Featured Recipe – Arlette Biscuits

Though they are simple to make, it takes a little bit of practice to perfect them. When they are made right, if you hold them up to the light, you should be able to see the spiral running through it.

This biscuit is great with a cup of coffee but can also be used as a part of a dessert. While working in the restaurants of Pierre Koffmann and Marco Pierre White, I used to make a summer dessert of Arlette biscuits layered with crème diplomat and fresh berries.

The layers of buttery, caramelised pastry is very addictive, so they usually get eaten very fast!

Arlette Biscuits                            

Makes 24 Biscuits

Recipes:     Rough Puff Pastry

                   Ginger Icing sugar

                   Egg wash

Ingredients: flaked almonds (lightly toasted)

Rough Puff Pastry

Makes 1.2kg

250g plain flour, sifted

250g strong flour sifted

10g salt

500g unsalted butter, cubed

225ml cold water

1. Sift the flours and salt onto a clean work surface, make a well in the centre and add the cubed butter.
2. Using your fingertips, work the ingredients together until the lumps of butter become smaller and the mixture becomes grainy.
3. Make a well in the centre and pour in the cold water, mixing until the dough starts to come together.
4. Form the dough into a mass that still contains flakes of butter – but do not knead.
5. Wrap the dough in cling film (plastic wrap) and rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
6. Take the dough out of the fridge, unwrap, begin to roll the dough and make 2 turns – then roll the dough to approximately 50x 25cm Wrap the dough and rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
7. Take the dough out of the fridge and make another 2 turns. Wrap the dough and rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour. You should now have completed 4 turns and the feuilletage rapide is finished.

This pastry can be kept refrigerated for 2 days and frozen for up to 1 month.

Ginger Icing sugar

500g          Icing sugar

10g            ginger powder

Egg Wash

20g            Egg yolk

10ml          Milk

1. First, prepare the rough puff pastry. Rest for 2-3 hours.
2. Sift together the icing sugar and ginger powder.
3. When the rough puff pastry is rested, cut away 1 third of the pastry to use (approximately 400g). The remaining dough can be stored in the fridge or freezer. Roll out the puff pastry into a large rectangle around 3mm thick.
4. Brush egg wash all over the sheet of puff pastry and dust generously with the ginger icing sugar.
5. Sprinkle the flaked almonds over the pastry and roll into a tight spiral.
6. Return to the fridge to firm for a further 1 hours
7. Prepare a tray lined with a non-stick baking mat. Remove the prepared Arlette dough form the fridge and use a sharp knife to slice into 1cm pieces.
8. Dust your work surface with ginger icing sugar and use a rolling pin to shape each cut slice into a thin disc of pastry.
9. Place each disc onto the prepared baking tray and leave to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
10. Preheat the oven to 200’C. Bake the Arlette biscuits for 8-10 minutes, then use a palate knife to turn each one upside down. Continue to bake for a further 4-5 minutes until the pastry has caramelised.

Best served the same day but can be stored in an airtight container for 2-3 days.