The Complete Book of French Cooking, written by Hubert Delorme and Vincent Boué, features a massive collection of 165 classic recipes across 544 pages with detailed techniques, fundamentals, and step-by-step photos. A few highlights include Rolled Mushroom Omelet, Langoustines with Tarragon, Brie Fritters with Spicy Stewed Black Cherries, Frozen Banana Soufflé, and Assorted Tuiles. I will also be sharing their recipe for Orange Liqueur Soufflé following the review.
Disclosure: I was given a copy of this book by Flammarion in exchange for my review. All opinions stated here are my own. This post contains Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase something through the link, I may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.
Hubert Delorme and Vincent Boué
Hubert Delorme and Vincent Boué are professional chefs and instructors at a French culinary school.
The book was simultaneously published in French as Le Grand livre de la gastronomie française and translated to English by Carmella Abramowitz-Moreau.
The Complete Book of French Cooking
The Complete Book of French Cooking is separated into three sections: Techniques, Practical Guide, and Recipes. The recipes are divided into Appetizers, Fish and Shellfish, Poultry, Meats, Vegetables, Cheese, Desserts, and Frozen Desserts.
Everything has been put together with the home cook in mind. In the Practical Guide, there is a list of basic equipment and notable ingredients with photos and/or labelled charts. You will even find helpful tips across the pages from chef’s notes, techniques, and cooking methods to cleanliness and food safety.
The photography is provided by Clay McLachlan. Many of the recipes are paired with a full page photo of the finished dish. The first two sections are packed with hundreds of step-by-step photos to demonstrate specific techniques and the basics.
Measurements are listed in US Customary and Metric. There are also conversion tables in the Practical Guide. Titles are written in English or French. Each recipe states the level of difficulty from 1-3 stars; yield; prep, resting, and cooking time; and other tips. I particularly enjoyed the Did You Know? notes following many of the instructions with history and other facts about that particular dish.
Orange Liqueur Soufflé
I’ve made Chocolate Soufflé and even a Macaroni and Cheese Soufflé, but this was my first time finally trying the Orange Liqueur Soufflé!
This elegant dessert is a great option for a special dinner at home. It pairs a homemade pastry cream with Cointreau or other orange liqueur and beaten egg whites. The result is a light and pillowy dish with a browned crust and a center similar in texture to a creamy bread pudding.
Serve the Orange Liqueur Soufflé immediately after baking. They will deflate shortly after removing from the oven.
A Few Soufflé Tips
Begin by preparing the pastry cream. Heated vanilla bean-scented milk is slowly whisked into beaten egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch until smooth. The mixture is placed back on the stove and heated just for 2-3 minutes until thickened.
Don’t overheat or pour the hot milk into the egg yolks too quickly or the mixture may curdle.
Allow the cream to chill rapidly before folding in more egg yolks, the orange liqueur, and stiff egg whites.
For best results, bring the egg whites to room temperature before beating.
Take care when folding in the egg whites. You want the mixture just combined with no streaks remaining. Gently fold to keep the egg whites from deflating. They help create that light and airy texture.
After bringing everything together, the mixture is transferred to butter and sugar-coated soufflé molds or small ramekins, then baked until well-puffed and golden.
Don’t open the door while the soufflé is baking. Use an oven light to keep an eye on their progress. The tops should be completely golden before removing from the oven.
Other Dishes
I also made the Cheese Straws, Slow-Cooked Caramelized Pork, Cream Cheese-Filled Mushroom Caps, and Chocolate Mousse.
The Cheese Straws are such a delicious snack or appetizer. Strips of puff pastry are covered in a Mornay sauce and grated/finely chopped Gruyère, then baked until golden. The combination of textures was fantastic.
The Slow-Cooked Caramelized Pork requires a bit of time in the oven, but very minimal prep and only a handful of ingredients. Pork is browned briefly in clarified butter and sugar before cooking in the oven until tender. It was perfect served over tagliatelle.
The Cream Cheese-Filled Mushroom Caps were my personal favorite. These festive little bites are packed with flavor. Marinated mushrooms are grilled until tender, then filled with a creamy cheese herb mixture.
The Chocolate Mousse is another dessert perfect for entertaining. Beaten egg whites are folded into a rich chocolate butter and refrigerated until set. The result is an incredibly light and airy mousse with a decadent flavor.
The Complete Book of French Cooking is a great pick for those interested in traditional French cuisine and the techniques behind the dishes. The foundation section is a nice starting point for novice home cooks building their skills with more basic to intermediate recipes, while advanced learners might enjoy the challenge of the more intricate multilayer pastries and frozen desserts. There are also a few signature recipes by nine Michelin-star chefs and culinary artisans.
Most of the ingredients are readily available in larger American grocery stores. A few items that may require further searching include black truffles, fresh seafood, rabbit meat, snails, green cardamom, duck fat, currants, frogs’ legs, star anise, and praline paste.
Orange Liqueur Soufflé Recipe
Excerpt from The Complete Book of French Cooking
Orange Liqueur Soufflé
Ingredients
Pastry Cream:
- 1 vanilla bean
- 2 cups (500 milliliters) milk
- 4 egg yolks
- 2/3 cup (125 grams) sugar
- 1/3 cup (2 ounces, 60 grams) cornstarch
Soufflé:
- 2 tablespoons (30 grams) butter
- 1/3 cup (60 grams) granulated sugar plus 2 generous tablespoons (30 grams) sugar for the molds
- 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) Cointreau or other orange liqueur
- 6 egg whites
- 2 eggs separated
- 1 small pinch (2 grams) salt
Instructions
Prepare the pastry cream:
- Slit the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the milk in a saucepan and heat until simmering over medium low heat.
- In a mixing bowl, energetically whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch until the mixture is pale and thick.
- When the milk is simmering, slowly pour half of it over the egg yolk mixture, beating all the time.
- Pour the remaining milk and return all the liquid to the saucepan over medium low heat to bring to a simmer.
- Leave to simmer for no longer than 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly so that it does not burn.
- Pour into a mixing bowl and cover with plastic wrap flush with the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming. Chill rapidly.
To make the Orange Liqueur Soufflé:
- Use a pastry brush to grease 8 souffle molds or small ramekins with butter.
- Then sprinkle the molds all over with 2 generous tablespoons (30 grams) sugar. Turn them over and give them a rap to remove any excess sugar.
- Stir the Cointreau into the pastry cream.
- Whisk the 8 egg whites stiffly with the pinch of salt. When they are firm, whisk in the remaining 1/3 cup (60 grams) sugar until the mixture is shiny.
- Place a baking tray in the oven and preheat the oven to 400˚F (200˚C).
- Stir the 2 egg yolks into the pastry cream.
- Carefully fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites using a rubber spatula.
- Fill the soufflé molds to the top and smooth the surface.
- Place the soufflé molds on the hot baking pan and bake for about 20 minutes, depending on the size. The soufflés should be well risen, have a nice brown crust, and be soft inside.
Bernadette
Great review and recipe.