Let me take you back to some of my earliest lessons in baking by focusing on Classic French Desserts.
We’ll begin with a Charlotte Russe, making a classic sponge cake that we will use to make both a cake base and ladyfingers. You will also learn about Bavarian cream and how to make one flavored with fresh raspberries. We will put this all together into a cake so pretty you almost won’t want to cut into it…oh, but you will!
Next, Mocha Macarons with a Chocolate Caramel Filling! If you have never made French macarons you might be surprised to see it as our second-level class and defin itely not the hardest thing we will learn this month. That is because they are much easier to make than their reputation would have you think! I will teach you exactly how to make a perfect macaron – luscious and intensely delicious!
Finally, you will be ready to make a Classic French Croquembouche. This sweet, creamy, crunchy tower of cream puffs is traditionally made for weddings but we think it can add the perfect wow factor to any special gathering. Not only that, but they are fun to pull off and eat, and it sets the perfect tone for a lively celebration. As for the fussiness of making this – well, I will be taking you step-by-step and I promise that it is easier than it looks.
By the end, you will have gained some solid experience with some basics of French baking!
Class Sessions
Charlotte Russe
29:50
At the beginning of the 19th century in France, the famous chef Antoine Carême created this dessert by using lady fingers to line a mold and then filling the center with Bavarian cream. He originally called this dessert Charlotte à la Parisienne but later changed the name to Charlotte Russe to honor his employer and czar of Russia, Alexander I.
Mocha Macarons with Chocolate Caramel Filling
21:50
The macarons that we enjoy today, filled with buttercreams or ganache, began to show up in Paris by the early 20th century and the credit is claimed by both Pierre Desfontaines of the pâtisserie Ladurée and also by another baker at the time, Claude Gerbet.
Classic French Croquembouche
19:10
Croquembouche is a very special dessert traditionally reserved for weddings, religious holidays and other special occasions, and literally means "crunch in mouth." It is a tower of choux pastry buns, filled with custard and assembled into the shape of a cone with the aid of caramel.
Your Instructor
Gemma Stafford
For a decade, Irish-born chef Gemma Stafford has been bringing her passion for teaching people to bake with confidence to her online baking show and brand, “Bigger Bolder Baking.” Gemma’s unique combination of expertise, bold recipes, and approachable techniques have led to appearances as a judge on Netflix’s “Nailed It!”, Food Network’s “Best Baker in America,” and Hulu’s “Baker’s Dozen.”
Bonus Material
Classic French Desserts - Class Resources
Charlotte Russe - Resources
Charlotte Russe - Recipe
Mocha Macarons - Resources
Mocha Macarons - Recipe
Croquembouche - Resources
Croquembouche - Recipe
Bonus Recipe: Chocolate Pot de Crème
Bonus Recipe: Orange Tuiles
Bonus Materials available for download after purchase.
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