Photos and Recipes courtesy of Phaidon Press
Perhaps France’s most beloved food writer, the late Ginette Mathiot taught three generations of French families how to cook. Her most famous title, Je sais cuisiner (I Know How to Cook), was first published in 1932 and has remained the best-selling home-cooking book in France ever since.
More than 25 years after her death in 1998, Phaidon Press has published Classic French Recipes, an elegant, cloth-covered collection of Mathiot’s greatest hits, translated into English. It is the ultimate guide for home cooks seeking to master the French culinary classics.
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For the September/October issue, we picked out a selection of recipes from the book designed to create a delicious fall meal, with warm and hearty flavors from start to finish. They include Cheese Soufflé, Stuffed Cabbage, Stuffed Oysters, and Apple Tart.
Here, we are delighted to share an extra recipe from the book to sweeten up your kitchen. A true French classic, Ginette Mathiot’s Crème Brûlée recipe will have you feeling like you’ve flown to France – just for dessert.
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About Crème Brûlée from Classic French Recipes
“A classic bistro dessert, crème brûlée is in fact surprisingly quick to put together, and is sure to please everyone at the table. Breaking through the caramel crust with a spoon to dive into the luscious cream is a wonderful experience. Crème brûlée has to be made in advance, which is quite handy when you have to plan a multiple-course dinner. The last step of ‘burning’ the sugar is done immediately before serving. It’s important to sprinkle the sugar as evenly as possible so it caramelizes well. Use a little sieve, if you have one. A kitchen blow torch works better than running the crème brûlée under the broiler (grill), but be really careful if using one.”
To see the other classic French recipes we featured in the September/October issue, get a copy of the magazine here.