Inès de la Fressange, la Parisienne, a "Petit Noir" (an espresso), a Chestnut Compote/Gelée Tartlet and my 100th Post !!!!


Tarte, 6 servings

What do I have in common with Inès de la Fressange, the N°1 French top model (in spite of being 53 ???!!!!) Not the age....yet !!! (but I would love to look like her at 53 !!) Ok, both of us have brown eyes...hair...and Argentinian blood!! Yes, Inès's mother is Argentinian!
Well, the thing is that Inès has been chosen for the second time as "LA Parisienne", that is, the woman that best embodies this abstract concept of French elegance: the anti-"bling-bling" (French phrase for "flashy" colors, brands), this idea, as somebody said of: "spending time on your personal appearance...ONLY to pass unnoticed"...But you don't pass unnoticed finally, because people admire your good taste! 


Inès recently published a book, a kind of French elegance encyclopedia, called La Parisienne. The book sold out the first week, and it was re-printed. I browsed it yesterday and I amused myself seeing that she also includes a section of where to eat chic in Paris...the classics: Café di Fiori, in St Germain des Près...new places...but then she says "out of diet, and just for pleasure...go to Unico, the Argentinian restaurant housed in a former butchery, and eat Argentinian beef, AND banana with dulce de leche!! (didn't I tell you she had my blood?!! ;D


Reader (getting impatient): "Now Cristina, could you please tell us what all this has to do with your food-blog and your recipe?"
Well, I thought....what represents "la parisienne" food-wise, in her every day life? Probably, taking some minutes off her daily routine, to have an espresso (the "petit noir") with a tartelette...and being the winter season, a chestnut tartelette would be more than appropiate! (and since cafés are sometimes too hot inside, she would probably take off her Hermès foulard...orange, of course, because that is THE colour of "la Maison Hermès" ;D


This tartelette repeats a flavor combination that I loved in my bûche de Noël here. You have a chestnut compote, and then an exquisitely shaky gelée, yes! you barely touch the tartelette, and it trembles!! this is due to the low quantity of gelatine in the gelée..yes, because there is nothing less refined than eating a gelée that feels like plastic due to a badly-calculated quantity of gelatine! Of course, the "refinement" of having little gelatine has a cost...the tartelette becomes difficult to deal with, almost unapproachable I would say!  Believe me that to make it stand took all of my skill and precision, but this pays off, because it will be only "delight" for your palate!! 
In spite of its very "creamy" appearance, it barely has cream, it is a compote, not a mousse, so it is not extremely high in calories...The presence of the black cherry jam balances any potential too-sugary inclination, but believe me, it is not "too sweet" at all. My husband defined it as "surprisingly fresh"! (The boy is learning !!?! lol)


And this is all, I hope you have enjoyed reading all my erratic wanderings, because my 100 posts represent me: this is me, one moment serious and philosophical, the other moment, playful, superficial, capable of saying (AND doing) the most stupid things!! Highly technical and strict for some things...complete nonchalance for some others...
Thanks for being here..100 times!!!





For this Chestnut Compote/Gelée Tartlet, you will need:
(adapted from a recipe by P Conticini) - 6 servings


For the Pâte Sucrée:
* flour, 230gr *butter, 140gr *egg, 1 *egg yolk, 1 *icing sugar, 90gr *almond flour, 40gr *salt,  4 pinches *lemon zest, 1 vanilla pod, 1/2


Put the butter (previously out of the fridge for 1hr 30') in the bowl of a stand mixer (or food processor), with the paddle attachment. Whisk at low speed, forming a sort of cream. Incorporate sugar. Add then, the lemon zest, the almond flour. Continue whisking, adding the egg and yolk, and the vanilla seeds. When you add the flour previously sifted with the salt, just press 2 or 3 times..No whisking here!! Flour lightly your work top, put the dough on it, and barely knead to put all the ingredients together (don't take more than 1' to do this!!) Wrap the dough in plastic film and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. 
Roll out the dough. Cut a circle larger than your ring molds (consider height) Give an even finishing cutting excess dough with a knife. Put some alum. film inside the tartlets and bakery weights or dried beans. Refrigerate again for 45' at least. Bake oven 160°C for 10/15 ' (till slightly golden)

I made two 8cm tartlets, and a 16cm one.

For the Chestnut Compote
* chestnut cream, 140gr *chestnut paste, 140gr *cognac or armagnac, 25gr *vanilla extract, 1tbsp *cream, 40gr

Put all the ingredients in a bowl and combine well. (If you can't get chestnut paste, use 280gr of chestnut cream, but then add 4gr of gelatine)

For the Chestnut Gelée
*water, 350ml *honey, 50gr *sugar, 35gr *chestnut cream, 55gr *armagnac, 1 tbsp *vanilla extract, 1/2 coffeespoon *gelatine sheets, 2,5 (5gr)
In a saucepan, heat the water. Then add the chestnut cream, honey and sugar, till disssolved. Add in the armagnac, the vanilla extract, and the gelatine, previously soaked in cold water and rinsed. Whisk to combine well. Refrigerate. 


 To assemble: Put some cherry jam on the tartlets. Then cover with the chestnut cream up to the edge. Refrigerate. Cut cellophane bands. Place them around the inner part of the tartlets.


Before the gelée is hard (but not when it is liquid), remove it from the fridge. Whisk a bit if it is somewhat stiff. Pour on the tartlets (a little less than 1 cm in height) Refrigerate. Decorate with chocolate shavings, caramelised almonds or marrons glacés.







Comments

What a marvelous tartlet! I really love that choice of filling.

Congrats!

Cheers,

Rosa
Belen said…
Cristina tiene una pinta buenisima y un aspecto muy refinado. Me parece genial la mezcla de sabores.Muy elegante como la propia Ines. (siempre me ha encantado esta mujer,ahora entiendo por qué: su sangre latina. :-)) besos. Belen
vtkitchen said…
oh, this looks fantastic. i love your tarts always.
Although I only discovered you through Project Food Blog, I'm glad I did! Yours is a blog I look forward to reading!

Congratulations on your 100th post Cristina! :o)

And thank-you for your lovely comments on my wedding pictures. It was a perfect day!
Miriam said…
Qué post tan estupendo... te felicito.
Mªjosé said…
Enhorabuena por tu post 100, tus posibiliddes de ser como Inés a los 53 ( ja,ja) y tu tartaleta .
Un abrazo
Magdalena said…
Congratulations for you 100th post. I am always impressed by your dessert - this one looks absolutely perfect, too and I would like to taste it :)
Fran said…
Another beautiful post with a great story and this time so useful to me. I bought a jar of chestnut purée at Williams-Sonoma (a great kitchen store) a while ago and didn't know what I was going to do with it. It was just one of those never used before tempting purchases and now I know what I will do with it.

But now I'm sorry I gave away my Hermés clutch that my parents gave me 38 years ago. It would have made a perfect prop. haha

Congratulations on your 100th post!! I look forward to 100 more. :)
Magic of Spice said…
Happy 100th post and congratulations...This tartlet looks absolutely devine!
Aldy said…
Cris,Congrats for you 100th post! FELICIDADES :)Che, que belleza de tartlet...Una delicadeza total!

Un besote and Thank you for your support Against Food Hunger!


Abrazos,

Aldy.
FOODalogue said…
Looking forward to the next 100!

Congratulations on consistently good work!
Paris By Me said…
Great way to start my Sunday, reading your blogpost!
Barbara said…
Well, my mind didn't wander because I am quite familiar with Inès. She had the most divine clothing line years ago (available back then in Saks in NYC, long gone now) and my daughter bought quite a bit from her line. Her jackets were beautiful.

Anyway...many congratulations on your 100th post! I love chestnut desserts and this "compote" (although it DOES look creamy) is a lovely combo.
Stella said…
Hey Cristina, I don't know who is Ines de la Fressange except for what you've written here. I can say that you 'woo' me way more than she does;-)!! Oh, and your chestnut tart's filling looks amazing. I love that it's not so rich, as I bet it's light gelee is so nice with the rich, buttery crust. Yum!
Bren Herrera said…
i think i just fainted... looovely! so wonderful in every way! deverdad que esta bellisimo!
Anonymous said…
It is the chestnut season indeed and you definitely are at your best with deserts ! Who said you did not have a sweet tooth ? Hard to believe ! When do you open a salon de thé with your own pâtisserie ?
One thing is certain, you have the Paris flair all right... just like Inés (I didn't know she was of Argentine stock) !

Y.K.W.
Anonymous said…
I forgot : congratulations on your 100th anniversary ;D.
I wonder whether everyone realizes the amount of work and the talent behind it =D>...

Y.K.W.
fromBAtoParis said…
@YKW

Thank you SO much for your ever-present encouragement !!!
Jun said…
So beautiful! Congrats on the 100th post! Keep up the good work
Cherine said…
Gorgeous tartlets!!

By the way, I made your chicken liver mousse and it was a hit!! :)
Your chestnut tartlets are magnificent - the jelly topping is beautiful, but *ugh* I am old enough to remember Ines de la Fressange and how she was such an inspiration to Karl Lagerfeld *sigh*

Happy 100th post :)
fromBAtoParis said…
@Denise

You are not alone there! I remember that too!!

@ Cherine

It makes me so glad when somebody tells me one of my recipes was "a hit" Thanks !!!
Anonymous said…
Felicidades. I really enjoyed this post. A little bit of everything with such elegance, as always,
Unknown said…
Congratulations on your 100th post :D, looking forward to reading the next 100. The tart looks amazing, but I don't think my thighs can take it, especially not after the big piggy I made of myself this weekend ;). Well... maybe one tart...
*kisses* HH
tasteofbeirut said…
Love the photos and the tartlet; I knew of Inès de la Fressange decades ago when she first started, I guess with Yves Saint Laurent? Anyway, it is great to know she is still alive and kicking! :)
felicitaciones por los 100 posts!!!
y hermosas tartitas!
Claudia said…
I'm embracing your philosophy and that luscious tart. The chestnut compote is perfect for winter warmth.

Congrats on your 100th! Huge accomplishment.
Hot Polka Dot's Mom (Judy) said…
Un petit noir and chestnut gelee tartlet. Languidly savoured in an outdoor cafe. So elegant and refined like you my friend la Parisienne.

Congratulations on your 100th post.

Judy
Evan @swEEts said…
What a beautiful dessert! And congrats on your 100th post :)
Anonymous said…
hi,
what is the difference betw chestnut cream and paste?
thanks!
fromBAtoParis said…
@ Anonymous

Chestnut paste is like a concentrate of chestnut (it is very dry and compact in texture) used in French pastry to give more taste and body to chestnut desserts.
Adelina said…
Congrats on your 100th Post!!! That's wonderful! I wish to celebrate all your milestones with you. Beautiful work!!! I have not heard of Ines, but I will look her up. You do resemble her :)
this is truly elegant and your photos are just gorgeous:) thank you for sharing this.
Unknown said…
Congratulations on your accomplishment of creating 100 wonderful posts that all of your adoring readers have thoroughly enjoyed;-)
I love your heavenly tartlet accented with an Hermes scarf, a perfect way to celebrate number 100!
fromBAtoParis said…
@ Adelina

I do wish I looked like her !! Thanks anyway!

@Pacheco Patty

Thank you Patty !! I feel you are always there...
Unknown said…
This looks absolutely divine, I'd love to try!
Lori Lynn said…
Congratulations! Now that's a perfect tartlet to celebrate with!
LL
Swee San said…
very pretty. 1Q, what's the difference between chestnut paste and chestnut cream?
fromBAtoParis said…
@swee san

The paste is a kind of concentrate of chestnut, hard in texture used to accentuate flavor..difficult to get outside France! Use the same quantity of chestnut cream.
thanks for your interest!

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