Monday, October 31, 2005

More Maison Kayser Recipes

Happy with how the Galettes à l’Orange from Paris Sweets by Dorie Greenspan turned out, I really wanted to try the other Maison Kayser recipes in the book. Not having any visual reference apart from that in my mind's eye, may I confess, is turning out to be strangely liberating. The road less travelled (read: books bereft of pictures) beckons.

Fondants aux Pommes

Succulent apple slices and raisins plump with rum, barely bound by creamy batter. Baked awhile, the little treats emerge, fruit picturesquely engulfed by puffy golden cake. The interior? Moist and so impregnated with running apple juices it's more custard than cake.

Tigrés

Cubs courtesy of the mini muffin pan used, these tiger tea cakes are so-named for their tan-and-chocolate appearance. However, seeing as the effect I wound up with is more speckled than striped (finely chopped bittersweet chocolate is simply folded into the almond-rich batter just before baking), perhaps I should call my specimens Panthères instead! Charming as they are in their buttery, close-crumbed simplicity, an optional corona of silken chocolate ganache magically elevates them to dinner party mignardise status.

22 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

another lovely post. pantheres it should be.

5:38 am, October 31, 2005  
Blogger Nic said...

I second the vote for panthères, but those fondants aux pommes look simply lovely. I love that they are custardy, rather than cakey.

5:42 am, October 31, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

This all looks so good!

Best,
Paz

8:35 am, October 31, 2005  
Blogger Cathy said...

Oh, these both look so good! My copy of the book has arrived, so I'll have to have a look at these recipes. I'm especially tempted by those fondants aux pommes.

9:39 am, October 31, 2005  
Blogger Shauna said...

No matter what you call them, these look just gorgeous!

Oh, and I'm so honored to be on your links list now. That made my day.

11:16 am, October 31, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

How do you take these pictures! They look fantastic! Wish I can try some of the recipes...

1:59 pm, October 31, 2005  
Blogger Altaf said...

When are you going to post thoes mouthwatering recipe?

5:15 pm, October 31, 2005  
Blogger Reid said...

Hi J,

Don't you know that I just spend more than US$80 on books all because of your gorgeous photos? These are no exception. I hope by books arrive soon! I don't think my desserts will be fabulous looking as yours are, but I'm going to try.

Thanks for the inspiration!

6:14 pm, October 31, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Wow. Another stunning droolworthy post. You put us wannabes to shame =)

6:30 pm, October 31, 2005  
Blogger Pille said...

What a poetic write up!!! The tiger (or panther) puppies look really cute!

7:22 pm, October 31, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Tigres. Pantheres. Chaton. Leopard (except yours could change it's spots to stripes!)- absolutely fabulous. You are a wonderful writer - truly superb and your photography certainly shows true to your depth of culinary arts for a feast for the eyes.
Since your blog is a fine one - your readers may also like to visit the:
www.worldchocolatemasters.com

... presided by Gaston Lenôtre (who should in fact see your Concorde creation)

7:35 pm, October 31, 2005  
Blogger Unknown said...

*drooling all over laptop* - love that little swirl of chocolate on top of 'pantheres'. Agree totally that sometimes, it's good to go without pics in the cookbook (unlike you, for me, it's so that I don't feel so disappointed with my final result doesn't turn out as good-looking as the book's)..*sigh*

8:04 pm, October 31, 2005  
Blogger Ruth Daniels said...

Absolutely beautiful as usual. I'm drooling over the tigres especially. They look truly awesome

11:26 pm, October 31, 2005  
Blogger Michelle said...

J,
Where do you get all your beautiful dishes - I love the way you set all of your pictures up, it's such an inspiration. Every dish is as gorgeous as ever!

7:05 am, November 01, 2005  
Blogger Rachael Narins said...

Your words are more beautiful than your photographs, and that hardly seems possible. Sigh.

11:19 am, November 01, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

trick or treat! runs off with one of each! :D

10:40 pm, November 01, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Your pictures make me want to grab the dessert through the computer...love the muffin wrappers...where do you find these? You must be a food stylist..or if not, you should be!

6:31 am, November 02, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Whatever you call them, they're beautiful! I do know what it means to feel liberated from the need for pictures, as I usually feel more pleased with my own results when I don't have a picture-perfect specimen to live up to! I can't wait to see what you test your imagination skills on next...

10:14 pm, November 02, 2005  
Blogger deborah said...

oh i especially like those Tigrés', if only for their bite sized nature. heh. Can we call them Léopards... with the spots changing with each bite and all ;)

6:39 pm, November 03, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oh my, I've just gone back and read your archives and I'm in awe. Your blog is lovely! And I'm so glad you liked the fondants aux pommes, because I've been meaning to try them for a while. Yours look delicious!

4:26 am, November 04, 2005  
Blogger Joycelyn said...

hi nic, thanks...i was a bit dubious when i put them into the oven as the batter is fairly liquid...so it was a pleasant surprise when they turned out as described in the book...

hi paz, thanks!

hi cathy, thanks! hope you have fun with the book...

hi shauna, thanks! the honour is all mine ;)

hi libertas, thanks!

hi latifa, i'm awfully slack on that front, aren't i...

hi cin, if you ask jacques clouseau, it's pink ;)

hi reid, can i assume you got the pierre herme and dorie greenspan? if so, i have a feeling you'll be staying up nights plotting what to make next ;)

hi ag, you are much too kind...especially coming from one whose appetite (and meticulous record of what it takes to sate it)never ceases to amaze me ;)

hi pille, thanks! hmm, puppies...i like that

hi glutton rabbit, thanks!

hi eatzycath, thanks! that's only because you're a perfectionist at heart ;)

hi ruth, it's great to see you back in the swing of things...tiger cakes were a good go-along with a mug of hot coffee

hi michelle, thanks! as you probably already know, i'm an unrepentant hoarder of odds and ends...

hi rachael, it's good to hear from you again. thank you very much for your kind praise; coming from you, it really has just made my day!

hi pc, why thank you (and thank you)!

hi tip tup :D

hi joni, thanks...here, those checkered paper cups are available at phoon huat, the baking supplies shop along bencoolen street

hi melissa, recipe with photograph or not, your gorgeous creations are always picture perfect ;) the other bonus of having no pictures to follow, i guess, is that it forces me to be more mindful of what i'm doing

hi amy, thanks; i'm slowly trying to break free from the tyranny (is this too strong a word?) of pictures

hi saffron, funny you should mention; i did consider calling them that!

hi luisa, thanks for your kind encouragement and really glad you enjoyed your visit...the fondants aux pommes are certainly worth a try...

11:35 am, November 05, 2005  
Blogger *fanny* said...

I know i'm commenting too much on your blog, but those "muffin cases" look so pretty. Where did you get them?

7:14 am, November 23, 2005  

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