Recipes From The French Laundry

THE FRENCH LAUNDRY'S GOUGERES

Steps:

• Combine the water, butter, salt, pepper in a medium saucepan, place over medium heat and stir until butter is melted. Once the butter has melted, increase heat to medium-high and then bring to a simmer, then remove the pan from the heat, with a wooden spoon, stir in all the flour.
• Continue to stir for 1 1/2 minutes until the mixture has a paste-like consistency, then place over medium-high heat and stir rapidly for 1 minute, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the pan and the bottom of the pan is clean. The dough should be glossy and smooth but not dry.
• Immediately transfer the dough to a mixer bowl and mix on low speed for 30 seconds to release some of the moisture. Slowly begin to add the eggs, 50 grams at a time, beating until each addition is completely absorbed before adding the next one. Continue adding the eggs, mix until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl pulled with the paddle but immediately grabs back on again.
• Increase speed to medium for 15 seconds to ensure that all the eggs are incorporated. Stop the mixer. When the dough is lifted, it should form a bird's peak- it should hold it's shape and turn down on itself but not break off. Add the cheese and pulse to incorporate. (I don't have a pulse on my mixer, so I pour the entire batter into my Blentec blender and pressed pulse so that the cheese actually got pulsed in.
• Put batter into pastry bag. At this point, TK tells you to pipe into molds but I didn't have molds. Instead, I piped little free form balls, slightly less than 1 inch in diameter since he makes his so small. I piped them onto a baking sheet, spread about 1 1/2 inches apart. When I finished piping, I went back and used my finger to push down and get rid of the little tip that is left on top of each one from the piping.
• Freeze the gougeres for about four hours until firm. I also baked some right away. Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown if you are baking immediately.
• If you are baking from frozen: Preheat oven to 375°F. Line baking sheet with frozen gougeres, leaving about 1 inch between them. Spray lightly with water. Place in the oven, immediately lower temperature to 350F and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm.

MARSHMALLOWS (FRENCH LAUNDRY)

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer), sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water. Soak 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile: Combine sugar, corn syrup, 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Boil hard for 1 minute.
• Pour the boiling syrup into gelatin and mix at high speed. Add the salt and beat for about 10 - 12 minutes.
• Add the vanilla and incorporate into mixture.
• NOTE: Lightly oil your hands and a spatula.
• Scrape into a 9 X 9 inch pan lined with oiled plastic wrap and spread evenly. ***Don't skip the plastic wrap step or the marshmallow mixture will stick and you'll have a very delicious mess!
• After pouring marshmallow mixture into pan, take another piece of plastic wrap lightly oiled on the side which you will be placing on top of the marshmallow mixture and lightly press marshmallow mixture till flat and even into the pan.
• Let marshmallows sit up for about 2 hours (I have had luck with 1 1/2 hours). Remove from pan, dredge whole slab with confectioners' sugar and cut into squares. Each time you cut or slice you will need to keep using the confectioners' sugar and dredging each piece so they will not stick to each other and your knife (or scissors).
• Enjoy!