The Unofficial Downton Abbey Cookbook (27 page)

The residents of Downton Abbey wouldn’t have to travel to Paris for a taste of these delicious French pastries! Since French cuisine was en vogue, Mrs. Patmore would be sure to have a recipe ready in case any of the family developed a longing for a taste of France.

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cup unsalted butter

1 cup water

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

4 eggs, at room temperature

1 (5-ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix

2
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cups whole milk, cold

1 cup heavy cream

1
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cups confectioners’ sugar

2 teaspoons bourbon vanilla extract

4 ounces high-quality semisweet chocolate

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons butter

2 tablespoons whole milk

3 tablespoons hot water

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Thoroughly grease a medium-sized cookie sheet.
   
2. In a medium-sized saucepan, combine butter and water. Stirring until butter melts completely, bring mixture to a boil. As mixture heats, whisk together flour and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, then slowly pour in flour-salt mixture. Stir mixture vigorously until it begins to form a stiff ball. Remove mixture from heat. Add eggs one at a time, beating until thoroughly incorporated. Spoon dough onto a cookie sheet in 1.5×4-inch strips.
   
3. After baking for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, reduce heat to 325°F and bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until a hollow sound is emitted when pastry is lightly tapped on bottom. Cool completely on a wire rack.
   
4. While éclairs bake, make éclair filling. Whisk together pudding mix and whole milk in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat cream in a separate bowl until soft peaks form. Stir in
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   cup of the confectioners’ sugar and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla, mixing until thoroughly incorporated. Finally, fold whipped cream and vanilla mixture into pudding.
   
5. Using a sharp knife, gently cut off tops of cooled pastry shells. Do not discard tops! Fill shells with pudding mix, then replace tops.
   
6. For Icing:
   In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate and butter. Stir in 1
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   cups confectioners’ sugar and the remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Stir in whole milk, then stir in hot water 1 tablespoon at a time until icing is smooth. Remove from heat and let cool a fair amount. Drizzle over filled éclairs, then refrigerate before serving.
   

While the Edwardian era was known for its extravagance, there was a noticeable reduction of such lavishness when King George V took the throne in 1911. His Coronation Banquet of fourteen courses was actually the last great traditional banquet to be offered in Buckingham Palace. After World War I, even President Wilson’s visit garnered only ten courses.

It’s no wonder why impertinent maid Ethel requested that Mrs. Patmore save her one of these delicious French desserts: These crêpes, consisting of a sauce of caramelized sugar with a Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur, would tempt even the most humble of servants. Nonetheless, righteous Mrs. Patmore would rather feed these sweet crêpes to a dog than let maid Ethel think she warranted one of these treats.

1
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cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3 eggs at room temperature

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cup granulated white sugar

2 cups whole milk

1 tablespoon Grand Marnier (or other orange liqueur)

1
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teaspoons bourbon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon orange zest

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cup clarified butter

1 cup fresh orange juice

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cup unsalted butter, chopped into tablespoons

2 tablespoons granulated white sugar

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

2
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teaspoons orange zest

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon Grand Marnier (or other orange liqueur)

3 clementines or mandarin oranges, peeled and quartered

Vanilla ice cream, for garnish

1. For Crêpes:
   In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour and kosher salt. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and granulated sugar until pale, then whisk in 1
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   cups of the whole milk, the Grand Marnier, vanilla extract, and orange zest. Add to dry flour mixture, whisking constantly. If mixture feels too thick, add remaining
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   cup milk. Cover and refrigerate batter for 1 hour.
   
2. Heat an 8-inch skillet over medium heat, then cover the surface with clarified butter so the surface sizzles. Ladle some of the crêpe batter onto the pan and immediately swirl the pan to evenly distribute batter over the surface. Cook for no more than 60 seconds or until the batter is a light golden brown, then flip crêpe over and cook for an additional 20 seconds. Remove to a room-temperature plate and continue with rest of batter.
   
3. For Sauce:
   In a large skillet over medium-high heat, bring the orange juice to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, then add butter, white sugar, brown sugar, and orange zest. Cook until the sugar mixture has slightly reduced, about 7–10 minutes. Remove from heat and add Grand Marnier and orange quarters. Set aside.
   
4. One at a time, gently place crêpe in the skillet holding orange sauce. Leave crêpe resting on orange sauce for 1 minute so it can absorb some of the juices. Using a narrow wooden or rubber spatula, remove crêpe to a warm serving plate. Repeat with other crêpes, then roll all crêpes into a cylinder and cover with orange sauce and orange sections. Serve with vanilla ice cream.
   

The ladies of Downton Abbey would have a great time disputing the origins of this dessert. Some claim this treat was created by accident by a fourteen-year-old assistant waiter at Monte-Carlo Café de Paris, which, in order to please the Prince of Wales, named the dish for the prince’s companion, Princess Suzette. Others suggest that Crêpes Suzette were named for the respected French actress Suzanne Reichenberg, who worked under the name Suzette, and who served these crêpes, designed for her, on stage in her role as a maid performing in the Comédie-Française. Regardless of the Crêpe Suzette’s true namesake, the Earl of Grantham’s daughters will all agree that this is one superb dessert.

Some would say that the characters in
Downton Abbey
have as many hidden layers as this dessert! A nonalcoholic version of the most famous of English desserts, this is a filling yet airy summer treat. While some may claim otherwise, Mrs. Patmore would know that true trifles, such as this one, do not contain jelly.

4 cups fresh strawberries, sliced, plus more for garnish

1 cup sugar

1 (3.5-ounce) package cheesecake pudding mix

2 cups whole milk

2 (8- or 9-inch) white or vanilla cake layers, baked and cooled

2 cups fresh blueberries

2 cups blackberries

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. In a medium-sized bowl, mix sliced strawberries with sugar. Set aside.
   
2. In another bowl, combine cheesecake pudding mix with milk, stirring until smooth.
   
3. Cut baked cake layers into 1-inch cubes. Line the bottom of a large glass bowl with half of the cake cubes, followed by half of the sugared strawberries. Then top with half of the blueberries, followed by half of the blackberries. Spread half of the pudding over the fruit, then repeat layers in the same order: cake, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries. Refrigerate overnight.
   
4. Whip cream and vanilla extract together in a medium-sized bowl using a hand blender until cream forms stiff peaks. Spread over the trifle. Garnish with sliced strawberries.
   

With the advent of
Service à la Russe
, table settings and table décor became all the more important as the cutlery was set out throughout the entire meal and not brought dish by dish. Maids would be trained and tested repeatedly on the placement of flatware, and they would be lectured heavily if a knife, for example, was not a proper
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inch from the edge of the table. In fact, it was due to this new style of service that etiquette books — which explained the purpose of each utensil — first became popular, as did the idea of a different wine with each course.