Tea with Bea E-Book

Bea Vo

• Herausgeber: Ryland Peters & Small
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2014

Beschreibung

Bea's of Bloomsbury has been offering mouth-watering teatime treats in the heart of London since 2008. Every day the layer cakes, meringues and tiers of cupcakes in the shop window entice passers-by. Now you can enjoy Tea with Bea in your own home with these easy-to-follow recipes. Cookies & bars are made to enjoy with a cup of tea. Be it lavender shortbread or double chocolate chip cookies, there's something here to fill the tins. Imagine afternoon tea and what spring to mind are Scones & Small Cakes. Bea provides the ultimate scone recipe and other sweet fingerfood, such as French macarons. When teatime calls for something special, turn to the Tarts chapter. With recipes for two types of dough, and golden whisky pecan custard pie and key lime pie, you won't be stuck for ideas. Bea's key to cake success is a handful of failsafe recipes that she can always rely on. The Cake chapter is devoted to staple recipes which can be embellished or layered to create the dazzling ideas in the Special Cakes chapter. And when only a Cheesecake will do, you'll find plenty of choice here - from the simple to the sublime.Bea Vo is a chef and the owner of Bea's of Bloomsbury. Born in the Washington D.C. area, she first discovered her love of pastry at the age of seven when she managed to get flour on the ceiling. Upon graduating in Science and Technology at Cornell University, she immediately threw herself into cuisine. She trained at Le Cordon Bleu and opened Bea's of Bloomsbury in 2008, with branches in London's literary Bloomsbury, the City of London and Chelsea.

Leseprobe

introduction

I should have known that I was meant to be a pastry chef when I looked back at my childhood and realized that the highlights had been baking for our academic club’s bake sale, researching and baking special cheesecake muffins for my Jewish friend during Passover, and testing different colours of wet and dry caramel to see what works best with crème caramel. Also, I had an uncanny ability to get flour on the ceiling despite my diminutive size. At university, I spent more time in the kitchen than at the library and came to the conclusion that I needed to see if perhaps I should be on a different career track. I took a pastry course in the summer, loved every wonderful second of it, and decided that I needed to work in the real world of pastry to see if it was for me. I found an apprenticeship at Renee’s Patisserie under Renee Senne, who took me under her wing. From there I moved into restaurants, learning at Nobu and Asia de Cuba in London.

Pastry is a craft which involves repetition and knowledge of techniques with your hands, and knowledge of how the ingredients will react in all sorts of environments. Eventually all that knowledge accumulates into the making of a pastry chef, who can not only create balanced desserts and is trained in the foundational techniques of the craft, but best of all, knows how to be a problem solver and fix things.

When I was first asked by the lovely Céline Hughes and Alison Starling at Ryland Peters & Small to write a cookbook, I was quite sceptical. After all, all of the greats have already covered almost every single possible recipe and technique there is to think of that we currently use in our own kitchens. But then it occurred to me that cookbooks aren’t just textbooks – they are a reflection of a particular chef’s point of view, much in the way that while we may have almost all types of stories told in novel form, we still look to seek new cadences and structure and ideas in an author’s new work.

As a result, this book is meant to serve two purposes: one, to provide a more thorough understanding of basic pastry techniques, and two, to allow you to replicate our famous afternoon tea style for yourself. I hope the perspective of Bea’s of Bloomsbury and the cadences in this book bring you success in your own kitchen.

Bea Vo

Cooking notes:

All spoon measurements are level, unless otherwise specified.

All eggs are medium (for the UK) or large (for the US), unless otherwise specified. Uncooked or partially cooked eggs should not be served to the very young, the very old, those with compromised immune systems, or to pregnant women.

When a recipe calls for the grated zest of citrus fruit, buy unwaxed fruit and wash well before using. If you can only find treated fruit, scrub well in warm soapy water and rinse before using.

Baking sheets are frequently required to be lined with parchment paper throughout the book. It is recommended that silicone-based parchment paper be used.

Ovens should be preheated to the specified temperature. Recipes in this book were tested using a fan-assisted oven. If using a regular oven, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for adjusting temperatures. However, as a general rule, temperatures should be increased by about 15–20˚C or about 35˚F if using a regular oven.

tips to a successful pastry run

The cookbook is extremely streamlined in its steps, which means you shouldn’t miss one if you want a successful result.

Heat isn’t the only thing to consider in the kitchen – cold plays an important role, too, particularly for a pastry chef. There is something in the belief that good pastry chefs must have cold hands to prevent things from melting when they shouldn’t. And when a recipe asks you to chill something, there is a good reason for it and it’s just as important as baking something in the oven!

Pastry requires patience. A lot of recipes need as little as 10 minutes to make, but you must also factor in prepping, chilling, baking and cooling times. One way to approach this book is to devote time to making lots of different things (which could take a whole day). Another approach is to fit the pastry making into your daily routine, so you’re not tied to the cake pans. For example, while your pastry cream or your doughs are chilling, start making a quick pasta dinner or stir-fry. Pop things in the oven while you’re clearing the table and you can have warm financiers or cookies ready for after dinner.

Baking is a craft: the more you do it, the better you get, so don’t ever feel discouraged if your first try comes out funny. Cookbooks are like textbooks – they serve as guides but can’t replace years of practice. You will learn techniques inherently and create your own tricks for success.

Electric stand mixers are a big investment but they’re the best investments you’ll make. I still have my home KitchenAid mixer and it’s currently 13 years old and counting. Spread out over 13 years, that amounts to negligible sums. And the amount of time you’ll save? Days and days...

Blowtorches are cool. That is all.

Many say it’s really dangerous to alter recipes because they can come out badly, like a bad chemistry experiment. With regards to ratios of baking powder, sugar, salt, butter, eggs and liquid measures, they are on the ball. However, with things like adding spices and different chocolates, and playing with citrus zests, you can really be creative. The recipes in this book are foundational, so play around a bit until you find something that really works for you.

Don’t overfill a piping bag – unless you like mixture all over your shirt in a nice straight line.

Having a proper oven thermometer is super-important. It’s always best to make sure your oven isn’t off by 25–30 degrees, which could drastically change the outcome of a recipe.

Best of all, remember that you are surrounded by sugar, butter and probably chocolate and fruit. Nibble some sugar when things look hairy.

making perfect tea

Tea is the essential part of afternoon tea and considering it’s the most consumed beverage in the world (except for water), special attention must be paid to this wonderful brew. After all, imagine working hours and hours on special treats and desserts for a tea party only to serve it with dust found on a factory floor.

Always look for good, loose-leaf teas. Teas are made up of long leaves that are dried and processed. When whole, the essential oils are locked inside the tea and kept from oxidizing and tasting bitter.

Teas should be stored in an airtight, dark, cool container. Don’t buy teas that come in boxes with open windows – the teas are already oxidized by the time you get them.

The trick with teas is to extract all of the lovely aromatics without extracting too many tannins, which cause bitterness. Match the temperatures and brewing times to your specific teas. Delicate teas like white or green teas require a lower temperature and longer brewing times; black teas will need a high temperature and slightly shorter brewing times.

Water quality is important – filtered water is always best.

Tea leaves need room to expand and move around. This makes most tea bags impractical because tea leaves don’t have the space to expand and infuse the water properly. I recommend T-sacs, which are large, fillable bags because they’re roomy and therefore suit teapots and mugs.

While loose-leaf teas can be expensive, the high quality of a tea means that the leaves can be infused over and over again. In fact, for many high-quality teas, the second, third and even later infusions are considered to be better than the first, which in some cultures is considered ‘washing’ the tea.

Teas will undergo many changes, even in the cup, over a period of time. While you’re chatting with friends and eating yummy treats, take a moment to savour the tea you’ve so carefully made.

Recipe for tea: You will need 2–4 grams whole loose-leaf tea; 250 ml/1 cup filtered water; teapot; tea strainer for the cup; cup. Place tea inside the teapot. Boil the water and pour into the pot. For white tea, let the water sit for 1 minute before pouring into the pot, as you don’t want it to be at boiling temperature. Let steep for 2 minutes (3 for white and herbal teas). At this point, you want to make sure the leaves have time to move freely in the water to fully expand and release the proper aromatics. Strain into cup. Add milk and sugar or honey and lemon as desired.

making perfect coffee

The perception of coffee we've grown up with is that it is a strong-smelling, deep, intense and bitter, dark brew and the perfect drink to get you through the morning. But coffee isn't just that – it can be just as varied as tea in its aromatics, colour, smell, and particularly in its bitterness or lack thereof.

Invest in freshly roasted beans from your local supplier. Beans shouldn’t be any older than a few days old, and the expiration date on proper coffee beans is typically about a month (maximum).

Consider not just fairtrade: many artisanal roasters actually have better-than-fairtrade agreements with farmers, and by buying good-quality coffee, you are encouraging farmers to make better beans.

Always buy beans whole – coffee beans have wonderful aromatic oils that are released when crushed, but the oils are also very fragile. Crushed too soon, the oils will dissipate and even worse, can go rancid. Coffee beans should be ground only a few minutes before use.

Invest in a burr grinder; those same aromatic oils in coffee can be spoiled by high speed, uneven grinders. Invest in a good burr grinder, such as KitchenAid’s Burr Grinder, or better yet, a Hario Skerton Coffee Mill that is just like a pepper mill, only for coffee!

Brewing times for coffee are just as important as baking times for cakes! Kitchen timers are good and useful.

My preferred method for brewing at home is the lovely French press. I was introduced to this device at the first French bistro I worked at and I continue to be in love with it.

Recipe for coffee: You will need 500 ml/1 cup filtered water; 30 g/1 oz. high-quality filter coffee beans; French press (500-ml/2-cup capacity); cup. Start to boil the water. Grind the coffee beans using either an electric burr grinder (e.g. KitchenAid) or a manual one (e.g. Hario Skerton Coffee Mill). You want a fairly coarse grind for filter coffee to allow for the extraction of the aromatics but not too much of the bitter oils. Pour into the French press. Add the boiling water. Stir with a spoon for a good 30 seconds to let the coffee grounds swell up and release their oils. Like tea, the grounds need to move for optimum infusion. Add the lid. Let sit for 3 minutes, before gently plunging. Pour into cup. Add milk and sugar as desired.

ultimate chocolate chip cookies & double chocolate chip variation

The trick to the Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie is the obscene amount of butter and salt in the recipe – and of course, high-quality chocolate. The key to stuffing the cookie with lots of butter is chilling the dough until thoroughly chilled or frozen before baking to get the best spread and consistency. You can replace the vanilla extract with half a vanilla pod, but if doing so, add the vanilla pod seeds at the beginning with the butter and sugar to maximize the release of oils.

175 g/1¾ sticks unsalted butter, softened

½ teaspoon salt

40 g/2 tablespoons caster/superfine sugar

240 g/1 cup plus 2 tablespoons light brown soft sugar

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

240 g/1¾ cups plain/all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of/baking soda

25 ml/1 tablespoon milk

250 g/9 oz. high-quality dark/semi-sweet chocolate, chopped into pea-sized pieces

baking sheets, lined with parchment paper

makes about 20

Using an electric mixer with paddle or beater attachment (or an electric whisk), beat the butter, salt and both sugars until the mixture is lightened in colour, fluffy in texture and increases in volume.

Beat the egg and egg yolk together in a small bowl. Slowly mix into the butter mixture and beat until thoroughly combined. Add the vanilla extract and mix.

Sift together the flour and bicarbonate of/baking soda. Add half the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat until just combined. Add the milk and beat until just combined. Add the remaining flour mixture and beat until just combined.

Add the chopped chocolate to the dough and mix until thoroughly combined.

Preheat the oven to 180˚C (365˚F) Gas 6.

Using 2 spoons or an easy-remove ice cream scoop, place large dollops of dough (about 40 g/1½ oz.) onto the prepared baking sheets, spaced well apart. (There’s no need to flatten them and they will spread on baking.) Refrigerate for 20–25 minutes until thoroughly chilled. (At this point, you can also pop them in the freezer, freeze them for 2 hours, then place the dough balls in an airtight freezer bag and freeze for up to 2 weeks, for baking at a later date. Defrost for 15 minutes before baking.)

When the dough is thoroughly chilled, put the baking sheets in the preheated oven and bake for 9–13 minutes. The cookies are done when the tops don’t look shiny or wet any more.

Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes. Please note: cookies keep baking on the sheets for about a minute after they’re taken out of the oven and will be quite soft when hot but will harden when cool, so touching them to test their softness is not an accurate indication of doneness.

Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let rest until ready to eat or eat them hot, straight out of the oven.

Double Chocolate Chip variation: replace 2 tablespoons plain/all-purpose flour with 4 tablespoons natural cocoa powder and follow recipe as above.

snickerdoodles

Of all of the things that come from Amish country – whoopie pies, shoofly pie, funnel cakes and chow chow, to name a few – snickerdoodles hold the dearest place in my heart. Every year my family used to travel up to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, to buy whole smoked hams, jars of chow chow and literally mountains of pretzels from the Tom Sturgis pretzel bakery. But my must-have item was always the buttery and cinnamony snickerdoodles.

225 g/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

315 g/1½ cups plus 1 tablespoon caster/superfine sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

350 g/2½ cups plain/all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

for dipping

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

300 g/1½ cups caster/superfine sugar

baking sheets, lined with parchment paper

makes about 24

Using an electric mixer with paddle or beater attachment (or an electric whisk), beat the butter and sugar until it turns almost white in colour and is light and fluffy.

Slowly incorporate the eggs, one at a time. Scrape down the batter from the side of the bowl and beat for another minute. Add the vanilla extract and mix.

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together. With the mixer on slow speed, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Beat until just combined and a dough forms. Wrap the dough in clingfilm/plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix the cinnamon and sugar, for dipping, in a shallow bowl.

Preheat the oven to 160˚C (315˚F) Gas 4.

Pull off pieces of dough the size of golf balls and roll into neat balls with your hands. Slightly flatten each ball into a disc with the palm of your hand and dip each thoroughly in the cinnamon sugar. Place on the prepared baking sheets, spaced apart.

Bake in the preheated oven for 13–16 minutes until the edges are slightly golden and the tops look dry and matt.

Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheets for 1 minute. Transfer the snickerdoodles to a wire rack and let rest until ready to eat or eat them hot, straight out of the oven.

lemon verbena semolina cookies

The dried lemon verbena provides a lovely, lemony earthiness to this recipe. If you use fresh, add a little extra to make sure you have enough essential oils. The rich olive oil is a perfect counterpoint to the zesty lemon. The cookies keep quite well in an airtight container for up to 1 week, so are perfect to keep on hand when friends come by for a spot of tea.

grated zest and freshly squeezed juice of 1 unwaxed lemon

½ teaspoon dried lemon verbena tea leaves

200 g/1 cup caster/superfine sugar, plus extra for dipping

¼ teaspoon salt

110 g/1 stick unsalted butter, softened

1½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 eggs

1 egg yolk

1 tablespoon vanilla extract or ½ vanilla pod, seeds only

280 g/2 cups plain/all-purpose flour, sifted

140 g/1 cup fine semolina (you can use coarse, but you will need to add 2 tablespoons plain/all-purpose flour to absorb more liquid)

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of/baking soda

baking sheets, lined with parchment paper

makes about 20

Using an electric mixer with paddle or beater attachment (or an electric whisk), mix together the lemon zest, tea leaves, sugar and salt, and beat until the sugar smells very lemony – about 1 minute. The sugar will bruise the lemon zest and tea leaves, releasing the essential oils.

Add the butter, olive oil and lemon juice and beat until white and fluffy.

Beat the eggs and egg yolk together in a small bowl. Slowly mix into the butter mixture, beating continuously. Scrape down the batter from the side of the bowl and beat again until thoroughly combined. The mixture should look like a whipped, shiny mayonnaise. Add the vanilla extract and mix.

Mix the flour, semolina, baking powder and bicarbonate of/baking soda together. Tip straight into the butter mixture and stir until just combined.

The dough will be very soft. Still in the bowl, press it down with clingfilm/plastic wrap to remove any big air bubbles, cover well with the clingfilm/plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 170˚C (340˚F) Gas 5.

Pull off pieces of dough the size of golf balls and roll into neat balls with your hands. Dip them thoroughly in caster sugar and place on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them apart to allow for spreading during baking. Slightly flatten each ball into a disc with the palm of your hand.

Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes. The cookies should be a light golden colour and the tops should look dry and matt. Shininess is a sign of still-uncooked dough.

Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheets for 1 minute. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let rest for 20 minutes or until firm to the touch.