French Patisserie Pleasures: Sweet Treats from Parisian Bakeries

By Pablo Picante

Embark on a tantalizing journey through the enchanting world of French patisserie with 'French Patisserie Pleasures: Sweet Treats from Parisian Bakeries'. From the buttery perfection of classic croissants to the intricate elegance of macarons, this book presents 100 irresistible recipes inspired by the renowned bakeries of Paris. Indulge in morning delights like almond croissants and raspberry brioche, savor afternoon indulgences such as chocolate éclairs and lemon tartlets, and elevate your evenings with sophisticated desserts like crème brûlée and raspberry mille-feuille. With each recipe meticulously crafted to capture the essence of French pastry-making, this book invites you to recreate the magic of Parisian bakeries in your own home. Whether you're a seasoned baker or a novice enthusiast, 'French Patisserie Pleasures' promises to delight your senses and awaken your inner pastry chef. Bon appétit!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Richards Education
• Release date: Mar 10, 2024
• ISBN: 9798223852391

Book preview

French Patisserie Pleasures: Sweet Treats from Parisian Bakeries

Pablo Picante

Chapter 1: Morning Delights

Classic Croissants

Ingredients:

●  500g strong bread flour

●  10g salt

●  80g sugar

●  10g instant yeast

●  300ml cold water

●  250g unsalted butter, cold

Instructions:

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, sugar, and yeast.

Gradually add the cold water while mixing until a dough forms.

Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic.

Shape the dough into a rectangle, cover it with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Roll out the dough on a floured surface into a large rectangle.

Place the cold butter between two sheets of parchment paper and roll it out into a rectangle slightly smaller than the dough.

Place the butter in the center of the dough and fold the dough over it, sealing the edges.

Roll out the dough-butter mixture into a long rectangle, then fold it into thirds like a letter.

Turn the dough 90 degrees, roll it out again, and fold it into thirds.

Repeat this process once more, then wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).

Roll out the dough into a large rectangle, then cut it into triangles.

Roll each triangle from the base to the tip to form croissants.

Place the croissants on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, cover with a clean towel, and let them rise for about 1 hour.

Brush the croissants with an egg wash (1 egg beaten with a tablespoon of water).

Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown and flaky.

Pain au Chocolat

Ingredients:

●  Classic croissant dough (see above)

●  Dark chocolate batons

Instructions:

Prepare the classic croissant dough following the instructions above.

After the final rolling and folding, roll out the dough into a large rectangle.

Cut the dough into smaller rectangles.

Place a piece of dark chocolate at one end of each rectangle, then roll the dough tightly around the chocolate.

Place the pain au chocolat on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, cover with a clean towel, and let them rise for about 1 hour.

Brush the pain au chocolat with an egg wash.

Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown and flaky.

Almond Croissants

Ingredients:

●  Classic croissant dough (see above)

●  200g almond paste

●  Sliced almonds

●  Powdered sugar (for dusting)

Instructions:

Prepare the classic croissant dough following the instructions above.

After the final rolling and folding, roll out the dough into a large rectangle.

Spread a thin layer of almond paste over the dough.

Cut the dough into triangles and roll them up as you would for classic croissants.

Place the almond croissants on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, cover with a clean towel, and let them rise for about 1 hour.

Brush the almond croissants with an egg wash and sprinkle sliced almonds on top.

Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown and flaky.

Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Raspberry Brioche

Ingredients:

●  500g bread flour

●  10g salt

●  80g sugar

●  10g instant yeast

●  4 eggs

●  150ml warm milk

●  200g unsalted butter, softened

●  Raspberry jam

●  Fresh raspberries

Instructions:

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, sugar, and yeast.

Add the eggs and warm milk, then mix until a dough forms.

Knead the dough for about 10 minutes, then gradually add the softened butter until fully incorporated.

Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for about 1-2 hours, until doubled in size.

Punch down the dough and divide it into equal portions.

Shape each portion into a ball and place them in a greased baking dish.

Make an indentation in the center of each brioche ball and fill it with raspberry jam.

Top each brioche with fresh raspberries.

Cover the baking dish with a clean towel and let the brioche rise for another 30-60 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).

Bake the brioche for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through.

Cinnamon Swirls

Ingredients:

●  500g all-purpose flour

●  7g instant yeast

●  50g sugar

●  1 tsp salt

●  250ml warm milk

●  75g unsalted butter, melted

●  1 egg

●  100g brown sugar

●  2 tbsp ground cinnamon

●  50g unsalted butter, softened

Instructions:

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt.

Add the warm milk, melted butter, and egg, then mix until a dough forms.

Knead the dough for about 5 minutes, then cover it with plastic wrap and let it rest for 10 minutes.

Roll out the dough into a large rectangle.

Spread the softened butter evenly over the dough.

In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon, then sprinkle it evenly over the buttered dough.

Roll up the dough tightly from one end to the other to form a log.

Slice the log into equal-sized pieces and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Cover the cinnamon swirls with a clean towel and let them rise for about 30-45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).

Bake the cinnamon swirls for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through.

Apple Turnovers

Ingredients:

●  2 sheets of puff pastry, thawed

●  2 large apples, peeled, cored, and diced

●  2 tablespoons butter

●  2 tablespoons brown sugar

●  1 teaspoon cinnamon

●  1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

●  1 tablespoon lemon juice

●  1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)

●  Powdered sugar (for dusting)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the diced apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon juice. Cook for about 5-7 minutes until the apples are softened and caramelized. Remove from heat and let it cool.

Roll out the puff pastry sheets and cut each into four squares.

Place a spoonful of the apple mixture in the center of each square.

Fold the pastry diagonally to form a triangle and seal the edges with a fork.

Place the turnovers on the prepared baking sheet, brush the tops with the beaten egg wash.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Let them cool slightly, then dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Apricot Danishes

Ingredients:

●  1 sheet puff pastry, thawed

●  1/2 cup apricot preserves

●  1/4 cup cream cheese, softened

●  1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)

●  Sliced almonds (optional)

●  Powdered sugar (for dusting)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Roll out the puff pastry sheet and cut it into squares.

In a small bowl, mix the apricot preserves and softened cream cheese until well combined.

Place a spoonful of the apricot mixture in the center of each pastry square.

Fold the corners of the pastry towards the center, slightly overlapping the filling.

Brush the edges of the pastry with the beaten egg wash.

Optional: Sprinkle