How to Build a Bake
It's a pastry transformation edition
I was told that when you publish a cookbook, though the DAY itself feels huge, it’s actually the weeks and months that follow that are the actual launch…
Yesterday I had the complete pleasure of collaborating with Burnt Crust Pottery on a very special Cake On A Plate! event at Leila’s Shop in London. Nichola Gensler, aka Burnt Crust Pottery especially made a bunch of gorgeous perfect cake-sized plates and I came up with a very special menu inspired by SIFT, my debut cookbook which is out now! It was a lovely afternoon, despite the rain. And lightning. Umbrellas were shared. Cake was demolished! Nichola will turning Leila’s (Calvert Avenue, e2 7jp) into a pottery shop today from 11-4, in case you want to check it out!
As the event was officially part of the SIFT book tour, I set myself a challenge: Design a brand new menu (why am i like this???) using recipes from SIFT… but not as they are in the book. That means mixing and matching recipes, concepts and flavours to create a brand new set of pastries. CUE: Epic training montage, pastry-style. And I want to show you how!
If you’ve been reading this newsletter for a while, you’ll know I love seeing you take recipes from here and build your own with them. Forging new territories, smashing worlds together. In SIFT, my debut book, right at the back there’s a double page spread that I really adore: The Matrix of Joy.
It’s a mix-and-match table which pairs up bases - think genoise, chocolate cake puff pastry - with fillings, like frangipane, whipped cream and jam. It is by no means an exhaustive list, but I wanted to show you how unlocking one recipe actually means unlocking a BUNCH. The world is your oyster. Or, trifle. There really is no limit!
I like to think of the Kitchen Projects archive, along with SIFT, as my ‘little black book’ of recipes (I suppose, perhaps, it’s more like the yellow pages, if we are paying attention to hues!) Either way, it’s a directory of flavours and techniques for you to experiment with.
And since pretty much *all* the recipes, or a meditation or slight adaptation of them, are available either in SIFT or here on KP/KP+, I wanted to break each recipe down. There are a few which I’ll share more details on with method/timing, but for now, Welcome to my pastry anatomy lesson: Transformation edition!
The Salted Vanilla Pistachio Cake becomes…. a Strawberry & Fig Leaf Layer Cake
I mean, the event was called Cake On A Plate. Obviously there had to be cake! I love the salted vanilla pistachio cake in my book but its not the most summery cake…
Fig leaves are back baby! With strawberries, they are an unstoppable combo. I had originally wanted to use genoise as the base here, but I needed something a bit heftier to hold up to the layers of jam, custardy cream and fruit, so I went for rich chiffon from this recipe. I do love the way thinly sliced strawberries eat, but if you want this to be easier to cut, I suggest doing strawberries similar to this recipe, larger chunks which can be sliced through easily.
The jam is the raspberry rhubarb on page 335 - it’s perfect now that summer rhubarb is abundant, and tangier than ever! For the creme legere layer (pg. 388), I infused fig leaf into the milk of the pastry cream before chilling, whipping and folding in whipped cream. The result is a more complex cream which also boasts that delicious fig leaf flavour, bolstering its position in the cake.
The trusty vanilla buttercream (pg 243) is a last minute addition to make the cake easier to serve, acting as a delicious cement.
Tomato Tart Tatin becomes… Caramelised Fennel & Tomato Galette
OK, this one probably had the least impressive transformation…. but I thought cooking Tarte Tatins to order would be a touch too stressful on the day, so I transplanted the flavours of this recipe (pg. 167 in SIFT) to galette form.
Instead of cooking the tomatoes in the pan with the fennel, I used the caramelised fennel as a base and laid the tomatoes on top, giving me the best of both worlds. I combined the two using the technique from the galette (pg. 168 in SIFT) and the tart tatin. A simple green salad with vinaigrette on the side, it was a total treat. So, if you don’t want the faff of a tart tatin, then a galette is your bestie!
Blackberry, Bay & Vanilla Custard Slice
Inspired by my visit to Lannan Bakery a few weeks ago, this is a meeting of two beautiful things: The puff pastry (pg. 124 in SIFT) with a bay & vanilla infused custard (pg. 388 in SIFT) using the cornflour amount I suggest in the ‘note’ to make it extra thick. I also used a bit of double cream, a trick I learned from working at Little Bread Pedlar, in the mix to make it even thicker and lusher when it sets.
While this is, in theory, a simple combination of two things, there are definitely a few things you need to know to have best success; I’ll write a ‘how-to’ of this recipe soon, as there are some tips I got from Darcie & the Lannan team, so watch this space!
PBJ Paris Brest becomes… Pistachio, Elderflower & Yuzu Choux
I’m obsessed with the flower shape at the moment. On pavlovas, in Paris-Brest, I can’t really get enough! I have this shape proudly displayed in the PBJ Paris Brest recipe, but for this pop-up I wanted to translate some new flavours into the beautiful shape.
Enter the pistachio, elderflower and yuzu combo of my dreams! For this recipe, I’ve combined choux (pg. 219 in SIFT) with an elderflower whipped ganache (infusing elderflower into cream, rather than vanilla from pg. 160 in SIFT), yuzu curd (recipe here) and my favourite pistachio mousseline (pg. 243 in SIFT). I love this combination, and wanted to give elderflower a proper sendoff. I think this fits the bill!
Brown Butter & Amaretto Apricot & Cherry Baba
Inspired by and taking the lead from Camilla Wynne’s baba loaf on KP+, this dish combines the toasted demi-brioche (pg. 133 in SIFT) with cherries & roasted apricots (pg. 336 in SIFT). And rather than maple, I used panela sugar in the syrup.
I had also originally wanted to use noyaux, but I was not blessed with flavourful pits! For some reason, the last few batches of apricot kernels I’ve got have been barely aromatic. It could be the variety, I suppose, but a shame! So, instead I leaned on Amaretto for that flavour in the brown butter syrup. Served with roasted apricots, a simple whipped cream, because. Well, does whipped cream ever need a reason?
Fig Leaf & Peach Iced Tea
Who doesn’t love a summery drink? This is one of my favourite recipes EVER - so refreshing. Plus it’s a low stress way to practice infusions, both hot and cold. I just love the colour, too. Exclusively on KP+ - recipe here!
For more recipe inspiration, check out the Kitchen Projects archive or order your copy of SIFT here.
Love love love getting to see how your mind works, you’re so inspiring. Also it’s hysterical that you developed a NEW menu for an event after all the developing you’ve been doing. The devil works hard, but Nicola works harder
So cool to see this approach! Can't wait to start reading your book. I'm from the US but splurged on a UK edition so I could get it earlier. (I also liked the yellow cover compared to the pink haha.)