In Patisserie Made Simple: From Macaron to Millefeuille and More, Edd Kimber reveals the secrets of the Parisian pastry shop, with step-by-step instructions to take the fear out of French classics like cherry clafoutis, éclairs and seasonal favourites like buche de Noel.
A baker, writer and TV personality, Edd fought off stiff competition from 4,000 applicants to become the first winner of The Great British Bake Off. Whether you want to get to grips with basic recipes for mousseline or crème chantilly or wow with a flamboyant fraisier, Patisserie Made Simple is the perfect addition to your bookshelf.
Patisserie Made Simple by Edd Kimber, with photography by Laura Edwards, is published by Kyle Books. The book costs €28.99 in Ireland and is available from www.easons.com
Chocolate fondant
Serves six
Sometimes the traditional recipes are the best – and you really can’t get any more retro than this dessert. If you make these for friends, I guarantee that they will love them. You also can’t help but be impressed when you cut into the dessert and the molten centre oozes out.
200g unsalted butter, extra for greasing
1 tbsp cocoa powder, extra for dusting
200g dark chocolate (60% to 70% cocoa solids), finely chopped
5 large eggs
125g caster sugar
100g plain flour
Pinch of flaked sea salt
Cream or vanilla ice cream
Preheat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan oven/gas mark five) and line a baking tray with baking parchment. Grease six dariole moulds (or small ramekins) with butter and coat with a little cocoa powder, tapping out any excess. Put the dariole moulds on to the prepared tray and set aside.Put the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure the base of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Stir occasionally until melted. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly.Put the eggs and sugar in a large bowl and, using an electric mixer, whisk for eight minutes or until pale and thick. While still mixing, pour in the chocolate mixture, mixing until fully combined. Sift over the flour and cocoa powder, then add the salt and fold together using a spatula until you have a smooth batter. Using a ladle, divide the batter among the prepared moulds and bake for eight minutes.Remove from the oven and use a blunt knife to loosen the edge of each mould. Immediately invert the fondants onto serving plates and serve with a little cream or ice-cream.The fondants can be prepared a day ahead and chilled until ready to bake. They can also be frozen and baked straight from the freezer – add five minutes to the baking time.Creme caramel
I find this dessert such a simple comfort. It might be the most basic of baked custards, but it really is heaven on a plate. Perhaps it is the memories of eating it as a child, or maybe it’s the texture. Either way, it is a delicious, classic dessert that deserves to be brought back from the annals of “retro” and “old-fashioned” to sit proudly on our dinner tables once again.
For the caramel
100g caster sugar
For the custard
1 vanilla pod or 2 tsps vanilla bean paste
400ml milk
50ml whipping cream
4 large eggs
125g caster sugar
Put four ramekins or six dariole moulds in a roasting tin ready by the hob. Preheat the oven to 150°C (130°C fan oven/ gas mark 2). To make the caramel, put the sugar and three tablespoons of water in a small pan over a medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar has dissolved. Once the syrup is clear, stop stirring (as this can cause crystallisation) and allow the sugar to caramelise. Once you have a caramel with a dark copper colour, remove the pan from the heat and immediately divide among the prepared moulds. (Be careful that the caramel doesn’t over-brown and burn during cooking.) Set aside while you make the custard.Cut the vanilla pod, if using, in half and scrape out the seeds. Put the seeds or vanilla bean paste in a medium pan and add the milk and cream. Heat gently over medium-low heat until the mixture is hot but not boiling.Meanwhile, put the eggs and sugar in a bowl and whisk together until pale. Once the milk mixture has come to temperature, remove the pan from the heat and slowly pour the mixture over the eggs, whisking constantly. Using a ladle, divide this custard between the prepared moulds.Put the roasting tin in the oven and fill with cold water so that it reaches halfway up the sides of the moulds. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes until the custard has set around the outside but still wobbles in the centre.Carefully remove the roasting tin from the oven. Lift out the custards and put them onto a wire rack to cool. Cover each mould with clingfilm and transfer to the fridge to chill overnight. To serve, use a knife to gently loosen the custards from the moulds. Put a serving plate on top of each mould and invert it to turn the custards out. Make sure all the caramel drains from the mould onto the custard.The crème caramels will keep for up to three days stored in the fridge.
In Patisserie Made Simple: From Macaron to Millefeuille and More, Edd Kimber reveals the secrets of the Parisian pastry shop, with step-by-step instructions to take the fear out of French classics like cherry clafoutis, éclairs and seasonal favourites like buche de Noel.
A baker, writer and TV personality, Edd fought off stiff competition from 4,000 applicants to become the first winner of The Great British Bake Off. Whether you want to get to grips with basic recipes for mousseline or crème chantilly or wow with a flamboyant fraisier, Patisserie Made Simple is the perfect addition to your bookshelf.
Patisserie Made Simple by Edd Kimber, with photography by Laura Edwards, is published by Kyle Books. The book costs €28.99 in Ireland and is available from www.easons.com
Chocolate fondant
Serves six
Sometimes the traditional recipes are the best – and you really can’t get any more retro than this dessert. If you make these for friends, I guarantee that they will love them. You also can’t help but be impressed when you cut into the dessert and the molten centre oozes out.
200g unsalted butter, extra for greasing
1 tbsp cocoa powder, extra for dusting
200g dark chocolate (60% to 70% cocoa solids), finely chopped
5 large eggs
125g caster sugar
100g plain flour
Pinch of flaked sea salt
Cream or vanilla ice cream
Preheat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan oven/gas mark five) and line a baking tray with baking parchment. Grease six dariole moulds (or small ramekins) with butter and coat with a little cocoa powder, tapping out any excess. Put the dariole moulds on to the prepared tray and set aside.Put the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure the base of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Stir occasionally until melted. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly.Put the eggs and sugar in a large bowl and, using an electric mixer, whisk for eight minutes or until pale and thick. While still mixing, pour in the chocolate mixture, mixing until fully combined. Sift over the flour and cocoa powder, then add the salt and fold together using a spatula until you have a smooth batter. Using a ladle, divide the batter among the prepared moulds and bake for eight minutes.Remove from the oven and use a blunt knife to loosen the edge of each mould. Immediately invert the fondants onto serving plates and serve with a little cream or ice-cream.The fondants can be prepared a day ahead and chilled until ready to bake. They can also be frozen and baked straight from the freezer – add five minutes to the baking time.Creme caramel
I find this dessert such a simple comfort. It might be the most basic of baked custards, but it really is heaven on a plate. Perhaps it is the memories of eating it as a child, or maybe it’s the texture. Either way, it is a delicious, classic dessert that deserves to be brought back from the annals of “retro” and “old-fashioned” to sit proudly on our dinner tables once again.
For the caramel
100g caster sugar
For the custard
1 vanilla pod or 2 tsps vanilla bean paste
400ml milk
50ml whipping cream
4 large eggs
125g caster sugar
Put four ramekins or six dariole moulds in a roasting tin ready by the hob. Preheat the oven to 150°C (130°C fan oven/ gas mark 2). To make the caramel, put the sugar and three tablespoons of water in a small pan over a medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar has dissolved. Once the syrup is clear, stop stirring (as this can cause crystallisation) and allow the sugar to caramelise. Once you have a caramel with a dark copper colour, remove the pan from the heat and immediately divide among the prepared moulds. (Be careful that the caramel doesn’t over-brown and burn during cooking.) Set aside while you make the custard.Cut the vanilla pod, if using, in half and scrape out the seeds. Put the seeds or vanilla bean paste in a medium pan and add the milk and cream. Heat gently over medium-low heat until the mixture is hot but not boiling.Meanwhile, put the eggs and sugar in a bowl and whisk together until pale. Once the milk mixture has come to temperature, remove the pan from the heat and slowly pour the mixture over the eggs, whisking constantly. Using a ladle, divide this custard between the prepared moulds.Put the roasting tin in the oven and fill with cold water so that it reaches halfway up the sides of the moulds. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes until the custard has set around the outside but still wobbles in the centre.Carefully remove the roasting tin from the oven. Lift out the custards and put them onto a wire rack to cool. Cover each mould with clingfilm and transfer to the fridge to chill overnight. To serve, use a knife to gently loosen the custards from the moulds. Put a serving plate on top of each mould and invert it to turn the custards out. Make sure all the caramel drains from the mould onto the custard.The crème caramels will keep for up to three days stored in the fridge. 
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