The Unofficial Downton Abbey Cookbook Part 10

Sir Anthony's Apple Charlotte

The Countess of Grantham requested that Mrs. Patmore bake this "new" dessert for Sir Anthony, but Mrs. Patmore, who was not fond of the recipe, requested that they stick to the original dessert, Raspberry Meringue Pie (see Chapter 7). Nonetheless, if Mrs. Patmore had given up her tart, raspberry-eque att.i.tude and been more willing to try new recipes she'd have found this to be one fantastically sweet "ice-box cake."

YIELDS 5 SERVINGS.

2 cups light brown sugar 2 tablespoons cinnamon 2 teaspoons nutmeg 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon allspice 5 large, tart apples, pared, cored, sliced thin 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice 12 cup b.u.t.ter, cold, chopped 12 cup b.u.t.ter, melted 1 loaf French bread, shredded into crumbs, 1 cup reserved b.u.t.ter for topping In a medium-sized bowl, mix together brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger, and allspice. Reserve 1 cup of the mixture to be used for topping.

In a separate bowl, mix together apple slices, lemon juice, and orange juice.

Cover the bottom of a medium-sized dutch oven with bread crumbs and bits of the cold b.u.t.ter. Layer with sliced apples and brown-sugar mix, then with another few tabs of b.u.t.ter. Repeat until dutch oven is filled.

For the top layer, combine reserved bread crumbs, 12 cup melted b.u.t.ter, and 1 cup reserved bread crumbs. Top with more b.u.t.ter. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Times Gone By Legend has it that this dessert, Apple Charlotte, was named for Queen Charlotte, wife of King George III. Others say this dessert is named for Tsar Nicholas I's wife, Charlotte of Prussia.

Traditional Bakewell Tart

This traditional tart would be made available not just to the aristocrats of Downton Abbey but to their servants as well, thanks to its nature as a traditional dessert served in many bakeries. It's possible that Mrs. Patmore would whip this up for Daisy to thank her for agreeing to marry poor William.

YIELDS 1 PIE, OR 68 SERVINGS For Pastry 1 cup flour 13 cup ground almonds 34 cup unsalted b.u.t.ter, diced 14 cup sugar 1 large egg yolk 1 teaspoon almond extract 2 teaspoons cold water 1 large egg white For Filling 4 tablespoons cherry jam (or raspberry, strawberry) 1 cup unsalted b.u.t.ter, softened 1 cup sugar 3 large eggs, beaten, at room temperature 1 large egg yolk 1 cup ground almonds Zest of 1 clementine (small mandarin orange) Zest of 1 lemon 2 tablespoons almond flakes Confectioners' sugar for garnish In a large bowl, mix together flour, ground almonds, b.u.t.ter, and sugar. Blend until mixture resembles coa.r.s.e bread crumbs. Mix in egg yolk, almond extract, and cold water, and blend until mixture just begins to come together.

Flatten dough into a large disc and cover with plastic wrap. Chill for no more than 1 hour. Remove from refrigerator and roll out pastry on a clean, lightly floured surface so it reaches about 18-inch thickness. Press down into a medium tart tin, and p.r.i.c.k the base with a fork. Chill crust for 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350F.

Cover chilled tart crust with parchment paper, then weigh down with pastry weights. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until the pastry reaches a pale, golden color. Remove pastry weights, lightly brush tart crust with egg white, then cook for another 3 minutes. Let cool slightly.

Spread jam in an even layer over tart base.

Cream together b.u.t.ter and sugar, then gradually add the 3 beaten eggs and 1 egg yolk. Fold in ground almonds and zests of clementine and lemon. Carefully and evenly spoon mixture over the jam, creating an even layer. Bake tart for another 1520 minutes, then sprinkle with almond flakes and bake for an additional 20 minutes until the tart is both set and golden. Let cool to room temperature, then sprinkle with confectioners' sugar and serve.

Times Gone By Mrs. Patmore would appreciate the accident that brought about this tart. Legend has it that in the early 1800s the proprietress of an inn in the Derbys.h.i.+re town of Bakewell left instructions for her cook to make a jam tart. The cook misunderstood the instructions, and voila - the Bakewell Tart was created!

Decadent Chocolate Almond Cake with Sour Cream Icing

The rich dark chocolate and creamy, one-of-a-kind icing in this recipe are worthy of the lords and ladies of Downton Abbey. While later made famous by chef Julia Child, this cake was enjoyed in Europe - and made by chefs like Mrs. Patmore - for years before Mrs. Child came around.

YIELDS 68 SERVINGS For Cake 4 ounces high-quality semisweet chocolate, melted 2 tablespoons ground coffee granules 1 stick unsalted b.u.t.ter, softened, cut into 12-inch cubes 1 cup granulated sugar 3 egg yolks 1 teaspoon bourbon vanilla extract 3 egg whites 1 teaspoon kosher salt 12 cup crushed almonds 12 teaspoon almond extract 12 cup cake flour, sifted For Icing 8 ounces high-quality semisweet chocolate, chopped 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder 114 cups sour cream, at room temperature 12 cup corn syrup 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Preheat oven to 350F. b.u.t.ter and flour one 8-inch round baking pan.

Place chocolate and ground coffee in the top of a double boiler. Stir until chocolate is thoroughly melted, then remove from heat.

Cream together the b.u.t.ter and sugar for several minutes until they form a pale fluffy mixture.

In a small bowl, beat together egg yolks with vanilla extract, then add to b.u.t.ter-sugar mixture and thoroughly combine.

In another small bowl, beat the egg whites and salt together until soft peaks are formed.

Pour the melted chocolate into the b.u.t.ter-sugar mixture and thoroughly mix. Then mix in almonds and almond extract. Immediately stir in a quarter of the egg-white mixture so as to lighten the cake. Then mix in the cake flour in small amounts, alternating with the rest of the egg whites.

Turn the batter into the cake pan, then bake in preheated oven for 2530 minutes. Cake is done when it has puffed and a toothpick inserted around the circ.u.mference comes out clean while another stuck in the middle comes out slightly oily.

Allow cake to cool for 15 minutes. Loosen cake rim with a knife, then reverse onto a cooling rack. Allow to thoroughly cool for 12 hours, then ice with icing.

To make icing: Mix together the chocolate and espresso powder in the top of a double-boiler. Stir until chocolate is melted. Remove from heat and let chocolate cool until tepid.

In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the sour cream, corn syrup, salt, and vanilla extract. Slowly add chocolate and stir quickly until the mixture is uniform. Let cool in refrigerator until the frosting is a spreadable consistency, no more than 25 minutes. Spread over cake with a spatula, then decorate with a design of chopped almonds.

Etiquette Lessons While nowadays a child can leave the dinner table by politely asking to be excused, during the era of Downton Abbey it was unacceptable that anyone would dare leave the table during a dinner. Until the meal was finished, it was required by etiquette that everyone stay seated, which meant that any bathroom runs would have to be taken care of before or after the meal.

Fancy French Meringues

These delicate delights would be offered before or with the fresh fruits served near the completion of a meal at Downton Abbey. Light on the tongue, even those guests claiming to be full would find room for this fluffy treat.

YIELDS 3 DOZEN COOKIES.

4 egg whites, at room temperature 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 212 cups confectioners' sugar Preheat oven to 185F. Cover a baking sheet with greased parchment paper.

In a metal bowl, whisk egg whites until foamy. Add vanilla extract and sprinkle in confectioners' sugar a little at a time, while continuing to whisk at medium speed. When the mixture becomes stiff and s.h.i.+ny (this may take up to 17 minutes depending on the temperature of your egg whites), stop mixing and transfer the mixture to a large pastry bag. Using a large star tip, pipe the meringue out of the pastry bag and onto the greased parchment paper.

Place meringues in oven and bake for 2123 hours, or until the meringues are dry and can be easily removed from the pan. Allow cookies to cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Times Gone By While originally a Swiss dessert, these treats were quickly co-opted by French and English haute cuisine chefs. Celebrated French chef Marie-Antoine Careme introduced the idea of piping meringues through a pastry bag. Previously, they had been shaped with spoons.

Crepes Francaise

This is the basic crepe recipe that all other crepes, such as Ethel's Crepes Suzette (both found in this chapter) are based on. Before Mrs. Patmore would teach Daisy how to make fancier crepe dishes, Mrs. Patmore would likely introduce Daisy to this one.

YIELDS 1012 SERVINGS 1 cup all-purpose flour 3 tablespoons white sugar 1 teaspoon kosher salt 3 eggs, room temperature 2 cups whole milk 112 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 tablespoons b.u.t.ter, melted In a large bowl, stir together sifted flour, sugar, and salt.

In another bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla extract until combined. Slowly add wet mixture to dry ingredients, beating until smooth. Add melted b.u.t.ter. Cover and chill mixture for 2030 minutes.

Heat a 10- to 12-inch pan over high heat. Pour or scoop about 23 tablespoons of the batter onto the griddle, swirling or tipping pan so batter completely covers the bottom. Brown for 23 minutes on one side, then 12 minutes on the other. Stack crepes on top of one another on a serving plate; serve hot.

Times Gone By The well-educated Crawley sisters would know the translation for the two types of crepes - crepes sucrees, or sweet crepes, and crepes salees, or savory crepes. Most of what we consider dessert crepes would be crepes sucrees. Perhaps, if the sisters felt particularly foreigner-friendly, they would know that crepes are traditionally served in France on Candlemas (February 2), also known as the Virgin Mary's Blessing Day or more recently as "Avec Crepe Day." Tradition had it that if you could catch a crepe with a frying pan after tossing it in the air, holding the pan with your left hand and a gold coin with the right hand, you would become wealthy sometime that year.

Mrs. Patmore's Extravagant Parisian eclairs

The residents of Downton Abbey wouldn't have to travel to Paris for a taste of these delicious French pastries! Since French cuisine was en vogue, Mrs. Patmore would be sure to have a recipe ready in case any of the family developed a longing for a taste of France.

YIELDS 9 eCLAIRS.

12 cup unsalted b.u.t.ter 1 cup water 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon kosher salt 4 eggs, at room temperature 1 (5-ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix 212 cups whole milk, cold 1 cup heavy cream 112 cups confectioners' sugar 2 teaspoons bourbon vanilla extract 4 ounces high-quality semisweet chocolate 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons b.u.t.ter 2 tablespoons whole milk 3 tablespoons hot water Preheat oven to 425F. Thoroughly grease a medium-sized cookie sheet.

In a medium-sized saucepan, combine b.u.t.ter and water. Stirring until b.u.t.ter melts completely, bring mixture to a boil. As mixture heats, whisk together flour and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, then slowly pour in flour-salt mixture. Stir mixture vigorously until it begins to form a stiff ball. Remove mixture from heat. Add eggs one at a time, beating until thoroughly incorporated. Spoon dough onto a cookie sheet in 1.54-inch strips.

After baking for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, reduce heat to 325F and bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until a hollow sound is emitted when pastry is lightly tapped on bottom. Cool completely on a wire rack.

While eclairs bake, make eclair filling. Whisk together pudding mix and whole milk in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat cream in a separate bowl until soft peaks form. Stir in 14 cup of the confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla, mixing until thoroughly incorporated. Finally, fold whipped cream and vanilla mixture into pudding.

Using a sharp knife, gently cut off tops of cooled pastry sh.e.l.ls. Do not discard tops! Fill sh.e.l.ls with pudding mix, then replace tops.

For Icing: In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate and b.u.t.ter. Stir in 114 cups confectioners' sugar and the remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Stir in whole milk, then stir in hot water 1 tablespoon at a time until icing is smooth. Remove from heat and let cool a fair amount. Drizzle over filled eclairs, then refrigerate before serving.

Times Gone By While the Edwardian era was known for its extravagance, there was a noticeable reduction of such lavishness when King George V took the throne in 1911. His Coronation Banquet of fourteen courses was actually the last great traditional banquet to be offered in Buckingham Palace. After World War I, even President Wilson's visit garnered only ten courses.

Ethel's Crepes Suzette

It's no wonder why impertinent maid Ethel requested that Mrs. Patmore save her one of these delicious French desserts: These crepes, consisting of a sauce of caramelized sugar with a Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur, would tempt even the most humble of servants. Nonetheless, righteous Mrs. Patmore would rather feed these sweet crepes to a dog than let maid Ethel think she warranted one of these treats.

YIELDS 4 SERVINGS.

For Crepes 112 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon kosher salt 3 eggs at room temperature 12 cup granulated white sugar 2 cups whole milk 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier (or other orange liqueur) 112 teaspoons bourbon vanilla extract 1 tablespoon orange zest 12 cup clarified b.u.t.ter For Sauce 1 cup fresh orange juice 12 cup unsalted b.u.t.ter, chopped into tablespoons 2 tablespoons granulated white sugar 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar 212 teaspoons orange zest 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon Grand Marnier (or other orange liqueur) 3 clementines or mandarin oranges, peeled and quartered Vanilla ice cream, for garnish For Crepes: In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour and kosher salt. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and granulated sugar until pale, then whisk in 112 cups of the whole milk, the Grand Marnier, vanilla extract, and orange zest. Add to dry flour mixture, whisking constantly. If mixture feels too thick, add remaining 12 cup milk. Cover and refrigerate batter for 1 hour.

Heat an 8-inch skillet over medium heat, then cover the surface with clarified b.u.t.ter so the surface sizzles. Ladle some of the crepe batter onto the pan and immediately swirl the pan to evenly distribute batter over the surface. Cook for no more than 60 seconds or until the batter is a light golden brown, then flip crepe over and cook for an additional 20 seconds. Remove to a room-temperature plate and continue with rest of batter.

For Sauce: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, bring the orange juice to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, then add b.u.t.ter, white sugar, brown sugar, and orange zest. Cook until the sugar mixture has slightly reduced, about 710 minutes. Remove from heat and add Grand Marnier and orange quarters. Set aside.

One at a time, gently place crepe in the skillet holding orange sauce. Leave crepe resting on orange sauce for 1 minute so it can absorb some of the juices. Using a narrow wooden or rubber spatula, remove crepe to a warm serving plate. Repeat with other crepes, then roll all crepes into a cylinder and cover with orange sauce and orange sections. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Times Gone By The ladies of Downton Abbey would have a great time disputing the origins of this dessert. Some claim this treat was created by accident by a fourteen-year-old a.s.sistant waiter at Monte-Carlo Cafe de Paris, which, in order to please the Prince of Wales, named the dish for the prince's companion, Princess Suzette. Others suggest that Crepes Suzette were named for the respected French actress Suzanne Reichenberg, who worked under the name Suzette, and who served these crepes, designed for her, on stage in her role as a maid performing in the Comedie-Francaise. Regardless of the Crepe Suzette's true namesake, the Earl of Grantham's daughters will all agree that this is one superb dessert.

The English Trifle

Some would say that the characters in Downton Abbey have as many hidden layers as this dessert! A nonalcoholic version of the most famous of English desserts, this is a filling yet airy summer treat. While some may claim otherwise, Mrs. Patmore would know that true trifles, such as this one, do not contain jelly.

YIELDS 1214 SERVINGS 4 cups fresh strawberries, sliced, plus more for garnish 1 cup sugar 1 (3.5-ounce) package cheesecake pudding mix 2 cups whole milk 2 (8- or 9-inch) white or vanilla cake layers, baked and cooled 2 cups fresh blueberries 2 cups blackberries 1 cup heavy whipping cream 1 teaspoon vanilla extract In a medium-sized bowl, mix sliced strawberries with sugar. Set aside.

In another bowl, combine cheesecake pudding mix with milk, stirring until smooth.

Cut baked cake layers into 1-inch cubes. Line the bottom of a large gla.s.s bowl with half of the cake cubes, followed by half of the sugared strawberries. Then top with half of the blueberries, followed by half of the blackberries. Spread half of the pudding over the fruit, then repeat layers in the same order: cake, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries. Refrigerate overnight.

Whip cream and vanilla extract together in a medium-sized bowl using a hand blender until cream forms stiff peaks. Spread over the trifle. Garnish with sliced strawberries.

Etiquette Lessons With the advent of Service a la Russe, table settings and table decor became all the more important as the cutlery was set out throughout the entire meal and not brought dish by dish. Maids would be trained and tested repeatedly on the placement of flatware, and they would be lectured heavily if a knife, for example, was not a proper 12 inch from the edge of the table. In fact, it was due to this new style of service that etiquette books - which explained the purpose of each utensil - first became popular, as did the idea of a different wine with each course.