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Cream Puff Goes to School: Week 11
Date: Jul. 8th 2006
Category: Baking Class
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On the menu for Week 11: fruit flan.
After the high of Week 10 and the incredible Swiss Rolls that we made, I wondered if we’d be able to match it in Week 11. Well match it we did with some pretty good fruit flans!
My idea of fruit flan has always been a sponge base with some sort of cream topped by fruit. The flan that we prepared in class was more of a cross between a sponge cake and a fruit tart.
We began by making a lovely sweet pastry that’s a cross between pie dough and shortbread crust. After mixing our dough and refrigerating it, we rolled it out. I don’t think I’ve ever worked with lovelier dough. Supple and soft, it was a dream, although you did have to be careful to not roll it too thin.
Having gotten the dough out of the way, we then made a basic vanilla custard or pastry cream that consisted of milk, sugar, eggs, cornstarch and vanilla extract. I’ve often make custards and prefer to use a vanilla bean for maximum flavour. But the custard worked out just fine and it was quite easy to make. We refrigerated the custard with plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
When it came time to assemble our flan, we began by spreading our cold custard on the base of our tart. And then came the interesting part. In our Week 10 class, we prepared some basic sponge cakes which were then frozen for future use. We got to use them today. Our instructor explained that by slicing a thin layer of sponge and laying it on top of our custard, we were accomplishing two things. For starters, we were creating a layer that would absorb any juice from the fruit that we used to garnish our tart. This would prevent the fruit juice from seeping down into the tart and causing the base to become soggy. Secondly, the layer of sponge would ensure that our fruit would stay in place and not slide about.
We garnished our tarts with fresh strawberries and kiwi slices. The final step was an apricot glaze followed by blanched almonds around the sides of the tart. There’s no question that garnishing these sorts of desserts with fresh fruit makes a huge difference. I’ve seen too many boring supermarket tarts garnished with canned fruits. The sponge layer was an interesting twist although I’m not sure that I’d repeat that step again.
All in all I was impressed with the flavour of this tart. The separate components came together well, although I don’t know if I’ll repeat the tart/sponge mix again. I think I’ll go for either one or the either. But as my instructor pointed out, the colours of this tart are almost those of the Italian flag, with the red strawberries and green kiwi. In advance of tomorrow’s World Cup final, that has to be a good sign!
Ciao!
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07/8/06 at 11:14 pm
The spounge is an interesting aspect and one that I have not seen used before.
As always it looks yummy!
07/8/06 at 11:33 pm
Well, it’s gorgeous, of course, but I’m with you–I don’t know if I’d like tart crust and a sponge layer. Did it taste like cake and tart? If you didn’t have a sponge cake readily available, that would also add complication to an otherwise simple dessert.
I would love to know how you made the dough–the last tart I made, the dough was too sticky and hard to work with.
07/8/06 at 11:36 pm
first of all it looks gorgeous!
Is it a tart based? or a sponge based? or both? how does it taste?
07/9/06 at 1:06 am
Ohh Ivonne, what can I say…you have all 4 Marshalls drooling… buckets!!
What a fantastic photo!!
When I went to ’school’ I learnt to brush the sweet pastry with melted chocolate to avoid getting a soggy base, however this didn’t ensure our fruit stayed in place!
07/9/06 at 1:25 am
E’ quasi uno splendido tricolore per la partita di stasera! Baciotti
07/9/06 at 2:37 am
questa è perfetta per stasera! complimenti è veramente bella
07/9/06 at 2:58 am
That fruit looks scrumptious…does this make the tart healthy?!
Good luck tonight!
07/9/06 at 4:46 am
Gosh, that looks so beautiful. The apricot glaze makes it splendedo! I like exploring different techniques.
07/9/06 at 7:48 am
Stunning tart, Ivonne! I’d also be very interested in knowing how you made the tart base? That dough sounded so wonderful to work with! Beautiful job, as always
07/9/06 at 8:38 am
Fabulous looking dessert as usual Ivonne. It does it to me everytime, I’m always salivating at the mouth looking at all those scrumptious desserts. I especially love fruit tarts but haven’t tried one with sponge cake in it before. But putting lots of sponge in it will probably make it taste like a cake with a shortbread base, which I have tried before and thats very nice.
07/9/06 at 10:41 am
If you keep posting photos like that, I’m going to start thinking about going to cooking school! That’s a lovely dessert, Ivonne, and I’m surprised it lasted long enough for you to take a picture!
07/9/06 at 11:24 am
Looks beautiful. Almost too pretty to eat. But too Yummy to resist !
07/9/06 at 11:35 am
Intriguing procedure & layering! Absolutely lovely. Love using the apricot preserves too.
07/9/06 at 4:46 pm
Very good sign! Forza Italia!
07/9/06 at 9:12 pm
Fruit flans are my favorite - I always think of the one’s I’ve had in Switzerland which had more of a shortbread-like base which I much prefer to spongecake. It sounds similar to the crust you made in class - I’ll have to try it and see if it brings back old memories.
It seems the kiwi/strawberry combo was a good sign indeed!
Oh, and congrats on the big win today!
07/9/06 at 9:36 pm
Your flan is beautiful! I, along with everyone else here, it seems, am mightily impressed
07/10/06 at 12:36 am
Beautiful…my mouth is watering now!!!
07/10/06 at 2:11 am
Looks good! I think your culinary colors did bring the World Cup team luck!
Paz
07/10/06 at 4:17 am
Viva Italia!
07/10/06 at 8:48 am
I think your tart did the trick! I was hoping Italy would win.
07/10/06 at 8:59 am
Beautiful!
07/10/06 at 10:45 am
Wow, that looks incredibly good Ivonne!!
Bruno
07/10/06 at 10:58 am
Just gorgeous. Those kiwi…!!
07/10/06 at 12:06 pm
Congrats on your victory Ivonne…I’m anxiously awaiting the triumphal dessert you’re no doubt preparing right now
07/10/06 at 2:24 pm
This looks absolutely delicious not to mention beautiful! Yum!
07/10/06 at 3:46 pm
hi ivonne, what an exquisite flan! gorgeous picture - the glistening fruit beckon like so many jewels…just beautiful
07/10/06 at 6:09 pm
Just gorgeous! The glaze makes it look absolutely extraordinary!!
07/11/06 at 7:29 am
Magnificent! The shimmering fruit contrasts beautifully with the matted blanched almonds…
Cooking school sounds like so much fun - what a great learning experience!
07/11/06 at 10:13 am
Beautiful to behold and I’m sure it tasted wonderful as well! Any chance of getting the wonderful dough recipe that made you so happy?
07/11/06 at 1:04 pm
lovely summery tart, Ivonne!
07/11/06 at 1:39 pm
That is just beyond beautiful!
07/12/06 at 5:17 am
I (again) would think alike: either - or. Are you going to share that lovely dough with us (or have I just overlooked it ?) Thanks and all the best, happy baking angelika
07/13/06 at 3:58 am
Absolutely beautiful dessert! Wish I could come over to your house right now… I bet you’re cooking up something wonderful.
http://mindycooks.blogspot.com
07/26/06 at 3:45 pm
Glad you all liked the flan … it was interesting. I’m not crazy about using sponge and pastry together, but it was fun to try something new!
07/30/06 at 3:19 pm
I love fruits tarts, they’re re freshing. This one looks great. You’re very talented.