Scrambled Eggs, Princess Mary

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •8 small 3-fluid-ounce (90 ml) dariole moulds, or a standard metal muffin tin
• •2-inch (5 cm) indented or fluted pastry cutter
• •Small decorative pastry cutter
• •Pastry brush
• •Baking sheet and parchment
• •Dry rice or ceramic baking weights
• •Small heavy saucepan
• •9-inch (23 cm) heavy skillet or saucepan
• •Flexible silicone spatula

Instructions

1. 1

   Shape the timbales

   Soften 2 teaspoons of the butter and brush eight small dariole moulds, the little baba-shaped metal moulds named in the original. A standard metal muffin tin is the honest home equivalent, though its cases will be broader and less tapered. Stack puff-paste scraps neatly rather than kneading them, then roll the pastry on the lightly floured surface to ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick. Cut eight rounds large enough to line the moulds without stretching, press them gently into place, and trim the rims cleanly. Prick the bases once or twice. With a 2-inch (5 cm) indented or fluted cutter, stamp eight covers, then cut eight tiny ornaments from the remaining scraps. Chill everything for 15 minutes.

   Never knead puff-paste scraps into a ball. Stack them with their layers aligned and roll once; crushed layers bake hard instead of crisp and flaky.
2. 2

   Gild and bake pale

   Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Beat the gilding egg with the cold water. Gild each cover, meaning brush its broad surface very lightly with beaten egg, keeping the cut edges dry so the layers can rise. Set a small indented ornament on each cover and leave that ornament ungilded. Line the pastry cases with small pieces of parchment and fill them with dry rice or baking weights. Bake the cases for 12 minutes, remove the weights, prick down any swollen base, and bake for another 5 to 7 minutes. Bake the covers on a separate tray for 10 to 13 minutes. Everything should be dry and crisp but no darker than pale straw, with only a faint gold sheen on the covers. If the edges colour too quickly, shield them loosely with foil. Unmould the cases while warm and keep them uncovered.

3. 3

   Reduce the velouté

   Melt 1 teaspoon of the butter in the smallest heavy saucepan over low heat. Stir in the teaspoon of flour and cook this roux blanc, a white roux, for 1 minute without letting it colour. Add the chicken stock in three additions, whisking each one smooth before the next. Simmer gently for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often, until about 2 tablespoons (30 ml / 30 g) remain and the velouté coats the back of a spoon. If it becomes too thick, loosen it with a teaspoon of stock; if lumps appear, whisk firmly and strain it. Ça se rattrape. Remove it from the heat, stir in the truffle essence, and keep it barely warm.

4. 4

   Ready the filling

   Return the empty pastry cases and covers to the turned-off oven for 2 to 3 minutes, just long enough to warm them without deepening their colour. Whisk the eight eggs only until the whites and yolks meet, then stir in the Parmesan, salt, and white pepper. Keep the diced truffle and measured reduced velouté beside the stove. Once the eggs enter the pan, nothing should send you searching through a cupboard.

5. 5

   Scramble with patience

   Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a heavy 9-inch (23 cm) skillet or saucepan over medium-low heat. When the butter foams without browning, add the egg mixture. Stir continuously with a flexible spatula, sweeping the base and corners so the eggs form small, tender curds. Lower the heat whenever the curds gather faster than you can fold them. Stop when the eggs are glossy, softly mounded, and still flow slowly from the spatula, about 5 to 7 minutes. If they tighten suddenly, lift the pan from the heat, set it on a cold damp towel, and stir in the reserved teaspoon of cold butter. Ça se rattrape if you catch them before they turn firm.

6. 6

   Finish off the fire

   Keep the pan completely off the heat. Fold the 2 tablespoons of reduced velouté and all the diced truffle through the eggs with two or three broad turns. The mixture should remain loose enough to settle into the pastry but thick enough to hold a soft mound. Taste once for seasoning and do not return the pan to the fire; the warm cases will finish the eggs.

7. 7

   Fill and serve

   Divide the scrambled eggs among the eight warm timbales, filling each generously without crushing the pastry. Set the fluted covers lightly on top and arrange the cases upright on a clean folded linen napkin over a warmed platter, two timbales for each guest. Carry them directly to the table while the pastry is crisp and the centres are still glossy. À table!

Chef Tips

• •All-butter puff pastry matters here because the case is part of the flavour, not disposable packaging. Purchased pastry is an honest replacement for a pastry station's trimmings; keep it cold and choose one whose ingredient list begins with butter.
• •Good preserved black truffle and its natural jar liquor are the classical pantry's answer when fresh truffle isn't in season. Avoid perfumed truffle oil. The source calls for truffle essence, and the concentrated juice surrounding a preserved truffle supplies it without changing the dish's character.
• •Bake and warm every case before scrambling the eggs. A finished scramble waiting for pastry grows firm in the pan, while an empty pastry case loses nothing by waiting a few minutes.
• •For pregnant, elderly, very young, or immunocompromised guests, use pasteurized shell eggs. You can then keep the soft texture the dish requires without asking the guest to accept an unnecessary risk.
• •Serve with a dry Champagne or another taut sparkling wine. The acidity clears the butter, Parmesan, and velouté, while the bubbles suit the little covered timbales without making the table fussy.

Advance Preparation

• •The timbales and covers can be baked up to 6 hours ahead. Cool them completely, store airtight at room temperature, then warm them for 4 to 5 minutes in a 325°F (165°C) oven before filling.
• •The reduced velouté can be made one day ahead and chilled with parchment pressed against its surface. Rewarm it gently and loosen it with a teaspoon of stock if it sets too firmly.
• •Dice a preserved truffle several hours ahead and keep it covered in its own liquor. Scramble the eggs only when the cases are warm and the guests are ready; a filled timbale does not improve by waiting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 225g)