COOKERY MASTERCLASSES – LOCK DOWN STYLE!
Great British Bake Off finalist, Jane Beedle, was due to be holding a series of Cookery Masterclasses at Brogdale Collections. Each one focusing on topical or seasonal fruit and produce. She is a great baker, wonderful cook and also a rather lovely person – so we’re over the moon to have her delivering workshops for Brogdale.
Obviously, under current lock down circumstances, these have been postponed – so we’ve worked with Jane to bring you the next best thing – Virtual Jane Beedle!!
Jane’s first masterclass was looking at wonderful ways to cook with lemons. Here’s a video of Jane explaining her delicious recipe for Paris Brest choux buns – which are filled with lemon curd and Chantilly cream. They look delicious!
If you fancy giving it a go, you can find the recipe details below or download.
We are still hoping to continue with Jane’s masterclasses later in the year – watch out on our social media for further details.
Lemon Curd Paris Brest
Serves: 6 – 8
Active time: 1 hour
INGREDIENTS
Choux pastry
- 75ml Water
- 70ml Milk
- 60g Unsalted butter (use salted if you prefer)
- 75g Plain flour
- ½ tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Caster sugar
- 2 Large Eggs, lightly beaten
- Flaked Almonds – optional
Filling
- Lemon curd
- 200ml Double cream
- 1 tbs Caster sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
Icing sugar for dusting
METHOD
- Preheat oven to 200C Fan
- Place water, milk and butter in a saucepan and bring to the boil.
- Mix together flour, salt and sugar, you don’t need to sieve it just ensure they are combined.
- When all the butter has melted and mixture is boiling remove from the heat and tip in all the flour mix in one go, beat until smooth and mixtures comes away from the sides of the pan, place back on the heat and cook, stirring constantly for a couple of minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
- Beat in the eggs a little at a time at a time until smooth and quite glossy and the mixture falls off the spoon leaving a v shape. It should not be too runny, you may not need all of the egg. I use an electric hand whisk but be careful the mixture can fly everywhere.
- Place mix in a piping bag with a large plain nozzle or just cut the end off a disposable bag to required size, and pipe onto the lined baking sheets in circles approx. 8 cm in diameter, leave plenty of space for expansion. Dampen the tops with a little water and sprinkle on a few flaked almonds
- Bake for about 15 minutes until well risen and lightly coloured then turn the oven down to 160C and allow to cook for another 10 – 15 minutes. Do not open the oven door in the early stages or the choux will sink.
- Remove from the oven and make a slit in each circle to allow the steam to escape, I cut along one long length and then put them back in the turned off oven with the door propped open with a wooden spoon for about 10 minutes so they are dry and crisp.
- When choux buns are cool, mix cream with sugar and vanilla, whip until firm enough to pipe, don’t over whip it.
- Cut the choux buns in half and pipe or spoon in some lemon curd on the bottom half
- Put the cream into a piping bag and fill the Paris Brest and put on the top.
- Lightly dust with sieved icing sugar
If you don’t want to use all the unfilled buns then put them in a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze. When you want to use them allow to thaw and just crisp in the oven for 5 minutes then fill.
