Laura Hurter Pâtisserie

Long time no see!

(English below) Heute melde ich mich wegen einer Umfrage für ein neues Kursprojekt von mir, bzw. Ferienbackkurse für Jugendliche. Wenn ihr Kinder, oder Bekannte habt, deren Kinder sehr gerne backen, dann schickt ihnen die Umfrage! Der Begriff "Jugendliche" ist erstmals sehr breit genommen (10-22) und Wohnplatz musst nicht München sein.

Zum Dank verlose ich (wahlweise) ein 10% Gutschein für einen privaten Backkurs mit mir oder mein lieblings Backbuch (auf Englisch).

Die Umfrage kann man auf DE/FR/EN ausfüllen!!

https://smartbakers.limesurvey.net/658161?lang=de-informal

For my Baking Camps project I’d like to invite kids/teens/youngsters aged between 10 & 22 and who like to bake to a very short survey!

As a way to thank you (them) for spending time, I’m giving away a 10% voucher for a private class with me OR (your choice) my favourite pastry book (in English).

Participation to the survey is not limited to Munich residents and is possible in any of the 3 : English/German/French.

https://smartbakers.limesurvey.net/658161?lang=en

Which is your favorite summer tart?⁠
⁠
I loved making this one apricot/redcurrant/ricotta tart and enjoyed as much eating it! Both refreshing and yummy, sweet with a hint of tartness.⁠
⁠
To me, summer evokes apricots, peaches & cherries. Which summer flavours come to your mind?⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠

Made this apple-rhubarb tart again before rhubarb season ends. I did cut down on the sugar a little as compared to the original recipe (see last post), and added more mapple syrup than I usually do for that recipe. Mapple syrup has a higher sweetening power and lower glycemic index than normal sugar, but it wasn't as much to my liking I must say!⁠
⁠
Used Pinova apples which hold very well when baking - if you do like to get a good, firm apple bite in apple tart also make sure that your apples are as fresh as possible.⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠

I made this babka a couple of days ago out of my brioche base dough, together with a couple of others things (brioches tête - swipe- and chocolate brioches buns).⁠
⁠
We recently got started with the "Brotzeitdose-thing" (a lunch box German kids take at school or daycare, though not always for lunch) so it looks like my baking will include more of breakfast-friendly, snack-wise stuff.⁠
⁠
While we as a family pay quite a lot of attention to what we eat and are mindful of what we cook in terms of diet, I have never made it a goal to lower the amounts of sugar and fat when baking. I consider treats mainly as something we shouldn't have every day, or if we do, then balance it through the other things we eat and through daily lifestyle.⁠
⁠
Fact is too, that in a number of recipes, when cutting down on the sugar, you also need to adapt the recipe as sugar also plays a role in terms of texture (absorbing moist, giving colour to baked goods etc.).⁠
⁠
Anyway, as you can guess from the picture, somebody is not going to give up on chocolate that soon...⁠
⁠
⁠
How about you? How far are you concerned by sugar and fat when baking?⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠

Fraisier - the most traditional French strawberry cake - can be made in many different ways:⁠
- the cream can be a buttercream, a sort of fast-track buttercream, or a crème diplomate (crème pâtissière combined with whipped cream). That's the one I used here and my favorite version.⁠
⁠
- the traditional "topping" is a marzipan layer, but you can also decorate the cake with some cream piped on top and strawberries, like I did here.⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠

Passionfruit & mango choux, in 2 versions. ⁠
⁠
They have a similar composition but are built differently.⁠
⁠
That's the beauty of choux craquelin - one base, so many options!⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠

⁠
⁠
⁠

Throw back to our choux pastry class with .paulina. We did 2 types of choux craquelin - here the chocolate ones.

Sprinkled with cocoa nibs and filled with chocolate pastry cream.

Throw back to the choux pastry class with Yoga with Paulina, where we did two types of choux craquelin - here the chocolate ones.

Sprinkled with cocoa nibs and filled with chocolate pastry cream.

I don't have much to say about that one, save the fact that I was really happy
1) that Amanda's family baked such beautiful macarons
2) that I had that beautiful plate from - thank you again
3) that talented was there to make this wonderful photo!

Gewinnspiel! Give away!⁠
Translation in German below.⁠
⁠
Sylvia, on the photo, together with her family and I, made those macarons with the plant-based food colouring from Eat a Rainbow/Colourfood.⁠
⁠
If you'd like to win...
a 10% coupon on a private class gift voucher
& one Eat A Rainbow colour set
.. then join in the give away on Instagram.
Details on my Instagram account https://www.instagram.com/laurahurter_patisserie/⁠
⁠
Beautiful photos: ⁠
⁠
The game ends on April 26th, 3:00 pm, Berlin time. You need to live in Germany or Austria to participate. The winners will be announced on my Instagram account and will need to provide their post address ASAP. Anybody aged 18+ may participate. The decision will be final, no legal action may be taken. Exchange or reimbursement of the prizes are excluded. Instagram has no responsibility in this give away.⁠
⁠
----⁠
⁠
Sylvia, ihre Familie und ich haben diese Macarons mit pflanzlichen Lebensmittel Farben von Eat a Rainbow/Colourfood gebacken.⁠
⁠
Wenn ihr die Farben ausprobieren möchtet, und noch ein 10% Rabatt auf einen privaten Kurs mit mir, dann macht beim Gewinnspiel mit!

Infos & Spielregeln auf meine Instagram Konto:
https://www.instagram.com/laurahurter_patisserie/
⁠

Das Spiel endet am 26 April, 15:00. Ihr solltet eine Postanschrift in Deutschland oder Österreich besitzen um teilzunehmen. Die Gewinner werden auf meinem Instagram Konto am 26 April angesagt. Teilnahmeberechtigt sind alle Personen, die über 18 Jahre alt sind. Der Rechtsweg ist ausgeschlossen. Umtausch und Barauszahlung sind nicht möglich. Das Gewinsspiel steht in keinem Zusammenhang mit Instagram.

Not much more to be added 😉...⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠

Choux craquelin right out of the oven!⁠
⁠
Those are covered with a thin layer of crumble which then slowly melts and spreads all over the surface when baking.⁠
⁠
Curious to see how it goes? Link in my bio to see more photos of the whole process.⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠

Chouquettes! ⁠
⁠
The easiest type of choux you can make, but some of the best too!! I'm always happy to have them within a choux pastry class because they're not just "a quick fix", they're actually delicious.⁠
⁠
The choux are merely sprinkled (or dipped into) crystal sugar. ⁠
⁠
It's important to have a loooot of sugar on! The pastry itself is not that sweet and the sugar makes for some crunch.⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠

And that's how your pastry looks like by the end!⁠
⁠
Soft and silky-glossy, and by no means runny.⁠
⁠
By the way have you noticed I cut my silicon mat? Because, why should you be bothered by a mat that's too big? Try it. It feels weird when you cut it, but you'll see it'll all be good. Better actually!⁠
⁠
⁠
Photo ⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠

Once you've had that "mashed-potatoes-moment" (see past post), the key to control moist in your choux pastry are the eggs.⁠
⁠
You should make sure you add neither too much, nor too little (so not necessarily exactly what you find in your recipe).⁠
⁠
That's one of the reasons why we add them little by little, and also why it's good to learn how to make the pastry by hand. You might get tired arms, but you also get a better feeling of what the texture should be like.⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠

Yep, your first & main goal when making choux is to have them nicely round and swollen - and to avoid collapsing by the end of the baking.⁠
⁠
Once you have understood that choux pastry is all about reaching the adequate amount of moist in the pastry, you're good! You then need to control the baking process and are pretty sure to get fine results.⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠We were lucky to have with us for that class so I can share more than I usually do about classes!⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠

Choux pastry class with .paulina ⁠
⁠
Paulina is a yoga teacher and wanted to have this pastry class together with her group of regulars and friends.⁠
⁠
She said "I was looking for a baking class to learn some new skills, have fun, connect with the group more and have a relaxed but knowledgable time."⁠
⁠
Here you see us cooking the choux pastry and the girls laughed saying it looked like mashed potatoes ;).⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
#⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠

Using vanilla.

If you wonder how I use vanilla under the various forms I mentioned in the one of my last posts, here would be how it goes:

: mainly in liquidy mixes, letting it infuse a good 6 hours ahead if not overnight.

: would either replace the beans or come into a prep where there is no liquid/no possibility to infuse, like shortcrusts, brioche dough, fruit compotes

: simple cakes, pancakes. Sometimes it comes in addition to the vanilla powder if I want a stronger taste, like in milk rice.

: that's the one I use the least. As I said it's just not very traditional in French pastry. But I find it good when it comes to soaking a sponge for instance (I add the extract to the sirup), or in some ganaches.

Looks like many of you are using extract though, so I'm curious - how do you use it? And how do you use it other types of vanilla?

2 Plätze frei für den Gâteau coulant au chocolat Kurs morgen, 17.03.2022, 17:00-20:30, in Unterföhring.
Anmeldung: https://www.vhs-nord.de/versteckte-seiten/programm/kurs/Franzoesische-Backkunst/V3765

VHS im Norden des Landkreises München e.V.: Französische Backkunst Liebe geht ja bekanntlich durch den Magen. Deshalb erlernen Sie in diesem Kurs die hohe Kunst, einen "Gâteau coulant au chocolat" - das berühmte Schokoküchlein mit flüssigem Kern - wie ein Profi herzustellen! Die verschiedenen Rezepte werden Sie dabei unterstützen...

Storing vanilla beans.

If you have ever tried the long-heard tip of keeping them "in a metal box", you might already have noticed that this doesn't prevent them from drying out.

Vanilla beans are expensive, yes. It takes a lot to grow and process vanilla until we can buy it. The mere fact that flowers are to be pollinated by hand, and that this needs to be done within a couple of hours only - the time each flower is blooming - gives an idea about why they are so costly.

If you want to buy a bunch of beans and make the most of it, FREEZE them.

That's in my experience the best way to store vanilla beans. I wrap them tight with cling film, put this into a reusable zip bag, get as much air out as possible and put this into my freezer.

Even after 6-8 months every single bean you take from your freezer will still be fairly soft and moist.

If for some reason you can't freeze them, then go for the glass jar/bottle - trying to choose one that fits the amount of beans to be stored.

Another of this winter's macarons classes, at a family of 4. Their daughter was celebrating her 10th birthday. She loves baking and dearly wanted to learn how to make macarons.

They invited one of her friends over and we had a lovely time baking together.

I tend to say that macarons is not the most kid-friendly recipe - at least not the most kid-friendly class. I give lots of explanations and there are lots of "rules" to be obeyed in order to achieve good results.

Still, I was impressed at the kids' attention and and keen participation.

They chose to make mint-colored macarons, some with vanilla and some with salted caramel.

Coco/matcha/cardamom macarons, shells coloured with "colouring foods", e.g 100% plant-based food colouring.

avoid issues like kids' hyper activity syndrome (with azoic colours like E122) or allergic reactions (with E131 blue food colouring for instance).

On the other hand, they mostly come from foods which have been grown in remote countries (meaning transport and little control on farming conditions). AND you usually use much more of those than conventional colourings.

By the way, did you know that 95% of the golden/silver powders, food colourings, cake glitter and so on contain some E171 - namely titanium dioxide? E171 is also widely used in pastries to achieve "a whiter white" or more vivid colours in cake glaze for instance. The European countries are to ban its use in foods till August 2022.

What types of food colourings do you use? Powder/gel/liquid?
Non-azoic?
Plant-based or not?
No food colouring at all?

Today was international education day. How does learning change your own life? How does it transform you?

When I got started with pastry classes I didn't know how far I would like it. It was more like"giving it a try". After about 3 years experience now, and giving it more thought, I came to realize that "teaching" (though to be honest I'm still struggling a bit with the word "teacher") is no random activity but something I do enjoy.

In fact I have always been fascinated by the learning process - I love learning too.

I had the chance to attend a bilingual high school 80 km away from where my parents lived. To that awesome school I owe not only learning English but also the route my life took afterwards.

After graduating from Lyon politics school I took an apprenticeship program to become a cook, and took another program a few years later to become a pastry chef.

When I look back, that's been quite a way to go, in every meaning of the word...

What do you like learning the most? When baking or doing something else...? When working or listening to podcasts...?

Das Frühling-Sommer Program für die Gruppen Kurse bei den VHS Kursen steht jetzt zur Verfügung auf dem Kalender meiner Webseite! Es gibt als Neuigkeit einen Sommertorten Kurs im August!

Achtung, die Links zur Anmeldung zu den Kursen der Münchner VHS werden nur ab dem 1 Februar veröffentlicht! Die Unterföhring VHS hat schon ihr Program veröffentlicht und deswegen sind die Links auch auf meiner Webseite erhältlich.

The spring-summer program for group classes at the VHS is now online on my website's calendar!

Watch out, for MVHS classes signing up will only be available as of February 1st. The VHS Unterföhring already has published their program so the links for those classes are already available.

Tarte feuilletée aux pommes - apple puff pastry tart.

I tend to prefer big apple chunks in apple tarts, though the traditional "tarte feuilletée aux pommes" should rather be with thin slices and some apple compote underneath.

Big apple chunks actually make laying and arranging them on the crust trickier, which is why I like this very plain & rustic "toss-it-all-inside" version.

I used Boskoop, but if you like apples that are a little sweeter you could use Elstar apples for instance. Golden Delicious are also a very appreciated variety because they keep in shape while baking and are quite sweet, but they are not my favorite.

At best, blind-bake the puff pastry crust for a good 20 minutes at 175°C fan-forced, then put the apples sprinkled with raw cane sugar and keep on baking for another 25 min. Or if you skip the blind-baking, put the crust and apples slices altogether at 180°C for about 35 minutes.

When Tuesday still feels like weekend was not so long ago 😉...

A good batch of "brioches tête" does help for sure.

Brioche is one of my family's favorite of all the things I can possibly bake 🙂! What I enjoy about it, let alone the heavenly smell and comforting, yummy taste & texture, is the shaping.

You can keep it simple and shape it into small round buns, or have some fun trying out new patterns. And, believe me, the shaping also calms you down, that's crazy 😄!

The shape of brioches tête (tête = head, referring to the smaller bun on top) is the most characteristic of French brioche, though some bakeries do not make them any longer.

Have you ever given it a try?

Galette des rois !

I had made this one some time ago already and had frozen it (raw) so we have it ready for the 6th, and didn't remember I had used ground hazelnuts (instead of almonds) for a change 😂! At the first bite I said "oh I think I forgot the bitter almond!" 😆

The first days of the year are usually busy for me as I teach a brioche & puff pastry class over several days (where we make galette among others). That's why it's nice to get things prepared ahead of time, especially when around me it still feels like family holiday while I need to get back to a more focused state of mind.

When it comes to handling the galette (covering the galette, sticking the sides together, turning it upside down and drawing the lines), a frozen frangipane core makes things easier, though of course it's no must.

This year I ended up being sick, which had me cancelling the class... At least the galette brings some comfort!