Quatre-Quarts
- 50 mins total
- 20 mins prep
- 30 mins cook
- serves 6 people
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Quatre-quarts or four quarters is a very familiar French dessert made with only four ingredients each of equal weight. Starting with the egg weight, it will allow you to determine how much of the other ingredients you will need. That simple.
To make matters easier I have transferred into cup measurements for you. However, by remembering that simple tip of all 4 ingredients same weight, you will never need this recipe again.
I was introduced to this wonderful dessert at the tender age of 10-11 and I have been making it since. Easy to prepare as you can see from the quick instructions, however, the result is always the same: perfection.
Variations
Add lemon zest and a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice.
Split the quatre-quarts mixture in two and add some cacao to one of the two. Mix well. When spooning it into the mold alternate cacao and non and with a knife blend ever so slightly the two flavors. Once baked and ready to be sliced you will notice a great design.
Add some chopped date, raisins to it.
How to serve it
You can bake in a rectangular mold or a shape mold. I use Nordic Ware as they are the best for even cooking.
Slice and serve it with jam, fruit compote, or creme Anglaise.
If baked into a round shape mold, add fruits in the middle when ready to serve.
TIPS
- Beat the egg white to soft peaks. When you remove the beaters from the egg whites the peaks should stay in an upright position. Another way to make sure that all the egg white is beaten up is to move from side to side the bowl. If the egg whites do not move they are beaten to perfection. In my cooking classes, I demonstrate this by turning the bowl upside down.
- Always sift the flour.
- Make sure the mold is well buttered. I use no-stick bakery spray by Bak-klene ZT. It covers each nook and cranny of all those gorgeous molds that we have on the marketplace.
- As not all ovens are the same, after 30 minutes of baking insert a knife in the middle, and if it comes out clean the Quatre-Quarts is done. Do not worry about falling down when you open the oven door, we do not use yeast.
- Let is rest in the mold over a cooling rack for 5 minutes prior to removing from the mold. The cooling rack will help the bottom to cool off as well as air will circulate underneath it.
Products and Equipment used to achieve this dessert
Nutrition Facts
Quatre-Quarts
Amount Per Serving
Calories 508
Calories from Fat 297
% Daily Value*
Fat 33g51%
Saturated Fat 20g125%
Trans Fat 1g
Cholesterol 163mg54%
Sodium 36mg2%
Potassium 62mg2%
Carbohydrates 49g16%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 33g37%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 1064IU21%
Calcium 25mg3%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Quatre-Quarts
- 50 mins total
- 20 mins prep
- 30 mins cook
- serves 6 people
Ingredients
Instructions
-
Preheat the oven to 350F. butter a 9x5 loaf mold or round mold and coat lightly with flour, or use a no-stick bakery spray.
-
Soften the butter in a bowl until it becomes creamier. Add the sugar 2 to 3 times and whisk vigorously until a nice cream is created.
-
Separate the egg yolk from the white. Add the egg yolks to the butter-sugar mixture. Incorporate the sifted flour.
-
In another bowl beat at full speed the egg whites with a pinch of salt. Once soft peaks are formed and no more white liquid is in your bowl from the egg white, Incorporate the egg whites into the egg flour mixture.
-
Pour the mixture into the mold and bake for 40 minutes in the middle of the oven.
Verify that it is ready by inserting a knife in the middle.
Remove from the oven and wait 5 minutes prior to removing from the mold.
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This looks stunning! It would certainly make a show-stopping dessert! I can’t believe it only calls for a handful of ingredients!
Hi Michelle, That is the beauty of this recipe and one of the recipes that we were taught in school in France years ago of course. But once you know how it works with the weights you can make it anytime no recipe needed it.
Enjoy!
Giangi
Wow this is so beautiful that it’s hard to believe it only takes 4 ingredients to make!
Believe it! That is why I love this dessert so much. And the other wonderful thing is that you add chocolate, raisins, dates… just let your imagination go wild and have fun with it.
Bon Appetit!!
Giangi
Just looking at this beauty you’d think you would spend a whole day in the kitchen. But the fact that I have all the ingredients seems so awesome. This will be a must for my husband this Valentine’s Day.
You and your husband will love it and he never has to know that you did not slave all day in the kitchen 🙂
Happy Valentine’s day and love your feedback when you make it.
Enjoy!
Giangi
I love that this recipe has only a handful of ingredients, yet it is so beautiful and elegant! I also love the mold you used.
Thank you Stacy!. A easy recipe that was taught to me when I was growing up and how can you forget 4 ingredients right?
I am getting into molds and that can be a dangerous thing, but we have so many wonderful ones on the market.
Thank you for stopping by.
French dessert are seriously the best dessert ever! This quatre-quart is so delicious, easy to make, and so affordable! Perfect dessert 👌🏼
Thanks for the recipe 🥰