SALTY CHEF – EASTER TREATS

With social/physical distancing rules in place, this Easter may prove to be a little different for many. Typically a time for families to gather around tables, plans will no doubt be adapted and changed as we do our part to keep the spread of COVID-19 down and to ‘flatten the curve’.

BUT that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy delicious treats! In fact, many of us have more free time than ever, so why not try out this month’s recipes from chef Chanelle Doucette? And if you do, how about sharing a photo of your creations with us on Instagram or Facebook? Use the hashtag #saltyisland

Happy Baking!

Gouda Gougѐres (Cheese puffs)

These cheese puffs are a close cousin to the traditional French pastry, gougѐres.The dough is a choux pastry, with this variation using beer for liquid instead of water. This makes them slightly less tender than other cheese puffs, but they pack a serious hit of flavour with the sharpness of the cheeses melting perfectly into the bitter flavours of the beer. Any beer will work here, but I used a full-bodied red. You’ll love these alongside a charcuterie board, or with a hearty bowl of beef stew.

Ingredients:

8 Tbsp butter

½ c milk

½ c water or beer

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

1 c all purpose flour

4 eggs

3 oz Parmesan cheese, shredded

3 oz Gouda, shredded

¼ tsp chili flakes (optional)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 425°F,  and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place the butter, milk, water, salt, pepper, and chili flakes in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.

Add the flour gradually. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until a crust forms on the bottom and the mixture appears to dry out slightly. Cook another 2 minutes after this, continuing to stir.

Transfer to a bowl and beat on low (ideally using a stand mixer). When the steam starts to dissipate, increase the speed to medium and add the eggs, one by one. Scrape down the bottom of the bowl. Add the cheese, mixing until completely incorporated. The dough will start to appear glossy.

Scoop the dough onto parchment with a cookie scoop, about two tablespoons per portion. Alternatively, you could use a piping bag or a spoon.

If serving immediately, cook at 425°F for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and bake for a further 10 minutes. The aim is to have the edges start to brown.

Note: You can freeze the formed rounds on a sheet pan, then store them in a plastic bag once frozen. To cook, place the frozen puffs on a sheet pan and bake at 425°F  for 10 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 350°F for 15 minutes.

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London Fog Cake

If pumpkin spice lattes are the beverage of autumn, I consider London Fog lattes to be my beverage of spring. Made with Earl Grey tea, frothed milk, and flavoured with vanilla and honey, a London Fog makes me feel like leaning into the sometimes gloominess of spring and new beginnings. This cake packs a punch of black tea and bergamot at every turn, but plays with the flavours a bit in adding faint hints of cardamom, orange, and maple.

Ingredients:

Earl Grey Milk:

1½ c milk

1 Tbsp Earl Grey tea leaves

Cake:

2 ¼ c all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp Earl Grey tea leaves, ground in a spice grinder to make a powder

¾ tsp salt

¾ c butter

1 ½ c white sugar

3 eggs

1 ½ tsp vanilla

½ tsp nutmeg

¼ tsp ground cardamom

Earl Grey Syrup:

½ c white sugar

½c water

2 tsp maple syrup

1 tsp Earl Grey tea leaves

1 ½ tsp orange blossom water

Swiss Buttercream Icing:

3 egg whites, with no trace of yolks

1 c white sugar

1 ½ c butter, cut into small cubes

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp orange zest

Preparation:

Earl Grey Milk:

Steep the milk and Earl Grey leaves in a small saucepan set on low for at least 20 minutes. Remove from heat and strain. Chill in the fridge.

Butter and flour a 10-inch round cake pan, tapping out the excess. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Cake:

Combine the flour, baking powder, Earl Grey powder, salt, nutmeg, and cardamom in a medium sized bowl. Whisk to combine.

Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs one by one, scraping the bowl down after each addition. Add vanilla.

Add 1 cup of dry ingredients to the batter, then a half cup of the chilled Earl Grey milk, then repeat until all has been added. Mix until just combined into a smooth batter, without overmixing. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake. Check the cake after 30 minutes. If a toothpick doesn’t come out clean, cook in five minute increments until toothpick comes out clean.

Earl Grey Syrup:

Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the orange blossom water, maple syrup, vanilla, orange zest, and tea. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Strain.

When the cake is done, let it cool in the pan before overturning it onto a cooling rack. Slice the cake in two lengthwise with a serrated knife. Brush the syrup over the cake rounds, letting it soak in.

Swiss Buttercream Icing:

Beat the egg whites and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer using the whisk until combined. Transfer to a heat-proof bowl set over a pot of gently boiling water. Whisk constantly until the meringue is hot to the touch and no longer feels grainy. If you’re using a thermometer, cook until the mixture reaches 160°F. Transfer back to the bowl of the stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Beat the cubes of butter in one at a time, continuing to beat until the mixture is fluffy. The mixture may appear to curdle, but continue to beat and it will smooth out. Flavour the icing with the orange zest and vanilla.

Place half the buttercream between the two cake layers, smoothing it out. Place the remaining icing on top, and scrape some along the sides. Enjoy!