The Art of French Pastry

MY FIRST JOB ABROAD WAS as the pastry chef for Admiral Philippe Lejeune, the admiral in the French navy station ...

year compulsory military service; only the French navy sees the necessity of having a pastry chef on bo ...

shorts, and open-toe sandals—not the best uniform for a pastry chef working in a small kitchen with hot ingredients. ...

terrible canned, processed, or frozen bread and pastries. They regarded me as some kind of angel that h ...

on the edges of the large kitchen stove to prevent stock pots from flying off if a large wave hit our shi ...

suddenly came out of nowhere and rocked the ship, sending a splash of hot burning oil pouring out of the pot toward ...

and only cold water was available. The ship’s doctor ordered me to follow a rigorous course of treatment to ...

fry while you’re sailing. ...

GINGERBREAD / PAIN D’ÉPICES ...

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YIELD | 45 MINI-CAKES OR 1 LOAF Pain d’épices—spice bread —is the French version of gingerbread. It is usual ...

known as a pain de voyage because it could be taken on long journeys for sustenance. Armies as far back ...

the Crusaders. We find references to gingerbread made with honey and spices by German bakers from Nuremberg ...

recommended gingerbread as a laxative and as a poultice for wounds. For centuries gingerbread has been a celebratio ...

rolled out and cut into shapes, and a soft batter that is baked like a pound cake. I’ve decided on the se ...

and honey. You can also add 50 grams of chopped nuts, such as almonds, hazelnuts, or walnuts. BEFORE YOU BEGIN G ...

temperature: Digital scale, set to metric weights 1 small mixing bowl 1 rubber spatula One or two 1½- inch mini-mu ...

cake, a 5 × 9– inch or 4 × 10– inch bread pan) 1 small saucepan 1 digital thermometer 1 sifter Kitc ...

hand whisk 1 chef’s knife 1 pastry bag fitted with a ⅜-inch round tip or spoon 1 pastry brush Read this ...

UNDERSTANDING INGREDIENTS Gingerbread is usually made with sugar and honey; some versions call for honey only. ...