A refined selection of French pastries with choux, lemon tartlets, and raspberry macarons for festive occasions.
# What you'll need:
→ Mini Choux Puffs
01 - 1/4 cup water
02 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
03 - 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
04 - 1 large egg
05 - Pinch of salt
→ Chocolate Ganache Filling
06 - 3 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
07 - 1/3 cup heavy cream
→ Mini Lemon Tartlets
08 - 1 sheet shortcrust pastry
09 - 2 large eggs
10 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
11 - 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
12 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
13 - Zest of 1 lemon
→ Raspberry Macarons
14 - 2/3 cup almond flour
15 - 3/4 cup powdered sugar
16 - 2 large egg whites
17 - 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
18 - Pink food coloring, a drop
19 - 1/4 cup raspberry jam
→ Garnishes
20 - Fresh berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries)
21 - Edible flowers
22 - Mint leaves
23 - Powdered sugar, for dusting
# Method:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. In a saucepan, bring water, butter, and salt to a boil. Remove from heat, add flour, and stir vigorously until a dough forms and leaves the pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes to dry the dough. Let cool 2 minutes, then beat in the egg until smooth. Pipe sixteen small mounds onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes until golden and puffed. Cool completely.
02 - Heat heavy cream until just boiling. Pour over chopped dark chocolate and let sit for 1 minute. Stir until smooth. Cool slightly, then pipe the ganache into the cooled choux puffs.
03 - Cut shortcrust pastry into eight rounds and press into mini muffin molds. Prick bases with a fork. Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes or until lightly golden. Whisk together eggs, sugar, lemon juice, melted butter, and lemon zest. Pour mixture into the baked tart shells. Bake another 10 minutes or until set. Cool thoroughly.
04 - Sift almond flour and powdered sugar together. Beat egg whites to soft peaks, then gradually add granulated sugar until stiff, glossy peaks form. Gently fold in dry ingredients and a drop of pink food coloring. Pipe sixteen small rounds onto parchment-lined trays. Let sit 20 minutes to form a skin. Bake at 300°F for 12 minutes. Cool, then sandwich with raspberry jam.
05 - Place the choux puffs filled with ganache, lemon tartlets, and raspberry macarons artistically on a large serving platter. Garnish with fresh berries, edible flowers, mint leaves, and a light dusting of powdered sugar to evoke the festive and whimsical spirit of a Montgolfière.
