Every tips you need to make desserts like in a French Bakery
Tomorrow’s Mother’s Day and you’ve completely forgotten to buy a present? Or would you like to make a small, easy but eye-catching recipe to please Mum? Don’t panic, I’ve got some super girly pink meringues for you, using leftovers from the fridge! Continue reading “Mother’s Day pink meringues”
As I announced in my article on lemon macaroons, I was recently invited to Lyon to the Sève chocolate factory to discover the Musco (chocolate museum) and take a macaroon masterclass. I learned a lot (it’s not every day you get to take a class with a member of Relais et Desserts!). As I’ve been given permission to publish the recipe, I’m giving you all the tips you need to make macarons just like the chef! And if you’ve been following my adventures on Instagram, I’ve finally revealed the recipe and method for making the famous ganache that has turned so many heads! Continue reading “Richard Sève’s macaroons”
Who has never cracked at snack time for small Breton shortbread? Until very recently, I had never done it myself. But one day when I was looking for a quick snack with few ingredients, this recipe stood out for its simplicity. Since then, it’s my secret trick that I pull out when I need a quick and easy snack!
Breton shortbread was originally prepared by Breton housewives for their energetic quality and their long shelf life. This makes it the ideal biscuit for times of war and long sea trips. It was in the 20th century that the Traou Mad pastry shop devoted itself exclusively to this biscuit and made it a symbol of Brittany recognized worldwide! Local producers are also in discussion to obtain the Protected Geographical Indication label.
Breton shortbread, also called Breton biscuit, is of course a recipe prepared with salted butter. Forget recipes that add salt independently. For the rest of the ingredients, get good flour and free-range eggs (if you can) and you’ll have everything you need to make the real Breton shortbread recipe!
For traditional Breton shortbread, you can use either T45 or T55 flour. It is also possible to put 50% buckwheat flour to bring a slightly more authentic taste. For a gluten-free version, you can use rice flour.
As I told you in the intro, making a Breton shortbread is quite easy and quick. First sift the flour with the baking powder. Next, whiten the egg yolks with the sugar. When it has tripled in volume, add the flour and baking powder. Once the mixture is homogeneous, it is time to add the softened salted butter (at room temperature, therefore, not melted). Mix again until all the ingredients are well combined. No technical difficulty, the success of the recipe lies above all in the cooling time.
Once the dough is finished, it must be cooled in order to be able to detail it. For this, we make a sausage of dough in plastic film. After a passage in the fridge (about 1 hour), the dough is ready to be cut into 0.5 cm slices (more if you want them really thick. And to keep the round shape, I advise you to cook them in individual circles. This is the secret to obtaining very round and thick Breton shortbread.
Place the slices of dough on a baking sheet covered with a silpat sheet (I only use that now and it’s really the best!). The shortbreads are cooked for 15 to 20 minutes in an oven heated to 165°C. They’re done when they look dry and the edge is lightly browned.
These little Breton shortbread cookies never last long, but if there are any left after the first pass, you can keep them for a week in an airtight container.
Enjoy your Breton shortbread with a good cup of hot tea and why not a lick of Guérande salt caramel . You tell me the news !
You may have seen it on Instagram, I was invited to Lyon at the Chocolaterie Sève to learn how to make macaroons. Richard Sève (and his wife Gaëlle, it’s a team!) are among the few chocolatiers in France to produce their own chocolate (what we call a bean-to-bar chocolatier). I learned a lot of stuff about macaroons that I’m going to share with you. But before, I had already made lemon macaroons by picking from Christelle’s pastry recipes (I know they always work very well!). I therefore present to you today the lemon macaroons according to “Once upon a time the Pastry”. And I will give you the recipe and tips from Richard Sève in another article. Continue reading “Lemon macaroons: 6 steps to success”
