French Sweets Box Recipe
A selection of our classic French delicacies, fresh from our pastry kitchen. This Box includes: Assorted Macarons, Madeleines, Cannelés, a Lemon Poppyseed Loaf, and Pâte de Fruits.
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Ingredients
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Assorted Macarons (about 24 shells / 12 sandwich cookies)
Madeleines (about 18 small madeleines)
Cannelés (about 12 small cannelés)
Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf (1 small loaf)
Pâte de Fruits (assorted fruit flavors, about 36 pieces)
Method
Assorted Macarons (shells and assembly)
- 1
Prepare dry ingredients
Sift together the almond flour and powdered sugar into a large bowl; repeat sift once so there are no lumps. Set aside.
- 2
Whip meringue
In a clean, dry mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites to soft peaks. Add cream of tartar and gradually add the caster (superfine) sugar, beating to stiff, glossy peaks. Split meringue into portions if making multiple colors; gently fold in food coloring to desired shades.
- 3
Macaronage
Fold one-third of the sifted dry mixture into the meringue to loosen. Add remaining dry mixture and fold with a spatula using a figure-eight motion until batter flows in thick ribbons and reaches the 'lava' consistency: when you lift the spatula the batter falls back in a ribbon and smooths out within about 10–15 seconds.
- 4
Pipe and rest
Transfer batter to a piping bag fitted with a round tip. Pipe 1.25–1.5 inch rounds spaced 1 inch apart on silicone macaron mats or parchment-lined trays. Rap the trays firmly on the counter to release air bubbles; pick off any high peaks with a wet fingertip. Let shells rest at room temperature for 30–60 minutes until a tacky skin forms on top (no batter sticks to your finger).
- 5
Bake and cool
Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Bake one tray at a time on middle rack for 12–16 minutes until cookies have developed 'feet' and are set. Let cool completely on the tray before removing.
- 6
Fill and mature
Pipe buttercream or ganache onto half the shells and sandwich with matching shells. Refrigerate overnight in an airtight container for best texture; bring to room temperature before serving.
Madeleines
- 7
Prepare batter
Whisk together flour and baking powder in a small bowl and set aside. In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and granulated sugar together vigorously until pale and thick (ribbon stage), about 3–5 minutes by hand or 2–3 minutes with a mixer. Fold in vanilla and lemon zest. Gently fold in the flour/baking powder mixture just until combined, then fold in the cooled melted butter in two additions, keeping some air in the batter.
- 8
Chill batter
Cover the batter and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (up to 2 hours) — this helps achieve the classic hump.
- 9
Bake
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Brush madeleine pan wells with butter and lightly dust with flour, tapping out excess. Spoon or pipe batter into each well about three-quarters full. Bake 9–12 minutes until edges are golden and centers spring back. Remove from oven, unmold immediately onto a rack to cool.
- 10
Finish
Once cool, dust lightly with powdered sugar if desired. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Cannelés
- 11
Make batter (preferable the day before)
In a saucepan, heat milk, butter, and the split vanilla bean (scrape seeds into milk) until just simmering; remove from heat and let steep 10 minutes. In a bowl, whisk together flour, sugar and salt. Beat yolks lightly and whisk into dry mix. Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the yolk mixture while whisking to avoid lumps. Stir in rum. Strain batter through a fine sieve into a container. Cover and refrigerate overnight (8–24 hours) for best texture.
- 12
Prepare molds and bake
Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). If using traditional beeswax-butter glaze, warm the mixture to brush molds (or simply brush with melted butter). Grease cannelé molds well. Stir batter briefly, then fill molds almost to the top. Bake at 450°F (230°C) for 15 minutes, then reduce temperature to 375°F (190°C) and bake an additional 45–55 minutes (smaller molds less time) until a deep mahogany crust forms. Rotate pans if needed for even coloring.
- 13
Unmold and cool
Remove from oven, unmold immediately onto a rack and let cool. The exterior should be caramelized and crisp with a custardy interior. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1–2 days.
Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf
- 14
Prepare
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan or line with parchment. Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.
- 15
Cream and combine
In a mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy (2–3 minutes). Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Mix in lemon zest and lemon juice. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the yogurt (or sour cream) in two to three additions, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Stir in milk and poppy seeds just until combined; do not overmix.
- 16
- 17
Glaze and cool
While loaf cools slightly, whisk together powdered sugar and extra lemon juice to make a pourable glaze. Remove loaf from pan, place on rack with tray beneath, and spoon glaze over warm loaf so it soaks in slightly. Cool completely before slicing. Store tightly wrapped for up to 3 days or freeze slices.
Pâte de Fruits
- 18
Prepare pan and purée
Butter a shallow square pan (about 8x8 inches) lightly and line with parchment if desired. Measure and strain fruit purée to remove seeds and fibers for a smooth texture. Keep the additional granulated sugar for coating nearby.
- 19
- 20
Cook to set
Over medium heat, bring the purée-pectin mixture to a simmer, stirring. Add the granulated sugar gradually while boiling; continue cooking and stirring until the mixture reaches about 220–225°F (104–107°C) on a candy thermometer (or test on a cold plate — it should gel). This can take 10–20 minutes depending on water content. Skim foam if necessary.
- 21
Pour and set
Pour the hot mixture into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and allow to cool to room temperature. Then refrigerate until fully set, at least 3–4 hours or overnight.
- 22
Cut and coat
Turn the set gel onto a sugar-dusted board, peel off parchment, and trim edges. Cut into small squares (about 1-inch). Toss each piece in the reserved granulated sugar to coat all sides. Let dry for several hours to develop a slight tacky surface before packing. Store in an airtight container with layers separated by parchment for up to 2 weeks.