Lemon Meringue Pie III

Ingredients :
* 1 (9 inch) pie crust, baked
* 1 1/2 cups white sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 1/2 cups water
* 1/2 cup cornstarch
* 1/3 cup water
* 4 eggs, separated
* 1/2 cup lemon juice
* 2 teaspoons lemon zest
* 3 tablespoons butter
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup white sugar

Directions :
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
Combine 1 1/2 cups sugar, salt, and 1 1/2 cups water in a heavy saucepan. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and 1/3 cup water to make a smooth paste. Gradually whisk into boiling sugar mixture. Boil mixture until thick and clear, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolks and lemon juice. Gradually whisk egg yolk mixture into hot sugar mixture. Return pan to heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in grated lemon rind and butter or margarine. Place mixture in refrigerator and cool until just lukewarm.
In a large glass or metal bowl, combine egg whites and salt. Whip until foamy. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar while continuing to whip. Beat until whites form stiff peaks. Stir about 3/4 cup of meringue into lukewarm filling. Spoon filling into baked pastry shell. Cover pie with remaining meringue.
Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, until meringue is slightly brown. Cool on a rack at for at least 1 hour before cutting.

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Caramel sauce

Ingredients :
there is what you need to make a caramel sauce:
300g caster sugar
1 lemon juice
10 table spoons of water

Direction :
The first tip is to make sure that you use a pot with a thick bottom to make your caramel. So, in that pot mix your sugar with six table spoons of water, with a wooden spoon making sure not to splash any sugar onto the sides of your pot.
Add the lemon juice and place your pot on the heat.
When the sugar has started to boil do not stir it at all. When, the sugar starts to take a slight brown colour, start giving a rotating motion to your pot to even the colour of your caramel.
When the sugar has reach the golden, brown colour of a caramel, carefully add a couple of table spoons of water and stir your caramel with your wooden spoon. Repeat this last step a second time and quickly transfer your caramel sauce into a different container (avoid plastic).
At this point, your caramel must be quite thin. Let it cool down and preserve it into a glass jar tightly closed in the fridge until needed.

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Baked Alaska

Ingredients :
If you were looking for a festive dessert that can be ready well in advance, no need to look any further : There is our recipe for baked Alaska. I have to admit this dessert recipe has been a bit forgotten but it is always very tasty and spectacular, nonetheless. And it can be made well in advance and kept in the freezer until it is needed.
(Below Baked Alaska recipe for 6 to 8 people )

7 whole eggs
250g caster sugar + 1 Tsp vanilla sugar
100g sifted strong flour
30g melted butter
20g potato starch or corn flour
10 cl Grand-Marnier or brandy
½ L vanilla ice-cream or plain ice-cream
some icing sugar
Direction :
Instructions :
Preparing the ice-cream

To do at least 24h before the rest of the recipe :
Buy ½ litre of good vanilla ice-cream. Take it out of its container. Place it into a bowl and allow it to soften for 30 minutes at room temperature. Then, whisk it until it reaches the consistency of whipped cream.
Pour it into the tin that you will use for the making of your baked Alaska and place it in the freezer.

On the day that you are preparing your baked Alaska : Making the sponge

90g caster sugar+1 Tsp vanilla sugar
3 egg yolks
100g sifted, strong flour
30g melted butter
3 egg whites

1) Start your oven at 200°C (392°F)
2) Place your egg yolks into a bowl and add the sugars. Whisk until it becomes creamy.
3) When done, sprinkle the flour and stir it in well. Then mix in the melted butter.
4) Whisk the egg whites until stiff and carefully fold them into the batter with a spatula.
5) Pour the batter into a baking tin (the same size as the one used for the ice-cream) and bake for 30 minutes.
6) Take your sponge out of the tin and allow it to cool down.

Now, we have the ice-cream and the sponge ready, now lets get the meringue going.

Making the meringue

Whisk 4 egg whites until stiff while adding 60g of caster sugar little by little. Mix 2 egg yolks with 13g of corn starch and add them to the stiff egg whites. In this way your meringue will be strong enough to hold while decorating your baked Alaska.

Making the syrup

Place 100g of caster sugar and 10cl of water into a pot and bring to the boil. Allow to cook for 3 minutes. Let your syrup cool down and flavour it with some Grand-Marnier or brandy.

Mounting your baked Alaska

1) Slice your sponge lengthwise, in two pieces. Put them onto a board and punch them with your syrup.
2) Take your ice-cream out and slice it the same way as the sponge cake and place one half on each slice of sponge cake.
3) Fill a pipping bag with your meringue and coat one piece of sponge and ice-cream. Place
your second ice-cream-sponge slice on the top of it. Finally, coat the lot with some meringue and decorate the whole log with the rest of the meringue.
Put your baked Alaska into the freezer, making sure that it is not going to be damaged, until the day of your meal.

On the day

1) Start your oven at 240°C (464°F)
2) Take your baked Alaska out of the freezer 10 minutes before serving. Dust it with some icing sugar and bake it for 3 minutes.
3) Heat up your Grand-Marnier (or other) and flambé your baked Alaska in front of your guests. Finally, slice it...

As always take extreme care when you flambé your baked Alaska: Keep the kids at bay and have a damp cloth nearby if the flames get out of control.

This recipe seems quite long, but it can be made in stages.In this way you will be able to say: This is the one I made earlier...

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Buckwheat madeleines

Ingredients :
(for 24 madeleines)
4 very fresh eggs
220 grams (1/2 lb) buckwheat flour + 50 grams (1.5 oz) corn/maize starch, both sieved together
130 grams (4 oz) melt butter
200 grams (nearly ½ lb) caster sugar
8 centiliters (2.7 fl oz) plain full fat milk
A few vanilla extract drops
1 small bag (1/3 oz) baking powder made of corn/maize starch

Direction :
In a salad bowl, pour the flour/starch mixture, make a hole in the middle and pour into it sugar, milk, eggs, vanilla and baking powder. Stir well with a whip and when the mixture is compact, pour the (liquid) melt butter (still keep whipping) untill fully incorporated. Cover with a clean cloth and let the mixture at room temperature during 2 hours.
Pre-heat the oven at 464°F
Butter the inside of madeleine moulds (unless they are soft Teflon coated moulds) and half fill them with the mixture
Cook at 464°F during 6 minutes then at 392°F (without opening the oven) during 4 minutes

Everyone will appreciate those delicious madeleines.

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Chocolate Fondant

Ingredients :
Makes 8 individual cakes
200 g of dark chocolaet, 60%
8 squares of the same chocolate
220 g of butter
160 g of caster sugar
120 g of flour
4 eggs

Direction :
Preheat the oven at a temperature of 425°F (220°or th7)

Melt the chocolate as quickly as possible in a bain marie and add the butter. Remove from heat and leave it to cool.
Whisk together both the eggs and the sugar until the mixture becomes a light yellow coulour. Add the flour and mix it with a spatula. Then fold in the chocolate.
Fill several flexopan or teflon molds halfway.
Place a chocolate square on top of each cake and then fill every mold with the chocolate batter.
Cook for 15 min and then wait another 15 min before unmolding them.

This recipe has one great advantage when compared to other recipes: These cakes may be eaten hot or cold. Therefore, you may cook them in advance and reheat them in a microwave oven when it is time for dessert. You can also make other variations, for example you may buy 8 chocolate truffes and place them in the freezer for 1 hour. You can put these in the cakes instead of the chocolate squares. You may also put white chocolate squares instead, etc�

Just one last comment: All food lovers may thank Michel Bras and his pastry chef for having created this dessert after having made several experiments and given it several tries in their Laguiole restaurant. This dessert has now become a part of France's culinary heritage.

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Creole sented Caramelized Pineapple

Ingredients :
(serving for 6)
1 medium size tin of sliced pineapple
300 g of sugar
6 eggs
50 g of brown sugar
Juice of 1 lime
50 g of flour, sieved
10 cl of dark rum

Direction :
This is a simple recipe and a will please every one. If the recipe is intended for children you may leave the rhum out and replace it with vanilla.

Method:
Using a food processor (or a mixer), blend 3/4 of the pineapple slices with their syrup for 10 seconds, Put the mixture in a saucepan with 300 gr of caster sugar and to boil for 5 min.
Add the remaining 1/4 of pineapple slices, diced, and reduce the liquid for another 5 min. Remove from heat and let it cool down until lukewarm.
Separately, using a large mixing bowl, whisk the 50 gr of flour with the lime juice, add 5 cl of rum.
Mix well and add the eggs.
Once everything is well blended, add the pineapple mixture. Keep stirring continuously with a spatula.

For the caramel : put 50 gr of brown sugar, the remaining rum and 2 tablespoons of water in a saucepan and heat. Once it takes a nice golden colour, pour this caramel into a oven dish, making sure to cover the bottom and its side, then let it cool down for half an hour.
Preheat the oven at 325°F (180°C or th6), pour your pineapple mixture into the caramelised dish and cook in a bain-marie for 1h30.
Once cooked, let it set for half an hour before taking it out of their moul.
This creole dessert can be served in thick slices, hot, lukewarm or cold.

Make it and tell me what you think...

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Batter for Fritters

Ingredients :
(recipe for 6-8 people)
250g (1/2 lb) strong flour, sifted.
5g (1/5 oz) table salt.
25 cl beer.
2 whole eggs.
30g (1 1/5 oz) melted butter.
3 egg whites.

Direction :
Description
In a large bowl, place the sifted flour. Make a well, then pour the salt, the beaten eggs, the melted butter and the beer in its centre and stir in the flour, little by little with a wooden spoon.
Whisk the egg whites into a stiff foam. Carefully add them to the batter as you would do to make a soufflé mix.
Cover your bowl with a clean kitchen cloth and let the batter rest for an hour before using it.

Now, let your imagination make the rest. Coat some bananas, apples, grapes for the sweet one. Prawns or shrimps, etc for the savoury ones.

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Banana cake

Ingredients :
(For 6 guests)
200 g ripe bananas
200 g of flour, sieved
200 g of caster sugar
70 g of butter
2 eggs
The juice of half an orange or half a lemon
10 g of baking powder
1 tbsp peanut oil
1 pinch of salt

Direction :
Turn the oven on at a temperature of 350°F (180°C or TH 6-7)
Slowly melt the butter and then leave to cool a bit until it has become warm. Peel and slice the bananas, then crush them in a large bowl using a fork. Add orange juice (or lemon juice), sugar, a pinch of salt, eggs, baking powder, flour, oil and finallly the melted butter.. Whisk everything together.

Grease a cake mold with some butter. Place the mold in the refrigerator in order to allow the butter to set. Pour the batter into the mold. Cook for 40 minutes in the middle part of the oven (at 350°F or 180°C). Check if the cake is done by piercing its middle with a needle, making sure it comes out hot and dry.

Unmold the cake 5 minutes after it has been removed from the oven. This cake may be kept for 5 days, covering it with some plastic film. Experience has it that this dessert will not have such a long life... as its softness and its wonderful taste delight food lovers of all ages.

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Lemon Meringue Pie II

Ingredients :
* 1 (9 inch) pie crust, baked
* 1/2 cup cold water
* 7 tablespoons cornstarch
* 1 1/2 cups hot water
* 1 1/2 cups white sugar
* 3 egg yolks, beaten
* 1 lemon, juiced and zested
* 1 tablespoon butter
* 3 egg whites
* 6 tablespoons white sugar
* 1 teaspoon lemon juice
(serving for 6)

Directions :
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
In a small bowl mix cold water and cornstarch to a thin paste. In a medium saucepan bring hot water and sugar to a boil, then add cornstarch paste. Transfer this mixture to a double boiler. Cook until thick and smooth, stirring constantly, about 15 minutes. Whisk a small amount of this mixture into egg yolks, then whisk egg yolk mixture back into double boiler. Cook everything together for a few minutes longer, continuing to stir. Mix in juice and rind of 1 lemon along with butter. Set custard aside to cool.
In a medium glass or metal mixing bowl, beat egg whites while gradually adding sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. When egg whites hold a stiff peak, beat 1 teaspoon lemon juice into meringue.
Pour filling into baked pie shell. Spread meringue over lemon filling.
Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 25 to 30 minutes or until delicately browned.

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Lemon Meringue Pie

Ingredients
* 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup shortening
* 1/4 cup cold water
(serving for 6)

FILLING:
* 1 1/2 cups sugar
* 1/4 cup cornstarch
* 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 1/2 cups water
* 3 egg yolks, beaten
* 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
* 1/3 cup lemon juice
* 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
* 1 teaspoon lemon extract
MERINGUE:
* 3 egg whites
* 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
* 6 tablespoons sugar

Directions :
In a bowl, combine flour and salt; cut in shortening until crumbly. Gradually add water, tossing with a fork until a ball forms. Roll out pastry to fit a 9-in. pie plate. Transfer pastry to plate. Trim pastry to 1/2 in. beyond edge of plate; flute edges. Prick bottom and sides of pastry with a fork. Line with a double thickness of heavy-duty foil. Bake at 450 degrees F for 8 minutes. Remove foil; bake 5-6 minutes longer or until light golden brown. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F.
For filling, combine sugar, cornstarch, flour and salt in a saucepan. Gradually stir in water. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat. Gradually stir 1 cup hot filling into egg yolks; return all to pan. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in butter, lemon juice, peel and extract until butter is melted. Cover; set aside and keep hot.
For meringue, beat egg whites and cream of tartar in a mixing bowl on medium until foamy, about 1 minute. Gradually beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, on high until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved. Pour hot filling into crust. Spread meringue evenly over filling, sealing edges to crust. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes or until meringue is golden brown. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour; refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Store in the refrigerator.

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