Ep 12. The French Chef: Apple Desserts

Julia Child returns with another episode of The French Chef, this time showcasing her expertise in creating delicious apple desserts. In this season 7 episode 12, viewers will get a chance to learn the art of creating delectable apple desserts through the intuitive and informative presentation of the legendary chef.

As the episode begins, Julia Child delves right into the topic at hand, exploring different varieties of apples and their best practices for cooking. She emphasizes on the importance of using the right type of apples in order to create the perfect texture, flavor, and consistency in the desserts.

Next, Julia demonstrates the basic techniques for baking a classic apple tart, starting with making the dough for the crust. She shares her tips for rolling out the dough, suggests alternative methods for crusts, and explains how to prevent the crust from shrinking during baking. She then moves on to preparing the filling, which includes a delicious combination of sliced apples, butter, and sugar. As she works, viewers get a first-hand look at her meticulous attention to detail and scientific precision.

Following the apple tart, Julia introduces viewers to one of her personal favorite dishes - caramelized apples. She shows how to cut and cook the apples and adds a touch of brown sugar to enhance the flavor. As she caramelizes the apples, she imparts valuable advice on how to know when the fruit is perfectly cooked.

Continuing with apple desserts that are slightly lower in calories, Julia shows us how to make apple compote - a simple but delicious apple sauce. Easy to prepare and versatile, Julia introduces a wide array of potential uses for this sauce. She also shows us how to make a beautiful fruit garnish with apple slices that can add an extra level of visual appeal to any dish.

Next, the show takes a slight detour from desserts to explore the savory realm with a recipe for pork with apples. Julia Child explains how the combination of pork and apples is a classic pairing that remains incredibly popular in French cuisine, and takes us through the process of cooking and preparing this delicious savory dish.

But it's not long before we're back in the world of desserts, with Julia showcasing another twist on a classic French dessert - beignets - with a flavorful apple filling. She demonstrates how to make the dough, fill the pastry with the apple mixture, and how to fry them perfectly. She highlights the importance of not overcrowding the pan so that the beignets cook evenly.

As the episode draws to a close, Julia Child has prepared an extensive repertoire of scrumptious apple desserts and shares numerous tips and insights based on her wealth of culinary experience. Viewers will have garnered an abundance of knowledge and practical know-how when it comes to creating apple-based desserts, and will be eager to try out some of the recipes on their own. All in all, another brilliantly informative and entertaining show from one of the greatest chefs of all time.