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White House pastry chef shares recipes

Author of ‘All the Presidents’ Pastries,’ reveals a dessert for the Bush family

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TODAY
updated 8:36 a.m. ET March 9, 2007

First Lady Rosalynn Carter hired Roland Mesnier as the White House pastry chef in 1979. For the next 25 years, he prepared over 10,000 pastries for five presidents and countless heads of state. Mesnier was invited on TODAY to show viewers how to make some desserts from his new cookbook, “All the Presidents’ Pastries.” Make this one he made for the George W. Bush family for your family:

Rhubarb Parfait
Roland Mesnier's “All the Presidents’ Pastries”

Serves 10 to 12

INGREDIENTS

1 quart (1 kg) of frozen rhubarb
1/2 cup (120 g) sugar

For the topping mixture:

1/2 cup (100g) sugar
1 cup (100 g) all-purpose flour
generous stick (140 g) butter
1 tablespoon (15 ml) vanilla
pinch of salt

For the cream filling:

1 cup (200g) 10x confectioners’ sugar
1 cup (240 g) mascapone, at room temperature
1 ⅓ cup (230 ml) plain yogurt
1 ⅓ cup (230 ml) whipping cream

Recipe continues below ↓
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DIRECTIONS

Cook and simmer the frozen rhubarb with the sugar until the rhubarb is soft and has reduced a little.

For the topping, mix the sugar with the flour and salt. Work in the butter and vanilla with your hands, to make a dough. Crumble the mixture into small pieces on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 425°F (220°C) until golden and crispy.

For the cream filling, mix the confectioners’ sugar into the mascapone, and then fold in the yogurt. Whip the whipping cream to a stiff peak and fold into the mascarpone mixture. In a pretty glass bowl, place a layer of rhubarb, then the cream, and then the crumble on top. Repeat one more time and finish the top with the remaining crumble. Sprinkle the top with confectioners’ sugar and serve warm or at room temperature.

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