When the bijouterie is a bonbonniere.

"Baby pulled himself up on the smooth wall like a monkey, pushed in the cardboard without a sound, and stuck his head through. It was then that he became aware of the smell; he took a deep breath and up through his nostrils wafted an aroma of freshly baked cakes. It gave him a feeling of shy excitement, of remote tenderness, rather than of actual greed ... 'Its full of cakes in here!' exclaimed Baby, as if the other did not know. 'There isn't time for cakes,' said Dritto, pushing him aside. 'We've got to hurry.' And he went ahead, twisting the beam of his flashlight around in the dark. Everywhere it touched it lit up rows of shelves, and on the shelves rows of trays, and on the trays rows of cakes of every conceivable shape and color, tarts filled with cream that glittered like candle wax, piles of sugar-coated buns, and castles of almond cakes."

From the short story "Theft in a Pastry Shop" by Italo Calvino (reprinted with permission)

Diamonds are, apparently, forever, but the sweet give of a macaron floods more pleasure centers than tout le bling-bling du monde ever could. Chefs Pierre Herme and Francois Payard fill glass-fronted cases in Paris and New York, respectively, with exquisite baubles meant to last no more than a few perfect hours.

Tout Le Monde Desire Pierre Herme

aCCORDING TO PIERRE HERME, 2005 IS "the year of desire." To fully illustrate the concept, Herme recently unveiled his spring-summer 2005 collection of chocolates, cakes, plated desserts and macaroons at the storied Paris nightclub Crazy Horse, where well-endowed young women with exhibitionist tendencies lovingly paraded sweets down a dress designer's catwalk to the sound of the Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction."

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"I want to display chocolate as an article of value, like jewels," Herme has said of his signature style, in which his confections are exhibited in glass display cases, and since 1999 have been presented in elaborate, biannual live shows with such themes as "retrospectives and perspectives" and "kawaii", Japanese for "cute."

Like his friend Francois Payard, Herme was born into a family of pastry chefs, including his father, who owned a patisserie in Alsace, and who encouraged his son to teach him the skills and ideas gleaned from his apprenticeship in Paris, with Gaston Lenotre. Just 14 years old when he began to work with Lenotre, Herme says that what he learned at that time was "the very foundation of my knowledge in pastry. I learned what are good ingredients, what is technique, rigor, organization. It was an excellent classical base." Herme was an apprentice for two years, then stayed on for four additional years as an employee. He says that his style is quite different from that of his original teacher, but that "when I left Lenotre, it took me three to four years to find my own way of doing things." The chef began to develop his vision in the pastry kitchen of France's Minister of Defense, upon opening and running caterer Francois Clerc's pastry kitchen, and at the Carlton restaurant and the International Hotel in Belgium and Luxembourg, respectively.

In 1986, Herme returned to Paris and assumed the role of chef patissier at the esteemed Fauchon, where he first began to introduce his sweets in twice-yearly collections, and where he remained for 11 years before moving on to the equally revered Laduree. After about a year as the company's managing director of creative development, Herme says he "decided to have my own company, to develop my own brand." Contractually forbidden at that time by Laduree from opening a shop in Paris, he started instead by opening a bakery in a Tokyo hotel in 1998, followed by a tea salon, also in Tokyo, in 2000. Simultaneously, Herme entered into a relationship with Wegmans, an East Coast supermarket chain whose stores sell a line of Herme's chocolates, and for whom the chef has consulted closely on the management and development of the stores' patisseries. The chain, with voluminous, terra cotta and brick stores in the suburbs of New York State, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia and Maryland, may seem at odds with Herme's carefully-crafted aesthetic, but the chef says that what brings the two camps together is a commitment to good ingredients. "They are very concerned about quality," he says. "They use Valhrona[R] chocolate, they use hazelnuts from Piedmont and they have really good knowledge about pastry." In 2001, Herme was free to open his first Parisian shop, on the Left Bank, and a few years later he opened a second shop, near La Tour Eiffel. A third Tokyo store rounds out his retail collection, in which a total of 130 employees collectively run through 30 tons of chocolate annually. He has also just begun to teach a professional-level pastry course at the Gregoire Ferrandi cooking school, in Paris.

Herme was recently in New York to visit friends, attend a 20th anniversary celebration for specialty meat purveyor D'Artagnan, and of course, to try as many New York restaurants as possible. "I love the db burger!" he says, referring to the truffle, shortrib and foie gras sandwich prepared by his fellow Alsatian, Olivier Muller (AC issue 76), at db Bistro Moderne. Also on his short list were Rebecca Charles' lobster roll at Pearl Oyster Bar, Wylie Dufresne's eclectic menu at wd~50, and Christo's "Gates" installation in Central Park. "I spent a whole afternoon in the park," he says. "I loved it, the snow, the colors, and a little bit of wind in the gates. It was very impressive." He has long floated the idea of opening a shop in Manhattan but has no specific plans for such an expansion at the moment, saying simply, "It is a dream."

Pierre Herme

Paris, France

In the Family Way

On a busy Friday afternoon at Payard, every seat at every table, every barstool, every inch of space has been spoken for. Two well-heeled women without reservations are preparing to give up on getting a seat for lunch, but Francois Payard isn't letting them off so easy.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

"Ladies, if you can give me five minutes, I will find you a table," says the chef from behind the restaurant's maitre d' stand. He's in his chef whites, but it's clear that Payard holds equal sway in the front and back of the house.

"When I am in the restaurant, I'm not just worrying about pastries," he says. "It is my name on the door, and I have to make everything nice. The way we speak on the phone to customers, the lighting, everything." Payard has presided over his eponymous patisserie and bistro since 1997, after seven years working as the executive pastry chef at New York's Daniel, Le Bernardin and Le Cirque restaurants. He calls his 1990 arrival in New York a "shocking" experience, saying, "It was so very different. In Paris, you might wait twenty minutes for a glass of water at a restaurant, but in New York, in America, people are much more impatient. It was difficult to adapt to everything, and I was working too slowly. My challenge was to find ways to make the food faster, but just as good." He also arrived without knowing any English, but a few months' worth of intensive language classes brought him up to speed.

Payard, who was born in Nice, represents the third generation of pastry chefs in his family. His grandfather and parents ran a pastry shop on the Riviera, Au Nid des Friandises, that the chefs says was "very, very classic, and the best in the south of France." He chose to refine his skills in Paris, and eventually held pastry chef positions at La Tour D'Argent and Lucas Carton before coming to the States in search of the freedom of expression that he says was discouraged by the French culinary establishment.

For Payard, the American kitchen environment, less formal than its French counterpart, is another reason to love being here. "In France, everyone says 'vous' in the kitchen, it is much more formal," he explains. "In America, you work much more closely with your employees, and are more friendly. For me, everyone should be treated as equal. Sometimes my employees slap my head, like I am a brother. It's more like a family here."

Although Payard made his mark in New York using inventive techniques and flavors, he holds fast to a philosophy that "it is about the making of food, not the making of a toy. Everything you see on the plate, you eat. I think some pastry chefs have gone too far to be eccentric. If the [executive] chef is classical, you cannot be making a clown in chocolate. I cannot be eccentric like I was at Daniel, because there the people go looking for an experience, and at Payard they just come for a good meal." And, thanks to Payard's executive chef Philippe Bertineau, customers get what they came for. "Without Philippe, I cannot have this restaurant," says Payard simply. "He makes the restaurant what it is. With ingredients, and getting every flavor right, he is even more picky than I am, every day, and that's the reason why I have a great business."

Francois Payard

Payard

New York, NY

RELATED ARTICLE: Carre Blanc (16 individual cakes)

Pierre Herme

Earl Grey Tea

directions

For the biscuit: Preheat oven to 390 degrees. Combine all nuts in bowl and stir in confectioners' sugar and flour. In separate bowl, combine egg whites, brown sugar and granulated sugar and whisk to soft peaks. Fold nut mixture into egg white mixture. Transfer mixture into pastry bag fitted with #10 tip, working in batches if necessary. Pipe mixture into 16 buttered and floured individual 3-inch square cake pans. Bake in oven 18 minutes. Let cool at room temperature.

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For the pear and lingonberry marmalade: Squeeze excess water from gelatin and place in saucepan with all ingredients except liqueur. Bring to a boil and cook 6 minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly. Stir in liqueur and cook 3 minutes. Remove from heat, transfer to clean bowl and let cool to room temperature. Line bottom of each of 16 individual tartlet molds, preferably made of flexible silicone, with slightly less than one ounce of marmalade. Refrigerate, unmold when firm and wrap in plastic. Store in refrigerator.

For the vanilla buttercream: Combine sugar, water and vanilla bean in small saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook to 245 degrees. While sugar cooks, place yolks in electric mixer fitted with whisk. Mix just enough to break up yolks. When sugar is ready, beat yolks in mixer at medium speed and slowly drizzle sugar syrup into bowl of mixer. Once yolks are incorporated, increase mixer speed to high and beat until mixture is cool, about 15 minutes. With mixer on low speed, gradually add butter, one small piece at a time. If mixture appears curdled, continue to mix on low speed until it comes together. Refrigerate until ready to use.

For the mascarpone maple cream: In large saucepan, bring maple syrup to a boil. Cook over high heat until reduced by nearly half. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. In medium saucepan, combine reduced syrup and cream and bring to a boil. Whisking constantly, pour half the cream mixture into yolks. Pour that mixture back into pan with cream mixture. Cook over medium-high heat until mixture coats back of wooden spoon. Squeeze excess water from gelatin and stir into mixture. Remove from heat and cool to 113 degrees. Stir in mascarpone.

For the white chocolate spray: Combine chocolate and cocoa butter in bowl over pan of simmering water. Stir to melt together, taking care that mixture does not exceed 113 degrees. Transfer to pastry spray gun.

For the white chocolate squares: Stir salt into chocolate and spread in thin layer on sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Once chocolate begins to harden, use pastry cutter to cut sixteen 2-inch squares. Store in refrigerator between sheets of parchment.

For the exotic glaze: In saucepot, combine water, zests and vanilla bean and heat to 113 degrees. Stir in granulated sugar and pectin and boil 3 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in juice and mint and let infuse 30 minutes. Strain through fine mesh sieve and store in cool place.

To assemble: Fill sixteen 2 1/2-inch flexible silicone molds with 1 1/2-inch hollow impression at top half-full with mascarpone cream, using pastry bag fitted with small tip. Add one marmalade disk per mold, then fill mold with cream. Top each inverted mold with one biscuit circle, pressing lightly to adhere. Freeze at least two hours, then unmold, wrap in plastic and store in freezer. Transfer buttercream to pastry bag fitted with small tip and garnish edges of each cake. Place cakes on rotating cake stand and spray on all sides with white chocolate.

To garnish and serve: Toss pears with lemon juice, drain and place approximately 1/2 ounce of fruit atop each cake. Brush with exotic glaze and cover with one small white chocolate square. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

ingredients

For the biscuit:

4 1/2 ounces almonds, coarsely chopped
3/4 ounce hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
3/4 ounce pistachios, coarsely chopped
2 1/2 ounces confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour
5 egg whites
2 1/2 ounces brown sugar
1 1/2 ounces granulated sugar

For the pear and lingonberry marmalade:

2 sheets gelatin, softened in cold water
7 ounces lingonberries
1 1/2 pears, peeled, cored and finely chopped
1 apricot, pitted and finely chopped
3 ounces dried currants
2 1/2 ounces orange juice
3 ounces granulated sugar
Pinch of ground cinnamon
1/2 ounce orange liqueur

For the vanilla buttercream:

7 ounces granulated sugar
2 1/2 ounces water
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
2 egg yolks, room temperature
5 1/2 ounces butter, softened

For the mascarpone maple cream:

8 ounces maple syrup
7 1/2 ounces heavy cream
4 egg yolks, lightly beaten
2 sheets gelatin, softened in cold water
11 ounces mascarpone cheese

For the white chocolate spray:

5 1/2 ounces white chocolate couverture
3 1/2 ounces cocoa butter

For the white chocolate squares:

1/4 ounce Guerande salt crystals, sifted*
5 1/2 ounces white chocolate couverture, melted

For the exotic glaze:

9 ounces spring water
Zest of 1/2 orange
Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
3 1/2 ounces granulated sugar
1/4 ounce pectin
3 mint leaves, coarsely chopped

For the garnish:

2 pears, peeled, cored and finely chopped
1/2 ounce lemon juice

*Guerande is a light gray, hand-harvested salt from Brittany, France. Available through Chef's Warehouse, www.chefswarehouse.com.

RELATED ARTICLE: Coffee Tart (Yields 8 individual tarts)

Pierre Herme

Coffee

directions

For the sugar dough: In an electric mixer fitted with paddle, cream butter until fluffy. Add remaining ingredients, in order, and mix until dough just comes together. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Roll dough out to 1/8-inch thickness and cut out eight 5-inch disks. Chill disks in refrigerator 30 for minutes. Butter eight 3-inch tart pans and fit dough into pans, trimming and discarding excess. Refrigerate until ready to use. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line tarts with parchment or foil and fill with dried beans or rice. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, then remove beans and parchment and bake another 5 minutes. Let cool.

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For the coffee miroir: Bring cream to a boil, pour into bowl over chocolate and let sit five minutes. Stir to melt chocolate completely. In separate bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients and stir into chocolate mixture. Transfer to electric mixer fitted with whisk and mix two minutes. Adjust color if desired.

For the coffee cream: Bring cream to a boil and stir in coffee. Mix with wooden spoon one minute, then remove from heat and strain. Squeeze excess water from gelatin and add to cream mixture. Add sugar and continue to stir until dissolved. Cool over ice bath. Fill eight 3x 1/2-inch round pans with coffee cream and freeze. Unmold when firm and store disks in freezer.

For the biscuit: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Sift together flour and starch and set aside. In electric mixer fitted with whisk, combine egg whites, egg white powder and sugar and whisk together to stiff peaks. Gently whisk together egg yolks, trimoline and sorbitol. Add yolk mixture to egg white mixture and whisk 10 seconds, then turn off mixer. Fold flour mixture into egg mixture. Transfer mixture to pastry bag fitted with #7 tip and pipe mixture, in spiral formation, into eight 2-inch round pans that have been lined with parchment. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool, and unmold onto new parchment, removing old parchment from each piece.

For the coffee ganache: Melt chocolate in bowl over pan of simmering water. Bring cream to a boil, add coffee, let steep for 1 minute, then strain through fine mesh sieve. Add hot cream to chocolate in three batches, stirring well between each addition.

To assemble and serve: Fill each tart shell 3/5 full with ganache. Quickly soak biscuit circles in coffee and place one in each tart shell. Top with another layer of ganache. Warm miroir to 100 degrees. Thin mixture with warm simple syrup if necessary. Spear coffee cream disks on kitchen knife and soak in coffee miroir. Drain excess and top each tart with one disk. Garnish with coffee bean and serve.

ingredients

For the sugar dough:

3 1/2 ounces butter
1/2 ounce almond flour
2 ounces confectioners' sugar
Dash of vanilla powder
1 egg
Pinch of Guerande salt crystals*
6 ounces all-purpose flour

For the neutral glaze:

2 1/2 ounces granulated sugar
1 package Oetker[R] Clear Glaze**
8 ounces water

For the coffee miroir:

4 ounces heavy cream
9 ounces Valrhona white chocolate
1/4 ounce glucose syrup
1/2 ounce simple syrup, heated to 86 degrees
8 ounces neutral glaze, from above
1/4 ounce liquid coffee essence
Yellow food coloring, as needed

For the coffee cream:

10 1/2 ounces heavy cream
3/4 ounce Pierre Herme Melange coffee, finely ground***
7 sheets gelatin, softened in cold water
3 ounces granulated sugar

For the biscuit:

1 1/4 ounces pastry flour
1 1/4 ounces potato starch
2 egg whites
Pinch of egg white powder
2 1/4 ounces granulated sugar
4 egg yolks
1/2 ounce trimoline syrup****
1/4 ounce liquid sorbitol*****

For the coffee ganache:

10 1/2 ounces white chocolate couverture
7 1/2 ounces heavy cream
3/4 ounce Pierre Herme Melange coffee, finely ground***

To assemble and serve:

11 ounces freshly brewed Pierre Herme Melagne coffee, cooled***
Chocolate-covered coffee beans

*A light gray, hand-harvested salt from Brittany, France, Available through Chef's Warehouse, www.chefswarehouse.com

**A powdered concentrate, to be mixed with water or fruit juice. Available at baking supply stores.

***Coffee blend available at Herme's Paris stores; may substitute any strong coffee blend.

****A liquid invert sugar used in baking and sorbets. Available through Chef's Warehouse at www.chefswarehouse.com.

*****A preservative that has humectant and sweetening properties. Available through Paris Gourmet, [phone], or www.parisgourmet.com.

RELATED ARTICLE: Victoria (16 individual cakes)

Pierre Herme

Muscat du Cap Corse

directions

For the coconut dacquoise: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In bowl, combine 6 ounces confectioners' sugar, almond flour and coconut. In separate bowl, whisk egg whites to soft peaks, then add granulated sugar in three batches, whisking between each addition. Continue to whisk until soft meringue forms. Gently fold in almond and coconut mixture. Line 16 round, 3-inch diameter cake pans with parchment paper. Using pastry bag with #10 tip, pipe dacquoise into pans in spiral formation, leaving hollow space in center and 1/2-inch margin outside. Fill in space outside spiral with balls of piped dacquoise. Sprinkle top with pistachios. Dust two times (at 15-minute intervals) with remaining confectioners' sugar to "pearl" dacquoise. Bake with oven door slightly open, to keep dacquoise from deflating, for 20 minutes, until firm but still pliable. Let cool to room temperature.

For the pastry cream: In saucepan, combine one-fourth of milk with vanilla bean and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let infuse 20 minutes. Strain mixture, pressing vanilla bean to extract flavor. Add remaining milk to infused milk, stir in one-third of sugar and bring to a boil. Sift together flour and milk powder, and whisk mixture into yolks, along with remaining sugar. Whisking constantly, pour half the hot milk mixture into yolk mixture. Pour that mixture back into pan with remaining milk mixture. Whisking constantly, simmer pastry cream 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to 122 degrees. Stir in butter and continue to cool. Once at 75 degrees, transfer cream to bowl lined with plastic wrap. Seal tightly with plastic wrap or fitted lid and set aside.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

For the Italian meringue: In stainless steel saucepan, combine water and sugar and bring to 240 degrees. In electric mixer fitted with whisk, beat egg whites to soft peaks. Continue to heat sugar to 250 degrees, then remove from heat and, with mixer on medium speed, add cooked sugar to egg whites in thin, steady stream. Continue to mix at same speed until mixture cools to room temperature. Once cooled, leave mixer on low speed to keep meringue soft and stable.

For the coconut pastry cream mousseline: In electric mixer fitted with whisk, whip butter at medium speed until softened. Turn off machine and stir in coconut, rum and puree. With machine running at medium speed, add pastry cream. Turn off machine and fold in meringue by hand.

For the exotic glaze: In saucepot, combine water, zests and vanilla bean and heat to 113 degrees. Stir in granulated sugar and pectin and boil 3 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in juice and mint and let infuse 30 minutes. Strain through fine mesh sieve and store in cool place.

For the pineapple: Using electric slicer, cut pineapple into very thin slices, then cut by hand into julienne. Drain excess juices in colander. In stainless steel bowl, combine pineapple, cilantro, pepper and zest and mix gently.

To assemble and finish: Using a pastry bag fitted with #10 tip fill cooled dacquoise with coconut pastry cream mousseline. Drain pineapple on paper towel and arrange strips over each filled pastry. Brush gently with glaze. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

ingredients

For the coconut dacquoise:

7 ounces confectioners' sugar
4 ounces almond flour
3 ounces coconut, grated
6 egg whites
2 ounces granulated sugar
1 ounce pistachios, toasted and ground into powder

For the pastry cream:

5 ounces whole milk
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped
1 ounces granulated sugar
1/4 ounce all-purpose flour
1/4 ounce milk powder
3 egg yolks
1/2 ounce butter

For the Italian meringue:

1 ounce water
2 1/2 ounces granulated sugar
2 egg whites

For the coconut pastry cream mousseline:

3 1/2 ounces butter, room temperature
2 ounces coconut, grated
1/4 ounce white rum
3/4 ounce frozen coconut puree, defrosted
7 ounces pastry cream, from above
3 ounces Italian meringue, from above

For the exotic glaze:

9 ounces spring water
Zest of 1/2 orange, grated
Grated zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
3 1/2 ounces granulated sugar
1/2 ounce pectin
6 mint leaves, coarsely chopped

For the pineapple:

20 ounces pineapple, peeled and cored
7 fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
5 Sarawak black peppercorns, freshly ground*
Zest of 1/4 lime, grated

*Wrinkled, nearly-black peppercorns grown in Malaysian Borneo, with toasted, fruity flavor and mild heat. Available through Flavorbank, [phone] or www.flavorbank.com.

RELATED ARTICLE: Isaphan (Yields 16 3-inch cakes)

Pierre Herme

Gewurtztraminer Vendanges Tardives

Jean-Baptiste Adam

Alsace, France 1998

directions

For the rose-colored macaroon: Preheat oven to 330 degrees. Sift together almonds and confectioners' sugar. Whisk in fresh egg whites and food colorings and set aside. Combine granulated sugar and water and cook over medium heat to 225 degrees. Combine "old" egg whites and powdered egg whites in electric mixer fitted with whisk and begin to whip to soft peaks. Continue to heat sugar and water to 240 degrees, then remove from heat and, with mixer on low speed, add cooked sugar to egg whites in thin, steady stream. Continue to whisk until mixture cools to 122 degrees, then fold mixture into almond and egg whites mixture. Transfer mixture to pastry bag fitted with #10 tip. Pipe sixteen 3-inch spirals onto sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Bake in oven 15 minutes, with door slightly ajar. Once baked, remove from parchment and let cool. Once cool, wrap gently in plastic and reserve.

For the Italian meringue: In small saucepan, combine 9 ounces sugar with water and heat to 250 degrees. In electric mixer fitted with whisk, combine egg whites and remaining sugar and whip on high speed to firm peaks. Decrease speed to medium and add cooked sugar mixture in thin, steady stream. Continue to mix until mixture has cooled to room temperature.

For the buttercream: Scald milk in saucepot. In bowl, combine yolks and sugar and whisk to combine. Whisking constantly, pour half the hot milk into yolks. Pour that mixture back into pan with remaining milk. Whisking constantly, simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to bowl of electric mixer fitted with whisk. Mix at high speed until cooled to room temperature. In clean bowl, cream butter using electric mixer fitted with paddle. With machine running, pour in pastry cream mixture. Once incorporated, stop machine and fold in Italian meringue by hand. Store in refrigerator at 40 degrees.

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For the rose petal cream: In bowl of food processor fitted with paddle, cream buttercream and butter until fluffy. With machine running, add rose essence and syrup. Mix to combine. Refrigerate until ready to use.

To assemble and garnish: Carefully slice cooled macaroons horizontally. Trim off excess edges and spray lightly with water. Cover one half of each macaroon with rose cream. Arrange a lychee in center of cream, then surround with raspberries. Top with second half of macaroon. Garnish with one rose petal and one raspberry each.

ingredients

For the rose-colored macaroon:

7 ounces almonds, ground into powder 7 ounces confectioners' sugar
2 fresh egg whites, plus 2 egg whites left at room temperature for 3
  days
Crimson red food coloring, as needed
Strawberry red food coloring, as needed
7 ounces granulated sugar
1 1/2 ounces water
Pinch of powdered egg whites

For the Italian meringue:

2 1/2 ounces granulated sugar
1 ounce water
2 egg whites

For the buttercream:

2 ounces milk
2 egg yolks
1 1/2 ounces granulated sugar
6 1/2 ounces butter, room temperature
4 1/2 ounces Italian meringue, from above

For the rose petal cream:

12 ounces buttercream, from above
1 ounce butter
1 teaspoon Sevarome rose paste*
1/4 ounce rose syrup**

To assemble:

8 ounces canned lychees, drained, pitted and cut into 2 or 3 pieces
8 ounces fresh raspberries

For garnish:

Rose petals sprayed with drops of glucose

*Available through Vintage Chocolates, www.echocolates.com or [phone].

**Available through CIA Prochef store, www.store.yahoo.com/ciaprochefstore.

RELATED ARTICLE: Hibiscus Chocolate Tart (Serves 6)

Francois Payard

Dulte Monastrell

Bodegas Olivares

Jumillo, Spain 2000

directions

For the hibiscus chocolate ganache: In saucepot, bring cream to a boil and add flowers. Remove from heat and let steep 10 minutes. Cool over ice bath, strain through fine mesh sieve and refrigerate overnight. Place chocolate in large bowl. Bring cream, raspberry puree and trimoline to a boil. Remove from heat and pour over chocolate. Let sit five minutes, then stir in butter. Continue to stir until mixture is smooth. Let cool to room temperature.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

For the chocolate biscuit: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In electric mixer fitted with paddle, cream together butter and sugar. Add yolks and beat until combined, then add almond flour and chocolate. Fold in egg whites by hand. Bake in buttered and floured 8-inch tart pan for 15 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.

For the hibiscus gelee: In saucepot, combine water, sugar and nappage and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let cool to 95 degrees. Squeeze excess water from gelatin and stir into water mixture, along with tea. Let sit five minutes, then strain and chill in refrigerator until set.

To assemble: Line tart shell with hibiscus gelee to come halfway up sides. Fill in remaining space with ganache.

To garnish and serve: Garnish with flowers and berries. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

ingredients

For the hibiscus chocolate ganache:

6 ounces heavy cream
1 ounce dried hibiscus flowers
3 1/2 ounces chocolate with 61% cocoa, chopped
1 ounce chocolate with 34% cocoa, chopped
1/2 ounce raspberry puree
5 ounces trimoline syrup*
1 1/2 ounces butter

For the chocolate biscuit:

2 1/2 ounces butter, softened
2 ounces granulated sugar
4 egg yolks
2 ounces almond flour
4 ounces chocolate with 61% cocoa, melted
2 egg whites, whisked to soft peaks

For the hibiscus gelee:

3 1/2 ounces water
Large pinch of sugar
3 ounces Starfix ip 40 nappage**
2 1/2 sheets gelatin, softened in cold water
Large pinch of dried hibiscus tea

For garnish:

Crystallized hibiscus flowers
Blackberries
Raspberries

*A liquid invert sugar used in baking and sorbets. Available through Chef's Warehouse, www.chefswarehouse.com.

**Used to give shiny, glazed surface to confections. Available through American Gourmet Foods, www.americangourmetfoods.com.

RELATED ARTICLE: Orange Tart with Caramelized Oranges and Pain d'Epices (Serves 6)

Francois Payard

Tokaji 5 Puttonyos

Chateau Pajzos

Tokaji, Hungary 1988

directions

For the caramelized oranges: Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Toss oranges in sugar and arrange in single layer on sheet pan. Cook in oven 6 hours, until dried and caramelized. Let cool to room temperature.

For the pain d'epices: Preheat oven to 230 degrees. In small saucepan, combine water, honey, sugar and rum and melt together over low heat. In bowl, sift together flour, baking soda and spices, then stir in zests, nuts, fruits and Pernod. Stir in hot sugar mixture. Transfer to buttered and floured loaf pan and bake in oven for 90 minutes. Let cool, then cut into 1/2-inch cubes, (Note: recipe yields more than necessary for tart.)

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

For the tart dough: In bowl of electric mixer fitted with dough hook, combine sugar, butter and yolk and mix on low speed until just combined. Add flour and continue to mix just until dough comes together. Roll dough into disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll dough out to 1/8-inch thickness and fit into 8-inch tart pan. Line with parchment paper or foil and dried beans or rice and bake in oven 20 minutes, until golden brown and firm. Let cool.

For the orange cream: Whisk sugar and cornstarch into eggs. In saucepan, combine juice and zest and bring to a boil. Reduce by half. Temper egg mixture by adding one-third of hot juice mixture to egg mixture, while whisking constantly. Whisk tempered egg mixture back into hot juice mixture and place over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Whisk in butter, a few pieces at a time, until incorporated. Cool over ice bath and refrigerate until needed.

For the white chocolate and Earl Grey ganache: In saucepan, combine cream and milk and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, add tea and let steep 10 minutes. Strain though fine mesh sieve and stir in sugar and cornstarch. Pour hot mixture over chocolate, let sit five minutes, then stir to melt. Stir in butter. Keep at room temperature.

To assemble and serve: Line inside of tart shell with 1/4-inch thick layer of ganache. Pour orange cream into tart shell to fill completely. Arrange oranges and pain d'epices cubes in overlapping layers atop cream. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

ingredients

For the caramelized oranges:

1 orange, very thinly sliced
1 ounce granulated sugar

For the pain d'epices:

4 ounces water
2 ounces honey
2 ounces granulated sugar
1/2 ounce rum
6 ounces all-purpose flour
1/4 ounce baking soda
Pinch of ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground cloves
Pinch of ground nutmeg
1/2 star anise, finely ground
Pinch of salt
Zest of 1/2 orange
Zest of 1/2 lemon
2 1/2 ounces pistachios
2 ounces sliced almonds
2 ounces pine nuts
2 ounces raisins
2 ounces dried figs, finely chopped
2 ounces dates, finely chopped
2 ounces prunes, finely chopped
2 ounces dried apricots, finely chopped
Splash of Pernod

For the tart dough:

3 ounces granulated sugar
7 ounces butter, room temperature
1 egg yolk
8 ounces all-purpose flour

For the orange cream:

6 ounces granulated sugar
1/4 ounce cornstarch
5 eggs, lightly beaten
9 ounces orange juice
Zest of 1 orange, finely grated
4 1/2 ounces butter, cut into small pieces

For the white chocolate and Earl Grey ganache:

4 ounces heavy cream
1/2 ounce milk
1 ounce Earl Grey tea
1 4/2 ounces granulated sugar
1/4 ounce cornstarch
2 ounces white chocolate, chopped
2 ounces butter

RELATED ARTICLE: Sweet Relief (Fundraiser for victims of tsunami) (Serves 8)

Francois Payard

Chardonnay

Domaine Serene Clos du Soleil

Willamette Valley, Oregon 2002

directions

For the mango mousse: Squeeze excess water from gelatin. In small bowl, combine gelatin, puree, coconut milk and juice and whisk to combine. Fold mixture into egg whites, working in batches, then fold in whipped cream. Refrigerate until ready to use.

For the rum parfait: Heat sugar in small saucepan over medium heat to 250 degrees. Remove from heat and transfer to electric mixer fitted with paddle. With machine running, add yolks, one at a time, letting each one become fully incorporated before adding the next. Squeeze excess water from gelatin and, with machine still running, add gelatin and rum to mixture. Continue to run machine until mixture has cooled to room teperature. Turn machine off and fold in whipped cream. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the coconut dacquoise: Preheat oven to 390 degrees. Sift together confectioners' sugar and almond flour and add 2/3 of coconut. In electric mixer fitted with whisk, combine egg whites and granulated sugar and whisk to stiff peaks. Fold in almond flour mixture and spread in even layer on half sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with remaining coconut and bake 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Let cool.

For the meringue: Combine all ingredients in electric mixer fitted with whisk. Whisk to soft peaks.

To assemble and finish: Cut 6-inch diameter circle from dacquoise. Top with rum parfait. Arrange chopped pineapple in even layer over parfait, leaving 1/2-inch margin. Top pineapple with mango mousse, leaving 1/2-inch margin. Using spatula, carefully cover entire construction with meringue, sweeping upward to form wave shape. Brown meringue with blowtorch, garnish with pineapple chip and serve.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

ingredients

For the mango mousse:

1 sheet gelatin, softened in cold water
3 1/2 ounces mango puree
1 ounce coconut milk 1/2 ounce lemon juice
3 egg whites, beaten to stiff peaks
4 1/2 ounces heavy cream, whipped to stiff peaks

For the rum parfait:

2 ounces granulated sugar
3 egg yolks
2 sheets gelatin, softened in cold water
3 1/2 ounces rum
9 ounces heavy cream, whipped to stiff peaks

For the coconut dacquoise:

2 1/2 ounces confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 ounces almond flour
1 ounce shredded coconut
2 egg whites
1 ounce granulated sugar

For the meringue:

6 egg whites
Pinch of cream of tartar
1 ounce granulated sugar

To assemble:

Coconut dacquoise, from above
Rum parfait, from above
2 ounces peeled and finely chopped pineapple
Mango mousse, from above

For garnish:

Pineapple, very thinly sliced and dried in oven

RELATED ARTICLE: MoMA (Serves 8)

Francois Payard

Monbazillac

Chateau Tirecul La Graviere

Bergerac, France NV

directions

For the white chocolate mousse: In saucepan, scald milk over medium heat. In bowl, whisk together sugar and yolks until light yellow and foamy. Temper yolk mixture by adding one-third of hot milk to yolk mixture while whisking constantly. Whisk tempered yolk mixture back into hot milk and place over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture is thick enough to coat back of wooden spoon. Strain through fine-mesh sieve. Squeeze water from gelatin and stir into mixture. Pour over chocolate and stir to melt. Chill over ice bath, and once cold, fold in whipped cream. Cover until ready to use.

For the olive oil and white chocolate ganache: In saucepot, combine sugar, cream and vanilla bean and bring to a boil. In bowl, whisk together remaining cream and cornstarch. Whisk in hot cream mixture, then transfer back to saucepot and cook 1 minute over high heat. Stir in oil and butter, then add chocolate. Cool to room temperature.

For the citrus gelee: Arrange segments in single layer on sheet pan. Combine all juices in saucepot and warm over medium-low heat. (Add extra orange juice if necessary to make 2 1/2 cups liquid.) Squeeze water from gelatin and stir into warm juice until dissolved. Pour juice mixture over fruit and freeze. When firm, cut circles using 2-inch ring cutter.

For the olive oil bergamot biscuit: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar. Stir in zest and milk. In small bowl, sift together flour and baking powder, then add this mixture to wet mixture and stir to just combine. Stir in butter and oil. Pour onto sheet pan lined with parchment paper and bake in oven 30 minutes. Let cool to room temperature. Cut circles from biscuit using 2-inch ring cutter.

For the white chocolate "croquant": Heat water over medium-low heat in bottom of double boiler. Place chocolate in top of double boiler and stir constantly until 115 degrees. Remove from heat, set in cool place and stir constantly to 80 degrees. Chocolate should be very thick. Return to double boiler and, stirring constantly, warm to 88 degrees. Line sheet pan with plastic wrap and spread chocolate in even layer over pan. Cut circles from chocolate using 2-inch ring cutter. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.

For the white chocolate spray: Combine chocolate and cocoa butter in bowl over pan of simmering water. Stir to melt together, taking care that mixture does not exceed 113 degrees. Transfer to pastry spray gun.

To finish and serve: Place one circle of white chocolate on work surface. Transfer mousse to pastry bag fitted with flat, narrow tip and pipe thin layer over croquant. Top with one circle of olive oil bergamot biscuit. Transfer olive oil ganache to pastry bag fitted with flat, narrow tip and pipe thin layer over biscuit. Top with one circle of citrus gelee. Top with another layer of mousse, followed by a biscuit circle, a layer of ganache, a citrus gelee circle, a layer of mousse and a croquant circle. Pipe layer of mousse over sides and top of construction. Use back of small melon baller to make indentations in mousse. Cover sides and top with white chocolate spray. Garnish with one grapefruit slice per piece and serve.

ingredients

For the white chocolate mousse:

3 ounces milk
1 ounce granulated sugar
3 egg yolks
3 sheets gelatin, softened in cold water
3 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped
7 ounces heavy cream, whisked to stiff peaks

For the olive oil and white chocolate ganache:

2 ounces granulated sugar
3 1/2 ounces heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
1/4 ounce cornstarch
1 ounce olive oil
2 ounces butter
2 ounces white chocolate couverture

For the citrus gelee:

2 pomelos, peeled and cut into segments, juice reserved
3 oranges, peeled and cut into segments, juice reserved
2 bergamot oranges, peeled and cut into segments, juice reserved*
6 sheets gelatin, soaked in cold water

For the olive oil bergamot biscuit:

4 eggs
4 ounces granulated sugar
Zest of 2 bergamot oranges*
3/4 ounce milk
4 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour
1/4 ounce baking powder
3 1/2 ounces butter, melted
2 1/2 ounces olive oil

For the white chocolate "croquant":

8 ounces white chocolate couverture, finely chopped

For the white chocolate spray:

16 ounces white chocolate couverture
10 1/2 ounces cocoa butter

For garnish:

Grapefruit slices, glazed with simple syrup

*Bergamot orange is a small, pear-shaped orange with sour-tasting flesh, cultivated largely in Southern Italy. Available from December to January at specialty stores or farmer's markets; may substitute sour oranges.

RELATED ARTICLE: Carre Payard et Caramel Fleur de Sel (Serves 10)

Francois Payard

Rosa Regale

Vigne Regali

Piedmont, Italy 2003

directions

For the caramel ice cream: Combine 3 ounces sugar and water in copper pan and cook to to medium-caramel. Remove from heat and stir in milk; continue to stir until incorporated. Return to heat and bring to scald. In bowl, combine remaining sugar and egg yolks and whisk until pale and increased in volume. Temper yolk mixture by adding one-third of hot milk mixture to yolk mixture, while whisking constantly. Whisk tempered yolk mixture back into hot milk mixture and place over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from heat and cool in ice bath. Refrigerate 12 to 24 hours, then pour into ice cream machine and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Set aside in freezer.

For the chocolate mousse: Beat yolks with whisk in mixing bowl. Combine sugar and water in copper pan and heat to 218 degrees. Remove from heat and pour sugar syrup into yolks in thin stream, whisking constantly until incorporated. Continue to whisk until cooled, then stir in chocolate. Fold in whipped cream; cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the caramel sel: Combine sugar, water, glucose and salt to taste in copper pan and cook over high heat to form caramel. When mixture is golden-brown, remove from heat and whisk in butter. Let cool to room temperature and fold in whipped cream. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the streusel: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients in bowl and mix gently with pastry blender. Distribute in even layer on sheet pan lined with parchment paper and bake 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool to room temperature.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

For the chocolate sable breton: In electric mixer fitted with paddle, combine butter, sugar, almond paste and salt. Mix to combine, then add yolks, flour and cocoa powder. Mix until dough just comes together. Wrap in plastic and chill at least 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness and cut into 2X2-inch squares. Bake on sheet pan lined with parchment paper for 8 to 10 minutes, or until crisp. Let cool to room temperature.

For the carre: In stainless steel bowl, melt 12 ounces chocolate over double boiler, making sure that bottom of bowl does not touch water. Stir chocolate continuously until internal temperature reaches 113 degrees, about three minutes. Remove bowl from water bath and place on towel. Add remaining chocolate, stirring constantly, letting mixture cool to approximately 88 degrees. Mixture should be smooth and glossy. Place bowl back over water and stir until chocolate is fluid again and thermometer reads approximately 100 degrees. Remove from heat. Spoon two ounces tempered chocolate into clean box, moving it around to coat completely. Turn box upside down and tap lightly on bowl to remove excess chocolate. Set aside on cool surface and allow chocolate to harden, about two hours. If chocolate is properly tempered, chocolate box should pop right out of mold.

To assemble and serve: Transfer mousse to pastry bag fitted with #10 tip and line bottom of each box with layer of mousse that comes one-quarter of the way up the inside of the box. Top mousse with one piece chocolate sable breton. Top this with even layer of caramel, and another layer of mousse. Invert box and place on one side of serving plate. Using fine-bristled paintbrush, paint small circle of gold dust on top of box. Place one streusel circle on opposite side of plate. Scoop quenelle of ice cream and place atop streusel circle. Lean one chocolate stick against ice cream. Drizzle caramel sel onto one corner of carre. Sprinkle fleur de sel over ice cream and serve.

ingredients

For the caramel ice cream:

5 ounces sugar
1/2 tablespoon water
13 ounces whole milk
6 egg yolks

For the chocolate mousse:

2 egg yolks
4 ounces granulated sugar
2/3 ounce water
11 ounces chocolate, 72% cocoa, melted
18 ounces heavy cream, whipped

For the caramel sel:

3 ounces granulated sugar
1/2 tablespoon water
1/4 ounce glucose syrup
3 ounces butter
3 ounces heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks
Salt to taste

For the streusel:

1 ounce granulated sugar
1 ounce almond flour
1 ounce butter
1 ounce all-purpose flour

For the chocolate sable breton:

8 1/2 ounces butter
3 1/2 ounces confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 ounces almond paste
Pinch of salt
3 hard-boiled egg yolks, finely grated
8 ounces all-purpose flour
1 1/2 ounces cocoa powder

For the carre:

20 ounces dark chocolate, roughly chopped
10 plastic box molds (2.2X2.2X1.3-inch cubes)

For garnish:

Edible gold dust, mixed with alcohol-based extract to form thin "paint"*
Hollow chocolate sticks
Fleur de sel

*Available through New York Cake & Bakin Distributors, [phone].

RELATED ARTICLE: Sevilla (Serves 6)

Francois Payard

Coteaux-du-Layons

Patrick Baudoin

Chaudefonds-sur-Layon, Framce 2002

directions

For the caramel-chocolate mousse: Wet sugar with water in small saucepan. Cook over high heat until liquefied; continue to cook to medium caramel. Immediately remove from heat and stir in cream. Add mixture to yolks and strain through fine mesh sieve. Add into chocolate and continue to stir until chocolate is melted. Cool in ice bath. Fold chocolate mixture into whipped cream. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the caramel glacage: Heat sugar and water in small saucepan over high heat until liquefied; continue to cook to medium caramel. Immediately remove from heat and stir in cream. When cream is incorporated, add glucose and butter and bring mixture to a simmer. Place chocolate in bowl and pour warm mixture over. Let sit five minutes, then stir to melt chocolate completely. Hold at room temperature.

For the saffron-apple Tatin: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat sugar in small saucepan over high heat until liquefied; continue to cook to light caramel. Immediately remove from heat and stir in butter. Add half the saffron threads and pour into 8-inch round black steel baking pan. Distribute apples evenly across caramel and top with remaining saffron. Bake in oven 25 minutes. Let cool to room temperature, pressing apples lightly with kitchen weights. Wrap in plastic and freeze.

For the saffron pain de genes: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place almond paste in food processor fitted with metal blade. Pulse to loosen paste slightly, then add one egg and saffron. Blend five minutes, then transfer to electric mixer fitted with whisk. Begin to whisk and add remaining eggs. Whisk until mixture is fluffy and forms glossy peaks. Fold in flour and baking powder and mix in butter. Transfer to small sheet pan and bake in oven 9 minutes. Let cool to room temperature and cut into two circles the same size as black steel pan.

To finish: Place one pain de genes circle on work surface. Spread thin, even layer of caramel glacage over surface of pain de genes. Remove Tatin from freezer and unmold onto glacage. Top with remaining circle of pain de genes, then add 1/4-inch layer of caramel-chocolate mousse. Cover entire tart with thin layer of caramel glacage and garnish with vanilla beans and dried apples. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

ingredients

For the caramel-chocolate mousse:

1 ounce granulated sugar
2 1/2 ounces heavy cream
4 egg yolks, lightly beaten
5 ounces Manjari chocolate, chopped*
10 ounces heavy cream, whipped

For the caramel glacage:

2 1/2 ounces granulated sugar
1/2 ounce Water
4 ounces heavy cream
1 1/2 ounces glucose syrup
1/2 ounce butter
1 ounce milk chocolate

For the saffron-apple Tatin:

7 ounces granulated sugar
2 1/2 ounces butter
10 saffron threads
4 apples peeled, cored and coarsely chopped

For the saffron pain de genes:

6 ounces almond paste
3 eggs
10 saffron threads
1 ounce all-purpose flour, sifted
Dash of baking powder
2 1/2 ounces butter, melted

For garnish:

Vanilla beans
1 apple, very thinly sliced and oven-dried

*Manjari chocolate is made from beans grown in Madagascar; it has a slightly bitter bouquet and contains 64% cocoa. Available at specialty pastry stores, or through Chocosphere, www.chocosphere.com or [phone].

RELATED ARTICLE: Green Tea Tart with Lychees and Fresh Raspberries (Serves 6)

Francois Payard

Cerdon du Bugey

Renardat-Fache

Cerdon, France NV

directions

For the green tea cream: In bowl, whisk together sugar and flour, then whisk in eggs. In saucepot, bring milk to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Let cook three minutes, then stir in tea powder and remove from heat. Temper egg mixture by adding one-third of hot milk to eggs while whisking constantly. Whisk tempered egg mixture back into hot milk and place over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from heat, stir in butter, strain through fine mesh sieve and cool over ice bath.

For the raspberry gelee: In small saucepot, combine half of raspberry puree, sugar and juice and bring to a boil. Stir hot mixture into remaining puree. Squeeze excess water from gelatin and stir into raspberry mixture. Cool over ice bath.

For the Joconde biscuit: Combine eggs and sugar in bowl set over simmering water. Heat mixture to 120 degrees while stirring constantly. Remove from heat and whisk vigorously one minute. In separate bowl, sift together almond and all-purpose flours. Whip egg whites until thick and foamy but not yet holding peaks. Fold almond mixture into egg mixture. Stir in melted butter. Fold in beaten egg whites. Spread in buttered and floured 8-inch tart shell and bake at 400 degrees 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool to room temperature, then chill in refrigerator.

To assemble and serve: Line bottom of tart shell with raspberry gelee. Fill shell with green tea cream. Top with lychees, raspberries and mint. Keep in refrigerator until ready to serve.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

ingredients

For the green tea cream:

3 1/2 ounces granulated sugar
1/4 ounce pastry flour
5 eggs
9 ounces milk
Large pinch of green tea powder
1 ounce butter

For the raspberry gelee:

3 1/2 ounces raspberry puree
1/4 ounce granulated sugar
1/4 ounce lemon juice
1 1/2 sheets gelatin, softened in cold water

For the Joconde biscuit:

3 eggs
3 ounces granulated sugar
3 ounces almond flour
1 ounce bread flour
1 ounce unsalted butter, melted
2 egg whites, whisked to soft peaks

For the garnish:

Lychees, drained and cut in half
Raspberries
Mint leaves, chiffonade