While most of us consider September 1 to be the first day of Spring, the Spring Equinox marks the first day of Astronomical Spring, when the Sun is exactly above the Equator, which makes day and night approximately equal in length.
In the Southern Hemisphere, this usually happens on 22 or 23 September, ushering in earlier sunrises and later sunsets. The 2020 Southern Hemisphere Spring Equinox occurred yesterday on 22 September at 15h30. So today is the first day of Spring according to the astronomical calendar, so we can expect longer sunny days and shorter nights.
A sparkling celebration is definitely in order so pop open a bottle of Krone Vintage Rosé Cuvée Brut 2018… and perhaps try your hand at a classic French Mille-Feuille for a complimentary sweet treat.
Classic French Mille-Feuille recipe by Bianca Davies to enjoy with Krone Cuvée Brut Rosé.
Pastry Cream:
500ml full cream milk
5 XL free-range egg yolks
125g sugar
30g cornstarch
30g flour
1 vanilla pod or 1 Tbsp vanilla paste / extract with seeds
350g raspberries
2 x 250g all butter puff pastry sheets
¼ cup pistachios, roughly chopped
Icing sugar for dusting
1—If using a vanilla pod- slice the vanilla pod lengthways and using the back of the knife, slide it down the length of the exposed pod to scrape out the seeds. Add both the pod and the seeds to the milk.
2—In a large saucepan add the milk, roughly a third of the sugar and vanilla. Heat to a simmer.
While the milk is heating, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining sugar in a large bowl until pale and fluffy. Then add the cornstarch and flour. Whisk well to combine.
3—Once the milk has come to a simmer, remove the vanilla pod if using. Pour a third of the hot milk over the egg mixture in a very slow stream and whisk vigorously until smooth and thoroughly combined.
4—Pour the egg and milk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining hot milk and continue to whisk over a medium heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture thickens, being careful not to let it burn on the bottom of the pan. Once the pastry cream starts to bubble cook for another two minutes, then remove from the heat.
5—Pour pastry cream into a shallow dish and place a layer of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pastry cream to prevent a skin forming. Leave to cool slightly and then refrigerate until cold.
6—Make the puff pastry layers: preheat oven to 220°C, and line two baking trays with baking paper. Cut squares of pastry in half to form 3 identical rectangles out of your pastry and place on baking trays. Save the fourth piece for something else like cheese straws or cinnamon sugar twists.
7—Place another piece of baking paper on top of each tray of pastry rectangles. Place another baking tray on top of the parchment – this helps weigh the pastry down during baking, so it doesn’t puff up too much.
8—Bake the pastry layers for 15 minutes, then remove the top baking sheet and baking paper and bake for 4-5 minutes more, until they are deeply golden brown. If the underside isn’t crisp- flip them over and bake until both sides are golden and cooked through. Let cool completely.
9—Assemble the mille-feuille just before serving.
10—Whisk the cold pastry cream until smooth again. Add a dot of pastry cream to the serving plate/ board to act as ‘glue’ and put a piece of pastry on top. Generously spread a layer of pastry cream over the pastry and add a layer of raspberries. Scatter with a few pistachios and repeat the stages until you have a three layered showstopper of a dessert. Finish it off with a generous dusting of icing sugar.
11—Serve immediately with a cold bottle of Krone Brut Rosé
CELEBRATE THE JOYS OF SPRING WITH KRONE VINTAGE ROSÉ CUVÉE BRUT 2018
Celebrate the joys of Spring, when nature bursts back into life in an explosion of sight, sound and colour, bringing new life and fresh hope to the world. A sparkling celebration is definitely in order so pop open a bottle of Krone Rosé Cuvée Brut… and perhaps try your hand at a classic French Mille-Feuille for a complementary sweet treat – see attached a Mille-Feuille recipe, from well-known food stylist, trained chef and photographer Bianca Davies, specially created to enjoy with Krone Rosé Cuvée Brut.
KRONE VINTAGE ROSÉ CUVÉE BRUT 2018
BLEND: 87% Pinot Noir and 13% Chardonnay.
CREATION: The classic varieties of pinot noir and chardonnay are handpicked in the cool of the night. Only the free-run juice, the first 500 litres per ton, is used for Krone Rosé Cuvée Brut which is bottle-fermented on the lees and packed in wooden pupitres. The rémuage (turning of bottles) is done entirely by hand while it matures on the lees in the cool of our historic underground cellar before disgorgement.
TASTING NOTES: Salmon-pink. A floral bouquet of rosewater meets the sweet-sour-salty scent of coastal sour figs. Fresh red fruits—pomegranates, cranberries—take centre stage on the full, soft palate, unfolding into candied orange and white-fleshed nectarine. The complexity of the 2018 vintage is on show here; the drought resulted in smaller harvests that culminated in base wines with pure fruit expressions. There’s a fragility and elegance to the pinot noir. The vivid acidity is cushioned in a fine, creamy mousse, finishing with lingering notes of toasted hazelnuts.
FOOD PAIRING: Krone Rosé Cuvée Brut delights in food that favours honest expression; from a simple picnic with slivers of charcuterie, crusty sourdough bread, ripe, melty Camembert. A tug-of-war between density and weightlessness, the structure lends itself to the refined too; salmon with crispy skin crackling and wild black rice to rolled porchetta, and duck with cherries. For a sweet treat, the ultimate pairing is a classic French mille-feuille. See attached the recipe provided by well-known food stylist, trained chef and photographer, Bianca Davies.
RETAIL PRICE: Krone Vintage Rosé Cuvée Brut 2018 is widely available nationally in select liquor retailers and grocers at approximately R165 per bottle.
TWEE JONGE GEZELLEN AND KRONE VINTAGE-ONLY MÉTHODE CAP CLASSIQUE
Krone Vintage-only Méthode Cap Classique is produced on Twee Jonge Gezellen wine estate in Tulbagh. We believe that each vintage tells a story. Krone Méthode Cap Classique celebrates a unique moment in time and place, expressing our commitment to the vintage and the character of each harvest, selecting only the finest, most distinctive fruit. It’s a journey of discovery that sees each and every vintage borne from nature, to the rest and maturation in the cool of our underground cellar.
Established in 1710, a national monument with over 300 years of history, Twee Jonge Gezellen in Tulbagh is the treasured home of Krone, a collection of vintage-only, terroir-driven Méthode Cap Classiques made from the finest most distinctive grapes. Traditional Champagne grape varieties, chardonnay and pinot noir, have been night-harvested since the early 1980s to preserve the delicate aromas and flavours of the grapes. Vintage after vintage of Krone MCC is made in classic bottle-fermented style and hand-turned in traditional pupitres while it matures on the lees in the cool of the underground cellar before disgorgement.
When the Rands family bought the farm in 2012, many of the original buildings were in need of refurbishment. Today, after lengthy restoration, the farm is both redolent of its 300-year-old history as well as burgeoning with contemporary relevance. Visitors can journey through a series of extraordinary spaces, immersed in history, and filled with contemporary art, sculpture and collectible design, before moving on to sample Krone’s vintage Cap Classiques. The raised terrace offers singular views of the picturesque valley and the Winterhoek, Witzenberg and Obiqua Mountains, while the Tasting Room boasts a dramatic picture window that unveils the workings of the cellar.
Twee Jonge Gezellen continues to delight its visitors into the 21st century, offering tastings, cellar and gallery tours.
- The Tasting Room and Deck are open Monday to Friday from 10h00-16h00, and on Saturdays from 10h00 to 14h00.
- The WHATIFTHEWORLD Gallery at Twee Jonge Gezellen, celebrating African contemporary art in the heart of Tulbagh is open Monday to Saturday from 10h00-16h00.
- Twee Jonge Gezellen is closed on Sundays and Public Holidays
Tel: 023 230 0680 · Email: info@kronemcc.com · Website: kronemcc.com · Facebook: Facebook.com/KroneMCC
Twitter and Instagram: @KroneMCC
