Confit comes from the French word confit, and initially it was a way of preparing dishes, namely, a long and slow simmering of meat or poultry in fat. Have you heard about duck confit? This is it! Also, this beautiful word is used by confectioners when they prepare various preparations from berry-fruit mixtures for cakes and mousse desserts. By the way, the familiar jam has the same origin.
In addition to berries and fruits, gelatin is used to make confit, as well as sugar, and in some cases, corn starch is also added to make the texture of the confit softer than just jelly.
It is best to use instant gelatin, it does not require long soaking, it is enough to dilute it with warm water in a ratio of 1: 6, warm it up, stirring, to a temperature of 60 degrees so that the gelatin completely dissolves, and then combine it with a berry or fruit mass.
So, let's prepare all the necessary ingredients for making strawberry confit for a cake.
You can safely take frozen strawberries, the main thing is to let them defrost before cooking. After defrosting, add sugar and cornstarch to a bowl of strawberries.
Stir with a spoon and then punch through the mixture with a blender until smooth.
Put on fire, bring it almost to a boil, boil for 2 minutes and set aside.
Dilute instant gelatin 6g in 36g of water heated to 60 degrees. The gelatin should dissolve completely.
Add the dissolved gelatin to the strawberry mass.
You can punch again with a blender so that the gelatin is evenly distributed throughout the mass.
I took the form for setting the confit the same as for baking the cakes, since I was going to use the confit for the cake. We wrap the bottom of the mold with cling film and place it on a flat plate.
Pour in more liquid mass for confit, the thickness of the layer can be checked with a toothpick. We put everything in the refrigerator to solidify.
If you are not going to use strawberry confit right away, but do it for the future, then put the form in the freezer, after hardening, wrap it in film and store it in the freezer until use. I used it right away, so my strawberry confit just froze in the fridge. This is how my strawberry cake confi turned out.
Usually a layer of confit is placed between two layers of cream or mousse in the cake. With this strawberry confit, I made such a small cake for home tea.
What is confit is actually a French term, which means berry, fruit puree with sugar, boiled to a jelly state. By and large, a jelly, dense layer. I personally do for the layer of cakes and pastries. It is prepared quickly and very effectively in desserts.
Ingredients:
cherry puree - 300 grams
sugar - 100 grams
starch - 12 grams, preferably corn
sheet gelatin - 15 grams
water 100 ml
So, first of all, we soak our gelatin in cold water, the gelatin can be broken into pieces. Then I defrosted the cherries, added sugar and starch.
And mashed with a blender.
Then I sent the berry puree to a saucepan and brought it to a boil on the stove. Then I remove from the heat, squeeze out our gelatin and send it to the berry mass.
I take a blender and again mashed our confit well. We pour all our berry confit into shapes, I have a plate, and I first wrapped it with cling film, cool it down and hide it in the freezer. Once it has cured well, it can be used as directed. For example, he went to the cake. Well, something like that, I hope it was useful! Inspiration!
Today the confectionery art is developing so rapidly that only keep up with new trends, techniques and designations. And a truly professional pastry chef will never let you say “Bring me that plate of pastries” in your kitchen when there is a dacquoise on the plate. Therefore, TOM first :) Terminology of a professional pastry chef.
Mona Lisa biscuit- French sponge cake based on almond flour, which is named after the famous Mona Lisa. Such a biscuit is used for making rolls, various desserts and for the famous Opera cake.
Ganache- a fragrant cream that consists of chocolate and fresh cream. Like many other masterpieces of confectionery art, ganache appeared quite by accident. The spilled cream in the melted chocolate was not a tragedy, but a real discovery.
Glassage- a shiny mirror coating for the cake, which is made on the basis of chocolate with the addition of gelatin.
Dacquoise(from the French dacquoise) - a crispy and at the same time soft biscuit, which is made on the basis of nut flour and whipped proteins.
Compote- type of fruit or berry filling. Cooking compote is absolutely not difficult - cut the fruit into cubes and boil it in syrup with the addition of gelatin or pectin.
Confit- boiled fruits or berries that resemble jam. Cream or cream is a type of filling made from yolks, cream, sugar and milk. And the main emphasis in such a filling can be chocolate, fruit / berry puree or nut butter.
Cooley- berry or fruit sauce, which is usually poured over ready-made desserts. As for the filling for the mousse cake, in this case coolies are puree thickened with the help of a gelling component, which has a very rich berry or fruit taste.
Kurd or Kurd- a traditional English dessert custard, which is prepared on the basis of berries or fruits. It can be served as a stand-alone dessert or used as a dessert filling.
Nugatin- a type of caramel to which seeds, nuts, butter or heavy cream are added. Unlike praline, nugatin is softer.
Praline- caramelized nuts. Pralines are used to make creams, fillings or decorate desserts. For mousse cakes, praline paste is often used - ground caramelized nuts.
Sable(from French Sablé) - French minced shortbread dough made from sugar, eggs, butter and flour crumbs. Sometimes nut flour is added to such a dough.
Hello everyone. Today I will share with you a proven recipe for a filling for mousse and biscuit cakes, which holds its shape well and does not flow. This is especially true on the eve of the summer holidays, when the shape of any cake can deteriorate from the heat.
Confit is a French word that I heard for the first time relatively recently and became terribly interested. Strawberry confit, by the way, is the most common option, but, as you understand, the filling can be from absolutely any berries and fruits. As usual, I will tell you the essence of the preparation, and then everything depends only on your imagination.
So, confit is a fruit and berry puree boiled with sugar, with the addition of a gelling agent - gelatin. As a result of this process, we get an incredibly strong structure that will not disrupt the cake assembly. And, most importantly, it will look very beautiful in the cut. If you are tired of watching fruits or berries literally fall out under the weight of the cakes, then this recipe is definitely for you.
How to make berry (strawberry) confit at home step by step recipe with photo.
Ingredients:
- 170 g berries (I have frozen strawberries)
- 40-50 gr. sugar (depends on the acidity of the berries you choose)
- 25 gr. water + 30 gr. for soaking gelatin
- 5 gr. gelatin
Preparation:
First, a few words about gelatin. It is best to use either sheet or Dr. Oetker Instant. At one time I experimented and bought other firms, but I could not find a better option. The result depends on the quality of gelatin, if gelatin is cheap, then, firstly, this will affect the structure of the confit, and, secondly, its taste, because gelatin is a component of animal origin. If you do not want to feel extraneous aromas in the cake, then I advise you not to save on gelatin. Here, this one is good, proven.
The easiest way to work with sheet gelatin is to soak it in cold water without measuring out grams, since it will absorb exactly the amount of liquid that it needs. The most common version of this gelatin is this. You can buy it in pastry shops.
We work with ordinary gelatin according to the instructions printed on the package. There is only one rule here - gelatin should not be overheated. At temperatures above 60-70 degrees, it loses its properties.
Also, during the cooking process, we need a ring into which we will pour the resulting confit. I use either a split ring for baking biscuits, or a split form, or rather its sides, removing the base. But, my ring is extremely inconvenient for making confit, it is not even and the filling is constantly leaking. I think that it is extremely necessary for assembling even cakes, it is also convenient to bake biscuits in it, but not a very liquid dough, completely liquid - it follows, no matter how you strengthen the foil from below. You can buy on Ozone or Aliexpress. Here is my ring.
The best option is one-piece rings of a small diameter (the most popular for me are 14,16,18 cm). I hope I will get them soon after all.
It is better to defrost the berry beforehand. You can speed up the process by using the microwave. We do not drain the resulting juice, we will cook with it. Although, with small berries such as raspberries, lingonberries can be dispensed with without defrosting. In the process of boiling, such berries will quickly defrost and so on.
Put berries and juice in a saucepan, add sugar and water.
We pierce with a submersible blender. In the case of raspberries, this point can be omitted, the raspberries will disperse as they boil.
We put on medium heat and, while stirring, bring to a boil.
At this time, prepare the gelatin. Soak the powder in water in a ratio of 1: 6, that is, for 5 grams of gelatin, we need about 30 grams of water. If yours is not instant, then I advise you to start the entire cooking process from this point, so that the gelatin has time to swell. In my case, I dissolve gelatin in warm water (no higher than 60º), stirring constantly so that it completely dissolves,
As soon as the berries boil, remove them from the heat and cool to about 60º.
We introduce our swollen gelatin into the berry mixture, mix thoroughly.
Pour into the prepared ring. The bottom of the ring must be tightened with a film and be sure to put it on something solid, I put it on a cake base. Since when carried in the refrigerator, all the berries will simply remain on the floor under their own weight, if there is no support. To make it easier to attach the film, I advise you to moisten the edges of the ring with water a little.
We put the resulting structure in the freezer for 2-3 hours.
After this time, the confit can be immediately placed in the cake, or taken out of the ring, wrapped in foil and left in the freezer until requested.
It is more convenient for me to get it out of the ring by squeezing it over the free edge, but try it, maybe it will be more convenient for you to get it from the other side. Another very important point - it is necessary to carefully free the confit from the film, in order to do this faster, I moisten it a little with water, so the film comes off faster.
I do not defrost the confit beforehand, I put it in the cake straight from the freezer. The layer is quite thin, in 2-3 hours it will definitely thaw completely and it will come to your table in its normal form, this time is just enough to decorate and stabilize the cake.
Another important point is that the diameter of the confit layer should be at least 2 cm less than the diameter of the cakes, or maybe all 4. I have a cake diameter of 18 cm, and the confit, respectively, 16. Along the edges of the confit, you need to make a rim of cream, in order for it to be fixed there.
Here's how our confit looks aesthetically cut.
This cake is red velvet, the recipe is on the blog, available at the link -. Cream in the cake. Also used in the interlayer. All links are clickable, there you will find detailed photos of the cooking process.
In the confit itself, gelatin is not felt, it turns out to be incredibly homogeneous in structure and tasty. Try it too, it's not difficult at all.
By the way, confit can be placed not only in the cake, but also on the cake. Cheesecakes look very impressive.
Good appetite.
Confit de canard is a classic French dish. In fact, confit is one of the oldest ways of preserving meat and poultry. With the help of fat, such products are stored for months, but this is not its main advantage. The confit recipe is truly delicious and versatile. The real "brand" of French cuisine is called duck confit, which has become a delicacy and has been recognized by thousands of people around the globe. Today we will figure out how to prepare an exquisite restaurant meal step by step at home.
Duck confit recipe
The duck confit recipe consists of fairly simple ingredients:
- Fat duck - 2 kg, only duck legs can be used;
- Duck fat - 1 kg, obtained during cooking;
- Vegetable oil (needed if there is a lack of fat);
- Allspice - 1 tsp;
- Shallots - 2 pcs .;
- Salt (coarsely ground) - 3 tablespoons;
- Garlic - 2-4 cloves;
- Thyme - 1 bunch;
- Rosemary - 1 bunch
Cooking a dish includes many stages and the preparation itself is quite laborious. But our photos will help you do everything right and as a result, the exquisite duck confit will become a favorite of your household.
Cooking instructions:
Stage 1 - preparation of the duck
Since classic duck confit is cooked in fat, poultry thighs and legs are best for it, but there are no strict restrictions. You can take the whole duck and start cooking.
- First of all, butcher the duck, cut off excess fat, leave the skin intact if possible.
- After handling, rinse the bird and pat dry with a disposable paper towel.
Stage 2 - marinating the duck
- Now rub the duck well with the spices, after mixing the salt, pepper, rosemary and thyme.
- Place the processed poultry in molds, cover them (you can use cling film), refrigerate. The duck must stay there for at least 12 hours.
Stage 3 - fat preparation
Before cooking whole poultry, the fat must be prepared. If there is no pre-purchased melted one, then it will need to be heated independently. Here all the fat cut from the bird will do, nothing if it is with the skin together. Cook over low heat, periodically drain off excess fat. Do not touch the pieces of fat themselves, in any case do not stir or turn over - you will get fried cracklings. The heating process will take quite a long time, but excess fat can be frozen and then used repeatedly. It is very useful and suitable for many recipes.
If you are going to cook confit only from duck legs, then this step can be skipped, for cooking you only need sunflower oil.
Stage 4 - cooking duck confit
- After marinating, rinse off any remaining spices from the poultry and place tightly in prepared baking dishes (ceramic is best).
- Add the rest of the recipe ingredients: inside between the duck pieces, place the garlic cloves, shallots, thyme and rosemary sprigs, sprinkle with peppercorns.
- Next, fill all this with fat (if there is not enough of it, add vegetable oil), covering all the ingredients with fat completely, and cover tightly with a lid. If you are making confit from duck legs, then forget about the fat and completely fill the contents of the form with oil.
- We put in an oven preheated to 150 degrees for 2-4 hours (depending on the number of birds and the thickness of the walls of the molds).
- After baking, remove all the spices, garlic and onions, and leave the dish on a paper towel for a couple of minutes to remove excess fat.
All this you can do in a frying pan, "on a gentle rut." Cook for several hours without letting the fat (or oil) boil.
Cooked duck confit acquires a golden crust and leaves the bone perfectly. The bird should be stored in the refrigerator, you can put it in jars, after filling them with warm duck fat.
Stage 5 - submission
- A leg of confit, then before serving it should be fried over medium heat on both sides.
- If the bird has been in the refrigerator for a long time, you can bake it with fat, vegetables, fruits or even berries before serving (apples are often used).
- Duck leg confit is very tasty and goes well with mashed potatoes, barley, mushrooms, stewed cabbage and other side dishes. Classic serving on a pillow of garlic and shallots, seasoned with spices and fresh herbs (arugula, lettuce, parsley, etc.).
- Cold confit is perfect for sandwiches - just take the meat apart and spread it like a paste on bread. Ready!
Confit leg with honey
Duck leg confit with honey is getting rave reviews from tasters around the world. So why don't you try this delicacy too? The cooking scheme itself remains the same, but before serving, the duck will need to be poured with honey glaze. For her you will need:
- 70 ml. honey;
- 10 gr. cinnamon;
- 2 gr. saffron;
- 5 gr. ground pepper.
Method for preparing honey confit leg:
- To prepare honey glaze in a saucepan, mix honey and 2 tbsp. l. water, add spices and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Then we reduce the heat and cook until the honey slightly darkens (it will also become denser), after which we turn off the heat.
- Pour the duck with hot glaze just before serving, and use its leftovers as a sauce, after mixing it with water to taste.
One way or another, a leg of confit is an exquisite French delicacy that adorns any table. Try it out!
Video: Duck confit from chef Ilya Lazerson
