Pie and Pastry Bible (166 page)

To prevent breakage, never put a thermometer used for caramel into water until completely cool.

Soaking utensils in hot water will remove hardened caramel.

After the caramel is prepared, do not stir it too much, as this may eventually cause crystallization.

UNDERSTANDING

The cream of tartar is a disturbing agent that prevents the caramel from crystallizing during the repeated dipping of the cream puffs.

CARAMEL FOR SPUN SUGAR

(Angel’s Hair)

T
he addition of corn syrup and beeswax makes this the ideal caramel for spinning into the gold strands called angel’s hair that transform any dessert into a festive creation.

MAKES: ENOUGH FOR A GÂTEAU ST.-HONORÉ (PAGE 00)
INGREDIENTS	MEASURE	WEIGHT
		VOLUME	OUNCES	GRAMS
sugar	½ cup	3.5 ounces	100 grams
corn syrup	liquid cup	3.75 ounces	108 grams
optional: grated beeswax	1 teaspoon

EQUIPMENT

A cut whisk (see page 672) or 2 forks

Cover the floor near your table or countertop with newspaper. Oil the handles of two long wooden spoons or broomsticks and tape them to the table or countertop 12 inches apart so that the handles extend well beyond the edge of the table or counter. Have ready near the range a 2-cup or larger heatproof glass measure.

In a small heavy saucepan, stir together the sugar and corn syrup and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Increase the heat and boil until the caramel is amber and a thermometer registers 360°F. The residual heat will raise it about 10°F. If the temperature is below 360°F., the caramel will be pale and the spun sugar white instead of gold; over 370°F., it will have a brassy color. I find 370°F. produces the perfect color.

Immediately transfer the caramel to the heatproof glass measure to stop the cooking. Allow to cool for a few minutes.

Add the optional beeswax and wait until the smoking stops. Check the caramel by lifting it with a fork to see if it will fall in strings rather than droplets. Allow to cool a little longer if droplets form.

Stand on a stool so your arms are above the wooden handles. Dip a cut whisk or two forks held side by side into the caramel and vigorously wave back and forth, allowing it to fall in long, fine threads over the handles. Waving must be continuous, or small droplets will form. (It is normal to have a few of these droplets, known poetically as angel’s tears.) If the caramel starts to get too thick, return it briefly to the heat, but be careful not to darken or burn it.

Wrap the stands around the base and sides of a tart or oiled form, as they will not stay flexible for too long, especially if the beeswax was omitted. Any leftover
strands can be shaped into little nests by pressing them into lightly oiled custard cups and freezing them in an airtight container. They can be filled with small colorful ovals of different flavors of ice cream or sorbet.

STORE

Spun sugar: Several hours at room temperature, if the weather is very dry; if it’s humid, the sugar becomes sticky and tends to settle or mat instead of maintaining light, separate strands. The nests: stored in an airtight container at room temperature with low humidity, 2 to 3 weeks; frozen, they will keep for months.

POINTERS FOR SUCCESS

See page 601.

Oil the counter and all utensils to prevent sticking.

UNDERSTANDING

Corn syrup is an invert sugar that inhibits crystallization. It is added with beeswax to caramel for spun sugar because it helps keep the strands flexible. Beeswax is preferable to paraffin because it has a higher smoking point.

RASPBERRY SAUCE

R
aspberries are the crown jewels of the baking world. Raspberry sauce complements and enhances all manner of pastries. For many people, this velvety sauce was one of the most important recipes in
The Cake Bible,
because it is the pure essence of raspberry without any bitterness. The secret is that the juices are concentrated by 4 times their original volume, but the pulp is not cooked at all.

MAKES: 1 FULL ¾ CUP/7.5 ounces/211 GRAMS
INGREDIENTS	MEASURE	WEIGHT
		VOLUME	OUNCES	GRAMS
* If using fresh berries, you will need 12 ounces or about 3 pints. In order to make them exude their juices, they must be frozen and thawed to break down the cell membranes.
frozen raspberries,* with no added sugar (12-ounce bag)	3cups	12 ounces	340 grams
freshly squeezed lemon juice	1 teaspoon	•	5 grams
sugar	cup	2.3 ounces	66 grams

In a strainer suspended over a deep bowl, thaw the raspberries completely. This will take several hours. (To speed thawing, place in an oven with a pilot light.)

Press the berries to force out all the juice. There should be about ½ cup of juice. In a small saucepan (or in a greased 2-cup heatproof glass measure or bowl in a microwave on high power), boil the juice until it is reduced to 2 tablespoons. Pour it into a lightly oiled heatproof glass measure.

In a processor, purée the raspberries and strain them through a food mill fitted with the fine disc. Or use a fine strainer to remove all the seeds. You should have ½ (liquid) cup of purée. Stir in the reduced raspberry syrup and the lemon juice. There should be about
cup of raspberry sauce (5 ounces/145 grams). If you have less, simply add less sugar. (The correct amount of sugar is half the volume of the purée.) Stir the sugar into the sauce until it dissolves.

STORE

Refrigerated, up to 10 days; frozen, up to 1 year. (The sauce can be thawed and refrozen at least three times without flavor loss.)