Apples #3: Rustic Apple Tartlets

Time for another apple recipe!  This is a great one if you are having a dinner party.  It meets three crucial criteria for entertaining:  you can prepare it in advance, it is delicious, and it makes a nice presentation. 

Have some napkins handy - your guests will be drooling over this one.

These free-form tartlets are basically apple pie without the runny mess or breaking crust that sometimes screws up the apple pie presentation.   I love this tender, moist and flaky crust!  It must be the cream cheese addition.  It required some patience and lots of ins and outs from the fridge, but the end result justified the extra effort.   If you hate working with pastry, skip it.  Just sayin'.  But this was the first time I attempted these tartlets and they turned out beautifully, so try them when you feel mellow and creative.  Do not attempt while experiencing PMS!  You know what I'm saying.

I discovered this recipe in The Best of America's Test Kitchen 2008.  Since snagging this cookbook off the library shelves several weeks ago, I have renewed it and find myself consulting it often.  Have you ever caught the PBS show of the same name?  It offers practical advice, which I now find sorely lacking on the food channels.  I like this cookbook because it gives the reasoning behind procedures and techniques, and it recommends products that the chefs have tested, such as pots, pans, bake ware, flours, canned and jarred products, etc.  Every year they publish a compilation of their best recipes and this is one of them.  Treat yourself and go for it! 

Rustic Free-Form Apple Tartlets
(The Best of America's Test Kitchen 2008)
Makes 6 tartlets

Dough
1 1/4 C unbleached all-purpose flour
2 T. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
8 T. (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces and chilled
4 oz. cream cheese, cut into 1/2- inch pieces and chilled
1-2 T. ice water
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

Filling
1 1/4 pounds Granny Smith apples (about 3 small), peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 1/4 pounds McIntosh apples (about 3 small), peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick-slices
2 T. fresh lemon juice
1/4 C plus 2 T. sugar
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 egg whites, lightly beaten, for brushing

For the Dough:

1.  Process the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor until combined.  Add the butter and cream cheese and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, about 10 one-second pulses.  Turn the mixture into a medium bowl.

2.  Sprinkle one tablespoon water and the lemon juice over the mixture.  Stir and press the dough together using a stiff rubber spatula until the dough sticks together.  If the dough does not come together, stir in the remaining one tablespoon water until the dough forms large clumps and no dry flour remains.  (I had to use the second tablespoon of water.)  Turn the dough out onto the counter and flatten into a rough disk.  Cut the disk into six equal pieces using a chef's knife.  Flatten each piece into a three-inch disk.  Transfer the disks in a single layer to a flat dinner plate.  Wrap the plate in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before rolling.

Roll out each disk between two floured sheets of parchment.

3.  Remove the plate from the refrigerator and roll each piece between two pieces of lightly floured parchment paper to a six-inch circle.  (If the dough becomes soft and/or sticky, return it to the refrigerator until firm.)  Remove and discard the top pieces of parchment paper.  Stack the rounds on the plate with the parchment between each layer.  Wrap the plate in plastic wrap and refrigerate while preparing the fruit.

For the Filling:

4.  Adjust two oven racks to the upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 400 degrees.  Toss the apples with the lemon juice, 1/4 cup of the sugar, and cinnamon.  Arrange the parchment-lined dough rounds in a single layer on the counter.  Arrange approximately one cup of the apple slices, thick edges out, in a circular round on each dough mound, leaving a one-inch border.

When you mold it with your hands, the apples will fill in any holes in your layering.

5.  Fold the edges of the dough over the fruit.  With cupped hands, gently press the dough to the filling, reinforcing the shape and compacting the apples.  Slide three tartlets, still on top of the parchment, onto each of two baking sheets.




Slide each tartlet onto a baking sheet, three to a sheet.


6.  Bake until pale golden brown, about 15 minutes.  Brush the surface of the crusts with the beaten egg whites and sprinkle the apples evenly with the remaining two tablespoons of sugar.  Return to the oven, rotating the baking sheets, and bake until the crust is deep golden brown and the apples are tender, about 15 minutes longer.  Cool the tartlets on the baking sheets for five minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool until warm or room temperature before serving.

A little patience can result in a lot of love.

(This is one of the things I love about this cookbook:  it includes hazard warnings and things you can do ahead of time.)

*Where Things Can Go Wrong - The amounts of cream cheese and butter used in this dough make it soft and delicate.  For easiest handling, make sure that your ingredients are cold and that your kitchen is cool.

*What You Can Do Ahead - The tartlets can be cooled completely, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, and stored at room temperature for up to two days.  The disks of dough can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to two days, or frozen up to a month.  Thaw frozen dough in the refrigerator.  Before rolling, let frozen dough stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. 

Having lots of people to dinner?  You can double this recipe, making two batches of dough and baking the tartlets in two batches.

Notes:  Spruce up the presentation with a sprinkle of powdered sugar, a dollop of whipped cream, a drizzle of caramel sauce, or a scoop of ice cream.

Ina Takes the Cake

Here's the rundown on the chocolate layer cake I told you about yesterday: 

I first saw this recipe in the March, 2007, issue of Food and Wine magazine and then I discovered Ina, my best bud in the Hamptons, a.k.a. the Barefoot Contessa, published it in one of her cookbooks.  You know she's got some confidence in this baby if she's blanketing the media with it.  And rightfully so.  Ina is quoted in Food and Wine saying it's the most fabulous chocolate cake she's ever made.  I bet she's made quite a few. 

The gang at the weekend crabaganza (see previous post) gave this cake high marks, and believe me, that's one tough crowd.

Double-Chocolate Layer Cake
(Also called Beatty's Chocolate Cake in Barefoot Contessa at Home)

CAKE
1 3/4 C all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 C sugar
3/4 C unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Hershey's dark chocolate)
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 C buttermilk
1/2 C vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 C. freshly brewed hot coffee

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Butter two 8-inch round cake pans.  Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans. 

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined.  In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla.  With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry.  With the mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.  Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.  Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

Place one layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal.  With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting.  Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of cake.

Now here's the deal on the frosting:  I didn't use Ina's recipe because it has a raw egg in it and that grossed me out.  Turns out there's a big egg recall today so I may have made a wise decision.  But if you are brave, here is her recipe for the chocolate frosting, followed by the one I used:

INA'S CHOCOLATE FROSTING
6 oz. semisweet chocolate (Don't use chocolate chips because they contain stabilizers)
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 extra-large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 C sifted confectioners' sugar
1 T. instant coffee powder

Chop the chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.  Stir until just melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature. 

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating 3 minutes.  Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the confectioners' sugar, then beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy.  Dissolve the coffee powder in 2 teaspoons of the hottest tap water.  On low speed, add the chocolate and coffee to the butter mixture and mix until blended.  Don't whip!  Spread immediately on the cooled cake.

MY MOCHA BUTTERCREAM
6 oz. semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (Don't use chocolate chips)
2 sticks (1/2 pound) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 C half and half
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
4 C confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 T. instant coffee granules, mixed with 1/4 C hot water

In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the chocolate at high power in 30-second intervals, stirring, until most of the chocolate is melted.  Stir until completely melted, then set aside to cool to room temperature.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the butter at medium speed until pale and fluffy.  Add, one at a time, the chocolate, coffee, half and half, and vanilla and beat for 1 minute, scraping down the side of the bowl.  At low speed, slowly beat in the confectioners' sugar.  I keep adding confectioners' sugar until I get the frosting to spreading consistency.

Notes:  This cake was in the trunk of my car for 4 hours and when I reached my brother's house, the icing was melting.  I put it in the fridge for an hour or so, tidied up the frosting and I think it ended up looking better than in the picture, which I took before the trip.  I suggest storing this cake in the refrigerator.

Peachy Keen Cobbler

In my vast (gulp) food TV-watching experience, I have found that two things spell certain doom for cheftestants:  lousy desserts and giving up on a dish that they know is screwed up.  As celebrity chef Tom Colicchio lectured one chef on a recent episode of "Top Chef" -  if something isn't working out, a good chef finds a way to make it work.  That was probably right before he told the guy to high-tail it out of the Bravo studios.

This rebuke occurred to me Saturday when, while chatting with the hubmeister and drinking cheap wine, I mistakenly dumped all the sugar into the filling of the bourbon peach cobbler instead of dividing it between the dry and wet ingredients as instructed in the recipe.  Thanks to that TV flashback, I didn't throw out the whole mess as I might have in the past.  After all, I had just spent several minutes standing at the sink peeling eight peaches with a paring knife and there was no way I was wasting that time and effort or the Maker's Mark I poured into that sugary peach mixture.

My remedy:  I didn't add the 1/2 cup of sugar that was to be mixed with the flour for the topping.  I figured the whole recipe would still have 3/4 cup of sugar, only in different places.  The top would be more biscuit-like and the filling would be super sweet but  balanced hopefully by the savory topping. 

That's what happened and the result was a mixture of gooey, peachy goodness topped with a golden "biscuity" crust.  The only taste that may have been affected was the bourbon.  The flavor didn't come through; maybe the sugar overwhelmed it.  Guess I'll have to make it again....mmmmm.

I hope you learn from my sugary mistake when you make this yummy Tyler Florence recipe, and next time you mess up a dish - whether it's because the kids are pestering you for homework help, the baby is crying, or you simply are enjoying the company of folks around you - resist the temptation to trash it.  Stop for a minute and consider how to fix it.  I bet you will. 

Bourbon Peach Cobbler
(Food Network Magazine, July/August 2010)

8 peaches
1/4 C bourbon
3/4 C sugar (divided!), plus more for sprinkling
2 T. cornstarch
1 tsp. ground cinnamon, plus more for sprinkling
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
2 sticks cold unsalted butter
3/4 C heavy cream, plus more for brushing
1 quart vanilla bean ice cream, for serving

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Combine peaches, bourbon, 1/4 cup sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon in a large bowl and toss to coat.

Sift the flour, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder and salt into a bowl.  Cut 1 1/2 sticks of butter into small pieces; add to the flour mixture and cut it in with a pastry blender or your hands until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.  Pour in the cream and mix just until the dough comes together.  Don't overwork; the dough should be slightly sticky but manageable.

Melt the remaining 1/2 stick butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat.  Add the peach mixture and cook gently until heated through, about 5 minutes.  Transfer the mixture to a 2-quart baking dish (or leave in the skillet).  Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls over the warm peaches.  (There can be gaps because the dough will puff up and spread as it bakes.)  Brush the top with some heavy cream and sprinkle with sugar and a little extra cinnamon. 

Bake in the oven on a baking sheet (to catch any drips) until the cobbler is browned and the fruit is bubbling, 40 to 45 minutes.  Serve warm with ice cream.

A Lotta Ricotta

While trying to clean out the backlog of periodicals piling up in my house, I came across a bunch of Martha Stewart Living magazines that I received last year.  Little did I know when I ordered a Martha flower arrangement online that I would be inundated with complimentary copies of her magazine. 

A beautifully photographed publication, it's a hoot to leaf through just to see Martha's flagrant cross-promotion of her endless products and business ventures.  Omnimedia is an understatement.  The funniest part of the magazine, however, is her calendar for the month; by calendar, I mean Martha's "personal" calendar listing her planned activities each day.  It's at the front of every issue.

Take, for instance (and this is one I pulled randomly this minute), January 13, 2010 -  "Freeze cubes of white vinegar, and grind them in garbage disposal to freshen (citrus peel and hot water work well, too.) " Thanks for the tip, Martha.  Yes, I can see her jamming those frozen vinegarsicles down the sink and grinding them to an acidic pulp, and it better happen on January 13 or heads will roll!  Who believes this stuff?   Here's another good one:  January 31 - "Pulse bread (or uncooked white rice) in coffee grinder to remove residue."  FYI, she spent the day doing that and making chicken soup.  Wow, if a media mogul like Martha can find the time to do this, then the rest of us must be serious losers.  Send me another magazine to rub it in.

But I digress.  Here's the point.  I have a hard time throwing out recipes, and this is one I yanked from Martha's magazine before it hit the recycling bin.  It sounded easy and interesting and lighter than a regular cheesecake.   It was!   A nice summer dessert, it is deliciously light and fluffy, thanks to those whipped egg whites.  I prepared a fresh strawberry syrup to top it, but Hubmeister said it was good enough on its own and didn't need it.  Our teenage son said this cake is so eggy, it tastes like sweet quiche.  He piled on the strawberries.  Oh, well.  You can't please everyone.  At least Hubmeister, I and the all-knowing Martha like it.  You be the judge.

Ricotta Cheesecake
(Martha Stewart Living)

Unsalted butter, room temperature, for pan
3/4 C sugar, plus more for pan
1 1/2 lbs. fresh whole-milk ricotta cheese, pureed in a food processor until smooth
6 large eggs, separated
1/4 C all-purpose flour
Finely grated zest of 1 orange or 2 lemons ( I used lemons)
1/4 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Generously butter and sugar a 9-inch springform pan (3 inches deep).  Whisk together ricotta, egg yolks, flour, 6 tablespoons sugar, the zest, and salt in a large bowl.

Whisk egg whites with the mixer on low speed until foamy.  Raise speed to high and gradually add remaining 6 tablespoons sugar, whisking until stiff, glossy peaks form, 3 to 4 minutes.  Gently fold a third of the whites into the ricotta mixture using a rubber spatula until just combined.   Gently fold in remaining whites until just combined.

Pour batter into pan and bake until center is firm and top is deep golden brown, about 1 hour.  Let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.  Run a knife around edge of cake; release sides to remove from pan, and let cool completely. 

Make ahead:  This cheesecake is best eaten the day it is baked, but it can be refrigerated, covered loosely with plastic wrap, for up to 3 days.  Let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving. 

Notes:  Temperature shmemperature!  This cake is good cold.  Don't worry about bringing it to room temperature. 

Black-and-Blue Pie

Once while she was home on a college break, my daughter asked me whether I was a cake or pie person.  Evidently, this reveals something about your personality similar to one's preference for cats or dogs.  I can't recall what I answered because it is such a tough choice.  It depends on my mood...and the season.  Right now, it's pie all the way.  It's that comforting mixture of sweet, fresh fruit sandwiched between savory, buttery crusts and topped with fluffy whipped cream that reels me in like an angler hooking a hungry fish.

And what better excuse is there to make a pie than the Fourth of July?  In honor of this festive holiday, I made a tri-berry pie minus one.  My raspberries were resembling a biology experiment, which prompted the use of whatever was still fungus free in the fridge. Blackberries and blueberries won out; thus, the name of my new creation.  Voila!  The black-and-blue pie:

Black-and-Blue Pie
Based on Choose-a-Berry Pie
(from Better Homes and Gardens Old-Fashioned Home Baking)

3/4 to 1 C sugar (How much?  Taste the berries to see how tart they are.)
1/4 C all-purpose flour (Add a bit more if you increase the fruit; I added approx. 2 T more.)
1/2 tsp. finely shredded lemon peel
4 C fresh blackberries, blueberries or a combo (I added more, about 1/2 C more of each.)
1 recipe pastry for double-crust pie (You can buy one but it is so much better homemade.)

In a large mixing bowl stir together sugar, flour, and lemon peel.  Add fresh berries, then gently toss till berries are coated. 

Prepare and roll out pastry as directed.  Line a 9-inch pie plate with half of the pastry.  Stir berry mixture, then transfer berry mixture to the pastry-lined pie plate.  Trim the bottom pastry to the edge of the pie plate.  Cut slits in the top crust and place on top of filling.  Seal and crimp the edge.  Bake at 375 degrees for 50 minutes, or until top is golden and berries are bubbling.  Check it after 20 minutes to see if you need to use a pie shield or aluminum foil to keep edges from overbrowning.

Notes:   I set my oven to the cakes setting and the top was refusing to brown, so I blasted it at 425 degrees for an extra 10 minutes to get the color I like.  Use a pie shield to keep the edge from overcooking or shield with aluminum foil.

The verdict:   "This pie is frickin' good."   (Hubmeister)

Tune in tomorrow for my favorite artery-clogging crust recipe.

Hey, wait!  What does this cake vs. pie preference say about me?  Am I dumb, lovable and loyal - or smart, sneaky and independent?  Could I be a little of each?  I'll have to ask my daughter what it all means.  How about you?  Are you a cake or pie person?

A Recipe Gem from Tampa Treasures

After treating my father-in-law to sauerbraten and crumb cake (see previous posts), the pressure was on to come up with a gratifying Father's Day meal honoring the "World's Greatest Dad" in our house.  I picked up a few New York strip steaks at The Fresh Market and whipped up a chocolate peanut butter pie. I grilled the steaks and they were flavorful, but the star of this dinner was dessert.

Randomly pulling a cookbook off the shelf, I leafed through the Tampa Junior League's Tampa Treasures, a beautifully photographed cookbook I bought when I lived in Tampa in the early '90s.  I landed on this recipe because it's a million degrees outside and a chilled pie sounded refreshing; my husband loves peanut butter and just about anything with a graham cracker crust; and it contains chocolate.  Sounded like a winner to me. 

Considering it was the first time I made this recipe and I didn't screw it up, I thought you might like to make it this summer for the peanut butter lovers in your life.  The only thing I did differently was add shaved dark chocolate to the top.  You must prepare it ahead, so plan accordingly.  Also, if you don't have a double boiler, which I don't, just put the chocolate in a stainless steel bowl over a pan of simmering water, or melt it slowly in the microwave.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

1 C graham cracker crumbs
3/4 C lightly salted peanuts, coarsely chopped
3/4 stick butter, melted
1/4 C sugar
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate (I used 1/2 bag of chocolate chips)
3 ounces sour cream, room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 C sifted powder sugar
1 3/4 C heavy cream, divided
1 C smooth peanut butter
2 T vanilla extract

Night before:  Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Combine crumbs, peanuts, sugar and butter; press into a 9-inch pie pan or springform pan.  Bake 7 minutes; cool.  Melt chocolate in top of double boiler over warm water; thoroughly beat in sour cream.  Pour chocolate mixture into crust; smooth; chill.  Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until light and fluffy.  Add 1/4 cup cream, peanut butter and vanilla, combining well.

In chilled bowl with clean beaters, beat remaining cream until soft peaks form.  Stir one-third of cream into peanut butter mixture; gently, but thoroughly, fold in remaining cream.  Fill pie shell; refrigerate overnight.  Serve chilled.