Pictured from left to right….Almond Cherry Florentine Dipped in Chocolate, Madeleine’s, Gerbet Macaroons.   There are more recipes on the way so stay tuned while I get caught up with recipes throughout the day.  This is going to be a great month!

Almond Macaroons

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces powdered almonds
• 4 ounces confectioner’s sugar
• 2 ounces, egg whites
• 5 1/2 tsp. fine granulated sugar
• 2 drops vanilla extract

Procedure:

1. Process the almonds and confectioner’s sugar in a food processor (FU FOOD PROCESSOR) for 5 minutes. Sift into a bowl.
2. Whip the egg whites to soft peaks. Add the sugar and whip to stiff, glossy peaks.
3. Fold the dry ingredients and the vanilla into the egg whites, adding the dry ingredients a third at a time.
4. Using a plain tip, deposit the mix on parchment paper in mounds the size of a quarter. Dust with confectioner’s sugar and allow to stand for 10-15 minutes.
5. Bake at 350F until golden and well risen. Remove from oven and drizzle a little water between the hot pan and the paper so that the steam helps release the macaroons. Cool completely before removing the macaroons from the paper.

Cherry-Almond Florentines

Ingredients:

• Sweet tart dough, chilled 1 lb.
• Granulated sugar, 6 ounces
• Corn syrup, 2 ounces
• Water, 3 ounces
• Unsalted butter, cubed 5 ounces
• Honey, 2 1/2 ounces
• Heavy cream, boiling, 3 ounces
• Vanilla extract, 1 tsp.
• Almonds, sliced, toasted, 11 ounces
• Dried cherries, 2 ounces
• Semisweet chocolate, tempered

Procedure:

1. Roll the chilled sweet tart dough 1/8 inch thick and slightly larger than half-sheet pan. Line the bottom and sides of the pan with the dough. Prick the dough with a fork.
2. Bake blind at 375F until blond in color, approximately 8-11 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
3. Boil the sugar, corn syrup and water to a golden caramel, approximately 325F. Add the butter and honey to the caramel, then add the boiling cream. Bring the mixture to a full boil.
4. Remove from heat and add the vanilla, almonds and cherries. While still warm, spread the mixture onto the prebaked crust in a thin, even layer.
5. Bake at 375F approximately 20 minutes or until the center has set and is golden brown.
6. Cool completely, trim the edges, then cut into 2 inch squares. Excess trimmed from the edges may be ground and used to side mask frosted cakes.
7. Dip one corner of each piece in tempered semisweet chocolate.

Eclair Paste (Pate a Choux)

Ingredients:

• Milk, 8 ounces
• Water, 8 ounces
• Salt, 1 1/2 tsp.
• Granulated sugar, 2 tsp.
• Unsalted butter, 7 1/2 ounces
• AP flour, 8 ounces
• Eggs, 5-7

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 425F. Line a sheet pan with parchment. Have a pastry bag wiht a large plain tip ready.
2. Place the milk, water, salt, sugar, and butter in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Make sure the butter is fully melted.
3. Remove from the heat and immediately add all the flour. Vigorously beat the dough by hand. Put the pan back on the heat and continue beating the dough until it comes away from the sides of the pan. The dough should look relatively dry and should just begin to leave a film on the saucepan.
4. Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl and allow it to cool briefly  to a temperature of approximately 130F or lower. Using the mixer’s paddle, begin beating in the eggs one at a time.
5. Continue to add the eggs one by one until the mixture is shiny but firm. It may not be necessary to use all seven eggs. The dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl in thick threads; it will not clear the bowl.
6. Put a workable amount of dough into the pastry bag and pipe onto the sheet pan in the desired shapes at once.
7. Bake immediately, beginning at 425F for 10 minutes, then lowering the heat to 375F for another 10 minutes. Continue gradually lowering the oven temperature every few minutes until it reaches about 200F or until the shapes are brown and dry inside. Open the oven door as little as possible to prevent rapid changes in the oven’s temperature
8. Cool completely, then fill as desired. Leftovers can be frozen or stored at room temperature.

Pastry Cream

Ingredients:

• Cornstarch, 2 ounces
• Granulated sugar, 12 ounces
• Milk, 1 quart
• Egg yolks, 12
• Vanilla bean, split
• Unsalted butter, 2 ounces

Procedure:

1. Sift the flour and sugar together.
2. Whisk 8 fluid ounces of the milk into the egg yolks. Then add the flour and sugar and whisk until completely smooth.
3. Heat the remaining milk with the vanilla bean in a heavy nonreactive saucepan. As soon as the milk comes to a boil, whisk approximately 1/3 of it into the egg-flour mixture and blend completely. Pour the egg mixture into the saucepan with the rest of the milk.
4. Stir constantly until the custard thickens. As it thickens, the custard will go through a lumpy stage. Although you should not be alarmed, you should increase the speed of your stirring. Continue to stir vigorously, and it will smooth out and thicken just before coming to a boil.
5. Allow the pastry cream to boil for approximately 1 minute stirring constantly.
6. Remove the pastry cream from the heat and immediately pour it into a clean mixing bowl.
7. Fold in the butter until melted. Do not overmix, as this will thin the custard.
8. Cover by placing plastic wrap on the surface of the custard. Chill in an ice bath. Remove the vanilla bean just before using the pastry cream.