Announcing Sugar High Fridays 5
On February 11th, I’ll have the honour of hosting the fifth edition of the sweet-tooth blogging event, Sugar High Fridays. Created by food blogger and baker extraordinaire Jennifer of the Domestic Goddess, SHF brings together dessert addicts from around the world once a month to create mouth-watering sweets with a common theme. So far we’ve had four incredible themes: White Chocolate and Apples by Jennifer, Spices by Zarah Maria, and most recently, Nuts by Viv.
For February, I’m pleased to announce that the theme will be . . .
Puff Pastry: hundreds and hundreds of layers!
You are welcome to make any dessert that uses puff pastry, whether it’s something classic like palmiers or mille-feuille, or something creative that you invent yourself. On February 11th, post your entry on your website, or send it to me and I’ll post it on A La Cuisine! The following day, I’ll post a round-up linking to everyone’s delicious puff pastry creations.
I for one am no expert in puff pastry, but cookbook author Dorie Greenspan seems to explain it best when she writes:
There is no dough more elegant than puff pastry, no dough more sumptuous, and no dough more likely to make you feel like a million bucks after you’ve prepared it for the first time, in part because it’s so dramatic – under heat, the hundreds of layers of cold butter in the dough melt, the water in the butter turns to steam, and the steam pushes the dough up to dizzying heights – and in part because you know you’re making something legendary.
Puff pastry certainly seems to be one of the miracles of baking. Its taste is wonderfully deep, nutty, and flaky, and the pastry is versatile enough to be used for an endless number of creations. So what better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day than to make something so delicate and delicious for a special person in your life!
Perhaps you may have heard that making puff pastry is a time consuming process, and is also difficult to make in hot, humid weather. If either of these are concerns for you, you’re more than welcome to use pre-made puff pastry dough that can often be found in grocery stores or sometimes purchased from bakeries. I’m sure your results will be just as spectacular.
If you do decide to make puff pastry yourself, I’ll be making it for the first time too. In the weeks leading up to SHF 5, I’ll be trying out different puff pastry recipes, including those by Sherry Yard, Pierre Hermé, and Pascal Rigo. I’ll be sure to blog about these experiments, and will pass along any useful hints and recipes I pick up along the way.
So there you have it. Everyone - whether you’re a novice baker or a skilled professional – is welcome and encouraged to participate! Please e-mail me at alacuisine@gmail.com once you’ve posted your entry, or if you’d like me to host your entry. And of course, feel free to e-mail me or leave a comment if you have any questions.
Hi Clement,
I've just started a blog recently and I've been looking forward to the next SHF- thanks for hosting and coming up with such a great theme!
Cheers...
Posted by: Moira | January 17, 2005 at 06:42 PM
what an awesome theme for the next shf!! i haven't made my own puff pastry before, but i might if i have time. i've been scared to do so.. but for this event i might force myself to. i can't wait. :)
Posted by: Emily | January 17, 2005 at 06:44 PM
Puff Pastry, what a great theme! Btw, we missed you for #4. It is so nice to have you back man! See you on the 11th! :-)
Posted by: Viv | January 17, 2005 at 10:29 PM
Puff... pastry? Oh my god, that is scary. I will certainly do my best to participate, but as of right now: I'm scared. Intimidated, even. But also a little bit curious and intrigued.. hm, this may be the perfect time to actually try it...
Posted by: Anne | January 18, 2005 at 05:12 AM
It's fresh -fresh! - exciting! It's so fresh - it's so... da-da-di-dum... Um?! Don't know where that came from, but it sure sums up how I feel about this SHF! What a great - and a wee bit scary, yes! - theme Clement!
Posted by: Zarah Maria | January 18, 2005 at 06:30 AM
I made it once, many moons ago, at the age of about 13, in a "Home Economics" class at school. Well, I made it once, I can do it again. (and if I can't I know how to cheat!) Let's hope the weather stays cool til February, it would be nightmare trying to make this pastry in the summer. I feel sorry for the bloggers down under who might want to join in...
Posted by: Sam | January 18, 2005 at 12:39 PM
Hi Clement,
I just made puff pastry a couple of days ago for the first time in more than the past decade, and it didn't exactly turn out successful but was tasting great nevertheless. I don't know if I can participate though, because I'll be back in a tropical island of Hawaii by that time, and like Sam says it could be too hot to make puff pastry over there. But if I do (successfully) I will sure join you guys!
Posted by: chika | January 18, 2005 at 07:55 PM
Thanks everyone for your interest in SHF 5! I realize that puff pastry has the potential to be a challenging theme, so I'm glad that we're all doing this together (virtually, at least). Just do what you're comfortable with - buying pre-made puff pastry dough is completely fine (you don't even have to say whether or not you made it yourself!)
Sam and Chika - Thanks for reminding me about those living in warmer climates. I'll edit my post to reflect that. Chika, I really hope you can join us, although I would trade you Toronto's frosty -20C weather for making puff pastry in beautiful Hawaii in an instant!
Posted by: Clement | January 19, 2005 at 01:24 AM
This is going to be my first time but I just can't resist, I mean puff pastry..! The endless hours of kneading and rising and filling and sculpting... Sounds terrific !!
Posted by: Sophie | January 19, 2005 at 03:59 AM
Hi! My food blogging started very recently and this will be my first SHF. I've been looking forward for this, but I'm rather nervous about the difficult and challenging theme :-) My last attempt with puff pastry ended with really ugly pastries, even though they tasted delicious :-)
Posted by: Dagmar | January 19, 2005 at 08:56 AM
I've only made puff pastry from scratch once, in a baking course I took at George Brown College here in Toronto. It was the VERY first thing we made and we started it on the first night - talk about nervewracking! It turned out to be one absolutely amazing experience; one which I've not had the opportunity to duplicate. I think I'll try it again soon...
Posted by: Eric | January 19, 2005 at 12:55 PM
Sophie - Welcome! I'm glad you'll be able to take part, and I look forward to seeing what you'll come up with.
Dagmar - I'd choose delicious and ugly over beautiful and tasteless anyday.. I hope you'll decide to give puff pastry another try!
Eric - Thanks, now I know what to expect if I ever take baking at GBC! Great to see another Torontonian taking part.
Posted by: Clement | January 20, 2005 at 02:38 AM
Hi Clement,
I wanted to participate, but I will be in Singapore on that day...maybe next time. Have fun!
Posted by: Reid | January 20, 2005 at 05:01 AM
I'm glad you're giving some leeway for those of us who want an easier way into this. Puff pastry is fabulous....but the effort involved! I am looking forward to this SHF because it's about time I joined in on all the fun!
Posted by: rowena | January 21, 2005 at 06:37 AM
Another new blogger here -- it's going to be my first SHF event (and my first IMBB event) as well. Nothing like lots of crisp buttery layers -- yummy!
Posted by: Julie | January 24, 2005 at 07:48 PM
Reid - Thanks for linking to SHF from your site.. have a nice trip to Singapore!
Rowena and Julie - Welcome! Great to hear that you'll be able to take part in SHF. Looking forward to seeing what you'll come up with..
Posted by: Clement | January 26, 2005 at 02:17 AM
Mmm Puff pastry! Flaky, buttery yum yum yum. Count me in! I think Im off to do some reasearch.
Posted by: Christine | January 26, 2005 at 06:05 PM
Having just completed a "Hands-On" at Le Notre where we learned the Inversee method. I'm used to the Traditional method, so I'm most interested to see which method the group prefers.
Posted by: Melissa | January 29, 2005 at 11:17 AM
I'm curious to chat sometime. I and another fellow (Dave) will be co-chefs at a new restaurant very soon (a week; we are very much working in the same vein as you, and we are hoping to develop some weekly workshops on the m.g. tip. Drop a line...
Posted by: Nathan | January 30, 2005 at 12:58 PM
Christine - Glad you'll be able to take part!
Melissa - Wrapping dough in butter sounds challenging, but I'll certainly give it a try. I hope you can take part!
Nathan - Congratulations on your new restaurant! I'll drop you a line.
Posted by: Clement | February 01, 2005 at 02:34 AM
Hola Clement! thanks for the wonderful idea---I`ll be there on Friday :) Melissa
Posted by: CookingDiva | February 09, 2005 at 12:38 PM
hi there-
Just tuned into SHF's via Who Wants Seconds! What a great idea and I'd love to participate next time around.
Looking forward to tomorrow and checking out everyone's entries.
Cheers-
Cat
Posted by: Cat | February 11, 2005 at 02:19 PM
Hello Clement--
Here is my recipe, although, I'm not sure how to post this! (I'm a newbie!)
http://mahnparis.blogspot.com/
Can't wait to see what you have cooked up for us!
Melissa
Posted by: Melissa | February 11, 2005 at 05:14 PM
hello there ,came across your site ! couple quick tips on puff pastry !! dont over mix the dough 1-2 mins ....gluten development will come in the rolling and folding of butter ,relax the dough in fridge for 20 mins ,covered . also i feel to get butter more evenly distributed ,roll out dough to a quarter inch. also roll the butter between 2 pieces of parchment paper to make a sheet of butter to start the lamination process ......have fun .chef joe and the culinaryforce
Posted by: joseph forget | January 29, 2007 at 08:16 AM