FRENCH #WINE(OPHILES) AND CHEESE

The poetic thing about time is that it is an endless story that continues to be written. The poetic thing about human evolution is that it is but an endless chapter in that story. Food, water, and war are inherent to the story of human evolution. While war through the ages has greatly influenced water and changed regional foods throughout the world, the industrial revolution and resulting modernisation are recent events. Before then, food was a perishable commodity eaten locally, not transported thousands of miles. The people of then were, by necessity, proponents of "what grows together, goes together". The original locavores!

This is best exemplified by the French who absolutely love to classify and bracket everything including their honey, chickens, onions, walnuts, wine, cheese, and more, to emphasize the importance of the sense of place, or terroir. They believe that the best representation of a certain food or drink comes from it's place of origin. Having grown up with very seasonal and very local Indian ingredients I'm inclined to agree with that concept. Historically in wine-making areas including France, wine was the preferred beverage because it was cleaner than water and a low ABV inconsequential quaff. None of this well extracted 13-14+% fancy stuff of now. And each region - in our case French - had its own wine and food, because people used ingredients that were available where they lived. With time, water became cleaner and potable, grape growing and vinification evolved, and so did people's tastes. By the time the French obsession love for classification came about, the low ABV wines of history were long gone and regional wine trends were well established. Many foods including cheese, though, continued to be made the old-fashioned way and so, for example, since receiving AOC status, Mont d'Or or Comté aren't so unless made in Franche-Comté from the milk of Montbéliarde cows and packaged according to tradition. And really, there's no argument that Harbison from New Jersey, USA is simply not Mont d'Or no matter what anyone says. And "Chablis" from CA and Chablis from Chablis... we won't even go there!

This month the French Winophiles are focusing on French wine and cheese. The easiest - or perhaps most nuanced - pairing, and around our house cheese trays are their own food group. Martin of Enofylz Wine Blog has hosted this one, and I'd recommend you don't miss it! 

CH. LABÉGORCE ZÉDÉ, MARGAUX, 2007

2007 was one of the last vintages of this label which ceased to exist in 2009 when it was rolled into the Labégorce estate. In 2019 it definitely needed a good 1+ hours of decanting, but after that the beautiful deep-ruby-with-hints-of-garnet wine had aromas of dried roses,  licorice, plum, tobacco, dried mint, cigar, medicinal notes, and a decidedly savoury/meaty finish. Medium bodied overall, with balanced tannins and a medium finish. Most definitely a wine for food! Overall this wine was a delight, and we're glad we've got one bottle left.

13.5% abv, SRP $26-$30.

THE FOOD: We paired the wine with a cheese tray with an assortment of French cheeses (+ a few bits and bobs of other EU cheeses) and meats, plus the usual garnishes. A versatile and successful pairing in all ways and we especially loved the savouriness of the meat with the meaty-barnyard notes of the wine!

Like turmeric which only exists in two forms: dried and fresh, cheese exists in one form: coagulated milk from an animal. But unlike turmeric which does not pair well with wine, cheese and wine uplift each other and in fact, seem to be made for each other. So enjoy!

See what sage insights my fellow #winophiles are sharing about French wine and cheese:

• Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla offers us Pretty in Pink: Raclette de Savoie Polenta, Salmon, & Le Cocagne Gris Rosé.
• Lynn of Savor the Harvest brings us Cheese and Loire Wine Pairing with Les Vignerons du Vendômois.
• Pinny over at Chinese Food And Wine Pairings bids Je t’aime to a Bordeaux, a Loire Valley Rosé and an assortment of French Cheese.
• Robin of Crushed Grape Chronicles gives us A Loire Rosé, a Bordeaux from Pommerol and…..Cheese.
• Wendy of A Day In The Life On A Farm shares Life’s Simple Pleasures; Onion Cheese Soup and a Glass of Rosé.
• Jane of Always Ravenous shares Summer Inspired French Cheese and Wine Pairings.
• David of Cooking Chat offer tips for Picking Cheese to Serve with French Wine.
• Jeff of FoodWineClick! says Do as the French: Serve The Cheese After the Meal.
• Liz of What’s In That Bottle? says Smile and C’est Fromage.
• Susannah of Avvinare brings us Vin Jaune and Comte-A Perfect Combination.
• Cathie of Side Hustle Wino presents Wine and Cheese, the Heart and Soul of France.
• Gwendolyn, the Wine Predator, asks Did Someone Say French Wine and Gourmet Grilled Cheese?
• Penny of Adventures of a Carry-on pairs Alsace Riesling and Goat Cheese, A Match Made in Heaven.
• Linda of My Full Wine Glass suggests we Try White Bordeaux and Goat Cheese Appetizer When Relaxing Outdoors.
• Deanna of Asian Test Kitchen delivers 3 Must Try French Cheese & Alcohol Pairings.
• Cindy of Grape Experiences serves up Wines from Alsace and Cheeses for Pairing.
• Payal of Keep the Peas shares French #Wine(ophiles) and Cheese.
• Martin at ENOFYLZ Wine Blog is pairing French Grilled Cheese and Drappier Rose de Saignee Champagne.

GOUGÈRES: CHEESE PUFFS

Gougères are light and delicious cheese puffs made with pâte à choux, the same pastry dough that's used for profiteroles, eclairs, etc. It's a quick and fairly easy dough to make, somewhat fool-proof since it relies on aerating rather than a rising agent like baking powder or yeast.

Typically, gougères are made with Comté or Gruyère cheese, but really any cheese that melts will be fine if you don't specifically want the flavours of Comté or Gruyère cheese. This time, since I was pairing them with a slew of southern Rhône wines, I used a mix of Comté and Füürtüfel - a terrific spicy Swiss cheese.

GOUGÈRES: CHEESE PUFFS

makes: ~20 medium gougères

- Equipment: hand mixer with two beaters

- 1 cup milk

- 1 cup all-purpose flour

- 3 large eggs

- 4 tablespoons butter

- 1/4 teaspoon salt

- 1-1/2 cups grated Comté, Gruyère or other Swiss cheese

- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

Optional: Fleur de sel to sprinkle on top before baking

1. Bring the milk, butter and salt (and cayenne, if using) to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from the heat, add the flour all at once, and mix vigorously with a wooden spatula until the mixture forms a ball, taking care to scrape up all the flour/dough from the base and sides of the pan. Return the pan to medium-low heat and cook for about 1 minute to dry the mixture a bit. Stir to make sure the dough doesn't stick to the pan. Remove from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
2. Add the eggs and use the hand mixer to mix thoroughly and aerate for 4-5 minutes. Let the choux pastry dough cool for 7-10 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 400 °F/200 °C. Line 1 large or 2 medium baking trays with parchment paper.
4. Add the grated cheese to the dough and stir just enough to incorporate. Use 2 spoons - 1 to scoop the gougère dough and 1 to help drop it on to the baking sheet - to place the dough on the baking tray, spaced ~2 inches apart. Sprinkle a few grains of the coarse salt, if using, on each gougère.
5. Bake for about 30 minutes, until browned. Do *not* open the oven while the gougéres are baking or they might: not puff up, deflate after cooling, remain dense!
6. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Serve lukewarm or at room temperature with wine - including champagne - or any other beverage.

ROSÉ: THE ORIGINAL RED WINE

IN THE BEGINNING... 

...there was rosé. The first wine of France, the original French wine, made in the classic method of the Greeks, well before extended maceration and deep red wines. 

It's quite well known that the Romans, when they arrived in the 5th century BC, planted vines in present-day Provence, in fact, the name of the place itself is one given by the Romans. But the Greeks, having established themselves around Marseille in the 7th century BC, were there before, and they planted vines and brought wine making to the region, making wine their way, really the only way of the time, which was not too different from current rosé wine where the juice does not see prolonged contact with skins. The method of macerating red grapes and allowing extended contact of the juice with skins, the process which gives red wine its colour, was virtually unknown, certainly not common. So all wine from red grapes was rosé wine.

Rosé prevailed even after the Romans arrived and brought deep red wine and their wine making methods with them... back then, you did not want to be seen drinking a deep red wine which was considered brutish, the drink of drunkards and ignobles. So the typical way to drink wine was to mix it with water or, drink rosé.

Therefore, not only is Provence the oldest and first wine region in France, rosé is the first French wine and the original red wine!

Unlike other regions where rosé is an afterthought or a why-not to the main act of white or red wines, in Provence it is the main act, with red wine being somewhat in the background. And since the Center for Rosé Research (Centre de Recherche et d'Expérimentation sur le Vin Rosé; https://www.centredurose.fr/) was established in Provence in 1999 - the world's only research institute dedicated to rosé wine - we can rest assured that Provencal rosé will continue to rule the roost there. They have even published the official colours of Provencal rosé, very useful for describing Provence AOP wines.

Today, nearly 90% of Provencal vines yield grapes intended for rosé. It's the traditional and preferred wine, enjoyed year-round and paired with many types of local foods... snails, rabbits, birds, lamb, fresh cheeses, herbs, fish, and more. The mouth-puckering acidity of Provencal rosés, pairs splendidly with cheeses like chèvre or Banon.

SOIL

Fast forwarding from the beginning of time to the Paleolithic era (Stone Age)... Provence went through significant climatic changes in the ~3.5 million year long Paleolithic era. Two ice ages and dramatic changes in sea level, for example. At the beginning of the Paleolithic era the sea level was nearly 500 ft (~150 m) higher than now, and by the end of the Paleolithic era it had dropped to nearly 500 ft (150 m) below the present sea level!

3.5 million years of the high sea level was a long time for much of present-day Provence  to remain submerged under water, but it allowed the formation of layered sedimentary rock like limestone, sandstone, and shale (which is primarily crushed clay and quartz), that happens to be favourable for grape vines. In the forensics world we often joke that sandstone wants to be a beach. I.e. where there is sandstone, there will be sand, and vice versa. So, in Provence, there are sandstone beds and sandy soils, and vines grow in both.

Limestone layers are formed by the deposits of marine mollusc skeletons which over time get compressed into rock. Incidentally, limestone is a soft rock and since it is layered, if in building construction, if limestone blocks are not oriented with the planar surfaces horizontal, layers can cleave off over time, leaving walls with a jagged surface. But in winemaking, it's the layered character of limestone that proves to be desirable because water collects between the planes and is available to the roots of grape vines without making them water-logged. Calcareous soils are basic (high pH) and facilitate cation exchange which is critical to nutrient uptake in grape vines (hence, the addition of lime as a soil conditioner for gardens!) and helps maintain acidity in the grapes late into the growing season. This ultimately results in wines with a higher acidity (lower pH), such as the delicious Chateau de Berne wines some of us #frenchwinophiles had this month!

Shale (aka mudstone) and sandstone are about the same but shale has unbound crushed particles and sandstone is rock. They are both mainly clay, silica, and quartz, and excellent media for grapevine growing. There are also areas with schist and granite in Provence.

WINES
Some of us #frenchwinophiles received three beautiful bottles of Provence rosé for our July event on French Rosés. The wines were from the Chateau de Berne group.

Fun Fact: As evidenced in the Chateau de Berne wines we've reviewed, Provençal rosé is often sold in creatively designed bottles of varying shapes. This - somewhat of a tradition now - is a strategy dating to the 1930s when wineries started bottling their own wines and needed a unique selling proposition (USP) to stand out amongst others.

2017 Ch. de Berne Emotion (https://provencerose.com/emotion-rose-wine)

50% grenache, 25% syrah, 25% cinsault

12.5% abv
SRP: $16 (sample)

Soil: limestone and clay soil, elevation 2,600 - 3,300 ft (800 - 1,000 m)

Colour: Light pink with gold edges, clear. Provence colour: pêche-melon.

Nose: A gorgeous, fragrant wine that we wanted to smell all day! Tart - citrus, and strawberries.

Taste: Delicious racy acidity with a long finish overall. Slight minerality with red summer berries and white flowers on the front. This is a lovely nuanced wine, would be perfect on its own too.

Pairing: We had this with classic tomato bruschetta and Délice du Poitou (Loire, France), a citrusy herbaceous two-month old goats milk cheese covered in vegetable ash. The rich velvety cheese was amazing with the acidity and aromatics of the wine.

2017 Ch. de Berne Inspiration (https://provencerose.com/inspiration-rose-wine) 

70% grenache, 20% cinsault, 10% syrah 

12.5% abv
SRP: $19.99  (sample)

Soil: limestone and clay soil, elevation 2,600 - 3,300 ft (800 - 1,000 m)

Colour: Light pink with gold edges, clear. Provence colour: light pêche.

Nose: Stony, stone fruit, strawberries

Taste: Juicy with a delicious racy acidity and a creamy mouthfeel. Cherries, strawberries, and white flowers on the front, with a medium finish. This is a lovely warm weather wine, not too complex.

Pairing: We had it with watermelon in pesto, a lavender chèvre with pistachios and crostini. Uh-mazing!

2017 Urban Provence (https://provencerose.com/urban-provence-up/)

45% grenache, 35% cinsault, 15% syrah, 5% rolle (vermentino)

12.5% abv
SRP: $22  (sample)

Soil: The countryside vineyard is near an oak forest not too far from St. Tropez. The vines are grown in shale - a shallow bed of soil over a sandstone slab base.

Colour: Gorgeous rose gold and pink, clear. Provence colour: pêche-melon.

Nose: Fresh and floral, with strawberry, raspberry, and a slight peppery note

Taste: Juicy, well-structured, and delicious with crisp acidity but overall a warm, rounded flavour. Tart cherries, red berries, red currants, with a welcome minerality on the front and a bit of spice on the finish. This is an elegant wine and our favourite of the three!

Pairing: We had it with anchoïade and crudités, and the salty anchovies with the peppery radishes complemented the acidity of the wine very nicely.

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Join the #frenchwinophiles on Twitter on Sat, 21 July 2018, 8 -10 AM PST to talk about  French Rosés and hear everyone's thoughts on it! And you can read more from the #frenchwinophiles here:

• Robin from Crushed Grape Chronicles shares her vision of Côtes de Provence through Rosé Filled Glasses.

• Mardi from Eat Live Travel Write goes From Rosé? No Way! To # RoséAllDay.

• Camilla from Culinary Adventures with Camilla shares Warm Weather Rosé and Cheese Pairings.

• Michelle from Rockin’ Red Blog will be Celebrating the Provençal Lifestyle with Three Rosés.

• Lynn from Savor the Harvest cues up Obscure French Rosé to Look for Today.

• Gwendolyn from Wine Predator prepares # RoséAllDay with Grilled Cheese Gourmet for #Winophiles.

• Nicole from Somm’s Table adds Cooking to the Wine: Ultimate Provence Urban Rosé with Herbed Sous-Vide Chicken Breasts and Roasted Eggplant Sheet Pan.

• Jane from Always Ravenous offers up a Summer Cheese Board with Rosé.

• David from Cooking Chat says it’s Always a Good Time to Sip Provence Rosé.

• Jill from L’Occasion explains Why Rosé Matters, According to French Culture.

• Liz from What’s In That Bottle advises us to Live a More Rosé Life.

• Martin from Enofylz Wine Blog discusses The Pleasures of Provençal Rosé #Winophiles.

• Payal from Keep the Peas will share Rosé: The Original Red Wine.

• Julia from JuliaConey.com talks about Rosé: Not from Provence but Just as Delicious!

• Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm tempts us with Soupe au Pistou Paired with Rosé.

• Lauren at The Swirling Dervish, we’re Celebrating Our New Home with an Old Friend: Rosé from Provence.

A LIP-SMACKING LIP-STINGER: PICPOUL DE PINET

This month the French #winophiles are in the Languedoc-Roussillon in southern France, bordering Spain, Andorra, and the Mediterranean Sea. If the geography hasn't given it away: this region is home to a variety of warm weather wines including those made from Picpoul, aka Folle Blanche. The soil - often the soul - of wine, here is primarily limestone and sand.

Limestone soil is an abundant source of plant-accessible CaCO3, calcium carbonate, and because limestone is basic, it allows greater nutrient uptake by the vines. It also has excellent water retention and drainage capacity, which allow less irrigation and less chance of water-logged soils that grapevines dislike. Calcareous (calcium carbonate-based) soil is also cooler in temperature, allowing delayed ripening of grapes. Delayed ripening in naturally acidic grapes further increases the acidity of the wine pressed from these grapes, and results in wines with a mouthwatering, delicious, acidity such as in Picpoul de Pinet or even Muscadet (melon de bourgogne) wines from the Loire Valley. A majority of these wines are best enjoyed within 3 years or so, although a rare few can be cellared for a few decades. I cant imagine why anyone would want to cellar such delicious wines that are perfect for summer and seafood!

Picpoul is not a grape commonly seen in the US, and neither is wine made from it. The one I was able to easily find was the 2016 Hugues Beaulieu (HB) Picpoul de Pinet. HB is a  cave cooperative in the Pomérols region of Languedoc. This wine has no oak, is a pale yellow colour with a green tinge. It is a "steely" bone-dry, crisp wine with juicy acidity and aromas and flavour notes of grapefruit, lemon, green apple, and salinity. The finish is medium and clean - overall a delicious wine!

As with Muscadet, the Picpoul would pair splendidly with seafood - oysters especially, or fatty river fish such as trout or eels. But it also holds well with rich dishes - ones with bechamel sauce, chèvre, or cream. Wild mushrooms are a delicacy of Languedoc and a favourite around our house, so we paired the Picpoul with croûtes aux champignons: creamy mushrooms on toast, and a green salad.

See what the other #winophiles are saying here:

• Michelle of Rockin Red Blog says, "Picpoul...Take Me Away."
• Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm encourages us to Pick a Picpoul to Enjoy al Fresco This Summer.
• Susannah of Avvinare features Picpoul de Pinet - A Refreshing White from the Languedoc.
• Jill of L'Occasion shares Mediterranean Bliss: Picpoul de Pinet.
• Jeff of FoodWineClick! pairs Picpoul de Pinet and Steak Tartare Redemption. 
• Nicole of Somm's Table writes Cooking to the Wines: Font-Mars Picpoul de Pinet with Crab Cakes and Fennel-Apple Salad.
• Payal of Keep the Peas posts A Lip-Smacking Lip-Stinger: Picpoul de Pinet.
• David of Cooking Chat makes a case for Picpoul Wine with Pesto and Other Pairings.
• Lauren of The Swirling Dervish says Picpoul de Pinet: Your Go-To Wine for Spring.
• Lynn of Savor the Harvest asserts The Single Variety Wine For Summer- Picpoul de Pinet.
• Gwendolyn of Wine Predator has Picpoul Goes Southern with Shrimp and Grits.
• Rupal of Syrah Queen will also have a title soon.
• Jane of Always Ravenous pairs Halibut with Spring Vegetables and Picpoul Wine.
• Robin of Crushed Grape Chronicles shares Picpouls from Pinet and California and a Seaside Pairing
• At Culinary Adventures with Camilla, we're Pairing Bourride à la Sétoise with Picpoul From France to California's Central Coast.

CROÛTES AUX CHAMPIGNONS: CREAMY MUSHROOMS ON TOAST

CROÛTES AUX CHAMPIGNONS: CREAMY MUSHROOMS ON TOAST
- 1⁄4 cup onion, chopped

- 1 tbsp. butter

- 8 oz. wild mushrooms, sliced (chanterelles, cepes, morels - or crimini if it's easier)

- 4 oz. dry white wine, such as Picpoul or Muscadet

- 3 oz. cream (or you can use a fresh cheese like cream cheese or farmers cheese)

- 2 slices of a whole grain country-style bread

- shavings of goat's milk gouda or a hard salty cheese like parmesan cheese

chives, for garnish (optional)

1. Melt the butter in a skillet, add the onion and cook until softened. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook over medium heat until the juices start to run. Uncover, and cook until almost all the liquid evaporates, making sure the mushrooms don't stick to the pan.
2. Add the wine, reduce by half, then stir in the cream or cream cheese. Let it all simmer for a few minutes, until thickened.
3. Lightly toast the bread and place on a baking sheet. Top with the mushroom mixture and grated cheese.
4. Broil just until the top starts to brown. Garnish with chives if using, and serve immediately, preferably with a glass of a bone-dry wine like Picpoul de Pinet or Muscadet!

FONDANT AU CHOCOLAT: MELTED CHOCOLATE CAKE + WALNUTS

This fondant (melted, in French) is so easy to make, keeps well overnight so it's perfect to make ahead if you're serving it at a party, and - most importantly - it's unbelievably delicious! No need for special ingredients other than the very best dark chocolate you can get, no complicated techniques, no gadgets needed other than a whisk or a spoon, and takes no more than 45 min. from start to finish (once you have all the ingredients lined up... mise en place)!

In all the years I've made this cake, I can't believe I haven't photographed it until now. Enjoy!

FONDANT AU CHOCOLAT: MELTED CHOCOLATE CAKE + WALNUTS

makes: 1 8 in. cake, 6-8 servings

- 3/4 cup sugar

- 2/3 cup water

- 6 oz. dark chocolate, roughly chopped (I usually use 55%-65% Valrhona)

- 3/4 cup butter, diced

- 2 eggs, lightly beaten

- 1/2 cup AP flour

- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or any other nuts, or none if you want a plain cake)

Confectioner's sugar for dusting (optional)

1. Combine the sugar with the water in a medium saucepan and heat until it simmers and the sugar is dissolved. Don't boil the sugar and water mixture! Add the chocolate and stir until melted. Add the butter and stir until melted. Remove from heat and let it cool for a few minutes while you prep the next steps. 
2. Put a deep baking sheet (or an oven-proof pan large enough to hold the cake pan) in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven (with the baking sheet/pan in it) to 350F/180C. Grease an 8 in. cake pan with butter and line the bottom with parchment paper; lightly brush the parchment with butter. Boil 2-3 cups water.
3. Add the lightly beaten eggs into the chocolate mixture and whisk until mixed well. Mix in the flour and chopped walnuts (or whatever nuts you're using, if any). Pour the batter into the greased cake pan, set the pan on the rimmed baking sheet in the oven, and pour hot water into the rimmed baking sheet until it reaches a depth of 1/2 in. or so.
4. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the center is firm (but not too firm or else the sides will be overcooked). Let it cool for a while before turning it out onto a serving plate, and let it cool completely before dusting with confectioner's sugar.
5. Serve as is with coffee, or with whipped cream (the cake is sweet enough that we like it with unsweetened whipped cream). Or if you have an impossibly sweet tooth: serve with vanilla ice-cream.

EASY PÂTE BRISÉE (SHORTCRUST PASTRY)

This is an easy fool-proof recipe for a classic French pastry dough, aka pate brisée, great for any recipe that needs a flaky pastry crust - pies, tarts, quiches, even empanadas / baked samosas. Enjoy!

Pate Brisee (Shortcrust Pastry)

Makes: 1 10-1/2 in. crust (enough for one quiche, pie or tart)

- 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

- 1 large pinch salt

- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled and cut in small pieces

- 3 to 4 tbsp chilled water

1. Put the flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor and process to mix.
2. Cut the butter in chunks and add it to the flour. Process it, using pulses, until the butter is incorporated into the flour and the mixture looks like coarse cornmeal.
3. With the food processor running, add water 2 tbsp at a time and process briefly, using pulses, just until the pastry beings to hold together in large clumps. A way to check is to take a few tbsp of the flour-butter-water mix and press into a clump. If it holds well, it's got enough water. If it crumbles, it needs more water, 1 tbsp at a time.
4. Remove the pastry onto a floured work surface and gather it into a ball.
5. Refrigerate for 15 min before using in any tart, pie or quiche recipe.

CHOCOLATE POTS DE CREME

Chocolate Pots de Creme

makes: 10 servings

- 10 oz. (300 g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

- 1-1/2 cups cream

- 1-1/2 cups whole milk

- 4-1/2 tbsp sugar

- 1 espresso (or 1 tsp instant coffee powder - optional)

- 1 tsp salt

- 7 egg yolks

- 1 tbsp vanilla extract

- to garnish: your choice of fresh raspberries, chopped pistachios, whipped cream, shaved chocolate, etc.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F (175 C).  Set 10 4- to 6-ounce ramekins or custard cups in a roasting pan or deep baking dish. Or split between two pans like I did, if you don't have a large enough pan to fit all the containers.
2. Put the chocolate in a large heatproof bowl. In a medium saucepan, heat the half-and-half, sugar, instant espresso or coffee powder, if using, and salt until quite hot, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Pour the hot half-and-half mixture over the chocolate and whisk until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Let cool until tepid, then whisk in the egg yolks and the vanilla. (If the mixture looks at all grainy, whisk well or purée in a blender until smooth.)
3. Transfer the custard mixture to a large measuring cup or pitcher and divide evenly among the ramekins.
4. Fill the roasting pan or baking dish with warm water to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and bake until the perimeters of the custards are just set and the centers are still slightly jiggly, about 35 minutes.
5. Transfer the custards from the water bath to a wire rack and let cool.
6. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature, garnished with small mounds of whipped cream, raspberries and chopped pistachios.

MENDIANTS AU CHOCOLAT

Just thinking about mendiants au chocolat gets me excited! They're beautiful, smell heavenly, taste delicious, have a romantic side to them, and a plateful presents endless possibilities. Basically like a roomful of ideal men!

Mendiants au chocolat are a traditional southern French Christmas-time confection of chocolate discs topped with nuts and dry fruits. Mendiants - mendicants or beggars in English - refers to the four monastic orders in the Church: Dominican, Franciscan, Carmelite, and Augustinian. Each order is represented by a specific topping based on the colour of their robes: hazelnuts for the Augustinians, raisins for the Dominicans, figs for the Franciscans, and almonds for the Carmelites.

I really love this romantic way of commemorating the orders and thinking about them at an important time of the year for Catholics and others alike. I equally love the elegant simplicity of mendiants au chocolat. And the versatility of toppings that creates a variety of textures and flavours on the tongue. Like a party that lasts all night... and if you know me, you know how much I love a party!

I make them during the holiday season as one of my edible homemade gifts when I go to parties or have friends over, but I also make them throughout the year. I think they make a really lovely gift at any time. Get creative with toppings: nuts, dried fruits, bits of biscuits or pretzel sticks, fleur de sel or other coarse natural salt, candied flowers, candied ginger or other fruits, fruit peels, pumpkin seeds...

While you don't need to stick to the traditional toppings, be mindful to keep the mendiants bite sized and don't crowd the small discs of chocolate. You want the chocolate to come through as much as the toppings. So use the best quality milk or dark chocolate you can find, and a few excellent toppings.

Mendiants au Chocolat

makes: ~ 3 dozen

- 16 oz. Callebaut 60% or other top quality dark chocolate  - not couverture (I use Valrhona or Callebaut, but Scharffenberger or Ghirardelli will do)

- nuts (raw or roasted): cashews, almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans...

- dried fruits

- candied ginger, orange peel, or candied flowers
- dried coconut flakes 

- dried herbs: rosemary, mint

- biscuits

- salt: fleur de sel, pink Himalayan, black Cyprus sea salt flakes

1. Line a few baking trays or other flat work surface with parchment paper.
2. Completely melt the chocolate in a double boiler (temper if you wish, but it's not necessary).
3. Using a 1/2 tsp. measure, drop the molten chocolate onto the prepared parchment paper. It will naturally form a circle - resist the temptation to spread the chocolate into a circle, let it form naturally.
4. Top with a combination of toppings and allow to cool completely. Refrigerate till the chocolate is hardened.
5. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.

AN EASY CLASSIC: CREME BRULEE

Does the creme really need to be brûlée? No. Because really, once you bake the custard in a bain marie, it's cooked, and perfectly edible. And of course there are plenty of baked custards that aren't made with a burnt sugar topping: flan or creme caramel, for example. But the crunch of the caramelised sugar with the silky custard underneath is just such an enjoyable sensation that the extra step to make the caramelised sugar layer is totally worth it.

Is the bain-marie essential? Yes, because it keeps the hot oven air moist for the top of the custard and also protects the delicate egg custards from curdling or breaking.

Flavour-wise, I find that the classic vanilla custard is best, perhaps with the addition of a complementary addition like citrus, almond, or hazelnut liqueur. If you must, serve berries or other accompaniments separately rather than adding into the custard. If you're adding solid flavourings like a scraped vanilla bean, citrus rind, nutmeg, etc. then certainly strain the custard before pouring into ramekins. Also strain if your egg yolk mixture wasn't properly tempered and has bits of curdled yolk - it happens sometimes, it won't affect the flavour of the custard so keep calm and strain on.

Also resist the temptation to make the caramelised sugar layer more than 5 minutes in advance of serving - the sugar will just melt into the custard and you won't have a crunchy layer anymore. When you caramelise the sugar, the chilled custard underneath quickly cools the caramel and hardens it, creating that crunchiness. But it has to be done *just* before serving.

Creme Brûlée 
Makes: 6 servings

Custard
- 6 large egg yolks
- 7 tablespoons sugar
- 2-1/4 cups whipping cream
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp. Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur (optional)

- 6-8 ceramic ramekins 

- 2 in. or deeper oven-safe pan large enough to hold the ramekins (if you don't have a pan large enough to hold all ramekins, bake the custard in batches)

Caramelised Sugar Crust

- 3-4 tbsp. sugar (I use turbinado or demerara sugar but white sugar will work)

- a working blow-torch to make the burnt sugar crust

1. Preheat oven to 325 F / 165 C.
2. Bring cream to simmer in a small saucepan. Remove from the heat and let it settle for 5 minutes.
3. Whisk egg yolks and 7 tbsp. sugar in a medium bowl until thick and pale yellow, about 2 minutes.
4. Temper the yolk mixture so it doesn't curdle and get lumpy:
1. Mix in 4 tbsp. (1/4 cup) hot cream into the yolk mixture. Repeat.
5. Whisk in the remaining hot cream into the yolk mixture. Whisk in Grand Marnier and vanilla. 
6. Divide custard among the ramekins. Arrange the ramekins in the oven-safe pan. Make a bain-marie to protect the custards while baking:
1. Pour hot water into the pan to be level with the custard inside the ramekins. The water will protect the custard from browning / burning.
7. Bake custards until gently set in center, 25 - 30 minutes.
8. Remove the pan from the oven and remove the custards from the bain-marie. 
9. Cool custards completely and refrigerate uncovered until fully set and chilled, 3 - 24 hrs. 
10. Just before serving, make the burnt sugar crust:
1. Remove the custards from the fridge and sprinkle an even layer of 1/2 tbsp. sugar onto each.
2. Use the blow-torch per instructions to burn the sugar - you will see it melt. Let it sit for a minute or so and serve.