Craving a taste of classic comfort food? Look no further than the humble custard tart! Mr. Paul throws it back to the good old days, taking you on a journey to create a perfectly delightful English-style custard tart.

Forget fancy ingredients and complicated techniques. It’s all about nostalgia and pure flavor. Join Mr. Paul as he guides you through the simple steps to crafting this timeless treat.

First up, we tackle the flaky, buttery pastry crust. With just a handful of ingredients – flour, butter, sugar, egg, milk, and a pinch of salt – you’ll be well on your way to a delicious foundation.

Then, it’s on to the luscious custard filling. This is where the magic happens! Eggs, milk, sugar, and a touch of nutmeg come together to create a creamy, dreamy center that will melt in your mouth. Learn the secret to avoiding air bubbles and ensuring a smooth, even texture.

Finally, we assemble the masterpiece. The chilled pastry is rolled out, nestled into a tart tin, and filled with the heavenly custard. Add a sprinkle of nutmeg and pop it in the oven. In about 25 minutes, you’ll be rewarded with a golden-brown beauty ready to devour.

Have you ever wondered what makes those French pastries so darn delightful? The secret weapon might be hiding in plain sight. Well, you guessed already. It is custard.

Pastry Chef William Joyce, from French Cooking Academy, breaks down custard into its simplest form, revealing the three key types and how to achieve each one.

Get ready to be amazed by the versatility of custard. From the light and luscious texture of a liquid custard perfect for crème anglaise to the rich and creamy sweet custard that elevates cakes and tarts, Chef Joyce guides you through every step. But wait, there’s more! He also dives into the world of pastry cream, the thick and luxurious custard that takes your pastries to the next level.

It isn’t just about following instructions, but about understanding the science behind what makes custard set, the role of each ingredient, and even alternative flavorings you can explore.

You’ll be whipping up impressive custards in no time. Who knows, you might even become the next French pastry champion in your own kitchen!

Join Max Miller on a journey through time, exploring how fruitcake evolved from the ancient treats to the festive staple we know today.

The term itself encompasses a wide variety of baked goods with added fruits. Ancient Egyptians and Romans had their own versions of fruitcake, but they were quite different from the fruitcake we know today.

Sugar and spices, essential ingredients in modern fruitcake, became more readily available in the 16th and 17th centuries, leading to a shift in fruitcake recipes. For the next 200 years, fruitcake leavened with yeast became the standard Christmas cake. Queen Victoria’s fruitcake iced with white royal icing further solidified fruitcake’s association with weddings.

The decline in fruitcake’s popularity can be traced back to the mid-20th century. The rise of chiffon cakes and other lighter, airier cakes overshadowed the dense fruitcake.

However, fruitcake did travel to space! Astronauts on the Apollo 11 mission even had fruitcake with them. And during the American Civil War, fruitcake was a popular treat sent to soldiers fighting on both sides. The reason behind its popularity is its longevity. Unlike the airy sponge cakes we are used today that require yeast, fruitcake was made with baking powder or baking soda, making it shelf-stable for months, or even years.

Did anyone say chocolate?

A wonderful episode of “Handmade” (by Eater) with master chocolate maker Carolina Quijano. She takes us through each step of her process of creating chocolate, from hand-selecting the world’s best cocoa beans to roasting, grinding, sifting, molding, and more.

And if that’s not enough, you can visit her shop anytime (Exquisito Chocolates, 2606 SW 8th Street in Miami’s historic Little Havana neighborhood) or place an order online at Exquisito Chocolates.

Are you a Tiramisu lover? or not yet?
(name comes from the Italian tirami su, lit. ’pick me up‘ or ‘cheer me up‘)

Anyhow, you’ll sure be craving for your plate of this iconic Italian treat in a few minutes. Join renown coffee lover James Hoffmann on a beautiful journey, unveiling stories, recipes, techniques and ingredients about the most known and loved Italian dessert.

I highly recommend the whole series (4 episodes).