Chefs’ Tips and Tricks

CHEF’S TIPS & TRICKS Decadent December Desserts T

BY KEANE STRAUB his month we’re thinking outside the stand alone restaurant and throwing the spotlight on in-house dining in some of Alberta’s finest hotels.

Offering some of the best cuisine being served in Alberta, these restaurants, dining rooms, and lounges showcase a combination of local ingredients, global talent, personal flair, and that extra touch that make things truly Canadian.

While the chefs in this month’s Chef’s Tips are no strangers to the kitchen, they are relatively new to their posts, but had no problems following the assignment, from cookies to carrots, and beyond!

Nestled in the snowy slopes overlooking the town of Banff is the Fairmont Banff Springs, home to several restaurants, dining rooms, bars, and pubs. And it’s here you’ll find Executive Chef Atticus Garant, who has worked with the Fairmont group for more than a decade.

“I’m inspired by philosophies of Scandinavian and Japanese food culture, and I try to apply this mentality when creating Canadian cuisine,” Chef Garant explains. He also draws from local ingredients and the constant evolution of culinary trends.

With so many menus, it might be hard to choose a favourite dish, but Chef Garant says he’s partial to the Rundle Bar’s indulgent Ooey Gooey Cookie (OGC). “It’s the perfect accompaniment to a quality bourbon on a snowy, winter evening, or paired with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream on a summer day.”

Due to altitude and climate, the recipe was tweaked by Pastry Chef Lloyd Desouza. “Baking and the preparation of desserts is an exact science,” Chef Garant adds. Allowing the dough to rest will ensure the flour is hydrated, which will enhance the texture of the cookie. “It also promotes even baking and browning and ensure that the cookie has a delightful chew!” Chef Atticus’ OGC (Ooey, Gooey Cookie)

Makes 30 cookies

700 g unsalted butter 650 g cake flour 700 g bread flour 15 g kosher salt 30 g cornstarch 20 g baking soda 725 g brown sugar 275 g white granulated sugar 5 eggs 10 egg yolks 375 g Valhrona Manjari Chocolate 64% 375 g Valhrona Azelia Chocolate 375 g Valhrona Dulcey Chocolate 400 g walnuts

Courtesy Fairmont Banff Springs

1. Melt butter in a saucepan and let cool. 2. Whisk together both flours, salt, cornstarch, and baking soda in a bowl. 3. In a mixing bowl with whisk attachment, combine both sugars on a medium speed. Slowly stream in the butter until mixture is creamy. Add eggs slowly, one at a time, until each is incorporated. 4. Combine the chocolates and walnut and leave aside. 5. Switch to paddle attachment and mix in dry ingredients. Once all the dry ingredients are mixed, add the chocolate and walnut mix. 6. Put the cookie dough on a tray and let rest in the fridge for at least 60 minutes. 7. Divide into 30 portions (165 g each) and arrange onto baking sheets. Refrigerate baking sheets for at least 25 minutes before baking. 8. Bake at 400º C for 12-15 minutes until desired doneness. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature.

Close to theatres, shopping, and the Calgary Tower, The Hyatt Regency in downtown YYC is a perfect meeting place for travellers and locals alike. Here, Executive Chef Alex Schäfer oversees the culinary creations that boast unique twists on familiar favourites. “I’m inspired by every ingredient I see and taste,” explains Chef Alex, “especially when strolling around the farmer’s market or local supermarkets.”

On the new menu recently launched at The Hyatt’s Thomsons Kitchen & Bar, Chef Alex favours the Canadian Elk Bulgogi Bowl, and the Alberta Bison Bourguignon. While the dessert menu includes sweet finishes like Sticky Toffee Pudding, Chef Alex admits his palate is a bit different when it comes to desserts.

“I am a savoury dessert kind of person. I am not the super sweet and typical mousse-crème-brûlée-cake person.”

Photo by Dong Kim

He shares with us a recipe for Carrot and Parsnip Tarte Tatin with Sour Cream Ice Cream.

The key to the recipe is in the carrots and cream. "Using carrots and parsnip with natural sweetness when roasted is already sweet enough for me, and the sour cream creates a great refreshing balance.”

“Take some time to figure out which carrot is your favourite,” adds Chef Alex. “If sour cream ice cream is too playful, try a more familiar approach like Greek yogurt and honey, or maple syrup ice cream.”

Carrot & Parsnip Tarte Tatin with Sour Cream Ice Cream

Serves 4

2 medium parsnips, washed and peeled 2 medium carrots – orange and purple, washed and peeled 1 Tbs unsalted butter (if not available use other kinds of oil but not olive oil) ½ tsp maple syrup To taste salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg ¼ tsp Dijon mustard 1 Tbs (15 mL) balsamic vinegar or apple cider 3 sprigs thyme All-purpose flour, for work surface 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed Make sure you use small or mediumsized vegetables (avoid large ones, the flavour gets lost!).

1. Heat the oven to 400º F. 2. Cut the carrots and parsnips lengthwise. 3. Heat the oil/butter in a 20 cm ovenproof frying pan. Add the maple syrup and fry the vegetables over medium to high heat for 2- 3 minutes until slightly caramelized and golden. 4. Season with salt and pepper, nutmeg, mustard, and Aceto Balsamico Blanco, then finish with a little more butter. Arrange the vegetables in a rough pinwheel shape in the pan. 5. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to make a rough circle slightly bigger than the pan. Lay the pastry over the vegetables, tucking the excess into the sides. 6. Bake for 30 minutes, until the pastry is risen and is golden. Flip over to serve.

Sour Cream Ice Cream

1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup (250 mL) heavy cream ½ cup (125 mL) whole milk 9 egg yolks 1½ cups (325 mL) sour cream Pinch salt

1. In a medium-sized heavy saucepan, combine ½ cup granulated sugar with cream and milk. Bring to a simmer; turn off the heat. 2. Whisk together egg yolks and the remaining ½ cup granulated sugar. 3. Whisking constantly, slowly add about half of the hot cream mixture to yolks. Pour the yolk mixture into a saucepan with the remaining cream. Cook, stirring constantly, over moderately low heat until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 7 minutes: do not let it come to a simmer or it will curdle. Immediately strain the custard into a clean bowl. 4. Whisk in sour cream and salt. Cover custard tightly with plastic wrap and chill for at least 3 hours. 5. Churn custard in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer's directions. When the ice cream has reached a soft serve consistency, serve immediately.

From the Prologue Café on the first floor to the Wilde on 27 cocktail bar and restaurant on the – you guessed it – 27th floor, eating at the Dorian is for sure a choose-your-own-foodie-adventure, where Pastry Chef Hans Suarez creates those happily-ever-after endings.

At work, favourites include the duck with sea buckthorn sauce, and Textures of Chocolate, where five different expressions of chocolate are represented. But it’s what in his heart – namely his home – that lend to his cooking style. “The people around me and my heritage are what inspires me to cook. I like going home to cook for my fiancée, cook for my family or bake goodies for them and my friends.”

Chef Hans shares a recipe for Mango Trifle. It’s easy to make, and a staple in Filipino households during special occasions or celebrations. “This recipe reminds me of the fond memories of my childhood. Every time my mom makes a whole tray of it, I would be the one to eat most of it.”

To make this dessert a masterpiece, Chef Hans recommends chilling the bowl you’ll use to whip the cream. And of course, patience is a virtue: “Don’t rush while cooking the cream mixture. Cook it low and slow, and it will get there!”

Photo by Dong Kim

Mango Trifle

You can substitute with peach, other fruits Serves 4

Graham cracker/biscuits (save a few biscuits to crumble for the topping)

Mango Filling

4 cups (600g) mango chunks, fresh or frozen 1 cup granulated sugar

Cook the mango and sugar together for 5 minutes or until the mangoes are soft. Set aside to cool down.

Optional: Blend the mango filling into a jam like consistency for a different texture.

Vanilla Cream

½ cup (125 mL) whipping cream 1 cup (250 mL) milk 3½ Tbs cornstarch 1 egg ¼ cup sugar 1 Tbs (15 mL) vanilla 1 Tbs butter 1. With a stand mixer, hand mixer, or a blender, whip the cream until stiff peaks. Set aside. 2. In a pot, combine the milk and the cornstarch together first to dissolve the cornstarch. Add the egg, sugar, and vanilla to the milk mixture and mix thoroughly. 3. Over medium-low heat, cook the mixture while stirring constantly with a whisk until thick (do not overcook it). Add in the butter. Mix and cool down. 4. Once the mixture is cooled, fold in the whipped cream and set aside.

Trifle

1. Lay down graham biscuits at the bottom of an 8x4” rectangular dish, or in individual dishes, filling all the gaps and spaces. 2. Spread the mango filling evenly on top of your graham biscuits. Spread the cream filling on top of the mango filling. 3. Repeat steps 1-3 until you get to the top of your dish. The cream should be the top layer you see. 4. Sprinkle the graham crumbs that we set aside on top. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before eating.

Dining in-house at Brazen in Banff’s Mount Royal Hotel is a salute to the spirit of Banff’s explorers and mountaineers, with seasonally inspired dishes that pay homage to old world style. Behind these dishes is Chef Dan Jiricka, who finds creative outlet in the food he prepares. “I really enjoy pushing boundaries with my food and having people question what they are eating because it’s been transformed into something new,” he explains. “I never want to just settle for the norm.”

The Ginger Beef and Smoked Beef Tartare are top choices from the menu. They not only taste amazing, but they look incredible, as they both come with tableside presentations performed by front-of-house staff.

Chef Dan shares with us his recipe for Crème Brûlée. While he admits that he was never classically trained, and that desserts were never his strong suit, experimenting with this recipe resulted in it becoming a part of the dessert menu at Brazen.

“Most people order it at a restaurant because they feel they can’t make it themselves,” he says. “I’ll tell you how you can. Be sure to keep your cream from boiling, and your eggs from scrambling,” he advises. Lastly: “It’s never wrong, it’s never right. If you like it, you like it. That’s all that matters.”

Decadent Crème Brûlée

Serves 6

2 cups (500 mL) heavy cream 125 g sugar 2 Tbs (30 mL) espresso 2 Tbs (30 mL) Bailey’s 6 egg yolks

Courtesy Brazen by Pursuit

1. Heat up the cream and sugar in a pot. Do not boil the mix. Add the coffee and Bailey’s to the pot. 2. In a separate mixing bowl whisk the egg yolks then slowly add in your cream. If you add it all at once, you will scramble the yolks. Once combined you can pour the mixture into ramakins. 3. Place the ramakins into a baking pan with warm water, just enough water to be below the rim of the dishes. Cover the pan with foil and poke a few holes on the top of the tinfoil to allow the steam to escape. 4. Bake for 40-45 minutes at 325º F. Remove from the pan once cooked, then cool for at least 4 hours. 5. Sprinkle sugar on top then use a torch to brûlée.

A Magical

Tradition

Photo by Dong Kim

The Fairmont Palliser in downtown Calgary is one of the city’s oldest hotels. Originally built during the expansion of the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1914, in 1958 it was named Calgary’s tallest building. Things have changed, as they always do, but nostalgia still lingers in the hotel, and its restaurant The Hawthorn Dining Room, thanks to Pastry Chef Arin Hiebert.

“I like to create recipes and dishes that play on nostalgic flavours,” says Chef Arin. “If you can make something people relate to something from their childhood or past, you’ll have people coming back for more.”

Recently named one of the Tourism Industry Association of Canada’s Top 30 Under 30, Chef Arin has a soft spot for the Cinnamon Toast Crepe Cake from the Hawthorn menu. “Remember sitting at the kitchen table on a Saturday morning eating your bowl of cereal? Now it’s in cake form!”

He’s shares a recipe for Warm Gingerbread Cake with Salted Caramel. “This brings me back to the days when my mom and grandma would be making Christmas pudding at the holidays.” If using a Bundt pan, Chef Arin advises to invest in a good cooking spray, spray the pan well, and then spray it some more. “Bundt cake pans may be intimidating but if you invest in a good one and look after it, it will work perfectly and last a lifetime! Warm Gingerbread Cake with Salted Caramel

278 g all-purpose flour 160 g white sugar 160 g brown sugar 9 g baking powder 2 g salt 7 g ground ginger 7 g cinnamon 2g allspice ½ cup + ½ Tbs (132 mL) vegetable oil 1/3 cup plus 4 tsp (100 mL) molasses 1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla 3 eggs ¾ cup (180 mL) whole milk

Salted Caramel

200 g sugar 84 g butter 1/3 cup (84 mL) heavy cream 2 g salt

1. Pre-heat oven to 325º F. 2. Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, mix together the dry ingredients (first eight ingredients) on low speed until combined. Add the oil, molasses, and vanilla on low speed until combined. 3. With the mixer still on low speed, add the eggs one at a time. Scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl. Slowly stream in your milk. Scrape down the bowl for a final time and mix at medium speed until there are no lumps remaining, about 20 seconds. 4. Spray a bundt pan with cooking spray (spray it well – helps with unmolding). Pour in batter, bake for 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. 5. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then flip the cake out onto a cooling rack (place the cooling rack on top of the pan and using a kitchen towel, hold both together and flip over, you should see the cake release from the pan and drop onto the rack, place the rack on the counter and slowly lift the pan to reveal your beautiful creation). 6. While the cake is baking make the salted caramel. Heat sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Sugar will form clumps and eventually melt into a thick brown liquid as you continue to stir. Be careful not to burn it. 7. Once sugar is completely melted, immediately stir in the butter until melted and combined. If you notice the butter separating or if the sugar clumps up, remove from heat and vigorously whisk to combine it again. 8. After the butter has melted and combined with the sugar, slowly pour in the heavy cream and stir rapidly until combined. Place back on the stove and boil for one minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the salt. Allow to cool slightly. The caramel will thicken as it cools. 9. You can either serve the cake warm from the oven or warmed up in the microwave for a few seconds. 10. Serve warm gingerbread cake with salted caramel and sweetened whipped cream or your favourite vanilla ice cream.

Keane Straub has travelled from Tofino to Charlottetown, sampling the different flavours Canada offers. The passion people have for their craft and culture inspires Keane to tell their stories.