Just Desserts

By Stephen McFarland

This book has been developed from my first few years as a pastry chef and while on my travels around the world, creating new recipes and desserts.

So many people ask me where they should start with pastry. My motto is if you want to learn the real art of pastry, you start from the beginning. Many people think pastry is a science, but its all about understanding the basics. For me, its where my passion for pastry first began. As a young kid, Id watch my grandfather make bread every Saturday morning. Then during the week, make pastry for tarts. His pastry was the best pastry Ive ever tasted, and its down to the way the fat was incorporated into the flour. You wouldnt think that a small thing like that would make such a difference, but it does.

Follow my recipes in the Basics chapter, and you can master the not-so-difficult tasks of pastry making.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Mar 27, 2012
• ISBN: 9781467889636

Stephen McFarland

My name is Stephen McFarland and I am a Pastry Chef. This is not just my profession, it is who I am. Cooking, in particular pastries and desserts, is in my blood. I grew up in a small village called Ederney in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland surrounded by family and food. Inspired by my grandfather, a master baker, creating and sharing good food with family and friends for celebrations and simple everyday meals is a way of life for me. The dessert recipes in this book are part of my family heritage. They have been passed down with love over generations. Some are simple classics like the Bread & Butter Pudding my grandfather used to serve after Sunday dinner whilst others are more elegant like the Citrus Posset; this is just one of the simplest desserts that you could ever make and a great palate cleanser. My recipes will take you from simple breakfast pastries like my Breakfast Muffins to my indulgent Chocolate Fondants, a dinner party treat. In my opinion, home cooked desserts are the best gift you can give. I hope that by sharing my recipes in this book, you too can create delicious gifts for your family and friends.

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© 2012 Stephen McFarland. All Rights Reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 03/12/2012

ISBN: 978-1-4678-8963-6 (e)

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Contents

Introduction

Breakfast

Bread

Hot Desserts

Cold Desserts

Tarts

Afternoon Tea

Petit Fours

Basics

Sauces

Introduction

My love affair with desserts started when I was a child. I grew up in a small village called Ederney in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland surrounded by family and food. Inspired by my grandfather, a master baker, creating and sharing good food with family and friends for celebrations and simple everyday meals is a way of life for me. As a young child I would watch my grandfather make bread every Saturday morning as well as many tarts and pastries; to this day, I can honestly say his pastry is still the best I have ever tasted.

Since the age of about ten I have dreamt of writing a book, encapsulating my favourite recipes, to share with others. Many of the dessert recipes in this book are part of my family heritage. They have been passed down with love over generations.

I am very fortunate as my job as a Pastry Chef allows me to indulge my passion for cooking, especially sweet treats! I have travelled all over the world creating, cooking and tasting new recipes. The recipes in this book are also a result of my culinary adventures to date. In my experience wherever you are and whomever you are with, everyone loves a good dessert!

Some are simple classics inspired by the Bread & Butter pudding my grandfather used to serve after Sunday dinner but given a modern twist using croissants, whilst others are more elegant like the Citrus Posset; this is just one of the simplest desserts that you could ever make and a great palate cleanser.

Over the years, so many people have asked me about making pastry, believing it to be a great art. It seems to be the one thing many admire but few will attempt! In my opinion it is a skill anyone can learn, given time and patience. It’s all about understanding the basics. I am certain that if you follow the recipes in my Basic Chapter, you will learn to make perfect Pastry.

My recipes will take you from simple breakfast pastries like my Breakfast Muffins to indulgent Chocolate Fondants, a dinner party treat. In my opinion, home cooked desserts are the best gift you can give. I hope that by sharing my recipes in this book, you too can create delicious gifts for your family and friends.

True love of cooking, has true flavour

Happy Cooking

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Breakfast

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Pancakes

Ingredients

3 large eggs

115g plain flour

1 heaped teaspoon baking powder

140ml milk

A pinch of salt

Method

First separate the eggs, putting the whites into one bowl and the yolks into another. Add the fl our, baking powder and milk to the yolks and mix to a smooth thick batter. Whisk the whites with the salt until they form stiff peaks. Fold into the batter – it is now ready to use.

Heat a good non-stick pan on a medium heat. Pour some of your batter into the pan and fry for a couple of minutes until it starts to look golden and firm. Loosen the bottom side with a spatula and flip the pancake over.

Continue frying until both sides are golden.

Now serve with lemon and sugar or maple syrup.

Crêpes

Serves 15 – 20

Ingredients

110g plain flour, sifted

Pinch of salt

2 eggs

200ml milk mixed with 75ml water

50g butter

1 medium orange, grated zest only

1 tbsp caster sugar

Method

Sift the fl our and salt into a large mixing bowl with a sieve held high above the bowl so the flour gets an airing. Now make a well in the centre of the flour and break the eggs into it. Then begin whisking the eggs incorporating any bits of flour from around the edge of the bowl as you do so.

Next gradually add small quantities of the milk and water mixture, still whisking (don’t worry about any lumps as they will eventually disappear as you whisk). When all the liquid has been added, use a rubber spatula to scrape any elusive bits of flour from around