Traditional lambic can be rather tricky to pair with dessert, as they are absolutely bone dry; beer should be as sweet or sweeter than the dessert item, otherwise the beer will seem thin and lifeless. The tiniest bit of sugar is used here to tease your sweet tooth, but not actually make the pastries sweet.
The pairing really happens around the butter and lemon zest. The richness of the butter is cut by the acidity and carbonation of the geuze. The lemon zest complements the lemon notes in the Boon Oude Gauze, highlighting one of this lambic’s distinctive qualities.
Aroma: rich low butter, lightly toasted flour and low lemon |
Flavor: low rich doughy pastry with a hint of caramel and low floral lemon. very low sweetness. low butter and lemon candy aftertaste and just a hint of nutmeg emerging as other flavors fade |
Texture: chewy with a few crisp bits |
Impact: low; medium-low with geuze |
Pairing: The pastry seems decidedly sweet after the geuze, with distinct medium-low butter and low golden-brown pie crust supported by medium rich floral lemon. The Boon Oude Geuze is a bit tarter (medium-low) with medium lemon juice flavor highlighted in the mix with low earth and very low oak supporting; the hay and horseblanket character is muted on the first sip after a bite of pastry. The pastry is enriched by the pairing, and the geuze’s balance is tweaked, allowing a different side of it to present. |
Lemon Scented Puff Pastries
Store bought puff pastry could be used, but this comes together so quickly and fresh pastry has a richer butter flavor. Make it yourself!
4 oz white pastry flour (all purpose is fine too)
2 oz ice cold water
1/8 salt
4 oz butter (1 stick) cut into 3 long slices
1 T sugar
1 t grated lemon zest
1/8 t nutmeg
- Combine flour, water and salt in a bowl, then roll out into a 7×9 rectangle
- Arrange butter on dough, fold edges over butter and pinch to seal butter in. Role into a 5×10 rectangle, fold long side over to make a 5×5 square, turn 90 degrees, roll out into 5x 10 rectangle again, fold and refrigerate 20 minutes.
- Take dough from fridge and roll again elongating the folded edge. Fold in halve again to make a square, turn 90 degrees, roll out, fold and return to fridge for 20 minutes.
- Blend sugar, lemon zest and nutmeg.
- Take dough from fridge and roll again elongating the folded edge; fold in halve again to make a square. Coat dough with sugar mixture and press gently to help it stick.
- Roll dough one last time, elongating the folded edge, into a 6×9 rectangle. Working from each end, the long way, fold 1 inch sections meeting in the middle, then fold in halve.
- Make ¼ inch slices. Bake at 400 F for 14-16 minutes, until golden brown.
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