Kuri Matcha Choco Verrines ~ 栗子抹茶可可和風物語

It is so wonderful that the sun is out after weeks of stormy weather! I had caught the blue bug from all that rain and didn’t want to do anything but lay in the bed! Now that it is sunny and warm, I am motivated to be back in the kitchen ^^

This Japanesey sweet is my take on a dessert featured in the Japanese version of ELLE à Table (Jan/09). I like the layering effect showed in the magazine and was convinced by the intrigue combination of chestnut and matcha. The two is a fairly common pairing in making wagashi (traditional Japanese sweets), but this nothing short of deliciousness combination seem somewhat unpopular or common in western pastry. If you have a recipe made of the two, would you mind sharing? I’m just mad about them!

The sweet is composed of spongy fragrant matcha génoise, rich & dense flourless chocolate cake, candied chestnuts, light & melt-in-your-mouth chestnut Chantilly then a dusting of cocoa powder and a piece of candied chestnut complete this lovely, Springy dessert - giving it not just a lovely presentation but a contrasting texture of light and dense. All the components were simple to make and you can make them a day in advance (except the chestnut Chantilly). Though I was very happy with the result but I couldn’t stop thinking that this may taste even better with Jasmine mousse, maybe you can try this combo and let me know how it turns out =)



Kuri Matcha Choco Verrines – makes six 8oz glasses
¼ recipe Matcha Génoise, diced
¼ recipe Chocolate Valentino, diced
1 recipe Kuri (chestnut) Chantilly Cream
8 whole chestnuts in syrup (available at Japanese markets)
Some cocoa powder

Matcha Génoise
100g granulated sugar
70g all purpose flour
15g matcha
20g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 large eggs

Prep:
- Sift together flour and matcha, set aside.
- Preheat oven to 360°F/180°C.
- Lightly butter a 12 x 9in/28 x 24cm roll cake pan and line it with parchment paper.

Brings a small pot of water to boil, set aside. Melt the butter in a microwave, set aside to cool.

Using a handheld mixer, beat the eggs together in a heatproof bowl then add sugar and beat until blended. Place the bowl over the pot of boil water and continue to beat over medium speed until it is foamy and warm to the touch. Remove from heat, continue to beat in a circular motion until it doubles in volume and soft peaks form. Gradually add in the sifted matcha flour mix using a rubber spatula and fold gently until incorporated. Add in the melted butter, quickly fold until completely incorporated.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spread and smooth out the batter using the spatula. Tap the pan slightly on the counter to release any air bubbles, place into the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Slice it into small cubes.




Kuri (chestnut) Chantilly Cream
200ml heavy cream
3tbsp chestnut cream or crème de marrons
1tbsp caster sugar
¼ vanilla bean, split open and seeds scraped out

Bring 50ml heavy cream, vanilla pod & seeds, and the chestnut cream to just simmer over medium heat; stirring occasionally to prevent from burning. Remove from heat and continue to stir until the two are fully incorporated. Remove vanilla pod and place the saucepan in an ice water bath to cool.

Place the remaining cream, sugar in a bowl and whip until stiff peaks form. Fold in the cooled chestnut cream mixture and mix until fully incorporated. Pour the whipped cream into a piping bag w/o a tip, let chill in refrigerator.

Assemble:
Spoon some Chocolate Valentino cubes into the glasses (I use champagne flutes) to ¼ height of the glasses then spoon in matcha génoise cubes next to 2/4 full. Snip off a little corner of the piping bag, and pipe the cream to ¾ full, place some candied chestnuts on top then pipe more cream until almost to the top. Sprinkle some cocoa powder and top off with a piece of candied chestnut. Voilà!



這個和風甜點的靈感來自一款在日版ELLE à Table(01/09)看過的點心。我承認是因為照片拍的很漂亮﹐所以我才給吸引住的。再看它的材料配搭居然是我最愛的抹茶跟栗子的組合﹐我可沒理由拒絕了。其實抹茶跟栗子的組合是和菓子常見的風味﹐但在製作西式點心方面這個搭配並不是很普遍。好可惜喔~

很喜歡這個甜點的味道鋪陳 – 由有著襲人的淡雅茶香的抹茶海綿蛋糕﹑濃郁濕潤的純巧克力蛋糕﹑質地輕盈細緻口感清爽不膩帶有淡淡奶香的栗子風味香堤麗鮮奶油﹑還有藏在香堤麗鮮奶油中的鬆軟綿密帶著微甜的栗子甘露煮交揉出絕妙的層次及鮮明的口感﹐讓人為那份美味著迷感動。這個甜點適合用透明度高的容器來呈現﹐這樣才能看到它賞心悅目的漂亮層次。而因為它本身很精緻﹐裝飾上方簡單的用濾網過篩可可粉﹐再擺放一顆栗子甘露煮就可以了。

我覺得將栗子風味香堤麗鮮奶油變成茉莉風味慕斯﹐味道應該更迷人典雅。如果你剛巧不愛栗子﹐不妨嘗試這個組合吧 ^O^

栗子抹茶可可和風物語– 約6杯
¼ 份量的 抹茶傑諾瓦士﹐切丁
¼ 份量的 巧克力華輪天奴蛋糕﹐切丁
1 ½ 杯 栗子風味香堤麗鮮奶油
8顆 市售栗子甘露煮(購自日本超市)
少許 可可粉



抹茶傑諾瓦士 ~ 直徑12 x 9in/28 x 24cm長方形模具1個
100g 砂糖
70g 麵粉, 篩過
15g 抹茶
20g 無鹽奶油
3個 L尺寸全蛋

事前準備:
- 將抹茶和麵粉混合篩過備用。
- 將一烤架移到烤箱中格﹐烤箱預熱至360°F/180°C。
- 模具抹上厚厚的奶油﹐再鋪上烘烤紙﹐備用。

先燒開一小鍋的水﹐備用。將奶油切丁﹐倒進一個耐熱的容器裡﹐然後放微波爐加熱融化﹐靜置放涼備用。

將蛋倒進耐熱拌碗中﹐用電動攪拌器以中速打散﹐加進砂糖﹐攪打至顏色變淡。將拌碗放小鍋上隔熱水加熱打發﹐不停攪拌至微溫發泡。停止加熱﹐繼續以劃圓圈的動作打發至富含空氣會如緞帶般重疊時即可。分數次加進篩過的抹茶麵粉﹐用橡皮刀源邊往下刮翻切拌勻﹐然後拌入放涼的融化無鹽奶油﹐同樣的以橡皮刀源邊往下刮翻切拌勻。

一鼓作氣地將麵糊倒進烤模中﹐推勻﹐輕輕敲一下烤模釋放氣泡後﹐放進預熱過的烤箱裡﹐烘烤約15分鐘。當週圍會因烤熟而稍稍縮小﹐烤模和蛋糕體間就會出現空隙﹐輕按蛋糕中間時感覺到彈性即烤好。也可以用竹籤插入中央﹐慢慢拔出時不會沾黏﹐就烤好了。從烤箱取出﹐翻轉倒扣脫模﹐擺在網架上整個放涼。將海綿蛋糕橫切成小丁備用。

如果不立刻使用﹐可將蛋糕包好放冰箱存放﹐可以保存3天。使用前靜置回溫即可。



栗子風味香堤麗鮮奶油 – 約1 ½ 杯份量
200ml 鮮奶油
3湯匙 市售栗子醬
1湯匙 細砂糖
¼條 香草豆﹐開半刮籽

將50ml的鮮奶油﹑香草豆及籽﹑栗子醬混合倒進小鍋中﹐以中火煮至剛沸騰﹐期間要不時的攪拌以免煮焦。離火﹐確實攪拌勻栗子奶漿後﹐丟掉香草豆﹐放冰水浴中放涼。

將鮮奶油和細砂糖放入拌碗中﹐用電動打蛋器先以低速打發鮮奶油至起泡﹐再轉中速攪打至出現尖角的程度。拌入放涼的栗子奶漿﹐用橡皮刀源邊往下刮翻切拌勻即可。將栗子香堤麗倒進擠袋裡﹐剪去一角﹐放冰箱冷藏備用。

組合及裝飾:
將切成小丁的巧克力華輪天奴蛋糕舀進杯中至4分1滿﹐然後舀進丁狀的抹茶傑諾瓦士至4分2滿。將栗子香堤麗擠進杯中至4分3滿﹐填入切碎的栗子甘露煮﹐然後再擠栗子香堤麗至滿頂。撒一些可可粉﹐再擺放栗子甘露煮點綴裝飾即可。

Matcha Panna Cotta with Elderflower Syrup ~ 抹茶義式奶酪佐接骨木花糖漿

I told you that I’m a fan of this ultra creamy Italian dessert so how could I let the summer pass without making any ;p This time, with some Japanese flair. As I was flipping through Aroma by Mandy Aftel and Daniel Patterson, I found a recipe for matcha panna cotta. The combination of the ingredients sounded really intriguing – honey, cream, and matcha! I found the idea of adding matcha to this classic Italian dessert completely seductive - two of my favorite things in one dessert!

Matcha (pronounced mac-cha) is Japanese for powdered green tea, normally from better leaves, so it can be quite expensive. Most high-quality tea purveyors carry powdered green tea, but you can also order it online or by mail. Matcha is best known for its antioxidant property, which is beneficial for one to stay young and healthy - some even crown it the term “fountain of youth”! Thus according to Chinese Medicine that people with the “cool” body type (me!) should stay away from green tea (apparently it belongs to the cool food group) but I find it rather difficult so I figure if I consume it in moderation then it should be harmless =)

It has been gaining popularity in the US in recent years, although it is widely popular in Asia for years! Incorporating matcha into desserts and pastries is a trend that has been building momentum in the world of sweets too! Since I don’t like anything that is overly sweet, I was happy with the taste of this dessert - rich, delicate, but only slightly sweeten. The recipe calls for milk and cream (rather than just cream) so it’s not as heavy as the traditional ones (the bitterness of the green tea does its part of cutting down the creaminess). I thought the slight bitterness of green tea pairs well with the lychee flavored honey, giving this creamy dessert a subtle fruity note. I served it with elderflower syruphttp, which I have been enjoying by adding to sparkling water since I got it hold of it from this place! It tastes somewhat like lychee and with such wonderful fragrance! Decoration-wise, I added a little dazzle a.k.a gold leaf to the custard but I think sweeten azuki beans would go well with it too.



Besides matcha panna cotta, I’m also toying with the idea of mixing it into a financier or macaron batter, churning it into an ice cream, using it to flavour buttercream for cupcakes, and combining it with cocoa powder to make truffles. I know it will be just as scrumptious~

Btw, you may enjoy these variations too!
panna cotta with sesame sauce
orange espresso panna cotta with coffee gelee delight
jasmine pearl infused panna cotta with kumquat compote
vanilla panna cotta with strawberry coulis

Matcha Panna Cotta with Elderflower Syrup
Makes four 4-ounce ramekins

1½ cups whole milk
½ cup heavy cream
¼ cup lychee flavor honey
1 tbs caster sugar
1½ tbs matcha
3g leaf gelatine
2tbs elderflower syrup
1tbs water

Prep:
- Soak the gelatin, let soften in cold water for 5 minutes, and then strain off the water.

I thought you should know:
- Matcha changes its color and may be less vibrant when cooked.
- Elderflower infused syrup has been enjoyed by many in the summer. It makes deliciously refreshing drinks. It can be dilute with pure water, bubbling with soda water or sparkling mineral water and it adds a nice twist to Champagne too. It marries well with teas & milk too. Also a wonderful topping for Crepes, waffles, yogurt, baked goods and ice cream just to name a few =)

Bring milk and cream together in a saucepan and cook until almost to a boil over medium heat. Squeeze out the gelatine, discarding the soaking water, then add the gelatine into the milk mixture, stir to dissolve, cook slightly then remove from the heat. Whisk in the honey and sugar, stir until completely dissolved. Mix the matcha with a little hot milk mixture, then add it to the saucepan, stir until combined. Set the saucepan over a larger bowl filled with ice water, stirring gently until it starts to thicken, 2 minutes.

Pass the mixture through a fine mesh strainer. Divide the mixture into the ramekins and place into the fridge to set, about 2 to 3 hours.

To serve, dip the ramekins into a bowl of hot water to loosen the panna cotta, turn it out on to a plate, leave them for 1 minute then gently lift. If they stick, try gently shaking the molds, and tapping their bottoms. Spoon some elderflower syrup (diluted w/ water) over the panna cotta and serve.

不久前我向大家坦承我是這道義大利家常甜點的粉絲。炎炎夏日﹐是這甜點再度粉默登場的時候了。這一次我要做我一直想嘗試的和風風味。食譜是在翻Mandy Aftel and Daniel Patterson著作的Aroma時看到的。天呀﹐抹茶加上奶酪對我而言是多麼致命的誘人呀﹗更不用說那抹茶、蜜糖、鮮奶油的組合聽起來是那麼的與眾不同及新鮮﹗

採用覆下栽培所培育而成的的茶葉加工後﹐再放進石臼所得的超微粉體就是抹茶。日本綠茶的一種﹐可上等茶葉加上繁複的製造過程﹐使價格比起其他的綠茶高。擁有豐厚又雍容的口感，鮮爽又回甘的滋味。我偏愛它有如翡翠晶瑩的深綠給人視覺上的美感﹐沉迷於它享用過後於鼻尖縈繞不去的芳香餘韻﹐更迷戀它與乳酪、甜品混合在一起的雅致滋味﹐讓我無窮回味。



現在喝茶很風行﹐要購買抹茶根本不是難事。上等抹茶的價格可不便宜但是物有所值。雖然近年在美國常看到它的蹤影也越來越受西方人喜愛了﹐但在亞洲風行多年﹐說它是最受歡迎的日本茶應該沒人會反對。除了被製造成美味無窮的冰點、蛋糕﹐抹茶的獨特風味及極高的營養價值是讓它穩坐最受歡迎寶座的原因。抹茶具有極高的蛋白質、氨基酸、維生素、礦物質和葉綠素的含量很高。具有清熱解毒、生津止渴、抗疲勞、醒酒消醉、降血壓、防衰老、明目清肝的保健功能。雖然具有這麼多保健功能﹐據中醫師說抹茶屬寒涼物﹐體質屬涼性(很不幸﹐我就是 >__<)的人應少喝為妙。多喝會造成血氣不流暢﹐臉色蒼白。可我想久久吃一些應該okay的。。。。。。哼﹐我不管啦﹐我就是要吃﹗

這是一道讓人味覺、視覺為之一亮的清涼甜點。加了抹茶的奶酪吃起來有著淡淡的抹茶味。外觀看起來綿密紮實﹐用湯匙輕輕一舀﹐發現奶酪在輕輕晃動﹐嫩嫩的QQ的像布丁。洋溢著濃郁的奶香味及荔枝蜜的清雅果香味﹐可又完美保留了抹茶的迷人風味﹐擁有無比的細緻柔滑綿密幕斯似的口感﹐後韻悠長﹐讓人一口接一口停不下來。搭配清新怡人的接骨木糖漿﹐甜甜的果香就像幸福的圍繞。那柔雅清新的花香﹐酸酸甜甜的口感﹐讓人宛如置身在英國鄉村的自然景色中。加了少許的食用金箔來點綴﹐使這道典雅的甜點頓時變的雍容華麗起來了。

實在太滿意這個抹茶奶酪的味道了﹐以至我腦袋瓜裡正玩味著下一次的抹茶實驗。該做成抹茶冰淇淋、還是抹茶馬其龍、maybe抹茶金融家小蛋糕又或是抹茶風味巧克力慕斯﹐不論如何我知道它擁有滋味無窮的百搭潛力﹗

如果你像我一樣愛吃奶酪﹐你可能也會喜歡這幾個奶酪甜點:
意式奶凍佐芝麻醬
柳橙咖啡奶凍芭菲
茉綠奶凍配糖漬金桔
意式香草奶凍佐草莓醬



抹茶義式奶酪佐接骨木花糖漿
4個4oz份量

1 ½杯 全脂牛奶
½杯 鮮奶油/淡忌廉
¼杯 荔枝蜜糖
1湯匙 細砂糖
1 ½湯匙 宇治抹茶
3g 明膠片/明膠粉
2湯匙 接骨木花糖漿
1湯匙 清水
食用金箔 隨意

事前準備:
- 明膠片用冰水泡軟之後擠掉水分，備用。如果用明膠粉: 將明膠粉倒入水裡 (2大匙) 泡脹後備用。

我覺得你應該知道的事:
- 抹茶遇熱後顏色會變的偏綠黃而不是鮮艷的綠茶色。而品質越上等的抹茶﹐顏色越是深綠。
- 甜美、芳香的接骨木花(又名白桂花)被歐洲人稱為萬靈藥。有強化身體防禦功能，對流行性感冒有療效。接骨木漿果味道甜甜酸酸並且帶微苦，但它蘊含豐富及珍貴的礦物質及維他命。它的果子於秋天收割後被製成果醬跟糖漿，而糖漿尤其受到大家的喜愛。在歐洲﹐加了接骨木糖漿的有氣泡礦泉水是夏日不能缺的飲品喔！糖漿加香檳也是很受歡迎的特飲﹐跟花果茶﹑奶類飲品也很相配。佐法式可麗餅﹑鬆餅﹑冰淇淋也很美味。

把牛奶、鮮奶油、混合裝進小鍋裡，開中火煮到快沸騰前加入泡軟及擠掉水分的明膠片，攪拌至融化混合﹐稍煮後離火。倒進蜜糖跟細砂糖﹐攪拌至完全融化。抹茶跟些許熱奶漿混合後﹐加進小鍋裡﹐攪拌至跟奶漿完全融化混合。將小鍋泡冰水浴放涼﹐過濾奶漿﹐然後倒進ramekins裡﹐放進冰箱冷凍2-3小時或一個晚上。

將奶酪脫模: 隔著熱水回暖 (或用熱毛巾將周圍熱敷)十秒，稍微搖一下﹐將模子倒轉放于盤子上﹐拍一拍模底﹐往上拉脫模。食用時將接骨木糖漿跟清水混合﹐淋在奶酪上﹐再加一點食用金箔點綴即可。

Jasmine Pearl infused Panna Cotta with Kumquat Compote ~ 茉綠奶凍配糖漬金桔

This milk custard perfumed with fragrant Jasmine Pearl tea is something to die for (or at least to try once)! I am a panna cotta fanatic, as if you have not already noticed thru my other posts. I still can’t believe something requires so little to make (dead easy too), tastes this good! Besides how heavenly it tastes, it is also a fantastically versatile dessert. It can be eating by itself or served with compote, fruit chutney, syrup, fruit coulis and fresh fruits! Though panna cotta is originally made using vanilla beans, it can also be infused with teas and spices! What not to love?!

Since this dessert requires minimal ingredients to make, quality is the key here. You can skim on milk (actually you can’t) but you must use high quality tea here. There are several artisan tea vendors that offer high quality teas and one of my favorites is Rishi. This tea artisan offers some of the finest tea at a reasonable price. I especially love their line of organic teas =)


Oh, I paired the custard with kumquat compote because I thought the tartness will give it a little kick (looks pretty together too)! It is also delicious by itself. Whatever your preference is; happy chowing!

Jasmine Pearl infused Panna Cotta with kumquat compote

250g whipping cream
150g 2% milk
60g granulated sugar
1tbs loose jasmine dragon pearl tea leave
12g leaf gelatine or powdered gelatine (8g for the just set version)

Some kumquat compote
Some veggie oil for buttering moulds

Prep:
- Brush moulds with a thin layer of veggie oil.
- Pre-soak leaf gelatine or powered gelatine; set aside.

I thought you should know:
- Since I am molding my panna cotta, I was generous on the gelatine. If you prefer the barely set (ultra creamy), add less gelatine and set in glasses or cups instead!

Add the loose tea leave to the milk and leave it in the fridge overnight; strain. Bring the milk, cream, and sugar to boil in a saucepan. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes. Add in the pre-soaked gelatine, stir till completely dissolved, then cool till lukewarm; strain. Pour the cream mixture into moulds, then place in the fridge and chill until set, about 2 hours.


你可能察覺我對義大利家常甜點panna cotta迷戀個不行。呵呵呵，那我也就不用隱藏對它的喜愛了。尤愛它細緻柔滑的口感和優雅濃郁的乳香 *Q* 這樣就算了，它還給我易製做個不行！也非常的百搭。配果醬，糖醬，水果沙拉都很出色。愛它不是沒道理的！因為這道甜點只需幾樣材料，用料就不能隨便了。高品質的茉綠珍珠可是主角噢！茉綠珍珠就是綠茶與香氣細緻的茉莉花結合成綠白交織的美麗小珍珠! 有著優雅的香氣及淡綠茶色。用看的聞的就令人心怡神悅了。話說現在喝茶已經是fashion了，so好的賣茶的店不難找。而我這次用的茶購自Rishi。一直很喜歡他們的茶，特愛那無農藥培植的系列。好想全部給買回家哦∼

茉綠奶凍第一口吃下去，香氣逼人，在口中久久不散去。雖然甜度適中，吃多了還是會膩，我配糖漬金桔一起吃，好讓金桔的微酸平衡中和濃郁的奶凍。再說白和橙配起來挺和諧的^^不要忘了食物除了可口，還要賞心悅目喔﹗


茉綠奶凍

250g 鮮奶油/淡忌廉
150g 2%牛奶
60g 砂糖
1大匙 茉綠珍珠茶葉*
12g 明膠片/明膠粉 (8g，如果喜歡口感軟一點的）

糖漬金桔 隨意
塗凍模用植物油 隨意

事前準備:
- 明膠片用冰水泡軟之後擠掉水分，備用。如果用明膠粉: 將明膠粉倒入水裡 (2大匙) 泡脹後備用。
- 為了方便脫模，模子要上一層薄薄的植物油。

要注意什麼呢?
- Q度是可以調整的。只要調整明膠的用量就可以。若是喜歡軟一點的就減少；硬一點的就加多一點。

牛奶與茶葉混合，放進冰箱，泡浸一個晚上。過濾後混合鮮奶油和砂糖，開中火煮沸後熄火。稍微放涼5分鐘後，加入泡軟(擠掉水分)的明膠片，攪拌至融化混合，過濾奶漿。放涼後，倒進模裡，放進冰箱冷凍2小時以上或一個晚上。將panna cotta脫模。將模子倒轉，隔著熱水回暖 (或用熱毛巾將周圍熱敷)十秒，倒轉放于盤子上脫模，食用時拌糖漬金桔。

February Birthday: Gâteau de kumquat ~ 桔香小蛋糕

This is for you February birthday boys & girls! Have a little sweet and be merry =)
Age is strictly a case of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter. - Jack Benny


Do you recall the kumquats that I brought back from my trip to New York back in January?! Its unique flavor lends itself as a pleasant addition to desserts! For those of you who have no idea what Kumquat is; it is a member of the citrus family. It has a tangy, slightly bitter distinctive flavor, and very common in South East Asia. They are oval in shape, orange in color, with a thick sweet peel and a tart pulp. It can be eaten fresh or preserved. Since they hardly come by at my local markets (except around Chinese New Year) so when I see them at Dean & Deluca in NY, I got myself a few pounds!


I came across a couple kumquat recipes that I am tempted to try. I have been dying to try out the unusual recipes from Hidemi Sugino's The Dessert Book (Japanese/English) since I have read all about this pâtissier thru Keiko of Nordljus, whom inspired me to food blogging with her gorgeous creations! I had been looking for a copy of Sugino’s book for like ages! You can imagine that I didn’t hesitate for a second when I found out that I can order his book thru this place. His books is very interesting and his recipes employ many unusual combos and yet so easy to follow (take this kumquat pound cake recipe for example). People who have no to little experience with pastry will have no difficulties whipping up what is in this book. I highly recommend it to everyone!


These delicate little cakes are so moist and flavorful; made of an almond-based batter folded together with chopped kumquat compote, resulting in a wonderful burst of citrus flavor! Just a bite and I’m sure it will grace my tea party menu from now on. Instead of using a pound cake pan, I used the new financier moulds that I bought a while back from here, thought it looks lovelier. It took me some time to find the almond flour (grounded blanch almonds) but I located it here and found that it is not cheap! Oh, this hobby of mine >.< Since I made more than enough kumquat compote for these cakes, I also served the kumquat compote with jasmine panna cotta. Surprisingly, these two goes really well with each other. I will post it next time. I am in search for more interesting kumquat recipes. If you have any to share, would you be kind enough to drop me a few words =)

Lastly, Chinese New Year is around the corner so I wish everyone peace and prosperity in the coming year. Gong Xi Fa Cai~


Kumquat Compote
Make 48 halved kumquats

400g (about 24) kumquats
2 cup granulated sugar
1 ½ cup water

Wash and pat dry kumquats. Remove calyces, cut them in half horizontally then pit with a fork. Bring sugar and water to boil, add the kumquats. Cover with a paper towel (directly on kumquats) and cook for 2 minutes over medium heat. Remove from heat and let sit over night at room temperature. Trash the paper towel and remove the kumquats and transfer to a bowl. Reheat the poaching syrup to a boil then remove from heat. Add the kumquats back into the syrup and let sit overnight at room temperature. Place the compote (discard the syrup) in an airtight container and keep refrigerated; good up to a week.


Kumquat Pound Cakes
Adopted from Hidemi Sugino’s The Dessert Book
Make 12 financier moulds (2x4)

50g kumquat compote
50g unsalted butter
75g confectioners’ sugar
50g almond flour
35g all-purpose flour
1/5 tsp baking powder
2 small whole eggs
24 halves of kumquat
Some diced almonds (optional)
Mandarin brandy for blushing
For the garnish: kumquats and chopped pistachios


Shift the almond flour, all-purpose flour and baking powder together. Set aside. Using a food processor, chop the kumquat coarsely; transfer to a mixing bowl and set aside. In a food processor, process the sugar and butter until just mix, 7-8 seconds. Gradually add the eggs then the flour mix, pulsing until just incorporated, after each addition. Do not over mix or the batter will become too soft. Add the batter to the kumquat compote, and fold until incorporated.

Pour batter into a pastry bag without a tip, and pipe into the buttered moulds. Lightly tap the moulds then arrange 2 pieces of kumquat halves on top. Sprinkle some diced almond on top if using. Place in the pre-heated oven and bake for 25 minutes at 170 C/340 F. Transfer to a wire rack, let cool for 5 minutes then remove from moulds. Let cool completely. Brush with brandy then either dust with sugar or garnish with kumquat compote and chopped pistachios.

糖漬金桔

24粒 金桔　
2杯 砂糖
1½杯 水

作法：
把金桔洗乾淨﹐抹乾﹐去蒂﹐橫的切成兩半﹐再用叉子去籽。將水和砂糖裝進小鍋裡﹐開中火煮沸﹐把金桔加進去﹐用一片*紙巾覆蓋在金桔上﹐繼續煮兩分鐘﹐離火﹐在常溫中放涼置一晚。
丟掉紙巾﹐把金桔撈出來﹐僅加熱糖漿﹐煮沸後熄火。此時才將金桔放回糖漿中﹐在常溫中放置一晚。把糖漿倒掉﹐倒進密閉容器中﹐可冷藏存放一個星期。

*紙蓋的作用是要使金桔沉入鍋內﹐完全浸泡在糖漿裡。

桔香小蛋糕
金融家模具(financier) 12個

50g 糖漬金桔粗泥
50g 無鹽奶油/牛油（室溫)
75g 糖粉
50g 杏仁粉
35g 中筋麵粉
1/5茶匙 泡打粉/發粉
2個(S尺寸) 全蛋
24(切半後) 糖漬金桔
適量 杏仁碎 (可以不加)
適量 刷塗用橘味白蘭地酒

裝飾用糖漬金桔﹑開心果仁碎

事前準備:
- 先把奶油從冰箱取出﹐使恢復為室溫。用手指戳一下奶油﹐變軟即可。
- 模具抹上厚厚的奶油﹐灑上麵粉後倒出多餘的﹐備用。
- 蛋從冰箱取出﹐放溫水中回室溫。
- 將一烤架移到烤箱中間﹐烤箱預熱至340F/170C。

要注意什麼呢?
- 記住不要過度攪拌麵糊﹐否則麵糊過軟會發不起來﹗
- 烤箱應不同制造商﹐溫度有異哦﹗記住烘烤時間只是參考而以﹗

混合篩過杏仁粉﹑麵粉﹑泡打粉﹐備用。用食物處理器將糖漬金桔磨打約一分鐘後﹐移至碗中﹐備用。把糖﹑奶油放入食物處理器﹐打至融合後﹐分數次加入蛋汁﹐每加一次攪打數秒至融合。小量地加入混合篩過後的粉類﹐每加一次都必須確實攪打均勻(8秒左右)﹐至呈順滑麵糊狀。將麵糊倒進裝有金桔粗泥的碗中﹐用橡皮刀源邊往下刮翻拌勻。將麵糊倒入沒有擠嘴的擠花袋裡﹐擠進烤模中至約六分滿﹐輕輕叩幾下釋放氣泡﹐再放兩塊糖漬金桔在上。

放進預熱過的烤箱裡﹐烘烤約25分鐘至金黃色。用竹籤插入中央﹐慢慢拔出時不會沾黏﹐就烤好了。從烤箱取出﹐擺在網架上放涼後﹐翻轉倒扣。蛋糕脫模後﹐整個放涼。在放涼的蛋糕表面刷一點橘味白蘭地酒。在蛋糕上擺一些金桔﹑撒些開心果仁碎或撒上糖粉裝飾。