6 bakery treats to try at home this weekend

If you love the smell of bakery treats - and the promise of good things to come - try these out this weekend. You won't be disappointed! (Recipes by: Thomas Keller, founder, Bouchon Bakery, The Beach, JBR, Dubai)

SAVOURY SCONES
Prep time: 1 hr
Bake time: 35 mins
Makes: 20
Ingredients
295 gm cold butter, diced into 13mm pieces
520 gm flour, t45 rouge, sifted
155 gm flour, t55, sifted
18 gm baking powder
4 gm baking soda
60 gm sugar
8 gm salt
190 gm veal bacon, baked, cooled, finely chopped
20 gm chives, minced
320 gm + 200 gm cheddar
cheese, shredded
200 gm crème fraiche, cold
160 gm + 200 gm heavy
cream, cold

Method
Preheat oven to 175°C.
In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add butter, both flours, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt. Paddle on low speed until the butter breaks down to pea-size pieces (about 7mm in size).
Once the butter achieves the proper size, add in the chopped veal bacon, chives and 320 gm of cheese. Paddle on low speed until all items are evenly dispersed.
Once combined, stream in the crème fraiche and 158 gm of heavy cream on low speed, and mix until the dough comes together.
Remove the dough from the mixer and roll out on top of a floured surface until about 17mm thick. Cut it into 10x4cm rectangles.
Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Brush the tops with the 200 gm "garnish" cream and sprinkle the tops with the extra "garnish" cheese.
Bake for approximately 35 mins. Serve.

Chocolate Bouchons (Mini Brownie Cakes)
Prep time: 15 mins
Bake time: 18 mins
Makes: 40
Ingredients
4 eggs (room temperature)
400 gm sugar
2 gm salt
380 gm butter, melted, cooled to 35°C
125 gm cocoa rouge, sifted
125 gm flour, t45 rouge, sifted
340 gm chocolate chips
Method
Preheat oven to 175°C.
In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk eggs, sugar and salt on medium speed until combined.
Pour butter into the mixer, and whisk until combined.
Add in cocoa powder and flour; whisk until combined. Add in chocolate chips, and whisk until evenly distributed.
Pipe batter into silicone moulds or oil-sprayed miniature muffin tins.
Bake for approx. 18 minutes
or until the tops spring back when touched. Allow to cool completely before unmoulding. Serve.

Banana Bread
Prep time: 10 mins
Bake time: 1.5 hrs
Makes: 1 loaf
Ingredients
135 gm butter, room temperature
315 gm sugar
80 gm egg whites
315 gm bananas, well ripened and lightly mashed
315 gm flour, t45 rouge, sifted
9 gm baking soda
9 gm salt
190 ml buttermilk
Oil, to spray
Method
Preheat oven to 176°C.
In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, paddle the butter and sugar together till smooth.
Add in the eggs and bananas, and paddle till combined.
Add in the flour, baking soda and salt; paddle till combined again.
Stream in the buttermilk at the end.
Oil-spray a loaf pan and pour the batter into the pan.
Bake for approximately 90 minutes or until the top springs back to the touch. Cool completely before unmoulding.
Slice and serve.

Semolina Financier
Prep time: 15 mins
Chill time: Overnight
Bake time: 18 mins
Makes: 25
Ingredients
300 gm sugar
60 gm almond flour
60 gm semolina flour
100 gm flour, t45 rouge, sifted
4 gm turmeric powder
7 gm baking powder
250 gm egg whites
100 gm butter
7 gm orange zest
4 gm vanilla extract with seeds
Almonds, sliced, to garnish
Method
Place all the ingredients in a stand mixer fitted with a whisk, with the exception of butter, orange zest and vanilla.
Allow mixer to run on low speed to slowly whisk the mixture together (about 5 mins).
Meanwhile, in a medium pot, cook butter till it turns light golden brown. Pour into the mixer while it is still whisking the batter.
Once all the butter has been added, stop the mixer. Whisk in the orange zest and vanilla by hand. If the butter isn't fully incorporated, gently whisk until it is. Refrigerate overnight.
The following day, preheat the oven to 162°C.
Pipe financier batter into flexipan moulds or miniature muffin pans that have been sprayed with nonstick spray. Sprinkle the top with sliced almonds.
Bake for approximately 18
minutes or until the tops are light golden brown and spring back to the touch.
Allow to cool completely before serving.

Shortbread
Prep time: 20 mins
Chilll time: 45 mins
Bake time: 30 mins
Makes: 20
Ingredients
160 gm butter, chilled
60 gm sugar, granulated, plus extra to sprinkle
2 gm salt
4 gm vanilla paste
240 gm flour, t45 rouge, sifted
Method
Preheat oven to 162°C.
In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the butter on low speed until smooth.
Add in the sugar, salt and vanilla, and mix until smooth.
Add in the flour and mix until the dough comes together. Remove dough and place on a lightly floured surface. Roll it out to about 9mm thick.
Cut the dough into 5.5cm x 3.5cm rectangles. Place the rectangles onto a parchment paper-lined baking tray, cover with cling film and place in the refrigerator to chill for about 45 mins.
Remove from refrigerator and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the cookies are a light golden brown.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle sugar on cookies while they are still warm.
Serve.

Lemon Tart
Prep time: 3 hrs
Makes: 10
Ingredients
10 vanilla tart shells
600 gm lemon curd
10 lemon madeleine
cake discs
20 gm meringue, soft
For the lemon curd:
45 gm butter, cold and cubed
180 gm sugar
165 ml lemon juice
180 gm egg yolks
75 gm eggs
12 gm lemon zest, fresh
For the lemon madeleine cake:
2 eggs
75 gm sugar
30 ml lemon juice
30 gm butter
50 gm glucose
15 ml milk
80 gm flour, t45 rouge, sifted
3 gm baking powder, sifted
For the meringue:
100 gm egg whites, fresh
200 gm sugar
75 ml water
Method
For the lemon curd, place the butter into a large bowl; set aside.
In a pot, bring the sugar and lemon juice to a simmer, then temper over the eggs and pour through a strainer back into a pot.
Cook the liquid over medium-high heat while whisking until the first bubbles pop, then pour into the bowl with butter. Whisk until smooth. Whisk in the lemon zest and chill over an ice bath.
For the cake, preheat oven to 162°C.
In a stand mixer, combine eggs and sugar and whip on medium speed till thick and fluffy (15 mins).
In a small pot, melt lemon juice, butter, glucose and milk on low heat.
Once the eggs are ready, fold flour and baking powder into the mixture.
Take a small amount of the egg mixture and whisk it into the warm butter mix. Stream the lightened butter into the egg mixture.
Pour the batter onto an oil-sprayed, parchment-lined baking tray. Spread evenly on the pan, and bake for about 10 mins.
Cool completely, then unmould and cut 10 discs of cake, using a 7.5 cm round cutter.
For the meringue, place egg whites in a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. Add sugar and water to a pot and cook over high heat. When the sugar reaches 112°C, begin whipping the egg whites on high speed till soft peaks form.
Cook the sugar until 120°C. Then slowly stream it into the whites, while the mixer is still whipping at high speed. Whip until meringue has cooled to about 40°C.
Using a piping bag, fill the tart shells with curd, 3mm from top. Top with lemon madeleine cake. Pipe meringue onto the tart, and spread with a spatula to the edges of the shell; swirl a rustic design on top, starting from the centre all the way out, in a circular motion. Torch to a light golden colour, and serve.