On this episode, Apollonia Poilâne joins me to share a few secrets from her world famous Parisian bakery and to talk about her first English language cookbook. She tells us about how she was prepared for the role she found herself taking on, unexpectedly at the age of 18, and the personal mark she’s made on her family’s business in her 17 years as CEO.
Exclusive recipe from POILÂNE: The Secrets of the World-Famous Bread Bakery
Apple, Comté (or Gruyére) and Caramel Tartine. photo credit: Philippe Vaurès Santamaria
Apple, Comté (or Gruyère), and Caramel Tartine
Makes 2 tartines; 1 cup caramel
This tartine straddles the line between lunch and dessert, and it also makes a great appetizer or snack. The tartness of the apple complements the rich cheese and the sugary caramel. You need only a couple of tablespoons of this sauce for the tartine, but it keeps well. A tiny bit of lemon juice helps prevent the sugar from crystallizing as it caramelizes but does not affect the flavor. If you prefer not to mix sweet and savory, replace the caramel with whole-grain mustard.
¾ cup (150 g) sugar
⅓ cup (80 ml) water
¼ teaspoon (1 ml) fresh lemon juice
⅓ cup (80 ml) heavy cream
6 tablespoons (3 ounces; 85 g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Two 1-inch (2.5-cm)-thick slices Poilâne-Style Sourdough (page 50) or other sourdough
1 Granny Smith apple, cut into matchsticks
8 very thin slices Comté or Gruyère cheese
Flaky sea salt
MAKE THE CARAMEL SAUCE: In a small heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar, water, and lemon juice, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and cook, without stirring (swirl the pan occasionally for even cooking), until the sugar melts and the caramel is amber, 10 to 15minutes. (Once the caramel begins to color, it will darken quickly, so watch carefully.)
Immediately remove the pan from the heat and add the cream; be careful, as the mixture will bubble and steam. Return the pan to medium-low heat and stir until smooth. Add the butter a few pieces at a time, stirring until melted. Cool the sauce slightly.
MAKE THE TARTINES: Toast the sourdough on one side until golden.
Spread the caramel evenly on the toasted sides of the bread. Place the apple and cheese slices overthe caramel, sprinkle each tartine with a pinch of flaky salt, and serve with additional caramel sauce, if you like.
NOTE: To store the caramel, let cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate for up to 1 month. To reheat, microwave on high, stirring every 20 seconds, or heat in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring. Feel free to add a pinch of salt if using the caramel for a different recipe.
Photo credit is Philippe Vaurès Santamaria, and recipe credit line is: Apple, Comté (or Gruyère), and Caramel Tartine is excerpted from POILÂNE: The Secrets of the World-Famous Bread Bakery © 2019 by Apollonia Poilâne. Photography © 2019 by Philippe Vaurès Santamaria. Reproduced by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.