Shaheen Peerbhai

Copenhagen Bakery Tour

Shaheen — Mon, 01 Oct 2018 12:37:19 +0000

I’m just back from a trip to Copenhagen the sole purpose of which was to go and check out the bakeries that everyone (in London) keeps talking about.

Bakeries in Copenhagen

Juno the Bakery. This little gem alone made the trip to CPH worthwhile. Juno is on a quiet street in the Østerbro neighbourhood. But once you make your way to the street you just need to follow the sweet smell of cardamom and/or spot a queue. We went here two days in a row and tried out pretty much everything. Einkorn and rye bun with organic salted butter and Comté, cardamom buns, apple chausson aux pommes, apple tart, chocolate tart. Satisfying, happy and I’m still thinking about it with so much joy.

Lille. The newest “little” addition to the bakery scene. I followed along on Instagram on a friend’s recommendation and was quite taken by their sweet story of making it happen with the help of Kickstarter. An airy, no-frills warehouse conversion that sits at the edge of Copenhagen, the bakery is utterly charming and the Berliner and fennel fizz were just lovely.

Andersen & Maillard. A beautiful coffee shop making pastries is and viennoiserie in the grungy part of CPH that makes a mean soft serve on croissant. Came highly recommended by industry friend and didn’t disappoint.

Democratic Coffee. Good pain au chocolat and fiter. OK chocolate chip cookie.

Leckerbaer. Bijou little pastries that are prettier than they taste.

Corner at 108. I had such high expectations from this shop after seeing zillions of shiny photos of kmobucha, blackcurrant and cep mushroom glazed (not together) Danishes. Sadly it didn’t live up – and the ones I had were rather dense. I’m just hoping they were having an off-day.

Just my luck that I missed the much anticipated opening of Hart Bageri by a day!

Eating in Copenhagen

Hija de Sanchez tacos that made me want to go back to Mexico, exceptional pizza at Baest, bread and sourdough croissant at Mirabelle, Torvehallerne market, Alice ice cream, smørrebrøds at Aamann’s Deli and Palægade.

Shopping in Copenhagen

Hay House, Illums Boghilus, Stilleben, Frederiksberg Loppemarked (flea market), Loppehydler (charity shop).

The post Copenhagen Bakery Tour appeared first on Shaheen Peerbhai.

Baking Masterclasses: July-August 2018, MUM, DEL, BLR

arjwiz — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 04:41:03 +0000

Well, hello! It’s been a while and I’m going to keep it short. I AM COMING TO INDIA for a new set of baking classes…. now!

I’m very excited to announce that I’ll be in India taking my baking masterclasses in Mumbai, Delhi NCR and Bengaluru this MONTH! Sign up, sign up!

Every class is brand new, incorporating recipes made completely from scratch with a simplified approach. Three of the 6 classes happen to be egg-free; as always, these egg-free classes are for everyone – no measly substitutes, just pure recipes that don’t need eggs. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or just keen to start a hobby, you’ll find some classes that suit you.

Just like last time, a part of the profits will be donated to Educate Girls, an NGO that helps young girls in rural India receive the education they deserve.

xx Shaheen

Menu | Schedule | FAQs | Locations | Shaheen

RESERVE YOUR SPOTS!

The post Baking Masterclasses: July-August 2018, MUM, DEL, BLR appeared first on Shaheen Peerbhai.

Mercado Central, Valencia

Shaheen — Sun, 13 May 2018 19:57:33 +0000

Arjun and I were in Valencia, Spain for a family wedding. In between events we sneaked out to the market. And what a treat that was. The freshest produce. The pinkest of prawns. The juiciest winter tomatoes. Glorious. I bought back almonds and chufa (tiger nuts) to remind me of the horchata we bought in pails by the litre.

I came back wanting/feeling three things:
– A desire to cook a pumpkin right under the grill, just like they did at the market-
– Cook with fresh herbs more than I do (but somehow, in London, I forget all about it because buying herbs in packets is a sad reality)
– a new love for winter tomatoes

The post Mercado Central, Valencia appeared first on Shaheen Peerbhai.

My new cookbook is almost here!

Shaheen — Tue, 13 Mar 2018 12:58:26 +0000

I’ve been meaning to write a post for a while and have so much to update you about. Most importantly, my first cookbook, which I’ve been working on for almost 3 years, is finally ready for preorder!

PARIS PICNIC CLUB

In this charmingly illustrated book, you will read about Shaheen and Jennie’s story, and find over 100 flavorful recipes inspired by the diverse cuisines of modern Paris. You’ll delight in eclectic small plates and sharing platters, abundant tartines, creative drinks, indulgent desserts, and more—to savour and share in your favourite picnic spot or at your dinner table. Read more about the book and find pre-order links at parispicnicclub.com.

I got my advance copy on Sunday and here’s a photo of when I first laid my hands on it. After only having looked at manuscripts and layouts on my computer screen and A4 printer papers, to have a hardbound book in my hands felt surreal. It’s finally ready and stocked in warehouses in the States for a release date of 3 April 2018 and May 7 in the UK. My local distributor in India is Penguin India, and I’ll get back to you with more details on where you can buy it. It will be available on Amazon USA and Amazon UK (you can preorder now!) as well as on Amazon.in (add your email address to be notified). I’m also planning on some cool collaborations to mark the launch of the book, so stay tuned on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter.

SUCRÉ ZINE

Sucré is a mini book on French pâtisserie that I have just launched with my designer friend, Manolya. In these pages you will find recipes and techniques, stories and superstitions, maps and facts about some of the glorious pastries of France. Here’s where you can find more information on the zine, take a peek at the pages and order your copy (shipping worldwide!): sucrezine.purplefoodie.com

If you happen to be in London, join me for the launch party of SUCRÉ over cakes and fruity fizz! RSVP here.

TRAINING w/ EURO CHAMPION BAKER

I went away for a few days to France to further my obsession over perfectly laminated viennoiserie. I’ve posted a bunch of photos and a technique on shaping a mini braided loaf on Instagram. Learning from the Master French bakery about his techniques, precision and care for creating superlative croissants, pain au chocolat and lots more was an incredible experience, and I can’t wait to share them with you whenever I’m back teaching.

PARIS!

While I was in Paris and I took the opportunity to eat at a bunch of different places – some new, some old favourites. Here’s a quick round up:
Pastries: Sadaharu Aoki, La Goutte d’Or, Gilles Marchal, Pâtisserie Nanan
Dinner: Bouillon Pigalle, Papillon
Breads: Du Pain et Des Idées (I could sniff on their bread forever), Mamiche
Shopping: La Trésorerie (homeware), Le Bon Marché (food to bring back home), Merci

À BIENTÔT!

That’s about it for now. You’ll hear from me soon! Perhaps with a recipe preview from my new cookbook. Stay tuned.

Lots of love,
Shaheen

The post My new cookbook is almost here! appeared first on Shaheen Peerbhai.

New Baking Classes Announced! Winter 2017 in Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru.

Shaheen — Thu, 26 Oct 2017 11:20:47 +0000

Hi everyone! I’m excited to announce a new set of baking classes in Bombay, Delhi and Bangalore this November and December.

I’ve got a shiny new menu that covers lots of delicious, fancy things that I’ll be teaching you to make from scratch. Someone emailed me saying that they look too fancy for basic baking knowledge – fear not! I’ll take you through the steps starting with basic ingredients from your kitchen and you’ll be amazed at what you can do with just flour, butter, sugar, and eggs (or not, if you prefer egg-free).

I’ve got 7 different menus for the baking classes – from fancy desserts in jars and pâtisserie to gorgeous laminated viennoiserie and a class for chocolate lovers! Plus, two egg–free baking classes – all from scratch.

I’m super thrilled with my class locations too (here’s a sneak peek with pictures). In Bombay I’ll be at the beautiful open kitchen at Piramal Tower in Lower Parel. Part of the profits will be donated to Educate Girls, an NGO that helps young girls in rural India receive the education they deserve. In Bangalore, I’m setting up at the brand-new Bubble Room kitchen in – the sprawling studio is a happy new addition in Jayanagar and I’m so excited to be teaching in this beautiful space. In Delhi, my classes will be held at the Country Inn Hotel that’s right by DLF mall in Saket.

This trip will be the last until 2019 because I’ll be busy with my book launch and other exciting projects throughout the next year, so I hope to see you this winter! As always, if you have any questions about anything, please feel free to email me at classes@purplefoodie.com and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.

Classes are selling out quickly so visit classes.purplefoodie.com to book your seats! :)

Quick links: schedule, menu, FAQs, locations.

The post New Baking Classes Announced! Winter 2017 in Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru. appeared first on Shaheen Peerbhai.

Books on Sourdough Bread Baking

Shaheen — Thu, 01 Jun 2017 11:49:35 +0000

My newest obsession is sourdough bread.

It only comprises four ingredients – flour, water and salt (a crucial fourth ingredient being time that does the magic in creating and nurturing the wild yeast). What’s exciting is that with just these four ingredients, the results can be wildly different based on technique, quality of flour and temperature. Every baker has their ideal loaf that they are chasing, and for me, it’s a crisp crust, light aerated and shiny interior, and a faintly sour flavour.

Tartine Bread (USA |UK | India) is what got me hooked on sourdough bread making many years ago. I must admit its instructions are rather verbose, which scared me off initially. Each time I took the courage to open up the pages, I’d start reading the method and just put the book away. It didn’t help that I was living in France and skipping downstairs to the local boulangeries was a lot easier than executing 20 pages of instructions. But then the move to London happened, and the thought of consuming white sliced bread petrified me. I was scared I’d never eat bread made with heritage grains and chestnut flour, or buttery loaves dotted with walnuts. With the book sitting on my kitchen table, I created my starter, fed it like a pet, baked numerous loaves and tracked all of my observations and tribulations on a little bread blog I created to document the process along with my many of my visits to the bakeries in Paris.

My first loaves, although edible, were dense and nothing like the loaves of Paris I kept comparing them with. To remedy that, I got myself Parisian baker, Eric Kayser’s Larousse Bread (USA |UK | India). The step-by-step photography is reassuring with a wide spectrum of breads covered through the book. The instructions are to the point which works well for those who want to make breads without being distracted by lengthy narratives. Kayser does use a tiny quantity of yeast to lift the bread and shorten fermentation time, yet retain quality flavour and texture.

With each loaf, I continued working on my technique, researching methods by learning from some of the best sourdough bakeries in London and making friends with bakers in Paris. But even when I finally achieved something noteworthy, the obsession to keep getting better never ceases.To feed this obsession, I devour books on the subject by authors from around the globe, each week tinkering with my techniques slightly.

Sourdough bread takes time and a fair amount of understanding before one can begin mixing together ingredients. Although the inputs are straightforward, the series of stages in the sourdough’s life involves meticulous care. I’m currently reading Flour Water Salt Yeast by Ken Forkish (USA |UK | India) to revise my technique and learn another baker’s perspective on baking.

Another bread book on my shelf worth a mention is Tartine Bread No. 3. (USA |UK | India) It is based on the same techniques as the previous book by Chad Robertson, but pays more attention to exploring ancient wheat and alternative grains in an attempt to blend and layer flavours instead of using only a single variety of a grain. It may not be suited to Indian baking because it’s hard to find the varieties of flours in the market, but nonetheless it’s a lesson in pushing beyond the norm.

Get any of the books and read them over a few times before you bring out the flour. Use scales. Learn the science. And most importantly – stay obsessed!

This story was first published for The Hindu, for which I write a monthly column.

The post Books on Sourdough Bread Baking appeared first on Shaheen Peerbhai.

Chocolate chocolate cake

Shaheen — Tue, 30 May 2017 16:20:47 +0000

I made a chocolate cake this past weekend after being reminded by my students in India how much they love making this chocolate chocolate cake.

Going back to reading the recipe, the amount of sugar seemed a little crazy. It’s important to make responsible food choices and while eating dessert is an indulgence, I never want to compromise on taste, texture and mouthfeel. I have reduced the sugar, not because it’s healthier, but because my personal tolerance for it is on the decline. I remade the cake and here’s an updated version so you can enjoy it too!

Chocolate Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

125g flour
30g cornflour (I used potato starch because I was out of cornflour)
35g cocoa powder
5g baking powder
2g baking soda
1 tsp salt
125g yoghurt
30g water
135g butter
190g sugar
125g eggs (2.5 eggs)

Equipment: 9 inch round cake pan, cooling rack, offset spatula.

Preheat oven to 170ºC. Line a 9 inch round cake pan with parchment paper.
Whisk and then sieve together all the following: flour, cornflour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Whisk together the yoghurt and water in another small bowl.
In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until the butter has lightened in colour. Next, beat in one egg at a time, making sure it’s fully incorporated before add the next one. Also, make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula between additions.
Next, switch to a spatula and alternately mix the dry ingredients and the thinned yoghurt until fully incorporated into the batter. Start and end with the dry ingredients.
Bake for 40-45 minutes until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
Let it cool completely on a cooling rack before cutting.

Chocolate Ganache
190g dark chocolate
240g full fat cream
10g butter, cut into small cubes

Place the chocolate in a bowl.
Bring the cream to a full boil in a thick bottomed pan.
Pour it over the chocolate and let it rest for a few seconds before you being to whisk it gently to bring the emulsion together.
Finally, stir in the pieces of butter until fully incorporated. Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature until you want to use it.

Assemble the Cake

With a serrated knife, slice off the domed portion of the cake.
Next, cut the cake into half horizontally. Place the bottom half on a plate or a cake board. Spread a thick layer of ganache on it making sure to leave a little gap around the circumference – otherwise when you place the top half of the cake, the ganache might ooze out.
Place the top half of the cake. Spread a thin layer of ganache on the cake – you could pour it while it’s runny or spread it with an offset spatula when it has firmed up slightly. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, then finish icing the cake with the rest of the ganache.
You might need to refrigerate the cake between coats of ganache for ease of icing.
Always serve this at room temperature or slightly warm with a drizzle of salted caramel and a little ice cream on the side.

The post Chocolate chocolate cake appeared first on Shaheen Peerbhai.

Summer ’17 Classes: Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore

Shaheen — Thu, 09 Mar 2017 09:20:01 +0000

Salted caramel ice cream. Sourdough bread. Brioche French toast. Buttery shortbread. Caramelised pear and rosemary cake.Classic French Opéra. Triple chocolate cake. And loads more, all from scratch.

These are just some of the new recipes I will teach at my latest set of baking classes this March and April in India, when. I’m am touring Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore with whisks and spatulas in my suitcase.

I’m teaching 7 different menus this time that I’ve planned very carefully, so I really hope you like them! I’ve also incorporated some of your requests from last season, so you might even spot those on the menu.

Arjun and I have created a brand new website to enhance your online experience and have integrated payment options to make online bookings more efficient. Please hop over to classes.purplefoodie.com to view all the classes and register yourself online. You can find all the information you might need on the schedule, locations as well as a detailed set of FAQs. Should you need anything else, just get in touch at classes@purplefoodie.com.

The post Summer ’17 Classes: Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore appeared first on Shaheen Peerbhai.