0 STRAWBERRY PICKING AROUND THE WEB

No recipe today, just a casual post. As the strawberry season is in full swing, I thought that you might be interested in the lovely links I have decided to share with you... Enjoy!

"Erdbeer-Biskuittürmchen" Wohnen & Garten (in German)
"Erdbeer Quark Schnitte" Mamas Rezepte (in German)
"Falooda" Food Bridge
"Fresh Strawberry Meringue Cake" Southern Livin
"Frischkäse Erdbeer Creme" Eat Smarter (in German)
"Frozen Strawberry Yogurt" Food Wanderings
"Gelée De Fraises, Coulis Coco" Elle A Table (in French)
"Quarkknödel Mit Erdbeeren" Czech Specials
"Quark Vanilla Cheesecake With Roasted Balsamic Strawberries" Passionate About Baking

"Insalata Di Finocchi Barbabietole E Fragole" Via Delle Rose (in Italian)

"Panna Cotta Alle Fragole" Via Delle Rose (in Italian)
"Praline Meringue Cake With strrawberries" BBC Good Food

"Roasted Strawberry Crostini With Basil And Goat Cheese" Confection Of A Foodie Bride

"Spring And Arugula, Maché Strawberry Salad With Mustard Vinaigrette" Spicie Foodie

"Strawberry And Coconut Swirls" Delicious Magazine

"Strawberry And Pistacchio Cake" Sips And Spoonfuls

"Strawberry Buns" Delicious Magazin
"Strawberry Chocolate Devil's Food Cake" Junglefrog

"Strawberry Cream Cake" Sprinkle Bakes

"Strawberry Honey Jam" Gastronome Tart

"Strawberry Lime Margharita" Sweet Life
"Strawberry Mousse Cake" Southern Living

"Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble" Rosa's Yummy Yums

"Strawberry, Roasted Corn & Avocado Salsa" Family Fresh Cooking

"Strawberry Salad With Speck And Halloumi" Jamie Oliver

"Strawberry Sauce with Caramelized Sugar and Pink Peppercorns" Cooking Light

"Strawberry Sorbet" Rosa's Yummy Yums

"Strawberry Squares" Creative Culinary
"Strawberry Swirl Cream Cheese Pound Cake" Southern Living
"Sweet Focaccia With Strawberries And Chocolate Ganache" Life's A Feast

"Tuna Carpaccio With Strawberry And Black Pepper Sauce" James Perry
"Whole Grain Strawberry Donuts" Chocolate & Carrots
"Whoopie Pies Vanille-Fraise" Cuisine Actuelle (in French)

0 CHERRY DELIGHTS - DÉLICES A LA CERISE

He appears your friend, but
the Saint hides many Satans
He's contemptuous, you know
of your Godgiven stupidities
He calls you in question with
affected modesty and create
of you an object of derision [...]
- Except taken from the song "Master In Disguise" by Arcturus (Nor)

The weather is a devil in disguise which always manages to surprise us and never fails to be temperamental as well as unpredictable just like a tyrinnical diva. Generally, it's either all or nothing. One day you think that you are living in frostbitten Siberia and the next you'd get tricked into believing that you are residing in the sunny Mediterranean.

A few weeks ago, Europe was still being brushed by a coldwave that froze everything to the core. One had the impression that the North Pole had shifted to our latitudes. Then it was followed by a short interval of chilly, but decent late winter climate which gave way to extremely mild conditions, comparable to that of the end of April. Within a fortnight, the temperatures jumped up dramatically and we experienced an increase of about 30° C (86° f - from minus 14° C to 18° C). Incredible!

Now, it really feels like spring. The air has a distinctive metallic and marine odor similar to that you smell when boats are sitting in the summer heat, daylight lasts longer, primroses and snowdrops are starting to blossom in a parasitic manner, green shoots are appearing between the dead leaves, buds are getting fat and ready to explode, woodpeckers drill trees madly, in the morning and evening black birds sing loud enough to wake up the whole neighborhood, noisy and agitated flocks of crows circle menacingly overhead, cats fight like old rags and people are suddenly more optimistic than ever.

Springtime is the land awakening.

The March winds are the morning yawn.

- Lewis Grizzard

Spring is sooner recognized by plants than by men.

- Chinese Proverb

It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold:  when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.

- Charles Dickens

When you go out, you are greeted by a symphony of chirps and the warm rays of the sunshine on your pale and shy skin. Every place is bustling with activity. Joggers are doing their rounds, terrace cafés are alarmingly cacaphonous, the streets are bustling with dashing passer-bys and animals are busy getting ready for the birthing season.

Those drastic changes can be quite mind-boggling and tiring as your brain and body are having a hard time adapting to this abrupt transition. After having dressed up like the Michelin man for the last 4 months and eaten your good share of comfort foods without being upset about the calories you ingested, you are now having difficulties knowing what to put on as you are not ready to shed off your thick layer of reassuring clothes in order to reveal your dismally flabby belly, untoned legs and pudgy arms (please be reassured, I am exagerating for the sake of entertainment) .

What a shock! The disastrous vision of your unfit self is not a pleasant thing to aknowledge and suddenly, with sheer terror you realise how much you allowed yourself to become a little too lazy and careless.
So, even if you don't care about all this propaganda about being skinny and believe that healthy women should have curves in the right places, you nonetheless start panicking and feeling desperate and guilty as you wish you had not sat so much in front of your favorite series, hibernated like a big fat grizzly bear or gobbled all those gorgeously soul-uplifting calories during the entire duration of the winter.

Why did you enjoy so many rich meals and not exercise more? You ask yourself the same question over and over, and you can't stop blaming yourself for having given in to laxity. However you are not somebody who endless laments herself over her, thus you decide to take action and begin elaborating plans in order to regain control over your slack lifestyle...
 

Going through such phases is quite normal as it is in our nature to need to cocoon and raise our spirits with soothing grub when the climate is unfriendly. If we overdieted and did not take a moment to breathe as well as to slow down once in a while, we'd end up being malnourished, depressed and totally drained of our energy as we'd act against what our organism dictates us to do. We all have to accept that there are periods during which we have no other choice than to follow our instincts and listen to what our physical system tells us.

Take care of your body. It's the only place you have to live.
- Jim Rohn

The body too has its rights; and it will have them: they cannot be trampled on without peril. The body ought to be the soul's best friend.
Many good men however have neglected to make it such: so it has become a fiend and has plagued them.
- Augustus William Hare and Julius Charles Hare, Guesses at Truth, by Two Brothers, 1827

Of course, whatever you do, you must never forget that any excess is dangerous and that you should privilege harmony over debauchery or overdiscipline. For that reason, I try to not dramatize the fact that my trousers are ever so slightly tighter, because I know that I haven't done anything terribly wrong and that I will soon be able to lose the extra grams I have gained lately. Nothing tragic here.

Spring is synonymous of rebirth, awakening as well as lightness and thankfully, it forces us to wake up and alter our behavior. That cosmic metamorphosis influences us greatly and consequently we go through some kind of natural reprogramming before the summer arrives. With the arrival of February, we begin to crave food that is less fat and heavy and we look forward to going for walks and getting closer to nature again. 

Even if I didn't properly let myself go, the cold season had its toll on me and now that April is at our doorstep, I feel boosted with a new energy and reconnected with my mortal frame. At the moment, I yearn for fresh, refined, flour-free and fruity desserts.

Being a passionate cook/baker, I am graced with a flourishing imagination, hence I am rarely short of resourcefulness and constantly come up with terrific ideas that I successfully turn into reality (flops happen, but they are outnumbered by favorable outcomes).

The verrine recipe I am presenting today, was invented on the occasion of a friend's visit. As I know that she is not against reasonable indulging and is not enclined to swallow tons of  artery-clogging victuals, I decided to offer her a heavenly sweet treat that would not sit on her stomach after our banquetting on "Apple & Celeriac Soup" and  "Guinness Shepherd's Pie".

Recently, pastry cream and griottes in syrup have been quite often on the menu, so I thought that it would be wonderul to concoct a sweet pudding which would combine both and would emphasize the delights of cherries. This lead me to associating the flavors of sour cherries with that of mahleb.

To accompany my fruits, I made a straight-forward crème pâtissière and incorporated a few teaspoons of this Middle-Eastern aromatic spice into it, then once the preparation was cold I folded in some whipped egg white in order to obtain a fluffy and delicate mousse consistency. To add a bit of crunch to the whole thing, I prepared a healthy granola with oats, honey, tahini and a spit of butter. Once everything was ready, I arranged those three components in alternating layers and presented them in pretty glasses.

As you can imagine, my "Cherry Delights" were a total winner and disappeared very fast. Seeing Corinne and P. gobble them greedily brought a smile on my face. There is no better reward than catching a glimpse of the people who you are close to you having a blast while savoring something you have lovingly made for them!

~ Cherry Delights ~
Recipe by Rosa Mayland, March 2012

For 6 people/makes 6 verrines.

Ingredients For The "Granola":

3/4 Cup (90g) Quick cooking oats

3 Tbs Runny honey

1 Tbs Tahini

1 Tbs Unsalted butter

Ingredients For The "Pastry Cream Mousse":
2 1/4 Cups (540ml) Whole milk
2 Tsp Mahleb
1/3 Tsp Fine sea salt
4 Tbs Cornstarch
1/2 Cup + 1 Tbs (125g) Castor sugar

2 Eggs (~ 63g)

1 Egg yolk
1 Tsp Pure vanilla extract

4 Tbs Unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

1 Egg white

2 Tbs Powder sugar, sifted

Ingredients For "Assembling":
250g Stoned sour cherries/griottes (preserved in syrup), drained

Method For The "Granola":

1. Preheat the oven to 180° C.

2. In a pan, melt the butter, add the honey and tahini.

3. Add this mixture to the oats and combine well, making sure that the oats are coated with the liquid.

4. Spread on a tray covered with baking paper.
5. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until golden brown.
6. Let cool completely before using.

Method For The "Pastry Cream":
7. Put the milk, mahleb and salt in a pan, bring to a light boil.
8. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch,  2 eggs, 1 yolk and vanilla extract until smooth, fluffy and light/pale in color.
9. While constantly whisking, slowly pour the milk into the egg mixture.
10. Return the whole to the saucepan.
11. Over medium heat and while whisking non-stop, cook until you get a thick consistency (just bring to a slight boil).
12. Remove from heat and pour into a bowl. Let cool for 10 minutes and then incorporate the butter, a little at a time, until the pastry cream is smooth and shiny .
13. Cover the surface with clingplastic, directly touching the cream. Let cool completely.
14. Once the pastry cream is at room temperature, whisk it in order to make it smooth again.
15. Beat  the egg white until soft peaks form.
16. Add the  powdered sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks appear.
17. Incorporate delicately the egg whites to the pastry cream.
Method For "Assembling The Verrines":
18. Start filling the bottom of the glasses with about 2-3 Tbs pastry cream mousse, add about 1 1/2 Tbs granola and then the cherries (6-7).
19. Repeat the process once more and finish with an extra layer of pastry cream mousse.
20. Place in the fridge until ready to serve.
21. Just before serving, sprinkle with some of the leftover granola.

Comments:
If you don't have any mahleb, then add a little more vanilla extract to the pastry cream or a few drops almond extract.
You can replace the tahini by the same quantity of butter.
You can also make this dessert with fresh cherries (I recommend the darker variety).
Please note that I weighed the cherries once drained.

Serving suggestions:
Serve as dessert with some bubbly wine (Champagne, Clairette De Die or  Prosecco) or some quality Sauterne, Vin Santo, Gewürtzraminer, Amaretto or Maraschino.

~ Délices A La Cerise ~
Recette par Rosa Mayland, mars 2012.

Pour 6 personnes/verrines.

Ingrédients Pour Le "Granola":  
90g de Flocons d'avoine
3 CS de Miel liquide
1 CS de Tahini
1 CS de Beurre non-salé
Ingrédients Pour La "Mousse De Crème Pâtissière":
540ml de Lait entier

2 CC de Mahlep
1/3 CC de Sel de mer fin
4 CS de Maïzena (fécule de maïs)
125g de Sucre cristallisé
2 Gros oeufs (~ 63g)

1 Jaune d'oeuf
1 CC d'Extrait de vanille pure
60g de Beurre non-salé, coupé en petits cubes
1 Blanc d'oeuf
2 CS de Sucre en poudre, tamisé
Ingrédients Pour Le "Montage":
250g de Griottes dénoyautées au sirop, égouttées

Méthode Pour Le "Granola":
1. Préchauffer le four à 180 ° C.
2. Dans une casserole, faire fondre le beurre, ajouter le miel et le tahini.
3. Ajouter ce mélange à l'avoine et bien mélanger. Faire en sorte que les flocons d'avoine soient recouverts par le liquide.
4. Étendre sur une plaque recouverte de papier sulfurisé.
5. Cuire au four pendant environ 20-25 minutes, en remuant toutes les 5 minutes.
6. Laisser refroidir complètement avant d'utiliser.

Méthode Pour La "Mousse De Crème Pâtissière":
7. Mettre le lait, le mahlep et le sel dans une casserole, porter à ébullition (tout juste).
8. Dans un grand bol, battre ensemble le sucre, la fécule, les 2 oeufs, le jaune d'oeuf et la vanille jusqu'à ce le mélange soit pâle et mousseux.
9. Tout en fouettant constamment, verser lentement le lait dans le mélange (tempérage).
10. Verser l'ensemble dans la casserole.
11. À feu moyen et en fouettant en continu, faire cuire jusqu'à obtention une consistance épaisse, lisse et crémeuse.
12. Après ébullition, retirer du feu et versez dans un bol. Laisser refroidir pendant 10 minutes puis incorporer le beurre, un peu à la fois, jusqu'à ce que la crème pâtissière soit lisse et brillante.
13. Couvrir la surface avec du film plastique (toucher directement la crème pâtissière). Laisser refroidir complètement avant d'utiliser.
14. Une fois la crème pâtissière est à température ambiante, la fouetter afin de le rendre lisse.
15. Battre le blanc d'oeuf jusqu'à ce qu'il forme des pics mous.
16. Ajouter le sucre en poudre et continuer de battre jusqu'à formation de pics rigides.
17. Incorporer délicatement les blancs d'oeufs à la crème pâtissière.
Méthode Pour "Assemblage Les Verrines":
18. Commencer à remplir le fond des verres avec environ 2-3 cuillères à soupe de mousse de  crème pâtissière, ajouter environ 1 1/2 cuillères à soupe de granola, puis les cerises (6-7).
19. Répétez l'opération encore une fois et finir avec une couche supplémentaire de mousse de crème pâtissière.
20. Réserver les verrines au frigo jusqu'au moment de servir.
21. Juste avant de servir, saupoudrer avec le granola restant.
 

Commentaires:
Si vous n'avez pas de mahlep, vous pouvez incoporer un petit peu plus d'extrait de vanille ou quelques gouttes d'extrait d'amande dans le lait pour la crème pâtissière.

Vous pouvez aussi remplacer le tahini par la même quantité de beurre.
Ce dessert peut aussi être préparé avec des cerises fraîches (je recommande d'utiliser des cerises foncées).
Faites bien attention d'utiliser 250g de griottes égouttés - na pas peser les cerises dans leur jus.

Suggestions d'accompagnement:
Servir en guise de dessert avec un verre de vin mousseux (Champagne, Clairette de Die ou Prosecco) ou de Sauterne, Vin Santo, Gewurtzraminer, d'Amaretto ou de Maraschino.

0 DELUXE TRADITIONAL ENGLISH TRIFLE - TRIFLE ANGLAIS TRADITIONNEL

I am very proud to have British blood (Viking too, as England was invaded by the Danes and under the Danelaw for more than a century) running through my veins and therefore I have a strong attraction for the culture of my ancestors, hence if you are no stranger to my writings you must already know that I am an ardent and passionate defender of the cuisine of my country of origin as I believe that English food is highly underrated and still gets an undeserved as well as unfair bad rap (read this article)...

"There is no such thing as bad food/cuisine, only lousy cooks using low-grade ingredients and crappy recipes!"
- Rosa Mayland, 2011

"She did not so much cook as assassinate food."
- Storm Jameson (1891-1986)

I am totally certain that people's negative vision and quasi-xenophobic stereotyping of this astounding island's unique specialities comes from the fact that they haven't yet tasted the real deal and have only eaten unfortunate dishes that were very badly prepared by untalented and clueless "cooks". When you come across disgusting chew, remember that you must never blame the cooking customs of a country, but rather the one who has created such abominable grub. Therefore, it is unjust to judge the gastronomy of a place when you haven't fed on the right fares.
 

Believe it or not, in the past, Great Britain was avant-gardish and its culinary legacy used to have a good reputation, but regretfully certain recent events in history have damaged it considerably. For all those of you who smirk when they hear that and doubt this affirmation, it has to be said that ancient hearty, humble, scrumptious and more recent colonially-tinted British food has, in its time, inspired the rest of the world for many years. Did you know that the Anglo-Saxons developed meat and savoury herb stewing techniques before the practice became common in the rest of Europe, that the Norman conquest introduced exotic spices during the Middle Ages and that the British Empire facilitated a knowledge of India's elaborate kitchen traditions of pungent, penetrating spices and herbs? I'm pretty sure not. Well, that is a detail all haters and foulmouthed criticizers must be conscious of before they start bringing Brit cooking down in flames and spreading false propaganda.

"There is much deliciousness in the British Isles; you just have to find it..."
- Fergus Hendersen

In days of yore, the peninsula was influenced by foreign invaders like the Vikings (from Scandinavia, but especially from Danemark), the Romans (from Italy) and even the Franco-Normans (from France) who all brought with them a melting pot of ingredients and foods to the English table, and imported new cooking methods and ideas.

Thanks to the French asilants, medieval English cookery abunded with recipes containing exotic seasonings such as saffron, mace, nutmeg, pepper, ginger and sugar. Many traditional recipes are still made nowadays and this heritage can be found in many contemporary treats such as "Christmas Pudding", "Christmas Cake", "Hot Cross Buns", "Mince Pies", etc... Then, with the colonization of far-away regions of the globe by the Empire tea was imported from India and British citizens started getting obssessed by curries, condiments and spicy sauces which are now an integral part of the rich and impressive food culture of England. In addition, immigrant workers have massively contributed to expanding this land's culinary horizon. Open-mindedness, assimilation and intergration has always been part of this nation's characteristics and that is why the term "fusion" is not alien to its folks.

Unfortunately, much harm was inflicted on English gastronomy throughout the Industrial Revolution, WWI, WWII and poor economic eras (1970's especially). During the 18th and 19th century, nobody had time to spend time in the kitchen and Britain was in the forefront of canned foods as well as other mechanical preservation methods. From 1914 until early into the 1950’s, little food was left for private consumption (rationing of meat, sugar, butter and eggs). As a result, the decline of quality produces and meals became flagrant. Sadly, it is then that Great Britain acquired its status as gastronomic joke worldwide.

"British food has not traditionally been regarded as one of the world's great cuisines, and yet Stilton cheese, Scottish raspberries, Goosnargh duck and Welsh lamb are internationally renowned and celebrated. And then there are all those dishes and recipes that inspire passionately loyaltly among the initiated: Whitby lemon buns and banoffi pie, for example; pan haggerty and Hendersen's relish. All are as integral of the country's landscape as green fields, rolling hills and rocky costaline."
- Andrew Webb, "Food Britannia"

Although England's period of culinary disgrace lasted long, the joke is finally starting to get forgotten. One can now witness an extraordinary comeback in popularity of British food and the world cannot stop speaking about the archipelago's magnificent regional produces, fine dishes, awesome chefs and renowned restaurants/gastropubs. This change of situation brings me happiness because I wish that more folks out there will be able to get initiated to the proper stuff and discover as well as appreciate what I have been treasuring all my life. Light has definitely to be made on this important part of England's patrimony. My dream is that others learn to enjoy and respect it as much as I do...

You've got to understand that I have been literally brought up on the finest English specialities (made by expert hands too) and everything that ever graced my plate has been a real feast for my taste buds and a total enchantment. My grandparents, their friends and my mother have never deceived me when it comes to being terrific home chefs and introducing me to Britain's best recipes. This is the reason why I cannot accept that certain mean and uneducated individuals continue to spread false rumors about a gastronomy they don't grasp/understand at all and have not experienced correctly (just because it is your opinion and you don't like certain dishes, doesn't mean that they are horrible or make a generality)!

So, today, I wish to share with you my personal recipe for "Trifle" as this  old-fashioned delight deserves all your attention, especially if it is put together with a lot of loving care and without speeding up steps or forgetting that quality must always rule in the kitchen.

This sweet course is very popular at the moment and it is not rare to see excellent recipes for it in overseas magazines or on international blogs. Most of the time I find them interesting and mouthwatering, but I must admit that I often feel a little frustrated as most of them are too simplistic, a pale copy and lazy interpretation of the original. Besides, it is still not rare to watch a TV programm ("Come Dine with Me" on Channel 4) and see somebody shamelessly offering their chokingly disgusting and terrifyingly industrial 1970 version of that classic (low-grade store-bought cake, custard from a can or a packet, additive-laden jelly, Spanish greenhouse-grown strawberries and whipped cream from a tube). A true disgrace!

For those who have not the slightest idea regarding what a "Trifle is, then here's a short explaination. The origin of the name can be traced back to 1596 and it refers to a sweet course - very similar to a "Fool" - made with thick cream flavored with sugar, ginger and rosewater. It is only sixty years later that milk was added and the custard was poured over alcohol-soaked leftover bread. From then on, it hasn't stopped evolving in order to become the pudding we are all accustomed to seeing these days. And contrarily to common belief, the inclusion of gelatin is not a recent variation. In reality, the earliest known recipe to include jelly dates from 1747.

Despite being quite a straight-forward interpretation of the original recipe, my "Deluxe Traditional English Trifle" is nonetheless a personal creation and is quirkier and more versatile than the typical layered pud served by your granny. Mine has no trace of that repulsively wobbly mass (I adore homemade jelly, but find it not to be a must in "Trifle" since it adds nothing much to it and generally is not liked by most munchers), abominable factory-made custard or of any fertilizer-boosted fruits, the pound cake has been baked by myself (you could also use "Ladyfingers" or "Sponge Cake"), it is spiked with Port rather than Sherry, can be adapted to all seasons and contains some extra lemon juice as well as zest for more freshness, sharpness and piquantness. And finally, but not lastly, each of its components are homemade from scratch, so it is a top-notch delicacy. It is so refreshing, fruity, smooth, regressive, exquisite and addictive that I have converted my 100% Swiss boyfriend into a trifle-aholic like me...

~ Deluxe Traditional English Trifle ~
Recipe by Rosa Mayland, November 2011.

Ingredients For The "Cakes":
85g (3oz) Unsalted butter, at room temperature
85g (3oz) Castor sugar
2 Eggs (~ 63g)

1 Tsp Pure vanilla extract
125g (4.5oz) All-purpose flour
1 Tsp Baking powder
1/4 Fine sea salt
3 Tbs Whole milk 

Ingredients For The "Pastry Cream":
2 1/4 Cups (540ml) Whole milk
1/3 Tsp Fine sea salt
4 Tbs Cornstarch
1/2 Cup (110g) Castor sugar
2 Big eggs (~ 70g)
1 1/2 Tsp Pure vanilla extract

4 Tbs Unsalted butter, cut in small cubes
Ingredients For "Assembling The Trifle":
2 1/4 - 1/2 Cups (810 - 900g) Fruit compote (see comments)
2 Lemond (organic)
1 Tbs Light brown sugar
Red Port, to taste
1 Cup (250ml) Double cream (35%), whipped

1/2 Cup (90g) Matchstick almonds, toasted

Method For The "Cakes":
1. Preheat the oven to 180° C (350° F), then grease two 3x6 inches rectangular cake tins and
line the bases with baking paper.
2. Mix together the sifted flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl until pale, light and fluffy.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating the mixture well between each addition and a tablespoon of the flour with the last egg to prevent the mixture from curdling and separating. Then, mix in the vanilla extract.
5. Incorporate the flour mixture by gently folding it in the egg mixture and add enough milk to obtain a batter that falls reluctantly from the spoon.
6. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tins, level the top and bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden and a skewer inserted in the centre of each cake comes out clean.
7. Let cool in the pan for ten minutes before turning out on to a wire rack and leaving to cool completely.
Method For The "Pastry Cream":
1. Put the milk and salt in a pan, bring to a light boil.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, eggs and vanilla extract until smooth, fluffy and light in color.
3. While constantly whisking, slowly pour the milk into the egg mixture.
4. Return the whole to the saucepan.
5. Over medium heat and while whisking non-stop, cook until you get a thick consistency (just bring to a slight boil).
6. Remove from heat and pour into a bowl. Let cool for 10 minutes and then incorporate the butter, a little at a time, until the pastry cream is smooth and shiny .
7. Cover the surface with clingplastic, directly touching the cream. Let cool completely before placing in the refrigerator.

Method For "Assembling The Trifle":
1. Cut the cake into slices (0.5 - 0.8mm/0.2 - 0.3 inches) and whisk the pastry cream until smooth again. Set aside.
2. Zest both lemons and juice them, then mix the zest as well as juice together with the brown sugar. Set aside.
3. Put 1/3 of the cake in the bottom of the bowl. Pour 1/3 of the lemon juice mixture on to it and do the same with the Port.
4. Spread 1/3 of the compote over the cake, then spread 1/3 of the pastry cream over it.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 two more times and then top with the whipped cream.
6. Put into the fridge to chill.
7. Before serving, sprinkle with the toasted almonds.

Comments:

Of course, I am quite aware that the fruit sauce I used is not in season anymore, but be reassured, mine came from the stock I have in my freezer. It can easily be replaced by the puree of your choice (cranberry, apple, pear, orange, chestnut, etc…).

The cake can be made up to two days in advance and kept tightly wrapped in clingfilm or frozen for up to 3 months.
The pastry cream as well as the compote can also be made ahead and kept in the fridge for up to 5 days.
I recommend that you chill the trifle for at least 4 hours (overnight is even better) before serving as then the flavors can fully develop.

Keep the trifle in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Serving suggestions:
Serve for dessert with a good cup of strong coffee, a glass of liquor or sweet wine.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~ Trifle Anglais Traditionnel Revisité ~
Recette Par Rosa Mayland Novembre 2011.

Ingrédients Pour Le "Gâteau":
85g de Beurre non-salé, à température ambiante
85g de Sucre cristallisé

1 CC d'Extrait de vanille pure
2 Oeufs (~ 63g)
125g de Farine
1 CC de Poudre à pâte/lever
1/4 de Sel de mer fin
3 CS de Lait entier
Ingrédients Pour La "Crème pâtissière":
540ml de Lait entier
1/3 CC de Sel de mer fin
4 CS de Maïzena (fécule de maïs)
110g de Sucre cristallisé
2 Gros oeufs (~ 70g)
1 1/2 CC d'Extrait de vanille pure
60g de Beurre non-salé, coupé en petits cubes
Ingrédients Pour "Assembler le Trifle":
810-900g de Compote de fruits (voir commentaires)
2 Citrons (bio)
1 CS de Sucre brun clair
Porto rouge, selon au goût
250ml de crème double, fouettée
90g d'Amandes allumettes, torréfiées

Méthode Pour le «gâteau»:
1. Préchauffer le four à 180 ° C (350 ° F), puis beurrer 2 moules à cake rectangulaires de 8x15cm et recouvrir les fonds de papier sulfurisé.
2. Mélanger ensemble la farine tamisée, la poudre à pâte et le sel. Réserver.
3. Dans un bol moyen, battre le beurre et le sucre en pommade (le mélange doit être pâle et léger).
4. Ajouter les oeufs, un à un, en les incorporant complétement après chaque ajout. Ajouter une cuillère à soupe de farine avec le dernier œuf afin d'éviter que le mélange se sépare, puis incorporer l'estrait de vanille.
5. Incorporer la farine en pliant délicatement et ajouter assez de lait afin d'obtenir une pâte qui tombe de la cuillère (mais qui n'est pas liquide - telle une pâte à gâteau ordinaire).

6. Répartir la pâte également dans les moules, lisser et cuire cuire pendant 30-35 minutes ou jusqu'à ce que les gâteaux soient dorés et que la lame d'un couteau insérée en leur centre en ressorte propre.
7. Laisser refroidir dans les moules pendant dix minutes avant de démouler. Laisser refroidir sur un grille.
Méthode pour la "Crème pâtissière":
1. Mettre le lait et le sel dans une casserole, porter à ébullition (tout juste).
2. Dans un grand bol, battre ensemble le sucre, la fécule, les oeufs et la vanille jusqu'à ce le mélange soit pâle et mousseux.
3. Tout en fouettant constamment, verser lentement le lait dans le mélange (tempérage).
4. Verser l'ensemble dans la casserole.
5. À feu moyen et en fouettant en continu, faire cuire jusqu'à obtention une consistance épaisse, lisse et crémeuse.
6. Après ébullition, retirer du feu et versez dans un bol. Laisser refroidir pendant 10 minutes puis incorporer le beurre, un peu à la fois, jusqu'à ce que la crème pâtissière soit lisse et brillante.
7. Couvrir la surface avec du film plastique (toucher directement la crème pâtissière). Laisser refroidir complètement avant de placer dans le réfrigérateur.

Méthode Pour "Assembler Le Trifle":
1. Couper les gâteaux en tranches de 0.6-0.8mm et fouetter la crème pâtissière jusqu'à obtention d'une consistance lisse. Mettre de côté.
2. Prélever le zeste des deux citrons et les presser, puis mélanger le zeste et le jus avec le sucre brun. Mettre de côté.
3. Mettre 1/3 des tranches dans le fond du bol. Mouiller avec 1/3 du jus de citron et de faire la même chose avec le porto.
4. Étaler 1/3 de la compote sur les tranches de cake, puis étaler 1/3 de la crème pâtissière sur cette dernière.
5. Répétez les étapes 3 et 4 encore deux fois, puis décorer le dessus du trifle avec la crème fouettée.
6. Mettre au réfrigérateur.
7. Avant de servir, saupoudrer avec les amandes.

Commentaires:
Les prunes ne sont plus de saison (j'avais préparé cette recette lorsqu'ils était encore de saison), mais vous pouvez remplacer cette compote par la compote de votre choix (pommes, poires, cranberries, orange, châtaignes, etc...).

Les gâteaux peuvent être faits 2 jours à l'avance et enveloppés dans un film plastique ou congelés (maximum 3 mois).
La crème pâtissière ainsi que la compote peuvent également être préparées à l'avance et conservées au réfrigérateur pendant 5 jours maximum.
Je vous recommande de réfrigérer le trifle pendant au moins 4 heures (c'est encore meilleur après une nuit au réfrigérateur) avant de servir car de cette manière les saveurs peuvent se développer complètement.

Conserver pas plus de 2 jours au frigo.

Idées de présentation:
Servir pour le dessert avec une bonne tasse de café, un verre de liqueur ou de vin liquoureux.

0 BAKED APRICOTS STUFFED WITH ALMOND PASTE - MONTHLY MINGLE

With the arrival of hotter weather and to my biggest pleasure, some of my favorite fruits are starting to grace (super)market stalls. They are so fabulous that I can never get enough of them. Not one week passes by without me making either pies, pastries, cakes, trifles, crumbles, clafoutis or cobblers in my itsy-bitsy apartment kitchen.

The craze already begins in May when the first Swiss rhubarb stems (I know, it is a vegetable, but I mostly prepare it just like a fruit - that's how I like it best) and strawberries are available, then at the end of June they slowly get replaced by apricots, peaches, nectarines as well as all kinds of berries (gooseberries, redcurrants, raspberries, blackberries, etc...) and, finally in August, after an endless and interminable year of lusting, the king of all stone fruits makes it's appearance, my beloved Italian plum. Not forgetting that not long after, they are very closely followed by raisins and apples (and so on)...

Ah, Nature is indisputably plentiful and perfect! It never fails to make our senses work and months after month, it incessantly offers a vast array of wonderful produces, no matter the time of the year. Why would we want to buy vegetables or fruits that are not seasonal, stuffed with chemicals, were grown in non-humane ways, have flown miles to reach us, thus contributed to dirtying the air we breathe, are overpriced and taste like nothing when we have the opportunity to help our farmers, to enjoy organic or chemical-free goods, to treat our tastebuds rightfully, to not spoil our precious planet, our to and to follow the rythm of the seasons without letting ourselves get overwhelmed by stupid and incoherent needs?

You see, I am getting sick and tired of seeing people who crave the wrong food at the wrong moment, who are acutely detached from the Earth that they don't know if what they buy is grown in "laboratories" or naturally in fields, who think that it is normal to be able to find what they want when they want and who don't give damn about their despicable attitude or the effect it can have on their lives!

The beauty of consuming goods that were cultivated sustainably and in harmony with the environment is that you never get bored with them as those produces aren't generally available all the time, hence you can be assured that there's always a rotation. In that way, you look even more forward to eating those greengrocery items because you had to wait for so long in order to finally be able to savor them. The unbearable longing as well as the extreme yearning induced by the unfathomable break, the sheer joy that you feel when you know that a produce will soon be sold again and the exhilarating thrill you experience while taking your first bite of that highly anticipated vegetable or fruit is just incomparable and has to be cherished. Deprivation helps us appreciate them to a greater extend and not take things for granted. Fulfillment doesn't come through spoiltness...

Consequently, when I saw the very first Swiss apricots from Valais (some of the world's finest apricots), I was overcome with immense happiness. After having indulged in rhubarb for the past weeks, those amazingly fragrant, gorgeously juicy and vibrantly colored stone fruits offered a very welcome change.

Since my aim was to highlight their delightful sourness that is beautifully counterbalanced by their incredible nectarousness, which are both coupled with breathtakingly musky and heady aromas, I chose to make a refined North-African and Provence inspired dessert with that sun-engorged treat.

I searched online for quite a while before I stumbled upon what I was looking for. "Baked Apricots Stuffed With Almond Paste" it was going to be. Of course, there was no way I would prepare my round and orange furry little babies without making a few adaptations to the original recipe. I always have to add a personal touch to everything and I am constantly compelled to increase quantities as I'm afraid my food will not be adequably palatable. It is a bit of an illness. My nickname could well be "Madame Never Enough".

I kept the same amount of filling, but I decided to reduce the number of fruits as well as to incorporate a few drops extra almond essence and orange blossom water to the paste and for a more complex flavor, I thought it would be interesting to delicately infuse the syrup with a little lavender flower. An excellent decision!

The unique combination of tart apricots, sweet almond paste, pungent distilled water, marzipan-tasting almond essence and balmy dried lavender flowers is just out of this world. It results in an ambrosial and refined dessert which will get you hooked. Impossible to resist to such an exquisite delicacy...

This is my entry for Monthly Mingle hosted by Sukaina of the lovely blog "Sips And Spoonfuls". The theme is "Stone Fruits".

~ Baked Apricots Stuffed With Almond Paste ~
Recipe adapted from "Dessert.net.au".

Serves 4.

Ingredients For The "Syrup":
75g (1/2 Cup) Castor sugar
3 Tbs Lemon juice
1/3 Tsp Dried lavender flowers
300ml (1 1/4 Cup) Water
Ingredients For The "Stuffed Apricots":
120g (1 Cup) Finely ground almonds
50g (1/2 Cup) Powder/icing sugar
45g (3 Tbs) Melted unsalted butter
1 1/2 Tsp Orange blossom water
1 Tsp Almond essence/extract
1 1/2 Tsp Water
1 Pinch Fine sea salt
800g Fresh apricots, washed

Method For The "Syrup":
1. Place the sugar, lemon juice, lavender flowers and water in a medium-small saucepan. Bring to the boil, stirring occasionally until the sugar has dissolved, then let simmer for 5-10 minutes, until you get a thin sugar syrup.
2. Preheat the oven to 180° C (350° F).

Method For The "Stuffed Apricots":
3. In a blender, mix together the ground almonds with the icing sugar until the mixture is very fine, then add the butter, orange blossom water, almond essence, water and salt. Pulse until you get a smooth and homogenous paste ressembling marzipan.
3. Make a slit in the flesh of each apricot and remove the stones.
4. Shape the almond paste into small balls and press one of them into the cavity of each apricot. 5. Arrange the stuffed apricots in a shallow ovenproof dish that you have previously buttered/greased and carefully pour the sugar syrup over them.
6. Cover with aluminium foil and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes.
7. Plate the apricots and sprinkle with a little syrup from the baking dish.

Remarks:
Both the lavender flowers and the orange blossom water are optional.
You can also cut the apricots in half, stuff each half with almond paste and bake the halves, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes.

Serving suggestions:
Serve warm or at room temperature with a cup of tea or coffee, for dessert or teatime.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~ Abricots Fourrés A La pâte d'Amandes ~

Recette adaptée du site "Dessert.net.au".

Pour 4 personnes.

Ingrédients Pour Le "Sirop":
75g de Sucre cristallisé
3 CS de Jus de citron
1/3 de CC de Lavande séchée
300ml d'Eau
Ingrédients Pour Les "Abricots Fourrés":
120g d'Amandes en poudre (fine)
50g de Sucre en poudre
45g de Beurre non-salé, fondu
1 1/2 CC d'Eau de fleur d'oranger
1 CC d'Essence/extrait d'amandes amères
1 1/2 CC d'Eau
1 Pincée de Sel de mer fin
800g d'Abricots frais, lavés

Méthode Pour Le "Sirop":
1. Mettre le sucre, le jus de citron, les fleurs de lavande et l'eau dans une petite casserole. Porter à ébullition, tout en mélangeant occasionnellement, jusqu'à ce que le sucre soit dissout, puis laisser frémir pendant 5-10 minutes, jusqu'à obtention d'un sirop assez liquide.
2. Préchauffer le four à 180° C.

Méthode Pour Les "Abricots Fourrés":
3. Dans votre mixer/blender, mettre les amandes moulues et le sucre, puis mixer jusqu'à obtention d'une poudre très fine. Ajouter le beurre, l'eau de fleur d'oranger, l'essence d'amandes amères, l'eau et le sel, puis bien mixer afin d'obtenir une pâte homogène ressemblant a du massepain.
3. Découper une fente verticale dans chaque abricot et retirer les noyaux.
4. Former de petites boules avec la pâte d'amandes et remplir les cavités avec.
5. Mettre les abricots dans un plat à gratin beurré et verser un peu de sirop sur chaque fruit.
6. Recouvrir avec une feuille d'aluminium et cuire au four pendant 25-30 minutes.
7. Arranger les abricots sur une assiette et verser le jus de cuisson par dessus.

Remarques:
Les fleurs de lavande et l'esu de fleur d'oranger sont facultatifs.
Vous pouvez aussi couper les abricots en deux, les garnir avec la pâte d'amande et les cuire pendant 25-30 minutes, sans les couvrir.

Idées de présentation:
Servir pour le dessert ou pour les quatre heures, chaud ou à température ambiante et accompagner d'une tasse de thé ou de café.

0 HARVEST APPLE CHALLAH - WORLD BREAD DAY 2010

This week I was once again facing another of my famous recipe crisises. I felt inspired, but could not find the bread I wanted to make for Zorra's "World Bread Day" annual event and roundup....

I knew that I wanted to bake something sweet, with apples and with some originality. I didn't want to propose a bread I had already blogged about so that limited my choice. You have to know that, as strange as it might seem, there aren't that many different recipes that combine brioche-type dough and apples. Apart from "Apple Cinnamon Rolls" (not enough apple in them), "Apple Danish Braids" (I had already made that speciality once - with apricots), "Apple Buns" (delicious, but not delicate enough and too rustic, in my opinion) and "Apple Pizzas/Focaccias" (I've already written a lot about fruit-based pizzas or focaccias) there isn't much choice when it comes to associating that fall fruit with bread dough (yes, I know, I am a terribly finicky person).

It is only after a good hour of roaming through the net and getting slighty overheated (My anger was boiling. I felt like a pressure cooker ready to explode!) by my unsuccessful quest that I finally stumbled upon what I was looking for. I was going to bake a "Harvest Apple Challah". A not overly rich brioche bread that contains enough apples to satisfy my fruit cravings and which has a load of personaliy.

What is ironic about that recipe is that I found it nowhere else than on one of my favorite and most regularly visited pages on the net: the King Arthur Flour website. I had to google and surf crazily like a spastic (no harm meant to people suffering fom cerebral palsy) in a frenzy in order to end up finding my recipe on a site I know more than well. I could have saved a lot of time if I knew that at the end I was going to choose a recipe from them!!!

This "Harvest Apple Challah" is very different from the traditional Challahs we all know (plain, braided or coiled and with sesame or poppy seeds). This non-orthodox Challah is prepared like "Monkey Bread", spiced with cardamom, vanilla as well as orange peel puree and stuffed with sweetened cinnamon and rum scented apple chunks. In fact, it is called Challah just because the dough is made exactly like that of this wonderful festive Jewish bread.

The dough is rather painless and straightforward to prepare; nothing very difficult here (Unless you've never made bread that is...). The filling is also easy peasy. The only messy part in this recipe is when you have to cut the big apple-filled dough pillow in 16 pieces and place each of them in the round cake pan. Then, it gets kind of dirty, chaotic and extremely untidy. You'll have apples falling out, slippery wet dough refusing to get tamed, syrup juice oozing out of every opening and you'll think that it all went terribly wrong. But don't stick to that impression. You are actually doing the right thing. Don't panic, breathe deep and forget about the disastrous appearance of your unbaked Challah and your post-atomic bomb looks of your work surface. It will indeed look picture perfect once it comes out of the oven!

The smooth Challah dough contains fragrant honey, spices (my addition), some eggs and sunflower oil (no butter is ever used in this briochy treat). This particular combination confers an incredibly tender, fluffy and delicate texture as well as a divinely aromatic flavor to this bread. For the apple filling (to which I added a little rum), I chose not to use apples that are commonly employed when making desserts or cooking (Golden, Granny Smith, Gala, Jonagold, etc...) as in my opinion they either lack oomph, sharpness or fragrance. I decided upon choosing one of my favorite apples, the Dutch Belle de Boskoop. This large, lumpy, dull reddish green-brown apple might not be as pretty as it's other apple counterparts (I find it beautiful, though) and might look a little rustic as well as not prone to be presented on stalls, but believe me it has one of the most mouthwatering aromas I have ever come upon. And is the best ally when baking as it stands up well to cooking (As you have gathered now, I am a BIG fan of this apple!). Needless to say that the sharp filling was just perfect and contrasted wonderfully with the light sweetness of the bread.

This KAF "Harvest Apple Challah" is just simply to die for so do yourself a favor and BAKE IT without delay!!!!

This bread is getting yeastspotted by Susan’s Yeastspotting!

~Harvest Apple Challah ~
Recipe adapted from King Arthur Flour.

Ingredients for the "Dough":
1/2 Cup (4oz) Water, lukewarm
6 Tbs Vegetable oil (sunflower or peanut oil preferred)
1/4 Cup Runny honey
2 Large eggs
4 Cups (17oz) Unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 Tsp Sea salt
1/2 Tsp Ground cardamom
1 1/2 Tsp Pure vanilla extract
1 Tsp Orange peel puree zest
1 Tbs (7g) Dried/instant yeast
Ingredients for the "Apple Filling":
2 Medium-to-large Apples (not peeled), cored and diced in 3/4" chunks
1 Tsp Ground cinnamon
1/4 Cup (2oz) Light brown sugar
1 Tbs Dark rum (optional)
Ingredients for the "Glaze":
1 Large egg
1 Tbs Water
Pearl sugar (optional)

Method for the "Dough":
1. Combine all of the dough ingredients. Mix and then knead them, using a mixer or by hand (or bread machine), until you have a soft, smooth and elastic dough (about 8-10 minutes).
2. Put the dough in a oiled/buttered bowl and let it rise, covered, for 2 hours or until it's puffy and nearly doubled in size (If you've made the dough in a bread machine, allow it to rise in the machine for an extra hour after the dough cycle is completed.).
3. Lightly grease/butter a 9inch round cake pan that's at least 2inch deep (or grease a 9inch or 10inch springform pan).
Method for the "Apple Filling":
4. Toss the apple chunks with the sugar, cinnamon and rum.
5. Gently deflate the dough, transfer it to a lightly greased work surface, and flatte n it into a rough rectangle, about 8 x 10 inches.
6. Spread half the apple chunks in the center of the dough (see remarks for details).
7. Fold a short edge of the dough over the apple in order to cover it, patting firmly to seal the apples and spread the dough a bit.
8. Spread the remaining apple atop the folded-over dough.
9. Cover the apples with the other side of the dough, again patting firmly (Basically, you've folded the dough like a letter, enclosing the apples inside.).
10. Take a long knife and cut the apple-filled dough into 16 pieces. Cut in half, then each half in halves, etc ... (This will be very, VERY messy; the dough is slippery, apples will fall out, sugar syrup will ooze... it's not pretty. Don't worry, and don't stress about making all the pieces the same size).
11. Lay the dough chunks into the pan (Crowd them so that they all fit in a single tight layer - barely. Lots of apple chunks will fall out during this process; just tuck them in among the dough pieces, or simply spread them on top.).
12. Cover the challah gently with lightly greased plastic wrap or a humid towel and let it rise for about 1 hour, until it's a generous 2inches high (It should just crest the rim of a 9inch round cake pan). Twenty minutes before the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 325° F (170° C).

Method for the "Glaze":
13. Whisk together the egg and 1 tablespoon water. Brush the dough with the egg mixture, and sprinkle heavily with the pearl sugar, if desired.
14. Place the bread in the lower third of the oven. Bake it for 55 minutes, or until the top is at least light golden brown all over and has no white spots (Some of the higher-rising pieces will actually char; that's OK.).
15. Remove the challah from the oven, and after 5 minutes loosen the edges and carefully transfer it to a rack.
16. Let cool or serve warm.

Remarks:
I made my challah with Boskoop apples.
Be sure to use good-quality honey and oil in this recipe. Since they play such a major part, they have to taste good.
Use neutral-flavored oil. Canola oil can produce off flavors in baking, so best not to use it here.
If you want to see a picture tutorial of that recipe go over to the KAF site.

Serving suggestions:
Serve the bread warm or at room temperature.
Drizzle with honey just before serving, if desired or serve with honey for dipping.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~ Challah Aux Pommes ~
Recette adaptée de King Arthur Flour.

Ingrédients pour la "Pâte":
120ml d'Eau à température ambiante
6 CS (90ml/g) d'Huile végétale (tournesol ou arachide)
90ml/g de Miel liquide
2 Gros oeufs (63g)
510g de Farine blanche/fleur
1 1/2 CC de Sel de mer

1/2 CC de Cardamome en poudre
1 1/2 CC d'Extrait de vanille pure
1 CC de Zeste d'orange en purrée

1 CS (7g/1 sachet) de Levure sèche (en granulés)
Ingrédients pour la garniture aux "Pommes":
2 Moyennes à larges pommes (non pelées), nettoyées et coupées en morceaux de 1cm
1 CC de Cannelle en poudre

60g de Sucre brun clair
1 CS de Rhum foncé (en option)
Ingrédients pour le "Glaçage":
1 Gros oeuf
1 CS d'eau
Sucre perlé (en option)

Méthode pour la "Pâte"
1. Mettre tous les ingrédients pour la pâte dans un bol. Mélanger et pétrir (pendant environ 8-10 minutes) à la main ou avec un robot (ou bien avec votre MAP), jusqu'à obtention d'une pâte douce et élastique.
2. Mettre la pâte dans un bol huilé, la couvrir avec un linge ou du film plastique et laisser lever pendant 2 heures ou jusqu'à ce qu'elle ait presque doublé de volume (Si vous avez préparé cette pâte dans votre MAP, alors laissez-la lever une heure supplémentaire après que le cycle se soit terminé.).
3. Légèrement beurrer/huiler un moule à cake de 23cm et de 6cm de haut (ou un moule à charnière de 23cm).
Méthode pour la garniture aux "Pommes":
4. Mélanger les pommes avec le sucre, la cannelle et le rhum.
5. Faire dégonfler la pâte, la transférer sur un plan de travail légèrement huilé et l'applatir afin d'obtenir un rectangle approximatif de 20 x 25cm.
6. Mettre la moitié des pommes au centre de la pâte (sur la largeur - voir remarques pour la méthode illustrée).

7. Replier le côté plus étroit sur le pommes pour les recouvrir et bien applatir afin de bien répartir les pommes.
8. Répartir les pommes sur le partie repliée.
9. Couvrir les pommes avec l'autre bord et applatir à nouveau (En fait, vous aurez replié la pâte telle une lettre, en renfermant les pommes à l'intérieur).
10. A l'aide d'un couteau, couper ce "chausson" en 16 morceaux. Couper en deux, puis encore en deux, etc... (Cette étape est très salissante; la pâte est glissante, les pommes s'échappent de leur enveloppe et du jus coule... C'est pas beau, mais pas de panique, c'est normal. Il n'y a pas besoin non plus que les morceaux soient égaux.).

11. Placer les morceaux dans le moule (Faire une seule couche et bien les coller ensemble/serrer. Certains morceaux de pomme tomberont durant cette étape; il suffira juste de les coller/presser sur le dessous du pain.).
12. Couvrir votre challah avec du film plastique huilé ou un linge humide et la faire lever pendant environ 1 heure, jusqu'à ce qu'elle ait atteint une hauteur de 5-6cm (La pâte devrait juste dépasser le bord du moule.). Vingt minutes avant la fin du temps de levée, préchauffer le four à 170° C.

Méthode pour le "Glaçage":
13. Battre ensemble l'oeuf et la cuillère à soupe d'eau. Badigeonner la pâte avec ce mélange et saupoudrer généreusement avec le sucre perlé.
14. Mettre le pain dans le tiers inférieur du four et le cuire pendant 55 minutes, ou jusqu'à ce que le dessus soit doré (Certaines parties plus élevées seront peut être caramélisées; c'est OK.).
15. Sortir la Challah du four. Après 5 minutes dégager les bords et la sortir du moule afin qu'elle refroidisse sur une grille.
6. Laisser la Challah refroidir complètement ou la manger encore chaude.

Remarques:
J'ai utilisé des pommes boskoop.
Choisir un miel et de l'huile de bonne qualité pour cette recette car la saveur en dépend grandement.
Utiliser de l'huile au goût neutre. L'huile de colza peut donner un mauvais petit arrière-goût à votre Challah, alors c'est préférable de ne pas en utiliser pour cette recette.
Sur le site KAF vous trouverez la recette en photos. Cela vous aidera à comprendre comment replier la pâte afin de créer un "chausson" (étapes 6 à 9).

Idées de présentation:
Servir ce pain chaud ou à température ambiante.
Arroser avec du miel liquide ou tremper votre tranche de brioche dans du miel.