Tag: French

Chartreuse With Envy

All spirits come with a good bit of lore and legend, though few come even close to the mythos surrounding Chartreuse. More than a color, “chartreuse” also refers to a region, Carthusian Monks, and of course, the liqueur. Part of the allure is the scarcity, raising prices to the realm of top shelf bottles, if you can even get your hands on it at all. At the end of the day, when happy hour rolls around, its inimitable flavor cements its place in modern mixology.

An Elixir For Long Life

Fortunately for us history buffs, the origins of Chartreuse are well documented. In 1605, a mysterious manuscript containing the recipe for an “elixir of long life” was presented to the Carthusian monks in Paris by François Hannibal d’Estrées, Marshal to King Henry IV. The document described an elaborate preparation using 130 plants, flowers, roots, and spices. It was so complex that it would take the monks more than a century to fully interpret and bring to fruition.

It’s said that this was the number of ingredients because it simply encompassed every single potentially beneficial flower, spice, bark, root, and berry known at that time. The contents of that manuscript have been kept a closely guarded secret ever since. Intended to be purely medicinal, none of these men of God could have imagined the debauchery it might one day inspire.

Shades of Green and Yellow

Due to lack of access, most people think of Chartreuse as having only two varieties: green and yellow. While they’re not wrong, there are more variants of each one, differentiated by blending and aging.

Élixir Végétal

Small adjustments were made for the next 100 years, until 1737 when Élixir Végétal De La Grande-Chartreuse was officially bottled for sale. This concentrated tonic remains exactly the same to this day, aside from the tiniest reduction in ABV, from 71 – 69%, rumored to fit through a loophole allowing it in carry-on luggage. Made from a neutral alcohol traditionally distilled from beet sugar, a few drops can perk up any cocktail, much like bitters, or even be enjoyed straight-up. With top notes of anise, a subtle bitterness yet balanced sweetness, it has a complexity that’s impossible to describe in a few short sentences. Anything I write sounds polarizing, off-putting, or at odds with any conventional flavor pairings, and yet the actual tasting experience is anything but.

Core Colors

Green Chartreuse, the most iconic expression of the art, came soon after. This “health liqueur” gets its color naturally from chlorophyll, befitting of its herbaceous, slightly spicy flavor. Yellow Chartreuse uses more sugar and is lower proof, producing a downright syrupy consistency that could replace any additional sweeteners in a cocktail with greater nuances of citrus and delicate florals.

1605 and MOF

Launched in 2005 to celebrate 400 years of distilling, Liqueur d’Elixir 1605 pays tribute to an alternate creation, Liqueur de Santé, which was later renamed Green Chartreuse in 1840. Blending a small amount of the powerful Herbal Elixir de la Grande-Chartreuse into the standard green Chartreuse base, gives it the familiar intense botanicals of green Chartreuse with a less sweet finish. Similarly Chartreuse MOF is a collaboration between the Carthusian monks and France’s prestigious Meilleurs Ouvriers de France (MOF) sommeliers, released in 2008. Dryer than the classic yellow, it’s intended as a digestif after dinner, never to be muddied as a mixer. And you had better sip slowly, because both will ring up at over $200 per bottle.

V.E.P. Green and V.E.P. Yellow

V.E.P. stands for “Vieillissement Exceptionnellement Prolongé,” otherwise known as Exceptionally Prolonged Aging. These are the rarest of all expressions as they must rest in oak barrels for up to 20 years, though no one but a few monks could tell you exactly how long. Smoother and more mellow as a result, while still carrying the original character of the green and yellow base. Each bottle is a real investment though, easily reaching price tags well into the thousands, if you can find it in the first place.

Liqueur Worthy of Devotion

Leveraging sales of the tonic to support monastic life, the monks began to produce just enough of the famed alcohol to allow a life dedicated to prayer, study, and silence. They could easily double or triple production, or completely outsource the process to strike it rich, but that’s never been the point of Chartreuse. Today, only two monks know the full formula and oversee the blending of those classified 130 botanicals. Their work happens largely out of public view, and that air of secrecy only deepens the mystique.

Ironically, that humility and devotion has helped transform Chartreuse into some of the most coveted bottles around. As cocktail culture has exploded in the past two decades, bartenders have rediscovered just how irreplaceable it is. Classics like The Last Word, Bijou, and Alaska cocktail rely on its unmistakable herbal intensity; there is simply no substitute. This elixir is indeed proving to have a very long life, with no end in sight.

Hannah (BitterSweet)8 Comments

Wordless Wednesday: Two Years of Unicorniverse

Lavender Bliss Latte
Cookies and Cream Brownie
Pesto Au Fromages Omelette
Opera Cake
Berry Bunny Macaron
Coconut Chocolate Raspberry Tart
La Vert Croissant Sandwich
Chocolate-Hazelnut Croissant
Pesto Au Fromages Omelette
Carrot Cake Blondie
Greek Omelette
Almond Croissant
Black Forest Cake
Spiced Pear Macaron

 

Unicorniverse European Bakery & Cafe

EST on July 21, 2023

2400 S. I-35, Ste. 130
Round Rock, TX 78681

Hannah (BitterSweet)6 Comments

C’est Magnifique!

Magic is what happens when impossibilities become reality.

Thus, this new development can only be explained as an act of magic. How else could France’s sole 100% vegan publisher, L’Age d’Homme, have picked my modest tribute to dairy-free ice creams out of a veritable ocean of cookbook options? Of all books, of all things- It’s still hard for me to believe! I don’t speak French and have only visited the country briefly, but this could be the start of a beautiful relationship.

Vegan A La Mode in French

I haven’t yet seen the translated and reformatted rendition, renamed Veganice Glaces Véganes, but I’m already thrilled by the adorable new cover. Should any French-speaking vegans out there get your hands on a copy, please let me know how the the recipes read, since I wouldn’t know the difference whether the instructions ultimately make ice cream or bicycles. Plus, I just got word that Vegan Desserts and Easy as Vegan Pie will also be joining Collection V shortly.

Since I can think of no better way to celebrate than with a big scoop of freshly churned ice cream, my recipe for Beurre Noisette Ice Cream, straight out of Vegan a la Mode, sounds like the perfect flavor to mark the occasion.

Yield: Makes 1 – 1 1/2 Quarts

Beurre Noisette Ice Cream

Beurre Noisette Ice Cream
No Ratings

Otherwise known as browned butter, the French have a much more elegant way of describing this rich nectar as “hazelnut butter,” alluding to the toasty, hazelnut-like flavor derived from a quick flash in the pan. The application of gentle heat transforms this everyday substance into something otherworldly, redolent with both salty and savory notes that heighten the sweetness of baked goods, or in this case, frozen treats. Many chefs would have you believe that this decadent substance can only be made with dairy, but au contraire, I’ve found that the same process works just as well with vegan butter. Taking the French term a bit more literally, a generous handful of hazelnuts cranks up the volume on that naturally nutty essence all the way to 11, so really, who needs the dairy anyway?

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Additional Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/2 Cup Vegan Butter
  • 3 1/4 Cups Plain, Non-Dairy Milk
  • 2 Tablespoons Arrowroot
  • 2/3 Cup Granulated Sugar
  • 1/4 Cup Light Agave Nectar or Maple Syrup
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1/2 Cup Toasted Hazelnuts, Finely Chopped

Instructions

  1. Cut the vegan butter into tablespoon-sized pieces and place them in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Wait for all of the butter begins to melt, then begin swirling the pan around to stir, as needed. In a fairly short time it should begin to look somewhat separated, with a foamy white top and yellow oil underneath that will gradually progress to a darker color. Eventually, the solids will settle to the bottom and begin to brown. The best judge of doneness here is to watch and listen to the bubbles; they will start making a more hollow pinging sort of sound near the end, and slow nearly to stopping.
  2. At that point, quickly add in the sugar, whisking slowly but continuously. The mixture will be clumpy initially, but it will smooth out. Cook the sugar to a deep amber color, but do not be alarmed if it’s still not completely dissolved yet.
  3. Add in 1 1/2 cups of the non-dairy milk very carefully to arrest the caramelization process– Stand back, because it will sputter angrily. Things may look like a mess now, with the sugar solidified and clumped at the bottom of the pan, but do not panic! Continue stirring over gentle heat until the sugar melts and becomes smooth again.
  4. Whisk cornstarch and remaining milk together separately before adding it into the pan with the agave or maple syrup and salt. Turn the heat up to medium, bring the mixture to a full boil, then turn off the stove. Stir in the vanilla and let cool to room temperature before moving the cooked custard into your fridge. Chill thoroughly, for at least 3 hours, before churning.
  5. Churn in your ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s directions. In the last 5 minutes of churning, slowly sprinkle in the chopped hazelnuts so that the blades of the paddle incorporate and distribute the nuts throughout the ice cream.
  6. Transfer the soft ice cream to an air-tight container, and store it in the freezer for at
    least 3 hours before serving.

Recommended Products

Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link. I have experience with all of these companies and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something through my links.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

10

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 237Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 144mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 1gSugar: 23gProtein: 4g

All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimations.

© Hannah Kaminsky
Cuisine: French / Category: Frozen Desserts

 

Hannah (BitterSweet)33 Comments

Napoleon Complex

You can hardly walk a block through any big city these days without tripping over a vegan-friendly bakery. Littering the landscape with enthusiastic signs proclaiming their versatility with alternative diets, it’s thrilling to get any sort of treat with such ease. The typical selection, however, leaves a bit to be desired. Cupcakes and donuts are easy to find, but it’s the real treasures of classic French pastry that remain so terribly elusive. For anyone craving the finesse of mille-feuille, those gossamer thin sheets of puff pastry baked to a shatteringly crisp crunch, sans butter, there’s simply no where to turn… Except for the kitchen, of course.

Puff pastry may intimidate those unaccustomed to its often temperamental ways, but there’s no shame in buying the frozen variety to shave hours of mind-numbing prep off of the procedure. Rather than going the classic but tired chocolate-and-vanilla route, I wanted something a bit more lively. Lemon zest proved just the trick to add some sparkle to my Lemon-Pistachio Napoleons, baked for the March/April issue of VegNews Magazine. Considering how easy it is to put all the pieces together, it’s just as well that more bakeries don’t take the initiative for themselves. This is one DIY project that is likely far easier than taking a trip out to the nearest patisserie!

Hannah (BitterSweet)29 Comments

Around the World in 80 Plates: Lyon, France

Moving right along on our culinary world tour, our next stop will be in Lyon, France! Although I’ve never been to Lyon, I have visited Paris, and am rather familiar with one French specialty in particular… Pastry! As soon as I learned of this destination, there was no doubt in my mind that another grand dessert experiment was in store. How many times do I have the opportunity to let loose and go wild with chocolate, sugar, and cake? Perhaps more than the average person, true, but French pastries are something different altogether.

Recalling towers of multi-colored macaron shells, spiraling upwards to impossibly tall heights, and glass cases lined with glittering fruit tarts so dazzling, they could easily be confused with a jeweler’s wares, all my inspiration could be found in one memory of one patisserie. Pierre Hermé, the so-called “Picasso of Pastry,” pairs daring flavors into modern pastry presentations, which is right up my alley.

On my “dream pastry challenge” list, (Yes, such thing really does exist! The pages are lined with ideas of croquembuche and napoleons, but those are for another day) there sat the scribbled title of “plaisir sucré.” An individual portion that unflinchingly packs in the chocolate in a layered attack that seems greater than each component would be capable of. Originally based on a hazelnut cake and hazelnut praline foundation, followed by waves of milk chocolate, I just had to put in my own little twist. Speculoos is my secondary flavor, playing harmony to many shades of dark chocolate instead. There’s a lot going on in each bite, so let me break it down for you…

Though far from perfect, it felt as though I had scaled Mount Everest when that final sheet of chocolate fell into place. It’s true, I could use a whole lot of work on my chocolate skills, but a nice transfer sheet covers a multitude of tempering sins. I’m not sure that Monsieur Hermé would approve of my eggless and dairy-free rendition on his masterwork, but I’m fairly certain that my tasters did, in any event. Who knows if the competitors on the upcoming episode will turn to pastry, but I would crown them the winner right then and there if they did the French tradition justice! Tune in when Around the World in 80 Plates heads to France, this Wednesday at 10/9c on Bravo, to find out.

Yield: Makes 18 - 24 Servings

Speculoos Plaisr Sucré

Speculoos Plaisr Sucré
No Ratings

Originally based on a hazelnut cake and hazelnut praline foundation, followed by waves of milk chocolate, I just had to put in my own little twist. Speculoos is my secondary flavor, playing harmony to many shades of dark chocolate instead.

Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes

Ingredients

Chocolate Sheets:

  • 10 Ounces Dark Chocolate, Finely Chopped, Melted, and Tempered

Bittersweet Ganache:

  • 12 Ounces Bittersweet Chocolate, Finely Chopped
  • 3/4 Cup Plain Non-Dairy Milk

Speculoos Dacquoise:

  • 3/4 Cup Speculoos Spread
  • 1 Cup Water
  • 1/2 Cup Confectioner's sugar
  • 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 1 Cup Cake Flour
  • 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
  • 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1 Cup Roughly Crushed Speculoos Cookies

Speculoos Praline:

  • 1 1/3 Cups Speculoos Spread
  • 6 Ounces (1 Cup) Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips, Melted
  • 1/4 Cup Vegan Butter, Melted
  • 2 Cups Crispy Rice Cereal

To Assemble:

Instructions

  1. Starting with the chocolate sheets, use an offset spatula to spread your tempered chocolate onto plain acetate sheets, or chocolate transfer sheets, large enough to cover a baking sheet. Mine had been rolled up for quite some time, so in order to get it flat, I had to tape down the corners with masking tape; you may choose to do the same, just to prevent it from sliding around. Spread the chocolate very thinly (thinner than is pictured- these layers were a bit tough to get a fork through) and as evenly as possible.
  2. Allow them to set, undisturbed, until completely solidified. If your kitchen is particularly warm, you can place the whole sheet in the refrigerator to help them firm up. Once solid, warm a sharp knife to allow for smoother cuts, and slice the sheet into 2 x 4-inch rectangles. Set aside.
  3. Next up, prepare the ganache. Simple place the chocolate and “milk” in a microwave-safe dish, and heat on full power for 60 seconds. Let sit for 60 seconds more, and then stir thoroughly, until completely smooth. If there are still a few stubborn pieces of chocolate that haven’t fully melted, heat again at intervals of 20 seconds, stirring well after each heating, until smooth. Let cool until firm enough to pipe. You may wish to hasten the process by chilling the mixture in your fridge, but don’t just leave it there, because it will set to hard if allowed to reach such a cold temperature. Set aside.
  4. Moving on to the dacquoise, preheat your oven to 325 degrees and lightly grease a 15 x 10-inch jelly roll pan.
  5. Place the speculoos spread, water, sugar, and vanilla in your blender, and process to emulsify. Scrape down the sides of the container if any of the spread is sticking, and blend once more, until the liquid mixture is entirely homogeneous.
  6. Separately, whisk together the flour, baking powder and soda, and salt in a large bowl. Pour the liquid mix into the dry goods, and whisk just until the two are combined to create the batter. Transfer to your prepared jelly roll pan, and smooth it out into a thin but even layer. It may not seem like enough cake to cover all that space, but just keep spreading and you’ll get there! Sprinkle the crushed speculoos cookies equally over the entire surface.
  7. Bake for 15 – 18 minutes, until lightly browned around the edges and a toothpick inserted into the center pulls out cleanly. Let cool completely before proceeding.
  8. For the praline, simply mix together all of the ingredients until well incorporated, and quickly spread it on top of your cooled sheet of cake. This mixture is extremely thick and sticky, so I would highly recommend lightly greasing your offset spatula before going at it. It only gets thicker as it cools, too, so don’t waste any time or let it sit there unattended! Spread it out as evenly as possible, to ensure that the rest of your layers follow suit.
  9. Lastly, prepare the chocolate chantilly according to the recipe linked, and take a moment to thank Hervé This for his brilliance.
  10. Okay, now we’re finally ready for assembly! Slice the praline-topped cake into rectangles measuring 2 x 4-inches. Load the ganache into a pastry bag fitted with a medium-sized round tip, and pipe ganache in a zigzagging pattern across the top of each piece. Place a sheet of chocolate on top, and pipe another zigzag of ganache over that. Add another sheet of chocolate, and now grab your chocolate chantilly. Place that into a second piping bag, this one fitted with a large round tip, and pipe two straight lines lengthwise down each piece. At long last, finish it all off with a third sheet of chocolate.
  11. You’re done! Now, savor every single bite; this isn’t an ordinary, everyday sort of treat!

Recommended Products

Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link. I have experience with all of these companies and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something through my links.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

24

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 417Total Fat: 27gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 189mgCarbohydrates: 41gFiber: 4gSugar: 19gProtein: 5g

All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimations.

© Hannah Kaminsky
Cuisine: French / Category: Miscellaneous Desserts
For participating in this competition, Bravo has compensated me for my time, but all recipes and opinions are solely my own.

Hannah (BitterSweet)40 Comments

Who’s Your Baba?

Winter survival depends on preparedness:

  • Plenty of moisturizer for dry skin
  • An ample supply of dry beans and other long-lasting pantry staples
  • As many types of citrus as you can cram in the fruit bin.

When the snow is falling in thick white sheets with no end in sight, the bright, cheerful flavors of winter citrus are the only things that can rescue my dampened mood. For days short on sunshine, vibrant yellow lemons are the next best thing. Their energizing zest makes its way into salads and desserts alike, while whole oranges and clementines are a favorite midday snack. Grapefruit juice kicks off the morning on a high note, and let’s not forget about those sour little limes.

Lime Baba Au Rhum

For whatever reason, limes find their way into fewer of my recipes and daily eats than any other citrus, so it seemed only fair to reverse that trend. Perfect for our recent bout of snow, which is still sticking to the ground and discouraging me from driving out into the suburban wilderness, a yeasted, lime-enhanced cake was just what the doctor ordered. Warming the kitchen as they baked and lifting the spirits once eaten, the winter blues don’t stand a chance with these zesty pastries on hand.

Yield: Makes 6 – 12 Babas

Lime Baba Au Rhum

Lime Baba Au Rhum
No Ratings

These yeasted, zesty lime pastries are brushed with a rum syrup and apricot glaze. Their bright, spirited flavor is sure to take the chill off any winter day.

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Additional Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 55 minutes

Ingredients

Baba Dough:

  • 1 3/4 Cups All Purpose Flour
  • 1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
  • 1 (1/4 Ounce) Package Active Dry Yeast
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1/4 Cup Whole Flax Seeds, Ground
  • 3/4 Cup Water
  • 1/4 Cup Plain Non-Dairy Milk
  • 1/4 Cup Lime Juice
  • 2 Teaspoons Lime Zest
  • 5 Tablespoons Vegan Butter, Melted
  • 1/2 Cup Toasted and Chopped Walnuts

Rum Syrup:

  • 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
  • 1/2 Cup Dark Rum
  • 1/2 Cup Water

Apricot Glaze:

  • 1/2 Cup Apricot Preserves
  • 1 Tablespoon Water

Instructions

  1. Rather than the typical proofing approach for making bread, these babas are assembled more like a cake. First, whisk together the flour, yeast, sugar, salt, and ground flax seeds in the bowl of your stand mixer (if using; otherwise a large bowl will do.) Once the dry goods are thoroughly combined, turn your attention to the liquids. Heat the water and non-dairy milk to about 120 degrees, but not to a boil, or else you’ll kill the yeast. This should feel hot to the touch but not burn your fingers.
  2. Pour the liquid into the large bowl, and start mixing on low speed. Immediately follow that addition with the lime juice, zest, melted vegan butter, and walnuts. Continue mixing until the dough begins to come together, and then switch to the dough hook on your stand mixer. The dough will be very soft and sticky, so keep a close eye on it to make sure it doesn’t creep up on top of the hook or get stuck to the sides of the bowl.
  3. Use your spatula to guide it back as needed, and continue beating for about 5 minutes to develop the gluten. Once fairly smooth, leave the dough in the bowl and cover the whole thing with a piece of plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place for 1 – 1 1/2 hours, until nearly doubled in size.
  4. Lightly grease 6 popover tins or 10 – 12 standard muffin cups; set aside.
    Gently punch down your risen yeast batter, and divide it equally between your greased tins. Let rise once more for about 30 minutes, or until the dough has expanded to fill the tins. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Once risen, bake for 20 – 25 minutes, until golden brown all over. Turn out the yeasted cakes onto wire racks and let cool.
  5. Prepare the rum syrup by simply combining the sugar, rum, and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the sugar has dissolved, and you’re ready to go.
  6. Prick the babas all around the sides with a fork before dipping each in the syrup, to allow for better absorption. Dip each two or three times, and then return them to the cooling rack to rest, or serve immediately.
  7. To serve, microwave the apricot jam and water together for just 30 – 60 seconds, to loosen up the jam and warm it through. Stir well, and apply liberally to the tops of your babas. Feel free to serve with an additional spoonful of the rum syrup over the top, too.

Recommended Products

Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link. I have experience with all of these companies and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something through my links.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 295Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 99mgCarbohydrates: 46gFiber: 2gSugar: 27gProtein: 4g

All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimations.

© Hannah Kaminsky
Cuisine: French / Category: Yeast Breads and Rolls

Hannah (BitterSweet)23 Comments