Which white wine to choose for braising?

For this recipe (or for any wine braised chicken recipe really), I almost always recommend using a white wine that is dry and crisp. A “dry” white is any white wine that isn’t sweet. And a “crisp” white is a wine that has a high acidity.   

Some of my recommendations are:

• Sauvignon Blanc– this is my go-to white wine for cooking. It provides a great acidity.
• Pinot Grigio– a neutral white wine, which makes it easy to cook with and is very versatile.
• Unoaked Chardonnay– this one is slightly richer than the two above.
• Dry Marsala– it adds lovely nutty notes and creates a great caramelization.
• Dry Sparkling Wine– it is a light and crisp option. Note that the bubbles dissipate when cooking, so you won’t notice this was a sparkling wine. 

In any case, avoid opting for sweet white wines (ie. Riesling, Sauternes) which will create over-caramelization and/or sweetness to the finish dish. This recipe already relies on peaches to provide a delightful natural sweetness. Also, avoid full-bodied, rich and/or oaky white wines (ie. Oaked Chardonnay) which tend to develop bitter undernotes when cooking.

Lastly, you shouldn’t necessarily reach for a “cheap” bottle, but one that is still drinkable – trust me, it will really make a difference. Forget the “cooking wines” from the grocery store! 

Can you substitute the chicken thighs?

Skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs are my pieces of choice for this type of wine-braised recipes. They are so flavorful and turn fork-tender. However, yes, you can replace chicken thighs for skin-on legs or quarters if you would like. Avoid using chicken breasts as they will likely become too tough after 30 minutes of baking in the oven.

Whether you choose chicken thighs, legs or quarters, leaving the skin on the chicken is essential to this recipe. The chicken will be first cooked, skin-side down, in the pan. The fat from the skin will melt and render into the pan, and be used later to caramelize the shallots and garlic, and as a base for the sauce. It will contribute greatly to building flavors in this dish. You can choose to remove the skin later – in your plate, once the dish is served.

Cooking tips:

• I recommend you salt your chicken beforehand (2 to 3 hours before), to allow the salt to penetrate the meat. 
• Choosing in-season peaches is best. However, do not opt for peaches that are too ripe or soft, or they will turn mushy once baked. You will want to choose peaches that are still firm, so they turn soft yet keep in once piece once baked.
• Use a pot/pan/skillet that can go from the stove-top to the oven.

I hope you’ll love this Wine-braised Chicken with Peaches as much as I do! This is a simple yet impressive recipe that is perfect for Summer. You can serve it with rice and a salad on the side. 

You may also like: 

• Chicken Provençal with Olives and Cherry Tomatoes
• Creamy French Chicken Tarragon (Poulet à l’Estragon)
• Clementine Roast Chicken with Fennel and Honey
• Simple Chicken Marengo with Mushrooms
• Braised Chicken Thighs with Garlic and Onion
• Chicken Fricassée with Shallots and Bacon

Wine-Braised Chicken with Peaches

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Serves: 4 Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cooking Time: 50 Minutes 50 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 4.8/5

( 6 voted )

Ingredients

4 chicken thighs, skin-on, bone-in
1 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
¼ cup (34g) flour
2 tbsp (28.5g) unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2 shallots, peeled and diced
1/3 cup (79ml) dry white wine
2 peaches, stoned and cut in wedges
2 tbsp (40ml) honey
2 tbsp almond slices
1 tbsp chopped fresh basil leaves

Instructions

Step 1 - 2 to 3 hours prior to cooking, rinse the chicken thighs under cold water and pat-dry thoroughly with paper towel. Season each piece with salt and pepper on both sides. Place the flour in a shallow plate and roll each chicken thigh in flour to cover evenly. Set aside and let rest to near room temperature.

Pre-heat your oven to 350°F (180°C) with a rack in the middle.

Step 2 - Heat up a large oven-safe frying pan (or skillet) over medium-high heat and add the butter to the pan. When the butter sizzles, place the chicken thighs, skin-side down, in the pan. Cook for about 8-10 minutes (uncovered) until the chicken skin is golden to golden brown. Flip the chicken thighs and cook for 6-7 more minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and cover with foil. Keep the chicken drippings in the pan. 

Step 4 - Lower the heat to medium and add the shallots and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are tender and lightly caramelized.

Step 5 - Nestle the chicken thighs back into the pan. Pour the white wine into the pan (around the chicken pieces, not on top so the chicken skin remains crispy) and transfer the pan into the oven for 15 minutes (uncovered).

In a small bowl, toss the peach slices with the honey.

Step 6 – Take the chicken out of the oven, and scatter the peach slices around the chicken pieces. Transfer the chicken back into the oven for 15 more minutes (uncovered).

Remove from the oven and sprinkle the dish with almond slices and chopped basil leaves. Serve immediately.

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The ideal crust for a Galette: a “Pâte Brisée”.

For making a galette, I find a Pâte Brisée is the best candidate. A “Pâte Brisée” is the French version of a standard pie crust, made with a generous amount of butter. In comparison to a “Pâte Sucrée” (traditionally used for a French Lemon Tart) or to a “Pâte Sablée” (traditionally used for a French Frangipane Apricot Tart), a Pâte Brisée is made with only flour, butter and water – no sugar and no eggs. This means it can be used for both sweet and savory pies, tarts, or galettes. 

Because the flour and butter are mixed with water (water encouraging the gluten development in the flour), a “Pâte Brisée is sturdier and less sandy – which is what you want to shape galettes easily, and avoid having the edges crumble when you fold them over the fruits. That said, it is essential not to overmix the dough (stop mixing when it just comes together) or your crust will end up too tough once baked. 

To sum it all up, I love to use a Pâte Brisée for making galettes, as it is deliciously buttery yet easy to work with and very forgiving. The crust is quickly chilled for 20 minutes (for the butter to chill) and then rolled out and filled with fresh fruits, before the edges are folded over in a free form manner.

The fruit filling 

Ripe peaches and blueberries make a perfect combo to fill this simple galette. The peaches are tender and slightly acidic while the blueberries bring little bursts of sweetness. These are perfect flavours to contrast against the buttery crust. You can use any variety of peaches: yellow, white or nectarines – and you don’t need to peel them. 

A little sugar and a splash of vanilla extract are added to the fruits. I don’t think you need much else for these fruits to shine. 

Cooking notes: 

• It is essential to use cold butter and ice cold water to make the dough. Cold butter -not at room temperature- will distribute into the flour without softening. And ice-cold water will bind the ingredients together without melting the butter. This ensure little bits of butter are still present in the dough once rolled out, which makes for a most tender baked Pâte Brisée. 
• The Pâte Brisée needs to chilled at least 20-30 minutes before being rolled out. If the dough is too cold and firm when trying to roll it out, let it sit for 5 or 10 minutes so it warms enough, to become easier to roll out.
• If the edges of the dough crack a bit when you fold them over the fruit, do not fret. You can simply wet your fingers under lukewarm water and “rub” the cracks to bind the dough back together. 

I hope you’ll love this Peach and Blueberry Galette recipe as much as I do! If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to leave a comment.

You may also like:

• Raspberry Pistachio Frangipane Tart 
• Classic French Tarte au Citron
• Classic French Tarte aux Fraises
• Lemon Poppy seed French Yogurt Loaf
• Peach Yogurt Cake 
• Apricot Frangipane Tart

Peach and Blueberry Galette

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Serves: 8-10 people Prep Time: 30 minutes Cooking Time: 1 hour 1 hour

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 4.6/5

( 8 voted )

Ingredients

For the Pâte Brisée :
1 1/2 cups (188g) all-purpose flour
¾ cup (170g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1/4 teaspoon salt
¼ cup to 1/3 cup (50ml to 78ml) ice water
Filling base:
3 tbsp (23g) all-purpose flour
3 tbsp (18g) ground almonds
Filling:
1 lb (453g) peaches, halved and pitted
1/3 lb (150g) blueberries
¼ cup (50g) sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg yolk, for brushing
Optional: 2 tbsp Peach jam.

Instructions

Step 1 – Prepare the Pâte Brisée. Mix the flour, salt and butter with your fingers or pulse in a food processor, until you get a crumbly consistency and pea-size bits of butter are still visible. Add the water, one tablespoon at a time, and mix until the dough just comes together into a rough ball; do not over-mix or your crust will end up tough. Add a few more splashes of water if you feel the dough is too crumbly - but try to keep the water to a minimum. Too much water will also make your crust tough. Wrap the dough in a plastic wrap and chill for about 20 minutes.

Pre-heat the oven to 400F  (205C) with a rack in the middle. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 2 – In a small bowl, combine the 3 tbsp of AP flour with the 3 tbsp of almond flour. Set aside.

Step 3 – Cut each peach halves into 6 slices (equals out to 12 slices/peach). Combine the peach slices in a bowl with the blueberries, sugar and vanilla extract. Toss gently until evenly coated.

Step 4 – Take the dough out of the fridge. Transfer it onto a lightly floured surface and roll it out to circle of 16-inch in diameter (about 1/6 inch thick). Drape the dough over your rolling pin and transfer it to the parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Step 5 – Spread the flour/almond flour mix onto the dough, leaving a 2 inch border around the edge. This mix will absorb the juice of the fruits when baking and prevent the crust from getting soggy. Arrange the peach and blueberry mix on top. Fold the edges of the dough up over the fruits to create a 1 ½ to 2 inch border. Brush the egg yolk onto the folded border.
Bake for 50 min to 1 hour, until the edges look dry and golden.

Optional: Warm up the peach jam in a microwave for 15 seconds and pass it through a fine mesh strainer if needed (to discard of fruit chunks). Gently brush the jam over the fruits for a glistening finish. 

Let the galette cool for 30 minutes before transferring it onto a cooling rack. Enjoy warm or chilled.

The Pâte Brisée recipe is based on Jacques Pépin’s Plum Galette recipe.

If you try this Peach and Blueberry Galette recipe let me know!  Leave a comment or share a photo using #pardonyourfrench on Instagram. Bon Appétit! 

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If you are looking for an easy, fuss-free peach dessert that’s guaranteed to please your guests, this recipe is for you!

How to make this Fresh Peach Yogurt Cake

This recipe is simple and requires only one bowl.

Start by whisking together melted butter with sugar until fluffy. Whisk in yogurt, eggs and vanilla extract. Add the dry ingredients (flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder and salt) and whisk again until just incorporated. Finally, fold in extra virgin olive oil to make the batter thick, yet smooth and shiny. Transfer the batter into a prepare spring-form pan and smooth the top out with the back of a spoon.

Before baking, the cake is finished by simply placing peach slices on top of the cake, with a sprinkle of sugar. 

My cooking notes:

• Use 2% m.f. Plain Yogurt.I have tried this recipe with different types of yogurt: 2% m.f; Greek yogurt and Skyr. Surprisingly, the yogurt that produces the best cake texture and taste is the one made with 2% m.f. You want a cake that is dense enough but also airy and bouncy and the 2%m.f. yogurt cake version is exactly that. Avoid flavored yogurt, only use plain.
• Any variety of peaches work well for this cake. Make sure they are ripe and wash them before using. Use fresh peaches, not canned (which would release too much water/moisture while baking). This cakes works great with plums or apricots too.

I hope you’ll love this Fresh Peach Yogurt Cake. It is perfectly moist and just dense enough, with the peaches bringing a nice fruitiness to it. This is a simple, quick and versatile recipe that you can also make with fresh apricots, nectarines or plums if you wish.

Serve it slightly warm or cool, on its own or with a caramel sauce or vanilla ice cream on top.

You may also like:

• Poached Pear Vanilla Yogurt Cake 
• Orange Yogurt Cake 
• Breton Pound Cake 
• Apricot Olive Oil Cake 

Fresh Peach Yogurt Cake

Print Recipe

Serves: 8-12 people Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cooking Time: 1 hour 1 hour

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 4.4/5

( 9 voted )

Ingredients

½ cup (125g) unsalted butter, melted + 1 tbsp to grease the pan
1 ½ cup (300g) sugar + 1 tbsp extra for sprinkling
½ cup (130g) plain Yogurt (2%m.f.)
3 large eggs
½ tbsp vanilla extract
3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
1 ½ tsp (8g) baking powder
½ tsp salt
3 tbsp (45ml) Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 ripe peaches (white or yellow), washed and quartered.

Instructions

Pre-heat your oven to 350ºF (180ºC) with a rack in the middle. Grease and flour a 9-inch (22.9cm) spring form pan.

Step 1 - Whisk together the melted butter with sugar until fluffy. Whisk in the yogurt, eggs and vanilla extract. Whisk in the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder and salt, until just incorporated (do not overmix - use a wooden spoon or spatula if batter is too thick). Add the EVOO and fold the batter until the oil is just incorporated – the batter will be rather thick, spreadable, with a glossy shine.

Step 2 - Pour the batter in the pan and smooth it out on top with the back of a spoon. Cut the peach quarters into thin slices (4-5 slices per quarter) and place them on top of the cake in a decorative, flower-like pattern (I could fit only 6 peach quarters, fit more if you can). Dot not press the peach slices into the batter, they will set in as the cake bakes. Sprinkle the top of the cake with 1 tablespoon of sugar.

Bake for 1h-1h10min, until the cake is golden brown on the edges and a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool before serving.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @pardonyourfrench on Instagram and hashtag it #pardonyourfrench

The post Fresh Peach Yogurt Cake appeared first on Pardon Your French.

These French fritters called “beignets” are on the softer side. That are not sweet at all (there is no sugar in the batter actually). You also don’t need to fry them very long. They end up being lighter in color, and with less of a crunch. Texture wise, they are soft and airy, closer to a donut than a fritter. But, they are bite-size… which makes it very hard to stop at one!

Maple Peach Fritters

2016-08-11 08:35:41

Serves 6

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Print

Prep Time

15 min

Cook Time

10 min

Total Time

25 min

Prep Time

15 min

Cook Time

10 min

Total Time

25 min

Ingredients

1. Vegetable oil, for frying
2. 3 peaches (about 2 1/2 cups), chopped in small 1/3 inch cubes
3. 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
4. 1 tablespoon maple syrup
5. 1 cup buttermilk
6. 2 eggs
7. 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
8. 2 teaspoons baking powder
9. 1 teaspoon salt
10. 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

1. Fill half of a medium-size heavy bottom pot with the vegetable oil (enough to fit 4-5 fritters at once) and pre-heat to 350 F.
2. Place the cubed peaches in a bowl with the maple syrup. Stir gently to make sure all the peaches are nicely coated with the syrup and set aside.
3. Melt the butter in a small sauce pan on low heat (be careful not to brown it), set aside.
4. In a mixing bowl, mix the buttermilk and eggs together. Add the melted butter.
5. Add all at once the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon – previously sifted together. Mix until just incorporated, do not overmix.
6. Add the cubed peaches, and stir just until incorporated. Again, be careful not to overmix.
7. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Add the eggs, butter and buttermilk and mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix the batter. Stir in the peaches and pecans.
8. Once the oil is hot, drop rounded tablespoons of batter into the oil. Fry on one side for 30 to 45 seconds or until golden brown, then flip the fritter and fry the other side for 30 to 45 seconds or until golden brown.
9. Remove fritters from the oil with a spider or slotted spoon. Drain on a paper towel lined plate. Repeat with the remaining fritters.
10. To serve: sprinkle some caster sugar on top or dip into some maple syrup.

Notes

1. Ideally, before you start frying, you will want to use a thermometer to check the heat of your oil. If you don’t have one, drop a tiny dollop of your batter in the oil and see how it goes. If there is no fizzle sound, if the dollop doesn’t hold together, or if it takes too long to golden, then your oil is not hot enough.

Pardon Your French https://www.pardonyourfrench.com/

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Just a simple, honest, rustic Peach Galette recipe, with fresh yellow peaches and a buttery crust. A perfect home-style summer dessert. 

[dropcap]P[/dropcap]each season is in full swing here in Niagara. All the roadside farmers’ stands are overflowing with sweet and juicy tree-ripened peaches – a real feast for the eyes, and our stomachs!  And I just can’t wait for the Niagara Peach Festival Celebrations happening in two weeks. The whole town will gather to celebrate the Peach Harvest and the local growers – the kind of event right up my alley.  The Niagara escarpment surely deserves its prime Peach Country fame.

So last weekend, I grabbed a big basket of these fuzzy beauties and baked one of my favorite summer desserts: a Peach Galette. I just love a simple Peach Galette, because it doesn’t need to be fancy… It doesn’t need to look pretty…  But it always tastes like summer, and feels like home!

Here’s just a simple, honest, rustic Peach Galette recipe, with fresh yellow peaches tossed with a tiny bit of sugar and vanilla. The great thing is that you don’t really need much added sugar when the peaches are in season. But feel free to play around with it a bit if you want. You could opt for rum or brandy extract if you prefer, in place of the vanilla – or toss in a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg.This time, I chose to simply lay the peaches on the crust, and left them just like that. I really wanted to highlight the beauty of these Niagara Peaches. But sometimes, I like to add a thin layer of almond butter at the bottom of the pastry before I lay the peaches on. Simply delicious.

If you like your galette on the crunchy side, add granola at the bottom of the pastry before you lay the filling. The granola will absorb all the juices of the peaches and the pastry won’t get mushy. And you will have that lovely crunchiness on the edges as well.You can also add blueberries into the mix; they work wonderfully alongside peaches. Enjoy it warm or cold, with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream, and there you have a perfect home-style summer dessert.

Peach Galette

2016-07-28 06:14:56

Serves 8

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Print

Prep Time

30 min

Cook Time

50 min

Total Time

1 hr 20 min

Prep Time

30 min

Cook Time

50 min

Total Time

1 hr 20 min

For the pastry crust

1. (This is Anna Olsons’s perfect Double Crust Pie Dough recipe)
2. 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
3. 1 Tbsp sugar
4. 1 tsp salt
5. 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
6. 1 cup cool unsalted butter, cut into pieces (does not have to be ice cold)
7. ¼ cup cool water
8. 2 tsp white vinegar or lemon juice

For the filling

1. 6 peaches (yellow peaches if you like it tart, white peaches if you like it sweeter), unpeeled, halved, pitted, and cut into 1/4 to 1/2-inch-thick wedges
2. ¼ cup white sugar
3. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or ideally, the inside of one vanilla bean, scraped).
4. Optional - a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg.
5. 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon of cold milk (for brushing)

For the pastry crust

1. Combine the flour, sugar and salt together. Add the oil and blend in using a pastry cutter, electric beaters or a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, until the flour looks evenly crumbly in texture.
2. Add the butter and cut in until rough and crumbly but small pieces of butter are still visible. Stir the water and vinegar (or lemon juice, if using) together and add all at once to the flour mixture, mixing just until the dough comes together. Shape the dough into 2 disks, wrap and chill until firm, at least an hour. (The dough can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored chilled, or can be frozen for up to 3 months, thawing in the fridge before rolling.)

For the filling and the galette

1. When your dough is well chilled, pre-heat your oven to 350 °F.
2. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it warm at room temperature for about 10 minutes.
3. In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and the vanilla extract. Place the peaches in a bowl, sprinkle the sugar mixture over the top, and toss gently. (If the peaches are tart, you may want to add a little more sugar.)
4. Lay a large sheet of parchment paper on a work surface and dust the parchment with flour. Place the dough on the floured parchment and roll it out into a circle about 11 inches in diameter and 1/8 inch thick.
5. Lift the parchment paper, and transfer the pastry with the parchment to a large baking tray.
6. Toss the peach filling onto the pastry and arrange it in a single layer, in a circle, leaving 1 ½ to 2 inches rim of pastry all around. If your peaches are extra juicy, leave the extra juice in the bowl, so the filling do not overflow when baking.
7. Fold the outer edges of the pastry over the peaches, creating overlapping folds as you work around the perimeter. It doesn’t need to be perfect, we’re aiming for a rustic looking galette here.
8. Brush the pastry border with the beaten egg+milk mixture, and lightly sprinkle the edges with turbinado sugar, if desired.
9. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling. Let the galette cool on the baking sheet. It will need to cool off/firm up a bit, before you can transfer it onto a plate or serving tray.

Notes

1. You may want to place a second pan on the lowest rack in the oven under the baking sheet to catch any juices that overflow.

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