 A Napoleon—named not after the emperor but after the city of Naples. Photo courtesy of FinancierPastries.com.
June 2009 |
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Product Reviews / Main Nibbles / Cookies, Cake & PastryPastry GlossaryGalette & Other Types Of Pastry & PiesPage 5: Definitions M ~ O
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MACAROON
A small round cookie with a crisp crust and a soft interior. The original version was made in Italy from almonds and was evolved by French pastry chefs into an almond-flavored meringue sandwich cookie that today is made in many flavors and colors. A coconut macaroon was developed and is popular in the U.S. See the history of macaroons.
MARJOLAINE
A long and rectangular dacquoise of almond and hazelnut meringue layers with chocolate buttercream. dacquoiseis a dessert cake made with layers of almond and hazelnut meringue and whipped cream or buttercream. It takes its name from the feminine form of the French word dacquois, meaning 'of Dax', a town in southwestern France. It is usually served chilled and accompanied by fruit. A particular form of the dacquoise is the marjolaine, which is long and rectangular and combines almond and hazelnut meringue layers with chocolate buttercream.
MARZIPAN
See almond paste.
MEAT PIE
A meat pie is a savory pie that can be filled with beef, lamb, pork, poultry, even fish, plus vegetables and herbs. There are many kinds of meat pie, varying in size and pastry types. They can be made in a pie plate or a square or rectangular baking pan. A pot pie is an example of a meat pie, as is a steak and kidney pie and a shepherd’s pie, which is minced or ground beef or lamb with a top “crust” of mashed potatoes. Individual meat pies, which are sealed on all sides, include, among others, empanadas, pasties, Scotch pies and turnovers.
Photo by Sophie | SXC.
MERINGUE
Meringue is a versatile substance made from beaten egg whites, to which sugar has 
been added to form stiff but airy peaks. The meringue can then (1) be folded in lighten cake, mousse and pastry cream, (2) used as a topping for pies (e.g., lemon meringue pie) and other desserts (e.g. baked alaska), (3) baked in a very low oven into cookies or cake layers, (4) baked into shells (vacherin) which are filled with custard, fruit, mousse or ice cream (see dacquoise).
Photo of lemon meringue pie courtesy of McCormick’s. Find this and other delicious recipes at McCormick.com.
MILLE-FEUILLE or MILLEFOGLIE
Pronounced meal-FWEE in French and MEE-lay FOAL-yay in Italian, meaning “a thousand leaves,” this pastry is made as three rectangular sheets of puff pastry spread with Bavarian cream, pastry cream, whipped cream, custard, jam or fruit purée, often dusted with confectioner’s sugar, and cut into individual rectangular portions. When filled with custard and iced with chocolate, the pastry is called a Napoleon (see photo below). Savory versions are filled with cheese and served as appetizers. See also phyllo.
Millefoglie available from Venieros.com.
MINCE PIE or MINCEMEAT PIE
Mince pie dates back to Medieval times, when the recipe did include venison, along with dried fruits, sugar and spices. It was then known as mincemeat pie. In the mid-nineteenth century, the meat began disappearing from the recipe, which evolved into the sweet and spicy mince pie we know today, served during the Christmas season, filled with candied and fresh fruits, nuts, sugar, spices, wine and suet. (Suet is raw beef fat [or mutton fat], particularly the hard fat found around the loins and kidneys. A vegetarian suet is made from palm oil and rice flour.)
MISSISSIPPI MUD PIE
An open pie consisting of a cooked chocolate filling in a crust made of chocolate or vanilla cookies or a graham crackers.
NAPOLEON
The napoleon pastry was not named after France’s famous general and emperor. The name is believed to be a corruption of the word “napolitain,” referring to a pastry made in the tradition of Naples, Italy (napolitano). This pastry was a millefoglie, or mille-feuille, most likely a descendant of phyllo. It is believed that the napoleon, and mille-feuille pastry, was developed by the great chef Antoine Carême. See mille-feuille. Three layers of puff pastry (pâte feuilletée) are filled with pastry cream and iced with fondant. Some variations layer fruit, such as raspberries, in the pastry cream. See photo at top of page.
NESSELRODE PIE
Nesselrode pie is a classic Bavarian cream pie (i.e., a custard with added gelatin for stability and egg whites for volume and lightness). The flavoring ought to be candied chestnuts and rum. It os named after Count Nesselrode, a 19th century Russian diplomat who negotiated the Treaty of Paris after the Crimean War; the recipe began as Nesselrode pudding, created for the count by his chef, a Monsieur Mouy. As a pie, Nesselrode was popularized by Hortense Spier, who had a brownstone restaurant in New York City on 94th Street between Columbus Avenue and Central Park West in the 1930s and 1940s. The restaurant closed before World War II; thereafter, Mrs. Spier baked pies for other restaurants (nesselrode pie as well as banana cream pie, coconut custard pie and lemon meringue pie). These pies became standards at New York restaurants. You can find a product called “Nesselro” made by Raffetto, but if you’re going to go through all of the trouble to bake the pie, find a from-scratch recipe.
NUT PASTRY
Plain pastry where 1/2 cup finely ground nuts is substituted for 1/2 cup of the flour. Ideal with cream pies. Here’s a recipe courtesy of the American Egg Board. Ingredients: 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup (2 ounces) ground pecans or other nuts (such as almonds, hazelnuts or walnuts), 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup vegetable shortening (cold), 1 egg yolk, 3 to 4 tablespoon ice water, (divided), 2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice. Preparation: (1) Mix flour, nuts and salt in large bowl. (2) Cut in shortening with pastry blender until pieces are the size of small peas. (3) Mix in egg yolk, 3 tablespoon ice water and the lemon juice in small bowl. (4) Add to flour mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring lightly and tossing with fork until moistened and dough just holds together. (5) Add remaining ice water, if needed. (6) Gather dough and shape into 1-inch thick disk. Refrigerate, wrapped in plastic wrap, 1 hour or overnight. (7) Heat oven to 425°F. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface, rolling from center to edge, to form a 12-inch circle. (8) Fold into quarters; ease and unfold into 9-inch pie plate. (9) Press pastry gently against bottom and sides of pie plate, easing out any air. Trim edge leaving 1/2-inch overhang. Fold overhang under; flute edge. (10) Refrigerate, covered, at least 30 minutes. (11) Line piecrust with aluminum foil; fill with pie weights. Bake in 425°F oven until pastry is set, 8 to 10 minutes. (12) Remove foil and weights; pierce pastry all over with fork. Bake until pastry is golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes longer. Cool completely on wire rack.
OPEN PIE
A single-crust pie, i.e., one with no pastry covering or other top crust.
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