Biscuits, strawberries, whipped cream. Those are the base components of a classic strawberry shortcake. I vary it a little by using Chantilly cream which is a more indulgent version of whipped cream: heavy cream whipped with sugar and vanilla extract. The biscuits are a variation of my go-to recipe, but sweeter and incorporating Rose Levey […]
READ ONMy style of baklava is nut-heavy, as you can see. I like it that way, though it does produce a baklava that isn’t easy to eat according to formal Turkish baklava etiquette. If you’re a stickler for formality, cut down the nuts. The result will be pieces of baklava that are easier to spear with […]
READ ONIt’s a tough question, because it all depends on what you mean by baklava. I get frustrated reading a lot of food history, because so many food historians seem to want to trace everything back to antiquity. When cheesecake cookbook authors start talking about the Minoans, or deep-dish pizza recipe writers refer to the Etruscans, […]
READ ON…is how I like my baklava. Commercially-made filo dough doesn’t taste like much, so why not go where the flavor is? Like any simple recipe, the better your base ingredients, the better the end product will be, so get good butter, grind your spices fresh, you know the drill. This recipe fits a 9″ x […]
READ ONIf I were to try to describe Joe Pastry heaven to you, it would go a little something like this: a warm spring afternoon, the kids and the missus are taking a nap. There’s a cold bottle of suds open, and a big ol’ pastry to build. That was my Sunday, friends, and here’s what […]
READ ONSo, it’s the day of your marjolaine “build” and it’s time to make your fillings. Marjolaine typically has two different cream fillings (usually pastry cream or buttercream, but I’ve also seen whipped cream versions), one flavored with nuts, nut paste or praline, and the other flavored with vanilla and a liqueur of some type. What’s […]
READ ONSince opinion is divided on which version of marjolaine is superior, the one made with sponge cake or the one made with meringue, I decided to demonstrate both: For Sponge Cake Layers You’ll need: 6 egg whites 3 ounces (1 cup) toasted, sliced almonds 4.5 ounces (1 cup) toasted hazlenuts 7 ounces (1 cup) sugar […]
READ ONWhat, you mean you didn’t know you could make ganache with crème fraîche? Indeed you can, and a splendidly rich, smooth, sweet and tangy experience it is too. Some people make ganache using nothing but crème fraîche (or sour cream) for the dairy component. I myself prefer a mellower 50-50 blend of crème fraîche and […]
READ ONPraline is what we’re going to use to flavor one of the layers of pastry cream. It’s a simple, fun and kinda silly part of the marjolaine-making process. Start by greasing a sheet pan or cookie sheet. You can use butter, oil or cooking spray like I’m doing here. (A Silpat comes in very handy […]
READ ONOne batch of pastry cream as listed on the components menu to the right, with one exception: leave out the vanilla bean. You can keep this in the fridge, covered, for days. Oh, and if you prefer making your marjolaine with buttercream, make a batch of plain Swiss or Italian meringue buttercream. I know, this […]
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