Petits Buerres at Home by Adam Thomas

(This article appeared in the Fall 2020 issue of Pastry Arts Magazine)  

Executive Pastry Chef, The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs, CO

We are navigating through very complicated times, to say the least. Unfortunately, tourism and hospitality have been the most affected in this current climate. Some of the best in the business are still not been able to return to work, and in the chef world, work is everything. The kitchen is where we feel normal, where we feel sane and balanced. With this in mind, I decided to present this Petit Buerre cookie, a European childhood favorite that can be a fun and approachable recipe to make at home. I hope it will bring some joy and comfort to those itching to get back to their happy place.

Yield: 16 (2 ½”/6.3 cm) sandwich cookies

Pâte Sucré

• 454 g unsalted butter 82%, at room temperature
• 227 g confectioners’ sugar
• 227 g egg yolks, at room temperature
• 680 g cake flour
• 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
• Finely grated zest of 1 lime
• 2 g fleur de sel
• Simple syrup, for brushing cookies

1. Place the butter in a large, stainless steel bowl [1]. Using a small rubber spatula, cream the butter and confectioners’ sugar together [2]. Add the egg yolks [3] and mix well to ensure a thorough emulsion. Sift the cake flour directly over the butter mixture and mix well [4]. Add the scraped vanilla bean and lime zest [5] [6]. Finish mixing by hand, place the dough on a piece of plastic wrap [7], and form into a rectangle approximately 10” long by 6” wide and ½” thick [8]. The more precise you are on the formation of the rectangle, the more consistent your finished roll out will be. Wrap the dough up in the plastic and place in the refrigerator for 4 hours. or overnight.

2. Remove the pâte sucré from the cooler and prepare to roll it out – have ready a clean surface, a rolling pin and some all-purpose flour for dusting [9]. This is a very wet dough, so you must work with it as cold as possible and work very quickly. Roll the dough out to 1/8” thick. Using a 2 ½” fluted cutter, cut the base of the petit buerre out [10] and place on a perforated Silpat mat [11]. Place a second perforated Silpat on top and bake at 350˚F (177˚C) for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove the pan from the oven, quickly remove the top Silpat, and brush the cookies with simple syrup. Place back in the oven for an additional 4 minutes. This will give the cookies and nice shiny quality. Set finished cookies aside to cool.

Lime Ganache

• 1 lime
• 250 g heavy cream
• 250 g milk
• 500 g Valrhona Manjari 64% dark chocolate
• 60 g inverted sugar
• 125 g unsalted butter 82%, at room temperature

1. Zest the lime into the milk and cream and reserve overnight in cooler to infuse.

2. Strain the zest out and set the dairy mixture aside. (This cold infusion provides a fresher lime quality that is more aromatic than a hot infusion.)

3. Melt the chocolate halfway over simmering water [12]. Bring infused dairy and inverted sugar to a simmer [13]. Add the hot dairy mixture to the chocolate in three steps, ensuring a proper emulsion [14] [15]. When the ganache is at 95˚F (35˚C), add the butter. Finish the ganache with an immersion blender [16]. Place the ganache in a piping bag fitted with a small plain tip; reserve.

Tender Yuzu Caramel

• 200 g granulated sugar
• 350 g heavy cream, at room temperature
• 4 g fleur de sel
• 100 g unsalted butter 82%, at room temperature
• 18 g yuzu juice

1. Make a dry caramel with the granulated sugar: Place a small pot on the burner and turn to medium-high heat. Add a small amount of the sugar and cook to amber caramel [17] (a little smoke is ok). Continue adding the sugar in several stages, ensuring each addition is thoroughly dissolved before adding the next [18]. Turn heat off or remove from stovetop. Add room temperature cream and salt [19]. Mix well. Add butter and mix well. Finish with fresh yuzu. Cool your caramel and place in a piping bag with no tip, reserve.

Milk Chocolate Décor

• 500 g Valrhona Jivara 40% milk chocolate

1. Using a sponge or kitchen towel, dampen your work surface. Place plastic wrap on wet surface and wrinkle slightly.Pour tempered milk chocolate on left side of plastic [20]. Place another piece of plastic on top and, using a rolling pin, spread the chocolate thinly and evenly in between the two sheets of plastic wrap. Wait for the milk chocolate to begin crystalizing, then using the plastic ring cutter, cut circles out while the chocolate is still between the two sheets of plastic [21]. The circle should be slightly smaller than the baked cookies. The plastic wrap should give your milk chocolate a wrinkled effect, adding texture to your petits buerres. Allow chocolate to finish crystalizing, preferably up to 24 hours.

Assembly

1. Pipe a small doughnut-like pattern of lime ganache on half of your baked cookies. There should be a ¼” space from the outside of the ganache to the edge of the cookie. Pipe Tender Yuzu Caramel inside of piped ganache [22]. Place reserved second half of cookies on top, pressing lightly so the ganache goes out to the edge of the two cookies. Pipe a small amount of ganache on the top of the sandwiched cookies and finish with your textured milk chocolate deco [23] [24] [25].

Photos by Chad Chisholm
www.foodphotographerchad.com