La Fête nationale, Happy Bastille Day!

Bastille Day, or as the French may refer to it, "La Fête nationale" (and commonly le quatorze juillet), is the French National holiday, celebrated on the 14th of July. It commemorates the 1790 Fête de la Fédération, held on the first anniversary of the storming of the Bastille on 14 July 1789; the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille fortress-prison was seen as a symbol of the uprising of the modern nation, and of the reconciliation of all the French inside the constitutional monarchy which preceded the First Republic, during the French Revolution. Festivities are held on the morning of 14 July, on the Champs-Élysées avenue in Paris in front of the President of the Republic.

So when I thought of all things French that I love the first thing that popped into my head were "almond croissants". My husband and I were in Paris last year and we were staying near Luxembourg Gardens where there was a great patisserie near the Luxembourg Metro station. We would go there for breakfast pastries before we started our day, and I can almost still taste them when I think of our trip there. Ok, so from what the reviews say, this recipe is apparently fantastic, let me know how you go:

Almond Croissants

Ingredients

• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water (105 degrees to 115 degrees)
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup cold butter
• 3/4 cup warm milk (110 to 115 degrees F)
• 3 egg yolks
• FILLING:
• 1/2 cup almond paste
• 1 egg white
• 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• EGG WASH:
• 1 egg white
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds

Directions

1. In a bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Cut in butter until crumbly. Add milk and egg yolks to yeast mixture; mix well. Stir into flour mixture; mix well. Do not knead. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
2. In a mixing bowl, beat filling ingredients until smooth. Punch dough down. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Roll each piece into a 12-in. circle; cut each circle into eight wedges. Spread filling over wedges; roll up from wide end. Place with point side down 3 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Curve ends to form a crescent shape. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour (dough will not double).
3. Beat egg white and water; brush over croissants. Sprinkle with almonds. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

And now for a little DIY!! Ok, so one of the most famous landmarks in France has to be "la tour Eiffel", in the hear of Paris on Champ de Mars. Therefore, I thought your Bastille Day table could not be complete without Eiffel tower decorations :) In this DIY, you will need to download these images, enlarge them and print onto card, uut them out and glue the sides together to make the tower, e-mail me if you are having trouble and I can help you out!

I personally think that croissants and Eiffel towers are all you need for a perfect celebration, but if you are planning a Bastille Day celebration dinner, then I think all you need to complete the evening are some crepes :)


Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
  

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and the eggs. Gradually add in the milk and water, stirring to combine. Add the salt and butter; beat until smooth.
2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each crepe. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly.
3. Cook the crepe for about 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown. Loosen with a spatula, turn and cook the other side. Serve hot.

Happy Bastille Day!!