Canneles Bordelais from Bordeaux (Similar to Yorkshire Pudding, only sweet!)

When the Vesuvius erupted in Pompei as early as 79 B.C., large jugs of wine from Bordeaux were lying in some cellars, as Romans produced it in this part of France since 60 B.C. Later, the English enjoyed drinking it, as well as the Dutch who improved roads so they could receive it quickly.

If you visit the wine country around Bordeaux, the rows of vines will relax you like an optical illusion full of dark green stripes stretching over inviting, rolling hills. Even if you visit a wine cellar, you might not be fully satisfied until you are able to enter the fields and feel the special terroir under your feet, and see the curly leaves and heavy dark blue beads.

Not only can you taste the world-renowned wines in Bordeaux, but you will also be visiting a UNESCO World Heritage site, second only to Paris as far as the number of buildings is concerned. http://www.google.com/intl/en/culturalinstitute/worldwonders/bordeaux/Its port, where metals, copper, sugar, rum, and wine has been traded, has existed since 300 B.C., and was once the most important one in France. It was part of England for four centuries, after Eleanor of Aquitaine married Henry Plantagenet.

http://www.bordeaux-tourisme.com/

History


If you ever hoped for a sweet version of Yorkshire pudding, this is it. The crunchy, sometimes rubbery delectable exterior contrasts with the soft interior.

They were created in the city of Bordeaux, by nuns who made an earlier version, cannelats, for poor children. It used to be shaped in the form of a stick. Others believe that pastry makers that were members of the association of canauliers were responsible for the more recent version of this treat. In the 1700's Bordeaux, in addition to the bakers' guild, there was another similar guild called canauliers.

The authentic version of this treat, which uses eggs yolks, rum, and vanilla, is sold in the city of Bordeaux, and is spelled with one n: canele, to differentiate it from similar pastries sold in other places, or made with different flavorings. The latter are referred to as "canneles bordelais."

Recipe from http://www.easy-french-food.com/canneles.html
2 cups milk
3 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs and 2 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1/4 cup rum

Melt the butter, then add the milk and sugar. Mix the rest of the ingredients into the previous batter and place in the refrigerator in a closed container with a spout for 24 hours. Next, place a silicone cannele mold on top of a grill or cookie sheet. Pour the batter into it, almost all the way to the top.

Bake in a 475 degree oven for 15 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 60 minutes. Remove from the oven. 
Cool for ten minutes, and pull them out of the pan.


References
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canel%C3%A9
http://www.paula-wolfert.com/recipes/canele.html

French Baba au Rhum, on July 14th or Bastille Day

A sleek, black and blue vehicle emerges from a platform like a Batmobile prancing across a screen, accompanied by music in a movie. Giant silver bullets with motors and doors lie peacefully, as metallic, prehistorically sized insects prowl nearby. The batmobile is one of 140 Bugatti automobiles from a 600-car collection in Mulhouse, Alsace--a National Automobile Museum. (Take a virtual tour by clicking on this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtR5F9Cx0E4 It is in this French region Alsace Lorraine, where the baba au rhum dessert, now eaten all over France, originated. Some of Lorraine's attractions include the largest U.S. World War I cemetery outside of the United States, the birthplace of Joan d'Arc, and the Stanislas plaza in Nancy,where the polish king took over the duchy of Lorraine for a period of time.The first baba au rhum I tried was in a French airport. The miniature cylinder was brown in color, didn't have whipped cream, and was liberally soaked in a delectable rum sugar syrup. 

History     The babka, or polish yeast cake was taken to Alsace/Lorraine by the exiled Polish king Stanislas, who was appointed mayor of Nancy in Lorraine by his son-in-law, King Louis XV of France. Some report that he had trouble chewing on dried kugelhopf, and thus requested that alcohol be added to the cake to make it softer. Others say that he brought back a babka from home once; it dried up, and thus his chef added wine, raisins, and cream to soften the cake. The original shape of babas is a cylinder, but after 1835, when the modern rum baba was created, a ring mold called a savarin is also the common shape used. The baba was taken to Naples by French cooks, and is known by that name. The original baba has yeast; on easy french food.com you can find the following recipe that uses baking powder instead:

Recipe from 

http://www.easy-french-food.com/baba-au-rhum.html

3 eggs, separated

1/4 cup butter

1 cup flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup milk

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat the yolks and sugar for 2 minutes. Melt butter and add to the mixture. Next, stir in the milk, baking powder, and flour. Whip the egg whites, then fold them into the mixture. Pour into a greased flanera, savarin pan,or 6-cup ring mold. (You can also pour into several small pans for individual babas). Place in oven and bake for 25 minutes.

Rum Syrup

2/3 cup water

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup rum

Mix water and sugar in pan and heat until it boils. Remove from heat, cool and stir in rum. 

When the cake is still warm, poke holes in it with a toothpick or fork. Pour the rum syrup on the cake.

Decorate with 1 to 3 cups of whipped cream, to taste, and fruit.

References
http://behind-the-french-menu.blogspot.com/

http://french.about.com/od/culture/a/bastille-day.htm

http://www.easy-french-food.com/baba-au-rhum.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rum_baba

http://www.tourism-lorraine.com/en/pageTouristique.asp?IDPAGET=501&sX_Menu_selectedID=m2_DAAABA13

http://www.tourisme-alsace.com/enen/pageTouristique.asp?IDPAGET=501&sX_Menu_selectedID=m2_DAAABA13

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEoHoffmbXI&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypdcF6yCXDE&feature=related
http://www.citedelautomobile.com/fr/home
http://about-france.com/regions/lorraine.htm

Macarons in Poitou Charentes, France

La Rochelle
This seaside fort that is hundreds of years old has a massive cylindrical-shaped tower surrounded by a long wall, that gives a medieval ambience to shops that are not too far away. Together with the ile of Re, it was a stronghold that protected France, even during world war II, when the city was a submarine base.

In a bakery at La Rochelle, I recall finding a variety of flavored macarons. Not just food-colored macarons with varied jelly fillings, but different flavored macarons that came with flavored buttercream or ganache fillings. They had not only almond, chocolate, pistachio, and macarons; they also had bluegrass, jasmine, lavender, and rose. There is something scintillating about finding flavors that you don't expect in your dessert; not to mention finding flavors that you didn't even know were edible.
History of the Macaron
Near La Rochelle, in Montmorillon (Poitou-Charentes region), there is a museum dedicated to almonds and macarons, one of the towns where one of the earliest versions of macarons were first made since 1673, after the first non-sweet macaron shells (similar to amaretti cookies) were brought by the Medicis from Italy in 1611. The words macaron and macaroni mean "fine paste".
Almonds, the main raw material included in this delicacy, were first taken to Vienna from the Middle East.
La Duree in Paris, however, is the first place that made the modern version of the macaron, in the beginning of the 20th century. Pierre Desfontaines, a relative of the owner, placed ganache (melted chocolate with whipping cream) in between two macaron shells.
Other towns and regions reknowned for their macaron cookies, which are all differ quite a bit: Amiens, Le Dorat, Sault, Cormery, Joyeuse, Chartres, Nancy, Boulay, Saint-Emilion and Sainte-Croix.

My second Macaron Wreck, consisting of cracked shells.

Pierre Herme Recipe (adapted instructions and quantities) from Secrets Gourmands
140 grams of almond flour
240 grams powdered sugar
100 g egg whites, at room temperature
pinch of salt

Age egg whites for 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator, in a container that is loosely covered with aluminum foil. If you will make your own almond flour, loosely weigh the almonds, then blanche them (place the almonds in skins in boiling water for 2 minutes, then remove them) so that you can easily remove the skins. Once the skins have been peeled, let the almonds dry. Then you may place them in a coffee grinder, on the finest grinding setting. Grind the almonds, then sift the meal. Use only the almond flour that has gone through the sifter.
Sift the almond flour and powdered sugar, and place in a bowl. Beat the aged egg whites separately, then add them to the dry mixture. Beat at least fifty times.
Pour the beaten egg whites onto your almond flour mixture and gently fold them in, using a rubber spatula. Move your spatula from the bottom of the bowl to the edges with one hand, using your other hand to rotate the bowl. Watch a video to get a clear idea: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2L1zbAOQ3EI 
Now hit the spatula against the rim of the bowl until the batter falls in a wide ribbon when you raise the spatula. When you can´t see any crumbs of almond flour and the mixture is shiny and flowing, the batter is ready.

Place your batter in a pastry bag, and add a number 12 tip. Squeeze the bag in a 90 degree angle onto the parchment-lined baking sheet, that has the 2.5 inch macaron-patterned-printout underneath. If you prefer a smaller sized macaron, choose the 2 centimeter macaron pattern. It was surprising that one of the black and white patterns I found online was so pretty and elegant that it was perfect for putting me in the right mood for piping.
When you're squeezing, don't move it; just let the batter puff up around it, until the circle you see underneath the paper is full. Then shake the pan delicately sideways, against the tabletop, holding the paper in place with your thumbs,  until the tips on top of the batter rounds disappear. If necessary, poke them delicately with a spatula to get rid of them. Preheat the oven to 325 F. TIP: Let the macarons rest for 30 minutes.

TIP: Place the cookie sheet on top of another cookie sheet, and insert the pair in the oven. (TIP:) Insert a wooden spoon between the door and the rest of the stove. Bake for 14 minutes, and test; if it is necessary, leave it longer, until it is cooked. TIP: After you take them out of the oven, cool for 2 minutes before peeling them off.

Macaron shell wrecks

Filling

Chocolate Ganache
8 oz. semisweet chocolate
4 oz. whipping cream
Melt chocolate for 30 seconds in a bowl in the microwave, then stir. and add whipping cream.


TIP:Once you place the filling in between the shells, you can let the pastry wait for 1 or two days in the refrigerator until it has the right texture (some say it is a marriage of flavors).



Upcoming posts

Salted Caramels from France (Ile de Re)
Milk Candy from Antigua Guatemala


References:
http://issuu.com/helened/docs/demystifyingmacarons
http://www.squidoo.com/french-macaroon
http://foodnouveau.com/2011/12/16/france/a-macaron-troubleshooting-guide-useful-tips-and-advice-to-master-the-french-delicacy/
http://vivianmacaron.com/2011/06/preparing-to-make-macarons.html
http://lardonmyfrench.blogspot.com/2010/10/10-tips-and-tricks-for-making-french.html
http://www.laduree.fr/en/histoire/macaron
http://www.museedumacaron.com/press_book.htm
http://www.ville-larochelle.fr/en/decouvrir-la-ville/histoire-et-patrimoine.html

Cherry Clafoutis from Limousin, France

Cherry Clafoutis

I felt a strong tremor move the desk, floor, and walls around me. A few minutes later, the first thing I thought of doing was check the U.S. website that reported the magnitude of quakes around the world. Beneath the quake I had felt, on the chart, there was also a report of a small tremor in France, near the Massif Central. I didn´t know France had quakes and much less a volcano!
On a long train ride (about 30 hours) a few years later, travelling from southern to northern France, I realized the train would make a small stop at a  train station in the Massif Central. "How exciting!"  I thought, "I´ll be able to see France´s volcano! Earlier in the afternoon, the train cars travelled past the proverbial house built on a rock. Meandering rivers and green valleys surrounded a large cliff that held one house on the very top. Slowly, dusk was arriving. When we arrived at the long-awaited station, instead of witnessing a large volcano, all I could see was the pitch-dark dusk outside. I squinted, and still couldn´t see much.

Ceramic dishes made in Limoges, Limousin

About Clafoutis and Limousin
In Limousin, the bread basket of France, cherries are available from late May through June. Plums, peaches, apples, pears, figs, and medlar appear in the following months. Cherries are useful for lowering cholesterol, and for lessening inflammation.
Clafoutis comes from the verb clafir, which means to fill. The batter is filled with cherries. Others believe that the word clafoutis refers to the fact that the cherries resemble nails in midst of the custard. Those who dislike finding the pits in the cherries and therefore in the custard, will indeed feel that the cherries are as hard as nails.
The traditional way to make this dish involves leaving the pits in the cherries. In order to keep this recipe authentic, some cooks argue that the final product will be too liquid, because the cherry juices will leak into the custard, and they might have a point there. Others go so far as to say that the pits expel a special flavor to the dish. At any rate, if you want to make an authentic clafoutis, leave those cherry pits in. Look at the bright side. I know I did. You won´t have to pit the cherries! How easy can a cherry dessert get!


Recipe

1 pound of cherries, washed
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 cup milk plus 1/2 cup cream; OR  only 1 1/2 cups milk for a more authentic Limousin clafoutis
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt



Grease the 9- inch round or square pan, and place washed, unstemmed cherries on it. I used sweet cherries, as many people do, though the authentic recipe calls for tart cherries. Place the flour and sugar in a bowl. Add the eggs, mixing them slowly into the flour. As it thickens, add the milk and melted butter, and make sure you don´t get any lumps. Add vanilla. Pour over cherries, and bake in a 375 degree F oven (190) for 45-60 minutes. It is cooked when you can press it lightly with your fingertips, and the top is golden brown.

References
http://suite101.fr/article/recettes-du-clafoutis-aux-cerises-traditionnel-et-autres-fruits-a13314
http://www.marthastewart.com/344662/cherry-clafouti?center=276955&gallery=274446&slide=282911
http://les-trois-chenes.hubpages.com/hub/Clafouti-with-Cherries-a-Traditional-French-Dessert-Recipe
http://www.easy-french-food.com/cherry-clafoutis-recipe.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clafoutis

Flower Flavored Desserts and Cooling Off

In Nice, France, I felt like I was eating a delicious garden, as the cold sherbet touched my lips. I had jumped at the chance to try a flavor that I couldn´t find anywhere else. And there was more than one option, so I chose jasmine and rose "glace", which means ice.

Ever since then, I have been on the lookout for exotic ice cream flavors in general, and on the other hand, floweromatic dessert raw materials, such as edible rose flower water. This is certainly an acquired taste, as most people don´t expect to find their perfume on their tongue. But I can´t get enough of it. It can get lonely sometimes (just kidding) but look at the positive side: it means you can repeat yourself for sure!

Last year, I discovered a lavender lemonade recipe by accident. I readily went on a quest for lavender buds at my local tea store. And today I finally made that lavender lemonade adorned with ice, which is a fancy iced  infusion blended with lemonade, perfect for cooling off on a hot day. Never mind that today happened to be one of the few cool and windy days in the entire year.

Here is the recipe, from allrecipes:

2 cups boiling water

1/4 cup lavender buds for infusion

3/4 cup granulated sugar

Boil the water, take off heat, and infuse the buds in the water for 10 minutes. Remove lavender buds with a sifter. Next, add sugar.

8 lemons

5 cups of water

Squeeze the lemonade, add it to water in the pitcher. 

Add the lavender-sugar water. Add ice cubes and serve, or serve and add ice cubes to each glass! Enjoy!

What are your favorite floweromatic dessert discoveries?