Patisserie Lerch is gone

During our daily chat by phone Susie informed me yesterday that she learned (the hard way) that Patisserie Lerch, the source for one of the three Madeleine recipes as well as the anise and the lemon butter cookies, has closed shop and is no more. 

After searching for some time for his shop on rue Cardinal Lemoine, she turned to Clotilde's book -- a more recent publication than Dorie's -- and learned that Chef Lerch had in fact retired after more than 40 years baking incredible sweets. Unlike at Poujauran, though, no one stepped up to take the shop.

Orange Galette

This was adapted from Maison Kayser, as in Eric Kayser, and is found on pages 30-31 in Dorie.

Susie made the cookie base dough a day ahead and put it in the fridge overnight. This was one seriously good cookie.

Susie's notes: "I made 11 3-inch bases using about half of the cookie dough. I did half a recipe of the jam, which was just enough and a full recipe of the meringue, which was also just enough for a nice swirl of meringue on top of each base. I used hazelnuts in the meringue and since I didn't have Grand Marnier in the house I just substituted a bit of orange extract.

"These tasted incredibly good but my cookie base didn't quite bake all the way through in the middle. I would lengthen the first baking step before the jam and meringue plus the second baking.

"Anyway I popped them back in the oven, on the bottom rack, for another 8-10 minutes and they were fine.

"One personal note: next time I would do small, bit-size versions!"


Personally, I loved these cookies -- the layers of flavors and the textures were just right for me.

Anise Cookie

Another recipe adapted from Patisserie Lerch (as was the lemon butter cookie) these oddly delicious little anise cookies had to be prepared a day ahead. The recipie is found on pages 26-27.

Susie made the batter and piped three trays of 1 1/4-inch cookies and laid them out overnight.

Susie's notes: "I baked them in the morning, about 18 hours after piping. They did achieve the "foot" Dorie mentioned and are an interesting little cookie. Crunchy with a nice licorice sense."

I would add they are one of the oddest little cookies I've ever eaten: I thought them quite crunchy indeed but very flavorful with just the right balance of anise flavor. I took a bag of these to work and other testers agreed. I also found that by "sucking" on them softened the cookie a bit and also let the wonderful anise melt in the mouth.

Lemon Butter Cookie

This recipe is adapted from Patisserie Lerch and is found on pages 24-25 in Dorie's book.

Susie baked one log and put another in the freezer.

Dorie described these as "softer and more tender than most butter cookies" and the random testers agreed.

Susie's notes: "Delicious, tender, buttery cookies -- my idea of cookie heaven!"

Madeleines Three Ways

These three recipes for what Dorie Greenspan calls "the small, traditionally lemon-scented cakey cookie," were adapted from three different shops in Paris, and can be found on pages 20-21 in Dorie.

First up was the "classic" Madelaine, which came from Patisserie Lerch on rue Cardinal Lemoine, followed by a honey Madeleine from Poujauran and an Earl-Grey Madeleine from Mariage Freres.

The batters for all three Madeleines were prepared and put in the frig overnight. Baked on 7 March, and taken to a dinner party where a small group sampled the three flavors together. Served with a slice of frozen lemon parfait and blueberry sauce.

Susie's notes: "I definitely prefer the honey and Earl Grey versions. That was the general consensus of the group as well. The classic just seemed too plain and dry next to the other two."

Next up: a lemon butter cookie, an anise cookie and an orange galette wraps up the cookie section!

Financiers

A staple of Parisian pastry shops, the financier is a scrumptious treat that works just about anytime and anywhere. This financier recipe originated with Jean-Luc Poujauran, but his shop changed hands two years after Dorie's book was published. The shop continues to maintain its level of quality under it's new owner Stephane Secco. The recipe is found on pages 16-17.

Dorie adds that "In addition to making these quintessentially Parisian sweets in quintessentially American mini-muffin pans, I often add a little fruit. . . ." Susie did likewise.

Susie's notes: "I modified this by adding just a splash of vanilla. I then baked 18 plain and 18 with a dollop of apricot jam . . .



". . . and blueberries on top: YES!"



"I like the flavor of these financiers, but I plan to do a side-by-side taste test with the Le Cordon Bleu financier recipe I usually use. It uses confectioner's sugar instead of granulated and proportionately has larger amounts of sugar and egg white - plus it adds vanilla!"

Address: 20 rue Jean Nicot (7th arr.)
Mº La Tour-Maubourg

TV Snacks - croque-tele

Another recipe from Arnaud Larher, this is a shortbread-like nugget, found on pages 14-15 in Dorie's book.

Susie's notes: "Great nutty, buttery, salty nuggets of flavor! I used the 1/4 tsp of salt, which is plenty for my taste, and did the almond-hazelnut version Dorie recommended in her tail-end section "An American in Paris."

Address: 53 rue Caulaincourt (18th arr.)
Mº Lamarck-Caulaincourt