Angela Day prepares decadent classic French desserts. On the menu:
Crêpes suzettes
Tart tatin
Tart au citron
Pithivier
Paris brest
CRÉPES SUZETTES
Serves 4-6
PANCAKES
250ml flour
pinch of salt
10ml sugar
2 eggs
180ml milk
80ml water
15ml oil
15ml melted butter
SAUCE
125g butter
180ml castor sugar
300ml orange juice
30ml orange rind
30-45ml orange liqueur
3-4 oranges, segmented
15ml brandy
PANCAKES: Put the flour,salt and sugar in a bowl. Combine the eggs, milk and water in a jug and mix well.
Add the oil and melted butter and mix to combine.
Add the liquid ingredients to the flour while stirring constantly with a whisk to make a smooth batter.
Strain through a sieveto remove any lumps.
Set aside for 30 minutes.
Wipe a small non-stick pan with a little oil and heat over a medium high heat.
Add enough batter to cover the base of the pan.
Cook the pancake until light golden, then flip and cook on the other side for a minute. Remove and set aside and keep warm.
When the pancakesare made, fold them into quarters.
SAUCE: Combine the butter, sugar, orange juice and rind and bring to the boil.
Add the liqueur.
Dip each folded pancake into the sauce before placing in the serving dish.
Once all the pancakes have been dipped, add the orange segments to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes.
Pour over the pancakes.
Warm the brandy, then ignite it and flambé the pancakes.
Serve immediately with vanilla ice cream if desired.
TART TATIN
Serves 4
125ml castor sugar
50g butter
3-4 apples, peeled, cored and cut into wedges
1 roll of shortcrust pastry
Put the castor sugar into a frying pan and melt over a low heat.
Once the sugar has melted, add the butter a little at a time, stirring well to amalgamate the mixture.
Add the apple wedges and cook for 4-5 minutes until slightly softened.
Carefully remove the apple wedges and place them around the base of a 20cm shallow cake tin or ovenproof pan.
Pour the caramel over the apples.
Roll the pastry out about 5mm thick and cut a disc slightly larger than the tin.
Place the pastry over the apples, tucking it down into the tin around the edge.
Bake at 180°C for 20-25 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and cooked.
Remove from the oven and turn on to a serving plate. Serve with whipped cream. Best eaten the same day.
TART AU CITRON
PASTRY
500ml flour
60ml castor sugar
150g butter, cubed
1 egg, beaten
Ice water to mix
FILLING
4 eggs
2 egg yolks
300ml castor sugar
30ml lemon rind
200ml lemon juice
180ml cream
Icing sugar for sifting
PASTRY: Place the flour, sugar and butter into a food processor.
Process until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
Add the egg and enough ice water to bring the mixture together.
Remove and knead slightly.
Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Roll out the dough and line a 23cm loose-bottom quiche tin.
Prick the base and line with non-stick baking paper.
Fill with baking beans and bake at 180°C for 15-20 minutes until pale golden.
Remove the paper and beans and return to the oven for another 10-15 minutes to dry out the base.
Pour in the filling. Turn down the oven temperature to 160°C and bake for 25-30 minutes until just set. Remove and cool.
Sift with icing sugar before serving.
FILLING: Combine the eggs, yolks, castor sugar, lemon rind and juice, and cream, and mix well.
PITHIVIER
Makes 1
2x250g all-butter puff pastry
flour, for dusting
1 egg, slightly beaten, for glazing
icing sugar, for dusting
FILLING
125g butter, softened
125ml castor sugar
2 eggs, beaten
30ml dark rum
2ml almond essence
finely grated zest of 1 orange
250ml ground almonds
30ml flour
Line a baking tray with baking paper.
Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to about 3mm thick.
Using a large plate or lid as a guide, cut out about a 20cm round.
Place it on the prepared baking tray.
Spread the filling over the pastry, leaving a 2cm border around the edge.
Brush the edge with the beaten egg.
Roll out the remaining pastry and cut another 20cm circle.
Lay this on top of the filling and press the edges of the pastry firmly together to seal. Chill for at least 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Brush the pastry with the beaten egg and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden.
Leave to cool, then dust with icing sugar.
FILLING: Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until creamy.
Mix in the eggs, rum, almond essence and orange zest.
Fold in the ground almonds and flour to form a paste.
PARIS BREST
Makes 6-8
CHOUX PASTRY
250ml water
100g butter
250ml flour, sifted
3-4 eggs
FILLING
375ml cream
15ml icing sugar
250g strawberries, sliced
150g dark chocolate(melted)
CHOUX: Put the water and butter in a saucepan and bring to the boil.
Remove from the heat and add in all the flour.
Beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a ball in the centre of the pan.
Remove from pan and allow to cool completely.
Put the dough in an electric mixer and add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add only enough of the fourth egg to make a dough that is stiff and shiny and holds its shape.
Place the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a 1.5cm plain nozzle and pipe10cm circles onto a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper and bake at 180°C for 20-30 minutes until puffed up and golden brown.
Remove and pierce the side of each puff for steam to escape.
Return to oven and turn temperature down to 160°C for another 5 minutes.
Remove and cool completely and fill.
FILLING: Whip the cream and icing sugar until stiff.
Split the baked rings in half and fill with cream and strawberries.
Drizzle the top with melted chocolate.
* The Angela Day cookery column is published in The Star, the Cape Argus, the Daily News and the Pretoria News.