France (3.4.19)
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Recipes contributed by Nathalie Schorr.
France is known for its food, and perhaps especially for its decadent desserts. Here are two classics that aren't too difficult to whip up and are sure to impress. Bon appétit! Click here to download these recipes. Want to try more French recipes? Click here for the archive from our program in 2011. Click here for the archive from our program in 2018. |
Tarte Tatin
Also known as "Tarte des demoiselles Tatin," this upside-down apple pie takes its name from a story about sisters Caroline and Stephanie Tatin, who owned a restaurant where hunters would come to eat. One day one of the sisters was so flustered by a flirting hunter that when she made an apple pie, that she forgot to include the crust. (In another version of the story, she drops the pie, the apples spill out, and the crust is ruined.) Not to be defeated, she added the crust on top of the apples in the pan, baked it, then flipped it out onto a plate. Thus a classic dessert was invented. This recipe comes from around Normandy -- apple country. You can use any kind of apples; Nathalie enjoys Granny Smith, which have a pleasant tartness that works well in baking. Depending on the size of your pan and the apples, you may need more or fewer: there should be enough for a full layer.
Ingredients:
about 6 Granny Smith apples, peeled
1 stick butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 rolled pastry dough, puff pastry dough, or homemade crust
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (220°C).
2. Coat a 10-inch round cake pan or oven-proof skillet with butter (cut butter in chunks/slices and distribute in bottom of pan). Sprinkle sugar evenly over the top of the butter.
3. Place apple halves, rounded sides up, on top of the butter and sugar in a circular pattern. Fill the gaps with apple quarters or slices.
4. Place pan on the stove over medium-high heat and cook until butter melts and sugar dissolves and begins to caramelize, moving the pan around sp the sugar doesn't burn. Continue to cook until apples soften and caramel begins to brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat.
5. Sprinkle work surface with flour and roll pie dough into an 11-inch circle. Pinch edge to create a ruffle around crust.
6. Place crust on top of apples in pan and tuck in the edges.
7. Bake in the preheated oven until crust is golden brown, about 20 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes.
8. Place a plate over the top of the pan and carefully invert to release tarte from the pan. Scrape any remaining apples stuck to the pan back on top of crust.
Ingredients:
about 6 Granny Smith apples, peeled
1 stick butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 rolled pastry dough, puff pastry dough, or homemade crust
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (220°C).
2. Coat a 10-inch round cake pan or oven-proof skillet with butter (cut butter in chunks/slices and distribute in bottom of pan). Sprinkle sugar evenly over the top of the butter.
3. Place apple halves, rounded sides up, on top of the butter and sugar in a circular pattern. Fill the gaps with apple quarters or slices.
4. Place pan on the stove over medium-high heat and cook until butter melts and sugar dissolves and begins to caramelize, moving the pan around sp the sugar doesn't burn. Continue to cook until apples soften and caramel begins to brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat.
5. Sprinkle work surface with flour and roll pie dough into an 11-inch circle. Pinch edge to create a ruffle around crust.
6. Place crust on top of apples in pan and tuck in the edges.
7. Bake in the preheated oven until crust is golden brown, about 20 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes.
8. Place a plate over the top of the pan and carefully invert to release tarte from the pan. Scrape any remaining apples stuck to the pan back on top of crust.
Mousse au Chocolat
This is a great make-ahead dessert that calls for just a few ingredients and can be modified to taste. You can try using different kinds of chocolate, add a bit of orange peel, decorate with raspberries... it's up to you!'
Ingredients:
8 oz semisweet chocolate (or chocolate of your choice)
6 eggs eggs divided, at room temp
1 pinch salt
3 Tbsp sugar
Method:
Melt the chocolate either in a double boiler or in the microwave (with a little water). Set it aside to cool slightly.
In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites with the pinch of salt to stiff peaks.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks with the sugar.
Slowly add the egg yolk mixture to the melted chocolate (make sure the melted chocolate has cooled sufficiently and stir constantly so you don’t get ribbons of cooked egg yolk).
Gently fold the chocolate mixture into the stiff egg whites, using 1/3 of the chocolate at a time.
Pour or spoon the mixture into serving bowls.
Refrigerate for 4 hours before serving.
Finished mousse au chocolat will keep nicely in the refrigerator for 4 days (but don't expect it to stick around that long!).
Ingredients:
8 oz semisweet chocolate (or chocolate of your choice)
6 eggs eggs divided, at room temp
1 pinch salt
3 Tbsp sugar
Method:
Melt the chocolate either in a double boiler or in the microwave (with a little water). Set it aside to cool slightly.
In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites with the pinch of salt to stiff peaks.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks with the sugar.
Slowly add the egg yolk mixture to the melted chocolate (make sure the melted chocolate has cooled sufficiently and stir constantly so you don’t get ribbons of cooked egg yolk).
Gently fold the chocolate mixture into the stiff egg whites, using 1/3 of the chocolate at a time.
Pour or spoon the mixture into serving bowls.
Refrigerate for 4 hours before serving.
Finished mousse au chocolat will keep nicely in the refrigerator for 4 days (but don't expect it to stick around that long!).