While perusing the glorious streets of The 90210 the other day, we "accidentally" fell thru a glass door right into this futuristic meets Macaron (more on that later) Patisserie (looove that word!) called Paulette's
...and that's all it took to get us cookoo for ummmm (looking for a cute word to go here...oh well) French sweets!
By now all of you are well aware how much we heart food of the sweet kind...from Easter Treats and Chocolate to Berries and Petit Fours (Oooh another TDF French sweet!)
Soooo, it goes with out saying that we are in total Heartville with those from the other side of the world.
I mean the French are sooooo super serious about their food that you have to have a Master Pastry Chef license to even call your sweet shop a Patisserie (ie...we call them bakeries).
Although we DIE for Croissants and Palmiers
We promise not to trick you into thinking these are easy peasy to do...they are not!
So let's leave our love and devotion to the crispy flaky Palmiers and Warm buttery chocolate Croissants at the door
....Ugggh...me want one now...can't stop drooling...must have warm choc croissant!!!!
....Ugggh...me want one now...can't stop drooling...must have warm choc croissant!!!!
But we digress...here are 4 of our all time favorite, no fail, unbelivable, decadent yet super easy to make French sweets...
First and for sure foremost...the French Dessert that everyone can agree on...once you eat it you will be obsessed!
The apple Tarte Tatin.
It's super fun to pronounce and waaaaaaay more fun to eat!
It's super fun to pronounce and waaaaaaay more fun to eat!
It is basically a sticky, caramel-y upside down caramel apple tarte. Served with vanilla ice cream...yes and si vous plait!!!!!!!!
This recipe from our entertaining goddess Miss Martha is pretty darn easy (except of course she wants you to make your own pastry...um not a chance Martha!) and tastes amazing!!!!
Oh geez...2 reasons doing a dessert post late is no bueno...1. I am STARVING! and 2. I am drooling on my computer and I am pretty sure eating dessert now will cause me to go into a food coma and not to the gym....
Hello new favorite sweet ever created!!!
The Macaron...not to be confused with the Macaroon
...please please don't confuse the 2!
...please please don't confuse the 2!
The French Macaron is a delicate merangue cookies sandwiching amazing flavored ganache.
The only thing more fun then eating the fluffy, chewy, delicately sweet, crunchy amazing Macaron is picking out which flavor you want.
The colors and flavors are absolutely works of art! They are just as fun to look at as they are too eat!
Paulette's now does online ordering so you are soooo in luck!
But if you feel like diving in and making your own...DO IT!
Here is the easiest recipe we found. Once you master them...call us!
Wanna make a fast and uber easy but crazy decadent dessert for your honey? Want him...or her...to propose to you ASAP???
Make them a ridiculously yummy Creme Brulee.
Once they crack the burnt sugar shell on top of the warm, creamy baked vanilla creme they will be yours FOREVER!
Alton Brown has the recipe for you!
Ingredients
- 1 quart heavy cream
- 1 vanilla
bean, split and scraped - 1 cup vanilla sugar, divided
- 6 large egg yolks
- 2 quarts hot water
Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Place the cream, vanilla bean and its pulp into a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean and reserve for another use.
In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup sugar and the egg yolks until well blended and it just starts to lighten in color. Add the cream a little at a time, stirring continually. Pour the liquid into 6 (7 to 8-ounce) ramekins. Place the ramekins into a large cake pan or roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake just until the creme brulee is set, but still trembling in the center, approximately 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the ramekins from the roasting pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.
Remove the creme brulee from the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes prior to browning the sugar on top. Divide the remaining 1/2 cup vanilla sugar equally among the 6 dishes and spread evenly on top. Using a torch, melt the sugar and form a crispy top. Allow the creme brulee to sit for at least 5 minutes before serving.
P.S. Invite us to your wedding!
Now...the one we have all been waiting for...the one...the only...CHOCOLATE ECLAIRS!..
Hee hee sorry for yelling, but they are THAT good!
Now before you get all, "Um hello! Those have got to be hard to make and I am not a great cook" on us...I have made these and let me tell you...they are as easy as they are amazing!
Martha has the cutest version of Heart Eclairs!
We of course replaced her pastry part with store bought philo dough (Trader Joe's even sells it in the frozen section...that's the one we used)
Makes about 2 dozen
- Vegetable-oil cooking spray
- Package of Frozen Pastry or Philo Dough
- For the Filling:
- 4 ounces best-quality milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- For the Glaze:
- 9 ounces best-quality bittersweet chocolate (at least 61 percent cacao), coarsely chopped
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 1/2 tablespoons corn syrup
Directions
- Take a deep breath... .
- Cut out hearts with cookie cutter in Philo Dough
- Place hearts in oven. Reduce temperature to 400 degrees. Bake 10 minutes, then rotate sheets. Reduce to 350 degrees; bake 7 minutes. Transfer baking sheets to wire racks to cool slightly. Turn off oven.
- Using a serrated knife, halve hearts horizontally. Arrange, cut sides down, on wire rack. Place rack on baking sheet; transfer to oven. Prop open door slightly, and let hearts cool completely, 45 to 60 minutes. Remove fro
- oven; set aside.
- Make the filling: Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Pulse chocolate in a food processor until finely chopped. Put 1 cup cream and the sugar into a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring until sugar has dissolved.
- Add hot cream mixture to the food processor. Carefully pulse until completely smooth. Transfer to a large bowl set in the ice-water bath. Let cool completely, whisking occasionally, 30 to 45 minutes. Pour through a fine sieve
- into a medium bowl.
- Put chocolate cream into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add remaining cup cream. Beat on low speed until medium peaks form (do not overbeat).
- Make the glaze: Pulse chocolate in a food processor until finely chopped. Put cream and corn syrup into a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring until syrup has dissolved. Add hot cream mixture to the food processor.
- Carefully pulse until completely smooth. Pour through a fine sieve into a bowl; use a rubber spatula to eliminate air bubbles.
- To assemble: Spoon glaze over tops of hearts. Let stand until set, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, spread filling onto cut sides of bottoms of hearts. Sandwich tops and bottoms. Serve immediately, or refrigerate, uncovered, up to 4 hours.
So what are your French Faves? PLEASE let us know if you make one of these and we will post your pics and successes! Wooo hooo!
Give yourself a kiss...a French Kiss...yummy!
xoxo things we heart
