Sweet bases such as frangipane, sugar syrups and almond cream, used inside other bakes.
Clarified butter is produced by gently melting butter and allowing its components to separate by density: water evaporates, milk solids either float or sink, and pure butterfat remains in the middle. The result is a clear golden liquid with a clean, buttery flavor and significantly higher smoke point (~450°F vs. ~350°F for regular butter). Essential for hollandaise, béarnaise, and high-heat sautéing.
Spun sugar is a classical pastry technique: caramelized sugar pulled into fine threads and shaped into nests or drapes. The process requires precision with temperature, timing, and technique. Once master, spun sugar adds theatrical elegance to plated desserts. It's completely edible, entirely sugar-based, and must be assembled and used immediately or stored in airtight conditions, as humidity causes melting.
Tant pour tant is a prepared dry ingredient combining ground almonds and superfine icing sugar in precise 1:1 ratio by weight. The icing sugar helps grind the almonds to a powder while simultaneously absorbing the natural oils released during grinding, creating a uniform, dry powder. This is a foundation ingredient in French pastry, indispensable for macarons, Gênoise sponges, and almond cakes. The quality of your tant pour tant directly affects the final texture of delicate French pastries.
Marzipan is a classical cake finishing technique particularly popular in English baking traditions, where it's rolled into thin sheets and applied under royal icing on celebration cakes. Orange zest elevates traditional marzipan beyond simple sweetness, adding citrus brightness. The egg binder creates a pliable paste that rolls smoothly without cracking. Fresh marzipan is better than commercial versions, more delicate, more pronounced almond flavor, and the orange adds a distinctive character perfect for special cakes.