Part 10 (1/2)

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.