She had a rich experience, but does describes it as bittersweet. If living in France is half as complicated as any French baking recipe, I can relate! Why is it that every time I make a French inspired dessert it stresses me out like no other and requires extra special beverages??
My dad asked me to make some Nougat to add to the vanilla ice cream he was making. I didn't hesitate.....until he sent me the recipe! I started having Macaroon flashbacks! Anything that requires a candy thermometer really freaks me out...and I promised to make something else too! This was one long week in my hot hot desert kitchen!
I was such a good girl getting my mice en place together before starting the process!
Oh French recipes, you scare the hell outta me!
I boiled right along with this mixture! I stood right over it until it reached 315 degrees! ahhhh!
The stickiest s*** I've ever worked with! Now you know how I really feel!
I sprayed and sprayed and sprayed Pam and Pam and Pam to make sure it didn't stick to the pan. This was a mess....but, it already tasted amazing!
then I popped it into the fridge for 4 days to set up.
The next night I started up some French Tarts! What was I thinking?
My most genius moment was placing a strip of parchment paper between the Pate Sucre and the tart pans. I could lift them right out when they were done!
Don't worry, I totally cheated! My Pastry Cream for the Tart Frangipan didn't set up. So, I just whipped up an egg with almond powder, sugar and loads of vanilla.
Didn't matter though! These turned out perfectly browned and delicious!
I whipped up some sweet American Pastry Pride to fill these bebes! I couldn't stand the thought of starting from scratch one more time! It's not even dairy! Shhh! Don't tell any Irwins!
I did follow the website's Ganache Recipe and I whipped some of it in with the Pastry Pride for a chocolate filling and kept half of it plain for non-chocolate lovers.
The completed and complicated tarts!
Why it was so worth it!
Ok, so photo props to my sis! She set the nougat/vanilla ice cream combo up in my mom's tea cup from France. I am so in love with this! YUMMMy and SWWWEEEEt!
Cheers to the last time I bake two French recipes in one week!
...and even more cheers to cheating on French recipes with American shortcuts! :) I feel so scandalous!
xoxo,
Tipsy
