Posts tagged ‘blackberry’

Jul 8

2 Galettes And a Trip to Mealku

Galette #1

I was asked to visit the office of a food website called Mealku, and thrilled that they want to feature me as a cook on their site. They needed to do a photo shoot and asked me to bring a signature dish or something that is going to give people some insight into my cooking style. Well, that’s not so easy as I am all over the map and it’s very hard to figure out what screams me when it comes to food. It’s wonderful that this is happening in the summer when fresh produce is at it’s peak and there is a bounty of fresh and delicious fruit and vegetables to choose from. I thought that making something with a pastry crust really does represent me, I am well known in my neck of the woods for my pies. I decided for transport purposes it would be easy to make a free form tart or galette. I have used Julia Childs recipe for many years and love it. The recipe allows either one large tart or two smaller. So I decided to do two small tarts, blackberry nectarine. I am also bringing some homemade vanilla ice cream. I will tell you more about Mealku in another post, it’s a very exciting and innovative venture. Galette #2 is going to my Daughter today is her birthday!!

Galette Dough

From Baking With Julia written by Dorie Greenspan

1/3 cup ice water

3 tbs sour cream, yogurt or buttermilk

1 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup cornmeal

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

7 tbs cold unsalted butter cut into tbs size pieces

Stir the sour cream and ice water together. Put flour, cornmeal, sugar. and salt into your mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Add the cold butter and toss to coat with the flour mixture. Using either your hands or a pastry cutter work the butter into the flour until it resembles large crumbs (about the size of peas) Add the sour cream/water and stir with fork to combine. Gather the dough and gently press into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. This is enough dough for 1 large or 2 smaller galette’s, if making 2, divide dough in half and wrap each individually. Dough can be frozen also for later use. Defrost in the refrigerator.

To make the galette’s generously flour your work surface, remove one of the disks and roll into a rustic looking circle, place whatever fruit or filling you like in the center and gather up the edges, leaving some of the filling exposed. Brush with egg wash or heavy cream, sprinkle with some sugar (optional). Place in the freezer for at least 15 minutes before putting in the oven. Bake at 400 degree’s for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.

Looks like large crumbs leave some pea size chunks of butter

Dough is wet but thats ok!

Wrapped in neat packets

Galette #2

Jun 26

12 Comments

Blackberry,Peach Ice Cream With a Hint of Basil

One of my favorite summer fruit pies is the combination of blackberries and peaches. I also really love blackberries with basil and I make a blackberry basil simple syrup that I use for drinks and as a flavoring in many sweet dishes. It’s been really hot here in NYC and my thoughts have turned to ice cream so I took my favorite pie and turned it into a frozen treat. I made a custard base, added some of the blackberry basil syrup before pouring into the ice cream maker and then some sweet ripe peaches that I got at the farmers market. It’s really delicious, you only get a hint of the basil, and I think it adds a depth of flavor to the ice cream that is wonderful. The syrup can be used to drizzle on the ice cream, make a shake or ice cream soda it’s very versatile.

Blackberry Basil Syrup

2 cups blackberries

1 cup + 2 tbs sugar

4 basil leaves

2/3 cup water

Add everything to a saucepan and bring to a boil, continue to boil for 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for about 15 minutes. Strain into a bowl pressing the blackberries so all that is left is seeds and a very small amount of pulp. Pour into a jar and refrigerate until cold. Overnight is best. Then you can proceed to clean the strainer removing every seed that is stuck in every tiny little whole.

Custard

1 1/2 cup heavy cream

1 1/2 cup whole milk

5 egg yolks

1/3 cup sugar

Place heavy cream and milk into non reactive saucepan and scald. Add egg yolks and sugar to a mixing bowl and whisk until thick and a lovely light yellow color. Add half of the hot liquid into the yolks whisking constantly (tempering the egg yolks) Pour back into the pan with the rest of the milk/cream, turn flame to med/high stir constantly until it becomes thick and coats the back of your spoon. You should be able to run your finger making a line on the back of the spoon that stays intact. If using a thermometer it should be 170 degrees.

Strain into bowl, cover with plastic directly on top of the custard and let it come to room temperature, then refrigerate overnight or until it reaches 40 degree’s or lower.

Making the Ice Cream

Cold custard

3/4 cup blackberry basil syrup

1 cup chopped peaches (peeled)

Mix the blackberry syrup with the custard and pour into ice cream maker, follow manufacturers instructions. When ice cream is the consistency of soft serve add the peaches and continue churning for a few more minutes or until it’s the right consistency.

Spoon into container and place in freezer for at least 2 hours or until it reaches a scoopable consistency.

Jun 6

32 Comments

Bake Together-Creamy Blackberry,Raspberry,Basil Galette

I am excited about this months Bake Together, Abby’s challenge this month is pie, Very Berry Mini Pies to be exact. As always we follow the basic premise of the recipe but are given the freedom to make it our own. My submission is one of my favorite spring/summer combinations, blackberry and basil. I make gelato, simple syrup and what ever I can from this flavorful combination.I decided to make small galette’s (free form tarts) and fill with blackberries and raspberries folded into a mascarpone basil cream. The crust is my go to pie crust from Julia Child and instead of vegetable shortening I use leaf lard. These sweet little galettes are creamy, loaded with berries and really delicious. Thanks Abby for another great challenge.

The Dough:

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup cake flour

1 tsp salt

6 oz cold unsalted butter (I used cultured) cut into pieces

4 tbs cold leaf lard or shortening cut into pieces

1/2 cup ice cold water

Add the flour and salt to food processor and pulse twice. Add the butter, lard or shortening and pulse until it resembles crumbs, pour into mixing bowl and add the water. Gently mix to combine. Divide into two discs, cover in plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Filling:

2 pints blackberries

1 pint raspberries (red or black)

4 basil leaves rolled and cut chiffonade

1 egg yolk

1/2 cup mascarpone

1/3 cup sugar

2 tbs flour

pinch of salt

zest of 1 lemon

Add the mascarpone, egg yolk, basil, sugar,lemon zest, flour and salt to mixing bowl and stir to combine. Add the berries and fold in. Refrigerate until ready to use

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Divide the dough into 8 pieces. On floured surface roll a piece of the dough into a round that is approximately 7-8 inches in diameter. Spoon some of the blackberry mixture into the middle of the round and bring the sides up leaving a little of the berries exposed. Continue until you have 8 galettes’s. Brush with egg wash, sprinkle with sugar and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

When the galette’s are chilled, bake for 35-45 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven, brush with warmed apricot jam (optional) and let cool on a rack until ready to serve.

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.