Baking Dorie Greenspan's Paris Sweets

Patisserie Lerch is gone

2009-03-20T11:29:00.003+01:00

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

2009-03-11T12:28:00.004+01:00

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

2009-03-10T12:27:00.005+01:00

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

2009-03-09T12:26:00.004+01:00

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

2009-03-08T11:58:00.003+01:00

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

2009-03-06T16:49:00.006+01:00

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

2009-03-05T16:46:00.006+01:00

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

Old Fashioned Almond Cookies - Amandes a l'Ancienne

2009-03-04T13:01:00.001+01:00

This is from Arnaud Larher's patisserie on rue Caulaincourt, just a stone's throw from Montmartre Cemetery. The recipe is found in Dorie, pages 12-13.

Susie's notes: "Simply good, crispy yet chewy. I didn't do any optional additions. They did spread a bit more than I was anticipating. I would scoop a smaller portion next time.

"Steve and I did an apricot jam sandwich version which was quite nice!"

We had the good fortune to try this patisserie in September of 2008 and can strongly recommend it. We will certainly be going back next month now.

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

Korova Cookies - Sables Korova - Pierre Herme

2009-03-03T12:58:00.004+01:00

Adapted from Pierre Herme and found on pages 6-7 in Dorie's book. On page 6 Dorie observed that these produced cookies chock-full of chocolate bits, melt-on-your-tongue buttery . . . and just salty enough to catch you off your guard."

Susie's notes: "Excellent. Dorie's description is right on the money. Mmmmmmmm.

"I used Pacific Sea Salt from Penzey's."

I have to agree with Susie here -- and the sea salt made an incredible difference.

Address: 72 rue Bonapartre (6th arr.)
Mº St. Sulpice or Mabillon

Punishments or Punitons - Poilane

2009-03-02T12:26:00.010+01:00

Adapted from a recipe used at the Boulangerie Poilane on rue du Cherche-Midi and found on pages 4-5 in Dorie's book.

Dorie notes that you can brush them with egg wash and then sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon sugar, or poppy seeds before baking.

Susie mixed by hand and made one sheet: half plain and half with vanilla sugar (ground up vanilla bean mixed with sugar).

Susie's notes: "I don't find these to be very sweet or very buttery. The vanilla sugar helps. Plus they could also be sandwiched with ganache or jam.

"I remember having a sample at Poilane (we had eaten a delicious lunch next door at their annex, the Cuisine de Bar) in September of 2008 and thinking the same thing -- they are rather boring."

Address: 8 rue du Cherche-Midi (6th arr.)
Mº St. Sulpice or Sevres-Babylon

How we're going to do this

2009-03-02T12:05:00.006+01:00

OK, so this is how it's going to work (I hope). Dorie's book is broken down by topic (Cookies, Cakes, etc.) and then by pastry shop (Poilane, Arnaud Larher, etc.). I will follow the same general structure since Susie intends to replicate the recipes in order. (photo: a hint at what's to come.)

Susie will continue baking the recipes one-by-one, after she arrives in Paris.

Each posting will discuss a particular recipe and the pastry shop where it originated. The original posting will be updated later when Susie (and I) visit the shop itself to try their version.

Of course, some things do change, and shops go out of business or change hands. Dorie's book was published in 2002 and mostly likely finished the previous year, so it is possible that some of the information may be a bit dated.

In fact, that's the case with Jean-Luc Poujauran. In 2004 Stephane Secco bought his shop and, according to Jamie Cahill's The Patisseries of Paris, the quality has not only remained the same but expanded it to include more pastries.

That's pretty much it.

So first up is: "Cookies - Big and Little, Buttery, Crunchy, Tender and Crisp."

Bon appetit!

Sunday the Bake-off Begins!

2009-03-01T18:49:00.007+01:00

OK, so it's not really a bake-off per se. Susie is putting the finishing touches on her first five (count 'em five) recipes from Dorie Greenspan's book, Paris Sweets: Great Desserts from the City's Best Pastry Shops.

The plan is, so I'm told, that my incredibly talented wife, pastry queen of Gracie's in Providence, RI, was so taken with Dorie Greenspan's wonderful book that she decided to make each and every recipe from the book. The recipes themselves came from some of the finest pastry shops in Paris (France, not Texas or Illinois).

And since Susie is going to be in Paris for professional development at Le Cordon Bleu from the end of March through most of April . . . well the second half of the plan is to visit each shop mentioned in the book and compare notes, so to speak. I look forward to being an integral part (if by integral one means eating) of this ambitious campaign.

Anyway, the first five recipes are pretty much finished, she's made her notes and I'll be taking a few photos shortly.

Stay tuned!