So what do we talk about now? This article might actually come out when it is sunny and warm. Well, anyway, we have a lot of inquiries on warm desserts and baking them so that’s our topic for this week.

Q: Our first question comes from Luke of San Francisco, Del Monte and his question is: Isn’t the Crepes Samurai just the regular Mango Crepes? What’s all the fuss with the name?

Jun Jun: The name part is a chef thing; we love to name our dishes beautifully and memorably referring to a person, place or event in our lives. I don’t really know who exactly invented the crepes Samurai, but what I know is that it was made famous by a Makati multi-national hotel during the early 70s when mango was our biggest export to Japan and also when there were a lot of Japanese here. That’s the main reason it was called such.

It really is served hot, sometimes straight from the oven. But one thing different is that it is supposed to be light since it has a soufflé-like filling for the egg whites were made into a meringue and folded into the pastry cream.

There is evident texture from the chewiness of the crepes, sweetness of the mango and airy quality of the sauce. I love this during the rainy weather. Try and search for the best and sweetest mangoes you can find, if not, it will really spoil the taste of your dessert.

Adoree: It is not just any regular mango crepe. It is a dish made with layers of crepes, custard sauce (with beaten egg whites folded in) and mangoes, baked to a golden brown and served warm or at room temperature.

Q: I have become so fixated with the bread and butter pudding of a hotel’s coffee shop buffet spread; it is so good especially when it is cold and raining outside. I tried making one but it seems that mine became a bit dry. What went wrong and what type of bread should I use?

Jun Jun: I know the hotel and their bread and butter pudding is really something that can make you forget your last name.

Anyway, when making this fave dessert you have to use day old cream bread - day old since it’s a bit dry, it will likely absorb more liquid than hour old bread. Use the cream type since you want it rich and it will be moister than most. For 10 – 15 slices of bread, you will more or less need 5 cups of the liquid since part of the drying will come from the baking and residual heat after it is baked. If your problem is the dryness, just make some sauce on the side for your family and guests to pour on later.

By the way, don’t forget to spread butter on both sides of the bread before laying them on the baking pan; heavenly, right?

Adoree: The most possible cause for the dryness of your bread and butter pudding could have been because it was lacking in liquid ingredients. A day or two-old bread is ideal for the proper absorption of liquids; just don’t forget to remove the brown crust of the bread.

Jun Jun: Hey, long time no hear; this dessert is something I made a few years ago and learned when I took my professional culinary course. It’s a classic country French dessert from the Limousin region, made with a layer of fresh fruits, usually cherries or berries with a batter.

It is served hot, most of the time with whipped cream. Some look like cake, others more like a pudding. I like mine just in the middle like a cake outside but soft like a pudding inside. I am including the recipe with the article but made with our very own sweet mangoes.

Adoree: Clafoutis is an open-faced style tart that is usually baked and served in the same dish. It consists of fresh fruit and a sponge cake custard type batter. The original clafoutis, from the Limousin area of France, uses cherries with this batter. The best fruit to use for a clafoutis is fruit that bakes well, such as apples, pears, plums or cherries. Half of the batter is put into the dish, topped with the fruit being used, then covered with the rest of the batter. After the clafoutis is baked, it is usually dusted with confectioner’s sugar and served warm.

Jun Jun: Thank you Lucia for your support all these years, you are my angel on earth and the apple in everyone’s pie.

Whenever you reheat the pie it should be still inside its mold whether it’s a pie plate, pan or a removable bottom pan. I think what you do is remove the pie from your removable bottom pan then reheat it again.

As you know certain ingredients in the filling will become liquid again, making the dough soggy. After the pie has been baked and you warm it again the pie’s structure is once again presented to heat causing most of the crumbs to get so cooked that it already becomes pastry bits no longer attaching it to what’s beside it; deconstructing it. What I recommend is just leave it in the container and reheat it, or better slice it and microwave, adding a scoop of good quality vanilla ice cream (yum yum yum) and run for another 3 miles.

Adoree: I agree with my partner, just get a slice and reheat it in the microwave for a few seconds.

Rainy days are good times to eat warm, cozy and comforting desserts to make everyone relax more at home. When all the rains are in, floods and potholes, stop complaining, there are others with bigger and greater problems. Happy eating from us.

Version Recipe

Mango Clafoutis

INGREDIENTS

2 pcs mangoes, sliced

lengthwise

4 pcs eggs

¾ cup sugar

1 ¼ cup heavy cream

1 ½ tbsps all purpose flour,

sifted

2 tbsps rum

PROCEDURE

In a bowl, whisk egg until a bit thick. Add sugar and continue beating until light in color.

Fold in heavy cream, all purpose flour and rum. Lay mangoes in a baking pan. Pour batter over. Bake in a preheat 400 F oven for 5 minutes, lower heat to 350 F.

Remove from oven, cool for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with some confectioner’s sugar.