Chef Biography
Paula Hurtado was born in Santiago, Chile and after graduating from Catholic University in Santiago, she became a primary and high school teacher. In 1974, she became the assistant to Great Chef Hernan Eyzaguirre, who later helped her form a catering business to banks, corporations and political receptions. She was the chef for King Juan Carlos of Spain and President Jimmy Carter when they visited Chile.
In 1985 she became the assistant editor and chef for Chilean cookbook publisher, La Buena Mesa, and ten years later became the manager of an American style bakery called City Bakery in Santiago. In 1996 she participated in Expo Gourmand Santiago where Great Chef, Coco Pacheco met her and brought her in as his pastry chef at Restaurant Aqui esta Coco. Great Chefs Television arrived in Santiago Chile in 1998 to tape Chef Coco, and were pleasantly surprised to discover his pastry chef Paula Hurtado, who then prepared six different desserts for the television camera.
Recipes
Apple Cake
Serving: Makes one 10-inch-by-10-inch cake (9 slices) Print Apple Cake By Great Chefs October 9, 2015 Paula Hurtado cuts apple halves in narrow slices, then places them on top of a firm but cake-like crust and glazes them with apricot glaze. Liberal use of lemon during the cutting process keeps the apples from turning brown […]
Orange Dome
Print Orange Dome By Great Chefs October 8, 2015 Bright wheels of candied orange slices cover a dome of orange mousse. An orange sauce is served with slices of the bombe. A bombe makes a lovely dessert presentation, yet is fairly easy to assemble. Ingredients Candied Orange Slices Sugar – 2 cups Water – 2 […]
Frozen Chocolate Tart
Serving: 6 to 8 Print Frozen Chocolate Tart By Great Chefs October 8, 2015 Rich and dense, this tart is a type of “flourless” chocolate cake.” If served warm, the center would be liquid. Freezing it stabilizes the chocolate center. Chef Hurtado serves it with fresh raspberry-Kahlua sauce and fresh fruit. Ingredients Bittersweet Chocolate – […]
Lucume Mousse
Serving: 6-8 Print Lucume Mousse By Great Chefs October 7, 2015 Paula Hurtado’s lucume mousse is made with this fragrant, exotic fruit, but it could be a basic recipe for any fruit mousse: just substitute an equal amount of puree from another fruit for the lucume puree. The lucume, a sapote, has a sweet perfume, […]
Miracle Dessert
Serving: 6 to 8 Print Miracle Dessert By Great Chefs October 6, 2015 It would be hard to find an prettier dessert — a shiny pink raspberry meringue heaped into sparkling glasses and garnished with more raspberries, blueberries, and orange leaves with a dusting of confectioner’s sugar. The miracle is that it is so simple. […]
Fruit Tarte
Aqui Serving: 6 – 8 servings Print Fruit Tarte By Great Chefs September 16, 2015 This tarte is quite easy to make, and pretty to look at. Uncooked chocolate cookie crumb crust is filled with a cream cheese filling and decorated with fresh fruit. The fruit can vary with the seasons; this is just as […]