Creme Fraiche Filling For Vacherin Food

CREME FRAICHE FILLING FOR VACHERIN

Steps:

• Put cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Fold in creme fraiche and sugar using a large spatula. Refrigerate filling at least 1 hour or up to 5 hours.

VACHERIN WITH CHAMOMILE-POACHED NECTARINES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Trace a 9-inch circle onto 2 pieces of parchment paper with a pencil. Turn paper over, and place each circle on a baking sheet; set aside.
• Put egg whites and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on low speed until frothy. Beat in sugar, 2 to 3 tablespoons at a time. Gradually raise speed to medium-high; beat until mixture is glossy and stiff peaks form, about 7 minutes.
• Spread the meringue evenly onto the parchment-paper circles on baking sheets using an offset spatula. Bake until meringue is dry and crisp, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Meringue layers can be stored at room temperature, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, up to 1 day.
• Spread half the creme fraiche filling over 1 meringue disk. Top with half of the poached nectarines. Place remaining meringue disk on top. Top with remaining filling and nectarines. Garnish with chamomile flowers, if desired.

CREME FRAICHE FILLING

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and vanilla until soft In a separate bowl, whisk creme fraiche with a balloon whisk until it holds soft peaks.
• Whisk a third of the creme fraiche into cream-cheese mixture to lighten. Fold in remaining creme fraiche while gradually sifting the confectioners' sugar over the top; fold just until combined. Cover with plastic wrap; place in refrigerator until ready to use, up to 2 hours.

CREME FRAICHE CHEESECAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• To make the crust: In a food processor grind the walnuts and sugar together. Stir in the melted butter, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, and up to 4 days. Using your fingers pack 1 1/2 teaspoons of mixture into small rings or collars 1 1/2 inches in diameter by 2 inches high. Bake for 7 minutes. Let cool slightly before adding filling.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.
• To make the filling: In an electric mixer, with a whip attachment cream the cream cheese. Mix in the remaining ingredients in order. Pour into baked crust lined collars filling to about 3/8 inch from the top. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until slightly puffed and barely shimmying in the center. Remove from oven and let cool a few minutes if puffed to make room for the creme fraiche topping.
• To make the topping: Blend all ingredients and place 1 tablespoon on top of the each mini cheesecake. With a small off-set spatula or a teaspoon, ease the topping to coat evenly. It will level itself out during baking. Bake at 300 degrees F for 5 minutes. Cool to room temperature, then cover and chill at least 4 hours or up to 2 days. To serve, warm the rings and slip the cheesecakes out of them.

VACHERIN

Steps:

• The Meringue Discs: Separate the whites from the yolks of egg, sift the flour, sift the chocolate powder. Heat the oven to 225 degrees F. Grease and dust a cookie sheet with flour. Place a plain nozzle in a piping bag.
• Make the meringues by whisking in a large bowl the whites of eggs until very stiff. Beat in the salt and water, and gradually start beating in the sugar little by little (if this is done too quickly the whites will lose their bulk and turn almost liquid). Fold in the last tablespoon of sugar. The mixture should now have a good gloss and be very "peaky". Now place the glistening white meringue mixture into the forcing bag and pipe it into two 9-inch circles (being the same diameter as the cake) on the cookie sheet and dust with the chocolate powder. The remaining mixture can then be piped into small animal shapes as decoration.
• Place the meringue mixture immediately into the preheated oven (225 degrees F.) on the middle shelf and bake for 2 1/2 hours. When ready the discs and animals should lift easily from the baking sheet and have a hollow sound when gently tapped, these can be cooled on a wire rack until required. They can also be stored in an airtight tin for several days, should you want to prepare this dessert ahead of time.
• Cream Filling: Whip the cream until stiff and divide the cream into 2 bowls.
• The almonds can be placed on a cookie sheet and broiled until golden brown and cooled. The sponge cake can now be split in 2 and the base lightly soaked with rum.
• Assembly: Place the base of the cake on a plate. Spread a little chestnut puree over this and then a good wallop of fresh cream from one bowl.
• Pop the second layer of sponge cake on top and sprinkle with rum.
• To the cream in the first bowl, add more of the chestnut puree and beat in very thoroughly. Blend together with rum. Scoop this on top of the cake.
• Take one layer of the baked cooled meringue and place this on top.
• From the second bowl, take the puree, whipped cream and spread a thick layer of this gently on top of the meringue disc.
• Lower the second round of meringue on top. To the remainder of cream, add the last of the chestnut puree and spread this over the sides of the vacherin and a thin layer over the top, using a palette knife.
• Gently press the flaked almonds over the sides. Decorate the top with meringue animals and dust with the chocolate powder.

FLAMICHE

Steps:

• Mix the flour and salt together in a large bowl. Mix the yeast with 175ml warm water and leave for 5 mins to froth just a little, then add to the flour and mix vigorously with a metal spoon. Knead the dough as soon as it comes together on a lightly floured surface for around 5 mins until smooth. Alternatively, use a mixer fitted with a dough hook, working the dough for around 5 mins on medium speed, then adding the salt towards the end of the mixing time. Leave in a lightly oiled bowl covered with a clean, damp tea towel until nearly doubled in size, about 1 hr.
• Meanwhile, heat the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat and cook the leaks until softened, about 8 mins. Don't let them colour. When soft, remove from the heat and leave to cool. Beat the eggs, crème fraîche, grated cheese, herbs and nutmeg together, and season well with plenty of pepper and some salt. Mix in the leeks.
• Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Line a 40 x 30cm baking tray with baking parchment. Lightly flour the work surface and roll the dough out to fit the baking sheet - it should be about 5mm thick. Make a small lip around the edge of the dough by folding the dough inward. Evenly spread the leek mixture over the dough, leaving a 1cm border. Sprinkle over the parmesan.
• Cook the flamiche in the oven for around 25 mins until lightly golden on the top and the base is crisp. Remove from the oven, cut into squares and serve with salad, if you like.

CHEF JOHN'S CREME FRAICHE

Steps:

• Combine cream and buttermilk in a glass jar. Cover tightly with cheesecloth (or any breathable material) and let sit at room temperature (70 to 75 degrees F (21 to 24 degrees C)) for 24 hours. Stir, screw on lid, and refrigerate for 24 hours before using.