The Magical World of Bridgerton
Festive Recipes for Summer Parties: Vol au Vent, Petticoat tails, Chocolate Cloud Cake and more!!!
Dearest gentle reader,
As the Summer season kicks into full swing, perhaps you’ll be tempted to host your own ball or soirée!
We are both huge Bridgerton fans - have you caught season three yet? What did you think? Let’s get some Lady Whistledown gossip going in the chat! We’d love to know your favourite character and why? Which Bridgerton will be the focus of Season 4? Have you read the book series?
If you have binge-watched like us, and have withdrawal symptoms, you may feel moved to entertain in the theme of Bridgerton. These authors gladly present an array of sweets and treats sure to please everyone at your party from the pickiest eater to those of the highest title.
We will patiently anticipate the arrival of our invitations.
Dust off the corset, book the string quartet, lay out the table, dig out the china as we proudly present our Bridgerton Party Menu…….
P.S. There are no spoilers for those that are yet to watch.
Recommendation
If you have a friend or family member who is a great fan of Bridgerton, why not think about this for a gift.
The Biscuiteers, who are based in the UK, have produced this fantastic tin of biscuits. It arrives wrapped with a lovely gift card. I was nervous that the biscuits would arrive as crumbs, but they were perfect. It’s not the cheapest, but please remember that all of the biscuits are decorated by hand. They are happy to export to the US - but the carriage is expensive (it always is). You could always purchase a few items to reduce the blow to the budget.
I should also add that we are not sponsored by The Biscuiteers (sadly). I have just been looking for an excuse to treat myself!
The Recipes:
Sandwich Fillings
Three alternative sandwich fillings to spoil your guests. We have not included measurements - just go with the amount you think you will need for the number of guests at your table.
Cream Cheese and Radish
A great alternative to cucumber, and the little kick of heat is a surprise.
On soft white buttered bread spread cream cheese (use room temperature so it’s easier to spread), radish - very thinly sliced, black pepper, and a small grinding of sea salt.
Avocado & Spring Onion
The avocado needs to be creamy and soft, almost spreadable. Use a whole avocado, scoop out the flesh, and mash it with a fork until it becomes spreadable. If it needs a little assistance, add a bit of sour cream to help it achieve a creamy consistency.
Use soft granary or seeded bread, buttered. Mix the creamy avocado, finely sliced spring onion (scallions), a squeeze of lime juice, a grinding of black pepper, and sea salt.
Prawn Cocktail
Use tiny fresh cooked shrimps to create a dainty sandwich.
Use white buttered soft bread or tiny finger rolls.
Combine equal measures of mayonnaise and tomato ketchup to create a Marie Rose sauce. Add the prawns/shrimps to the sauce along with a squeeze of lemon juice, salt and black pepper and use a spoon to gently combine.
Add some finely shredded iceberg lettuce to your bread of choice and add shrimp/prawns to the top and layer. If using open rolls, top with a piece of fresh dill.
Petticoat Tails
I haven’t made these for years, no idea why, because they are just delicious! A shortbread mix that is thinner, finer, and prettier. The mix is short and crumbly but so delicious! Perfect for an afternoon tea party!
Ingredients
150g / 5oz the best unsalted butter you can find
200g / 7 oz plain flour (in the US, all purpose)
50g / 2oz rice flour
75g /3oz caster sugar (in the US - super fine or baker’s sugar)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
If you would like to make this recipe into a Lemon Shortbread, add the finely grated rind of an unwaxed lemon.
Instructions
A purist would remove the excess liquid from the butter before starting by squeezing it through muslin. Please feel free – but I am not sure that it makes that marked a difference to the finished biscuit.
Into a large mixing bowl, sift in the plain and the rice flour and stir through half of the sugar. (Lemon rind if using). Cube the butter, add to the flour, and rub in until you are left with a fine breadcrumb texture. (You can do this in a food processor, but doing it by hand is quite therapeutic and is quicker as the heat from your hands will bring the shortbread mix together at the end of the process).
Now stir through the remaining sugar and vanilla. Knead the mixture well until it comes together and forms a ball. This might take a little time, but it will happen.
Take a flat baking sheet and line it with parchment paper. If you don’t have parchment, lightly grease the tray/baking sheet.
Preheat the oven to 160’c /325’f /Gas mark 3
Place the dough on the parchment paper and dust with a little flour, gently roll out to a large circle. (About 6mm /1/4 “ thick). You can do this on a floured countertop, it is just easier to do it on the baking sheet, as you won’t have to move it later. If you want a perfect circle, cut around a cake tin base to make a neat edge to your circle. The trimmings can be made into a “Cooks Perk Biscuit”.
CAREFULLY, using a sharp knife divide the circle into 8 triangles, BUT ONLY MAKE AN INDENTATION – DO NOT CUT COMPLETELY THROUGH. Using the tips of a fork, make a pattern in the top of each biscuit.
Bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Once cooked, remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on the baking sheet. Carefully break the biscuits into the 8 and dredge with caster sugar.
Foodies Note: Add cinnamon to the biscuits for a different option and dredge with cinnamon sugar!
Cut and Come Again Cake
This is a recipe that I first came across DECADES ago. It was one of the cakes in the competition schedule at Bromyard Gala, in Herefordshire.
Hands up - SMUT ALERT! I really had not thought that this cake and its name might have slight “bedroom” connotations, until Lisa pointed it out. You Americans - what are you like? Having deliberated, I have decided to stick with it as it seems quite appropriate for Bridgerton! Cheeky.
Back to the gala, in the good old days a huge marquee would be lined with tables full of entries for cookery, preserves, flower arranging, art, photography, horticulture. I was a regular judge for the cookery section and, my word, sometimes I walked out of that tent looking like a Victoria Sandwich. I was very taken with this recipe though, perhaps the brandy helped?
Sadly, due to site moves, covid etc… the Gala has fittered out, but hopefully one day it will be resurrected.
Don’t panic when you see the amount of brandy needed! They seem to enjoy a tipple in Bridgerton, so this recipe is perfect!
Ingredients:
220g/ 8oz Self Raising Flour
110g/ 4oz Butter or margarine
110g / 4oz Caster sugar (in the US use superfine or baker’s sugar)
250g / 9oz Mixed Fruit - toss the fruit in a little flour to help stop it sinking.
1 level teaspoon mixed spice
1 egg
140 ml /5 fl oz skimmed milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
Grated rind of 1 orange or 1 lemon
1 x tablespoon marmalade
1/2 teacup (approx 200ml / 6.5 fl oz) brandy
Instructions
Grease and line a 20cm / 8” cake tin (or as close as you have to this) with fat and parchment.
Using a mixer or by hand, cream together the sugar and the fat until light and fluffy. Add the egg. Add the marmalade and the orange or lemon rind.
Sift the flour, along with the salt and into the mix, Add the mixed spice and gently fold through until incorporated. Add the fruit and stir through.
Preheat the oven to 180@c / 350’f / Gas mark 4
Bake in the centre of the oven for 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes. If the top of the cake starts to catch (brown too quickly), cover with foil or parchment.
When cooked, remove from the oven and allow to cool.
No, we haven’t forgotten the brandy. Turn the cake upside down and using a thin skewer make about 12 holes in the base of the cake.
Drizzle the brandy into the holes on the base. Cover the whole cake with foil and leave upturned for a few hours. Turn the right way up and recover, until ready to feed your guests.
Vol Au Vent with Smoked Salmon
Before you scroll on, this may sound very fancy and time consuming, but I promise you it’s not. Well, it is fancy and sure to wow your guests, but with a few shortcuts, it won’t take much time at all. And the shortcuts won’t sacrifice flavor at all! They will save you time, though. The biggest shortcut is purchasing frozen ready made puff pastry. No need to make your own which can be incredibly daunting and take loads of time. If your favorite deli or local grocer carries a favorite chicken salad or smoked salmon dip, feel free to use that as the filling instead.
Ingredients
2 sheets puff pastry, defrosted (in the US look in the freezer section — I love the Trader Joe’s brand and the Pepperidge Farm brand is good, too)
1 egg, lightly beaten
8 ounces smoked salmon
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 ounces mayonnaise (or plain yogurt)
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1/2 lemon
a good handful of dill
1 scallion
salt and pepper
Garnishes: crème fraîche or sour cream, fresh dill
Directions
Place your defrosted puff pastry on a pastry board. With a 3 1/2 inch round cookie or biscuit cutter, cut out 4 circles from each sheet of puff pastry. You will have 8 circles in total. Place 4 circles on a parchment lined baking sheet.
With a 2 inch round cookie or biscuit cutter (I find small espresso cups work well, too!), cut out circles from the remaining 4 rounds. This might be getting confusing, so to recap: at this point you should have four 3 1/2 inch rounds of puff pastry and four 2 inch circles of puff pastry.
Brush each pastry round with egg wash, then top with the circle. Then brush the circle with egg wash.
With the dull edge of a paring knife, go around the top circle and make small diagonal indents (don’t cut all the way through). Place your knife on the inside of the circle and gently run it around the inside edge — be careful not to cut all the way through. You’re only making indents. The indents will help the pastry rise.
Place in your refrigerator for 20-30 minutes to get the pastry nice and chilled. This will also help it rise.
Preheat oven to 425 degree F/220 C/6 gas mark.
Bake pastry for 5-10 minutes, until golden brown. Gentle cut out the puffed centers, let cool, then fill with salmon dip. Garnish with crème fraîche or sour cream and a sprig of fresh dill.
Chocolate Cloud Cake
I don't think there really was ever a more perfect name for a cake. It's light, airy and perfectly rich and fudgey, too. Part soufflé with hints of a cake, this dessert is pure genius. But, nope, I can't take credit for the genius.....it belongs to the late cooking instructor and writer, Richard Sax.
You can easily make this a day ahead, and, don't worry about the sunken top -- it's supposed to sink. That’s part of it’s charm. And the sunken bit makes layering the top with loads of whipped cream even easier!
Ingredients
For the Cake:
8 ounces (225g) best-quality bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (I use Ghirardelli or Schaffenberger)
1/2 cup (110g) unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into 1-tablespoon pieces
6 large eggs
1 cup (200g) sugar
2 tablespoons cognac or Grand Marnier (you can leave this out, but I highly recommend adding it -- I love using Grand Marnier)
Finely grated zest of 1 orange (about 1 tablespoon -- this part is also optional, but I highly recommend leaving it in)
For the Whipped Cream
1 1/2 cups (355g) heavy cream, very cold
3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar will keep the whipped cream fluffy -- don't use granulated)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Unsweetened cocoa powder and/or bittersweet chocolate shavings, for topping
Instructions
For the cake:
Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C)/gas mark 2, and place the rack in the center.
Line the bottom of an 9-inch (20cm) springform pan with parchment paper. (Do NOT butter the pan and parchment.)
Fill a saucepan about 1/4 way with water, and place on stove. Set a heatproof bowl OVER the saucepan, making sure the bottom of the bowl is NOT touching the water.
Add the chocolate to the bowl, and bring the water to a simmer. Gently whisk the chocolate occasionally to help it melt.
When the chocolate is melted, remove bowl from the heat and whisk the butter in until the mixture is lovely and smooth.
Take out 2 small bowls. Separate 4 of the eggs, placing 4 yolks in one bowl and 4 whites in the other bowl.
In a large bowl, whisk 2 whole eggs and the 4 egg yolks with 1/2 cup of the sugar just until combined.
Slowly whisk in the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture. And then whisk in the Cognac or Grand Marnier and the orange zest. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the 4 egg whites until foamy, about 2 minutes. You can also use a hand mixer, if you don't have a stand mixer.
Gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and beat until gorgeous glossy, soft peaks form that hold their shape but aren’t stiff, about 5 minutes more.
Very VERY gently fold about a quarter of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. This is the magic, so go slowly and carefully. Add 1/4 of the beaten egg whites at a time, being sure to fully incorporate before adding more. You want to be sure you don't see any of the whites. Continue to gently fold until the mixture is a lovely shade of milk chocolate, making sure there aren't any white streaks.
Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top.
Set the pan on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until the top is puffed and cracked and the center is no longer wobbly, 35 to 40 minutes. Be careful not to bake the cake beyond this point.
Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack. Leave the cake in the springform pan.
The center of the cake will sink as it cools, forming a sort of crater—this is a good thing, so don't worry!
Let the cake cool completely.
If you're making this a day ahead, store the cake at room temperature, keeping it in the springform pan. Do not top with the whipped cream yet! You want to wait to add the whipped cream until right before serving the cake.
For the whipped cream:
To make the whipped cream, whip the cream, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl with a handheld mixer until soft—not stiff—peaks form.
Using a spatula, fill the sunken center of the cake with the whipped cream, swirling the cream to the edges of the crater. Dust the top lightly with cocoa powder.
Run the tip of a knife around the edge of the cake, carefully remove the sides of the pan, and cut into wedges to serve.
Store any leftovers airtight in the refrigerator— if, by some chance, there are any. Whenever I've made this, people are literally licking the plate to get at the last crumbs.
Rosemary Gin Lemonade
Since lemonade is a staple at every ball, we would be remiss if we didn’t add our own version. Rosemary simple syrup adds a really delightful herbal flavor, and since gin distilling began in London it makes perfect sense to add it. Of course, for those who wish it to remain a mocktail, leave out the gin and add a splash of club soda for a fun non-alcoholic version.
Ingredients
1 shot gin
1 shot of rosemary simple syrup, recipe below
Fresh lemonade, 4-5 lemons
Club soda, optional
Directions
For the rosemary simple syrup: In a small pot on your stove, heat 1 cup water with 1 cup granulated sugar and 2-3 sprigs of rosemary over medium heat. Stir occasionally and once the sugar is completely dissolved, remove from heat and let cool. Once cool, remove rosemary sprigs, and strain into a mason jar.
For the lemonade: squeeze lemons until you have 1 cup of fresh lemon juice. I find, depending on the size and juiceness of the lemons, it can take anywhere from 3-5. In a large pitcher, combine fresh lemon juice with 1 cup of rosemary simple syrup. Stir and fill pitcher with water. Give another stir and taste. You may need to add more water or more lemon juice or even more simple syrup — adjust until you are happy with the result. Add ice or place in your refrigerator to chill until ready to serve.
To make the cocktail: Fill a highball glass with ice, then add the gin and fill it to the top with lemonade. If you like a little sparkle, leave room at the top for a splash or two of club soda.
Until next week, friends!
xo
Jane and Lisa