Frangipan for Fried Cream

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Heavy 2-quart saucepan
• •Small rimmed tray and parchment
• •Offset spatula
• •Three shallow coating dishes
• •Deep 3-quart saucepan
• •Deep-fry thermometer
• •Wire skimmer and cooling rack

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the tray

   Line a small rimmed tray with parchment and use half the softened butter to coat it lightly. Leave enough open space to spread the cooked cream into an 8 by 6 inch (20 by 15 cm) rectangle about one inch (2.5 cm) thick. Set the tray beside the stove, because the finished cream will stiffen quickly and must be spread while hot.

2. 2

   Heat the milk

   Warm the milk in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until a ring of small bubbles gathers at the edge. Keep it just below a boil. Meanwhile, whisk the flour and sugar together in a heatproof bowl, add the yolks and whole eggs, and whisk until you have a completely smooth, thick paste with no dry flour hiding at the bottom.

3. 3

   Cook the frangipane

   Pour half the hot milk into the egg mixture in a thin stream, whisking constantly, then whisk in the remainder. Return everything to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, scraping the corners and floor without pause. The cream will thicken abruptly. Once heavy bubbles begin breaking through it, lower the heat and beat with a sturdy whisk or spatula for two full minutes, until glossy, very stiff, and free of any raw flour taste. Beat in the tablespoon of butter. If lumps appear, pull the pan off the heat and whisk vigorously; if a few remain, press the hot cream through a coarse sieve. Ça se rattrape. If the bottom catches, transfer the cream immediately without scraping the scorched layer.

4. 4

   Spread and chill

   Scrape the hot cream onto the prepared tray and spread it promptly into the measured rectangle, keeping the layer an even one inch thick. Smooth the top, then brush it carefully with the remaining softened butter; this is the source method, and the thin butter film prevents a leathery skin. Let it cool for about 20 minutes, then refrigerate uncovered until cold before covering it. Chill for at least four hours, preferably overnight.

5. 5

   Cut clean pieces

   Turn the cold slab onto a board and peel away the parchment. With a long knife wiped clean between cuts, divide it into twelve 2 inch (5 cm) squares. If it will not hold a clean edge, it is not cold enough. Slide the pieces back onto the tray and chill for another 30 minutes, or place them in the freezer for 15 minutes. Do not add more flour to compensate; the ratio is right, and cold is the remedy.

6. 6

   Paner à l'anglaise

   Paner à l'anglaise (coat with flour, egg, and breadcrumbs): place the coating flour, beaten eggs, and breadcrumbs in three shallow dishes. Dust each square completely with flour and shake off the excess, coat it in egg, then press breadcrumbs over every face and edge. Bare spots become leaks in the oil, so inspect the corners closely. Set the coated pieces on a rack and refrigerate for 30 minutes to fix the crust.

7. 7

   Fry to gold

   Pour the oil into a deep, heavy saucepan, filling it no more than halfway, and heat it to 350°F (175°C). Lower two or three pieces into the oil, away from your body, and fry for 2 to 3 minutes, turning once, until evenly deep gold. Let the oil return to temperature between batches. If the first piece opens, lift it out at once, patch any thin coating on the remaining pieces with egg and breadcrumbs, and return them to the cold for 20 minutes before continuing.

   Oil below 340°F (170°C) gives a heavy, greasy crust; oil much above 360°F (182°C) browns the crumbs before the centre warms. A thermometer earns its place here.
8. 8

   Sugar and serve

   Lift the fried pieces onto a wire rack and leave them for one minute so excess oil falls away without softening the underside. Roll or dust them lightly with fine sugar while the crust is still warm, then rest for three minutes before serving. The outside should be crisp and deeply golden, the centre tender and intact. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Do not add almond meal or almond extract. Modern frangipane usually points toward almonds, but this particular source formula does not; its character comes from eggs, milk, butter, and the unusually high proportion of flour needed for clean frying.
• •The source quantities have been halved exactly, not reformulated. Weigh the flour and sugar if you can, because a few careless spoonfuls matter when the cream must stand one inch high and accept a knife.
• •Dry, fine breadcrumbs give the neatest seal. Coarse crumbs leave gaps around the corners, and those gaps are where the cream tries to escape.
• •Serve the pieces shortly after frying, with coffee or a small glass of demi-sec Champagne. They need no sauce and no decorative fuss. Cooking well is not cooking fancy.

Advance Preparation

• •Cook and spread the frangipane up to one day ahead. Once completely cold, cover the buttered surface and keep it refrigerated until cutting.
• •The pieces may be cut, breaded, and refrigerated on a rack for up to six hours before frying. Keep them cold and uncovered so the crumb remains dry.
• •Fry close to serving. The finished pieces lose their crisp shell in storage and are not improved by reheating.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 330g)