Welcome to my blog, Baking is my Zen!
I thought it appropriate to visit Melissa Patisserie in Brooklyn, New York
before posting Melissa Murphy's recipe,
Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Caramel Rum Raisin Sauce
on my blog from her book, THE SWEET MELISSA BAKING BOOK. Melissa owns two patisseries.
One is in Carroll Gardens on Court Street and the other in Park Slope on Seventh Avenue.
Sweet Melissa Patisserie
This year, I joined a baking group called Sweet Melissa Sundays.
One of the prerequisites to joining this group is owning Melissa Murphy’s book. Baking is done weekly. Weekly, one baker is assigned to host. The host baker posts the RECIPE from the book on her blog. Only the host baker can post the recipe. The other bakers also bake, post photos and stories of their baking experience on their blogs and link the host bakers’ recipe post from their blog.
Sweet Melissa Patisserie
This year, I joined a baking group called Sweet Melissa Sundays.
One of the prerequisites to joining this group is owning Melissa Murphy’s book. Baking is done weekly. Weekly, one baker is assigned to host. The host baker posts the RECIPE from the book on her blog. Only the host baker can post the recipe. The other bakers also bake, post photos and stories of their baking experience on their blogs and link the host bakers’ recipe post from their blog.
A little about Melissa Murphy ~
Adapted excerpt from gothamist.com:
“Native New Yorker Melissa Murphy owns Sweet Melissa Patisserie, a beloved Brooklyn house of tempting treats that opened in Cobble Hill in 1998.
A graduate of New York’s French Culinary Institute,
Melissa Murphy has spent the past decade building a budding dessert empire, bolstered by a profile-raising appearance on the Food Network and a baking book published by Viking. Murphy owns a second Sweet Melissa location in Park Slope and went on to claim the Zagat award for Best Tarts and Pies.”Click on links to view INTERVIEWS:
Gothamist
Excerpt from gothamist.com:
“What makes your pies and tarts so award-worthy?
At Sweet Melissa’s we strive to make “everyone’s favorite desserts, better than they’ve had them before.” All of our desserts and pastries are handmade; we are not interested in desserts that have 10 components. I want to eat chewy cookies, buttery muffins and luscious layer cakes – and I’m not alone! “Paper Palate
Excerpt from paperpalate.net:
“There is a bee theme throughout the cookbook, your website, and even the storefront. What’s the story behind that?
MM: The honeybee is the logo of Sweet Melissa Patisserie; Melissa means honeybee in Greek. So I thought it was a very cute idea for the logo. I love the little dotted bee trail that follows behind him, it gives him personality, it’s a kind of a loop-dee loop. It reminds me of the path I’m on, sometimes filled with unplanned detours, but always knowing where I’m headed!”
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I stopped by the two Sweet Melissa Patisserie locations and took photos to share with you. The staff was very friendly! I ordered some desserts to go. So delish! Melissa’s desserts ROCK! My favorite was the fruit tart!
CARROLL GARDENS, BROOKLYN
(established 1998)
~ Also includes Sweet Melissa Creamerie
276 Court St (at Douglass)
Brooklyn, NY 11231
Tel. 718-855-3410 Fax. 718-855-1085
Open M-Th:7:30am-10pm, F:7:30am-Mid, Sa:8am-Mid, Su:8am-10pm
~ Also includes Sweet Melissa Creamerie
276 Court St (at Douglass)
Brooklyn, NY 11231
Tel. 718-855-3410 Fax. 718-855-1085
Open M-Th:7:30am-10pm, F:7:30am-Mid, Sa:8am-Mid, Su:8am-10pm
Here is Laura...love her hat!
on left-Pumpkin Bread Pudding
Creamerie~
Here is Aaron. He works in Creamerie. Very friendly!
Garden
Helen is an intern. She works in Pastry.
PARK SLOPE, BROOKLYN
(established 2006)
~ Also includes Sweet Melissa Creamerie
175 Seventh Avenue (btwn 1st & 2nd Streets)
Brooklyn, NY 11215
Tel. 718-788-2700 Fax. 718-788-2767
Open M-Th:7am-10pm, F:7am-Mid, Sa:8am-Mid, Su:8am-10pm
Creamerie section ~
Erin (Melissa's sister)
Erin (Melissa Murphy's sister) on left.
Here is the garden...
Here is Kacy, Supervisor at Sweet Melissa Patisserie in Park Slope preparing coffee for a customer.
Kacy, thanks for your great customer service!~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
My walk to and from my car to the patisserie...
a view of the streets in Park Slope, Brooklyn.
***********************************
***********************************Below is Melissa Murphy’s recipe exactly as written from her book,
THE SWEET MELISSA BAKING BOOK.
PUMPKIN BREAD PUDDING WITH CARAMEL RUM RAISIN SAUCE
By Melissa Murphy
This is the one to serve if you want people to bow at your feet. It’s totally unassuming, so you’ll be able to say, “Oh, it’s just a little bread pudding I threw together.” But your guests are going to love it, even if they don’t like caramel, rum, or raisins. It’s super-crazy-yummy deliciousness.
Makes 8 to 10 servings
FOR THE BREAD PUDDING
1 loaf of brioche (about 1 pound)
2 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped
3 cinnamon sticks, crushed
One 2-inch piece fresh ginger, coarsely chopped
6 whole cloves
5 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
¾ cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup pumpkin puree, fresh (see note, page 197) or canned
(Page 197: To make fresh pumpkin puree, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Halve and seed a medium sugar pumpkin (5 to 6 pounds). Roast the halves cut side down on the baking sheet for 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until tender. Remove to a wire rack to cool. When cool, scrape the pulp away from the skin and puree in a food processor. Makes about 2 cups.)
FOR THE CINNAMON SUGAR
3 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
FOR THE CARAMEL RUM RAISIN SAUCE
1/4 cup dark rum
1/3 cup raisins
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons water
3/4 cup heavy cream
BEFORE YOU START
Position a rack in the center of your oven. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly butter a 2-quart baking dish.
TO MAKE THE BREAD PUDDING
1. Cut the brioche into 1-inch pieces. Lay them on a cookie sheet in an even layer and lightly toast them in the oven to dry, about 10 minutes.
2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk, heavy cream, vanilla bean pod and seeds, cinnamon sticks, ginger, and cloves and heat to scalding, or until the cream is steaming and tiny bubbles have formed along the edges. Do not boil. Remove from the heat and cover with aluminum foil. Let steep for at least 20 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, salt and pumpkin puree until very smooth.
4. When the cream mixture has steeped, reheat the cream over medium heat until hot but not boiling. Temper the cream mixture into the egg mixture, pouring it little by little and whisking all the while.
5. Place the toasted brioche in the prepared pan. Strain the custard over the bread and press down lightly with your hands so that all bread is soaking. Let soak for 20 minutes.
6. FOR THE CINNAMON SUGAR: In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle on top of the bread pudding.
7. Place the baking dish inside a roasting pan large enough to hold it. Fill the roasting pan with hot water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the baking dish. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until set. It will poof slightly when ready. Remove to a wire rack to cool to warm before serving.
TO MAKE THE SAUCE
1. In a microwave on high, heat the rum and raisins for 30 seconds.
2. In a small saucepan, heat the cream to scalding; do not boil.
3. In a medium saucepan over high heat, combine the sugar and water and heat until amber in color (like clover honey). (Please be careful when caramelizing sugar-no kids in the room. Hot sugar is a very bad burn.) Remove from the heat and quickly stir in a little of the hot heavy cream to stop the cooking. Add the remaining heavy cream, stirring until smooth, and then sir in the rum and raisins.
Serve warm from the baking dish with the caramel-rum raisin sauce. The bread pudding keeps tightly wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Warm before serving. The sauce will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Warm and stir before serving.
PRO TIP: When making bread puddings, dry bread is best. The less moisture or water that is present in the loaf, the more room there is for the custard to soak into. This results in a bread pudding that is creamy and custardy, not soggy.
By Melissa Murphy
This is the one to serve if you want people to bow at your feet. It’s totally unassuming, so you’ll be able to say, “Oh, it’s just a little bread pudding I threw together.” But your guests are going to love it, even if they don’t like caramel, rum, or raisins. It’s super-crazy-yummy deliciousness.
Makes 8 to 10 servings
FOR THE BREAD PUDDING
1 loaf of brioche (about 1 pound)
2 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped
3 cinnamon sticks, crushed
One 2-inch piece fresh ginger, coarsely chopped
6 whole cloves
5 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
¾ cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup pumpkin puree, fresh (see note, page 197) or canned
(Page 197: To make fresh pumpkin puree, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Halve and seed a medium sugar pumpkin (5 to 6 pounds). Roast the halves cut side down on the baking sheet for 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until tender. Remove to a wire rack to cool. When cool, scrape the pulp away from the skin and puree in a food processor. Makes about 2 cups.)
FOR THE CINNAMON SUGAR
3 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
FOR THE CARAMEL RUM RAISIN SAUCE
1/4 cup dark rum
1/3 cup raisins
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons water
3/4 cup heavy cream
BEFORE YOU START
Position a rack in the center of your oven. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly butter a 2-quart baking dish.
TO MAKE THE BREAD PUDDING
1. Cut the brioche into 1-inch pieces. Lay them on a cookie sheet in an even layer and lightly toast them in the oven to dry, about 10 minutes.
2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk, heavy cream, vanilla bean pod and seeds, cinnamon sticks, ginger, and cloves and heat to scalding, or until the cream is steaming and tiny bubbles have formed along the edges. Do not boil. Remove from the heat and cover with aluminum foil. Let steep for at least 20 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, salt and pumpkin puree until very smooth.
4. When the cream mixture has steeped, reheat the cream over medium heat until hot but not boiling. Temper the cream mixture into the egg mixture, pouring it little by little and whisking all the while.
5. Place the toasted brioche in the prepared pan. Strain the custard over the bread and press down lightly with your hands so that all bread is soaking. Let soak for 20 minutes.
6. FOR THE CINNAMON SUGAR: In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle on top of the bread pudding.
7. Place the baking dish inside a roasting pan large enough to hold it. Fill the roasting pan with hot water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the baking dish. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until set. It will poof slightly when ready. Remove to a wire rack to cool to warm before serving.
TO MAKE THE SAUCE
1. In a microwave on high, heat the rum and raisins for 30 seconds.
2. In a small saucepan, heat the cream to scalding; do not boil.
3. In a medium saucepan over high heat, combine the sugar and water and heat until amber in color (like clover honey). (Please be careful when caramelizing sugar-no kids in the room. Hot sugar is a very bad burn.) Remove from the heat and quickly stir in a little of the hot heavy cream to stop the cooking. Add the remaining heavy cream, stirring until smooth, and then sir in the rum and raisins.
Serve warm from the baking dish with the caramel-rum raisin sauce. The bread pudding keeps tightly wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Warm before serving. The sauce will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Warm and stir before serving.
PRO TIP: When making bread puddings, dry bread is best. The less moisture or water that is present in the loaf, the more room there is for the custard to soak into. This results in a bread pudding that is creamy and custardy, not soggy.
My posting for the group Sweet Melissa Sundays,
(sms) Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Caramel Rum Raisin Sauce
(sms) Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Caramel Rum Raisin Sauce
can be seen HERE.
Carmen
Baking is my Zen…sweet nibbles for the soul
What a fun post Carmen!! I didn't know there were two locations for Melissa's bakeries. Hopefully I can talk my husband into a trip to NYC soon to visit!
ReplyDeleteI will definitely have to take a trip over there. Although from Jersey, I think I've visited Brooklyn only twice, the first time was to Luger's. Loved all your pics!
ReplyDelete