May 09 2008
British Baker to Sell Bread to French
A British bakery firm in Yorkshire has landed a contract to sell a brioche type loaf to a French bakery to make croque monsieur, according to the BBC website. Whatever next! Apparently the British made brioche lasts longer than the French made variety. I always thought the French were very particular about their bread and patisserie, finding British versions too heavy, so it’s quite interesting to see the French using a British bakery.
I have to say that I do like French baguettes and patisserie in general (see my post on Tarte aux Pommes), although sometimes French baguettes can have a hard crust that scrapes the inside of the mouth.
I can’t see the French wanting to import British bread, especially the sliced white type - sacrebleu!
One of my favourite French desserts is ‘tarte aux pommes’ - I don’t think there’s ever a trip to France that doesn’t involve a few portions while I’m there! Recipes for tarte aux pommes seem to vary hugely, I’ve not found a ‘traditional’ recipe for it. I have a bit of a cheat’s version that I make at home from time to time using puff pastry. I roll out a slab of puff pastry which is enough for two good sized tarts and make it into a circle to fit a round baking tray. Roll out some golden marzipan so that it fits within the puff pastry circle and sprinkle some nutmeg and cinnamon on top. Then place sliced apple onto the marzipan to cover it completely and sprinkle with brown sugar before putting it into oven for about 20-30 minutes. A lovely quick dessert!
