Ep 2. Flour Power

In season 15 episode 2 of Barefoot Contessa, titled Flour Power, renowned chef Ina Garten shares her love for baking with a focus on using flour as the star ingredient. With a wide variety of flours available, Ina shares tips and knowledge about the different types of flour, their properties, and which ones work best for different baked goods.

The episode starts with Ina preparing her breakfast of choice: scones. Using a combination of all-purpose and cake flour, she demonstrates how to make sweet and savory scones. Her sweet version incorporates blueberries and is topped with a lemon glaze, while the savory scones are made with cheddar and thyme. Ina emphasizes the importance of weighing ingredients in baking, rather than just measuring by volume, for consistent results.

Next, Ina visits her friend Sylvie to learn about gluten-free baking. Sylvie shares her favorite flour blend made of rice flour, potato starch, tapioca flour, and xanthan gum, which Ina uses to make gluten-free chocolate cupcakes. Ina incorporates almond flour into the batter for added flavor and texture. For the frosting, she creates a chocolate ganache with a touch of orange liqueur.

The episode then transitions to Ina's kitchen, where she prepares an impressive cheese and herb bread using a combination of bread flour and semolina flour for added texture. This bread is perfect for entertaining as it can be made ahead of time and reheated before serving. Ina also demonstrates how to make a classic French pastry, gougeres, which are cheese puffs made with a choux pastry dough and Gruyere cheese.

Later in the episode, Ina shares her recipe for a rustic fruit tart. She uses a combination of almond flour and all-purpose flour for the crust, which adds a nutty flavor and tender texture. Ina shares tips on how to arrange the fruit in a decorative pattern, and finishes the tart with a homemade apricot glaze for a beautiful shine.

Finally, Ina creates a show-stopping dessert, chocolate and coffee eclairs. She makes her own pate a choux dough, which is the base for the eclairs and then fills them with a coffee flavored pastry cream. The topping is a rich chocolate ganache. Ina emphasizes the importance of working quickly with the pastry cream and the ganache, as they can become too thick to easily pipe onto the eclairs if they cool too much.

Throughout the episode, Ina shares her tips and tricks for successful baking, from using a stand mixer for an evenly mixed and aerated dough to using parchment paper for easy cleanup. She also highlights the versatility of flour in baking, allowing for endless possibilities.

Flour Power is a must-watch episode for anyone interested in baking and learning more about the various types of flour available. Ina's expertise and passion for baking are evident in every recipe she prepares and her easy-to-understand techniques make it accessible for home cooks of all levels.