil in a large pot over high heat on the grates of the grill. Stir in shallots and garlic and cook until tender. Stir in fennel and tomato, and continue cooking about 5 minutes. Add white wine and ouzo and reduce by half. Add the heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Stir in mussels, 1/2 the basil and season with salt and pepper. Cover the pan and cook until the mussels are open, discarding any that do not. Stir in the remaining basil and serve in large bowls with grilled bread.


SOURCE

Gratin Dauphinois

Ingredients
3 cups heavy cream
6 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch thick slices (on mandoline or with a knife)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 clove garlic, peeled and halved
1 cup grated Gruyere
2 tablespoons chopped chives, optional


Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.


Bring 2 cups of the heavy cream to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Add the potatoes, salt and pepper and cook for 3 minutes.


Rub the cut side of the garlic clove on the bottom and sides of an 8-inch casserole or baking dish. Add the potatoes and cream and top with the remaining cream and Gruyere cheese. Sprinkle chives over top, if using. Bake on a baking sheet until potatoes are tender and cheese is golden brown and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes before serving.

SOURCE

Gratin Dauphinois

Peach-Blackberry Pie

Ingredients
Crust:
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, plus more for rolling
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup chilled solid vegetable shortening, cut into pieces
4 to 7 tablespoons ice water or more, if needed
Filling:
3 pounds mixed yellow and white peaches, peeled, pitted, sliced about 1/2-inch thick
1/3 to 1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/3 to 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground fresh nutmeg
2 tablespoons peach eau de vie
1/4 cup cornstarch or tapioca
1 cup fresh blackberries
2 tablespoons cassis
2 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
2 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream
2 to 3 tablespoons turbinado sugar


Directions
Combine the flour, sugar, salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times to combine.


Scatter the butter and shortening over the top of the flour mixture and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the water a few tablespoons at a time and pulse until the dough just comes together. Remove the dough from the machine and lightly knead on a flat surface until it just comes together. Form into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.


Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.


For the filling:


Combine peaches, sugars, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, peach eau de vie and cornstarch or tapioca in a large bowl and mix until well combined. Toss the blackberries with the cassis. Let sit for 10 minutes, then use a slotted spoon to spoon the berries into the peaches, and toss.


Divide the dough in half and roll each half out on a lightly floured surface to 13 to 14- inch round. Transfer 1 of the rounds into the bottom of a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Spoon the fruit into the crust using a slotted spoon. Add some of the juices that have accumulated in the bowl. Scatter the butter over the top. Roll up remaining dough on rolling pin and unroll atop peach mixture. Trim edges of both crusts to 3/4-inch overhang. Fold edges over; press to seal. Crimp edges. Cut 6 slits in top crust to allow steam to escape. Brush top of the pie with the cream and sprinkle with the turbinado sugar. Place the pie on a baking sheet and bake on the bottom rack of the oven until the crust is golden and juices bubble thickly through slits, covering edges of crust with foil if browning too quickly, about 1 hour 20 to 30 minutes, until the bottom crust is brown and the juices bubbling. Cool pie 3 hours.


SOURCE

Blackberry-Peach Pie

Pumpkin French Toast Stuffed with Blackberry-Caramel Mascarpone

Ingredients

Blackberry-Caramel:

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup blackberry puree
• 2 teaspoons blackberry liqueur
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 
  

French Toast:

• 4 large eggs
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 3/4 cups whole milk, plus more if needed
• 1/2 cup heavy cream, divided
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon dark rum
• 8 slices day old challah, sliced 1/2-inch thick
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups mascarpone, at room temperature
• 1 pint blackberries, halved lengthwise
• Confectioners' sugar
• Fresh mint sprigs, for garnish

Directions

Blackberry-Caramel:

Heat the cream in a small saucepan over low heat.

Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan over high heat and cook, without stirring, until amber brown, about 8 minutes. Slowly whisk in the warm cream, blackberry puree and liqueur and cook until smooth and slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla extract. Let come to room temperature.

French Toast:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Put a baking sheet in the oven.

Whisk together the eggs, sugar and salt in a large baking dish until smooth. Add the pumpkin puree, ground spices, milk, 1/4 cup of the heavy cream, vanilla and rum and whisk until smooth.

Put 4 slices of the bread in the custard mixture and let sit for 2 minutes. Carefully turn over the slices and let sit until the bread is completely soaked through, about 2 more minutes.

While the bread is soaking, heat 3 tablespoons of the butter and 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat until the mixture begins to sizzle. Cook the 4 slices of the bread until golden brown on the bottom, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip over and continue cooking until the bottom is golden brown, about 2 minutes longer. Remove to the baking sheet in the oven to keep warm. Wipe out the pan with paper towels and repeat the process with the butter, oil and remaining 4 pieces of bread.

Combine the mascarpone and remaining 1/4 cup of heavy cream in a bowl and using a stand mixer or hand-held mixer, beat until fluffy and smooth. Scrape the mixture into a bowl and fold in a few tablespoons of the blackberry-caramel sauce. Put the sauce into a small saucepan over low heat and heat or put it in the microwave for a minute or so to just warm through.

Remove the French toast from the oven and arrange them on a serving platter. Top 4 slices of the toast with a large dollop of the blackberry-caramel mascarpone and some of the blackberries. Cover with the remaining 4 pieces of toast and drizzle each with some of the warm blackberry caramel sauce. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, garnish with fresh mint sprig and serve.

 SOURCE

French Toast