A Sweet Quartet; Sugar, Almonds, Eggs, and Butter: A Baker's Tour, Including 33 Recipes

by Fran Gage

• ISBN13: 9780865476745
• ISBN10: 0865476748
• Format: Trade Paper
• Copyright: 2003-11-06
• Publisher: North Point Press

Summary

Fran Gage calls sugar, almonds, eggs, and butter "the DNA of desserts." Simple as they seem, they make possible a profusion of pastries and other sweets, from the elemental lollipop to the ethereal realms where marzipan, meringue, and puff pastry hold sway. In A Sweet Quartet, Gage tells the story of each ingredient, from its origins to its transformation into culinary gold, drawing upon her travels, tastings, experiments, and remembrances. She crowns each section with a baker's half-dozen of recipes that show off the multiple talents of the ingredient.

Author Biography

Fran Gage is a member of the Baker's Dozen and a contributor to The Baker's Dozen Cookbook. She is the author of Bread and Chocolate and writes frequently for Saveur, Fine Cooking, and other publications.

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION	3	(6)
SUGAR	9	(60)
TWO MODERN POUND CAKES	54	(4)
GINGER SCONES	58	(2)
MOLASSES SPICE CAKE	60	(2)
BEAUJOLAIS AND PEACH SORBET	62	(1)
GREEN TEA GRANITA	63	(1)
PINEAPPLE WITH RUM SAUCE	64	(1)
POPCORN BALLS WITH CASHEWS	65	(2)
PEPPERMINT LOLLIPOPS	67	(2)
ALMONDS	69	(50)
ALMOND BUTTER COOKIES	102	(2)
ALMOND CHOCOLATE DROPS	104	(1)
FIANCIERS	105	(2)
ROUND ALMOND CAKES	107	(2)
MARZIPAN RUFFLE CAKE	109	(3)
GREEN ALM0ND PANNA COTTA	112	(32)
A TRIO OF AFTER-DINNER ALMONDS	144
EGGS	119	(54)
CHOCOLATE MERINGUE "SANDWICHES'	155	(2)
MEIUNGUE TRIANGLES WITH ALMONDS	157	(2)
PROVENÇAL EASTER BREAD	159	(3)
COCONUT SOUFFLÉ	162	(2)
SNOW EGGS (OEUFS À LA NEIGE)	164	(2)
BAKED ALASKA	166	(2)
LICORICE ICE CREAM	168	(1)
SAFFRON ORANGE CRÈME BRÛLÉE	169	(2)
ZABAGLIONE	171	(2)
BUTTER	173	(50)
PUFF PASTRY	209	(3)
APRICOT TARTE TATIN	212	(2)
GALETTE DES ROIS	214	(2)
PALMIERS	216	(1)
CARDAMOM COINS	217	(1)
CLASSIC SHORTBREAD	218	(1)
GALETTE BRETONNE	219	(2)
FIG FLANS	221	(2)
A SWEET QVARTET	223	(14)
A DESSERT BUFFET	231	(1)
CROQUEMBOUCHE	232	(5)
BIBLIOGRAPHY	237	(8)
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS	245