recipes

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
• Place the bones in a roasting pan and roast for 30 minutes, turning once, until browned.
• In a large pot, place the browned bones and all the remaining ingredients except the egg whites, sherry, and chopped scallions.
• Add salt to taste.
• Bring to a boil over high heat and skim off the foam.
• Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered until reduced by half, about 5 hours, skimming off the foam as necessary.
• Pass the broth through a fine-mesh strainer and return it to the pot.
• Discard the solids.
• In a large bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until firm but not stiff.
• Gradually stir the soup into the egg whites.
• Return the mixture to the pot and cook, stirring frequently, over low heat for about 20 minutes.
• This process clarifies the soup.
• Strain the broth through cheesecloth into a bowl, then return it to the pot.
• Add the sherry and season with salt to taste.
• Sprinkle with chopped scallions and serve hot.

• Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C).
• Heat the oil in a shallow earthenware casserole dish or Dutch oven over medium heat.
• Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until golden and softened, about 10 minutes (be careful not to burn them).
• Transfer the garlic to a small bowl, reserving the oil.
• In the same skillet over medium heat, add the bread and cook, turning once, until golden on both sides, about 8 minutes.
• Reduce the heat to low, then stir in the paprika.
• Add the broth, cumin, and saffron, and simmer for 5 minutes more.
• Return the garlic to the soup, lightly crushing them with a fork.
• Season with salt and simmer for about 5 minutes more.
• Crack each egg into a bowl, then slide it into the soup.
• Arrange the bread slices on top of the soup.
• Transfer the dish to the oven and bake for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the eggs are set — do not overcook.
• If using earthenware, serve hot in the dish, or transfer to individual bowls.

• In a soup pot, combine the broth, water, and mint sprigs and bring to a boil over high heat.
• Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Discard the mint.
• Add the bread, olive oil, and salt to the pot.
• Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, whisking to break up the bread.
• Whisk in the eggs and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes more or until blended and cooked through.
• Transfer the soup to a food processor and process until smooth.
• Pour the soup into individual bowls and sprinkle with finely chopped fresh mint.
• Serve hot or at room temperature.

• Preheat the oven to 275°F (135°C).
• In a small pan, bring the cream, 2 tbsp. sugar, vanilla bean, and salt just to a boil over medium heat.
• Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
• Remove and discard the vanilla bean.
• In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks with 1 tbsp. sugar until the sugar dissolves.
• Slowly whisk in the cooled cream (if it is not cool, the yolks will scramble).
• Strain through a fine sieve.
• Divide the custard between 4 shallow gratin dishes (each about 1/2 cup in capacity).
• Place the dishes in a baking pan, then place the pan in the oven.
• Pour enough cold water into the pan to come about halfway up the sides of the dishes.
• Bake until the custards set, 30-35 minutes.
• Cover the cooled custards with plastic wrap.
• Chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Before serving, sprinkle 1 1/2 tsp.sugar on each custard and use a blowtorch to caramelize the tops, holding the torch at an angle (flame should barely touch the surface) to brown the sugar.

For the Pastry:

• Sift together the flour, confectioners’ sugar, and salt into a large mixing bowl.
• Use a pastry cutter or two knives to work the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse meal.
• Stir in the egg with a fork until the dough just begins to hold together.
• Press the dough into a rough ball, then transfer to a lightly floured surface.
• Knead the dough a few times, gather it into a ball, then flatten slightly to make a disk.
• Wrap the disk in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

For the Apples:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
• Peel, quarter, and core the apples.
• Melt the butter in a 10″ cast-iron skillet over medium heat, then remove from heat and sprinkle evenly with sugar.
• Tightly pack the apples around the inside edge of the skillet, standing upright on their sides, nestled against one another.
• Arrange the remaining apples in a similar position in the center of the skillet. (The apples will shrink as they cook.)
• Return to high heat and cook until the butter and sugar caramelize to a rich brown, about 15 minutes.
• Remove from heat, then carefully turn the apples over to the uncooked side with a fork, taking care not to burn your fingers.
• Return to heat and cook for another 5–8 minutes.
• Remove from heat.
• Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into a 12″ circle.
• Drape the pastry over the apples and skillet, then tuck the overhanging dough between the apples and the inside wall of the skillet.
• Bake in the oven until the pastry is golden, about 20–30 minutes.
• Allow the tart to cool for 15 minutes, then loosen the edges with a knife.
• Place a platter on top of the skillet and invert quickly and carefully.
• Serve warm.

For the Crêpes:

• Whisk together the flour and eggs in a medium bowl.
• Add the milk and cream, and whisk until smooth.
• Pour the mixture through a fine strainer into a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.

For the Sauce:

• Use a vegetable peeler to remove the rind from 2 of the oranges, avoiding the pith; mince the rind and set aside.
• Juice all the oranges and set the juice aside.
• In a medium bowl, beat the butter and ½ cup sugar on high speed with a hand mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• Add the rind to the butter and beat for 1 minute.
• Gradually drizzle in the orange juice, 2 tbsp.
• of the Cointreau, kirsch, and orange flower water, beating constantly until very light and fluffy, about 2 minutes more.

To Make the Crêpes:

• Heat a seasoned crêpe pan or small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot.
• Grease the pan with a little butter, then pour in ¼ cup of batter.
• Working quickly, swirl the batter to just coat the pan, and cook until the edges brown, about 1 minute.
• Turn with a spatula and brown the other side for about 30 seconds.
• Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining batter, greasing the pan only as needed.

To Serve:

• Melt the orange butter sauce in a 12″ skillet over medium heat until bubbling.
• Dip both sides of one crêpe in the sauce, then, with the best side facing down, fold in half, then in half again.
• Repeat the process with the remaining crêpes, arranging and overlapping them around the perimeter of the pan.
• Sprinkle with the remaining sugar.
• Remove the pan from heat, pour the remaining Cointreau and the cognac over the crêpes, and carefully ignite with a match.
• Spoon the sauce over the crêpes until the flame dies out, and then serve immediately.

• Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
• Place the milk and 4 tbsp.
• sugar in a small saucepan and stir over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves, about 45 seconds.
• Stir in the chocolate and cook until melted, 1–2 minutes.
• Transfer to a nonreactive bowl and let cool for 5 minutes, then beat in the egg yolks.
• In a nonreactive bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy.
• Gradually sprinkle in the remaining sugar, beating until stiff peaks form.
• Butter a small soufflé dish (2½” deep, 6” diameter) or three to four smaller ramekins, then lightly dust with sugar.
• Gently mix one-third of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture, then fold in the remaining whites, one-third at a time.
• Do not overmix.
• Spoon the batter into the prepared dish or ramekins.
• Make sure the oven rack is low enough to allow the soufflé to rise as much as 2” above the dish.
• Bake until puffed, about 25 minutes.
• Dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve immediately.
• Note: The soufflé will begin to deflate after about 2 minutes.

For the Icing:

• Melt the chocolate and butter in the top of a double boiler set over simmering water over medium-low heat, whisking often.
• Remove from heat and gradually whisk in the cream.
• Transfer to a medium bowl and set aside at room temperature, stirring occasionally, until icing thickens, about 4 hours.
• (Don’t refrigerate; it makes icing hard to spread.)

For the Meringue:

• Preheat oven to 200°F (95°C).
• Combine sugar and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan, cover, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, swirling pan several times until sugar has dissolved, 1–2 minutes.
• Uncover pan and continue to boil until syrup reaches softball stage or 236°F (113°C) on a candy thermometer, about 4 minutes more.
• Put egg whites in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a whisk and beat on medium speed until frothy.
• Add cream of tartar and salt.
• Gradually increase speed to high and beat until soft peaks form, about 30 seconds.
• Slowly pour in sugar syrup while continuing to beat until whites cool to room temperature and become thick and shiny, about 10 minutes.
• Stir in vanilla.
• Use a rubber spatula to transfer meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4″ plain pastry tip.
• To make meringue mushrooms, hold the pastry tip perpendicular to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and pipe meringue into the shapes of mushroom caps and stems of various sizes.
• Set aside for 5 minutes.
• Lightly moisten a fingertip in cold water and smooth out any “tails” left behind on mushroom caps.
• Bake meringues for 1 1/2 hours.
• Turn off oven and allow meringues to rest in the oven until dry and crisp, about 1 hour.
• Bore a small, shallow hole in the center of the underside of each mushroom cap with the tip of a paring knife.
• “Glue” stems to caps by dipping tips of stems into icing, then sticking into holes in caps.
• Sift a little cocoa powder on tops of caps.
• Meringues can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for several days.

For the Roulade:

• Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
• Line a 16 1/2″ × 12″ heavy baking pan with buttered parchment paper, cut large enough to hang over the sides of the pan by about 1″.
• Put chocolate in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
• Bring cream just to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat, then pour over chocolate and whisk until smooth.
• Set aside to cool.
• Beat egg whites in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a whisk on medium speed until frothy; increase speed to medium-high and gradually add sugar, beating constantly.
• Increase speed to high and beat until stiff, glossy peaks form, 30-40 seconds more. (Don’t overbeat.)
• Mix one-third of the whites into chocolate using a rubber spatula, then gently fold in remaining whites in two batches, taking care not to deflate batter.
• Spread in prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 10–12 minutes.
• Set aside to cool in the pan.

For the Filling:

• Melt chocolate with 2 tbsp.
• water in the top of a double boiler set over simmering water over medium heat.
• Stir to combine, then set aside to cool.
• Combine sugar and 3 tbsp.
• water in a small heavy saucepan; cover and bring to a boil over medium heat, swirling pan several times until sugar has dissolved, about 1 minute.
• Uncover and continue to boil until syrup reaches the softball stage or 236°F (113°C) on a candy thermometer, about 5 minutes more.
• Meanwhile, beat yolks in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a whisk on high speed until thick and pale yellow, about 3 minutes.
• Reduce speed to medium and gradually pour in hot syrup.
• Beat constantly until mixture cools to room temperature, about 10 minutes.
• Allow butter to soften, then beat into egg mixture 1 tbsp.
• at a time, waiting until it’s completely incorporated before adding more; continue beating until thick and smooth, about 5 minutes total.
• Stir in cooled chocolate and set aside.

To Assemble the Bûche:

• Transfer roulade with parchment to a clean work surface, sprinkle with rum, then spread filling evenly over top using a metal spatula.
• Grab the long edge of the parchment paper with two hands and gently roll roulade onto itself, pulling off paper as you roll.
• To make stumps, diagonally cut a 2″ length from each end of bûche.
• To make the stumps thinner than the bûche, partially unroll each piece, trim off the flap, and discard.
• Set stumps aside.
• Using two long metal spatulas, carefully transfer bûche to a serving platter lined with strips of waxed paper.
• “Glue” stumps onto bûche with some of the icing.
• Melt 1/4 cup of icing in a saucepan over low heat, then spoon it over stumps to coat completely.
• Spread remaining icing on bûche, dragging spatula along icing to simulate tree bark.
• Remove waxed-paper strips.
• Decorate with mushrooms, then sift confectioners’ sugar over mushrooms and bûche.

For the Pastry:

• Preheat the oven to 425ºF (220ºC).
• Grease a baking sheet with 1/2 tbsp. of butter, dust with 1 tbsp. of flour, tapping out excess, and set aside.
• In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine milk, 1/4 cup water, granulated sugar, salt, and the remaining butter.
• Bring to a boil over high heat.
• Remove the pan from heat and beat in all of the remaining flour at once with a wooden spoon.
• Return the pan to medium heat and vigorously beat with the spoon until the mixture forms a thick dough and pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 2 minutes.
• Transfer the dough to a medium mixing bowl.
• Beat in one-third of the eggs at a time, beating constantly with the spoon after each addition, until the dough is smooth.
• Transfer the dough to a pastry bag fitted with a plain round 1/2″ tip.
• Pipe 12 mounds of dough about 1 1/2″ wide onto the prepared baking sheet about 1″ apart.
• Dust the mounds of dough with confectioners’ sugar.
• Transfer to the oven, immediately reduce the oven temperature to 400ºF (200ºC), and bake until puffed and deep golden brown, 15–18 minutes.
• Set the puffs on a wire rack to cool completely.

For the Sauce:

• Melt the chocolate in a medium bowl set over a medium pot of gently simmering water over medium-low heat.
• In a medium saucepan, bring the milk to a simmer over medium heat.
• Add the cream to the milk and return to a simmer.
• Add the melted chocolate, sugar, and butter, and whisk until smooth.
• Keep the sauce warm over the lowest heat.

To Assemble:

• Make a wide incision in the side of each puff.
• Fill each puff with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream.
• Spoon the warm chocolate sauce over the puffs.
• Serve immediately.

• For the Apricots: In a bowl, combine the apricots, pineapple sage (if using), lemon juice, muscat, and light brown sugar.
• Toss well and let macerate for 1½–2 hours.
• For the Sorbet: Purée the apricots and granulated sugar together in a blender until smooth, about 2–3 minutes.
• Pour the purée into an ice-cream maker and process according to the manufacturer’s directions.
• Transfer the sorbet to a container and freeze.
• For the Tart: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
• Roll the puff pastry out to ⅛” thickness, cut into four 3½” × 4½” rectangles, and transfer to a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet, placing the rectangles at least 1″ apart.
• Arrange 3–5 slices of fig down the center of each pastry, dot the fruit with diced butter, and sprinkle with granulated sugar.
• Bake the tarts until golden brown, about 20–25 minutes.
• To Serve: Place 1 tart on each of four dessert plates and top with a spoonful of sorbet.
• Divide the macerated apricots equally between the plates.
• Garnish each serving of sorbet with a small sprig of pineapple sage and a fresh bay leaf, if desired.