White chocolate ball, goat cheese flan, emulsion and caramelized quince and brioche croutons. Recipe by pastry chef Joaquín Grimaldi, in the book “Heaven and Hell of Pastry” (Catapulta Editores). Marcelo Setton
When Hernán Cortés sent the first shipment of cocoa to Spain in 1524, this nut, which produced a viscous and extremely bitter liquid, was not only unpopular but was also considered witchcraft. It didn't take long, because the magic of spices combined with the essence of chocolate conquered the passion of noble tables and soon also popular homes. Since then, chocolate has been a staple in any baking lover's pantry.
Pastry chefs are alchemists. Consistent with quantities. Neat with the dimensions. Subject to calm weather. Improvisation has little place in this universe, where, when done well, it represents the entrance to the paradise of pleasure. Sweet, sometimes forbidden and always adored food is one of the essential snacks on holidays. In the Spanish pastry world, almond soups (as Rosa Tovar mentions in her book 3000 Years of Spanish Cuisine) were among the delicacies inherited from the Arabs, which over time have evolved into almost all the sweets we eat on our Christmas tables today.
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Time, patience and taste. Three elements that could fit well into this Christmas season. So that our table isn't just full of polvorones and nougats, here are five baking books for lovers of the sweet world. Argentinian publisher Catapulta has just published the book Heaven and Hell of the Pastry Shop by renowned ice cream chef Joaquín Grimaldi. The book is divided into four stations introducing baking recipes, desserts, ice cream and mini desserts. The most innovative techniques are explained with very simple steps and the result of each recipe could be mistaken for a piece of jewelry. A book that shows that there is a confectioner's paradise between heaven and hell. “I love extremes,” writes the author, “and I always try to recreate this game of contradictions. (…) I think that every self-respecting pastry chef should master these four specialties,” he says. Among all the recipes that we find in this book there are syrupy churros, a combination of 1.3 kg. Water, 15 gr. salt, 20 gr. of fat. 1 kg. 000 flour, 20 gr. baking powder and oil for frying. Do it!
Syrupy churros from pastry chef Joaquín Grimaldi. The recipe is included in his book “Heaven and Hell of Pastry” (Catapulta Editores). Marcelo Setton
“Pastry is, above all, a science. The key to success is patience and precision,” writes Mélanie Dupuis in her extensive book The Pastry Chef's Grand Manual. To make your most beautiful dreams come true (published in Spain by RBA). The basics of baking, the recipe book and an illustrated glossary, this is how the content is distributed in this book: cakes, pasta, Galician, meringues, tarts, sweet and savory bread… All beautifully illustrated and with step-by-step photos. A gift book in which, for example, if we try, we can perfectly create a Parisian flan with a shortcrust pastry base filled with cooked cream. Or as a variation of this recipe, an exotic flan with coconut milk.
With this in mind, the collector's edition “The Little Larousse” has just been released. Cake shop. The Pastry Shop Reference. Hardcover, step-by-step photos, manageable and practical. Among the dozens of recipes we find something essential for every baker, such as the ten secrets to the perfect cake. We suggest two: First prepare the dough with the ingredients fresh from the fridge and knead as little as possible. And secondly, let the dough rest in the fridge before rolling out so that it is less elastic and shrinks less when baking… To know the following secrets, you need to buy the book.
Cover of “The Great Pastry Chef's Manual” by Mélanie Dupuis (RBA).
Pastries are the great outstanding debt of the Restoration in general and the Spanish in particular. Professionals strive to create impressive menus, but they often forget how important it is to leave that space for what many call “the other stomach”: the one destined for the world of sweets. “When we opened Momofuku Noodle Bar in 2004,” writes chef David Chang in the foreword to the book Milk, “we had no intention of serving desserts. We thought that weighing ingredients and baking candy would be a pain in the ass. (…) I would have preferred to hire another sous chef rather than spend money on someone dedicated to stirring sugar and baking cookies. That's what I thought at the time. Until I met Christina Tosi.”
Milk Cover Momofuku Milk Bar. Christina Tosi's Desserts (Neo-Cook).
At just 29 years old, Christina Tosi disproved the wrong thinking of one of the world's restaurant greats (the aforementioned David Chang). New York doesn't understand extremes, and when New Yorkers began shouting that Momofuku made the best desserts in the city, the pastry chef and her creations became a place of pilgrimage. So much so that they would soon open Milk Bar, which specializes 100% in sweets. All this history and the journey through the most emblematic sweet recipes we find in Milk. Momofuku Milk Bar (published by NeoBook). In this book, it all starts with the ingredients: oil, cocoa powder, spices, vanilla extract, feuilletine – tiny flakes of toasted crepe batter -, eggs, yeast and flour. Continue with the materials: mixer, Chinese sieve, spatula, metal dough rings, etc. Continue with the techniques: “May God bless…”; “Free measures”; “Try to think for yourself”; “Seven is also a waste of time”… And it answers questions like: “Why are Milk Bar cookies so incredibly good?”, “Why the hell is there gelatin in the ice cream base?” And then comes the recipe book with the secrets to some of their desserts like crack Pie, oatmeal cookie, kimchi and blue cheese croissants or bagel bombs.
Pressed wine peach with lemon verbena ice cream, recipe from Candy's Interior. The desserts of elBarri, by David Gil and Albert Adrià (RBA). Corina Landa
On the other hand, there are gastronomic greats for whom baking has been one of the most important parts of their gastronomic history from the very first moment, and that is Albert Adrià. You can discover his passion for the world of pastries in the book “Candy Los Desserts de elBarri” by David Gil and the aforementioned Albert Adrià, published by RBA. “Candy is a choral project created to record part of elBarri's work, namely the world of sweets, a profession that is fundamental to me and that touches me personally as a pastry chef,” writes Albert Adrià. This book is available in bookstores in a slipcase format: a large-format manual with beautiful photos of the desserts and a more manageable little booklet with the recipes. There we find some of Gil and Adrià's unforgettable creations, such as the coulommiers cake, the ice cream-filled polvorón or the sweet potato peel with sorbet and green mandarin, among others. A must for collectors or professionals. Merry and sweet Christmas!
Sara Cucala is a writer, filmmaker and journalist specializing in gastronomy. She is the founder of one of the first gastronomy and travel blogs, has written numerous books, coordinated the culinary content of TVE's afternoon magazine and directed several films and documentaries. She is the founder and co-owner of the gastronomic bookstore and cooking school A Punto.
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