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You are here: Home / Food / Events / French Glace Cherries – Baking Masterclass

French Glace Cherries – Baking Masterclass

March 14, 2014 by manjirichitnis 37 Comments

When someone says cherries all I can think of is one tempting cherry sitting majestically atop a very fancy portion of Black Forest gâteau for dessert and its only the dexterity of your hands that will guarantee you get to pop the tasty little treat, of course, cherries have very many applications in baking as I was to find out at the baking day for bloggers organised by  French Glacé Cherries(FGC).

We baked delicious Valentine’s treats developed and demonstrated by French baker and blogger Cindy Robert from Petit Gâteau and Food for thoughts.

To get us settled in we had some rather innovative sweet and savoury nibbles – FGC chutney with blue cheese, FGC oatcakes,  FGC & chocolate brownies, mini smoothies, mini cheesecakes and my new favorite party nibble idea – crispy bacon rolled around a cherry – it’s so so good!

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Images above Courtesy French Glace Cherries

A few interesting facts about French Glacé cherries They retain their flavour, shape and texture throughout the baking process. As such, they offer unbeatable quality, and reliable results every time. Good To know that they are not just apt  in a traditional fruit cake, but equally at home in savoury recipes.

A Slice of History

The love affair between French confectioners and the UK goes back as far as 1868.It was then that business man Mathieu Wood, who was travelling in Provence at the time, discovered candied fruits from the Apt region and decided to import and sell them in his shops. It didn’t take long for the quality reputation of Provence glacé fruits to spread to the UK and beyond.

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Images Courtesy French Glace Cherries

Around the same time, the British love of the outdoors and the development of the picnic and camping trends encouraged a preference for food that was easy to carry around. The fruit cake became very popular as it was easier to carry than the traditional pudding and offered something a bit more original. Candied fruits and French glacé cherries in particular are fun, novel and allow for a great amount of creativity in recipes. No surprise they quickly became a perfect addition to the fruit cake, and thus an integral part of British baking culture.

We were to bake along with Cindy, who had created two exclusive treats: French Glacé Cherry (FGC) Jelly cakes  (a cherry twist on the traditional Jaffa cake) and FGC and Pistachios financiers (also known over here as friands).

I must say baking in a group is really fun vis-a vis’ my usual solitary experiments and  that too at the venue which was  Central Street Cookery School, at St Luke’s Community Centre was an utterly enjoyable experience.The cookery school is exceptionally well equipped and is a perfect place for all sorts of lovely kitchen experiments ! That is a very happy me melting some chocolate chips -ummm

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An attentive audience we were …

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My French Glacé Cherry (FGC) Jelly cakes progressed quite well and we got to carry back our bakes home, such fun I say , I had a lovely tea session with my neighbour H and  her 5 year old daughter she thoroughly enjoyed the taste of these Jaffa cakes !

1-French Glace Cherries 1st Feb'14 Sat1

But my heart was in the FGC and Pistachios financiers, their eggy aroma and perfect for valentines day shape ummm ,lucky us we got the cute moulds to take home in our rather generously stuffed goody bags with the most cheerful apron I’ve got so far in  bright cherry red 🙂

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1-French Glace Cherries Goody Bag Deconstructed on 8th Feb'14

Did you know that it takes about 10 days for a tray of fresh cherries to become glacé cherries

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Image Credit: French Glace Cherries

Disclaimer: I was invited by French Glace Cherries to attend the event and bake with Cindy using recipes developed by her. I was not required to write a positive review and was not compensated monetarily for this post. Like all my previous posts about events and reviews, ALL opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

 

 

Filed Under: Events, Food Tagged With: 100% natural, baking, baking with a twist, British baking culture, British love of the outdoors, candied fruits from the Apt region, Central Street Cookery School, cherry cakes, crispy bacon rolled around a cherry, FGC & chocolate brownies, FGC and Pistachios financiers, FGC chutney with blue cheese, FGC oatcakes, food blogger event, French baker and blogger Cindy Robert from Petit Gâteau and Food for thoughts, French glace cherries, French Glacé Cherry (FGC) Jelly cakes - a cherry twist on the traditional Jaffa cake, friends, goody bag, London events, Mathieu Wood, mini cheesecakes, mini smoothies, new recipe ideas with cherries, party nibble idea, Provence, St Luke’s Community Centre, Valentines Day

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Comments

  1. Marya says

    March 14, 2014 at 11:39 am

    Thanks for sharing! That looks like fun!

    Reply
    • Manjiri Chitnis says

      March 15, 2014 at 11:23 am

      Thanks for stopping by Marya! Yes, it was loads of fun!

      Reply
  2. lcrilley says

    March 14, 2014 at 11:57 am

    Oh my goodness – these treats all look lovely! Which one was easier to create than you might have originally thought?

    Reply
    • Manjiri Chitnis says

      March 15, 2014 at 11:23 am

      Thanks, Lisa, the French Glace Cherries, and Pistachios financiers were really easy to bake but sound so complex!

      Reply
  3. sophiebowns says

    March 14, 2014 at 12:41 pm

    I love your baking selection. You have talent!

    Reply
    • Manjiri Chitnis says

      March 15, 2014 at 11:20 am

      Oh, it’s Cindy who is the baker who taught us that is talented we were all merely following her instructions 🙂

      Reply
      • sophiebowns says

        March 15, 2014 at 11:21 am

        Ah! That’s awesome!

        Reply
  4. Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy says

    March 14, 2014 at 1:21 pm

    I love anything with cherries in it. This all looks really good too 🙂

    Reply
    • Manjiri Chitnis says

      March 15, 2014 at 11:19 am

      🙂 Oh, Dannii it was delicious!

      Reply
  5. Karen Burns Booth says

    March 14, 2014 at 2:46 pm

    What SUPER photos and especially the one of you Manjiri! I am so sad I missed that event, as I was invited too! Karen

    Reply
    • Madeleine Morrow says

      March 14, 2014 at 3:06 pm

      Thanks for sharing that with us. I was invited and sadly couldn’t attend that day but I can now see what I missed.

      Reply
      • Manjiri Chitnis says

        March 15, 2014 at 11:18 am

        aww, Madeleine sorry to hear that, I missed attending an event too last week my wound is acting up while healing…

        Reply
    • Manjiri Chitnis says

      March 15, 2014 at 11:19 am

      Thanks, Karen those food photos are courtesy the French Glace website, oh thank you that pic of me was taken by my baking partner 🙂 we teamed up in two’s and baked together 🙂

      Reply
  6. Tina @ The Spicy Pear says

    March 14, 2014 at 3:40 pm

    This baking masterclass looks fantastic. I’ve never baked with glace cherries, the one’s Ive tried from the supermarket are always way too sweet for my liking. I wonder if the French glace cherries are different? I love the sound of the FGC chutney with blue cheese.

    Reply
    • Manjiri says

      March 15, 2014 at 11:17 am

      It was indeed a fab event Tina. My first bake with glace cherries too.These are just perfect in taste and way better than the supermarket shelf stuff. Ooo that chutney n blue cheese combo was good!

      Reply
  7. Heidi Roberts says

    March 14, 2014 at 9:39 pm

    I had fun when I attended this event – learned so much about cherries

    Reply
    • Manjiri Chitnis says

      March 15, 2014 at 11:15 am

      Likewise Heidi, me too!

      Reply
  8. Choclette says

    March 15, 2014 at 7:19 am

    You do get to attend some fun events. I’m rather fond of glace cherries, although I do prefer the undyed ones.

    Reply
    • Manjiri Chitnis says

      March 15, 2014 at 11:15 am

      Choclette yes some events are really good fun!we did get to taste 2 different types of glace cherries both were yummmm.

      Reply
  9. Sylvia says

    March 15, 2014 at 5:13 pm

    Looks like you had fun Manjiri! I love glace cherries 😉

    Reply
    • Manjiri Chitnis says

      March 18, 2014 at 5:12 pm

      Yes, it was loads of fun Syl! I love them too!

      Reply
  10. London-Unattached.com says

    March 15, 2014 at 10:15 pm

    Isn’t Cindy lovely! I am so sad I missed this one, I had some tummy bug if I remember

    Reply
    • Manjiri Chitnis says

      March 18, 2014 at 5:10 pm

      Yes, she is really sweet and a fab baker too! Aww poor you, it was a very good event!

      Reply
  11. Janice @FarmersgirlCook says

    March 16, 2014 at 5:29 pm

    Your bakes look amazing! Love the jelly thing, not sure if I would have the patience, but he result looks fab.

    Reply
    • Manjiri Chitnis says

      March 18, 2014 at 5:12 pm

      Hey Janice that was the tricky bit but Cindy made it really easy for us, besides (shhh) I had a baking partner 😉

      Reply
  12. Jac -Tinned Tomatoes (@tinnedtoms) says

    March 16, 2014 at 9:18 pm

    Love all those teeny nibbles. I just want to reach in!

    Reply
    • Manjiri Chitnis says

      March 18, 2014 at 3:04 pm

      Sigh that happens to me each time I see those photos!

      Reply
  13. Morgan @ Peaches, Please! says

    March 17, 2014 at 5:05 am

    I love baking and cooking classes. I hope you had a blast!

    Reply
    • Manjiri Chitnis says

      March 18, 2014 at 3:04 pm

      Oh yes, I did Morgan! Cheers!

      Reply
  14. HedgeComber says

    March 17, 2014 at 6:31 am

    Oh my, what great fun! Wish I could have joined you 🙂
    Janie x

    Reply
    • Manjiri Chitnis says

      March 18, 2014 at 3:04 pm

      Would have loved to take you along Janie!

      Reply
  15. Bintu @ Recipes From A Pantry says

    March 17, 2014 at 11:45 am

    I am envious. It looks such fun. Next time I am coming with you.

    Reply
    • Manjiri Chitnis says

      March 18, 2014 at 3:03 pm

      Sure thing Bintu!

      Reply
  16. glamorous glutton says

    March 17, 2014 at 4:49 pm

    Oh I love Glacé cherries all that sugary cherry flavour popping in your mouth. I’m not sure many cherries would find their way into my baking. GG

    Reply
    • Manjiri Chitnis says

      March 18, 2014 at 3:03 pm

      Umm, I am now in love with glace cherries need to start thinking of a few bakes!

      Reply
  17. Nayna Kanabar says

    March 20, 2014 at 8:58 pm

    Looks like you had a wonderful time.

    Reply
    • Manjiri Chitnis says

      March 24, 2014 at 10:35 am

      Thanks, Nayna, yes indeed I did.

      Reply

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