When Hernán Cortés sent the first shipment of cocoa to Spain in 1524, that nut from which a viscous and extremely bitter liquid was extracted was not only not liked, but was considered a thing of witchcraft. It didn't last long, since the magic of spices in combination with the essence of chocolate managed to win the passion of noble tables and, soon, of popular homes. Since then, chocolate has been a regular in the pantry of a baking enthusiast.
Pastry chefs are alchemists. Rigorous with quantities. Neat with the measurements. Subject to the calm of the weather. Improvisation has little place in that universe where, if it is done well, it is the entrance to the paradise of pleasure. Sweet, sometimes forbidden and always idolized, is one of the indispensable snacks during festive times. Almond soups (as Rosa Tovar mentions in her book 3000 years of Spanish cuisine) was, in Spanish pastries, one of those delicacies inherited from the Arabs that over time has evolved into almost all the sweets that we eat on our Christmas tables today.
Time, patience and taste. Three elements that could well fit into these Christmas days. Therefore, so that our table is not only full of Polvorones and Nougats, here are five baking books for lovers of the sweet world. The Argentine publishing house Catapulta has just published the book Pastry heaven and hell by renowned ice cream chef Joaquín Grimaldi. The book is divided into four stations in which bakery recipes, desserts, ice creams and mini desserts are presented. The most innovative techniques are explained with very simple steps to perform and the result of each recipe could be confused with a piece of jewelry. A book that shows that between heaven and hell is pastry paradise. “I love extremes,” writes the author, “and I always seek to recreate that game of contradictions. (…) I think that any self-respecting pastry chef should master these four specialties,” he states. Among all the recipes that we will find in this book, there are syrupy churros, a combination of 1.3 kg. of water, 15 gr. of salt, 20 gr. of fat. 1 kg. 000 flour, 20 gr. of baking powder and oil for frying. Go for it!
“Pastry is, above all, a science. The keys to success are patience and precision,” writes Mélanie Dupuis in her voluminous book Great Pastry Chef's Manual. To make your sweetest dreams come true (published in Spain by RBA). The bases of baking, the recipe book and an illustrated glossary, this is how the content is distributed in this book: cakes, pastas, Galician, meringues, tarts, sweet and savory breads… All beautifully illustrated and with step-by-step photographs . A gift book where, for example, if we put our effort into it, we will perfectly achieve a Parisian flan, with its shortcrust pastry base filled with cooked cream. Or, as a variant of this recipe, an exotic flan, with coconut milk.
In this line it has just been published The little Larousse collector's edition. Cake shop. The pastry reference. Hard cover, step-by-step photos, manageable and practical. Among its dozens of recipes we will find something essential for any baker, such as the ten secrets to achieving a perfect cake. We advance two: First, prepare the dough with the ingredients fresh from the refrigerator and kneading as little as possible. And two: Let the dough rest in the refrigerator before rolling it out so that it is less elastic and shrinks less during baking… To know the following secrets, you will have to purchase the book.
Pastry is the great outstanding debt of the restoration, in general, and of the Spanish, in particular. Professionals strive to create impressive menus, but, on many occasions, they forget the importance of leaving 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,” chef David Chang writes in the book’s prologue. Milk—we had no intention of serving desserts. We thought that weighing ingredients and baking sweets was a pain in the ass. (…) Before I would have signed another sous-chef than spending money on someone who would stir sugar and bake cookies. That's how I thought at that time. Until I met Christina Tosi.”
At just 29 years old, Christina Tosi dismantled the erroneous thinking of one of the greats of restoration in the world (the aforementioned David Chang). New York does not understand extremes, so when New York mouths began to shout that Momofuku was making the best desserts in the city, the pastry chef and her creations became a pilgrimage sanctuary. To such an extent that they would soon open Milk Bar, specializing one hundred percent in sweets. All this history and the journey through the most emblematic sweet recipes can be found in Milk. Momofuku Milk Bar (edited by NeoBook). In this book everything starts with the ingredients: Oil, cocoa powder, spices, vanilla extract, feuilletine —tiny flakes of toasted-looking crepe dough—, eggs, yeast and flour. Continue with the materials: mixers, Chinese strainer, spatula, metal pastry rings, etc. Continue with the techniques: 'That God bless…'; 'Free measures'; 'Try and think for yourself'; 'Sifting 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 of some of their desserts such as Crack Pie, Oatmeal Cookie, Kimchi and Blue Cheese Croissants or Bagel Bombs.
On the other hand, there are gastronomy greats who, from minute one, have considered that baking is one of the most important parts of their storytelling gastronomic and that is Albert Adrià. You will discover his passion for the world of baking in the book Candy Desserts from elBarri, by David Gil and the aforementioned Albert Adrià, and edited by RBA. “Candy is a choral project born to record part of elBarri's work, that of the world of sweets, a profession that is fundamental for me and that, as a pastry chef, affects me personally,” writes Albert Adrià. This book has arrived in bookstores in a slipcase format: a large-sized manual with wonderful photos of the desserts and a more manageable little book with the recipes. There we find some of Gil and Adrià's unforgettable creations such as the Coulommiers Cake, the Polvorón filled with ice cream or the Sweet Potato Skin, with its sorbet and green mandarin, among others. An essential for collectors or professionals. Happy and sweet Christmas!
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