Mango Mille Crêpes Cake

The weather has been quite summery these few days in London, it makes me think of mango, and I remember there is this Mango Mille Crêpes Cake I always wanted to try. 

It has to be chilled over night, I was so looking forward to cut a slice after work, I cant love mango & crêpe more ♥ the texture from the creamy layers make the cake so yum.

Mango Mille Crêpes Cake

For the crepes (make 15-20 layers):

1000ml milk
300g flour
90g melted butter
6 eggs

For the filling:

3-4 large mango cut into cubes
1 big tub of whipping cream (double cream + icing sugar)

Method:

1. Whisk egg and sugar in a mixing bowl until fluffy, beat in the milk and melted butter.
2. Sift the flour and beat until the batter is smooth, chill overnight for to become more elastic.
3. Heat non-stick frying pan with some butter, pour in a thin layer of batter to cover the pan, fry crepe one by one until all the batter is used up.
4. Allow them to cool. Spread whipped cream on crepe, put mango on and then another piece of crepe. Repeat the same step until all crepes are used.
5. Chill for 2 hours or overnight, slice to serve.

Tarte de Pommes a la Normande (French Apple Tart)

Do you have a crave for some special sweets/cakes you cant easily buy? I always do! I want to have a piece of french apple tart with a scoop of vanilla ice cream \(-^o^-)/. I love the lovely scent from cooking the apples with cinnamon and the buttery scent from the freshly baked sweet pastry tart ♫

Recipe adapted from Joy of Baking

Tarte de Pommes a la Normande

Makes 1 - 8 or 9 inch (20 or 23 cm) tart. 

Sweet Pastry Crust:

1 1/2 cups (195 grams) all purpose flour

1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (113 grams) room temperature unsalted butter

1 large egg

For the Apple Filling:

6 medium-sized apples (2 pounds) (900 grams) (Granny Smith or other firm textured apple)

3 tablespoons (40 grams) unsalted butter, divided

1/4 - 1/2 cup (50 - 100 grams) granulated white sugar, divided

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, divided

Confectioners' Sugar for browning the top of the tart.

For the Glaze:

1/2 cup (120 ml) apricot preserves

1 tablespoon Cognac, Calvados, Rum or Water

Method

Sweet Pastry Crust:  

Place the butter in your mixer and beat until softened. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Gradually add the egg, beating just until incorporated. (Don't over mix or the butter will separate and lighten in color.) Add flour and salt and mix just until it forms a ball. (Don't overwork or pastry will be hard when baked.) Flatten dough into disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate about one hour or until firm.

Have ready an 8 - 9 inch (20 - 23 cm) tart pan with removable bottom. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry into an 11 - 12 inch (28 - 30 cm) circle that is about 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick. To prevent the pastry from sticking to the counter and to ensure uniform thickness, keep lifting up and turning the pastry a quarter turn as you roll (always roll from the center of the pastry outwards to get uniform thickness). 

When the pastry is the desired size, lightly roll pastry around your rolling pin, dusting off any excess flour as you roll. Unroll onto top of tart pan. Never pull pastry or you will get shrinkage (shrinkage is caused by too much pulling of the pastry when placing it in the pan). Gently lay in pan and with a small floured piece of pastry, lightly press pastry into bottom and up sides of pan. Roll your rolling pin over top of pan to get rid of excess pastry. With a thumb up movement, again press dough into pan. Prick bottom of dough (this will prevent the dough from puffing up as it bakes). Cover and refrigerate for about 20 minutes to chill the butter and to rest the gluten.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven.  Line the unbaked pastry shell with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Fill tart pan with pie weights or beans, making sure the weights are to the top of the pan and evenly distributed over the entire surface.  Bake crust for 20 to 25 minutes until crust is dry and lightly browned. Remove weights and cool crust on wire rack. 

For Apple Tart:  

For bottom layer of apples: Peel, core, and slice three of the apples. In a large skillet melt 1 tablespoon (13 grams) unsalted butter and stir in between 2 - 4 tablespoons (25 - 50 grams) of the sugar, the lemon zest, and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Add the apples and saute over moderate heat, stirring occasionally for 7 to 10 minutes, or until the apples are soft. Gently mash the apples with the back of a spatula or spoon and stir the mixture until most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat and let cool.

For top layer of apples:  Peel, core, and cut the apples into slices 1/4 inch (1/2 cm) thick.  Melt 1 tablespoon (13 grams) butter in a large skillet over medium heat and stir in the other 2 - 4 tablespoons (25 - 50 grams) sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Add the apples and saute until they begin to soften, approximately 5 minutes. Set the cooked apples aside.

Spoon the applesauce mixture into the cooled pre-baked tart shell. Arrange the apple slices in concentric circles over the applesauce, and brush with 1 - 2 tablespoons (13-26 grams) melted butter. Bake the tart on a baking sheet in a preheated 350 degree F (177 degree C) oven for 25 - 30 minutes or until the apples are nicely browned and soft.  Remove from oven and sprinkle the tart with confectioners' sugar, cover the edges of tart with foil, and broil it under a preheated broiler about 4 inches from the heat until the edges of the apples are golden brown and crisp. Once the tart has cooled lightly glaze the apple slices with warm apricot glaze.

Apricot Glaze: 

In a small saucepan heat the apricot preserves until boiling. Remove from heat and strain to get rid of lumps.  Add the Cognac or water. Use this glaze to seal the baked tart shell and to brush the top of the finished tart.

Serve the tart warm or at room temperature with softly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Croquembouche

I always wanted to make one after watching The Great British Bake Off on BBC.

I was looking for the recipe and procedures to avoid making the choux pastry soggy and the tower collapse. As it is my first time making choux pastry, I decided to make some small ones to start with.

They turned out very well with the size of a one pound coin as planned, they are a bit too small to pipe the filling though..

I folded a paper shaping cone with A4 papers, turned the cone upside down, stack and "stick" them together with white chocolate. I put this pyramid into the freezer for half an hour for the chocolate to set, removed the cone and it turned out a little cute pâte à choux tower! I couldnt wait to dress it with spun sugar (♥ ‿♥) , so pretty!

Recipe adapted from BBCGoodFood

I halfed the amount for this small version of Croquembouche

Croquembouche

For the Choux Pastry

185g plain flour
175g unsalted butter , cut into pieces
6 large eggs , beaten

For the Crème pâtissière 

9 large egg yolks
150g golden caster sugar
50g plain flour , plus 1 tbsp finely grated zest of 2 lemons, plus 4 tbsp juice
500ml full cream milk
7 tbsp limoncello (Italian lemon liqueur) or an orange flavoured liqueur

For the decoration

400g white chocolate
200g refined caster sugar
mixture of cream and pink sugared almonds , 175g/6oz each
2 x 100g tubs crystallised whole roses

For the cardboard cone

1 A1 sheet of card
60cm length of string
tape and foil for shaping cone

Method:

1. Three days ahead (or 1 month and freeze): preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6/fan oven 180C. Lightly butter 3 large baking sheets. Sift the flour onto a large square of greaseproof paper. Put the butter in a large, heavy-based saucepan with 450ml/3⁄4pint water and gently heat until the butter has melted. Bring to the boil then immediately tip in the flour, all in one go. Beat with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a ball that comes away from the sides of the pan. Leave to cool for 5 minutes.

2. Beat in the eggs, a little at a time, beating well between each addition, until the mixture is glossy and only just holding its shape. You may not need to add all the beaten egg. Spoon and pack half the mixture into a large polythene freezer bag. Twist the opening to secure and snip off a 1cm tip from the corner (or use a piping bag and 1cm plain nozzle).

3. Pipe small rounds, about 2cm in diameter, on to the baking sheets, trimming the paste from the bag with a knife. Leave room between them to allow for spreading. You should end up with about 75 rounds. Bake for 25 minutes, in batches if necessary depending on how many baking sheets you have, until well risen and golden, rotating the baking sheets half way through cooking. As soon as the pastry is cooked, make a 1cm slit on the side of each bun to let the steam escape. (This stops them turning soggy as they cool). Return to the oven for a further 5 minutes to dry them out, then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container (or freeze).

4. Make the cone. Make a pencil mark halfway along a long edge of the A1 card. Mark the halfway position along both short edges and draw a line from each point to the mark on the long edge. Attach one end of the string to the pencil and holding the other end at the point on the long edge, draw a curve from the point on one short side to the point on the opposite side. Cut out the card shape and use as a template to cut out the same shape in foil. Tape the foil over the card and roll up (foil inside), overlapping the straight edges to make a cone shape with a 20cm diameter opening. Secure with tape and snip 10cm off the point of the cone.

5. Two days ahead: make the limoncello cream. Beat the egg yolks, sugar, flour, lemon zest and juice in a bowl to make a smooth paste. Bring the milk to the boil in a large, heavy-based saucepan. As soon as it reaches the boil, pour it over the egg mixture, stirring well. Return to the saucepan and cook over a low heat, stirring constantly until the sauce is very thick and bubbling. Stir in the liqueur and transfer to a bowl. Cover the surface with a circle of greaseproof paper to prevent a skin forming and leave to cool completely. Refrigerate until ready to use.

6. The day before: if the buns are a bit soft when you take them out of the container, lay them in a single layer on baking sheets and re-crisp in a moderate oven for 5 minutes. Fill them sparingly with the limoncello cream by piping as before. You can always pipe in a little extra if you have any mixture leftover.

7. Break the chocolate into a heatproof bowl and melt over a bowl of gently simmering water. (Or melt in the microwave on Medium for 2-3 minutes.) Give the chocolate an occasional stir until it has just melted. Turn off the heat.

8. Rest the cone inside a vase or jug for support. Put a small bun into the point of the cone with the bun's base face up. Spoon 1 tsp of melted chocolate onto the base and secure two small buns over the first, again with base up. Spoon over another teaspoon of chocolate. It's a little difficult working at the tip of the cone but it gets much easier as the cone gets wider.

9. Work up the cone, packing in the buns quite firmly, drizzling the chocolate (see left) and working in horizontal layers until the cone is filled. Make sure that each bun is firmly secured in place with chocolate before proceeding to the next layer and make sure the last layer forms a flat base for the cake. Keep the filled cone in the coolest place overnight.

10. On the day: carefully invert the cone on to a flat serving plate and lift away the cone. Gently peel away the foil if it hasn't come away already. Put the remaining 100g/4oz sugar in a small heavy-based saucepan with 5 tbsp water. Heat very gently, stirring slowly until it has dissolved to make a smooth syrup. Take care not to splash the syrup up the sides of the pan or it may crystallise and solidify.

11. Bring the syrup to the boil and cook for 4-6 minutes, watching closely until it turns a rich golden colour. Take off the heat and dip the base of the pan in cold water to prevent further cooking. Stand back as the pan will splutter noisily. Carefully dip the ends of the sugared almonds and roses in caramel and secure around the cake, scattering a few on the plate.

12. Using a teaspoon, drizzle more caramel around the buns so that it falls in fine threads. If the caramel hardens before you've finished decorating, gently reheat it, taking care not to burn it. Finish with a dusting of icing sugar. To serve the cake, it is easiest if you have one server to break pieces off for the guests, starting from the top and working down.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

I am totally addicted to baking recently, I go bakeware shopping more than my fashion shopping these days :-P I started owning a "portfolio" of these sweet creations and I guessed I could also start sharing the recipes.

I went to Selfridges to get more Rose & Jasmine flavoured macarons from my favourite Pierre Hermé seasonal Les Jardins collection ❤. I walked pass Lola's and heard a girl asking for the sold-out red velvet cupcakes - I so wanted to ask her if I could make her some ;)

As you could guess I did then go home and make these popular red velvet cupcakes that night.

 

Recipe adapted from Hummingbird

Red Velvet Cupcakes

For the red velvet cupcakes:

60g unsalted butter, at room temperature

150g caster sugar

1 egg

10g cocoa powder

20ml red food colouring (we recommend Dr. Oetker's or a paste colouring as red food colourings vary in strength)

½tsp vanilla extract

120ml buttermilk

150g plain flour

½tsp salt

½tsp bicarbonate of soda

1½tsp white wine vinegar

For the cream cheese frosting:

300g icing sugar, sifted

50g unsalted butter, at room temperature

125g cream cheese, cold

You'll also need:

12-hole cupcake tray, lined with large cupcake cases

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/gas mark 3.

2. Put the butter and the sugar in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy and well mixed. Turn the mixer up to high speed, slowly add the egg and beat until everything is well incorporated.

3. In a separate bowl, mix together the cocoa powder, red food colouring and vanilla extract to make a thick, dark paste. Add to the butter mixture and mix thoroughly until evenly combined and coloured (scrape any unmixed ingredients from the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula). Turn the mixer down to slow speed and slowly pour in half the buttermilk. Beat until well mixed, then add half the flour, and beat until everything is well incorporated. Repeat this process until all the buttermilk and flour have been added. Scrape down the side of the bowl again. Turn the mixer up to high speed and beat until you have a smooth, even mixture. Turn the mixer down to low speed and add the salt, bicarbonate of soda and vinegar. Beat until well mixed, then turn up the speed again and beat for a couple more minutes.

4. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until two-thirds full and bake in the preheated oven for 20–25 mins, or until the sponge bounces back when touched. A skewer inserted in the centre should come out clean. Leave the cupcakes to cool slightly in the tray before turning out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

5. Meanwhile for the cream cheese frosting: Beat the icing sugar and butter together in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) on medium-slow speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed. Add the cream cheese in one go and beat until it is completely incorporated. Turn the mixer up to medium-high speed. 

6. Continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy, at least 5 mins. Do not overbeat, as it can quickly become runny.

7. When the cupcakes are cold, spoon over the cream cheese frosting on top.