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Tuesday, April 21, 2020

《小廚娘筆記》貴到完全可以了解的 Lady M Mille Crêpe Cake




上個禮拜我看到我公司的甜點主廚PO她女兒做的 Mille Crêpe 蛋糕,讓我躍躍欲試。很多家人朋友可能都知道我有多麼迷戀紐約的Lady M  Mille Crêpe  Cake 至今我還沒找到任何一家可以跟他們媲美的千層可麗餅蛋糕 12年前我跟姐姐去紐約玩,我們為了喝Dean and Deluca 的咖啡大老遠去找Dean and Deluca 的店 買了咖啡當然也就順便配了一個蛋糕。我們隨手選就選到Lady M的草莓千層。在那個全世界都還不知道千層蛋糕的時代,我跟姐姐吃下第一口蛋糕後都大大的驚艷!讚嘆這個蛋糕怎麼可以這麼特別,這麼有層次跟這麼好吃。自從那次後我想Lady M在我心中就神話了🤣

看到別人做了千層蛋糕,我想..現在什麼不多,就時間最多(不過也是要等到週末老公不上班才有時間就是了),此時不做更待何時?可是當我開始研究食譜後發現竟然要用很多我冰箱裡面最珍貴的牛奶和蛋。最近疫情嚴重大家都自主隔離在家,我每次都努力撐2週才出門去買一次菜,可是我們家兩個在成長的兒子,牛奶跟蛋消耗的超級快。現在冰箱裡面的牛奶跟蛋對我來說比黃金都還珍貴!這個食譜竟然要用到7顆蛋,4大杯牛奶!!!不行我真的很想要也很需要挑戰,所以我豁出去了~ 這個食譜可不能失敗啊!

回到重點好險我提早兩天開始研究食譜,我的食譜要我在前一天先準備好可麗餅和中間奶油的食譜,這樣在冰箱一晚後味道才會混合的很均勻。我相信可麗餅對很多人來說很簡單,可是我上次做可麗餅是兩個孩子前,而且我的道具都沒了,如今只能拿我的不沾鍋硬著頭皮上場。還有還有....中間的奶油,吃的時候以為多簡單不過就是鮮奶油而已....錯!除了要打發鮮奶油,前一晚還要先準備好一種卡士達醬,當天才能混合鮮奶油。

今天也就是我做的當天,我才發現,Lady M的蛋糕賣的真是太值得了!雖然整個蛋糕要價$90美元,可是這個蛋糕真的很費工。我光是今天做一百層可麗餅(喔不,是25片)就花了我3小時!這還不包括我前天的研究,昨天的準備,還有建造千層蛋糕的時間,前前後後應該有用到5-6小時。 當然,我只是個無聊的媽媽,我相信專業的甜點師傅看到我這篇應該會嗤之以鼻🤣。人家2小時完成的甜點我要6小時! 拜託,我可是要加上多做很多片失敗品,跟咒罵失敗品外加小屁孩在一旁要我餵食的時間! 

嚐心得看完我用的所有材料後,我很確定,如果整個蛋糕吃下去,三高絕對會爆表!雖然我跟Lady M 一樣用了20層,可是我的口感吃起來還是皮太厚,跟我吃過所有其他家的千層蛋糕一樣。不過我覺得以第一次來說我已經很滿意了這種蛋糕不論Lady M與否,由於蛋和鮮奶油用量非常大,吃多了一定會膩。我自己的蛋糕切很小一塊,而且推薦大家一定要配茶或咖啡。雖然如此,我已經開始期待下一個要做什麼口味了!



話不多說,最下面是我這次參考的食譜


Lady M Mille Crêpe cake has always reserved a special spot in my heart from the first time I had it 12 years ago in New York. Back then my sister and I stumbled upon this heavenly cake in NY Dean and Deluca shop without even knowing anything about it. We were wowed by the texture and taste of this cake. Since then, many other stores have popped up trying to replicate the cake, but to my sister and I have not had one that is even close to Lady M! 

When I saw a homemade (not a fair one since it was by a pastry chef’s daughter) posted online, I have decided what’s a better time than now to take on the challenge?! I love challenges especially when it comes to food! 

Once I have looked into the recipe, I debated for a bit since it is asking me to use my most precious ingredients in my fridge -eggs and milk. Since quarantine I have been limiting my trips to grocery store, and eggs and milk are the fastest item to disappear in my fridge thanks to my 2 tiny but mighty boys! So after I have decided to go ahead I promised myself not to fail, since I can not afford to waste 6 eggs and 4 cups of milk! It’s more precious than gold right now. 

Since baking is just a hobby not a profession, this cake from start to finish took me 5-6 hours.... good thing I started studying the recipe 2 days in advance, I had to prep the crepe batter and pastry cream 1 day in advance for the taste to settle. After going through everything few times mentally, I begin to realize why it make sense for Lady M to sell the whole cake at $90 USD... it is quite a bit of work (obviously speaking from an amateur baker). Day before prep work took me about an hour, and the 20 crepes on the day (and 3 failed 2 extra) took 3 hours of non stopcooking to achieve. The most important assembling part took easily another hour. But I must say, all those 5/6 hours of hard work was very therapeutic for me as well, and the end result was actually pretty good! It’s again no comparison to the paper thincrepes at Lady M, but for a first time home made Mille Crepe cake, I am pretty darn proud! 

Here’s the recipe I used

Ingredients

20-Layer Crepe Cake:

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• Powdered sugar (confectioners' sugar) for topping

Crepe Batter:

• 6 tablespoons butter
• 3 cups milk
• eggs
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 7 tablespoons granulated sugar
• Pinch of salt

Pastry Creme Filling:

• egg
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon hot waster
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream, whipped

Instructions

1. The day before making and assembling the cake, make the Crepe Batter and the Pastry Creme Filling (see recipes below); refrigerate overnight.

Crepe Batter Instructions:

1. In a small pan, melt the butter until lightly browned; remove from heat and set aside.
2. In a separate, small pan, warm the milk until steaming; remove from heat and set aside to allow to cool slightly.
3. In a large bowl using your electric mixer at a low speed, mix together the eggs, flour, sugar, and salt. Slowly add in the warm milk and browned butter.  Pour the batter into a tightly-sealed container to refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Pastry Creme Filling Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, add egg, flour, sugar, and cornstarch; beat until smooth.
2. In a saucepan over low heat, bring milk almost to a boil (simmer). Immediately remove from heat and slowly whisk the milk into the egg mixture.  Return all ingredients to the saucepan, while constantly stirring, for about 5 minutes, until thickened and just comes to a boil.
3. Remove from the heat. Add vanilla extract and hot water; stir until dissolved into the mixture.  Set aside to cool until firm.
4. When the Pastry Creme has cooled, fold in the whipped cream.
5. Refrigerate mixture until thick (best if refrigerated overnight).

ON THE DAY
 1.  Remove the prepared Crepe Batter from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature. Since I do not own a crepe pan, I used a 10 inch T-Fal non-stick pan. This recipe yields 25 crepes. 
2. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
3. Using a nonstick or lightly-oiled crepe pan over medium-low heat (my electric stove I used 3.5 medium low)
4. Evenly distribute approximately ¼ cup Crepe Batter; swirl to cover the surface of the pan.  Cook approximately 4 minute or just until the bottom of the crepe becomes lightly browned.  
5. Using your clean fingers, gently and carefully turn the crepe over and continue cooking the other side of the crepe for no longer than 5 seconds.  Remove the cooked crepe onto a prepared baking sheet (do not stack the crepes on top of each other).
6. Repeat this process until you have 20 perfect crepes.  NOTE: You might need to prepare a few practice crepes in the beginning.

7. Remove the prepared Pastry Creme Filling from the refrigerator:
8. Whip the 2 cups of heavy cream with the 1 tablespoon sugar.  Gently fold the whipped cream into the prepared chilled and thickened Pastry Creme Filling.


Assembly of 20-Layer Crepe Cake: 

9. Place one (1) prepared crepe on a large cake plate.
10. With a small spatula or wide blade knife, completely cover the crepe with a thin layer of the pastry cream mixture (approximately 1/4 cup).
11. Cover with another dry crepe and repeat covering with the Pastry Creme until you have reached 20 layers.
12. The 20th crepe will be the last or top layer.
13. Refrigerate the prepared cake for a minimum of 2 hours to let the pastry cream become firm.   Dust with powdered (confectioners' sugar).
14. When ready to serve, slice into individual servings.  Garnish the plate with fresh berries.
15. Makes one (1) 20-Layer Cake.

同場加映-做可麗餅和組裝蛋糕的過程!








Thursday, March 26, 2020

HAPPY 10TH ANNIVERSARY MY KNIGHT!



我相信每個人的愛情都很獨特很精彩,很多故事加油添醋外加找玄彬跟孫藝珍當主角也是可以拍成溫馨短片(當然大部分的故事都沒有像為愛迫降一樣那麼刺激,又是南北韓的愛戀,又中彈綁架的)。

我一直是個宿命論者,所以我真心的覺得我們是注定要在一起的(其實應該是老公真心覺得要在一起才這麼棄而不捨的一直黏著我🤣)。相識後才發現我們的命運從高中時期就無形的交織在一起。高中時期他在我的中文學校做義工,而我全班同學幾乎都是他的朋友。他當時就記得我媽(我的老師)還有我前後左右的朋友。據說他們那段時間也差點買了我家後面的房子,當我的鄰居了🤣。

我們真正認識可是到了大學。在我回台灣工作前的幾個月我們才認識彼此,不過當時也才見過兩次面後我就回台灣了。認識我老公後才發現原來世界上有人的毅力跟耐心可以跟超人一樣足,在我回台灣的兩年都非常持續的一直跟我保持聯絡。詳細的故事請看大仁哥那篇。

從第一次碰面到現在也都將近20年,結婚也10年了,最滿足的是我們兩個都還一如往常,牽著手一起過著幸福滿足的日子。

十週年快樂,我的白馬王子🥰

10 years ago today I married my knight in shiny armors, and we have been living happily ever after since. I have to give Gordon 100% credit for making this all possible, after all he’s the one who worked very very hard in making this all possible!

I believe every love stories are romantic in their own ways, and ours is pretty darn romantic now that I am walking down the memory lane.

I met Gordon through a friend in University but after 2 brief encounters I was off to Taiwan for a job opportunity. Throughout the 2 years I was in Taiwan, he will  message me on MSN every-single-time I come online... he will even worry if I don’t come online at the usual times. For 2 years straight, regardless of what my attitude was towards him, he kept in touch and kept trying to come up with a million topics that I might be interested, and I really mean a million different topics!

Once I came back to Vancouver he memorized my class schedule maybe even better than myself. He’s always by my side in school even during my late night classes, and no we were just friends then!!! I am one of the slowest person when it comes to relationships. That’s probably why it took him so long to finally “win me over” 😅, but I am glad he did 🥰.

Happy 10th Anniversary my shiny knight!



番外篇-
最近突然找到剛認識第二年老公寄給我的卡片。哈,沒想到才見過三次面,聊了兩年的老公就已經在預告未來了...只是遲鈍的我要再1年才被追到 🤣