Frangipane Tart With Seasonal Fruit

  
I've had a short but intense love affair with frangipane, otherwise known as almond pastry cream.  I can't remember the first time I had it--either at my first bakery job, where we made Cherry Frangipane Galettes, or perhaps it was on vacation with my family a few months prior to starting that job.  Either way, it was about two years ago, and I've been hooked ever since.  With almond paste at its base, it is similar in flavor to almond macaroons, (which happen to be my favorite cookies), but with a denser, richer texture.  My favorite uses for frangipane are in tarts and galettes (rustic tarts), embellished with seasonal fruits of choice.  I've made this tart several times in the winter with ginger poached pears, but for the summer, I love a combination of stone fruits and berries.  A few weeks ago a dinner with friends gave me the opportunity to make this favorite dessert again.  

I am a fan of all things Martha [Stewart], and her recipe has been my go-to since I discovered this delicious dessert.  A basic pate sucree crust can be prepared up to a day ahead of time.  The crust is pre-baked in a tart pan; the frangipane can be prepared while the tart shell cools.  I've streamlined her fussy crust baking method just a bit--I think the results are probably comparable.  You definitely need to start early in the day to allow sufficient time for chilling and cooling at the various stages, but it's not too hard to execute, and certainly worth the effort....At least that's what I gathered from the second helpings accepted all around! 

Sweet Potato Pie?

 
I know, I was skeptical, too.  Or maybe you already know about sweet potato pie, and you're not skeptical at all, I don't know.  Truthfully, I thought this was something that only people in the South ate, and not once had I considered trying it (not that there are that many opportunities up here in the North, anyway!).  But then, in the course of 24 hours, I ran into about half a dozen recipes for sweet potato pie, and all of a sudden, my curiosity has been piqued.  After reading through several recipes, I decided on Joy's from Joy the Baker.  She was just so darn enthusiastic, I simply couldn't say no.  And it's still storming here, so with another day off on my hands, I clearly had to do something! 

The filling takes a little while from start to finish (somewhere in the neighborhood of two hours, perhaps, when you factor in cooling).  However, it can be made ahead of time and refrigerated until you're ready to bake the pie, which makes it convenient, too.  Joy makes the pie with a "no roll" crust, but I actually find that with a food processor, regular pie crust is faster to make, and rolling dough isn't that hard.  But really, this pie is all about the filling, and let me just say, Wow.  I definitely had a case of the wandering finger syndrome as I whisked the filling together (at least before I added the eggs!)  

As it baked the kitchen smelled divine,  and when it was finally baked and cool enough to eat, it not only met expectations, it surpassed them.  The filling is very similar to that of pumpkin pie, but its texture was slightly smoother, and flavor just a bit sweeter, just a little better, at least to my palate.  And I'm no pumpkin pie hater, but I truly think the sweet potato is just that much better.  Which is, needless to say, an exciting discovery.  The only thing I think I will try next time (and there will definitely be a next time), I will use just touch more spice (heaping spoons of the quantities listed below, not exact), and a touch less sugar (scant cups of the amounts listed below).  If you try this, and let me know what you think!

Sweet Potato Pie (Adapted only very slightly from Joy The Baker)

Makes one 9 or 10 inch pie

The filling is for a 10-inch pie, if you make a 9-inch on pie, you'll have a little filling leftover.  Still figuring out what to do with it...

* 2 cups mashed cooked sweet potatoes (2 large sweet potatoes)
* 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
* 1 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
* 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1/8 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
* 1 12-oz can of evaporated milk, (or 2 5-oz cans)
* 1/2 cup granulated sugar * 3 large eggs
* 1 Tablespoon vanilla

1. Boil two whole large sweet potatoes in their jackets in a covered pot over moderate flame, until sweet potatoes are very soft and tender.  To test the done-ness, poke them with a sharp knife; there should be no resistance at all.  When the potatoes are done, remove them from the water and cool on a plate or wire cooling rack.

2. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel off their skins (this should be very easy, just pull it off with your fingers) and mash potatoes thoroughly with a potato masher or an electric mixer until they are totally smooth--no lumps!

3. Measure 2 cups of mashed potato into a medium sized pot, and add the brown sugar, spices, salt, butter, and half the can of evaporated milk (or one of the small cans, if that's what you're using).  Heat on low for about 5 minutes, whipping with a wire whisk until butter is melted and mixture smooth and well combined.  Remove from fire and let cool in pot. 

4. In a large bowl (I just used the same one that I mashed the potatoes in), beat the three eggs with a fork. Add the second half/second 5-oz can of evaporated milk, granulated sugar and vanilla to the eggs and continue beating until creamy. Pour the cooled sweet potato mixture from pot into the egg mixture, and blend thoroughly with a whisk or the electric mixer.  Refrigerate mixture overnight or use immediately.  

5.  When you're ready to make your pie, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F with a cookie sheet inside.  

6. Meanwhile, prepare your crust (see instructions below, or use a frozen pie crust) and keep in the freezer until the oven is hot.  When the oven is ready, remove your crust from the freezer, and fill it nearly to the top.  Place the pie on the hot cookie sheet, and bake  at 450 for ten minutes then turn oven to 325 degrees F (300 with the convection fan turned on) and bake for 1 hour more, or until edges and center are raised and puffed and the center only shakes slightly.  

7. Remove from oven.  Let cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before serving.  Can be served warm or at room temperature.

Hot out of the oven and all ready to go to the potluck!

Single Crust for a 9 or 10 inch pie (Adapted from Martha Stewart)


* 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
* Scant 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2  teaspoon sugar
* 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
* 2-4 Tablespoons of ice water  


1. Dice cold butter into small cubes, and stick in the freezer for at least 15 minutes, to make them very cold and hard

 
2. In the bowl of a food processor, add flour, salt, and sugar, pulse a few times to combine. 

3. Add butter, and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, 8 to 10 seconds. 

4. With machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream through feed tube. Pulse until dough holds together without being wet or sticky; be careful not to process more than 30 seconds. The dough won't come together in the bowl, but to test to see if there's enough water, squeeze a small amount together: If it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time

5. Turn the dough out onto a piece of saran wrap.  Corral the dough, using the plastic to press it together into a ball, then flatten in into a disc.  Use the plastic to wrap your disc of dough, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.  (Dough may be frozen for up to 1 month, too)

6. To roll the dough, lightly flour a rolling surface and your rolling pin, or place dough between two sheets of wax paper.  Start rolling from the center, and rotate the dough often to create an even circle.  Roll to about 1/4 to 1/8 inch thick, and until it reaches the correct diameter (2 inches bigger all around than the inverted pie pan).  Place your pie pan (ungreased--plenty of butter in there already!) right next to the dough, and gently lift it into the pan and center.

7. Trim any overhang that's too long, and use it to patch spots, if necessary.  Fold the overhanging dough  towards the center of the dish, and pinch the edge all the way around to create a lip.

Okay, well it's not as beautiful as the ones Martha likely makes, but hey, it will do!

Chocolate Espresso Semifreddo

 

Instead of throwing a full dinner for Erik's birthday, as I have done in years past, I decided to just do a dessert party this year.  Reason being I often get in over my head, and try to clean the entire house, cook for an undetermined number of people, sew a new tablecloth, make several desserts, paint my nails, make myself look presentable, etc.  While the most I ever accomplish is cleaning the house and getting a meal on the table, I decided to take it easy on myself this year and just stick to dessert.  But if you're only going to do one thing, you have to do it right, right?  Initially I had been leaning towards Julia Child's Reine de Saba (made famous--or infamous?--by the scene in Julie and Julia (the movie) when Julie and her hubby dive into it in some sort of chocolate craze).  However, upon seeing a recipe for semifreddo, a frozen Italian dessert, I changed my mind at once.  Erik and I had semifreddo once before at Babbo, Mario Batali's first NYC restaurant.  I am usually a fast eater (bad habit, I know), but this dessert (actually, the whole meal there) was SO GOOD that I needed to slow down and savor every morsel.  That was nearly two years ago, and it never occurred to me to make semifreddo, until I saw this recipe just a few weeks ago.  Although it's quite different than Batali's take on the dessert, almost akin to a frozen cheesecake, it is pretty darn tasty. 

 

The recipe is somewhat epic, at least my my standards.  Although the ingredients are fairly straight-forward (lots of pantry staples), you have to prepare 4 separate parts that come together right at the end.  A cookie crumb crust is baked briefly, then cools while you separate eggs, making a chocolaty custard with the yolks, whip the whites, and beat cream and cream cheese together.  Those three components are then gently folded together, piled atop the crust, and frozen. 

But, what a lovely dessert it makes.  Decorated with chocolate drizzles and whipped cream, it was a cake to behold!  It's also convenient because you make it ahead of time, freeze it, and then just plate it up and decorate it, if you want, at the last minute.  I made my own whipped cream because I had some kicking around in the fridge, but the kind in the aerosol can would make decorating a cinch.  I contemplated how nice chocolate covered espresso beans would look atop evenly spaced blobs of whipped cream, but alas the storming weather here kept me inside this weekend (confession: I haven't left the house since Friday night...eek).  Alternatively, fresh raspberries would add a punch of color, especially if paired with a raspberry sauce, as suggested by Brown Eyed Baker.  While I was deterred by the hefty price tag on raspberries this time of year, I did make a raspberry sauce, which was nice, but actually I didn't think it added much to the cake.  What can I say, it's just that good on its own.  So without further ado, the recipe:

Chocolate Espresso Semifreddo (Adapted from Brown Eyed Baker and Use Real Butter)

Serves 12 or so

* 1 3/4 cups chocolate cookie crumbs (Nabisco's Famous Chocolate Wafers are perfect--you'll use about 2/3 of the box to get enough crumbs)

* 3 Tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted

* 4 large eggs, separated

* 2 Tablespoons of sugar

* 1/3 cup of sugar

* 3 oz of espresso (I made mine using espresso powder)

* 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

* 1 Tablespoon of Kahlua, coffee or chocolate liquor, or rum

* 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped (this is about 3/4 cup of chocolate chips, if you're using chips)

* 2 oz of heavy or whipping cream

* 16 oz of cream cheese (or Mascarpone, if you can find it.  I can't.)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2.  Combine the cookie crumbs and the melted butter.  Pour mixture into a parchment lined 9-inch springform pan.  Spread crumbs evenly over the bottom and use your hands or the bottom of a glass to press them down.  Bake for 10 minutes, then set aside to cool.  Turn off the oven.

3.  Combine egg yolks and 2 tablespoons of sugar over a double boiler.  Whisk the yolks vigorously (I used my electric whisk) until the yolks are thick and light in color.  Add espresso, vanilla, and liquor, and set over simmering water.  Continue whisking until the mixture is thick and foamy, and will coat the back of a spoon.

4.  Remove the yolk mixture from the heat and add chopped chocolate.  Whisk until the chocolate has melted and the mixture has cooled.

5.  In another bowl, combine the cream cheese and cream until combined and smooth.  When chocolate mix is cool, fold the chocolate into the cream cheese mixture, and mix until just combined.

6.  Combine the egg whites and the 1/3 cup sugar in a bowl over a double boiler.  Whisk occasionally until the mixture reaches 145 degrees F (this takes a while--about 10 minutes perhaps?).  VERY IMPORTANT: If you are using the same whisk for both the yolks and the whites, be sure to wash it very carefully so there is no trace of the yolk on the whisk--the egg whites will not whip up if they're contaminated with any yolk!

7. When the whites reach 145 degrees, pull them from the heat and beat them until they form stiff, shiny peaks.  Then, continue beating them on lower speed until the bowl is cool to the touch.  

8. Fold 1/4 of the egg whites into the chocolate/cream cheese mixture.  Then, even more gently, fold in the remainder, mixing in 1/4 at a time.  Fold very gently, because the air in the whites gives the final product volume, and you don't want to end up with a flat cake!

9. Line the sides of the springform pan with strips of parchment paper and pour in filling.  Shake gently to smooth the top.  

10. Cover with a sheet of plastic wrap, and freeze for at least 4 hours. 

11.  Remove from freezer 10 minutes before serving.  Release the sides of the pan and lift it up carefully.  Transfer to your serving platter, and slide off the base of the pan and the bottom layer of parchment.  Peel the parchment paper away from the sides.  Decorate as desired with melted chocolate, whipped cream, raspberries, and/or expresso beans.  Slice with a warm dry knife and enjoy!

  

Raspberry Sauce (Adapted from In the Kennedy Kitchen)

* 12 oz bag of frozen raspberries, thawed. (Organic, if you can find them.  I think they have more flavor)

* 1/2 cup of sugar

* 1/2 cup of white wine

1. Combine sugar and wine in a small saucepan.  Simmer until sugar dissolves, then remove from heat.

2. Puree thawed berries in a blender or mini cuisinart.  Pour the puree into a seive over a bowl, and using the back of a spoon, or a rubber spatula, press the puree through the seive, straining out the seeds.  I have found that you really need to mush the puree around to press the liquid through, and periodically take your spatula and wipe off all the puree that sticks to the underside of the sieve.  If you feel like a lot of the puree is still sticking to the seeds, add a few tablespoons of water to the puree, mix it around, and this should help. 

3. Combine the sugar/wine syrup and the puree, and refrigerate in a covered container until ready to serve.

 Straining raspberry puree on the ellusive "other side of the kitchen."  

Equally small, as you can see.

Call Your Cardiologist

 
Unlike my last post, this one is for about something that is most definitely not good for your heart. Or your waistline. But here it is nonetheless:



A Buche de Noel!!!

Erik has been wanting to make one of these for a while now, and so we used his office's holiday party as an excuse to try this baby out. I will admit I had low expectations, because of all the steps and because you have to roll it, the prospect of which scared me just a bit. But I guess our success is a testament to the excellent recipes we used that it all turned out well. (Well, except for the first attempt at buttercream frosting...) In fact, the hardest part of this whole thing was finding the right sized cookie sheet! But we did, and so we proceeded.

Because all the recipes are already online, and because it's late, I will just post the links.

For the cake and filling we used this Jacques Pepin recipe.

I started following the buttercream frosting recipe, which is sort of a classic French buttercream, and I'm not quite sure what I did, but something went wrong and my eggs fell out of emulsion, and so I had runny egg yolks and clumps of butter that would not blend. I didn't really want to try the same recipe again lest it fail a second time, so I turned to Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa for her chocolate buttercream recipe, which I just happened to see her make on her show the other day while I was elliptical-ing away. (Finding decadent recipes while on the elliptical seems to be my new thing these days). Anyway, the recipe worked like a charm and holy cow, but it is delicious! If you use this recipe though, cut it down to just a third, because that will make more than enough icing for a yule log.

Ina Garten's AMAZING Chocolate Buttercream

(I also just noticed when I posted this link that I inadvertently used only half the amount of chocolate that I was supposed to, but to no ill effect....oh well!)

Next time I might attempt meringue mushrooms and save some frosting to make green leaves, but on this our first attempt we did basic. But I think it is going to mm mm good tomorrow!

Key Lime Goodness

Apologies for being an absentee baker for some time. I don't know why, but I haven't been in the kitchen too much lately. Well, part of the blame goes to the fact that a week of August was spent in Maine for the wedding of Erik's sister Kelsey and her longtime beau Ross. While we were there we cooked dinner for his family for 3 nights, so we definitely got some practice cooking for a crowd, but things were too busy for blogging about it. And definitely no baking occurred, as it was so very, very hot up there.

However, we're back on Nantucket now and it's been a nasty, rainy weekend, the prefect backdrop for baking. Erik has been eying a key lime pie from In The Kennedy Kitchen, a cookbook of Kennedy family favorites written by Rose Kennedy's personal chef Neil Connolly. Many of the recipes in the book are fairly basic things, that Neil puts his own twist on, or jazzes up in some way. Of course, key lime pie is something that can be whipped together with a premade crust and some lime juice and condensed milk, but the Kennedys were not served such basic pies, oh no! Neil adds ground pistachio to his graham cracker crust--perhaps to play up the green? It also makes it taste very rich. Instead of thickening with with one easy can of condensed milk, Neil's recipe uses eggs and cornstarch and flour, and of course, the lime juice. I haven't ever done a side by side comparison of an "easy" pie and the Kennedy's pie, so I can't say which is better, although I certainly have no complaints about the one we made :)


Key Lime Pie, as enjoyed by the (mostly late) Kennedy family

*1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (1 of the celophane wrapped packets in a box of crackers)
*1/2 cup finely chopped pistachios
*1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
*2 cups milk
*1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided
*3 egg yolks
*2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
*1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
*1/2 cup key lime juice, fresh or bottled
*Whipped cream to garnish, fresh (the Kennedy way) or out of a can (my way)
*At least 1 lime, sliced into thin rounds for garnish, if you feel so inclined

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, stir together the melted butter, graham cracker crumbs and ground pistachios so that everything is moistened evenly.

2. Pour the mixture into a 10-inch pie pan and spread it evenly over the bottom and sides the pie pan. If you have a second pie pan, it can be pressed on the crumbs to help it form to the pan. Otherwise, use your fingers to compact it as much as possible.

3. Bake the crust for 6-8 minutes until it's golden brown (at least, so says the book. Since graham crackers are golden brown anyway, I found the change hard to distinguish, so I just took it out.) Allow to cool completely.

4. In a heavy medium-sized saucepan, combine the milk with 1/4 cup of the sugar. Bring the milk to a simmer and whisk to dissolve the sugar. Reduce heat to low.

5. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, the other 1/4 cup sugar, cornstarch, flour, and key lime juice. Gradually pour the egg mixture into the milk, whisking all the while. Bring to a boil, whisking until the mixture begins to thicken. Remove from heat.

6. Pour the key lime filling into the pie crust and refrigerate until it's set (plan on at least 3 hours.)

7. Garnish with whipped cream and lime slices, if desired. (Look at the bottom right hand picture on the book cover to see how he does it.) Enjoy!