Basic Pie & Tart Crusts
1. Pastry for a 9-inch pie shell or a 9 1/2- or 10- by 1-inch tart shell
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
1 1/3 cups + 4 tablespoon pastry flour or 1 1/3 cups (dip and sweep method) bleached all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt (for savory recipes, use 1 1/2 times the salt)
2 1/2 to 3 1/2 tablespoons ice water
1 1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar
Optional
1/8 teaspoon baking powder (if not using, double the salt)
2. Pastry for a 9-inch lattice pie, a 9-inch deep-dish pie, a 10-inch pie shell, or a 12- to 14-inch free-form tart
9 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
1 1/2 cups + 1 1/2 tablespoons pastry flour or 1 1/2 cups (dip and sweep method) bleached all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt (for savory recipes, use 1 1/2 times the salt)
3 1/2 to 4 1/2 tablespoons ice water
1 1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar
Optional
1/8 teaspoon baking powder (if not using, double the salt)
3. Pastry for a two-crust 9-inch pie
14 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
2 1/4 cups + 2 tablespoons pastry flour or 2 1/4 cups (dip and sweep method) bleached all-purpose flour
1/4 + 1/8 teaspoon salt (for savory recipes, use 1 1/2 times the salt)
5 to 7 tablespoons ice water
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
Optional
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder (if not using, double the salt)
Divide the butter into two parts, about two thirds to one third:
• For #1: 2.5 ounces and 1.5 ounces (5 tablespoons and 3 tablespoons)
• For #2: 3 ounces and 1.5 ounces (6 tablespoons and 3 tablespoons)
• For #3: 4.5 ounces and 2.5 ounces (9 tablespoons and 5 tablespoons)
• Cut the butter into 3/4-inch cubes.
• Wrap each portion of butter with plastic wrap, refrigerate the larger amount and freeze the smaller for at least 30 minutes.
• Place the flour, salt, and baking powder in a re-closable gallon-size freezer bag and freeze for at least 30 minutes.
Food processor method:
• Place the flour mixture in a food processor with the metal blade and process for a few seconds to combine.
• Set the bag aside.
• Add the larger amount of butter cubes to the flour and process for about 20 seconds or until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
• Add the remaining frozen butter cubes and pulse until all of the frozen butter is the size of peas. (
• Toss with a fork to see it better.)
• Add the lowest amount of the ice water and the vinegar and pulse 6 times.
• Pinch a small amount of the mixture together between your fingers.
• If it does not hold together, add half the remaining water and pulse 3 times.
• Try pinching the mixture again.
If necessary, add the remaining water, pulsing 3 times to incorporate it.
The mixture will be in particles and will not hold together without being pinched.
For tiny 1-inch tartlets, omit the baking powder and allow the processing to continue just until a ball forms.
The additional mixing produces a dough that is slightly less flaky but ensures that it will not puff out of shape in the tiny molds.
Spoon the mixture into the plastic bag.
• For a double-crust pie, it is easiest to divide the mixture in half at this point.
• Holding both ends of the bag opening with you fingers, knead the mixture by alternately pressing it, from the outside of the bag, with the knuckles and heels of your hands until the mixture holds together in one piece and feels slightly stretchy when pulled.
• Wrap the dough with plastic wrap, flatten it into a disc (or discs) and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes, preferably overnight.
• For a pie shell and lattice, divide it in a ratio of two thirds: one third — use about 9.5 ounces for the shell and the rest for the lattice, flattening the smaller part into a rectangle.
Hand method:
• Place a medium mixing bowl in the freezer to chill.
• Place the flour, salt, and optional baking powder in another medium bowl and whisk to combine them.
• Use a pastry cutter or rub the mixture between your fingers to blend the larger portion of the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse meal.
• Spoon the mixture, together with the cold butter, into a reclosable gallon-size freezer bag.
• Expel any air from the bag and close it.
• Use a rolling pin to flatten the butter into flakes.
• Place the bag in the freezer for at least 10 minutes or until the butter is very firm.
• Transfer the mixture to the chilled bowl, scraping the sides of the bag.
• Set the bag aside.
• Sprinkle the ice water and vinegar onto the mixture, tossing it lightly with a rubber spatula.
• Spoon the loose mixture back into the plastic bag.
• For a double-crust pie, it is easiest to divide the mixture in half at this point.
• Holding both ends of the bag opening with your fingers, knead the mixture by alternately pressing it, from the outside of the bag, with knuckles and heels of your hands until the mixture holds together in one piece and feels slightly stretchy when pulled.
• Wrap the dough with plastic wrap, flatten it into a disc (or discs) and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes, preferably overnight.
• For a pie shell and lattice, divide it in a ratio of two thirds: one third — use about 9.5 ounces for the shell and the rest for the lattice, flattening the smaller part into a rectangle.
Store:
Refrigerated, up to 2 days; frozen, up to 3 months.
Upside-Down Apple Tart 2
Filling:
2 1/2 sticks (20 tablespoons) butter, cut into small pieces
1 1/2 cups sugar
9 golden delicious apples, peeled, cored and halved
Pastry:
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
6 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
For apples, preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Scatter butter pieces and sprinkle sugar evenly in a 9 to 10-inch copper tartin pan or heavy baking pan.
• Tightly pack apple halves around inside edge of pan, reserve 4, standing upright, nestled against one another, with round side tilted down.
• Place 4 remaining halves in similar position in center of pan.
• Apples will shrink as they cook and slip round side down into pan.
• Bake for about 2 hours.
• Transfer pan from oven to stove top and cook over medium-high heat until butter and sugar caramelize to a rich brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Remove from heat, and gently ease sticky apples away from side of pan with a knife. Refrigerate overnight so that apples firm up and “confit” further.
For pastry, preheat oven to 350 degrees about 1 hour before serving tart.
• Sift flour, salt, and sugar into a bowl.
• Rub butter into flour mixture with your fingers until it resembles coarse crumbs.
• Sprinkle in 3 tablespoons ice water and work dough until it just holds together.
• Form into a ball, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Roll out dough on a floured surface into a 12-inch circle.
• Drape pastry over apples and pan.
• Roll the rolling pin across of pan to cut off excess pastry and allow pastry to fall over apples against the inside edge of pan.
• Bake in oven (still at 350) until pastry is flaky and golden, about 20 minutes.
• Remove from oven, place a flat ovenproof platter on top of tartin pan and invert quickly and carefully.
• Do not unmold yet.
• Reduce heat to 300 degrees and return platter and pan to oven for 10 minutes.
• Remove tartin pan and serve warm.
Pumpkin Tart
Dough:
1/2 cup whole almonds with skin (2 1/2 oz), toasted
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch each of ground ginger, cardamom, cloves, white pepper, and freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
For pumpkin filling
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon mild molasses
Sprinkling of teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon each of ground cinnamon, mace, cloves, and freshly grated nutmeg
1 3/4 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin (15 oz) or fresh pumpkin purée*
2/3 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons pine nuts
• Accompaniment: red wine caramel sauce
• Special equipment: a 10- by 1-inch fluted round tart pan with removable bottom; pie weights or raw rice
Dough:
• Pulse almonds, flour, baking powder, salt, and spices in a food processor until nuts are very finely ground.
• Beat together butter and sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, then beat in egg.
• Add flour mixture in 2 batches, mixing at low speed just until a dough forms.
• Form dough into a disk and chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 2 hours.
Pumpkin filling:
• Whisk together brown sugar, eggs, molasses, salt, and spices.
• Whisk in pumpkin, then cream.
• Assemble and bake tart:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin into a 12-inch round.
• Dough will be sticky, so rotate frequently and dust surface with flour as needed.
• Slide bottom of tart pan under dough and set into rim of tart pan.
• Press dough against side of pan and trim excess.
• Dough cracks easily but can be patched.
• Line shell with foil and fill with pie weights.
• Bake in lower third of oven until dough is set and pale golden, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Carefully remove foil and weights, and then add custard, spreading evenly.
• Sprinkle top with pine nuts and bake until filling is set, 30 to 35 minutes.
• If edge of crust is browning too quickly, cover edge with foil or a piecrust shield.
• Cool completely in pan on a rack.
• Remove rim of tart pan, leaving tart on pan bottom, and transfer to a platter.
Yield: Serves 8
Carmel Sauce with wine:
1/2 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise
1 cup dry red wine
1 1/3 cups sugar
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into a small heavy saucepan, and then add pod and wine.
• Boil over moderate heat until wine is reduced to about 1/2 cup, about 10 minutes. Discard pod.
• While wine is reducing, bring sugar and water to a boil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
• Boil, without stirring, washing down any sugar crystals on side of pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water, until syrup turns pale golden.
• Continue to cook caramel, swirling pan, until deep golden.
• Remove from heat, then carefully pour wine down side of pan (caramel will vigorously steam and harden).
• Simmer, stirring, until caramel is dissolved and sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in butter and serve warm.
Yield: 1 1/4 cups.
*How to make Pumpkin puree:
2 lb fresh pumpkin, cut into roughly 4- by 5-inch wedges
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• Special equipment: cheesecloth
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Brush flesh sides of pumpkin wedges with butter. Arrange, flesh side down, in a large roasting pan and cover pan tightly with foil.
• Bake, turning pieces after 1 hour, until flesh is very tender when pierced with a fork, about 2 hours.
• Remove foil and cool pumpkin in pan until it can be handled.
• Discard any liquid that may have accumulated and scoop out pumpkin flesh, then purée pulp in batches in a food processor.
• Transfer to a large sieve or colander lined with several layers of cheesecloth set over a large bowl.
• Drain purée, chilled, its surface covered with plastic wrap, 8 hours or overnight.
Note: Purée keeps, covered and chilled, 2 days or, frozen in an airtight container, 2 months.
Yield: 3 1/4 cups.
Lemon Squares 2
Crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 cup margarine
Filling:
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Mix flour and sugar for crust, and cut in margarine.
• Press into a 9×13-inch baking pan.
• Bake for 25 minutes.
• Combine ingredients for the filling, and pour onto the baked crust.
• Bake for 25 more minutes.
• Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar.
• Cut in squares and serve when cool.
Yield: 24 squares
Glazed Grape Tarts
This is especially nice with your favorite cheese.
For tart shells
1/2 cup pecans (2 oz), lightly toasted
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 sticks (1 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon salt
For grape filling
2 cups Port
1 1/2 cups Concord grape jelly
3/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste
5 lb small red seedless grapes, stems discarded (12 1/2 cups)
Special equipment: 2 (11 1/4- by 8- by 1-inch) rectangular tart pans with removable bottoms, or 2 (10-inch) round fluted tart pans with removable bottoms
Make tart shells:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Pulse pecans with brown sugar in a food processor until finely ground (do not allow to become a paste).
• Add flour, butter, cinnamon, ginger, and salt and pulse until mixture begins to form large lumps.
• Divide mixture between tart pans and press evenly over bottom and up sides with floured fingers.
• Chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Bake tart shells in lower third of oven until golden brown, about 25 minutes.
• Transfer shells in pans to racks to cool completely.
• Carefully remove sides of pans, keeping shells on pan base.
Make filling while shells cool:
• Simmer Port and jelly, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 1 1/2 cups, about 30 minutes, then stir in lemon juice. Immediately toss grapes with 1 cup glaze in a large bowl until well coated, then mound in tart shells.
• Just before serving, drizzle tarts with more glaze and serve remainder on the side.
Cooks’ notes:
• Tart shells can be made 2 days ahead and kept in pans, loosely covered, at room temperature. Remove sides of tart pans before filling.
• Port glaze can be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered. Reheat before proceeding.
• Tarts can be assembled 4 hours ahead.
Yield: Two 11” x 8” tarts
Cranberry Pecan Tart
1 1/4 cups pecans (5 oz), chopped
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup light corn syrup
2 tablespoons butter
4 eggs
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries (not thawed; 3 1/2 oz), chopped
1 baked (10-inch) tart shell*
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Lightly toast pecans in a shallow baking pan in middle of oven for 4- 5 minutes, and then cool.
• Leave oven on.
• Cook 1/2 cup sugar in a dry 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, undisturbed, until it begins to melt.
• Continue to cook, stirring occasionally with a fork (to help sugar melt evenly), until sugar is melted into a deep golden caramel.
• Tilt pan and carefully add corn syrup (caramel will harden and steam vigorously).
• Cook over moderately low heat, stirring, until caramel is dissolved.
• Remove pan from heat and add butter, stirring until melted, then cool caramel until it stops bubbling.
• Whisk together eggs, salt, vanilla, and remaining 1/4 cup sugar, then add caramel in a stream, whisking constantly.
• Spread pecans and cranberries evenly in tart shell and pour caramel over them, tapping pecans and cranberries down to coat thoroughly.
• Bake tart in middle of oven until filling is set, 30 to 35 minutes.
• Cool completely in pan on a rack before removing rim of pan.
Yield: Serves 8
*see short crust pastry recipe
Chocolate Hazelnut Tart
Tart shell:
1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted* then cooled completely
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
For chocolate filling
7 oz semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup crème fraîche
• A 9 by 12 inch fluted round tart pan with removable bottom; pie weights or raw rice
Make tart shell:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Pulse hazelnuts with flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor until finely ground (be careful not to grind to a paste), then add butter and pulse until most of mixture resembles coarse meal with some roughly pea-size butter lumps.
• Add egg and vanilla and pulse just until mixture begins to clump.
• Press dough evenly over bottom and up side of tart pan and chill 10 minutes.
• Line tart shell with foil and fill with pie weights.
• Bake in middle of oven until pale golden along rim, about 15 minutes.
• Carefully remove foil and weights and bake shell until bottom and side are golden, about 10 minutes more.
• Cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes.
Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
Make filling while shell cools:
• Put chopped chocolate in a bowl.
• Bring milk, sugar, and salt to a boil in a 1-quart saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, then pour milk over chocolate in bowl and let stand until chocolate is melted, about 1 minute.
• Whisk until smooth, then whisk in yolks and vanilla. Whisk in crème fraîche and pour into crust.
• Bake tart in middle of oven until just set, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Cool completely in pan on rack.
• Chill until firm, at least 1 hour, and then bring to room temperature before serving.
Preheat oven to 350° F.
*In a baking pan toast hazelnuts in one layer in middle of oven 10 to 15 minutes, or until lightly colored and skins are blistered. Wrap nuts in a kitchen towel and let steam 1 minute. Rub nuts in towel to remove loose skins (don’t worry about skins that don’t come off) and cool completely.
Yield: Serves 10
Warm Pear Tart
Crust Pastry:
1 cup flour plus 1 tbs. for dusting
½ cup cold butter, diced
2 tbs. ice water
Filling:
4 pears
7 tbs. apricot jam or apple jelly thinned with 1 tbs. water
2 tbs. butter, cut into small bits
3 tbs. sugar
Whipped cream for garnish (optional)
Place flour and butter into a food processor and pulse machine until it looks like coarse bread crumbs.
With the machine of, add water. Pulse the machine a few times until the dough forms several ball but not one big one.
Place the pastry on a lightly floured board and dust the top with a little flour. Gather the pastry into a ball and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Roll out the dough and handle it lightly and make it into a 12 inch circle. Fold the pastry gently inn half to transfer it to a tart pan and then unfold it.
Chill the pastry for another 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Place an empty baking sheet on the bottom of the oven to get hot while you make the filling.
Peel, core and halve the pears lengthwise. Place on their flat side and cut into very thin slices beginning at the thick end. Lay the slices in concentric circles that overlap in the tart shell beginning at the outside and ending up n the center in a pattern similar to a rose.
Paint the pear with Jam or Jelly and dot with butter and sprinkle with sugar.
Place the tart on the hot cookie sheet and bake for 8 minutes or until the edges of the tart begin to brown. Watch carefully.
Allow to cool and then remove the pan side and serve on a plate. Garnish with whipped cream.
Serves 8.
Tarte Tatin
8 apples
12 Tablespoons butter, cut into 1 tablespoon pieces
1 cup sugar
For the pastry:
1-1/2 cups flour
6 Tablespoons confectioner’s sugar
1/3 teaspoon salt
10 Tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
1 large egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Put the flour, sugar and salt in the food processor and pulse to blend.
• Add butter and pulse until the mixture looks like fine meal.
• Stir the vanilla into the egg and add to the flour.
• Pulse a few times, just long enough for the dough to pull together.
• Dump the dough out onto a floured surface and knead it until it is pliable.
• Press into a ball, wrap with plastic and refrigerate for 15 to 30 minutes.
• Just before using the pastry, roll it out into a 12-inch circle.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Peel, quarter and core the apples.
• Melt the butter in a 10-inch cast iron skillet over med-heat.
• Remove from heat and sprinkle the sugar evenly over the butter.
• Tightly pack the apples, upright, around the inside edge of the skillet.
• They should be nestled tightly against each other.
• Return the pan to the stove and cook over high heat until the butter and sugar caramelize to a rich brown, this takes about 15 minutes.
• Remove from heat and carefully turn the apples over to the uncooked side with a fork. Return to the heat and cook an additional 5 to 8 minutes.
• Remove from heat.
• Drape the pastry over the apples, tucking the overhang down between the apples and the inside edge of the skillet.
• Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until the pastry is golden.
• Remove and allow to cool for 15 minutes.
• Loosen the edges of the pastry with a knife. Invert onto a platter quickly and carefully. Rearrange any apples that may have fallen out.
• Serve warm.
Pisaladieres
• Serve this with a large green salad.
• These are savory tarts from Provence.
Pastry:
1 stick butter at room temperature
¼ cup cream cheese
1 tbs. sugar
2 eggs
½ cup sour cream
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
Flour for rolling
• In the bowl of an electric mixer cream the butter, cream cheese and sugar.
• Add the eggs one at a time and then the sour cream.
• Mix to combine them.
• Add the flour, baking powder, and salt and mix it until the dough comes together.
• It will be sticky.
• Remove the dough from the mixer and divide it in half.
• Set each one in a piece of foil and then wrap them gently shaping the dough into flat round cakes.
• Refrigerate the dough for two hours before you roll it out.
Topping:
4 tbs. olive oil
12 medium onions, thinly sliced
1 tbs. sugar
Salt and pepper
1 egg yolk mixed with 2 tbs. water for the glaze
1 can (3 ½ ounces) flat anchovy fillets, drained and halved lengthwise
1 cup black pitted in brine
• In a large skillet heat the olive oil.
• When it is hot, add the onions and cook them over low heat for 10 minutes.
• Add the sugar and a pinch of salt.
• Continue to cook the onions over very low heat for 1 hour until they are soft and caramelized.
• Add pepper and drain them in a wire sieve to take our excess liquid.
• Transfer to a bowl to cool.
Set the oven at 350 degrees F.
• Flour a board for rolling out the pastry and take one out of the refrigerator and pat it all over with flour and roll it out to a 10 by 12 inch rectangle.
• Put the dough on a baking sheet.
• Dip a knife in flour and cut 1 inch off all the sides.
• Brush the edges with egg wash and replace the strips of pastry on top the egg wash and press them down gently.
• Fill up the center with half the egg mixture.
• Make an “x” pattern with half the anchovies.
• Sprinkle with half the olives and half the thyme.
• Repeat the process with the other piece of pastry, onions, thyme.
• Bake the two tarts for 30 minutes until they are golden at the edges.
• Drizzle with olive oil and cut them into large pieces.
Yield: Serves 6
Kiwi and Almond Tart
1 cup whole blanched almonds
Pie crust mix for 9 ½ inch tart
½ cup sugar
4oz butter, softened
2 large eggs
⅛ teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons flour
3 Kiwifruit
⅓ cup apple jelly, melted lightly
Sweetened whipped cream (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spread the almonds in single layer on cookie sheet.
• Toast for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned.
• Cool.
• Prepare the pie crust dough according to package direction.
• Roll out and place into the tart pan.
• Set aside.
• In a food processor, with metal blade in place, grind the almonds with the sugar.
• Mix in the butter, eggs and almond essence, until thoroughly combined.
• Blend in the flour.
• Spoon the mixture into the prepared tart shell, smoothing out the top.
• Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden brown.
• Cool.
• Peel and slice the Kiwifruit ¼ inch thick.
• Arrange the Kiwifruit in an overlapping, spiral pattern over top of almond mixture.
• Brush with melted apple jelly.
• Serve with lightly sweetened whipping cream if desired.
Yield: Serves 8
Cranberry Walnut Tart
3 large eggs
2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
2/3 cup light corn syrup
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups chopped fresh or frozen cranberries (7 oz; thawed if frozen)
1 cup chopped walnuts (1/4 lb)
Special equipment: a 10- to 11-inch round tart pan (1 inch deep) with a removable bottom; pie weights or raw rice
Pastry Dough:
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 large egg yolk
1 1/2 tablespoons ice water
• Whisk together flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.
• Blend in butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps.
• Beat together yolk and water with a fork and stir into flour mixture until combined well.
• Gently knead mixture in bowl with floured hands just until a dough forms.
• Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently 4 or 5 times more.
• Form dough into a ball, and then flatten into a 5-inch disk.
• Chill, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, at least 1 hour.
Cooks’ note:
• Dough can be chilled up to 2 days.
Makes enough dough for 1 (10 to 11 inch) tart.
Make shell:
• Roll out dough into a 13-inch round (1/8 inch thick) on a floured surface with a floured rolling pin and fit into tart pan.
• Trim edge of dough, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang, then fold overhang inward and press against side of pan to reinforce edge.
• Lightly prick bottom of shell all over with a fork, then chill 30 minutes.
• Put oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 425°F.
• Line shell with foil and fill with pie weights.
• Bake until pastry is set and pale golden on rim, about 15 minutes.
• Carefully remove foil and weights and bake shell until pale golden all over, 5 to 10 minutes more.
• Transfer shell in pan to a rack.
Make filling:
• Move oven rack to middle position and reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
• Whisk together eggs, brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, salt, and vanilla in a bowl until smooth, then stir in cranberries and walnuts.
• Pour filling into shell and bake tart until filling is set and golden, 40 to 45 minutes.
• If pastry edge darkens before tart is done, cover edge with a pie shield or foil.
• Cool completely in pan on rack.
Cooks’ notes:
• Tart can be baked 1 day ahead and kept, covered, at room temperature.
• For a more unusual presentation, you can make the tart in an 11- by 8-inch rectangular fluted tart pan with a removable bottom.
Yield: Serves 10
Chocolate Raspberry Tart
Crust
1 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
3 tbs. unsweetened, good quality, cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 1/2 tablespoons cold water
1 egg yolk
6 tablespoons raspberry jam
Filling
1 cup whipping cream
4 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 1/2-pint baskets fresh raspberries
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
For Crust:
• Combine flour, sugar, cocoa and salt in medium bowl.
• Add butter and rub in, using fingertips, until mixture resembles coarse meal.
• Add water and egg yolk and mix in with fork until well incorporated.
• Gather dough into rectangle chill 20 minutes.
• Can be prepared 4 days ahead.
• Let dough soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Butter and flour 13 3/4 x 4-inch rectangular pan with 1-inch-high sides and removable bottom.
• Roll out dough between 2 sheets of waxed paper to 15×6-inch rectangle.
• Peel off 1 waxed paper sheet.
• Invert dough into prepared pan, press evenly to fit. Freeze until firm, about 10 minutes. Peel off second waxed paper sheet.
• Trim edges.
• Line crust with foil; fill with dried beans or pie weights.
• Bake until crust is set, about 12 minutes.
• Remove foil and beans.
• Bake until crust just begins to darken around edges, piercing with toothpick if crust bubbles, about 12 minutes longer.
• Remove from oven; maintain oven temperature.
• Spread jam over bottom of crust.
• Bake until jam is set, about 3 minutes.
• Transfer pan to rack; cool completely.
For Filling:
• Bring cream to boil in heavy small saucepan.
• Remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth.
• Transfer chocolate ganache to bowl and refrigerate until chilled but not firm, about 45 minutes or less.
• Using electric mixer, beat ganache until very thick and semi firm.
• Spread ganache over jam in crust.
• Can be prepared 8 hours ahead.
• Refrigerate.
• Arrange raspberries atop ganache.
• Stir powdered sugar and cocoa in bowl.
• Sift over tart.
Yield: Serves 6.
Blueberry Pizza
Crust:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup melted butter
Filling:
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup water
4 1/2 cups blueberries
Whipped topping and fresh blueberries or sliced strawberries for garnish
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Combine flour and confectioners’ sugar in mixing bowl.
• Add melted butter and mix to blend well.
• Pat dough out in a 14-inch pizza pan.
• Bake for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned.
• In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese with sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice, and vanilla.
• Spread over the cooled pizza crust.
• In a large saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch; stir in water.
• Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until thickened.
• Add blueberries and cool completely.
• Spread cooled blueberry mixture over cream cheese layer.
• Chill thoroughly.
• Cut in wedges to serve, with dollops of whipped topping and fresh blueberries or strawberry slices, if desired.
Tarte Tatin with Mangoes
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 mangoes, thinly sliced, plus some extra dices to use a garnish
1 package of puff pastry, defrosted according to directions
1 egg, lightly beaten
To serve: lime peel, in long thin strips and vanilla ice cream
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Generously grease 4 4-inch wide (3-inch deep) ramekins or 4-inch, 3-inch deep non-stick straight sided pie pans with the butter.
• Place the sugar in a small saucepan and put it over very low heat.
• Do not stir, but allow the sugar to melt to a golden, caramel color.
• This can take anywhere between 15 to 20 minutes.
• Pour the caramel into the prepared pans and allow to cool.
• Lay the mango slices over the caramel.
• Make sure the bottom is completely covered.
• Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and cut 4 circles, slightly larger than the ramekins/pie plates.
• Lay the pastry circles on top of the mangoes, pressing down gently and tucking in the sides a bit.
• Brush the tops with the beaten egg.
• Place in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until puffed and golden.
• Remove and allow to rest for about 3 minutes until inverting onto a serving plate.
• Serve warm from the oven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
• Garnish the tarts with a bit of shredded lime peel.
Yield: Serves 4
Strawberry Tart with Lemon Curd
Curd:
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
Crust:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons (or more) chilled whipping cream
1 large egg yolk
1 1/2 quarts fresh strawberries, bottoms cut flat
1/2 cup strawberry jam
For curd:
• Whisk eggs, sugar, and lemon juice in heavy small saucepan to blend.
• Add butter and lemon peel.
• Stir over medium heat until curd thickens to pudding consistency, about 8 minutes.
• Transfer to small bowl.
• Press plastic wrap onto surface of curd and chill at least 2 hours.
For crust:
• Combine flour, sugar, and salt in processor; blend 5 seconds.
• Add butter; using on/off turns, blend until mixture resembles coarse meal.
• Add 2 tablespoons cream and yolk.
• Blend until moist clumps form, adding more cream by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk.
• Wrap and chill 1 hour.
• Curd and dough can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.
• Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 13-inch round.
• Transfer dough to 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom.
• Trim overhang to 1/2 inch.
• Fold overhang in and press firmly, forming double-thick sides.
• Pierce crust all over with fork; refrigerate 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Bake crust until golden, pressing with back of fork if crust bubbles, about 20 minutes. Cool crust completely on rack.
• Spread curd in crust.
• Stand berries in curd.
• Strain jam into saucepan; warm briefly to thin.
• Brush jam over berries.
• Chill tart until glaze sets, at least 1 hour and up to 6 hours.
• Release tart from pan
Rhubarb Torte
4 Egg whites
1/4 tsp. Cream of tartar
1 c up Sugar
3 1/2 cup Rhubarb sauce, thickened*
• One day before serving: In medium sized bowl, with electric mixer at high speed, beat whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form.
• Gradually add sugar, beating until sugar dissolves and stiff peaks form.
Preheat oven to 225 degrees F.
• Line two baking sheets with greased aluminum foil.
• Draw three 8 inch circles.
• Using a pastry bag, with star tip, pipe a border, inside the edge of each circle, on baking sheets.
• Do not extend beyond the circle.
• On one circle, pipe a second border inside the first.
• Divide remaining meringue into centers of circles.
• With small spatula, spread meringue to fill centers of circles and to touch shell borders.
• Bake meringues 3 to 4 hours or until crisp.
• Turn off oven.
• Allow meringues to stand in oven several hours or overnight.
• An hour before serving, place meringue layer with single border on serving plate.
• Top with one third of chilled rhubarb sauce.
• Repeat with second single-border meringue and one third of sauce.
• Top with double-border meringue and remaining sauce.
• Cover torte carefully and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Yield: Serves 8
Puff Pastry Apple Tarts with Honey
1 sheet frozen puff pastry (half of 17.3-ounce package), thawed
2 7- to 8-ounce apples, peeled, halved, cored, each half very thinly sliced
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted
6 teaspoons honey
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Roll out pastry sheet on lightly floured surface to very thin 18×14-inch rectangle.
• Using small plate as guide cut out four 7-inch rounds.
• Transfer 2 rounds to each prepared sheet; cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day.
Preheat to 400 degrees F.
Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven.
• Overlap slices from 1/2 apple on each pastry round, leaving 1/4-inch plain border.
• Sprinkle apple on each tart with 2 1/4 teaspoons sugar.
• Then drizzle with 2 1/4 teaspoons butter.
• Bake tarts until pastry is golden and apples are tender, about 25 minutes.
• Drizzle each tart with 1 teaspoon honey.
• Transfer tarts to racks.
• Cool 10 minutes.
• Serve warm or at room temperature.
Yield: Serves 4
Fruit Tart
You will need the following listed in detail below:
One Recipe for Sweet Pastry Crust
One Recipe for Crème Pàtissière (Pastry Cream)
One Recipe for Apricot Glaze
2 – 3 cups mixed fruit, such as raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, kiwifruit, bananas, plums
Sweet Pastry Crust
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup granulated white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon butter
1 egg, lightly beaten
Sift flour and salt together and set aside.
• Place the butter in your mixer and beat until softened.
• Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
• Gradually add the beaten egg, beating just until incorporated.
• Don’t over mix or butter will separate and lighten in color.
• Add flour mixture all at once and mix just until it forms a ball.
• Don’t overwork or pastry will be hard when baked.
• DOUGH WILL BE STICKY.
• Flatten dough into disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 20 minutes or until firm.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the sweet pastry to the desired size.
• To prevent the pastry from sticking to the counter and to ensure uniform thickness, keep lifting up and turning the pastry a quarter turn as you roll (always roll from the center of the pastry outwards to get uniform thickness).
• Roll to a round about 1/8-inch thick size that fits an 8 or 9-inch tart pan.
• To make sure it is the right size, take your tart pan, flip it over, and place it on the rolled out pastry.
• The pastry should be about an inch larger than pan.
• When the pastry is rolled to the desired size, lightly roll pastry around your rolling pin, dusting off any excess flour as you roll.
• Unroll onto top of tart pan.
• Never pull pastry or you will get shrinkage (shrinkage is caused by too much pulling of the pastry when placing it in the pan).
• Gently lay in pan and with a small floured piece of pastry, lightly press pastry into bottom and up sides of pan.
• Roll your rolling pin over top of pan to get rid of excess pastry.
• With a thumb up movement, again press dough into pan.
• Roll rolling pin over top again to get rid of any extra pastry.
• Prick bottom of dough (this will prevent the dough from puffing up as it bakes).
• Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes to chill the butter and to rest the gluten.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and place rack in center of oven.
• Line unbaked pastry shell with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
• Fill tart pan with pie weights or beans, making sure the weights are to the top of the pan and evenly distributed over the entire surface.
• Bake crust for 20 to 25 minutes until crust is dry and lightly golden brown.
• Remove weights and cool crust on wire rack before filling.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the sweet pastry to the desired size.
• To prevent the pastry from sticking to the counter and to ensure uniform thickness, keep lifting up and turning the pastry a quarter turn as you roll (always roll from the center of the pastry outwards to get uniform thickness).
• Roll to a round about 1/8-inch thick size that fits an 8 or 9-inch tart pan.
• To make sure it is the right size, take your tart pan, flip it over, and place it on the rolled out pastry.
• The pastry should be about an inch larger than pan.
• When the pastry is rolled to the desired size, lightly roll pastry around your rolling pin, dusting off any excess flour as you roll.
• Unroll onto top of tart pan.
• Never pull pastry or you will get shrinkage (shrinkage is caused by too much pulling of the pastry when placing it in the pan).
• Gently lay in pan and with a small floured piece of pastry, lightly press pastry into bottom and up sides of pan.
• Roll your rolling pin over top of pan to get rid of excess pastry.
• With a thumb up movement, again press dough into pan.
• Roll rolling pin over top again to get rid of any extra pastry.
• Prick bottom of dough (this will prevent the dough from puffing up as it bakes).
• Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes to chill the butter and to rest the gluten.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Place rack in center of oven.
• Line unbaked pastry shell with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
• Fill tart pan with pie weights or beans, making sure the weights are to the top of the pan and evenly distributed over the entire surface.
• Bake crust for 20 to 25 minutes until crust is dry and lightly golden brown.
• Remove weights and cool crust on wire rack before filling.
Crème Patisserie (Pastry Cream)
1 1/4 cups milk
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
3 large egg yolks
1/4 cup granulated white sugar
1/8 cup flour
Scant 3 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 tablespoon liqueur (Grand Marnier, Brandy, Kirsch)
Yield: 1 cup
For light pastry cream add:
1/2 cup heavy cream, softly whipped (optional)
Variations:
Chocolate pastry cream:
Add: 2 ounces of melted bittersweet or semi-sweet, milk or white chocolate into the hot milk (before you add it to the egg and flour mixture)
Coffee pastry cream:
Add: 1/2 – 1 Tablespoon instant espresso or instant coffee powder into hot milk.
Raspberry pastry cream:
Add: 1/4 cup (or to taste) raspberry puree to pastry cream
• In a medium-sized stainless steel bowl, mix the sugar and egg yolks together with a wooden spoon.
• Never let the mixture sit too long or you will get pieces of egg forming.
• Sift the flour and cornstarch together and then add to the egg mixture, mixing until you get a smooth paste.
• Set aside.
• Meanwhile in a saucepan combine the milk and split vanilla bean on medium heat until boiling.
• The milk will foam up to the top of pan when done, so watch carefully.
• Remove from heat and add slowly to egg mixture, whisking constantly to prevent curdling.
• If you get a few pieces of egg (curdling) in the mixture, pour through a strainer.
• Remove vanilla bean, scrape out seeds, and add the seeds to the egg mixture.
• The vanilla bean can be dried and placed in your sugar bowl to give the sugar a vanilla flavor.
• This sugar can then be used in baking where you would like a vanilla-flavored sugar, e.g. pies, cakes, cookies.
• Place the egg mixture back into a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until boiling, whisking constantly.
• When it boils, whisk mixture constantly for another 30 – 60 seconds until it becomes very thick and it is hard to stir.
• Remove from heat and immediately whisk in the liqueur (if using).
• Pour into a clean bowl and immediately cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a crust from forming.
• Cool.
• If not using right away refrigerate until needed, up to 3 days.
• Beat before using to get rid of any lumps that may have formed.
• For a light pastry cream, just before using, fold in the softly whipped cream with a
wooden spoon.
Apricot Glaze
1/2 cup apricot jam or preserves
1 tablespoon Grand Marnier or water or combination of the two (can also use other liqueurs)
Note: Grand Marnier is an orange liqueur
• A glaze is defined as a thin, liquid, sweet coating that adds shine and color to pastries.
• Also used as a protective coating to prevent the fruit on the top of tarts from drying out and/or a soggy pastry crust when a moist filling is used.
• Apricot jam and red currant jelly are the two most popular ingredients used to glaze fruit tarts.
• A pastry brush is used to lightly coat the fruit with the glaze.
• Heat the apricot jam or preserves and water (if using) in a small saucepan over medium heat until liquid (melted).
• Remove from heat and strain the jam through a fine strainer to remove any fruit lumps.
• If using, add the liqueur at this point.
• Let cool until it is only slightly warm and then glaze the fruit or tart crust, using a pastry brush.
Note: only lightly coat the fruit or tart shell with the glaze so that it does not look jelly-like when dry.
Variation:
• If glazing strawberries, raspberries or any other red fruit you can make a red currant glaze.
• Gently whisk 1/2 cup (125 grams) of red currant jelly over medium heat until melted.
• Let cool slightly and then lightly glaze the fruit using a pastry brush.
This recipe makes enough to glaze the fruit on an 8 or 9 inch tart
TO ASSEMBLE TART:
• To remove the tart from the fluted sides of the pan, place your hand under the pan, touching only the removable bottom not the sides.
• Gently push the tart straight up, away from the sides.
• The fluted tart ring will fall away and slide down your arm.
• If you want to remove the bottom of the pan, run a knife or thin metal spatula between the crust and metal bottom, and then slide the tart onto a cardboard cake round.
• Spread a thin layer of apricot glaze or melted chocolate over the bottom and sides of tart to prevent the crust from getting soggy.
• Let the glaze dry between 20 – 30 minutes.
• Pour the Crème Patisserie (Pastry Cream) into the tart, filling 3/4 full.
• Level with an offset spatula.
• Alternatively, you can put the cream in a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip and pipe cream into the shell.
• To decorate the tart you will need 2 to 3 cups of mixed fresh fruit (such as raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, bananas, oranges, kiwifruit, plums).
• Prepare the fruit by gently washing and drying.
• Peel and slice the bananas, plums and kiwifruit.
• The strawberries need to be sliced also.
• Arranging the fruit on the tart can be done either randomly or in concentric overlapping circles, starting on the outside edge.
• Try to cover all the pastry cream with fruit so that no pastry cream is showing through.
• After arranging the fruit, rewarm the glaze, if needed, and gently brush a light coat on the fruit.
• Do not put it on too thick or it will look like Jell-O®.
• Try not to get any glaze on the tart shell.
• The idea is to make the fruit look shiny.
• If not serving immediately, refrigerate.
• Take out about 30 minutes before serving to give the fruit and cream a chance to warm up.
• This fruit tart is best eaten the same day as it is assembled.
• Cover and refrigerate any leftovers.
Cranberry-Apple Crostata
Tart Dough: (or use store bought puff pastry dough)
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons superfine sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup (1/2 pound or 2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup ice water, plus additional as needed
Filling:
4 cups Granny Smith, Pippin, or your favorite apples, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch wedges
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup cranberry sauce
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, preferably gray salt
1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon heavy cream, for egg wash
2 teaspoons coarse sugar
Make the tart dough:
• Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor and pulse to blend.
• Add the butter and pulse until the mixture forms coarse crumbs.
• Add vanilla and water to processor, and then slowly add flour and cinnamon sugar.
• Pulse just until a dough forms, adding a little extra ice water if necessary.
• Divide the dough in half, and shape each half into a 1-inch-thick round.
• Wrap 1 disk tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour; freeze the other for future use.
• Put a pizza stone or cookie sheet in the oven and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F for 45 minutes.
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator about 15 minutes before rolling to soften it slightly.
• Place the dough round between 2 sheets of parchment paper and roll into a 13-inch round (about a 1/4-inch thickness), flouring the round lightly as needed to keep the dough from sticking.
• Remove the top sheet of parchment.
• Use the rim of a small round bowl to make 6 individual crostatas.
• Cut around the edge of the bowl, in the dough, with a sharp knife.
• Slide a pizza peel or rimless baking sheet under the bottom sheet of parchment, and remove excess dough from crostatas.
• To make the filling, combine the apples, sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a bowl and toss well.
• Add cranberry sauce and salt and toss again, briefly.
• Paint the edges of the crostatas with egg yolk wash.
• Fill the center of the dough rounds with the apples (about 1/2 cup each) in an even layer, leaving a border of about 1 1/2 inches.
• Fold the border up and over the apples to make a rim.
• Brush the rim with egg wash, and then sprinkle with coarse sugar.
• Trim the excess parchment with scissors, and press sides together.
• Use the pizza peel or baking sheet to transfer the crostatas, still with parchment underneath, to the oven, sliding it, with the paper, directly onto the pizza stone.
• Bake until the crust is nicely browned and the apples are bubbling, about 40 minutes. Remove from the oven with the peel or baking sheet and let cool on a rack for 15 minutes before serving.
• Serve warm.
Note: This can be made hours ahead and reheated before serving.
Preparation time: 1 hour
Working time: 50 minutes
Yield: Serves 6
Blueberry Tart
There is nothing better when blueberries are in season!
4 cups fresh blueberries’1 ¾ cups sugar
2 tbs. cornstarch
¾ cup water
Juice and grated zest of one lemon
¼ tsp. Cinnamon
Dash of Nutmeg
1 20-12 inch short crust pastry shell, prebaked
• Wash berries and dry them by laying them on a towel and lightly patting them dry.
• Mix the sugar and cornstarch with a fork and cold water.
• Put the cornstarch mixture in a pan and add 1 cup blueberries and lemon juice and zest. Cook until the blueberries are thoroughly smashed and the syrup is clear.
• The mixture should turn thick, transparent and glossy.
• Let it cool and then taste it for flavor.
• Add the cinnamon and nutmeg.
• Add remaining blueberries and stir to coat.
• Pour the berries into the tart shell and smooth the top.
• Do not refrigerate and serve within 2 hours.
Strawberry Tarts with Cassis
This will make four 4 inch tarts.
¾ cup strawberry jam
21/2 tbs. crème de cassis
1 pint strawberries, washed, hulled and halved
4 4-inch short crust tart shells* baked and cooled
4 hazelnuts or almonds
½ pint sour cream or crème fraiche
• Stirring constantly, heat the jam in a small heavy bottomed saucepan over moderate heat for one or two minutes, until the jam is smooth and spreadable.
• Stir in te reme de cassis, and then remove the pan from the heat.
• Set aside 2 tbs. of the jam mixture and about 1/3 of the strawberries for garnish, choosing the nicest ones.
• Combine the remaining berries and jam mixture, stirring gently.
• Divide the strawberry mixture among the tart shells and smooth the filling out.
• Garnish each tart with the reserved strawberries and top it with a hazelnut or almond. Brush each tart with some of the reserved jam mixture.
• Accompany the tarts with a bowl of sour cream, if desired.
Yield: Serves 4.
*see recipe for Short Crust Dough
Sand Tarts
These can be filled with custard, lemon curd or glazed fruit or mousse.
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 ½ cups flour, sifted
• Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and then add sugar and beat well.
• Add egg and the vanilla and flour.
• Mix well and chill dough for 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Pinch off small amounts of dough and fit each one into small tart shells and smooth the dough against the sides as carefully as you can.
• Dough should be thin and smooth.
• Remove excess from the top edges.
• Place the tins on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
• Allow to cool the tarts before removing them from the tins.
Fill the tarts and serve at once.
Yield: 4 dozen tarts
Pumpkin Tart
Crust
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) butter, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Filling
3 eggs
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons dark molasses
1/3 cup brandy or rum (optional)
2/3 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
¼ tsp. nutmeg
¼ tsp. allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups canned pure pumpkin
Sweetened Whipped Cream
1 cup chilled whipping cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For crust: Whisk flour and salt in bowl.
Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in another bowl until well blended.
Beat in yolk and vanilla.
Add flour mixture; beat until moist clumps form.
Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk.
Wrap in plastic; chill 30 minutes.
Preheat Oven to 375 degrees F.
Use the middle rack in the oven.
For dough:
• Roll out dough disk between 2 sheets of parchment paper or waxed paper to 12-inch round.
• Remove top sheet of parchment. Invert dough into 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom.
• Gently remove remaining parchment.
• Press dough evenly into pan, patching any tears in crust if necessary.
• Trim dough, leaving 3/4-inch overhang.
• Press overhang in, forming double-thick sides.
• Pierce bottom of dough all over with fork.
• Place tart pan on baking sheet.
• Gather dough scraps into ball.
• Roll out on floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness.
• Using small leaf-shaped cookie cutter or knife cut out leaf shapes.
• Place leaves on baking sheet with tart crust.
• Bake leaves until light golden, about 10 minutes.
• Transfer leaves to rack. Continue to bake crust until edges begin to brown, about 20 minutes longer.
• Keep tart pan on baking sheet.
For filling:
• Whisk eggs, brown sugar and molasses in medium bowl until smooth.
• Whisk in whipping cream, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cloves and salt.
• Add pumpkin and whisk until well blended.
• Pour into warm crust.
• Bake tart on baking sheet until filling is set in center and edges of filling are firm and beginning to puff, about 45 minutes.
• Transfer tart to rack; cool completely in pan on rack.
• Can be made 1 day ahead.
• Chill until cold, then cover.
• Keep refrigerated.
Arrange pastry leaves atop tart.
• For sweetened whipped cream: Beat whipping cream, sugar and vanilla in large bowl until peaks form.
• Cut tart into wedges.
• Top with whipped cream and serve.
Yield: Serves 8
Lime and Blueberry Squares with Lemon
For crust
1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
6 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
For filling
3 eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh lime zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons whole milk
2 cups blueberries (10 oz)
3 tablespoons apricot jam, heated and strained
Make crust:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Line a buttered 8-inch square glass baking dish with 2 (18- by 6-inch) sheets of foil, overlapping them in opposite directions so that there is overhang on all 4 sides.
• Pulse together flour, cornmeal, confectioners’ sugar, salt, and butter in a food processor until mixture resembles coarse meal.
• Press onto bottom of baking dish and 1 inch up sides.
• Bake in middle of oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes.
Make filling while crust bakes:
• Whisk together eggs, sugar, flour, and zests. Whisk in juices, milk, and a pinch of salt.
• Toss blueberries with jam in another bowl.
• Whisk egg mixture and immediately pour into hot crust, then bake until just set, about 17 minutes.
• Gently spoon berries evenly over top and bake 2 minutes more.
• Transfer baking dish to a rack and cool.
• Chill, covered, overnight (8 hours).
• Use foil to lift dessert out of dish, and then cut into squares.
Yield: 9 squares
Easy Cherry Tart
1-1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour
6 tbs. butter, cut into small pieces
4 tbs. cold water
3 tbs. sugar
2 pounds fresh cherries, pitted or use canned
• Combine 1-1/2 cups of the flour, the butter, and warm in a food processor.
• Blend until the mixture begins to form a ball, in about 30 seconds.
• Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough into a circle 13 inches in diameter and 1/4 inch thick.
• Pick up the dough by rolling it onto the pin and then unrolling it over a 10-1/2 inch tart or pie pan with a removable bottom.
• Press the dough gently into the pan, gathering it toward the wall of the pan to thicken the sides of the shell.
• Place it in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Blend the 2 tablespoons of flour with 1 tablespoon of the sugar.
• Sprinkle the bottom of the tart shell evenly with the flour mixture.
• Place the cherries in the shell in a circular pattern.
• Sprinkle the cherries with the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar and bake on the bottom rack of the oven for 45 minutes.
Yield: Serves 8
Butter Pecan Torte
¾ cup butter
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
3 cups sifted cake flour
¼ tsp. salt
1 cup milk
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Line bottoms of three 8 inch cake pans with 2 layers of wax paper; lightly grease top layer.
• Cream butter until soft.
• Add sugar and continue creaming until mixture is light and fluffy.
• Add eggs and vanilla.
• Beat until well combined.
• Sift together flour, baking powder and salt.
• Add flour mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending wit the flour mixture.
• Mix only until smooth.
• Pour equal amounts of batter into prepared pans.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until the layers test done.
• Cool in pans for 10 minutes.
• And remove and cool the layers on wire racks.
• When cold split in half horizontally.
• For perfect cutting use a long thin knife.
• Spread butter pecan filling between layers between layers.
• Frost the top and sides with whipped cream frosting.
• Garnish the top with whole pecans, if desired.
• Store in the refrigerator.
Butter pecan filling:
1 cup butter
1 cup sifted confectioner’s sugar
2 cups finely chopped pecans
4 tsps. Grated lemon rind
• Cream together butter and sugar.
• Blend in nuts and lemon rind.
Whipped cream frosting:
1 cup heavy cream
1 tbs. lemon juice
Few drops yellow food coloring
• Whip cream until stiff, blending in lemon juice and food coloring.
Yield: One 8 inch torte
Apple and Pear Tart
1 recipe pâté sucrée dough (see below)
2 large cooking apples, peeled and cored & quartered
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1-1/4 lbs. ripe pears
1/4 cup apricot jam
1/2 cup toasted, slivered almonds
• Put the apples along with the water in a saucepan and cook until the apples are mushy and the liquid is absorbed.
• Press through a sieve and cool.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Line a 10″ tart pan with the dough and spread the apple purée over the bottom.
• Peel, core and thinly slice the pears.
• Arrange them in a decorative pattern over the apple mixture.
• Bake for 30 minutes.
• Remove from oven and cool.
• Heat the apricot jam until bubbly and spoon over the pears.
• Sprinkle with almonds.
Pâté Sucrée
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and chilled
2 teaspoons of sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons ice water
Makes 1 9″-10″ tart shell
• Put the flour, sugar and salt into the bowl of a food processor.
• Pulse to combine, about 20 seconds.
• Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal.
• With the motor running, slowly add the ice water and process until dough starts coming together.
• Remove from processor and pat into a disk.
• Wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least 1 hour.
Short Crust Pastry
Great for tarts and flans.
1 pound Flour
2 tsp. sugar
1 large egg
10 ounces butter, chilled
½ cup ice water
• Shape the flour into a mound in the middle of a marble slab or other smooth cool surface and make a well in the center.
• Put the sugar and egg into the well.
• Knead the butter and place it in the well.
• Begin kneading the mixture with your fingertips along with about 4 ounces of water. When it is all mixed press the dough out wit the palm of your hand.
• Roll the dough into a ball and wrap it in a damp cloth.
• Chill until ready to use.
• When ready to use roll the dough out to about ¼ inch thick on a lightly floured board.
Yield: Enough for two 10 inch shells
Squash and Parmesan Cheese Tart
For tart shell
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage
Rounded 1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
2 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening, cut into pieces
2 to 4 tablespoons ice water
1 large egg white (yolk reserved for filling), lightly beaten
For filling
2 oz finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1 cup)
1 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 lb piece butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (2 cups)
3/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 whole large egg
1 large egg yolk
Garnish:
Fried sage leaves
Special equipment:
• pastry or bench scraper
• 13 1/2- by 4-inch rectangular* or 8 1/2-inch round fluted tart pan with a removable bottom
• pie weights or raw rice
Make shell:
• Combine flour, sage, and salt in a food processor, then add butter and shortening and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps.
• Drizzle with 2 tablespoons ice water and pulse until just incorporated.
• Squeeze a small handful of dough: If it doesn’t hold together, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing until just incorporated, then test again.
• Do not overwork, or pastry will be tough.
• Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 4 portions.
• With heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion to help distribute fat.
• Gather dough into a ball with scraper, then flatten into a 5-inch square.
• Chill dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour.
Put oven rack in middle position of your oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin into a 17- by 8-inch rectangle and fit into tart pan.
• Trim excess dough, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang, then fold overhang inward and press against side of pan to reinforce edge.
• Lightly prick bottom and sides of shell all over with a fork.
• Chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Line pastry shell with foil and fill with pie weights.
• Bake until sides are set and edges are pale golden, 18 to 20 minutes.
• Carefully remove foil and weights and bake shell until bottom is pale golden, 10 to 15 minutes more.
• Lightly brush bottom and sides of shell with egg white and continue to bake until dry and shiny, about 5 minutes.
• Cool completely in pan on a rack, about 15 minutes.
Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
Make filling while shell bakes:
• Bring cheese and cream just to a boil in a small heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally.
• Remove from heat and steep, covered, 30 minutes.
• Pour steeped cream through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing hard on cheese solids and then discarding them.
• While cream steeps, heat oil in a 10-inch heavy nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté squash with 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper, turning, until lightly browned on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain and cool slightly.
• Whisk together whole egg, yolk, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a bowl until combined.
• Add steeped cream, whisking until smooth.
Fill and bake tart:
• Scatter squash evenly in tart shell and pour custard over.
• Bake until custard is just set and golden in patches, 30 to 35 minutes.
• Cool tart in pan on rack at least 20 minutes.
• Halve tart crosswise, then cut in half lengthwise and cut each quarter into 8 pieces. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Note:
• Pastry dough can be chilled up to 1 day. Let stand at room temperature until slightly softened, about 20 minutes, before rolling out.
• Tart can be baked 6 hours ahead and cooled completely, then kept, loosely covered with plastic wrap, at room temperature.