No other country so embodies the art of sweet pleasures like France, from national treasures such as the macaron and croissant, to regional specialties, such as the kouign-amann and the canelé.
The making of French pastry has been experiencing a new revolution over the last ten or so years, and this book, Sweet France by François Blanc, came about as a testament to this development. Dessert pastry, once the poor cousin of gastronomy and a simple treat to be consumed at the end of a meal without attracting too much attention, is now upstaging savory cuisine.
Instagram has played an important part here as a practical means of spreading the word, showing that a cake is much more readable in visual terms than a dish made up of a host of components. This book is a window into this world. It is an opportunity for you to set foot in the kitchens of these great chefs to discover their most outstanding cakes, their best-known combinations – as well as the most outrageous ones – and to learn the skills involved.
Chocolate salami
This recipe for chocolate salami comes from Anne-Sophie Oswald of O/HP/E, a pâtisserie and épicerie in Paris
“The ideal snack to have with a cup of tea or coffee, this amusing chocolate fondant salami is child’s play to make,” said Anne-Sophie.
1. Make the shortbread: Cut the butter into very small pieces and rub into the flour. Add the sugar and work lightly to form a dough. Roll out to a thickness of 5mm. Bake at 180°C for 15 to 20 minutes, then let cool to harden.
Add marshmallows and dried fruit for a sweet, chewy surprisePierre Monetta
2. Make the salami: Cut three-quarters of the gianduja into large chunks and melt in a bain-marie or microwave at 35°C. Add the remaining gianduja to melt and cool. Crumble the shortbread and cut the marshmallows into eighths with scissors. Roast the hazelnuts at 180°C for 10 minutes, then chop. Mix the shortbread, marshmallows, cranberries, and salt into the gianduja. Spread the mixture over a large sheet of aluminum foil lined with clingfilm. The thicker the plastic layer, the easier it will be to work the gianduja.
3. Roll the gianduja tightly in the plastic wrap. Use rubber bands to tie up both ends and roll into an Italian sausage–shaped cylinder. To make this easier, rewrap the roll tightly with the aluminum foil. Refrigerate overnight. You can take it out from time to time to retighten the wrapping. On the actual day, slice the salami and dust with a mixture of the icing sugar and cornstarch.
This recipe is from the cookbook Sweet France by François Blanc and can be purchased on Amazon, Fnac and other book sellers.
