pate de fruit

[thebighat]

Anybody got a good formula for this stuff that doesn't include trying to get a solid mass to an impossible temperature? I've used Michel Roux's a couple of times, but he doesn't specify what kind of pectin, and it's come out a few times, and stayed too soft a few times. I usually use this stuff called Pomona pectin which seems to be a bit stronger than Sure-gel. I just hate the idea of wasting 32 dollars worth of raspberry puree when I get it wrong.

[Kimmie]

My books are presently in storage but you will find something in Thomas Keller's «French Laundry». If I remember correctly, he uses powdered apple pectin and there's a source guide and the end of the book.

Check your library TBH and let us know what you found!

[Isa]

Ok TBH you have a choice of:


From the French Laundry:
Yuzu jellies
Concord grape jellies


From Gaston Lenotre:
Apricot jellies
Pineapple jellies
Banana-apple jellies
Carrots jellies
Cherry jellies
Fig jellies
Strawberry jellies
Raspberry jellies
Passion fruit jellies
Melon jellies
Orange jellies
Peach jellies
Pear jellies
Apple jellies
Rhubarb jellies


From Jacques Torres:
Pâte de fruit


From Daniel Pinard:
Pineapple jellies
Orange jelllies
Grape jellies

[thebighat]

Wow! Ok. I have the French Laundry and none of the others, unless a very old Lenotre counts, and I don't think it has the jellies. Which Torres? Only ones I'm at all familiar with are the Dessert Circus thingies. Thanks.

[Isa]

It's from Faites vos glaces et votre confisserie comme Lenôtre, Flammarion 1978

The Torres recipe is from the second circus book I think.

Let me knowIf you want any of those recipes. There will be a 24 hours delay for the home made translation.

[thebighat]

Tried the yuzu one from French Laundry, but the hook is I don't have apple pectin, and called all over the east coast to find it and couldn't. Dean and DeLuca had it, but they were out. The jellies didn't set firm enough to cut into cubes. The pectin I used is called Pomona and it's a citrus based item. I'd really appreciate it if you could post the recipe. I can wait. thanks

[Kimmie]

from "The Complete Book of Year-Round Small-Batch Preserving: Over 300 Delicious Recipes" by Ellie Topp and Margaret Howard (Firefly, $19.95/paperback).

Here's what the authors say about homemade apple pectin. Combine 7 quartered tart apples (do not peel or core), 4 cups water and 2 tablespoons lemon juice in a large stainless steel or enamel saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Strain through a coarse sieve and discard solids. Then pour liquid through a jelly bag or several layers of cheesecloth. Ladle into sterilized jars and process in canner. Makes 4 cups.

Here are a couple of pointers from the book.

Make apple pectin in the fall when apples are at their freshest since the pectic content of apples decreases during storage.
The straining process is made easier if the apple mixture is first pressed through a coarse sieve to remove most of the solids and then strained through several layers of cheesecloth or a jelly bag for extra clarity.

[Isa]

Where did you find this information Kimmie? I'd love to read more.

[thebighat]

I called a bunch of suppliers the other day, no luck. So I made the pate with pomona pectin, and had to recook it three times over two days to see if it would thicken enough. This morning I had to do it again and I must have fallen into a rift in the space/time continuum. I put it on the stove, had bialys in the oven, and sort of went for a walk. Went to the bathroom, wandered through the storeroom, took a couple of turkeys out of the walkin for the chef, turned on the oven, then went back to the shop to find smoke pouring out of the fruit jelly and the bialys looked like hockey pucks. The jelly was, surprisingly, still ok, so I added another whole envelope of pectin. Still it didn't come out.
To make a long story short...when I got home I did a Yahoo search and found a nutrition product that is 100% apple pectin. so I called the earthy crunchy whole foods store where I work part time and they have it too! 12 bucks for 4 oz, but it's 100% powdered apple pectin. Someone on the board turned me on to a supplier in Chicago, and I'll bet it's a lot cheaper in a 4 lb box, or whatever they sell.

[Kimmie]

Click here for my source

You will find more on www.google.com type "apple pectin recipes" in the search box.

[Isa]

Thanks Kimmie, it's the book that interest me not so much the pectin.

[Isa]

I'd really appreciate it if you could post the recipe.

Which recipe would you like?

[thebighat]

I'll go for the Jacques Torres, thank you very much. BTW. after protracted telephoning, I found apple pectin from a supplier I should have known about in the Boston area. So a box is on the way.

[Isa]

And to say there is no pectin in this recipe. Most of the other recipes do contain pectine. If you'd like more recipes just let me know.


Pâte de fruit

1 cup chunky applesauce
1 ½ cups apricots, peeled and pitted
2 ¼ cups sugar
1 cup raspberries (optional)



Place the applesauce, apricots and sugar in a non-reactive 2 quart heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium high heat. Mix together, then add the raspberries. The raspberries will dominate the flavour. If you want apricot-flavoured pâte de fruit, omit the raspberries. Use a hand-held immersion blender or whisk to combine all of the ingredients until smooth and homogenous. As the mixture cooks, the natural pectin in the fruit will cause the mixture to thicken. Continue to cook the mixture until it is thick, mixing constantly. To test for the correct consistency, dip a whisk in the mixture and hold it horizontally in front of you. Watch as the mixture drips off the whisk and back into the pan. If the mixture stays on the whisk beads up into small balls, like pearls, it is ready. If it drips back into the pan in thin strands, it needs to be cooked a little longer.

When the mixture is ready, pour it into a 10-inch bottomless tart mould or cake ring place on parchment paper-covered baking sheet. Let the pâte de fruit cool and set, about 3 hours at room temperature. If the pate de fruit appears slightly soft after cooling, return it to the saucepan and boil another few minutes, then cool as directed.

To unmould, run a sharp knife between the pâte de fruit and the side of the mould. Lift off the mould. At this point the pâte de fruit can be stored, well wrapped in plastic wrap and in a airtight container, for up to 4 weeks. Sprinkle the top of the pâte de fruit with a thin layer of granulated sugar and flip it over onto another sheet of parchment paper. Remove the parchment that is now on top. Sprinkle this side with more sugar. Use a wet chef’s knife to cut the disk into strips and then onto squares. You will probably need to stop cutting and clean the knife after every few cuts. The pâte de fruit is very sticky and will be easier to cut with a clean knife. Roll each square completely in sugar and serve. Do not store in the refrigerator where the humidity will make the sugar melt.

Substitute an equal amount of hulled and sliced strawberries or the juice of 1 large lemon, instead of the raspberries to flavour.


Jacques Torres

[thebighat]

I finally tracked down the proper pectin and tartaric acid and had some spare time at work so I made some strawberry pate de fruit using a formula someone here generously emailed me, and jeez, it worked like a charm. The stuff stayed liquid enough to boil to 222 F, yet when I added the acid and the Grand Marnier, it started to set within a couple of minutes. When it cooled it had a nice translucent quality to it, tasted great, nice and melting soft, yet firm enough to slice and roll in sugar.