Steaming is an ideal cooking method for almost any vegetable. Not only does steaming help to retain most of the vegetables nutrients, it also helps to preserve its shape and vibrant color.
In this Rouxbe Cooking School lesson on How to Steam Vegetables, we will show you how to prepare, steam and test vegetables for doneness. You will also learn how to finish and season vegetables in ways that will complement their natural flavors. You will also learn how to store steamed vegetables, so you can quickly and easily incorporate them into other dishes throughout the week. There are plenty of practice exercises, so get out your steamer and get cooking!
Many people say that one either loves culinary (the savory stuff) or they love pastry (the sweet stuff) - that can't love or do both; but, I tend to disagree. By default, I tend to cook more than I bake, so, when the opportunity strikes to make some sort of pastry treat, a little sparkle in my eye appears. For me, when I get to pick up a piping bag - whether it is for piping truffles, putting icing on a cake, or batter into a pan - I get a bit giddy.
Madeleines are shell-shaped, tiny French cakes with a long history. These soft and moist cakes have delicious, lightly-crisped edges. While there are a few different methods in which to make these, this recipe is quick to put together and can be one of those "go to" treats when you unexpectedly have company coming. They are also a great hostess gift or can help to cheer someone up. We actually took a batch of these to Dawn's little niece who is currently fighting cancer. She's definitely a positive, little trooper and she was so pleased to be able to pass them around to share with everyone!
While I have learned to let go of recipes in the culinary world, with baking I get to feed that part of my personality that loves to measure, be exact and follow certain rules. It never ceases to amaze me how many different things can be made out of butter, sugar and flour. Once you learn a bit about the function of ingredients and how they produce certain textures and flavors, you have a better understanding of the whole process of baking, so there's no need to be afraid of it. It's just like learning a new cooking technique.
Madeleines are best served warm, so they are one of those pastries that you don't have to wait for them to cool completely before diving in (and that's a good thing, as it's almost impossible to wait for them). This easy-to-make batter keeps well in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days so you can have freshly-baked madeleines any time.
Click on the link to view the full text recipe for Madeleines.
Happy Baking!
Fall has to be one of the best seasons. How can't it be with all of those warm, comforting dishes? Click through to Rouxbe's Blog to see a few of our favorite fall recipes.
I recently woke up at 3am from my
first-ever root canal which had gone bad. I couldn't sleep, so I thought why
not bake? I made one of Marcelo's favorites - lemon-cranberry scones. Even
though I couldn't chew very well, the cake-like texture, along with the lemon
fondant, melted in my mouth.
Scone Ingredients:
140 ml whole milk
2 large eggs (100 ml)
1 tsp lemon zest
120 g unsalted butter
100 g sugar
320 g cake flour
80 g bread flour
10 g baking powder
3 g sea salt
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 large egg (for egg wash)
To make the scones, first preheat your oven to 340º degrees Fahrenheit.
Whisk the milk, eggs and lemon zest together and set aside. Cream the butter
and sugar until light. Sift the dry ingredients together and fold them into the
mixture. The texture should be crumbly, so don't over mix.
Lightly fold in the milk mixture just until combined; then add the cranberries.
Dust the counter top with flour. Gently divide the dough and shape into two
rounds, so they are about 1 inch high. Cut into triangles and transfer to a
baking sheet. Brush lightly with egg wash and bake until light golden brown,
about 15-20 minutes.
Lemon Fondant
3/4 cup fondant
1 tsp. egg white
zest of 1/2 a lemon
1-2 tsp. lemon juice
While the scones are baking, place the fondant in a bain marie. Heat over
low heat and add the lemon zest, lemon juice and egg white. Stir to combine and
bring the mixture just above body temperature.
Once the scones are done, place them onto a cooling rack and let cool
slightly. Drizzle with the lemon fondant and enjoy.
Makes about 12.
It's important not to over work the dough. Be gentle with it and work
quickly. Avoid over-baking - bake just until they are light golden brown
underneath.
Fondant is that sweet, shiny glaze which appears on many pastries and baked goods. Its creamy texture melts in your mouth and it also helps to keep baked goods moist. It's fairly easy to make and will store indefinitely at room temperature in a sealed container. You can also pour a thin layer of water on the surface to prevent it from drying out and forming a crust.
To make approximately 1.5 cups of fondant, you will need the following ingredients:
500 grams granulated sugar 250 ml water 50 grams glucose
To begin, use a very clean pot and bring the water and sugar to a boil until it reaches 113º C (235º F). Skim off any foam/impurities that may rise to the surface. This should take at least 10-15 minutes. Once the sugar reaches that temperature, add the glucose and continue to boil until the temperature reaches118º C (244º F). Immediately take the pot off of the heat and place into an ice bath to stop the cooking process.
Carefully pour the hot syrup onto a marble or granite counter top. Using a bench scraper, move the sugar around to bring down the temperature.
As you continue to agitate it, it will go from a clear syrup to a milky-white consistency.
As you work the sugar, it will eventually become crumbly.
When you have reached this stage, begin to knead the sugar, as you would dough, until it is nice and smooth. You don't have to knead it this far, but you can see that it becomes soft again.
Once you're done, transfer the mixture to a container. The fondant can be stored indefinitely and can be used a bit at a time.
To use fondant:
To use the fondant, you'll need to warm it slightly. Place the amount you're going to use into a bain marie over low heat. Bring the temperature up until it's just above body temperature. Whisk in 1-2 teaspoons of egg white and a few drops of lemon juice.
For flavoring, I added a bit of lemon zest to match the flavors for my baked goods, but you can use any flavoring or extract, and even add food coloring. It's also nice to keep it plain.
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