The Naranga Newsletter

Home Economics 

with Ms Athiniotis

  Bon Appetit 

This week seniors learned how to make an extremely easy dessert that is popular in France. I have made this dessert with blackberries and cherries in season, but you can use apples or apricots. Make sure the oven temperature is right. If your oven overheats the dessert can turn out rubbery. If making one in a flan it will take longer cooking time compared to individual ramekins. 

Mini Berry Clafoutis  

Ingredients:

200 g pitted cherries

5 eggs

2 cups milk

5 tablespoons caster sugar

1 1/3 cup plain flour

1 pinch salt

 How to make:

  1. Preheat oven to 180C. 
  2. Whisk eggs and sugar until foamy. Sift flour and salt and stir until combined. 
  3. Slowly pour in cooled melted butter, then milk. Whisk to obtain a liquid batter.
  4. Grease mini ramekins and place on a tray.
  5.  Pour the mixture over the berries and bake for 10-15 minutes until set and golden. 

 

Magnifique Madeleine biscuits

Upper Juniors learned how to make some popular Madeleine biscuits. The biscuits have a characteristic shell shape created from a special tin. The tins require regular coating. This is an easy recipe that does not require resting the batter in the fridge to firm up. If you prefer chocolate biscuits add a tablespoon of cocoa. 

Preheat oven: 180C.

Ingredients:

To coat pan: 1 tablespoon oil or butter and 1 ½ teaspoons plain flour

2 eggs or substitute

141 g butter

½ cup sugar

3 tablespoons brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla essence

1/8 teaspoon or pinch of salt

1 ¼ cup plain flour

1 tablespoon icing sugar for dusting

 How to make them:

  1. Whisk together a tablespoon butter or oil and 1 1/2 teaspoons plain flour. Use pastry brush to lightly grease every cavity of the Madeleine pans.
  2. Melt butter and set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, Sift flour into egg mixture and a third of the flour at a time. Stir gently. combine eggs, sugars, vanilla essence, and salt. Whisk vigorously.
  4. Drizzle cooled melted butter around edges of batter and use a spatula to gently mix. DON’T OVER MIX. 
  5. Drop batter by heaping a tablespoon at a time into pans. Bake for 9 minutes until light golden brown and springs back when lightly touched. Sprinkle with icing sugar. 

Cool pan before re-brushing and refilling with batter and baking next batch.

It is better to eat these biscuits on the same day. They can be frozen and brought to room temperature and dusted with icing sugar. Alternatively keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days without icing sugar.