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Posts from the ‘Desserts’ Category

May 4

30 Comments

Mango Cream Tart With Mango Whipped Cream

Mango Cream Tart

The contest on Food52 is all about mango’s and this is my entry. I love that you can use mango in both sweet and savory applications. I chose to highlight a dessert. The mango cream is adapted from the genius recipe for lemon cream from Tartine Bakery. I really love how creamy and thick the curd is and it works beautifully as a filling for tarts or cakes, it is truly genius. When I think of mango, tropical flavors come to mind, so I added coconut to the pastry dough, its filled with mango cream and topped with mango whipped cream. The mango cream stabilizes the whipped cream and gives a subtle mango flavor, it’s not too sweet I just used a tbs of powdered sugar. I suggest serving with julienned fresh mango.
 Mango Cream
2 large ripe mango pureed – Tommy Atkin mango are quite large or use 3 ataulfo mango’s
3 tbs lime juice
1/2 cup sugar
pinch of salt
3 egg yolks + 1 whole egg
8 oz cool but not cold butter cut into tbs size pieces
Set double boiler with a few inches of water to simmer on stovetop. Place all the ingredients in bowl and whisk to combine. Place over simmering water and bring to 175-180 degrees. It will be quite thick when done, remove from heat strain through a sieve and cool to 140 degrees.  Add to blender, with blender running add the butter a tbs at a time making sure each tbs is incorporated before adding the next one. It will be very thick and creamy. Refrigerate at least 4 hours preferably overnight before using.
Coconut Tart Dough
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup shredded coconut (toasted coconut would also be delicious)
8 ounces cold butter chopped into pieces
3 tbs sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3 egg yolks
2 tbs heavy cream
Pulse the flour, coconut, sugar and salt in food processor, add the butter and pulse until it resembles fine crumbs. Add the egg yolks and cream and pulse until it forms a cohesive dough. Dump onto work surface and form into two discs, wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least one hour. You can make this the night before and refrigerate overnight. When you are ready to assemble the tart remove dough from the refrigerator, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Press one dough disc into 9 inch tart pan or tartlet pans, prick bottom with fork. Put back in the refrigerator for 30 minutes you want the dough to be chilled before baking. Bake until golden brown approximately 25 minutes depending on your oven. Let cool before adding the filling.
Mango whipped cream
4 ounces very cold heavy cream
1/4 cup mango cream
1 tbs powdered sugar
Whip cream until it is thick and billowy, add the mango cream, powdered sugar and vanilla and continue beating until thick and soft peaks form. Fill tart shell with mango cream and pipe on the mango whipped cream.

Apr 19

32 Comments

Bake Together- Thai Inspired Angel Food Cake With Coconut Lime Whipped Cream

This months Bake Together with the always fabulous Abby Dodge is angel food cake. This cake is inspired by the flavors of Thailand using thai basil, coconut, lemongrass and lime. I used Abby’s cake recipe as the base and added my own touches. For the cake I infused the sugar with lemon grass,  and add the lime zest and thai basil to the batter,  the cake has lovely green flecks from the basil and lime and a subtle lemongrass flavor. The whipped cream is also inspired by many of the same flavors, in the food processor I ground confectioners sugar and coconut flakes and let the sugar infuse with the coconut, I then sifted it before adding to the whipped cream so it would be smooth and creamy  (you don’t have to sift if you want a little texture) and whipped in some coconut cream and a little lime zest. I put the can of coconut milk in the refrigerator the night before making the cake, when you open the can use the thick coconut cream on the top don’t mix it with the liquid beneath.
The Cake:

1 cup  (4 ounces)cake flour

1 1/4 cup (5 ounces) confectioners’sugar

1/4  teaspoon table salt

11 large (1 1/3 cups) egg whites, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 cup (7 ounces) sugar
1 1/2 tsp lime zest
2 tsp tender inner stalk of lemongrass (chopped)
4 stalks thai basil, leaves removed and very finely chopped
  • Heat oven to 350 degrees. Add 1 cup sugar to food processor with the lemongrass, process until fully combined and there are no large pieces of the lemongrass. Sift before adding to the egg whites.
  • Sift flour, confectioners sugar and salt three times and set aside.
  • Using either a stand or hand held mixer fitted with whisk attachment beat egg whites on med/low until they become foamy. Add the cream of tartar and increase speed to medium speed. Beat until the egg whites form soft peaks, now sift (to remove any pieces of the lemongrass) and add the infused sugar a tbs at a time, add the lime zest and increase speed to med/high and beat until the whites are thick and shiny and form medium firm peaks (Be careful not to over beat)

  • Sift 1/4 of the flour mixture over the beaten whites. Using a large rubber spatula, gently fold the dry ingredients into the whites. Repeat with remaining flour mixture, one quarter at a time. With the last installment of flour add the chopped basil.
  • Using the spatula to gently coax the batter, pour evenly into the prepared pan.  Smooth the top. Bake until the cake is light golden brown and the cake is springy when touched, about 40 minutes. Immediately invert the pan onto the counter if the pan has feet or if it doesn’t, invert the pan sliding the center tube onto the neck of the bottle. Let cool completely.
  • To remove the cake, rotate the pan, gently tapping the bottom edge of the cake pan on the counter as you turn it until the cake loosens from the pan. If necessary, run a long, thin knife between the cake and the pan and around the inside of the tube to loosen the cake. Slip the cake from the pan and gently lift it up from the center of the pan and arrange on a flat serving plate.
Coconut Lime Whipped Cream
1/2 tsp lime zest
1/4 cup sweetened or unsweetened (your choice) coconut flakes
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1 1/2 cups very cold heavy cream
3 tbs full fat cold coconut cream (skimmed from the can of milk)
Chilled bowl and beaters
  • While the cake is cooling infuse the sugar with the coconut. Add 1/2 cup confectioners sugar to bowl of food processor,  and 1/4 cup coconut flakes and pulse until combined and very fine. Place in covered container and let sit until you are ready to whip the cream.
  • Sift the confectioners sugar to removed any pieces of coconut. In mixing bowl pour the very cold heavy cream into a chilled bowl, Using either hand held mixer or stand mixer whip until it starts to thicken, add the cold coconut milk (NOTE: Scoop the cream from the top don’t mix it up), lime zest and infused confectioners sugar (taste to test for sweetness you may not need to use all of the infused sugar) and whip until billowy and soft peaks form. Serve with the cake.

Apr 9

8 Comments

Re-purposing Leftovers- Spicy Merguez Hand Pies

Spicy Merguez Hand Pies

I hate wasting or throwing away food, I freeze when its feasible, and try to come up with creative ways to use scraps and leftovers to create something new. I made a pie yesterday, the double crust lemon pie posted here and the other day I made a spicy merguez filling for a food52 contest to go with semolina pancakes. So I thought I would roll out the pie dough, cut into circles and fill with the merguez filling. The result is delicious and a wonderful lunch with a crisp salad, and you would never know its leftovers. This is not meatless (Meatless Monday) but using food rather than wasting it should apply any day of the week. These would be great filled with vegetables or cheese or both also. Here is the link to Semolina Pancakes With Spicy Merguez Filling. So if you have leftover dough from your pie, don’t throw it away, re-invent it.

Rolled out left over pie dough cut into circles, I was able to make 5 good size pies, I added a heaping tablespoon of filling closed into half moon shape, crimped edges with fork and baked at 375 degrees until golden brown. I served with a salad with yogurt, lemon and herb dressing.

Apr 8

8 Comments

Double Crust Lemon Pie (Super Good Two Crust Lemon Pie)

I love vintage recipes and although my Mother does not know how old this is for sure, she guesses that it was from the 1950’s or earlier, this was my Grandmothers recipe, she said her quest was to find the perfect double crust lemon pie, she tried many different recipes and then found this one in the newspaper, (Mom still has the original it’s so faded you cannot see the date). It’s tart and sweet and lemony. Oddly, my Mom never made it for our family and until today I had never tasted this delicious pie. I am so glad she decided to share it, I love lemon  pie, this is different and very nice. The actual name of the recipe is “Super Good Two Crust Lemon Pie”. Serve with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream or creme fraiche whipped cream.

Makes one 9 inch double crust pie

Double pie crust (homemade or pre-made) see my recipe below.

1 1/4 cup sugar

2 rounded tbs flour- not level

3 large eggs at room temperature

2 tbs melted butter

1/3 cup lemon juice

zest of 2 lemons (1 heaping tbs)

3 tbs water

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees

Whisk sugar and flour in small mixing bowl and set aside. In another bowl beat eggs until they are thick and creamy and light in color, add the sugar flour mixture and stir until smooth, add the butter, lemon juice and water and mix well to combine.

Line pie pan with bottom crust, pour lemon filling in and roll out the top crust, lay on top crimp or flute the edges to seal, make  a few vents I just cut a few x’s .  Refrigerate the pie for 15-30 minutes so that the pie crust is chilled before putting in the oven. I like to brush the top of the pie with egg wash or cream and sprinkle with sugar, this is optional of course.

Bake for 35-45 minutes, the crust will be golden brown. Let cool completely before serving. Serve with whipped cream of your choice I added elderflower liquor.

Juilia Childs Pastry Dough

Makes enough dough for a double crust 9 inch pie

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup cake flour

1 tsp salt

6 oz cold unsalted butter cut into tbs size pieces

4 tbs shortening or leaf lard cold

1/2 cup ice cold water

You can make this either by hand or in the food processor. To make by hand, put flours, salt, butter, lard or shortening into mixing bowl, use pastry cutter to combine until it resembles pea size crumbs. Add water mix with fork, gather with your hands, divide dough into a 2 discs and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

In Food Processor, add the flours, salt, butter and shortening or lard into the bowl of the processor. Pulse a few times until the mixture resembles pea size crumbs. Add the water and pulse a few times until it becomes a cohesive dough.  Divide dough into two discs and wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Apr 3

12 Comments

Tiramisu With a Twist…Frozen and Deconstructed

Tiramisu is one of my favorite desserts, this dessert has all the flavors in a different form, how can you resist the creamy, chocolatey, coffee goodness. I took this wonderful dessert and played with it creating a mascarpone gelato flavored with marsala wine, then made chocolate espresso madeleines, a recipe I adapted from the great Gale Gand,I made the recipe as written except that I added the powdered espresso,  cut them in half filled with the gelato and served with a chocolate, espresso kahlua sauce.  You can make the gelato the day before so it has time to freeze, the madeleines take only a short time to make. I feel its best to put these together when you will be serving. You can bag and freeze the madeleines that you do not use and play with the proportions for the chocolate espresso kahlua sauce making as much as you need.

Gelato:

Makes 1 quart

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

5 egg yolks

1 cup sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbs marsala wine

1 cup mascarpone at room temperature

Heat the cream and milk to scalding, beat egg yolks and sugar until they are thick and creamy and a beautiful light yellow color, slowly add half of the hot milk/cream whisking constantly (You are tempering the eggs) pour  back into the pan with the rest of the hot milk and whisk together. Cook on medium heat stirring constantly until it reads 175 on the thermometer or until its thick and coats the back of a spoon.

Pour into a container and at this point you can do one of two things, refrigerate covered with plastic wrap that is resting directly on the custard or you can place in an ice bath to cool.

Once it is cooled add the vanilla and marsala, stir to combine. Whisk in the mascarpone until its smooth and there are no lumps.

Pour into ice cream maker following manufacturers instructions. When its the consistency of soft serve ice cream put in a container with a tight fitting lid and freeze until it’s scoopable.

Chocolate Espresso Madeleines:

Makes 2 dozen

  • 1/2 cup, plus 4 tablespoons unsalted butter softened, for buttering madeleine molds
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons packed dark-brown sugar
  • 1 cup cake flour (not self-rising)
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-processed
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tsp espresso powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Brush madeleine pans well with 4 tablespoons softened butter; refrigerate 5 minutes.
  2. In a small heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt remaining 1/2 cup butter over medium heat. Continue to cook until butter turns golden brown, being careful not to let the butter burn. Remove from heat and strain through a fine mesh sieve into a small bowl; set aside.
  3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip eggs with granulated and brown sugars until light and thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt, and stir on low speed until combined. Add vanilla and reserved browned butter; mix just until blended.
  4. Insert a 1/2-inch plain tip into a pastry bag and fill with batter. Pipe mounds of batter into prepared pans until each mold is full, mounding batter in the center of the molds but not filling to the edge. Alternatively, you can use a teaspoon to fill the molds with batter. Bake until madeleines are firm and a little mound is puffed up in the middle, 10 to 12 minutes. Madeleines are best eaten the same day they are baked.

Chocolate Kahlua Espresso Sauce:

1 cup heavy cream

2 tbs kahlua liquor

2 tsp espresso powder

5 oz dark chocolate cut into small pieces

Heat cream and sugar until the sugar is melted. Remove from heat and stir in the espresso powder, kahlua  and chocolate let sit for a minute or two and stir to combine. Spoon some of the chocolate sauce on a plate, lay the madeleine filled with gelato on top.

Mar 28

39 Comments

White Cake With Whipped Cream Icing and Blackberry Lemon Cream Filling

I have found a great recipe for yellow and chocolate cake but still continued my search for a white cake recipe, a cake that is moist and tender. I decided to try tweaking my yellow cake recipe to make it white and it worked beautifully. The cake is exactly what I was looking for. I spread a thin layer of blackberry lemon cream on the bottom layer and made a whipped cream icing using some of the Blackberry cream mixed in which acted as a stabilizer. It’s delicious, the icing is not too sweet and has a subtle blackberry lemon flavor. Added plus, it’s a beautiful shade of lavender.
Cake:
  • 4 large egg whites at room temperature (1/2 cup egg whites)
  • 1 1/2 cup sugar divided
  • 2 1/4 cups cake flour
  • 3 teaspoons  baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon  salt
  • 1/3 cup  + 1 tbs vegetable oil
  • 1 cup whole milk at room temperature + 1 tbs heavy cream
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Pre-Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter or spray with cooking spray 2 9 inch round baking pans, place parchment round in each, spray or butter again and coat with flour. Set aside.

In stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment beat egg whites until frothy, add  1/2 cup sugar, 1 tbs at a time beating after each addition. Continue beating until egg whites are thick and glossy. They should be stiff enough that when the beater or whisk is lifted they stay on the beater and don’t drop off.

In large mixing bowl sift flour, remaining 1 cup sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the vegetable oil, milk,cream,and vanilla, beat with hand mixer on medium high speed for 2 minutes. Gently fold in the egg whites.

Pour into prepared pans and bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned and cake tester comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes and invert onto cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:

Frosts a 9 inch layer cake

1 pint cold heavy cream

1/4 cup  + 2 tbs confectioners sugar

1/3 cup blackberry lemon cream

Get the mixing bowl and beaters cold by putting into the freezer for 15 minutes. Remove from freezer and either using a stand or hand held mixer add the heavy cream and confectioners sugar and whip until its thick, add the blackberry lemon cream and continue whipping until it is the desired consistency.

Spread a thin layer of the blackberry lemon cream on the cake layer and then spread some of the whipped cream on top of that. Place top layer on and frost the rest of the cake.

Mar 27

18 Comments

Blackberry,Lemon Cream

Blackberry Lemon Cream

I have been wanting to make the recipe for Tartine Bakery’s Lemon Cream since I saw on Food52 a few weeks ago. It is truly a genius recipe, really this is lemon curd, and the method of preparation is what is genius, after cooking the lemon, sugar and eggs you use either a countertop blender or immersion blender and add cold butter and whip it to a creamy, thick, billowy treat. Genius, most definitely.

I decided to play with the basic recipe and put a twist on it by using blackberries and lemons. I had the last of my frozen blackberries from last summers farmers market begging to be used  so I threw caution to the wind and made my variation. I didn’t know how it would turn out and I usually don’t change a recipe without having made it first. It turned out so well and I think its because the basic recipe is just so good. First I will give you the original and then how I tweaked it to add the blackberries.

Original Recipe for Tartine Bakery’s Lemon Cream

Makes about 2 1/2 cups (625 ml)

1/2 cup + 2 tbsp (5 oz/155 ml) lemon juice (Meyer or regular)

3 large eggs

1 large egg yolk

3/4 cup (6 oz/170 g) sugar

Pinch of salt

1 cup (8 oz/225 g) unsalted butter

Pour water to a depth of about 2 inches into a saucepan, place over medium heat, and bring to a simmer.

Combine the lemon juice, whole eggs, yolk, sugar, and salt in a stainless steel bowl that will rest securely in the rim of a saucepan over, not touching, the water. (Never let the egg yolks and sugar sit together for more than a moment without stirring; the sugar will cook the yolks and turn them granular.) Place the bowl over the saucepan and continue to whisk until the mixture becomes very thick and registers 180° F on a thermometer. This will take 10 to 12 minutes. If you don’t have or trust your thermometer, don’t worry. It should thicken to the point that your whisk leaves a trail through the curd.

Remove the bowl from over the water and let cool to 140° F, stirring from time to time to release the heat.

Meanwhile, cut butter into 1-tablespoon (15-ml) pieces. When the cream is ready, leave it in the bowl if using an immersion blender, or pour it into a countertop blender. With the blender running, add the butter 1 tablespoon at a time, blending after each addition until incorporated before adding the next piece. The cream will be pale yellow and opaque and quite thick.

You can use the cream immediately, or pour it into a storage container with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate for up to 5 days. To use after refrigeration, if necessary, gently heat in a stainless steel bowl set over simmering water until it has softened, whisking constantly.

Blackberry Lemon Cream

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blackberries

1/2 cup sugar

3  large egg yolks

1 whole large egg

Juice of one lemon

Zest of half a lemon

8 oz  unsalted butter (slightly cool not cold)

Put blackberries, sugar, lemon juice and zest in a saucepan, cook until sugar melts and berries are very soft. Remove from heat and pour into a strainer and press to get all the juices, really press it well to get it all. Amazingly this made exactly 1/2 cup + 2 tbs which is the amount called for in the original recipe. Let cool until its just warm.

Add some water to a saucepan and place on medium heat, bring to a boil and then reduce the heat so the water simmers,  pour the blackberry lemon juice in a mixing bowl that will rest on top of the saucepan, add the eggs and whisk to combine place the bowl on top of the simmering water and stir constantly, you want to cook it until it reaches a temperature of 180, it will get noticeably thick and coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and let sit until the temperature goes down to 140.

While you are waiting for it to cool down cut the butter into 1 tbs size pieces. Pour the mixture in the blender and with the blender running add the butter a piece at a time blending well with each addition. It will become very thick and creamy. Refrigerate if not using immediately.

Mar 22

20 Comments

Featured Recipe: Chocolate Stout Cake With Cream Cheese/Mascarpone Frosting

Chocolate Stout Cake with Cream Cheese/Mascarpone Frosting

An amazing cook, Liz aka mrslarkin on food52 posted this recipe a while ago.  I had made a mental note to try it, but forgot until the other day when I saw her tweet a picture of the cake she made for her daughters birthday. It looked so good I just had to make it, she added red gel color to make it a red velvet cake and frosted with cream cheese icing. I asked her if I could feature the cake here and she graciously gave me permission.  I think what really makes this cake special is the addition of Guinness Stout, strong coffee, sour cream and butter. It’s so moist,  tender and flavorful with a wonderful crumb and it’s not overwhelmingly sweet either, honestly, its one of the best chocolate cakes I have ever had. I’ve talked about the cake now let me tell you about Liz, she is a tremendously talented cook and baker, she is the Pound Ridge Scone Lady, you can find her selling her delicious scones and baked goods every week at the farmers market. She is a contest winner on Food52 whose recipe for Lemon Posset was published in the first Food52 cookbook. You will also find her recipe for Butternut Sage Scones which will be in the second Food52 cookbook due out this October. When you just have to have a cookie, why not make her addictive and delicious Chubby Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies.  You can view all 134 of Liz’s recipes on Food52. Be prepared you will want to make all of them, and be sure to look her up if you are ever in Pound Ridge New York at the farmers market and sample her delicious baked goods.

Makes: A 9 inch layer cake or 24 cupcakes

The Cake:

1/2 cup  Guinness Stout

1/2 cup espresso, or strong black coffee

3/4 cups  cocoa powder

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup light brown sugar (press out any lumps)

1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (press out any lumps)

1 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

3/4 cups sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Set oven rack to middle. Butter two 9 inch round baking pans, line with parchment, then butter again and dust with flour or unsweetened cocoa powder.

Warm the stout and coffee. I do this in the microwave for about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, then add butter and stir until melted. Add cocoa powder and vanilla, and stir till combined.

In large bowl, combine flour, sugars, baking soda and salt.

n mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix together the eggs and sour cream. Pour in chocolate mixture and mix slowly. Gradually add flour mixture and gently mix until it is all combined. Pour batter into baking pans dividing evenly.

Bake for 30 minutes.  Check with a cake tester to be sure – it should come out clean. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes, then remove cakes from pan(s) and set on cooling rack to cool completely.

Liz made a cream cheese frosting for the cake, I used the recipe I always use.

Cream Cheese,Mascarpone Frosting:

6 oz cream cheese at room temperature

6 oz mascarpone at room temperature

6 oz butter at room temperature

Enough confectioners sugar to make it spreadable you can make it to suit your taste. I find it usually takes about 4-5 cups

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

In electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment cream the cream cheese, mascarpone and butter until smooth, add the confectioners sugar a cup at a time until you reach the desired sweetness and consistency, add the vanilla and beat just to combine.

Frost the completely cooled cake and enjoy!

Mar 14

20 Comments

Tarts With Coconut,Almond Sweet Pastry Crust-For Pi Day

Fruit Tarts

In honor of “Pi” Day I am posting a recipe for fruit tarts, the pastry crust has toasted almond flour and coconut, filled with pastry cream and topped with fresh berries. The pastry and pastry cream are adapted from Martha Stewarts recipes from her website.

Pate Sucree: (Sweet Pastry Crust)

Serves 6

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup Toasted almond flour ( I get it from King Arthur)

1/4 cup flaked coconut

2 tablespoons sugar

8 ounces Unsalted cold butter cut into pieces (I like to use butter with a high fat content like Plugra)

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 egg yolks

2-3 tablespoons heavy cream

Put flour, almond flour, coconut, sugar and salt in the food processor and pulse just to combine. Add your butter and pulse until it resembles crumbs. Add the egg yolks and 2 TBS cream pulse until the dough comes together. If too dry add the other TBS of cream if you find it still has not come together add cream a tsp at a time, Be careful not to over process.

Remove dough from processor and form into two disks wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.

You can roll your dough or press into tart or tartlet pans I found the dough to be a little temperamental when it was cold and pressing was so much easier. Prick with fork and put on sheet pan and place in freezer. Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees. When your dough is well chilled take out of freezer and put a parchment round in each and fill with pie weights or beans. Bake for approx 20 minutes. Take out of the oven and remove the parchment and pie weights or beans and put back in the oven for another 15 minutes or until lightly brown

Remove from the oven and let cool, before you fill the tart refrigerate for at least 30 minutes preferably an hour. Remove tart rim and bottom and fill with your favorite filling

If you want to make a plain pate sucree increase flour to 2 1/2 cups omit the almond flour and coconut and increase the sugar to 1/4 cup.

Pastry Cream:

2 cups half and half or whole milk

1 vanilla bean split or 2 tsp pure vanilla extraxt see note in step 1.and step 3

1/2 cup sugar

4 large egg yolks at room temperature

1/4 cup Corn starch or flour

1 tablespoon butter

Place half and half or milk (I used half and half), vanilla bean in medium saucepan. (NOTE: If you are using vanilla extract do not add your vanilla now) Cook on high heat scalding the milk Remove from heat. In medium bowl whisk eggs and sugar until thickened sift in cornstarch or flour and beat until combined.

Pour half of the hot milk into egg mixture whisking as you pour. Pour back into saucepan and cook on medium high heat whisking constantly until mixture thickens takes approximately 2 minutes and if you are using a thermometer then take it off the stove when the temperature reaches 170-175. It will be thick. Remove vanilla bean.

Transfer to bowl. Add vanilla extract now if you did not use a vanilla bean and add the butter stir and cover with plastic wrap pressing it directly onto the surface of the cream. Refrigerate until completely cooled.

Mar 4

4 Comments

Affogato With Homemade Gelato

Affogato is probably the simplest of desserts with the exception of putting out a platter of whole fruit. You simply brew some fresh espresso and pour it over gelato. How easy is that?  You can of course buy commercially prepared gelato or ice cream but why not make your own? Ice cream makers are inexpensive and so easy to use and you can easily whip up a batch of ice cream or gelato, sorbet or sherbet flavored as you like it. This recipe has a custard base as gelato should have, and I am keeping it simple by making vanilla which is the base for any flavor you want to make, if you want coffee or espresso flavor, just add 2 tbs of instant espresso coffee to the warm custard, but I won’t complicate things, so here is my recipe for vanilla gelato. You may notice when you order a cup of espresso in a restaurant or coffee house that they serve it with a small strip of lemon zest, the lemon brightens the flavor of the rich coffee.  I added a little lemon zest on top of the gelato for the same effect. I hope everyone enjoyed the recipes this is the final entry in my week long journey, I have learned a lot and really had fun doing it.

Makes: One quart

Gelato:

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 1/2 cup whole milk

5 large egg yolks

3/4 cup sugar

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Affogato:

A pot of freshly brewed espresso coffee

a few strips of lemon zest

Scoop of gelato per serving

Separate your eggs and place the yolks in a mixing bowl, add the sugar and beat with an electric mixer or whisk until its thick and creamy and a beautiful light yellow color. Pour the cream and milk into a saucepan and heat on med/high until it’s scalded, not boiling.

Pour half of the scalded milk and cream into the egg yolk mixture whisking constantly, you are tempering the eggs. Whisk well and pour into the pan with the rest of the hot milk. Cook on medium heat using a thermometer so that it reaches a temperature of 170-175 degrees. If you don’t have a thermometer stir constantly with a wooden spoon, you will notice it starting to thicken and when you can draw a line on the back of the spoon and it stays intact (doesn’t run) its ready. Remove from heat, add the vanilla and pour into a bowl. Cover the custard with plastic wrap sitting directly on top of it. Let it come to room temperature and then refrigerate over night or for at least 6 hours it should be cold around 40 degrees when you add to the ice cream maker.

To make the gelato follow manufacturers directions for your machine.

Place a generous scoop of gelato in a bowl, using the zester or microplane add a little lemon zest on top of it, Pour hot espresso over and enjoy.

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