Strawberry Galette

As we inch toward September and the winds of fall, I’m here to remind you to be sure not to let the chance to make a fresh fruit galette pass you by.  In my opinion, fruit galettes are a must have every spring and summer.  A free form version of pie, they are much easier to make and one of the most delicious things you can eat during our fabulous fresh fruit season.  Nothing really beats the contrast of buttery, crisp and flaky pastry and the sensation of pampered fruit.

At the renowned Chez Panisse in Berkeley, fruit galettes have always been central to their daily dessert menu at the upstairs café.  When I interned there, I saw some of the very best fruit produced in the country float through the door.  Just amazing color, texture, taste.  So I clearly understood how much this dessert is beloved by their patrons and so very rightly so.

One of the basic components for assembling the galettes at Chez Panisse is what they call “moon dust,” a simple mixture of equal parts almonds, flour, sugar and pulverized amaretti.  These ingredients are ground in a food processor and sprinkled on the pastry dough before the fruit is arranged on top.  This layer of moon dust prevents the crust from getting soggy and adds a subtle almond note to the finished product. 

Although I really love the fall season, I’m not quite ready for the shift.  There will be plenty of time for chocolate and nuts, apples and pears.  But for now, if you can locate some delicious fresh peaches, nectarines, apricots, figs or plums, don’t let them pass you by.  I happened to have some strawberries.  Whichever fruit you choose, it’s a delicious pastry to close out the summer.

Bench notes:

- It’s very important that the butter and water for the pastry dough are very, very cold.  If the butter is warm or soft, it blends too much with the flour and there won’t be the pockets of butter necessary to produce flakiness. 
- The finished dough will look like a pile of small bits similar to cottage cheese.  Resist the temptation to knead it, which will toughen it.  Just place the pile on a sheet of plastic wrap and pull it together as you wrap it tightly.  As it rests in the refrigerator, it will all come together.

- So why chill the dough after mixing?  Because it allows the gluten in the flour to relax (which means the dough won’t spring back when you go to roll it out), the water to be fully absorbed and the butter to firm up.

- I like to roll out my dough on a silpat or piece of parchment so I can lift the whole thing onto the baking sheet without stretching or tearing the dough.
- Mix the fruit and sugar just before you're ready to assemble the galette.  If it sits too long it will begin to macerate and you'll have too much of the juices flowing.

- Amaretti are traditional almond flavored crunchy cookies from Italy.  They’re made from noyau, the kernel found inside the apricot pit (almonds and apricots are botanically related).  If you don’t have access to amaretti, use another almond cookie you love.  

- You can make a larger quantity of moon dust and store it in an airtight container.

Strawberry Galette

Serves 6

Galette Dough

1 cup (5 oz) flour

1 1/2 teaspoons (6 grams) sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

3 oz (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter

1/4 cup (2 oz) very cold water

Moon Dust

1 tablespoon ground almonds                            

1 tablespoon (9 grams) flour       

1 tablespoon (13 grams) sugar                                      

1 tablespoon ground amaretti                   

Filling

1 lb fresh strawberries

3 tablespoons (39 grams) sugar, to taste

1/4 oz (1/2 tablespoon) unsalted butter, melted

sugar for sprinkling

To prepare the galette dough, place the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor and blend.  Cut the cold butter into 1/2” pieces and add to the flour mixture.  Pulse until the butter is the size of small peas.  Add the cold water and pulse just until the dough starts to clump.  The dough will not look smooth but rather clumpy and a bit like small curd cottage cheese.  Gather the mixture and place on a sheet of plastic wrap and wrap tightly.  Shape into a flattened disc and chill thoroughly.

For the moon dust, place all the ingredients into a food processor and process until finely ground.  Pour into a bowl and set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

When you’re ready to roll out the dough, unwrap and let it rest on a lightly floured piece of parchment paper or silpat for just a few minutes.  It needs to warm up just enough to handle without a lot of resistance and cracking.  

Roll the dough out to about a 12” circle and 1/8” thickness, gently lifting and moving the dough after each roll and keeping it lightly floured as needed. When you have the desired shape, brush off any excess flour and lift the dough along with the parchment or silpat onto a baking sheet. Chill while you prepare the fruit.

Hull and slice the strawberries in half and place in a bowl.  Toss with 3 tablespoons of sugar, to taste.

Remove the prepared dough from the refrigerator and sprinkle 1/4 cup of the moon dust evenly across the pastry, leaving a 1 1/2” border around the edges.  Arrange the fruit on top of the moon dust.  Lift and gather the edges up and over on top of the fruit, being careful not to create any cracks that will cause the galette to leak.  Work your way around the circle with both hands, pleating and pressing gently to keep the dough in place.  Chill if the oven isn’t ready.

Brush the border of dough with melted butter and dust with a light sprinkle of sugar.  Bake until the dough is crisp and browned and the fruit is bubbling, about 40 minutes.

Cherry Almond Sablé Tart

Yes, indeed - it’s the time of year to grab your cherry pitter tool, put on your red shirt and pit a pile of cherries.  It’s a bit of a tedious task but the benefits make it so worthwhile.  This year’s crop of cherries is super sumptuous, so I say march onward to the kitchen to produce your favorite cherry pastries.

This cherry tart is a simply delicious way to enjoy cherries right now.  It starts with an Almond Sablé pastry dough.  The texture is crisp and crumbly like a sablé cookie and, as we all know, almonds are a great dining partner with cherries.  This tart crust is subtly sweet with a pinch of lemon zest for an additional note of flavor.  The dough is made in a food processor so it comes together in no time.  Then it gets pressed into a tart pan so it’s completely no stress.  The cherries are simmered with vanilla bean and a pinch of cinnamon to achieve their full flavor.  Little pastry cutouts decorate the top.

The tart is baked in just about half an hour.  However, it does have to cool completely before serving so all the elements can set up properly.  But I do guarantee you, it’s well worth the wait.  

Bench notes:

- I like to use sliced almonds for pastry doughs because they will grind to a finer crumb.

- You can substitute 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract for the vanilla bean in the cherry mixture.  Add it after you take it off the heat along with the lemon juice.

- “Docking” is the process of pricking pastry dough before baking to create tiny holes that allow steam to escape.  This helps to prevent puffed up bubbles in your tart dough.

- Freezing the formed tart shell for one hour helps to prevent shrinkage.

- Bake the tart on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silpat to catch any juices that might bubble up.

- Any remaining pastry cutouts can be baked off as cookies.  Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silpat.  Bake them until the edges just begin to brown, about 9 minutes.

- You can also make this in a 9” tart pan with a removable bottom.

- Once you remove the vanilla bean from the cherry mixture, rinse it off and let it dry.  Store in a jar of sugar.  The flavor is so pungent, I always recycle and reuse vanilla beans!

- More cherry goodness: Cherry Crumb Bars and Lemon Cherry Pudding Cakes.

Cherry Almond Sablé Tart

Serves 6 - 8

Almond Sablé Dough

2 cups (10 oz) flour

3/4 cup (2 1/4 oz) sliced almonds

1/2 cup (3 1/2 oz) sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

zest of 1 small lemon

7 oz (14 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter                              

2 egg yolks

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Cherry Filling

1 1/2 lbs fresh Bing cherries, pitted

1/3 cup (2 1/2 oz) sugar

1/2 vanilla bean

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 1/2 tablespoons (13 grams) cornstarch

1 tablespoon cold water

1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice

To prepare the pastry dough, place the flour, sliced almonds, sugar, salt and lemon zest in the bowl of a food processor and process until the almonds are finely ground. Cut the cold butter into 1/2” pieces and add.  Pulse until the mixture looks like coarse meal.  Add the yolks and almond extract.  Process until the dough begins to form clumps and holds together when pinched.  

Set aside about 2 cups (loosely filled) of the dough clumps.  Press the remaining clumps evenly and smoothly into the bottom and sides of the tart pan, making sure you have an even distribution of dough.  Trim any excess from the top of the border.  Prick the bottom several times with a fork.  Freeze the formed tart shell for one hour.

Place the remaining dough clumps on a sheet of plastic wrap and press them together to form a flat disc.  Put another sheet of plastic wrap on top and roll out to about 1/8” thickness.  Slide onto a baking sheet and chill.

To prepare the cherry filling, place the pitted cherries, sugar and vanilla bean in a pan over medium low heat.  Simmer until the sugar is dissolved, stirring to prevent scorching until the juices flow.  Continue to simmer until the cherries begin to soften, about another 4 - 5 minutes. 

Stir the cornstarch and cold water together until there are no lumps.  Add while stirring the cherries continuously.  Cook for another 2 minutes until the juices thicken.  Take off the heat and add the lemon juice.  Remove the vanilla bean, pour into a bowl and set aside to cool completely.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Lightly grease a 14” x 4” rectangular tart pan with removable bottom.

Put the tart pan on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silpat and bake for 15 minutes.  Place on a wire rack. 

Remove the sheet of dough from the refrigerator and peel off the plastic wrap.  Cut out several shapes for the top decoration.

Fill the tart shell with the cooled cherry mixture, draining off any excess juices.  Position the pastry dough cutouts on top.  

Bake until the crust is golden brown and the juices are bubbling, about 35 – 38 minutes.  Place on a wire rack and cool for at least 2 hours to allow the tart to set up properly.  Gently remove from the tart pan.

Banana Tartes Tatin

Tarte Tatin is an incredible French dessert that traditionally consists of apples simmered in caramel on top of the stove and then baked with a circle of puff pastry dough nestled on top.  It’s then flipped over and plated to reveal a showstopping display of tender fruit bathed in a rich caramel on a bed of buttery pastry.  It’s phenomenal.

This is a much simpler recipe from Bon Appetit that uses the same idea to showcase bananas.  It's prepared as individual servings and instead of making a caramel for the bottom, you simply butter the ramekins and line the bottoms with some brown sugar.  Then you arrange slices of banana and top with a circle of purchased puff pastry.  It’s probably one of the easiest to prepare desserts imaginable.

You can certainly use store-bought puff pastry if you have a brand you like.  I made a simple butter pastry called Rough Puff.  It’s a very streamlined version of puff pastry that isn’t difficult or complicated, it just takes a bit of time for folding and chilling if have the luxury of planning ahead. 

This is a super simple preparation fashioned out of basic ingredients that turns our to be a very satisfying dessert.  If you want to dial it up, you can easily enhance your servings with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.  Quite a good way to enjoy bananas with pleasure.

Bench notes:

- I added a pinch cinnamon mixed in with the brown sugar.

- Any size ramekin works as long as they are at least 1 1/2” deep.  If you don’t have ramekins, you can use an 8” square baking dish, placing a whole sheet of puff pastry in tact on top.

- The Rough Puff dough comes together very quickly in a food processor.  It will not look like a dough but rather like a slightly moist cottage cheese.  The important thing is to keep visible pieces of butter in tact and avoid blending it all into the flour.  When shaping and folding the dough, do your best to keep the edges straight and aligned.  Lightly dust with flour as you go and then brush off any excess flour before folding.

Banana Tartes Tatin

adapted from Bon Appetit

Serves 4

2 oz (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter @ room temperature

1/2 cup (3 1/2 oz) brown sugar                                        

4 firm ripe bananas

1 package of puff pastry, thawed

Or
Rough Puff Pastry
1 1/4 cups (6 1/4 oz) flour                                          
1/4 teaspoon salt                                                                                  
4 oz (8 tablespoons) very cold butter
6 tablespoons (3 oz) very cold water

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Place four 4” x 1 3/4” ramekin dishes on a rimmed baking sheet.  Butter liberally with 1 tablespoon of butter for each dish. 

Evenly distribute 2 tablespoons brown sugar on the bottom of each ramekin.  Peel the bananas and cut on a diagonal into 1/4" slices.  Overlap slices of 1 banana per dish over the sugar, arranging in concentric circles to cover the bottom.

Cut rounds of puff pastry 4 1/2” in diameter.  Top each dish with 1 puff pastry round, tucking in the edges to fit.

Bake until the pastry is golden and puffed and the filling is bubbly, about 20 - 25 minutes.  Remove from oven and carefully invert onto serving plates.

If you’d like to make your own dough, place the flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor and combine.  Cut the cold butter into 1/2” cubes and add.  Pulse just until the butter is the size of small peas.  Add the cold water and pulse just until the mixture resembles something like a slightly moist cottage cheese.  Gather the dough and place on a piece of plastic wrap.  Form a disc, seal it tightly and chill for 1/2 hour.

Lightly flour a work surface.  Roll the dough out to about an 8” x 4” rectangle, lightly flouring as needed.  Fold the shorter sides of the dough in equal thirds like a letter, keeping the edges as evenly lined up as possible.   With the open edges perpendicular to you and seam side down, roll it again into an 8” x 4” rectangle, lightly dusting with flour as needed and then using a pastry brush to remove any excess flour before folding.  Turn it and fold the shorter sides of the dough again into thirds.  Repeat this process one more time for a total of three times.  If at any point the dough starts becoming too soft or elastic, let it rest in the refrigerator for a while before continuing.  Lastly, roll the dough out into a rectangle about 1/4” thick.  Take both shorter sides and fold toward the center like a book, keeping the edges as straight as possible.  Then fold one side over the other so there are 4 equal layers on top of one another.  Wrap the dough and rest in the refrigerator for 1/2 hour. 

Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface until it is about 1/8” thick.  Brush off any excess flour.  Cut out circles 4 1/2” in diameter and place on a baking sheet.  Chill until ready to use. 

Apple Cranberry Turnover

This is the season for cranberries.  Bright red, full of acidity and pectin, they make beautiful company with other fruit.  In pastry, you often see them paired with the more subtle flavors of apple and pear.

This is an apple cranberry combination in the very simple form of a turnover.  Cranberries add a beautiful bright tartness.  There's also a bit of orange zest and cinnamon to round things out.  I really love this fruit pairing.

I prefer making free-form pastries and galettes because I think the crust crisps up so nicely and I like the rustic appearance.  The pastry here is very tender and flaky.  It's pretty easy to handle and makes a really delicious encasement for the fruit.  This is one of my favorite pastries of the season.

Bench notes:

- The pastry dough and cranberry filling can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator.

- The secret to rolling out pastry dough is to make sure it’s chilled properly.  Too cold and it cracks and splits.  Too warm and it softens and tears.  As you begin to roll it out, if there’s resistance and cracking, let it warm up for another minute or so.  If it starts to feel too soft as you lift and turn it, chill it again until firm enough to handle easily.  Use a light dusting of flour as you go and lift it after each turn to make sure it isn’t sticking.

- The cranberry filling will thicken as it cools.  Stir to loosen before spreading it over the pastry.

- I use Fuji apples, which have a natural sweetness.

- I don’t use a lot of sugar in this pastry because I really want to taste the fruit.  If you prefer, add more sugar to each of the fillings.

- I add the sugar to the apples just before I’m ready to place them in the turnover.  Avoid letting them sit in sugar too long or you’ll have juices running everywhere as you place them on the pastry.

- If you want a glossy finish, instead of melted butter, use an egg wash: mix 1 egg + 1 teaspoon water.  Brush the tart lightly and evenly with the wash.  You won’t use all of it.

- The turnover needs to cool thoroughly so the juices have a chance to set up.

- Another seasonal pastry to try: Winter Fruit Crisp with apples, pears, dates and dried cranberries.

Apple Cranberry Turnover

Serves 8

Pastry Dough

1 3/4 cup + 3 tablespoons (9 1/2 oz) flour                                                         

2 tablespoons (26 grams) sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 oz (12 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter                  

1/3 cup (2.6 oz) cold water                                                  

Cranberry Filling

2 cups (8 oz) fresh cranberries

1/4 cup (2 oz) water

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (2 3/4 oz) sugar

1/4 vanilla bean

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

zest of 1/2 orange

Apple Filling

2 large (about 1 lb) apples

1 tablespoon lemon juice

3 tablespoons (39 grams) sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon (1/2 oz) unsalted butter, melted

1 tablespoon (1/2 oz) unsalted butter, melted, for glazing

1/2 tablespoon (6 grams) sugar, for dusting

For the pastry dough, cut the cold butter into 1/2” cubes.  Place the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor and blend. Add the pieces of butter and pulse until they resemble pieces the size of oatmeal.  Add 1/3 cup ice water and pulse until the dough looks a bit like cottage cheese. The dough should be soft, pliable and will just hold together when you press a clump between your fingers. Be careful not to overmix.  Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap and form it into a disc. Wrap tightly and chill thoroughly.

For the cranberry filling, place the cranberries, water, sugar, 1/4 vanilla bean, cinnamon and orange zest in a saucepan over medium heat.  Bring to a simmer, stirring to blend all the ingredients.  Lower the heat and cook, stirring periodically to avoid scorching, until the mixture becomes jammy and the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.  Remove the vanilla bean piece.  Pour into a container and chill until ready to use.

Let the chilled dough rest on a lightly floured piece of parchment or a silpat for a few minutes so it can soften just a bit to prevent cracking.  Then roll the dough out to about 16” x 10” rectangle, lifting the dough and keeping the parchment or silpat lightly floured as needed.  When you have the desired rectangle shape, trim the edges.  Lift and slide the parchment or silpat with the pastry onto a baking sheet pan.  Chill while you prepare the apples.

Place the lemon juice in a bowl big enough to hold the sliced apples.  Peel and core the apples.  Slice them fairly thin and toss them in the lemon juice as you go to prevent browning.  Add sugar and cinnamon and toss thoroughly.

Take the rolled out dough from the refrigerator and leave it on the baking sheet. Place it in front of you so the long side is closest to you.  Make a slight mark at the halfway point on the long side so you know where the fold will be.  Spread the cranberry filling evenly on half the rectangle, leaving a 3/4” border along the 3 sides.  Place rows of sliced apples (about 3 slices across) on top of the cranberry.  Brush the apples with melted butter.  

Brush the borders of the dough with water.  Fold the other half of the rectangle over the apples and press the edges to seal. Turn up the edges to make a border and press with the tines of a fork to seal.  Chill the formed turnover until the oven is ready.

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut 8 air vents across the top of the pastry.  Brush the turnover with melted butter and sprinkle lightly with sugar.  Bake until the crust is browned and the fruit is bubbling, about 35 – 40 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. 

Spiced Sweet Potato Pie

The season for holiday pies is upon us.  I’ll be baking the ritual pumpkin and pecan pies that families long for at this time of year but I’m also interested in the legendary sweet potato pie.  It has a long and cherished Southern tradition where sweet potatoes were introduced in colonial times.  For many families across the nation, no holiday would be complete without it.

I’ve crafted this recipe with less sugar than usual to showcase the wonderful natural taste of the sweet potato, which is quite sweet on its own.  I roast the sweet potatoes with melted butter and spices to enhance and concentrate all the luscious flavors.  And for something a bit different, I’ve added a half-piece of star anise, which I think blends seamlessly with the cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice and lends a very subtle but distinctive edge that I find really delicious.  Buttermilk gives the whole mix a very slight tang that I think is irresistible.  Taken all together, it's easy to see how this pie will be kept in rotation as a sumptuous end to soul-soothing hearty meals during the cozy fall and winter months.

Whatever your plans for the holidays, try and sneak in a few new ideas and surprises for your table.  Here’s to enjoying every luscious bite the season has to offer!

Bench notes:

- The dough comes together very quickly in a food processor.  It will not look like a smooth dough but rather like a moist and lumpy cottage cheese.  

But once it's gathered and wrapped tightly in a piece of plastic wrap and given a chance to rest in the refrigerator, it becomes a very nice and soft pliable pastry dough.  The important thing is to keep visible pieces of butter in tact and avoid blending it all into the flour.  

- Chilling the tart dough is important to relax the gluten and allow the moisture to be absorbed by the flour.  Also chill the tart shell once it's formed to help maintain its shape during baking.

- The pastry dough can be made 1 - 2 days ahead and chilled.  Any longer than that and it starts to discolor and turn grey.

- I use a lightly floured silpat to roll out my dough.  It helps to prevent the dough from sticking and makes it a lot easier to handle without excessive use of flour.

- I used a 14” x 4 1/2” tart pan with removable bottom but a 9” pie or tart pan will also work.

- When I have the desired shape and thickness of the tart dough rolled out, I fold it half for the rectangle tart pan (or in quarters for a round pie or tart pan) to make it easier to lift and fit into the pan without stretching or tearing.

- Instead of vanilla, flavor the whipped cream garnish with a light splash of rum, whiskey, Grand Marnier or maple syrup. 

- I used about half of the whipped cream in a pastry bag fitted with an Ateco #9828 open star pastry tip to garnish the pie.

 

Spiced Sweet Potato Pie

Serves 8

Pastry Dough

1 1/4 cups (6 /14 oz) flour

2 teaspoons (8 grams) sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 oz (8 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter

1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon (2 1/2 oz) cold water

Pie Filling

1 1/2 lbs (about 2 medium) sweet potatoes

2 oz (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted

zest of 1/2 orange                           

1 teaspoon cinnamon                               

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/2 star anise

1/2 cup (3 1/2 oz) dark brown sugar, packed                                                                

1/2 cup (4 oz) buttermilk                                        

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 eggs @ room temperature

Garnish

1 cup (8 oz) heavy cream

1 tablespoon (13 grams) sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F to roast the sweet potatoes.  Have your pie or tart pan at the ready.

For the pastry dough, place the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor.  Process to combine.  Cut the cold butter into 1/2” pieces, add to the flour mixture and process for about 5 seconds.  Add the cold water and pulse about 15 times. The dough will look lumpy like cottage cheese.  Gather the dough and place on a piece of plastic wrap.  Wrap tightly, shaping into a flattened disc or rectangle as you seal it tight.  Chill the dough at least 30 minutes or overnight.

When you’re ready to roll out the dough, remove it from the refrigerator and rest it on a lightly floured work surface for a few minutes so it can soften just a bit to prevent cracking. Then roll the dough out to an 1/8” thickness in whatever shape will fit your pie or tart pan, gently lifting and moving the dough after each roll and keeping your work surface lightly floured as needed.  Brush off any excess flour. Fold the dough in half or quarters and lift it onto your pie pan.  Unfold and ease the dough into the bottom and corners.  Form the edges of the crust by pressing or crimping the dough along the perimeter, trimming away any excess dough. Chill while you organize the remaining ingredients.

Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into small chunks.  Place them in an 8” square baking dish and toss with the melted butter, orange zest and spices to evenly coat.  Bake until tender, about 45 minutes, tossing once or twice to baste.   Remove from the oven and discard the star anise piece.  Cool. 

Place the roasted and cooled sweet potatoes along with any remaining butter into the bowl of a food processor. Add the brown sugar, buttermilk, vanilla and salt and process until smooth.  Add the eggs and process until thoroughly combined.

Pour the filling into the prepared pastry-lined pie or tart pan.  Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 – 55 minutes, until the pastry is browned and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Remove and place on a wire rack to cool.

When ready to serve, whip the heavy cream, sugar and vanilla until medium soft peaks form.  Gently lift the pie from the removable tart bottom if using and place on a platter.  Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.

Strawberry Tarte Tatins

If you’ve ever had Tarte Tatin, you know it’s one of the best desserts you could ever possibly desire.  It consists of caramelized apples baked with a circle of pastry dough placed on top and then flipped over to reveal tender fruit, great caramel and buttery pastry.  It’s traditionally served with crème fraiche or a slice of Camembert.  Super good.

For something slightly different but just as supremely delicious, strawberries are used in this recipe in place of the apples.  Their tart acidity is a perfect foil for the caramel.  I also add a splash of balsamic for some delicious complexity.  The water content of the strawberries renders the juices into a luscious thinner sauce rather than a caramel per se and the flavor of the fruit combined with the buttery pastry is irresistible. 

I use a simple butter pastry called Rough Puff.  It’s a very streamlined version of puff pastry that isn’t difficult or complicated, it just takes a bit of time.  You can of course substitute store bought puff if you prefer or make your own favorite butter pastry.  

While strawberries are looking so beautiful and still in good supply, this is a great dessert to serve after a sumptuous summer dinner.  It's a simple combination of ingredients that really delivers a good measure of pure pleasure.  A dollop of whipped cream is a must. 

Bench notes:

- Donna Hay’s recipe is for 4 servings but I double it for 6 servings.  I didn’t think there was enough caramel sauce in the original recipe and I used a bit more strawberries.

- The dough comes together very quickly in a food processor.  It will not look like a dough but rather like a slightly moist cottage cheese.  The important thing is to keep visible pieces of butter in tact and avoid blending it all into the flour.  

- When shaping and folding the dough, do your best to keep the edges straight and aligned when folding.  Lightly dust with flour as you go and then brush off any excess flour before folding.

- Use ramekins that are 4” x 1 3/4” because the fruit does bubble up quite a bit during the baking process.

- The caramel should only be a light golden brown, not dark as with Apple Tarte Tatin.

 

Strawberry Tarte Tatins                                               

adapted from Donna Hay

Makes 6 servings

Rough Puff Pastry

1 1/4 cups (6 1/4 oz) flour                                             

1/4 teaspoon salt                                                                                    

4 oz (8 tablespoons) very cold butter

6 tablespoons (3 oz) very cold water

1 3/4 - 2 lbs fresh strawberries

2 oz (4 tablespoons) butter                                                        

1/2 cup (3 1/2 oz) sugar                                    

3 tablespoons (1 1/2 oz) water                                                              

1 vanilla bean

1 1/2 - 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar, to taste

1/2 cup (4 oz) heavy cream

1 teaspoon (4 grams) sugar

For the pastry dough, place the flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor and combine.  Cut the cold butter into 1/2” cubes and add.  Pulse just until the butter is the size of small peas.  Add the cold water and pulse just until the mixture resembles something like a slightly moist cottage cheese.  Gather the dough and place on a piece of plastic wrap.  Form a disc, seal it tightly and chill for 1/2 hour.

Lightly flour a work surface.  Roll the dough out to about an 8” x 4” rectangle, lightly flouring as needed.  Fold the shorter sides of the dough in equal thirds like a letter, keeping the edges as evenly lined up as possible.   With the open edges perpendicular to you and seam side down, roll it again into an 8” x 4” rectangle, lightly dusting with flour as needed and then using a pastry brush to remove any excess flour before folding.  Turn it and fold the shorter sides of the dough again into thirds.  Repeat this process one more time for a total of three times.  If at any point the dough starts becoming too soft or elastic, let it rest in the refrigerator for a while before continuing.  Lastly, roll the dough out into a rectangle about 1/4” thick.  Take both shorter sides and fold toward the center like a book, keeping the edges as straight as possible.  Then fold one side over the other so there are 4 equal layers on top of one another.  Wrap the dough and rest in the refrigerator for 1/2 hour. 

Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface until it is about 1/8” thick.  Brush off any excess flour.  Cut out circles 4 1/4” in diameter and place on a baking sheet.  Chill until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 400° F.   Lightly butter six 4 ounce ramekins.

Hull and cut the strawberries in half.  Distribute them among the ramekins, cut side up.  Set aside.

Place the butter, sugar and water in a saucepan.  Split and seed the vanilla bean and add.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring once to combine.  Boil until it starts to take on a golden color, about 3 minutes.  Take off the heat and add the balsamic vinegar.  Remove the vanilla bean.

Pour the caramel mixture over the strawberries.  Top with the round pastry dough circles, pressing down slightly and tucking in. 

Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and bake until the pastry is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling vigorously, about 25 – 30 minutes.   Set the baking sheet on a wire rack and let the tatins rest for about 10 minutes.  Carefully turn out the tatins by placing a plate or shallow bowl on top of the ramekin and inverting quickly.   

Whip the cream and sugar to soft peak.  Serve the tatins warm with a dollop of cream.

Nectarine Crumb Tart

If you’re wondering what the difference is between a peach and a nectarine, it’s fairly superficial.  Peaches have fuzzy skins and nectarines have smooth ones.  Nectarines are also usually slightly smaller and sweeter.  But in terms of nutrition, nectarines provide twice the amount of vitamin A, a bit more vitamin C and a whole lot more potassium.

Red Lion nectarines, cultivated in California in the late 1980s, are considered among the best. They stay on the tree longer, so they are plump and juicy.  When selecting nectarines, look for a deep red blush but more importantly, they should have a golden orange glow with no green areas around the stem.  Store them at room temperature and they will continue to ripen.

This tart is a good showcase for ripe nectarines because there isn’t much to get in the way of their full flavor.  There’s a simple crust and a toasted crumb topping, just enough to sweeten each slice.  And of course you can substitute peaches!

Bench notes:

- I prefer room temperature fruit but if you prefer chilled, don't refrigerate a peach or nectarine until it's fully ripe or its flavor will be stunted and the texture may become mealy.

- This pastry dough comes together almost instantly.  Check it as you go to be sure you're not overmixing.  It's done when the dough looks a little bit like small curd cottage cheese.  When you gather it together to wrap, it smoothes out.

- The pastry dough can be made 1 - 2 days ahead and chilled.  Any longer than that and it starts to discolor and turn grey.

- The crumble can also be made and refrigerated 1 – 2 days ahead.

- Add a small handful of sliced almonds or finely chopped walnuts to the crumb topping flour mixture if you’d like more flavor and texture.

- Serve with sweetened whipped cream flavored with vanilla or almond extract or some good kirsch.
- If you love nectarines, try this Almond Dacquoise with Nectarines and Cream.

Nectarine Crumb Tart

Serves 6 - 8

Pastry Dough

1 cup (5 oz) flour

1 1/2 teaspoons (6 grams) sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

3 oz (6 tablespoons) cold butter

1/4 cup (2 oz) very cold water

Crumb Topping

1/4 cup (1 1/4 oz) flour                         

1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon (17 grams) granulated sugar                          

1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon (17 grams) dark brown sugar                      

pinch salt                 

1 1/2 oz (3 tablespoons) butter, melted                         

4 nectarines

2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons (26 grams) sugar

2 teaspoons (6 grams) cornstarch

To prepare the pastry dough, place the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor and process to combine.  Cut the cold butter into 1/2” pieces, add to the flour mixture and process for 5 seconds.  Add the water and pulse about 15 times. The dough will not look like a smooth dough but should look lumpy like cottage cheese.  Gather the dough and place on a piece of plastic wrap.  Gently press into a flattened rectangle and wrap tightly.  Chill the dough at least 30 minutes or overnight.

For the crumb topping, combine the flour, both sugars and salt in a bowl.  Melt the butter and add.  Use a fork to stir until the mixture clumps that hold together when pressed.  Using your fingers, pinch the mixture to form bits and pieces.   Chill until ready to use.

When you’re ready to roll out the dough, remove from the refrigerator and rest on a lightly floured piece of parchment paper or work surface for a few minutes so it can soften just a bit to prevent cracking.  Roll the dough out to about a 12" square and 1/8" thickness, gently lifting and moving the dough after each roll and keeping it lightly floured as needed.  When you have the desired size, brush off any excess flour.  Fold it in half and then again in half.  Center the folded corner of the dough in a 9" square tart pan.  Unfold it and work it into the corners, leaving an overhang on all four sides.  Chill while you prepare the fruit.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut the nectarines in slices and remove the pit.  Place the slices in a bowl and toss with the lemon juice.  Combine the sugar and cornstarch and toss with the fruit to distribute evenly.

When the oven is ready, fill the tart shell with the fruit.  Sprinkle with the crumb topping.  Fold the sides over to form a border.  Brush the border of the dough with melted butter and dust with a light sprinkle of sugar.  

Bake until the dough and topping are browned and the fruit is bubbling, about 40 – 50 minutes.  Place on a wire rack to cool.

 

Lemon Raspberry Galette

After a devastating fire last March, it was great news to hear that Chez Panisse has once again opened its doors.  I spent a few weeks interning there one summer and I will never forget it.  That experience - seeing the most beautiful fruit in the world and broadening my understanding of how a well-tuned professional kitchen hums - had a tremendous influence not only on how I think about pastries and desserts but how I think about food and hospitality.  There are a great many people who have passed through their doors - diners, staff, interns and volunteers alike – who have shared this rare experience.  And, luckily for us, that tradition will continue now with a whole new fresh start.  If you value simple, wholesome and delicious food that originates from small local farms, you won’t find a better example of a great meal.  So it’s wonderful news to hear they are back in business.

I also got some great news this week so I wanted to join in on the excitement. One pastry that always reminds me of Chez Panisse is a fresh fruit galette.  They make them every day and no matter the fruit, they are superb.  The pastry is always buttery and flaky, the fruit flavorful and glistening.  For me, making a galette celebrates their return to serving amazing meals in a beautiful setting.

This is a fresh raspberry pastry that includes a layer of lemon curd.  That’s not something you’d see at Chez Panisse but I love the combination of these two elements so I threw them together just for fun.  The flavor is bright and tart and it's a good little pastry for celebrating new beginnings.

Bench notes:

- Use very cold butter and water to produce a flaky pastry. 

- I like lemon curd that is tart.  Add more sugar if you prefer a sweeter taste!

- Modulate the amount of lemon curd and ratio of raspberries you use in the galette according to your own personal taste.  Leftover curd can be refrigerated and served with biscuits or scones or stirred into vanilla ice cream.

- Galette dough and/or lemon curd can be made 1 – 2 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator.

- One thing Chez Panisse had on their menu this past week is Royal Blenheim Apricot Soufflé with Noyau Crème Anglaise, which sounds like heaven to me.  I hope I can find some apricots this weekend so I can play with this idea.  Maybe roasted apricots with a very light noyau cream.  Mmmmmm…..

- Another seasonal galette is Peach Pecan Galette.

Lemon Raspberry Galette

Serves 6

Galette Dough

1 cup (5 oz) flour

1 1/2 teaspoons (6 grams) sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

3 oz (6 tablespoons) cold butter

1/4 cup (2 oz) cold water

Lemon Curd

Yield: 1 cup

1/2 cup (4 oz) fresh lemon juice (about 3 – 4 lemons)

zest of 2 lemons

1/2 cup (3 1/2 oz) sugar

2 large egg yolks

1 large egg

3 oz (6 tablespoons) butter @ room temperature

8 oz fresh raspberries

1 1/2 tablespoons (19 grams) sugar

1/2 tablespoon butter, melted

sugar, for sprinkling

For the pastry dough, place the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor and process to combine.  Cut the cold butter into 1/2” pieces, add to the flour mixture and process for 5 seconds.  Add the water and pulse about 15 times. The dough will look a bit lumpy like cottage cheese.  Gather the dough and place on a piece of plastic wrap.  Shape into a flattened rectangle and wrap.  Chill the dough at least 30 minutes or overnight.

For the lemon curd, whisk the lemon juice, zest, sugar and eggs in a nonreactive heatproof bowl.  Place the bowl over a pan of low simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water.   Whisk and cook until the mixture begins to thicken, about 3 – 5 minutes.  Pour through a strainer into a bowl.  Cut the butter into small pieces and add, stirring to fully incorporate.  Press a piece of plastic wrap into the surface and set aside to cool.

When you’re ready to roll out the dough, remove it from the refrigerator and rest it on a lightly floured piece of parchment paper for a few minutes so it can soften just a bit to prevent cracking. Then roll the dough out to about an 11 1/2” x 8 1/2” rectangle (or other desired shape) and 1/8” thickness, gently lifting and moving the dough after each roll and keeping the parchment lightly floured as needed.  Brush off any excess flour and lift the parchment and pastry onto a baking sheet. Chill while you organize the remaining ingredients.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Toss the raspberries and sugar together in a bowl. 

Spread a layer of lemon curd to within 1 1/4” of the border on all sides.  Use about 1/2 - 3/4 of the curd, per your own personal preference, and store the remaining in an airtight container in the refrigerator.  

Distribute the sweetened raspberries evenly on top of the lemon curd.  Fold the pastry dough over the fruit to form a border.  Brush the border with melted butter and dust with a light sprinkle of sugar.  Chill until oven is ready.  

Bake until the dough is crisp and browned, about 35 - 40 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack.

Lemon Mousse Tartlets

If you happen to have the luck of a few extra lemons in your kitchen, I’m here to give you some ideas. One of my favorite things in the whole universe of fabulous desserts is lemon mousse.  It’s light and creamy and full of the tart pucker of lemon.  In my book, it’s among the best of luxurious indulgences.  It’s also pretty easy to prepare.  

Instead of serving lemon mousse on its own, I dollop it in a tart shell to introduce some texture.  The tart shell has a little taste of almond and the dough is one of those easy mixes done in a food processor and then pressed into the tart pans rather than rolled out. 

The lemon mousse for this tart is a simple lemon curd blended with a fairly equal portion of lightly whipped cream.  I usually also fold in whipped egg whites for an even lighter, more ethereal mousse when serving on its own.  But for this tart, I keep it basic and slightly more substantial.

If you love lemon and the combination of creamy and crumbly, this tart should fill the bill.  

Bench notes:

- Acidic ingredients like lemon are likely to pick up a metallic flavor and may also discolor if cooked in what's called "reactive" cookware. Aluminum, cast iron and copper are reactive metals.  Stainless steel and glass are nonreactive.  

- Lemon curd can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 2 days.  Store it in an airtight container.

- If you prefer a plain tart shell, elminate the sliced almonds and use a total of 1 1/4 cups flour.

- Freezing the formed tart shells for one hour before baking helps to eliminate shrinkage.

- If you’d like to make the lighter version of this mousse on its own, make the lemon curd in the recipe.  Then whip just 1/2 cup cream to soft peak.  Fold that into the lemon curd and refrigerate.  Whip 2 egg whites with 1 tablespoon of sugar to stiff peak.  Fold into the lemon curd and cream mixture, spoon into serving dishes and chill.  As always, exercise caution when using raw egg whites.  They should not be served to small children, pregnant women or individuals who are at risk due to compromised immune systems.

Lemon Mousse Tartlets

Makes five 4” tartlets

Tart Dough

1 C flour                                

1/4 C (3/4 oz) sliced almonds

3 T sugar

1/4 t salt

zest of 1/2 lemon

4 oz (8 T) cold butter          

1 egg yolk

Lemon Mousse

1/2 C lemon juice (about 3 – 4 lemons)

zest of 2 lemons

1/2 C sugar

2 egg yolks

1 egg

3 oz (6 T) butter

1 1/4 C heavy cream                                              

2 T sugar

1/4 t vanilla

pistachios or sliced almonds, finely chopped for garnish

                                                           

Lightly grease five 4” tartlet pans with removable bottoms.                

Place the flour, almond slices, sugar, salt and lemon zest in the bowl of a food processor and process to combine. Cut the cold butter into 1/2” pieces and add.  Pulse until some of the butter is the size of oatmeal flakes.  Stir the yolk and add.  Process for about 10 - 15 seconds until the dough begins to form clumps.  It will not be a smooth dough.  Press the clumps evenly and smoothly into the bottom and sides of the tart pans.  Trim any excess from the top of the border.  Freeze the formed tart shells for one hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place the tart shells on a baking sheet.  Bake until they are a light golden brown, about 20 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack.

For the lemon curd, whisk the lemon juice, zest, sugar and eggs in a non-reactive heatproof bowl.  Place the bowl over a pan of low simmering water and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture begins to thicken, about 3 – 5 minutes.  Pour through a strainer into a bowl.  Cut the butter into small pieces and add a few at a time, stirring to incorporate. Press a piece of plastic wrap into the surface and set aside to cool.  Refrigerate until you're ready to assemble the tartlets.

To prepare the lemon mousse, whip the cream with the sugar and vanilla to soft peak.   Fold into the lemon curd and refrigerate.  When ready to serve, dollop the lemon mousse into the tart shells and garnish with finely chopped nuts.