POACHED PEARS IN BRANDY AND RED WINE POACHED PEARS IN BRANDY AND RED WINE
I often find red wine too commanding with pears. I liked the clear, warm touch of brandy here.
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1 (750-ml) bottle dry red wine
1 cup brandy
1 cup sugar
¼ of a whole nutmeg
2 cinnamon sticks
Zest of 2 oranges—removed with a vegetable peeler and thinly sliced
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
8 medium Bosc or Anjou pears (about 6 ounces each)
1. Combine the wine, brandy, sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon sticks, and orange zest in a large pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with water and add the lemon juice. Peel the pears and trim the bottoms so they will stand up. Put them in the water until ready to use.
3. Stand the pears on their trimmed bases in a saucepan large enough to hold them in one layer. Pour the syrup over the pears and simmer, covered, until the pears are tender but still firm; depending on the ripeness of the pears, this will take 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer the pears to a serving dish.
4. Reduce the syrup over high heat to 1 to 1½ cups. Pour the syrup over the pears and chill until ready to serve, basting occasionally. Baste again just before serving.
SERVES 8
OCTOBER 26, 1986: “THE MENUS,” BY ANNE DE RAVEL.
—1986
CHEZ PANISSE MEYER LEMON MERINGUE PIE
Just what you expect from a Chez Panisse lemon meringue pie—a crust that’s flakier than most, a filling that’s lighter than most, and the presence of a once-esoteric fruit, the lovely Meyer lemon.
The Meyer lemon is thought to be a cross between either a lemon and an orange or a lemon and a mandarin orange. It looks like a small lemon with a taut orange-yellow skin. The fruit’s lemony sharpness is softened with a beguiling sweetness and perfume that’s both floral and herbaceous, a little like rosemary. Returning to a regular tart lemons after a Meyer is like chugging jug wine after sipping a glass of Pétrus.
The first Meyer lemon tree was brought to the United States from China in 1908 by Frank N. Meyer, an influential plant explorer for the Department of Agriculture. Meyer had discovered it as a potted plant in Beijing and introduced it here as an ornamental that became a backyard staple in the West. It might have caught on in kitchens earlier, had it not been for a virus called tristeza (Portuguese for “sadness”) that spread among the trees in the 1940s. California agriculture officials, concerned that the virus would be transmitted to larger citrus groves, banned the Meyer in many citrus-growing areas. By 1970, the University of California at Riverside had developed a tree that could withstand the disease, which it called the Improved Meyer Lemon. It wasn’t until the late 1990s that the Meyer became popular among chefs, and now, of course, you find it everywhere, in sparkling juices, in olive oils, and even in jams (see here).
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½ recipe Lindsey Shere’s Flaky Piecrust (recipe follows)
For the Filling
2 Meyer lemons or other large lemons
2 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
6 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons salted butter, cut into 3 pieces
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces
For the Meringue
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
6 tablespoons superfine sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Roll the pastry into a 12-inch circle, ⅛ inch thick, and fit gently into a 9-inch pie pan. Trim the edges to ½ inch beyond the rim, fold under, and crimp or pinch to make a decorative edge. Prick the bottom with a fork. Freeze the shell for 20 to 30 minutes.
2. To prepare the filling, grate the zest from the lemons into a small bowl. Strain in the lemon juice, then press through as much lemon pulp as possible.
3. Beat the eggs, yolks, and sugar in a heavy nonreactive saucepan until just mixed. Stir in the lemon juice and pulp, then the 6 tablespoons butter. Cook over low to medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes together and thickens enough to coat the spoon. Remove from the heat and allow to stand for 5 minutes, then whisk briefly to smooth. Set aside.
4. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line the frozen shell with aluminum foil and weight with rice, dried beans, or pie weights. Bake for 20 minutes, or until set and dry looking. Remove the weights and foil, turn the heat down to 350 degrees, and continue baking until the shell is golden brown, about 12 to 15 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly. (Leave the oven on.)
5. Spread the filling in the shell. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the filling is just set. Remove the pie, and turn the oven up to 375 degrees.
6. To make the meringue, beat the egg whites in a medium bowl until frothy. Add the cream of tartar and continue beating until rounded peaks form. Beat in the sugar and vanilla.
7. Spread the meringue over the filling, making sure it meets the edges of the crust to make a seal. Swirl in a design with a knife or spatula. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the meringue is lightly browned. Allow to cool completely, 1 to 2 hours; do not refrigerate.
SERVES 6
LINDSEY SHERE’S FLAKY PIECRUST
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3⁄8 teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon sugar
5 tablespoons salted butter, cut into several pieces
6½ tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into several pieces
3 tablespoons vegetable shortening
3 tablespoons ice water (a bit more or less may be needed)
1. Mix the flour, salt, and sugar. Using a food processor, a pastry blender, or your fingertips, cut the salted butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles cornmeal. Add the unsalted butter and shortening and cut them in until the lumps are the size of peas.
2. If you have been using a processor, transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Sprinkle on the ice water a little at a time and toss with a fork until the mixture comes together in lumps and holds together when pressed. If necessary, add more ice water, sparingly. Avoid kneading the dough.
3. Gather the dough into 2 balls, wrap each tightly in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 4 hours. You can freeze half the dough for another time; it will keep, well wrapped, in the freezer for up to a month.
MAKES ENOUGH PASTRY FOR TWO 9-INCH SINGLE-CRUST PIES
COOKING NOTE
The crust is extremely delicate. As you roll it out, you have to keep reassembling and patching it.
VARIATION
To make Key Lime or Lime Meringue Pie, substitute the zest of 2 limes for that of the lemons and 6 tablespoons lime juice plus 1 tablespoon water for the lemon juice.
PERIOD DETAIL
We now know to be careful with custards and meringues, but before we understood the causes of salmonella, “Poisoned by Lemon Pie” was a recurring headline in the Times. There were tales of whole families falling ill, bakers being arrested, and suspect copper pans. If only people had known to use eggs from a good local farm, to keep them cool, and not to let their pies sit out in the sun.
JULY 5, 1987: “FOOD: AMERICAN PIE,” BY LESLIE LAND. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM LINDSEY SHERE, THE PASTRY CHEF AT CHEZ PANISSE.
—1987
TARTELETTES AUX POMMES LIONEL POILÂNE (INDIVIDUAL APPLE TARTS)
If you’ve ever waited in line for one of these tartelettes on rue du Cherche-Midi in Paris, you’ll find this recipe an impressive replica.
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Flaky Sweet Pastry Dough (recipe follows)
4 Golden Delicious or Granny Smith apples
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions. On a flour-dusted surface, roll each portion into a 6-inch circle. Place the circles of dough on a baking sheet and refrigerate until ready to bake.
2. Peel and core the apples, then cut them each into 12 wedges (an apple corer and slicer can be used for this). Heat the butter until hot but not smoking in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the apples, sprinkle with the granulated sugar, and sauté until lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat.
3. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Remove the pastry from the refrigerator and spoon the apples into the center of the prepared pastry rounds, dividing them evenly. Fold the edges of the dough up over the apples to form a 1-inch border. Brush the border with the beaten egg.
4. Bake until golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle the apples with the brown sugar and serve warm or at room temperature.
MAKES 4 INDIVIDUAL TARTS
FLAKY SWEET PASTRY DOUGH (PÂTE BRISÉE)
1 to 1¼ cups all-purpose flour (not unbleached)
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces and chilled
2 teaspoons sugar
⅛ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons ice water
1. Place 1 cup flour, the butter, sugar, and salt in a food processor and process just until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about 10 seconds. Add the water and slowly pulse just until the pastry begins to hold together, about 6 to 8 times. Do not let it form a ball.
2. Turn the pastry out onto wax paper and flatten into a circle. If the dough is excessively sticky, sprinkle it with several tablespoons of flour. Wrap in the wax paper and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
MAKES ENOUGH PASTRY FOR FOUR 6-INCH OR EIGHT 4-INCH TARTLETTES OR 1 LARGE TART
SEPTEMBER 25, 1988: “FOOD: TIME FOR SNACKS,” BY PATRICIA WELLS. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM LIONEL POILÂNE, THE OWNER OF BOULANGERIE POILÂNE IN PARIS.
—1988
RHUBARB-STRAWBERRY MOUSSE
So many rhubarb and strawberry desserts focus on the tartness of the fruit; this one focuses on a lavish kirsh-infused mousse. The rhubarb and strawberries stain the mousse pink and create a lush bank of flavor along a river of cream.
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1¼ pounds rhubarb, trimmed and finely diced
1 cup sliced strawberries
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons kirsch
¼ cup cold water
1 tablespoon powdered gelatin
2 cups heavy cream
1. Combine the rhubarb, strawberries, and sugar in a 2-quart heavy saucepan and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the rhubarb is soft. Let cool.
2. Pour two-thirds of the cooled mixture into a blender. Add the kirsch and puree; set aside.
3. Pour the cold water into a small saucepan and sprinkle the gelatin over the top. Allow to soften for 10 minutes.
4. Heat the gelatin over low heat until it has completely dissolved. Stir into the rhubarb puree. Stir in the remaining cooked rhubarb mixture.
5. Whip the heavy cream until stiff, and fold into the rhubarb mixture. Chill for several hours.
SERVES 8 TO 10
MAY 31, 1989: “RHUBARB: A TART TASTE OF SPRING,” BY OLWEN WOODIER. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM MALLARDS RESTAURANT AT ARROWWOOD.
—1989
TAILLEVENT PEAR SOUFFLÉ
The pear eau-de-vie blazes through the soufflé, cutting a trail of happiness.
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2¼ cups sugar
3⅓ cups water
8 ripe Bartlett or Anjou pears
¼ cup pear eau-de-vie
1½ tablespoons unsalted butter
8 large egg whites
1. Combine 1⅓ cups sugar with 3 cups water in a saucepan, bring to a simmer, and cook until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat.
2. Peel, core, and quarter the pears. Place them in the saucepan, adding a little more water if necessary, so they are just covered with syrup. Simmer gently until the pears are tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and drain; discard the syrup.
3. Dice 8 of the pear quarters; set aside. Puree the rest in a food processor. Return the puree to a saucepan and cook until it is reduced to 2 cups (measure it). Remove from the heat.
4. Dissolve ⅔ cup of the remaining sugar in ⅓ cup water in a saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, without stirring, until the syrup turns a light golden caramel.
5. Wearing an oven mitt to protect your hand and forearm, pour the hot caramel into the warm pear puree and stir. Add the eau-de-vie.
6. Heat the oven to 475 degrees. Butter eight 8-ounce ramekins and dust them with the remaining ¼ cup sugar. Divide the diced pears among them. (The soufflé base and ramekins can be prepared a day ahead to this point.)
7. Beat the egg whites until they hold firm peaks but are still creamy. Fold into the pear puree. Spoon the mixture into the prepared ramekins.
8. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the soufflés are puffed and nicely browned. Serve at once.
SERVES 8
OCTOBER 29, 1989: “RISING TO THE OCCASION: SIMPLE SOUFFLÉS,” BY FLORENCE FABRICANT. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM TAILLEVENT RESTAURANT IN PARIS.
—1989
CARAMEL CUSTARD
You might not think too deeply about custard as you happily dig into a cupful, but Joan Acocella, the dance critic, has. She wrote in the Times:
Of all the psychologically resonant foods—oysters (success), raw carrots (virtue), grapes (peel me a grape)—the one your mother would most approve of is custard. Or perhaps not your mother, but the Platonic-absolute mother, the mother of our imaginings, for custard is everything life would have been for us if only the perfect mother had arranged it: soft, unresisting, with no nasty surprises. No one should ever put things in custard—raisins or nuts or bits of glacé, whatever. In a custard, nothing should ever bump up against your spoon or cause you to ask, What’s that? A custard should harbor no mysteries. It should be one long, yellow sameness.
After I devoured a batch of this caramel custard, I began pondering what made it so much better than others. It contains lots of eggs, and their flavor really comes through. The custard is just barely sweet, which makes you appreciate the character of the milk and eggs and the bitterness of the sugar. And the custard also challenges Acocella’s theory of sameness: this pudding has three distinct regions—the top and sides “cure” in the caramelized sugar; the center is a soft, silky pudding; and the bottom is a thin crust. But can’t we agree to disagree? I like Acocella’s ideas, and I like this custard.
The recipe offers you the option of making individual custards in ramekins—don’t. A single large custard is more dramatic and easier to make: who wants to swirl hot caramel into 6 small ramekins?
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1¼ cups sugar
2½ tablespoons water
3¾ cups whole milk
1 vanilla bean or 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
5 large eggs
4 large egg yolks
1. Bring ½ cup sugar and the water to a boil in a small heavy saucepan, slowly swirling the pan by its handle until the sugar has dissolved completely and the liquid is perfectly clear. Continue to boil, swirling the pan frequently, until the sugar turns a caramel brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Immediately pour the hot caramel into a 1½-quart charlotte mold or wide soufflé dish and turn in all directions to film the bottom and sides. (If desired, individual ramekins may be used. When the sugar is caramelized, pour into 6 individual ramekins and swirl to coat as above.) Set aside until ready for use.
2. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat the milk to a simmer in a small heavy saucepan. Remove from the heat. Slit the vanilla bean, if using, with a knife and scrape the seeds into the milk. Add the bean to the milk and allow to steep for 10 minutes. Strain and discard the bean.
3. Meanwhile, beat the eggs and yolks in a large bowl with a wire whisk or electric mixer. Gradually beat in the remaining ¾ cup sugar. When the mixture is light and foamy, beat in the milk in a very thin stream; beat in the vanilla extract, if using. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into the prepared mold.
4. Set the mold in a roasting pan just large enough to accommodate it. Pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up the side of the mold. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean when stuck in the center of the custard. Check the water from time to time to make sure it never comes to a boil; adjust the heat if necessary. This will ensure a smooth custard.
5. To serve warm, let the custard settle for 10 minutes in a pan of cold water. Turn a warm serving dish upside down over the custard, then reverse to unmold. To serve cold, let cool to room temperature; chill for several hours, then unmold.
SERVES 6 TO 8
COOKING NOTES
In Step 1, make sure you take the sugar to a nice copper brown—you want it to be bitter, sweet, and toasty.
Wear an oven mitt when you’re swirling the sugar around the charlotte mold (or soufflé dish): you want the caramelized sugar to spread up the sides of the mold, but you don’t want it to splash out and burn your hand.
FEBRUARY 17, 1991: “THE WORLD IS MY CUSTARD,” BY JOAN ACOCELLA. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM JULIA CHILD’S THE FRENCH CHEF.
—1991
APPLE TARTE TATIN
This Molly O’Neill recipe taught me the secret of tarte Tatin. The conventional thinking has always been that the more butter, the better. In fact, more butter makes for a heavy tarte and slows down the caramelization of the apples because you have to cook off the water in the butter before the sugar can work its magic. O’Neill puts the sugar in the bottom of the pan, followed by the apples and then the butter. The butter melts slowly as the apples warm up. And the sugar gets a head start on caramelizing.
With this recipe and others, O’Neill helped to carry forward a revolution in popular thinking about French food that began when Patricia Wells published Bistro Cooking in 1989. Wells’s book suggested that French food didn’t have to be fussy—that, in fact, what most French people ate was in the same casual vein as Americans’ meat and potatoes. Bistros began opening in American cities, and tarte Tatin became the hallmark recipe of the bistro movement. It was close enough to apple pie not to frighten timid diners. And it was the dream dessert for busy restaurateurs. It could be made far ahead of time, and its free-form construction allowed bistros without a trained pastry chef to get by.
These qualities also make it a great dessert for home cooks. There is no pinching of the crust’s edges. The single crust goes on last, and is simply laid on top of the apples like a blanket, the edges folded back loosely. As O’Neill observed, tarte Tatins are like snowflakes: each one emerges differently. All you really need to make a great tarte Tatin, then, is enthusiasm and a good tarte Tatin pan which you can find in a high-end cookware store—or even just a skillet.
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8 large Granny Smith apples
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¾ cup sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ recipe Tarte Tatin Pastry (recipe follows)
Crème fraîche for serving (optional)
1. Peel, quarter, and core the apples. Place in a large bowl and toss with the lemon juice. Set aside.
2. Place the sugar in a 10-inch skillet or tarte Tatin pan over low heat. When some of the sugar begins to melt, begin stirring with a wooden spoon until all the sugar is melted and begins to turn a pale golden color.
3. Remove the pan from the heat. Begin arranging the apple pieces in the skillet, rounded side down, in concentric circles, fitting them as close together as possible. Fill the center with 2 or 3 apple pieces, as needed. Arrange the remaining pieces, rounded side up, in concentric circles on top of the first layer, filling in the gaps. Cut the butter into small pieces and scatter over the apples.
4. Place the pan over medium heat and cook until the sugar turns a deep caramel color and the juices released from the apples are nearly evaporated, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat.
5. Position a rack in the bottom third of the oven and heat the oven to 375 degrees. Flour a work surface and a rolling pin well. Divide the dough in half (you can freeze the extra dough). Pat the dough into a disk with your hands. Roll the dough into a circle that is almost ¼ inch thick, flouring the surface under the dough and the rolling pin frequently to prevent sticking.
6. Carefully place the pastry round over the fruit in the skillet. Trim the dough to ½ inch larger than the skillet. Tuck the overhanging dough in around the fruit. Bake until the crust is golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes.
7. Run a small sharp knife around the edges of the tarte to loosen. Place a large plate or platter over the skillet. Using 2 kitchen towels, hold the plate and skillet together and carefully but quickly invert the tarte onto the plate. Let stand for a few minutes to cool slightly. Cut into wedges and serve with crème fraîche, if desired.
SERVES 8
TARTE TATIN PASTRY
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and chilled
1 large egg yolk, whisked together with 2 tablespoons water
1. Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter and rub the flour and butter together between your fingers until most of the butter is incorporated and only pea-sized pieces remain. Add the egg yolk mixture and stir until the dough begins to come together.
2. Use your hands to gently press the dough into a ball. Cover and refrigerate until firm but not hard, about 30 minutes (if making ahead, let the dough stand at room temperature until pliable but still cold). Do not roll out until just before the tarte Tatin’s fruit is finished cooking.
MAKES ENOUGH PASTRY FOR 2 TARTES TATIN
NOVEMBER 28, 1993: “FOOD: EASY AS TARTE TATIN,” BY MOLLY O’NEILL.
—1993
ROSH HASHANAH PLUM PIE
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8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter or margarine
¾ cup sugar
Pinch of salt
2 large eggs, separated
Grated zest of ½ lemon
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1½ cups all-purpose flour
2 pounds Italian plums or apricots
1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine the butter, ¼ cup sugar, the salt, yolks, lemon zest, and juice in a food processor and pulse a few times, scraping down the sides once or twice. Add the flour and process just until well blended.
2. Turn the dough out, and press it into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom, flouring your fingers if necessary. It should be about ⅛ inch thick on the bottom and sides. (You may have some leftover dough; don’t use it all if you don’t have to.)
3. Bake until the dough is dry on the bottom and just beginning to turn golden, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a rack, and lower the oven heat to 350 degrees.
4. Cut the plums (or apricots) in half, and remove the pits. Place on the crust with the cut side up. Sprinkle the fruit with ¼ cup sugar. Bake for 30 minutes.
5. Beat the egg whites in a medium bowl until frothy. Add the remaining ¼ cup sugar and beat until the whites form firm but elastic peaks.
6. Spoon the meringue on the top of the tart, spreading it to the edges. Lower the oven heat to 325 degrees and bake for about 15 minutes more, or until the top is golden.
SERVES 6
COOKING NOTE
If the plums don’t fit lying flat, lay them on their sides and arrange them in concentric circles as you would for an apple tart.
AUGUST 31, 1994: “IN ISRAEL, DIVERSITY OVER ROSH HA-SHANAH,” BY JOAN NATHAN.
—1994
CHOCOLATE SILK PIE
The “silk” is a result of the butter and eggs fusing late in the mixing, which makes the filling slippery. I like the pie in bird-like portions, and cool but not chilled.
———
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1¼ cups sugar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon brandy (optional)
¼ pound unsweetened chocolate, melted
3 large eggs
Chocolate Crumb Crust (recipe follows)
1. In a mixer fitted with a paddle (or in a bowl with a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the salt, vanilla, and brandy, if using. Add the chocolate and mix well. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
2. Scrape the filling into the pie shell, and sprinkle the crumb mixture reserved from the crust over the top. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to set.
SERVES 10
CHOCOLATE CRUMB CRUST
1½ cups chocolate wafer crumbs (from about 30 cookies)
⅓ cup sugar
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the chocolate crumbs and sugar in a bowl. Add the butter and stir until well mixed. Reserve ½ cup of the mixture for garnishing the pie. Press the remaining mixture evenly over the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate.
2. Bake for 8 minutes. Let cool.
MAKES ONE 9-INCH CRUST
COOKING NOTE
Because of a shopping oversight, I didn’t have enough chocolate crumbs for the crust, so I supplemented with gingersnap cookies. This combination was so good that next time, I’d do half chocolate, half gingersnap crumbs. I might also toss in a little cayenne or lemon zest.
SEPTEMBER 10, 1995: “RICH AND RICHER,” BY MOLLY O’NEILL.
—1995
SALLY DARR’S GOLDEN DELICIOUS APPLE TART
What’s interesting about this tart is that the apples have the same relationship with sugar that a potato does with salt. The sugar is added judiciously as a seasoning for the apples, rather than the customary blanketing.
Also, the crust is treated much differently than most tart doughs, which are handled gingerly. Here, it’s folded over itself to produce layers like puff pastry. It’s become my go-to tart crust.
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Tart Pastry (recipe follows), chilled
4 to 5 Golden Delicious or Cortland apples
⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into thin slices
¼ cup apricot or other jelly
2 tablespoons dark rum
1. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and set aside for 10 minutes to soften slightly, so it is easy to handle.
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a 13-inch circle. Fit the dough into a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom, pressing the dough gently into place. Prick the bottom with a fork and cover with plastic wrap. Chill for 1 hour.
3. Heat the oven to 425 degrees, and place a baking sheet on the lowest oven rack to catch any drippings. Take the pastry shell from the refrigerator.
4. Core, peel, and halve the apples. With the flat side of each half apple down, cut crosswise into thin slices. Fan them in concentric circles in the tart shell, reserving 6 to 10 slices for the center of the tart. Sprinkle the apples with the sugar and dot with the butter.
5. Bake until the crust is brown and the apples lightly caramelized, about 1 hour. Remove the tart from the oven and set on a rack to cool to room temperature. Remove the sides of the pan.
6. Melt the apricot preserves with the rum in a saucepan, stirring until the mixture is smooth, about 5 minutes. Strain the glaze through a fine-mesh sieve and brush over the tart.
SERVES 8
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of kosher salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, thinly sliced and chilled
3 to 4 tablespoons ice water
1. Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Add the butter and cut in with a pastry blender or 2 forks until the mixture resembles small pebbles. Stir in just enough of the ice water so the dough forms a rough ball.
2. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and push the dough with the heels of your hands into a 6-by-4-inch rectangle. Fold up the bottom one-third of the rectangle, then fold the top one-third down, as if folding a business letter. Turn the dough 90 degrees and repeat, rolling out the dough to a 6-by-4-inch rectangle and refolding. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
MAKES ENOUGH PASTRY FOR A 10-INCH TART
COOKING NOTES
Folding the pastry over itself creates a flaky crust, a cross between tart dough and puff pastry. This recipe is the closest I’ve ever gotten to replicating the tart crusts you find in France.
If there’s not enough room in the pan for your apples to fan, don’t worry: as the slices cook, they’ll soften and fall against one another.
The third time I made this tart, I glazed it with a combination of blood orange marmalade and rum—and I’d happily repeat this the fourth time!
SEPTEMBER 17, 1995: “AN APPLE TODAY,” BY MOLLY O’NEILL. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM NEW YORK COOKBOOK BY MOLLY O’NEILL.
—1995
PANNA COTTA
This is one of the first recipes I tested for this book, and it set the bar extremely high for desserts. “Excellent. A perfect recipe,” I wrote in my notes. I’ve made it many times since.
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1 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
½ cup sugar
3 tablespoons cold water
1 envelope powdered gelatin
1⅔ cups buttermilk
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh fruit for garnish
1. Place the cream and sugar in a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, about 7 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, place the water in a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over it. Let stand for 5 minutes.
3. Stir the gelatin into the warm cream until dissolved. Stir in the buttermilk and salt and remove from heat.
4. Ladle the mixture into six 6-ounce ramekins. Refrigerate, loosely covered, until set, at least 2 hours.
5. To unmold, run the tip of a small knife around the edges of the ramekins to loosen the panna cotta, and unmold onto individual plates. Let stand until almost at room temperature, about 1 hour. Surround with fruit and serve.
SERVES 6
COOKING NOTES
To unmold, dip the ramekins in a bowl of hot water for 30 seconds, then dry the bottoms of the ramekins before inverting onto serving plates and tapping out the panna cotta.
For serving, I brought ½ cup sugar and ½ cup water to a boil in a small saucepan, added 1 cup blueberries and 1 star anise pod, turned off the heat, and let the mixture steep for 20 minutes (remove the star anise before serving the sauce).
MAY 17, 1996: “FOOD: BABY FOOD,” BY MOLLY O’NEILL. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM GRAMERCY TAVERN IN NEW YORK CITY.
—1996
Stacie Pierce, then the pastry chef at Union Square Café, dissected the traditional apple crumb pie and fixed each of its failings before reassembling the whole into an exceptional pie. Pierce blind-baked the crust, so there’s no gummy layer of uncooked dough lurking at the bottom of the pie. She cooked the apples in a sauté pan so they were tender but still held their form, and she thickened the pan juices so there would be no danger of a wet pie filling. Lastly, she used a vanilla bean, rather than extract, to scent the apples, so the vanilla flavor was pervasive and intoxicating.
I know what you’re thinking: that such fussiness moots the whole point of a crumb pie—its tossed together ease. But Pierce’s method allows you to make each component in stages, so the parts are done a day in advance and then the pie is just assembled and baked on the day you want to eat it. What you sacrifice in ease, you gain back in convenience (and a sense of triumph).
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For the Crust
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
Pinch of kosher or sea salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter
2 to 2½ tablespoons ice water
For the Topping
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup packed dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter
For the Filling
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 pounds McIntosh apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch dice (8 to 9 cups)
1 vanilla bean, split
¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
Squeeze of lemon juice
1. To make the crust, combine the flour and salt in a medium bowl. Cut the butter into small cubes and add to the flour mixture. Using a pastry blender or your fingertips, cut or blend the butter into the flour until pea-sized pieces are formed. Add just enough ice water so the dough can be formed into a ball. Do not overwork, or the crust will be tough. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.
2. Meanwhile, make the topping: Combine the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Cut the butter into small pieces and add to the flour mixture. Using a pastry blender or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour mixture until lumps about the size of hazelnuts are formed. Refrigerate until needed.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to an 11-inch circle, ⅛ inch thick. Press into a 9-inch pie pan, and trim the excess dough; crimp the edges to make a border. Prick the bottom of the pie shell with a fork, and refrigerate or freeze to set the crust.
4. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line the dough with foil, fill with rice, dried beans, or pie weights, and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the weights and foil and continue baking for about 15 minutes, or until the crust just begins to brown. Remove from the oven and let cool. (Leave the oven on.)
5. To make the filling, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Melt the butter in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Add the diced apples and sugar mixture. With a small knife, scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the apple mixture; discard the bean. Cook the apples, stirring, for about 5 minutes, or until the edges just begin to soften. Add the flour and continue to cook, stirring, until the flour is completely absorbed, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and add lemon juice to taste.
6. Add the cooked apple mixture to the pie shell, mounding it high in the center. Cover with the crumb topping. Bake in the oven until the crumbs are lightly browned, 30 to 40 minutes. (If the crust starts getting too dark, cover it with a band of aluminum foil.) Serve warm.
SERVES 8
COOKING NOTE
You may find that you don’t need all the topping. If so, reserve it for another use—a pear crumble, perhaps.
OCTOBER 8, 1997: “THE CHEF,” BY MICHAEL ROMANO WITH AMANDA HESSER. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM STACIE PIERCE, THE PASTRY CHEF AT UNION SQUARE CAFÉ IN NEW YORK CITY.
—1997
———
Tart Pastry (here)
1½ cups (about 6 ounces) pecans
3 large or extra-large eggs
½ cup packed dark brown sugar
1 cup dark corn syrup
¼ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons bourbon
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Whipped cream, crème fraîche, or vanilla ice cream for serving
1. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry dough to a 12-inch round. Fit it into a 9-inch pie plate, and trim the excess dough. Refrigerate while you prepare the filling.
2. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and roast them for about 7 minutes, until toasted. Remove them from the baking sheet, and cool. Raise the oven temperature to 450 degrees.
3. Beat the eggs lightly in a large bowl. Whisk in the brown sugar and corn syrup. Whisk in the salt, butter, vanilla, and bourbon. Mix the flour with the pecans, and stir in.
4. Prick the bottom of the pastry all over with a fork. Pour the filling into the crust, and put the pan on a baking sheet. Place in the oven, reduce the temperature to 350 degrees, and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the filling is puffed and firm. Check after 20 minutes; if the crust is browning too quickly, loosely drape a piece of aluminum foil over the edges. Remove to a rack.
5. Serve warm or at room temperature, with whipped cream, crème fraîche, or vanilla ice cream.
SERVES 8
NOVEMBER 19, 1997: “IT’S O.K. TO BUY A CRUST—REALLY,” BY SUZANNE HAMLIN.
—1997
PINEAPPLE CARPACCIO WITH LIME SORBET
A trendy dish that deserved its moment. Let’s not allow it to go the way of raspberry coulis.
———
⅔ cup water
⅔ cup sugar
Finely grated zest of ½ lime
⅔ cup fresh lime juice (from 5 or 6 limes)
⅔ cup whole milk
1 pineapple
3 tablespoons canned unsweetened coconut milk
¼ cup large crystal sugar
Salt, preferably fleur de sel, or coarse salt, crushed in a mortar and pestle
Freshly ground black pepper, preferably Sarawak
1. Combine the water and sugar in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Immediately remove from the heat, and cool the syrup to room temperature.
2. Whisk together the sugar syrup, zest, lime juice, and milk. Transfer to an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
3. Pack the sorbet into an airtight container, and store it in the freezer until serving.
4. Trim and peel the pineapple. Halve it from blossom to stem, and remove the core. Cut half of the pineapple into slices, as thin as you can make them. Divide the slices among 6 large dinner plates, arranging them in a single layer on each plate.
5. Cut the remaining pineapple into chunks, place in a blender or food processor, add the coconut milk, and puree until the mixture is smooth and very bubbly.
6. Quickly pour the puree over the pineapple slices. Sprinkle each plate with 2 teaspoons crystal sugar, a pinch of salt, and a little black pepper. Place a scoop of the lime sorbet in the center of each plate, and serve immediately.
SERVES 6
JUNE 3, 1998: “EN ROUTE: FRANCE: A KITCHEN EMPEROR WHO MARSHALS NAPOLEONS,” BY AMANDA HESSER. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM DESSERTS BY PIERRE HERMÉ, BY PIERRE HERMÉ AND DORIE GREENSPAN.
—1998
Rose Levy Beranbaum, the author of the best-selling The Cake Bible and The Pie and Pastry Bible (from which this recipe comes), may be the most meticulous cook who ever lived. To her, baking is about as whimsical and improvisational as building a rocket ship. Sizes are measured to the quarter inch, temperatures set to the precise degree, and quantities weighed to the hundredth of an ounce.
The pastry dough in this recipe took her several years and more than fifty attempts to perfect. It is as soft and velvety as an old cotton sheet. For the apple galette, the pastry is rolled into a 16-inch disk, lined with paper-thin slices of tart apple, sprinkled with sugar, and baked on a baking sheet. It’s as thin as tarte flambée and has more flavor than an apple pie five times as thick.
———
Cream Cheese Pastry (recipe follows)
4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced ⅛ inch thick
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Approximately 2 tablespoons whole milk
¼ cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup apricot preserves
1 tablespoon apricot eau-de-vie or Calvados (or other apple brandy)
1. Set a rack on the lowest oven shelf and heat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the pastry dough between 2 sheets of lightly floured plastic wrap and roll out ⅛ inch thick. Using a cardboard template as a guide, cut a 16-inch circle. Transfer to a 12- to 14-inch pizza pan or an inverted baking sheet.
2. Sprinkle the apple slices with the lemon juice. Arrange the slices on the dough, overlapping them in concentric circles, starting from the outer edge of the dough (¾ inch from the edge), cored sides facing toward the center. Fold the border of dough over the apples, pleating it. Brush the rim with the milk. Sprinkle the apples and rim with the sugar. Dot the apples with the butter.
3. Bake for 40 minutes, or until the apples are tender when pierced and the dough is crisp. Cool the tart on the pan on a rack until warm.
4. Bring the apricot preserves to a boil in a saucepan over medium-low heat; strain. Stir in the liquor, and brush onto the apples.
SERVES 8
CREAM CHEESE PASTRY
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1⅓ cups plus 4 teaspoons pastry flour
¼ teaspoon salt
3 ounces cream cheese
1½ tablespoons ice water
1½ teaspoons cider vinegar
1. Cut the butter into ¾-inch cubes. Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for 30 minutes. Place the flour and salt in a large freezer bag and freeze for 30 minutes.
2. Place the flour mixture in a food processor and process for a few seconds to combine. Cut the cream cheese into 3 or 4 pieces, add to the flour, and process for 20 seconds. Add the frozen butter and pulse until none of the butter pieces are larger than a pea. Add the water and vinegar and pulse until the butter is the size of small peas. (The mixture will not hold together.)
3. Spoon the mixture into a freezer bag. Knead it in the bag until it holds together in one piece and feels slightly stretchy. Remove from the bag, wrap in plastic wrap, and flatten into a disk. Refrigerate for at least 45 minutes, or preferably, overnight.
MAKES ENOUGH DOUGH FOR A 14-INCH GALETTE
READERS
“In the 1950s, we were with a young couple of German background who served us a memorable pastry. The wife mentioned cream cheese in the pastry. This was the first time since that occasion when I found the cream cheese pastry recipe. This galette was so perfect and delicious that we took pictures of it and have made it many times since.”
Sarah D. Rosen, Hughsonville, NY, letter
DECEMBER 16, 1998: “BY THE BOOK: A BAKING BIBLE, INSTALLMENT NO. 2,” BY AMANDA HESSER. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM THE PIE AND PASTRY BIBLE, BY ROSE LEVY BERANBAUM.
—1998
JUDSON GRILL’S BERRY CLAFOUTIS WITH CRÈME FRAÎCHE
———
2 large eggs
⅓ cup granulated sugar
½ vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped out and reserved
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
⅓ cup whole milk
⅔ cup crème fraîche, or ⅓ cup heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks
½ pint raspberries
½ pint blackberries
1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar, plus extra for dusting
1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 10-inch nonstick cake pan. Whisk the eggs and sugar in a bowl until frothy. Mix in the vanilla seeds, flour, and salt. Stir in the milk and half of the crème fraîche.
2. Pour one-third of the batter into the pan. Bake the cake for 3 minutes to set.
3. Spread two-thirds of the berries in the pan and pour the remaining batter over. Return to the oven and bake for about 15 minutes, until starting to brown at the edges and puffy in the center. Let cool for 20 minutes.
4. Mix the remaining crème fraîche with the confectioners’ sugar.
5. Dust the clafoutis with confectioners’ sugar. Serve cut in wedges, with the crème fraîche and remaining berries on the side.
SERVES 4 TO 6
AUGUST 22, 1999: “FOOD: RECIPES FROM RESTAURANTS THAT BUY FROM AN ORGANIC FARM,” BY FLORENCE FABRICANT.
—1999
TOASTS WITH CHOCOLATE, OLIVE OIL, AND SEA SALT
I first had this treat late one night at a tapas bar in Barcelona. The woman behind the bar set down a small plate, then explained apologetically, “This is not our normal dessert. Our pastry chef is on vacation.” Moments later, I was very glad he was.
The bread was toasted on the edges and warmed until the chocolate was as soft as cream. The olive oil, like a good brandy, lingered with each bite, and the crystals—sea salt—cracked under my teeth, an echo to the crisp bread.
Combining bread and chocolate is never a bad idea. In France, the original pain au chocolat is said to have been a baguette wrapped around a bar of chocolate, a treat bakers made for children (see here for a recipe). Good dark chocolate has bitter and acidic elements, as does good bread. In the kitchen, they are drawn to each other. They also couldn’t be easier to combine, especially in this recipe, where the four ingredients—bread, chocolate, olive oil, and sea salt—are left in their raw state, with just a dash of heat to encourage them to mingle.
———
Eight ¼-inch-thick baguette slices
8 thin 1-inch squares best-quality bittersweet chocolate
Extra virgin olive oil for sprinkling
Coarse sea salt for sprinkling
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Lay the bread slices on a baking sheet. Lay a chocolate square on top of each. Sprinkle with a little olive oil and sea salt.
2. Bake until the chocolate is molten but not seeping through the bread, about 3 to 5 minutes. The bread should crisp slightly but not toast. Sprinkle with a little more olive oil and salt, and serve immediately.
SERVES 4
OCTOBER 13, 1999: “TEMPTATION: A CHILD’S TREAT, GROWN UP,” BY AMANDA HESSER.
—1999
LE CIRQUE’S CRÈME BRÛLÉE
Although crème brûlée recipes have popped up in the Times since at least 1954 (crème brûlée with peaches), the dessert wasn’t declared a trendy item until 1984. And that was a sad moment for the egg custard with the sugar roof, because it unleashed a stampede of cooks anxious to muck it up with green tea and chocolate mint. One restaurant, in Los Angeles, even baked it in a tostada.
Le Cirque’s recipe is just as it should be, cream thickened and flavored with eggs and fresh vanilla bean. In a crème brûlée, you want layers of temperature: a hot crisp sheath of caramelized sugar, a warm custard beneath it, and cool custard at the bottom.
———
4 cups heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped out and reserved
Pinch of salt
8 large egg yolks
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
½ cup packed light brown sugar
1. Heat the oven to 300 degrees. Place eight 6-ounce ramekins in a roasting pan. Combine the cream, vanilla bean and seeds, and salt in a saucepan set over low heat and warm for 5 minutes.
2. Gently whisk the egg yolks and granulated sugar in a large bowl. Gradually pour in the hot cream and stir gently to combine. Strain the custard into a pitcher; discard the vanilla bean and use a spoon to skim off any bubbles on the surface of the custard.
3. Pour the custard into the ramekins, filling them almost to the rim. Place the roasting pan in the oven and carefully pour warm water into the pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Loosely cover the pan with aluminum foil. Bake until set, 1 to 1¼ hours. Remove the ramekins from the water bath and allow to cool.
4. Cover the ramekins individually and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or for up to 2 days.
5. When ready to serve, heat the broiler (see Cooking Note). Uncover the ramekins and place them on a baking sheet. Top each with 1 tablespoon brown sugar and, using a metal spatula or your finger, spread the sugar evenly over the custards. Broil the custards about 4 inches from the heating element until the sugar browns and caramelizes, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
SERVES 8
COOKING NOTE
Use a blowtorch, if you have one, to caramelize the sugar on top of the custard in Step 5.
OCTOBER 17, 1999: “FOOD: CODDLED EGOS,” BY MOLLY O’NEILL. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM NEW YORK COOKBOOK, BY MOLLY O’NEILL.
—1999
SAFFRON PANNA COTTA
———
3½ cups heavy cream
¾ cup sugar
Grated zest of 1 lemon
Large pinch of saffron threads (60 to 65), pounded with a mortar and pestle
1 envelope powdered gelatin plus 1 teaspoon, softened in ¼ cup cold water
1 cup whole milk
1. Chill six 8-ounce ramekins or dessert cups. Combine the heavy cream, sugar, lemon zest, and saffron threads in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring gently, then remove from the heat. Let steep for 15 minutes to develop flavor and color.
2. Stir the gelatin into the cream mixture until it’s dissolved. Strain the cream through a fine-mesh sieve or chinois into a bowl, and stir in the milk. Pour the mixture into the chilled ramekins or dessert cups. Chill before serving.
SERVES 6
OCTOBER 27, 1999: “THE MIDAS SPICE: FROM FLOWER TO SAFFRON,” BY AMANDA HESSER. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM BABBO IN NEW YORK.
—1999
COCONUT RICE PUDDING WITH LIME SYRUP
The lime syrup is so sharp it’s like a bolt of lightning that illuminates the delicacy of the rice pudding.
———
1¼ cups granulated sugar
½ cup water
4 limes
¾ cup Japanese short-grain (sushi) rice
3 cups whole milk
3 cups canned unsweetened coconut milk
1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped out and reserved
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons crushed palm sugar or brown sugar
1. Set a small pot of water on to boil. Combine ½ cup sugar and the ½ cup water in a separate pot, and bring to a boil. Cook for a few seconds, until the sugar dissolves; reduce the heat to low.
2. Zest the limes, and blanch the zest in the boiling water for 10 seconds, no more; drain in a strainer and plunge into ice water to chill. Drain and set aside.
3. Juice the limes and add the juice to the sugar syrup; cook over medium heat, stirring only occasionally, until the syrup darkens and thickens, about 20 minutes. Cool, then stir in the lime zest. Set aside.
4. Put the rice in a deep bowl and run cold water over it, stirring with your hand. Drain and repeat until the excess starch has been removed and the water runs clear.
5. Combine the milk and coconut milk in a wide, deep, heavy saucepan and turn the heat to medium-high. Add the vanilla bean seeds, along with the rice, the remaining ¾ cup sugar, and salt. When the liquid begins to boil, adjust the heat so that it bubbles steadily but not vigorously; if at any point the mixture browns, turn the heat down a little more. Stir occasionally at first, then more and more frequently, until the mixture becomes thick and much like oatmeal, 20 to 25 minutes total.
6. Spoon the rice pudding into 6 ramekins and cool to room temperature. (You can refrigerate these for up to a day, but bring to room temperature before serving.)
7. Sprinkle the top of each pudding with 1 teaspoon palm sugar. Use a propane torch or run under a hot broiler until the sugar bubbles and begins to burn. Serve drizzled with lime syrup.
SERVES 6
COOKING NOTES
You may find blanching the lime zest in Step 2 tedious, but the process sets the zest’s color beautifully.
FEBRUARY 23, 2000: “THE CHEF: TADASHI ONO,” BY TADASHI ONO WITH MARK BITTMAN.
—2000
FLOURLESS APRICOT HONEY SOUFFLÉ
———
¼ cup Demerara sugar (or other raw sugar), for sprinkling
1 cup whole milk
3 large eggs, separated
Sea salt
3 tablespoons honey
1 cup dried Turkish apricots
3 tablespoons Sauternes or other white dessert wine
2 large egg whites
1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
1½ tablespoons finely chopped almonds
Vanilla or almond ice cream for serving (optional)
1. Generously butter a 1½-quart soufflé dish. Sprinkle the Demerara sugar into the dish, tilting so that the sugar coats bottom and sides. Place in the refrigerator.
2. Heat the milk in a small pan over medium-high heat until bubbles form around the edges; remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
3. Place the egg yolks, a pinch of salt, and the honey in a medium bowl and whisk until light and fluffy. Very slowly whisk one-third of the milk into the yolks, then add this mixture back to the pan. Stirring constantly, cook over medium-low heat, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon. Strain into a bowl and let cool.
4. Combine the apricots and Sauternes in a small pan, bring to a boil, and stir. Shut off the heat and let cool.
5. Heat the oven to 400 degrees and place a baking sheet on bottom rack. Puree the egg mixture and apricots in a blender or food processor. Transfer to a medium bowl.
6. Remove the soufflé dish from the fridge. Place the egg whites, a pinch of salt, and the confectioners’ sugar in bowl and whisk until fairly stiff peaks form. Using a rubber spatula, add about one-third of the egg whites to the apricot mixture and fold until combined. Add the apricot mixture to the remaining egg whites and fold together until mixed well, being careful not to overmix.
7. Spoon this mixture into the soufflé dish. Sprinkle the almonds on top. Place on the baking sheet and bake for 17 to 20 minutes, until risen but still a little wobbly when shaken. Remove from the oven and serve immediately, plunging 2 large spoons into the center to lift out pieces. Serve with ice cream, if desired.
SERVES 4
MARCH 8, 2000: “THE MODERN SOUFFLÉ: BASTION OF STRENGTH,” BY AMANDA HESSER.
—2000
SUMMER PUDDING
No tricks here: excellent fruit with just enough bread for the pudding to hold its shape, and just enough sugar to remind you it’s a dessert. Jane Grigson knew what she was doing.
———
2 pounds (about 7 cups) mixed raspberries, blackberries, and currants (or blueberries)
⅔ cup superfine sugar
About 1½ pounds good-quality white bread (unsliced)
Heavy cream, for serving
1. Combine the berries and sugar in a bowl. Cover and let macerate at room temperature for 1 hour.
2. Transfer the berry mixture to a large saucepan, place over medium heat, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently to allow the fruit to release its juices, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
3. Cut the bread into ¼-inch-thick slices; remove the crusts. Cut a circle of bread to fit the bottom of a 5-cup bowl. Cut enough slices of bread into triangles to fit around the sides of the bowl, leaving no gaps. Reserve ¼ cup of the berries and juice for garnish; cover and refrigerate. Pour half the remaining berries and juice into the bread-lined bowl. Place a slice of bread over the fruit, and top with the remaining (unreserved) berries and juice.
4. Cut enough slices of bread to make a layer completely covering the top of the bowl. Top with a plate that fits snugly in the bowl. Weight with a heavy can and place in the refrigerator for 24 to 72 hours.
5. To serve, remove the plate and run a thin knife around the sides of the bowl to loosen the pudding. Invert a large serving plate over the top of the bowl, then turn the plate and bowl over. Remove the bowl. Garnish the pudding with the reserved berries and juice.
SERVES 8 TO 10
COOKING NOTE
I made two small changes when I tested this recipe. You are supposed to set aside ¼ cup berries for a garnish, but that seemed pointless to me. The beautiful mound of fruit needs no garnish, just a rim of good cream poured around it. And I didn’t macerate the fruit for 24 hours as instructed; I did it for just 1 hour, and that was plenty.
MARCH 22, 2000: “THE WORLDLY PLEASURES OF NURSERY PUDDINGS: IN ENGLAND, THERE WILL ALWAYS BE WHIM WHAM AND APPLE DAPPY,” BY R. W. APPLE JR. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM JANE GRIGSON.
—2000
CHOCOLATE CARAMEL TART
This tart made Claudia Fleming, the pastry chef who came up with it, famous. It inspired pastry chefs all over the country to begin using salt as a pivotal flavor in desserts; and it made a whole lot of diners happy at the end of their meal at Gramercy Tavern.
———
For the Chocolate Dough
8 tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter, softened
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 large egg yolk
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
¼ cup corn syrup
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
½ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons crème fraîche
For the Chocolate Glaze
3½ ounces extra-bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
½ cup heavy cream
Fleur de sel
1. To prepare the chocolate dough, combine the butter, confectioners’ sugar, and cocoa in a mixer fitted with a paddle (or use a bowl and a hand mixer), and beat until smooth. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and beat until blended. Sift the flour over the mixture and beat on low speed until combined.
2. Scrape the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and shape into a disk. Wrap and chill until firm, at least 1 hour, or for up to 3 days.
3. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into an 11-inch circle. Transfer to a 10-inch tart pan, fitting it into the pan. Line the crust with foil and fill with rice, dried beans, or pie weights.
4. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and weights and bake until the pastry is dry and set, another 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.
5. To prepare the caramel filling, bring the sugar and corn syrup to a boil in a large saucepan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is a deep caramel color. Off the heat, carefully (the mixture will bubble) whisk in the butter, cream, and crème fraîche until smooth. Pour the hot caramel into the tart shell and allow to cool and set, at least 30 minutes.
6. To prepare the chocolate glaze, place the chocolate in a bowl. Bring the cream to a boil in a small saucepan. Pour over the chocolate and whisk until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Pour the glaze over the tart, tilting the tart for even coverage. Allow the glaze to set for at least 1 hour.
7. Sprinkle the tart with a few granules of fleur de sel before serving.
SERVES 10 TO 12
COOKING NOTE
Like most tarts, this can be prepared in stages, so don’t feel like it has to be a consuming project. Make the crust in the morning, the filling in the afternoon, and the glaze just before dinner.
AUGUST 30, 2000: “THERE’S A NEW FLAVOR IN TOWN AND IT’S . . . SALT: DESSERT TRADITIONS GO OVER THE SHOULDER,” BY AMANDA HESSER. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM CLAUDIA FLEMING, THE PASTRY CHEF AT GRAMERCY TAVERN IN NEW YORK CITY.
—2000
MOROCCAN RICE PUDDING
———
⅔ cup blanched whole almonds
1 cup very hot water
2 cups water
2¼ cups medium- or short-grain rice
½ cup confectioners’ sugar, or more to taste
2 cinnamon sticks
5⅓ tablespoons (⅓ cup) unsalted butter
½ teaspoon coarse salt
¾ teaspoon almond extract
8 cups whole milk
⅓ cup ground pistachios
⅓ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
⅓ cup orange-flower water (optional)
1. Place half the almonds in a food processor, add ½ cup very hot water, and process until liquid. Press the mixture firmly through a sieve into a large saucepan. Place the pulp in the sieve back in the food processor, add the remaining almonds and ½ cup very hot water, and liquefy again. Press through the sieve into the saucepan. Discard the pulp.
2. Add the 2 cups water to the almond milk and bring to a boil. Sprinkle in the rice and sugar and add the cinnamon sticks, half the butter, the salt, almond extract, and 4 cups milk. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer gently until the rice is almost cooked through, about 30 minutes, adding more milk if necessary.
3. Continue cooking the rice, adding more milk as it is absorbed, and stirring often, until thick and velvety but loose. Taste for sweetness: it should be barely sweet; add more sugar if necessary.
4. Continue cooking for another 15 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent the rice from burning. Stir in the remaining butter. Pour into a large serving bowl, and sprinkle with the pistachios and coconut. Pass the orange-flower water for people to add on their own, if desired. (The pudding may also be left to cool and served at room temperature.)
SERVES 12
PERIOD DETAIL
Rice pudding, like bread pudding, goes back forever. Most older recipes were prepared simply, perfumed with lemon or cinnamon, thickened with egg, and baked. So-called “French rice pudding” called for grinding the rice before adding it to the milk.
MARCH 28, 2001: “HOME IS WHERE THE PARTY IS,” BY AMANDA HESSER. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM COUSCOUS AND OTHER GOOD FOOD FROM MOROCCO, BY PAULA WOLFERT.
—2001
COFFEE CARAMEL CUSTARD
Three of my favorite food words, all in one title.
———
1¼ cups sugar
A few drops of fresh lemon juice
⅓ cup water
2½ cups heavy cream
½ vanilla bean, split
7 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder, dissolved in ¼ cup hot water
Sea salt
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
A dark bitter, only faintly sweet, chocolate for shaving
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a deep heavy pot (at least 8 quarts), mix together the sugar, lemon juice, and water. Cook until the sugar dissolves and begins to darken; do not stir. Continue caramelizing until the sugar turns a dark amber color and begins to smoke. When it gets just a touch darker, remove it from the heat and immediately add the cream. The mixture will steam violently and bubble up; don’t be alarmed.
2. Add the vanilla bean. Protecting your stirring hand with an oven mitt, stir the mixture with a wooden spoon over low heat until the hardened caramel is fully dissolved and the mixture has stopped bubbling. Remove from the heat, and remove the vanilla bean.
3. Whisk the egg yolks in a medium bowl, then add the warm caramel cream a little at a time, whisking continuously so the yolks don’t curdle. Then whisk in the espresso, a large pinch of salt, and the vanilla extract. Pour the custard into a large measuring cup or pitcher, then pour into six 6-ounce ramekins.
4. Put the ramekins in a deep baking dish. Fill the dish with enough warm water to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil. Bake until the custards are just barely set, about 35 to 45 minutes. They should still be jiggly in the center.
5. Remove the custards from the water bath and set on a rack to cool, then chill, covered, until ready to serve.
6. To serve, shave a few curls of chocolate over each custard (this can be done with a vegetable peeler).
SERVES 6
MAY 27, 2001: “FOOD DIARY: A TASTE TEST,” BY AMANDA HESSER. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM ROOM FOR DESSERT, BY DAVID LEBOVITZ.
—2001
STEAMED LEMON PUDDING
What begins as a uniform batter separates in the oven. Down sinks a light spongy cake and up rises a tart lemon curd. To serve the puddings, I spooned loosely whipped cream into shallow bowls and laid the puddings in the center of the cream, like eggs sunny-side up.
———
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Finely grated zest of 2 lemons
3 large eggs, separated
1 cup buttermilk
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
1 pint blueberries (optional)
⅔ cup heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks (optional)
1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter six 4-ounce ramekins, or place 6 foil muffin cups in a muffin tin and butter them. Dust each with 1 teaspoon sugar, shaking out any excess.
2. Mix the remaining ¾ cup sugar with the flour and lemon zest in a small bowl. Lightly beat the egg yolks in a large bowl, and stir in the buttermilk and lemon juice.
3. Whip the egg whites until softly peaked. Whisk the sugar mixture into the buttermilk mixture. Fold in the beaten egg whites in thirds.
4. Spoon the batter into the ramekins or muffin cups. Place in a baking pan and add enough hot water to the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins or tin. Cover the pan with foil.
5. Bake for about 15 minutes, until the batter begins to puff. Remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes or so, until the tops begin to brown and are springy to the touch. A little cracking is fine.
6. Remove from the oven, and serve warm. (If you make the pudding in advance, allow it to cool and unmold to serve at room temperature, or reheat in a warm water bath and serve warm.) Fresh blueberries and whipped cream can be served alongside.
SERVES 6
AUGUST 8, 2001: “THE CHEF: TOM COLICCHIO,” BY TOM COLICCHIO WITH FLORENCE FABRICANT. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM KAREN DEMASCO, THE PASTRY CHEF AT CRAFT IN NEW YORK CITY.
—2001
WINTER FRUIT SALAD
This makes for a good dessert, but you could also eat it for breakfast.
———
5 cups water
1¼ cups sugar
3 star anise
1 plump vanilla bean, split
Two 2-inch-long strips lemon zest (removed with a vegetable peeler), preferably from a Meyer lemon
3 firm Bosc pears
1 firm tart apple
8 dried Turkish apricots, cut in half
4 dried figs, quartered
1. Pour the water into a medium saucepan, add the sugar, star anise, vanilla bean, and lemon zest, and bring to a boil, stirring, until all the sugar is dissolved. Then shut off the heat.
2. Meanwhile, peel and core the pears and apple. Thinly slice lengthwise and place in a large heatproof bowl. Add the apricots and figs.
3. Pour the hot sugar syrup over the top, making sure all the fruit is covered. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and poke a few holes in the plastic to allow the steam to escape. Chill overnight in the refrigerator.
4. The next day, using a slotted spoon, ladle the fruit into a serving bowl and serve.
SERVES 6
DECEMBER 19, 2001: “THE LAST GIFT OF THE MORNING,” BY AMANDA HESSER.
—2001
GLAZED MANGO WITH SOUR CREAM SORBET AND BLACK PEPPER
The Pepper-Cumin Cookies here would make a fine companion to this dessert.
———
2 large ripe but not soft mangoes
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
⅓ cup sugar
⅓ cup fresh lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
Freshly ground black pepper
Sour Cream Sorbet (recipe follows)
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1. Peel the mangoes. Cut them horizontally in thirds, leaving the pit in the middle section. Place each portion without pit cut side down on a work surface and, with a large knife, cut into 8 slices perpendicular to the cutting board. Gently push down on the slices so they spread out and overlap slightly.
2. Sliver enough of the mango flesh left around the pits to make ½ cup; set aside.
3. Heat the broiler. Butter a baking sheet large enough to hold the mangoes in a single layer.
4. Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet. Use a spatula to place the sliced mango thirds in the pan so they keep their shape. Cook over medium heat until warmed through and lightly browned on the edges, about 5 minutes, sprinkling with 2 tablespoons sugar and basting with the pan juices.
5. With a spatula, transfer the mangoes to the baking sheet (set the skillet aside). Place under the broiler, and broil until the edges just start to color, 2 to 3 minutes. Do not overcook. Set aside.
6. Add the remaining sugar to the juices in the skillet and cook over medium heat until the juices start to caramelize. Add the lemon juice and continue to cook, stirring, until the sauce is amber colored. Season lightly with pepper. Spoon over the mangoes.
7. Place a sliced caramelized mango third in each of 4 shallow soup plates. Scatter the mango slivers around. Top each with a large scoop of sour cream sorbet, sprinkle ¼ teaspoon coarse pepper on top, and serve at once.
SERVES 4
SOUR CREAM SORBET
1 cup sugar
¾ cup water
1 pint sour cream
1½ teaspoons finely grated lime zest
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)
1. Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan and simmer until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and let cool.
2. Whisk the sour cream in a large bowl until smooth. Gradually whisk in the cool sugar syrup. Whisk in the lime zest and juice. Refrigerate until cold.
3. Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Pack into a container and freeze until ready to serve.
MAKES 1 QUART
COOKING NOTE
I dropped the passion fruit sauce that was in the original recipe, because it didn’t add that much and because I thought a third component to the recipe would deter too many cooks. If you want to make it, you can find it at www.nytimes.com.
MARCH 27, 2002: “THE CHEF: ALAIN DUCASSE: COOL, HOT, AND EXOTIC,” BY ALAIN DUCASSE WITH FLORENCE FABRICANT.
—2002
BUTTERSCOTCH PUDDING
Karen DeMasco, the pastry chef at Craftbar, gave butterscotch pudding some gentility. She cut out the cornstarch, which so many recipes call for—cornstarch is just a cheat’s shortcut to thickening, and a sure way to get a sticky pudding—reduced the sugar, and added more salt. Her pudding is light and milky, like a good panna cotta, and as intense as a caramel.
The salt in her recipe plays with your head, flickering over your palate like candlelight. The pudding is salty, you think. No, no, it’s just rich and sweet. I must taste it again to see.
Once when I made this, I let the pudding come to room temperature, then thinly paved the top with chilled crème fraîche, completely covering the pudding. That way, in every bite you got a temperature contrast and the right amount of tangy cream.
———
1 cup whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
¾ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup water
6 large egg yolks, at room temperature
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Crème fraîche for serving
1. Heat the oven to 300 degrees. Warm the milk, cream, and brown sugar in a medium pan, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat.
2. Meanwhile, mix together the granulated sugar and water in a deep heavy pan, place over medium heat, and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Then monitor closely, swirling the pan so the syrup cooks evenly, until the syrup is a very light golden caramel. Remove it from the heat. Put on oven mitts and slowly whisk about a cup of the milk mixture into the caramel; it will bubble up violently. Stir until smooth. Add this to the rest of the milk.
3. Lightly beat the egg yolks in a bowl. Ladle some of the milk mixture into the eggs, whisking, to temper them. Add the eggs to the milk and whisk to combine. Stir in the salt and vanilla, and strain.
4. Pour the custard into 4 crème brûlée dishes or 8-ounce ramekins. Place the dishes in a baking pan and pour enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the dishes. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 15 minutes, then carefully lift up the aluminum foil to let out some steam. Reseal the pan, turn it 180 degrees, and continue baking, checking every 10 minutes. The pudding is done when the sides are set but the center is still wobbly when you shake the dish, about 25 to 35 minutes longer.
5. Remove from the water bath and let cool to room temperature, then chill. Serve with a dollop of crème fraîche atop each pudding.
SERVES 4
APRIL 2, 2003: “TEMPTATIONS: A DUET OF PUDDINGS, PLAYING TASTE NOTES THAT TEASE,” BY AMANDA HESSER. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM KAREN DEMASCO, THE PASTRY CHEF AT CRAFT AND CRAFTBAR IN MANHATTAN.
—2003
RICOTTA KISSES (BACI DI RICOTTA)
Featherweight like a good gougère, creamy and puffy like an exceptional soufflé, these kisses are the lightest, tidiest, most delicious doughnuts I’ve ever made. The night I prepared them, I laid them before our three guests, and the entire batch vanished in five minutes.
———
1 cup ricotta
2 large eggs
½ cup Italian 00 flour (see Cooking Notes)
1½ teaspoons baking powder
Pinch of salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon superfine sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Vegetable oil for frying
2 teaspoons confectioners’ sugar
1. Combine the ricotta and eggs in a medium bowl and mix until smooth. Add the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, sugar, and vanilla. Mix to make a smooth batter.
2. Fill a wide shallow skillet with about ¾ inch of oil. Heat over medium-high heat until a bit of batter sizzles when dropped in. Drop rounded teaspoons of batter into the pan, 5 or 6 at a time. When the batter puffs and the undersides turn golden brown, after about 1 minute, flip the kisses and allow to brown again for about 1 more minute. Transfer the kisses to paper towels to drain, and continue until all the batter is used.
3. Pile the kisses in a rough pyramid on a serving plate. Sift the confectioners’ sugar through a small fine-mesh sieve evenly over the baci. Serve immediately.
MAKES ABOUT 30 KISSES; SERVES 6
COOKING NOTES
I used regular unbleached all-purpose flour and it worked just fine. Be careful not to overmix the batter. Italian 00 flour is sold in specialty food markets and at King Arthur Flour online, www.kingarthurflour.com.
My batch of doughnuts, after browning on their bottom sides, flipped over on their own, a phenomenon I cannot explain but greatly appreciated.
MAY 14, 2003: “AT MY TABLE: A CARNIVORE FINDS JOY, MEATLESSLY,” BY NIGELLA LAWSON.
—2003
CARAMELIZED CHOCOLATE BREAD PUDDING
Suzanne Goin, the chef at Lucques and A.O.C. in Los Angeles, is best known for her Mediterranean-style cooking. But she still makes some of the recipes she learned growing up in Los Angeles, including this caramelized chocolate bread pudding, which has been in her repertory since she was sixteen. When she worked at Chez Panisse after college, it was a favorite for staff parties. In those days, she made it with Pepperidge Farm bread. Now she uses brioche.
But, unlike most bread puddings, this is not really about the bread. “I hate bread pudding that’s all bread,” Goin told me, “I like it to be about the custard.”
Goin first chops some chocolate and places it in the bottom of a deep casserole. Then she butters five thick slices of brioche and layers them over the chocolate. Next she pours over a simple custard made with extra egg yolks and cinnamon.
As it bakes, a custard forms under the bread, and the bread acts more like a top crust. To close the deal, Goin sprinkles sugar on top and then sears the bread with a blowtorch to make it crisp and caramelized. It’s a smart touch if you have the gear. Otherwise, simply eat it as is; a broiler would curdle the delicate custard.
If you have a fondness for layer cakes, tiramisù, or any other stratified desserts, this will be a high point in your dessert life. As Goin said, “The custardy part stays vanilla, but then when you get to the bottom of the dish, you get this little chocolate reward.”
———
Five to six ½-inch-thick slices brioche
About 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
4 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
2 cups heavy cream
1¾ cups whole milk
⅔ cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ pound bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon Demarara or other raw sugar (optional)
1. Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Place a large roasting pan in the oven and bring a kettle of water to a boil. Generously butter the brioche slices on one side; cut in half diagonally. Whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, heavy cream, milk, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl.
2. Sprinkle the chocolate in a large (3-quart) casserole that’s at least 3 inches deep. Lay the slices of bread butter side up over the chocolate, overlapping them like fish scales. Use just enough bread to cover all the chocolate. Pour the custard on top, making sure to soak all the bread.
3. When the kettle comes to a boil, place the casserole in the roasting pan in the oven, and pour enough boiling water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the casserole. Bake until the custard is just set, 40 to 60 minutes, depending on the dimensions of the casserole. The pudding is done when the bread in the center rises up and is bouncy to the touch. Remove from the oven, lift the pudding out of the water bath, and let cool slightly; the pudding should be served warm, not hot.
4. If you have a kitchen blowtorch, sprinkle the raw sugar over the top of the pudding, and use the torch to lightly caramelize the sugar. If not, skip this step (the broiler would curdle the custard).
SERVES 6
JUNE 18, 2003: “THE CHEF: SUZANNE GOIN: BREAD PUDDING LAYERED WITH RICH SURPRISES,” BY AMANDA HESSER. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM SUZANNE GOIN, THE CHEF AND CO-OWNER OF LUCQUES AND A.O.C. IN LOS ANGELES.
—2003
BLUEBERRY PIE WITH A LATTICE TOP
Blueberries are the ideal fruit for pies. While other berries fall apart when heat is applied, blueberries puff up and stiffen, and if the heat is steady, they sometimes pop and wilt, never dissolving, just losing shape like a dead tire. Because blueberries don’t have a ton of juice, they’re easier to handle. All you need is a little flour or cornstarch to thicken the juices and help hold the fruit together just long enough to go from slicing to a plate.
As I discovered when I tried to work up the ideal blueberry pie, the crust is worth a few minutes of consideration. Cultivated blueberries do not have a great deal of acidity, so placing them amid a heavy shortening crust will only weaken their character. I found that a butter crust, only lightly sweetened, worked best. This crust isn’t flaky, but it is delicate with a richness that comes through more in flavor than in heft.
I grated lemon zest and folded it into the sweet pastry to add a little fragrance, something that will seep into your consciousness as you eat. It’s important to add salt to the pastry, to underline this aroma, and to be light on the sugar, so that the pastry does not disappear against the filling. When you bake the pie, place it on a rack near the floor of the oven so that the bottom bakes through and does not become gummy.
I roll out my pastry between two layers of plastic wrap, as follows: Place a layer on the counter and flour it generously, then put the dough in the center, flour it, and cover with a second layer of plastic. This way, the rolling pin never touches the dough, and the dough, pressed between plastic, splits less at the edges. Keep in mind that as you roll out the dough, you will occasionally need to peel back the plastic and reflour some parts.
This method also makes transferring the dough to the pan much easier. When the dough is thin enough for molding, simply peel back the top layer of plastic, and invert the dough into the pie dish or tart pan. Peel off the other layer of plastic, and you’re ready to begin crimping.
———
For the Pastry
2 cups all-purpose flour
⅔ cup confectioners’ sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
⅛ teaspoon baking powder
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1½ tablespoons grated lemon zest
1 large egg yolk, plus 1 more if needed
2 tablespoons heavy cream
For the Filling
5 cups blueberries
3 tablespoons cornstarch
¾ cup sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Whipped cream for serving
1. To make the pastry, combine the flour, confectioners’ sugar, salt, and baking powder in a 1-gallon plastic bag. Wrap the butter cubes in plastic wrap. Place both in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.
2. Pour the contents of the flour bag into a food processor and pulse a few times. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is reduced to flakes. Add the lemon zest, 1 egg yolk, and the heavy cream and pulse 5 times. The dough is ready if it holds together when you press the mixture between your thumb and index finger; if necessary add another egg yolk.
3. Pour the mixture onto a countertop. Using the heel of your hand, smear the dough bits until they cohere. Form into 2 balls, one slightly smaller than the other, and flatten each into a disk. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 3 hours.
4. To make the filling, mix together the blueberries, cornstarch, sugar, lemon juice, and salt in a large bowl.
5. Roll out the larger disk of dough between 2 sheets of floured plastic wrap. When it is ⅛ inch thick, remove the top layer of plastic and invert the dough into a pie dish. Peel off the plastic, gently lift the edges of the dough, and press it into the dish, without stretching it. Chill.
6. Roll out the other disk of dough ⅛ inch thick. Slice into ½-inch-wide strips. Chill the strips on a baking sheet.
7. Remove the pie shell from the refrigerator and pour the berry mixture into it. Arrange the strips of pastry in a lattice pattern on top (see Cooking Note). Cut the overhang of dough to ¾ inch, then roll it up and over the lattice edge, making a neat rounded border. Crimp the border. Chill the unbaked pie while you heat the oven to 400 degrees.
8. Bake the pie until the filling bubbles at the edges and the crust is golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes. Check after 20 minutes; if the crust is browning too quickly, cover the edges with a round band of aluminum foil. Place the baked pie on a rack and let cool to room temperature.
9. Serve with huge dollops of whipped cream.
SERVES 8
COOKING NOTE
In Carole Bloom’s The Essential Baker (an excellent source for classic recipes), she includes these instructions for a woven lattice crust: “place half of the pastry strips evenly spaced across the pie, leaving at least an inch of space between them. Carefully fold back every other strip to the center and place a pastry strip across the pie perpendicular to the first strips. Unfold the pastry strips and fold back the strips that weren’t folded the first time. Place another pastry strip across the pie, leaving at least an inch of space between the strips. Repeat this process until the top is covered with lattice.”
JULY 2, 2003: “THREE CHEERS FOR THE RED, WHITE, AND BLUEBERRY,” BY AMANDA HESSER.
—2003
AZTEC HOT CHOCOLATE PUDDING
Like a chocolate version of sticky toffee pudding, but much more nuanced. In each bite, you get a burn from the chile, the scent of cinnamon, and the warmth of rum. The pudding looks like tar and is best eaten straight from the oven, because as it cools, it tightens and takes on the consistency of tar, too. Serve with unsweetened whipped cream.
———
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon pure chile powder
1 cup superfine sugar
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup corn oil
¾ cup water
½ cup packed dark brown sugar
¼ cup dark rum
Vanilla ice cream for serving (optional)
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 2-quart baking dish or soufflé dish. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, chile, superfine sugar, and ¼ cup cocoa powder in a large bowl. Mix the milk, vanilla, and oil in a small bowl. Pour into the flour mixture and stir to make a thick, smooth batter. Spoon the batter into the baking dish and smooth the top.
2. Pour the water into a small pan, set over high heat, and bring to a boil. Combine the remaining ¼ cup cocoa with the brown sugar in a small bowl, making sure there are no lumps. Spread evenly across the batter. Pour the boiling water over it, and then the rum.
3. Bake the pudding until the top is a bubbling sponge but the center is still wobbly and liquid, about 30 minutes. To serve, spoon out portions that include some of the top and chocolate sauce beneath. If desired, accompany with vanilla ice cream.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTE
You can use any chile powder you like—ancho, chipotle, you name it.
OCTOBER 15, 2003: “AT MY TABLE: THE MILD AND THE FIERY: SWEET HARMONY,” BY NIGELLA LAWSON.
—2003
FRUIT CROSTATAS
The Italian form of tartlettes, which mostly means you don’t have to be so precise in shaping them. In keeping with the rustic, free-form theme, these are baked directly on a baking stone.
———
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup pastry flour
4 teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
6 tablespoons high-fat (European-style) unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces and chilled
4 to 5 tablespoons ice water
Blueberry or Blackberry Filling with Lemon Curd (recipe follows)
Confectioners’ sugar, whipped cream, or heavy cream for serving
1. Combine the flours, sugar, and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine. Scatter the butter over the surface of the flour and pulse until the butter pieces are no longer visible, 5 to 10 pulses of 10 seconds or so each.
2. Turn the mixture into a bowl, and sprinkle with ¼ cup ice water. Toss lightly with your fingertips. Gather the dough together, and squeeze a small portion with your fingers. If the dough feels dry, add another tablespoon of water and toss to combine.
3. Turn the dough onto a work surface, press together firmly, and pat into a disk. Cut into 6 wedges. Roll each wedge into a ball, flatten slightly, and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours.
4. Place an oven rack in the lowest position and top with a large baking stone. Set the oven to 450 degrees and let heat for 1 hour while you prepare the crostatas. Cut six 8-inch-square sheets of aluminum foil.
5. Working with 1 piece of dough at a time, flour the top and bottom lightly and roll into a thin 8-inch round. Transfer the round to a square of foil. Spoon 1½ to 2 tablespoons of the curd into the center, leaving a 2-inch periphery free. Mound ½ cup fruit in a circle on top of the curd. (Use all the filling for the 6 crostatas.) Fold the edges of the dough over to support the filling. If using the blackberry filling, sprinkle the crostata with 1 tablespoon sugar. Place the crostata on a baking sheet and put in the refrigerator. Continue forming tarts with the remaining dough and fruit filling. Refrigerate the crostatas for at least 20 minutes.
6. Slide 2 or 3 crostatas onto the baking stone. Bake until the dough is dark golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove and cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Repeat with the remaining crostatas.
7. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar, or add a dollop of whipped cream or a few tablespoons of chilled heavy cream to each serving.
MAKES 6 INDIVIDUAL TARTS
BLUEBERRY OR BLACKBERRY FILLING WITH LEMON CURD
For the Lemon Curd
1 large egg
2 large egg yolks
½ cup sugar
⅓ cup fresh lemon juice (from about 2 lemons; grate the zest first)
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, cut into 2 pieces
Pinch of salt
3 tablespoons heavy cream
For the Blueberries
3 pints blueberries
3 tablespoons cornstarch
6 tablespoons sugar
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
Pinch of salt
For the Blackberries
2 pints blackberries
¼ cup cornstarch
6 tablespoons sugar
1. Place a small conical stainless steel strainer over a 2-cup glass measuring cup, and set aside. Whisk the egg, yolks, and sugar together in a small heavy nonreactive saucepan. Add the lemon juice and whisk to combine. Add the zest, butter, and salt. Place the pan over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture is shiny, opaque, and thick enough to coat the back of the spoon, 5 to 10 minutes. Do not boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the cream. Strain immediately into the measuring cup, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use.
2. For blueberry crostatas, place half the blueberries in a medium saucepan. Add the cornstarch and sugar and stir well. Add the lemon juice and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the blueberries give up their juices, thicken, and simmer a bit. The compote will be very thick. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining blueberries. Cool.
3. For blackberry crostatas, place the blackberries in a large bowl, sprinkle with the cornstarch, and toss to combine.
MAKES ENOUGH FILLING FOR 6 CROSTATAS
SEPTEMBER 15, 2004: “LATE-SUMMER SWEETNESS, ARISING,” BY KAY RENTSCHLER.
—2004
POACHED PEARS WITH ASIAN SPICES
In one go, Mark Bittman, who wrote this recipe for his “The Minimalist” column, solves two problems with poached pears. First, he makes the point that since most supermarket pears are hard and unripe, poaching them is the best solution. (It is.) Second, he releases the poached fruit from its traditional—and now clichéd—accompaniment of red wine and cinnamon. This recipe does contain cinnamon, but its aroma derives more from star anise, ginger, and clove.
I served these with the Almond Cake here.
———
2½ cups sugar
3 star anise
5 slices fresh ginger
2 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
5 cups water
4 firm Anjou pears
1. Combine the sugar, spices, and water in a medium saucepan (large enough to accommodate the pears upright) and turn the heat to high. Peel the pears, leaving the stems on, then core them from the bottom (see Cooking Notes).
2. Lower the pears into the water, and adjust the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook the pears, turning them every 5 minutes or so, until they meet little resistance when prodded with a thin-bladed knife, usually 10 to 20 minutes. Turn off the heat, and cool the pears in liquid.
3. Place the pears on serving plates. (At this point, they can also be covered and refrigerated up to a day; they should be brought to room temperature before serving.) Reduce the poaching liquid to about a cup (it can also be stored for a day), then spoon a little over each pear before serving.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTES
Bittman said that reducing the liquid is optional—but I think it’s worth doing. Turn the heat up and boil the liquid; 10 to 15 minutes of reducing concentrates the flavors marvelously.
One instruction I suggest changing is carving the core from the bottom of the pear. This task, along with coring Brussels sprouts and peeling chestnuts, should be banned by the Geneva Convention. Simply use a melon baller to remove the stem, then score the indentation left from the melon baller with a paring knife. Guests can carve around the core as they eat. If they are unable to do so, put them on dish duty.
VARIATION
Bittman called for bronze-colored Bosc pears and suggested Anjou pears as an alternative. Anjou are the way to go. He also suggested: “a few slices of ginger, a couple of star anise pieces and cloves, a cinnamon stick, a couple of branches of bruised lemongrass (or a handful of lemongrass trimmings), a split vanilla pod.” I’m definitely trying the lemongrass version next.
SEPTEMBER 22, 2004: “THE MINIMALIST,” BY MARK BITTMAN.
—2004
LUCAS SCHOORMANS’S LEMON TART
There is no lemon custard in this ingenious tart. Instead, a cushion of almond frangipane fills the crust and serves as a cradle for a delightfully assertive lemon confit and vanilla-scented syrup. The dessert was created by Lucas Schoormans, an art dealer and talented home baker in Manhattan.
———
For the Lemon Confit
4 lemons, thinly sliced, ends and seeds discarded
1 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped out and reserved
For the Pastry Dough
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
3 large egg yolks
For the Frangipane
11 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
⅔ cup ground almonds
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
Grated zest of 1 lemon
2 large eggs
1. To make the lemon confit, place the sliced lemons in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Steep for 4 to 8 hours.
2. Drain the lemons, place in a saucepan, and cover with cold water. Simmer gently until the lemon rind is just softened, about 5 minutes. Let cool, then drain the lemons again, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
3. Return the lemon slices and reserved liquid to the pan and add the sugar and vanilla bean and seeds. Simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to transfer the slices to a rack to cool. Return the pan with the liquid to the stove, bring to a boil, and cook until thick and reduced to about ⅔ cup. Discard the vanilla bean. Set aside.
5. To make the pastry dough, pulse together the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until the butter pieces are no larger than peas. Add the yolks and pulse until you have a dough that just pulls away from the sides of the bowl; add a tablespoon or two of water if necessary. Form the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
6. Remove the bottom from an 11-inch tart pan and place it on a work surface. Put two-thirds of the dough on top, and using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough over the tart pan bottom to cover it. Using a knife, trim the excess dough (reserve it). Lift up and place the bottom back in the tart ring. Using your fingers, break off bits of the remaining dough and press them onto the sides of the pan to cover. Roll the pin over the top of the pan to trim. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
7. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Cover the dough with parchment paper, weight down with rice, dried beans, or pie weights, and bake until the edges of the crust are just browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Take out of the oven and remove the parchment and weights.
8. To make the frangipane, in the bowl of a mixer (or in a bowl with a hand mixer), beat the butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the almonds and flour. Beat in the sugar and zest. Beat in the eggs one at a time.
9. Scrape the frangipane into the baked crust and return to the oven. Bake until the filling is browned and firm to the touch, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a rack.
10. Lay the lemon slices over the top of the tart. Gently reheat the lemon syrup and pour over the tart. The tart can be served chilled or at room temperature.
SERVES 10
OCTOBER 3, 2004: “KITCHEN VOYEUR: TART DEALER,” BY JONATHAN REYNOLDS. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM LUCAS SCHOORMANS, AN ART DEALER IN NEW YORK CITY.
—2004
CHOCOLATE PUDDING
When I set out to find the ideal chocolate pudding, I gathered a handful of recipes, including this one, which comes from Dorie Greenspan, author of Paris Sweets. But I didn’t try Greenspan’s at first. It seemed too involved for something as simple as chocolate pudding. So I put it aside.
I had a mental picture of what a great chocolate pudding should taste like. It should be light and not overly sweet. It should have elasticity yet not be too sticky. Above all, it should taste of good-quality chocolate. I tried recipes from a bunch of cookbooks, but they came out too sweet or, if they worked, were more pot de crème than pudding.
So I began working on my own recipe, using milk instead of cream, less sugar, a combination of eggs and cornstarch—for richness and elasticity—and cooking it on the stove. But mine never achieved the right balance of lightness and decadence.
Going through my original notes, I came across Dorie Greenspan’s recipe. In it were all the elements I had been aiming for, plus a stroke of genius: the pudding is pulsed in the food processor in the last step, suffusing it with air and making a rich treat that’s light in spirit.
———
2¼ cups whole milk
6 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons cornstarch
¼ teaspoon salt
1 large egg
2 large egg yolks
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and still warm
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Heavy cream for serving
1. Bring 2 cups milk and 3 tablespoons sugar to a boil in a saucepan.
2. While the milk is heating, toss the cocoa, cornstarch, and salt into a food processor and pulse to blend; turn the ingredients out onto a sheet of wax paper. Place the egg, egg yolks, and remaining 3 tablespoons sugar in the work bowl and process for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the remaining ¼ cup milk. Process for a few seconds, then return the dry ingredients to the bowl and pulse just until blended.
3. With the machine running, slowly pour in the hot milk, processing to blend. The mixture will be foamy, but the bubbles will disappear when the pudding is cooked. Pour the mixture into the saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes, or until the pudding thickens. (The pudding should not boil.) Scrape the pudding into the processor, add the chocolate, butter, and vanilla, and pulse until evenly blended.
4. Pour the pudding into 6 individual bowls or 1 large bowl. Chill for at least 4 hours.
5. Serve plain or topped with heavy cream, whipped or not.
SERVES 6
DECEMBER 5, 2004: “THE ARSENAL,” BY AMANDA HESSER. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM PARIS SWEETS, BY DORIE GREENSPAN.
—2004
FIGS IN WHISKEY
The novelist James Salter, who mentioned this recipe in an essay on French food, described the figs as “marvelously plump and tender, bathed in a smooth, faintly alcoholic liquid.” To get the recipe from a restaurant in southwestern France, Salter gave the chef a pair of drugstore reading glasses.
———
1 package (about 14 ounces) dried figs, Turkish or Greek seem best
2 cups sugar
1½ cups Scotch whiskey
ORIGINAL RECIPE
“Boil the figs for 20 minutes in about a quart of water in which the sugar has been dissolved. Allow to cool until tepid. Drain half the remaining water or a bit more, and add the Scotch. Allow to steep a good while in a covered bowl before serving.”
SERVES 6
JANUARY 2, 2005: “EAT, MEMORY: MICHELIN MAN,” BY JAMES SALTER. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM LA RIPA RESTAURANT IN PLAISANCE, FRANCE.
—2005
BUTTERMILK PIE
As buttermilk pie bakes, its tangy custard splits into two levels—smooth, butter yellow pudding on the ground floor, and a frothy mezzanine. If you want to whip this up with some homemade buttermilk, see here.
———
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs, separated
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
One 8-inch deep-dish piecrust, blind-baked until very lightly browned (see French Pie Pastry, here)
1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 350 degrees. In mixer fitted with a whisk (or in a bowl with a hand mixer), mix the butter and sugar until well blended. Add the egg yolks and mix well. Add the flour, lemon juice to taste, nutmeg, and salt. Add the buttermilk in a thin stream, mixing until blended.
2. Whisk the egg whites in a large bowl until they form soft peaks. Pour about ¼ cup of the buttermilk mixture into the egg whites and fold gently to combine. Pour the egg white mixture into the remainder of the buttermilk mixture and fold gently until just combined. The mixture will be somewhat lumpy.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to ⅛ inch thick. Press into a deep 8-inch pie pan (or a standard 9-inch pie pan), and trim the excess dough; flute or fold, and press the edges to make a border. Prick the bottom of the pie shell with the tines of a fork, and refrigerate or freeze briefly to set the crust.
4. When the crust has set, line the dough with foil or parchment, fill with pie weights or dried beans, and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the weights and foil, and continue baking for about 15 minutes, or until the crust just begins to brown. Remove from the oven and cool.
5. Pour the filling into the baked pie shell. Bake until the filling is lightly browned and barely moves when the pie is jiggled, 40 to 45 minutes. (If you added more than 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, it may take longer for the pie to brown; bake for 5 to 10 minutes longer if necessary.) If the edges of the crust brown too quickly, cover with foil.
6. Cool on a rack, and serve warm or at room temperature. Refrigerate leftovers.
SERVES 6 TO 8
COOKING NOTE
Robert Stehling, the Charleston chef whose recipe this is, came up with a clever stand-in for a cooling rack: 3 chopsticks, set a few inches apart on a countertop.
AUGUST 31, 2005: “A SOUTHERN SLEEPER, TART AND LIGHT,” BY MATT LEE AND TED LEE. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM ROBERT STEHLING, THE CHEF AT THE HOMINY GRILL IN CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA.
—2005
JEAN HALBERSTAM’S DEEP-FRIED PEACHES
While David Halberstam was famous for his exhaustively researched books on sports and the conduct of the Vietnam War, his wife, Jean, had an equally imposing reputation among their friends for her cooking. For years, until his death in 2007, David wrote big books, Jean cooked big feasts, and they lived and dined happily in New York and Nantucket.
If you wanted to capture the essence of summer in a chrysalis, these peaches, encased in a fragile fritter shell, would do the trick.
———
1½ cups all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
1½ tablespoons olive oil
2 large eggs, separated
¾ cup very cold water
2 tablespoons brandy
4 ripe peaches
Fresh lemon juice
2 large egg whites
2 pounds Crisco or other vegetable shortening
1 cup sugar
1. Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl. Form a well and stir in the oil and egg yolks. Add the cold water little by little, stirring until all the flour is incorporated. Add the brandy and stir for 10 minutes, or until the batter is smooth and a bit thicker. Let the batter rest in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
2. Skin the peaches by dropping them in boiling water for 5 to 10 seconds and plunging them immediately into ice water. Peel off the skin, then sprinkle the peaches with lemon juice to prevent browning.
3. When the batter is ready, beat the 4 egg whites stiffly. Stir one-quarter of the egg whites into the batter to lighten it, then gently fold in the rest.
4. Heat the shortening to 360 degrees in a large deep pot. Cut the peaches in half and remove their pits. Dip them in the batter, a few at a time, and fry in the hot oil until golden, 30 to 90 seconds per side. (Don’t put all the peaches in at once, or the oil temperature will drop too much.) As soon as the peaches are golden, remove them to drain on a rack or paper towels, and quickly roll them in the sugar to coat completely. Serve right now!
SERVES 8
SEPTEMBER 4, 2005: “KITCHEN VOYEUR: THE ORIGINAL ‘UNORIGINAL,’ ” BY JONATHAN REYNOLDS. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM JEAN HALBERSTAM.
—2005
Lemon wrapped in a cloud. The Apple Snow here and Madeleine Kamman’s Apple Mousse here are like-minded in their pursuit of ethereally light fruit desserts.
———
1 cup egg whites (from 6 to 8 large eggs)
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
½ cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 large lemons)
1 cup light corn syrup
3 cups heavy cream
1. Bring 2 inches of water to a boil in the bottom of a double boiler. Combine the egg whites, sugar, and lemon juice in the top of the double boiler. Place over the boiling water and, with a large balloon whisk, whisk the egg whites vigorously until smooth, airy, and very thick, about 5 minutes. Add the corn syrup and whisk just until smooth, then transfer to a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour.
2. Remove the beaten whites from the refrigerator and add the heavy cream. Using an electric mixer, whisk until thick enough to hold stiff peaks, about 2 minutes.
3. Place in dessert cups or bowls, cover, and refrigerate for 15 minutes to 1 hour before serving.
SERVES 18 TO 24
MAY 24, 2006: “FEED ME: LAUGH AND YOUR GUESTS WILL LAUGH WITH YOU,” BY ALEX WITCHEL. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM WILLIAM POLL IN NEW YORK CITY.
—2006
STICKY RICE WITH MANGO
If there were one dessert in this chapter that I’d like to have in my fridge every day, this is it.
———
1½ cups Thai sticky rice (kao niow) or broken jasmine rice
1½ cups canned unsweetened coconut milk
3 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon salt, or more to taste
2 to 4 ripe mangoes, depending on size, peeled, pitted, and sliced
1. Rinse the rice, then soak it in water to cover for at least 1 hour, or for up to 24.
2. Drain the rice, wrap it in cheesecloth, and place in a steamer over boiling water. Steam for about 30 minutes, until tender. Transfer to a bowl and set aside to cool for half an hour or so.
3. Gently warm the coconut milk in a pan with the sugar and salt, just until they are dissolved.
4. Pour half the coconut milk mixture over the still-warm sticky rice and stir well to combine. Transfer the sweetened rice to individual serving bowls and top with the remaining coconut milk. Add the mango slices, and serve.
SERVES 4
MAY 31, 2006: “THE MINIMALIST: STICKY RICE TAKES A TURN AS DESSERT,” BY MARK BITTMAN.
—2006
WINE-STEWED PRUNES AND MASCARPONE
For the 1.0 version of this dish, see Pruneaux du Pichet here.
———
1 pound pitted prunes (about 40)
1¼ cups sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
2½ cups dry red wine
Two 8-ounce containers mascarpone
1. Combine the prunes, sugar, cinnamon, and wine in a pot and set over medium-high heat. When the mixture boils, reduce to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes, or until the liquid has turned to syrup. Remove from the heat, and let stand for at least 15 minutes.
2. Spread a mound of mascarpone on each serving plate, top with 6 prunes, and drizzle with some syrup. Serve immediately.
SERVES 6
MAY 31, 2006: “WHY NOT RELAX BEFORE DINNER, TOO?” BY DANA BOWEN. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM FRANK CASTRONOVO AND FRANK FALCINELLI.
—2006
STRAIGHT-UP RHUBARB PIE
Anne Dimock, the author of Humble Pie, a lucid and thoughtful treatise on the round fruit-filled pastry, has an elegiac and even melancholy temperament. She writes that “the natural habitat for pies has changed, shrunk, disappeared,” and when we met, she told me, “There is a threshold for the number of pies you can make at once before their greatness is compromised. For me, it’s eight. After eight, they taste fine, but all the little things that you might be proud of are lost.”
Dimock grew up in a family of pie makers in Madison, New Jersey. There were four apple trees in the backyard, and five children. Come August, when the fruit began dropping, the baking of a hundred pies would commence. Each would be frozen to last through the winter. During these early years, Dimock was just an apprentice, although, she writes, her opinions were already forming: “My mother insisted that each pie contain a full cup of sugar, and although I knew that was too much, I dutifully scooped and leveled and poured oceans of sugar upon fleets of pies.”
She continued to bake pies, but it took decades before she became a “Pie Maker”—a person whose pies are inseparable from her identity. “Each Pie Maker is called to a particular type of pie,” she writes. “It is a deeper, more profound relationship than a favorite pie or one’s specialty. It is closer to destiny or fate.”
Dimock says that Pie Makers usually receive the calling in their mid-thirties. She was thirty-six when she and her husband moved to Minnesota, and they inherited thirty rhubarb plants from their house’s previous owner. “I came to rhubarb the same way my mother came to apple—out of utility and thrift,” she says.
This is the fundamental misunderstanding about most pies: they are rarely just about generosity. They are a way to salvage fruit before it rots, a way to compose the forlorn, to conceal its problems and polish it with crust.
There is little about pie that Dimock hasn’t considered. She has sized up potential love interests by how they dig in: “You don’t need me to tell you what to stay away from—the ones who don’t say anything, the ones who don’t chew, the ones who ask for a second slice before thanking you for the first, the ones who use a spoon. You already know what you’re in for with them.” A man who digs out the filling, she warns, reveals a propensity to lie, while one who starts eating his slice somewhere other than the point shows curiosity and liveliness.
With rhubarb as her muse, Dimock set out to mend her mother’s sweetening errors. She came up with a foolproof formula: for every cup of sliced rhubarb, there should be ¼ cup sugar and 1 tablespoon flour. For the crust, she relies on what she calls “the golden ratio” of 3 parts flour to 1 part shortening. The top is marked with 8 razor-thin vents. Her rhubarb pie is the best I’ve ever tasted.
———
For the Crust
2 cups all-purpose flour (see Step 1)
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
⅔ cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
About 6 tablespoons ice water
For the Filling
5 cups sliced rhubarb (1½ to 2 pounds)
1¼ cups sugar
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1½ tablespoons unsalted butter
1. To make the crust, heat the oven to 425 degrees. Before measuring the flour, stir it to leaven with air, and then measure out the 2 cups. Combine the flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl and fluff with a fork. Cut in the shortening with a fork or pastry blender. Stop as soon as the sheen of the shortening disappears and the mixture is a bunch of coarse pieces. Sprinkle a tablespoon of water at a time over the dough, lifting and tossing it with the fork. When it begins to come together, gather the dough, press it into a ball, and then pull it apart; if it crumbles in your hands, it needs more water. (It’s better to err on the side of too wet than too dry.) Add a teaspoon or two more water, as needed.
2. Gather the dough into 2 slightly unequal balls, the larger one for the bottom crust and the smaller one for the top. Flatten the larger ball, re-forming any frayed edges with the sides of your hand. Dust with flour and roll the dough, starting from the center and moving toward the edges. Take a knife or thin spatula and quickly work its edge between the crust and the countertop, then lift the dough to the side; dust the dough and countertop with flour. Roll again until the diameter is an inch or 2 larger than that of a 9-inch pie pan. Lay the rolling pin a third of the way from one of the edges, roll the crust onto the pin, and then unroll the crust into the pie pan and press it into place. Place in the freezer.
3. To make the filling, blend the rhubarb, sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Pour into the crust-lined pie pan. Dot with the butter.
4. Roll out the top crust. Dab the rim of the bottom crust with water to create a glue, then place the top crust over the rhubarb; trim, seal, and cut several steam vents.
5. Bake for 15 minutes; reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 25 to 30 minutes more, or until a bit of pink juice bubbles from the vents in the crust. Remove from the oven and place on a rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.
SERVES 8
COOKING NOTE
Anne Dimock’s secret ingredient is “Extra Fancy Vietnamese Cassia Cinnamon,” available from Penzeys Spices, www.penzeys.com.
JUNE 25, 2006: “THE WAY WE EAT: CIRCULAR THINKING,” BY AMANDA HESSER. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM ANNE DIMOCK, THE AUTHOR OF HUMBLE PIE.
—2006
BANANA CREAM PIE
———
For the Graham Cracker Crust
1¼ cups graham cracker crumbs (about 10 or 11 whole crackers)
1 teaspoon sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the Pastry Cream
1⅔ cups whole milk
¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
½ vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped out and reserved
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 large egg
2 large egg yolks
1½ tablespoons unsalted butter
For Assembly
1½ cups heavy cream
¼ cup crème fraîche
3½ medium bananas, sliced into 3⁄8-inch-thick rounds
1. To make the crust, heat the oven to 325 degrees. Combine the crumbs and sugar in a bowl. Add the butter and mix, first with a fork, then with your fingers, until the crumbs are moistened. Pour the mixture into a 9-inch pie pan and use a flat-bottomed cup to press the crumbs evenly over the bottom; press it up the sides with your fingers. The edges of the shell will be crumbly.
2. Bake until lightly browned, 9 to 10 minutes. Cool completely.
3. To prepare the pastry cream, combine the milk, ¼ cup sugar, and the vanilla bean and seeds in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Sift the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar together with the cornstarch. Whisk together the egg and yolks in a large bowl.
4. When the milk comes to a simmer, discard the vanilla bean. Add the cornstarch mixture to the eggs and whisk until well combined. While whisking, slowly pour in about one-quarter of the milk. Transfer this mixture to the saucepan, set over low heat, and simmer, whisking constantly, until it reaches the consistency of thick pudding. (Be careful not to curdle the eggs.)
5. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter until incorporated. Pour into a shallow bowl, place plastic wrap directly on the surface, and chill.
6. To assemble, using an electric mixer or a whisk, whip the heavy cream and crème fraîche into peaks. Transfer the pastry cream to a large bowl and whisk until smooth. Fold in ½ cup of the whipped cream. Line the bottom of the pie crust with a layer of bananas. Fold the remaining bananas into the pastry cream, then spoon it evenly into the crust. Mound the remaining whipped cream on top, swirling it decoratively. Chill, and serve within 24 hours.
SERVES 8
JANUARY 14, 2007: “THE WAY WE EAT: L.A.’S TOP BANANA,” BY JENNIFER STEINHAUER. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM CLEMENTINE IN LOS ANGELES.
—2007
RHUBARB ORANGE
It may seem wrongheaded to add citrus to already tart rhubarb, but it won’t once you taste it.
———
14 ounces rhubarb, trimmed
1 blood or navel orange
2 vanilla beans
3 tablespoons Demerara sugar (or other raw sugar)
⅔ cup crème fraîche
1. Heat the oven to 300 degrees. Cut the rhubarb into 2- to 2½-inch pieces and place in a medium bowl. Finely grate the zest of half the orange over the rhubarb, and then squeeze the juice of the whole orange into the bowl. Split the vanilla beans, scrape out the seeds, and place both in the bowl. Add the sugar and stir to combine.
2. Pour the rhubarb into a baking dish and arrange the pieces so that they lie flat. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the vanilla beans. Serve with the crème fraîche.
SERVES 4
APRIL 29, 2007: “THE STALK OF THE TOWN,” BY AMANDA HESSER. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM ITALIAN TWO EASY: SIMPLE RECIPES FROM THE LONDON RIVER CAFÉ, BY ROSE GRAY AND RUTH ROGERS.
—2007
COEUR À LA CRÈME WITH RHUBARB SAUCE
Seeing ricotta only as a filling would be to miss the point. Unlike cream, which can flatten a dish, or grated cheese, which can weigh it down, ricotta has a way of complementing other flavors without masking them. It is a muse for the plain-food set—and a reminder that restraint has its merits.
A few years ago, at a dinner party, my friend Narcissa Titman spooned out fluffy dollops of this coeur à la crème, a throwback I’d read about but never encountered. Whole-milk ricotta, whipped egg whites, whipped cream, and the tiniest bit of sugar come together in a cream that’s as light as goose down yet substantial enough to call dessert. Gentle waves of flavor were all the intensity this perfectly plain dessert would ever need.
Narcissa got the recipe from her friend Betty Kramer; Betty no longer recalls where she discovered it. I added the rhubarb sauce. If you don’t have heart molds, just use a wide shallow sieve.
For coeur à la crème’s frenemy, see the Fontainebleau here.
———
1 pound whole-milk ricotta
3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup heavy cream
3 large egg whites
Pinch of salt
4 cups chopped rhubarb (about 8 stalks)
⅓ cup granulated sugar
1 whole clove
¼ cinnamon stick
1. Line two 7-inch-wide perforated ceramic heart-shaped molds or a shallow 8-inch round sieve with 4 layers of cheesecloth that have been rinsed in cold water and wrung out.
2. Using the back of a spoon, press the ricotta through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Stir in the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla. Whip the cream and fold it into the ricotta mixture. Whip the egg whites with the salt until stiff, then fold them into the ricotta as well.
3. Fill the lined mold or sieve with the ricotta mixture, making sure you don’t flatten or mush it. Fold the excess cheesecloth over the ricotta. Place on a tray or in a bowl and refrigerate overnight to drain.
4. The next day, combine the rhubarb, sugar, clove, and cinnamon in a small saucepan. Cover and simmer over medium heat until the pieces of rhubarb are soft but still intact, 5 minutes. Let cool.
5. To serve, unmold the ricotta cream onto a platter and pass it along with the rhubarb sauce.
SERVES 6
MAY 13, 2007: “THE WAY WE EAT: THE CHEESE STANDS ALONE,” BY AMANDA HESSER. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM NARCISSA TITMAN AND BETTY KRAMER.
—2007
CRUNCHY NOODLE KUGEL À LA GREAT-AUNT MARTHA
Melissa Clark has written nearly twenty cookbooks and has collaborated with chefs such as Claudia Fleming (see here) and Daniel Boulud on yet more cookbooks. A few years ago, the Times hired Clark to write a weekly cooking column, “A Good Appetite.” Clark’s cooking is larded with smart details that make her recipes distinctive yet inclusive. Her spinach dip here is deepened with smoked paprika; her pea pancakes are sweetened with a puree of sugar snap peas; and, here, her noodle kugel is brilliantly reconstructed by spreading the noodles on a baking sheet, so that everyone gets plenty of crisp bits.
———
1 cup raisins
Sherry or orange juice
1 pound egg noodles
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
4 large eggs
3 cups cottage cheese
1 cup sour cream
⅓ cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Grated zest of 1 lemon
Pinch of salt
1. Put the raisins in a microwave-safe bowl or a small saucepan and cover with the sherry. Heat in the microwave oven or on the stovetop until the liquid is steaming hot (about 1½ minutes in the microwave, or 3 minutes on the stove). Let cool while you prepare the kugel mixture.
2. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Butter an 11-by-17-inch jelly-roll pan. Cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain well, immediately return the noodles to the pot, and add the butter. Toss until the butter melts.
3. Whisk together the eggs, cottage cheese, sour cream, sugar, cinnamon, lemon zest, and salt in a large bowl. Drain the raisins and add to the bowl, along with the buttered noodles. Mix well.
4. Spread the mixture in the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake until the top is crusty and golden, 25 to 35 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
SERVES 12
SEPTEMBER 12, 2007: “A GOOD APPETITE: EXTRA CRUNCH FOR THE KUGEL,” BY MELISSA CLARK.
—2007
PLUM FRITTERS
These fritters look as if little plum bombs had exploded in hot oil, but man, are they good—sugar and fried dough crisply wrapping a jammy interior.
———
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
3 large eggs, separated
½ cup ice water
2½ tablespoons plum brandy (or other eau-de-vie)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Canola oil or vegetable shortening for deep-frying
6 small ripe plums, halved and pitted
1. Mix together the flour, salt, and 1 tablespoon sugar in a bowl. Make a well in the center and add the egg yolks and ice water. Gradually blend the liquid into the flour mixture until almost smooth. Stir in the plum brandy. Chill for 30 minutes.
2. Combine the cinnamon with the remaining ½ cup sugar in a wide shallow bowl. Whip the egg whites to soft peaks.
3. Fold the whipped egg whites into the batter. Heat 2 inches of oil in a large heavy saucepan over medium-high heat; it’s hot enough when it quickly browns a small drop of batter. Working in batches, coat the plum halves in the batter, then fry in the oil until puffed and golden, turning once. If you have one, use a splatter guard to prevent the juices from splattering. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fritters to the bowl of cinnamon sugar, roll them in the sugar, and then set on a plate lined with paper towels. Eat warm or at room temperature.
MAKES 12 FRITTERS; SERVES 4 TO 6
SEPTEMBER 16, 2007: “THE WAY WE EAT: BLESS THIS MESS,” BY AMANDA HESSER.
—2007
QUEEN OF PUDDINGS
This bread pudding spread with jam and crowned with meringue was created for Queen Victoria by her cooks, and now you may make it for yourself.
———
1½ cups plus 1 teaspoon sugar
4 cups whole milk
Pinch of salt
Finely grated zest of 2 lemons
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ pound slightly stale white bread, cut into ½-inch cubes (7 to 8 cups)
4 large eggs, separated
4 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons apricot jam
½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Stir together ½ cup sugar, the milk, salt, lemon zest, and butter in a medium pot. Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat, cover, and let steep for 30 minutes.
2. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan or a 2-quart gratin dish. Lay the bread cubes evenly over the bottom.
3. Beat the 8 egg yolks in a medium bowl. Stir in 1 cup of the warm milk, then pour the tempered yolks into the remaining milk. Pass the liquid through a sieve onto the cubes of bread. Push down on the cubes to submerge them, and let soak for 20 to 60 minutes.
4. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Put the baking pan of soaking bread in a larger baking pan and add enough hot water to the larger pan to come halfway up the sides of the smaller one. Bake until the bread cubes bounce back when pressed with your finger, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, and let rest in the water bath. (Keep the oven on.)
5. Warm the jam in a small saucepan, and spread it over the baked custard.
6. In a mixture fitted with a whisk attachment (or in a bowl with a hand mixer), beat the egg whites on low speed until foamy. Beat in the lemon juice and vanilla, and gradually increase the speed to high. When the whites form very soft peaks, add 1 cup sugar, a little at a time, beating until glossy, stiff peaks form.
7. Cover the jam with dollops of meringue, then sprinkle with the remaining 1 teaspoon sugar. Bake until the meringue peaks are lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool completely, then refrigerate. Serve chilled.
SERVES 6
NOVEMBER 18, 2007: “FOOD: THE WAY WE EAT: THE SWEET HEREAFTER,” BY CHRISTINE MUHLKE. ADAPTED FROM LOST DESSERTS, BY GAIL MONAGHAN.
—2007
CHURROS WITH CHOCOLATE SAUCE
These Spanish doughnuts are like thinner, crisper crullers—almost all shell and no interior, like a muffin top.
———
For the Chocolate Sauce
1 cup heavy cream
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon bourbon
For the Churros
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ cup sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
8 cups peanut oil, for deep-frying
1. To make the chocolate sauce, heat the cream in a medium saucepan until small bubbles form around the edges. Remove from the heat. Add the chocolate to the hot cream and let sit for 5 minutes, then stir until smooth. Stir in the butter and then the bourbon. Cover and keep warm.
2. To make the churros, combine the cinnamon and sugar in a shallow pan; set aside. Melt the butter with the milk and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat, and bring to a boil. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until a dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and cool for 3 minutes, then stir the eggs into the batter until smooth. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip with the batter.
3. Meanwhile, heat about 3 inches of oil to 350 degrees in a medium pot. Holding the pastry bag several inches above the oil, squeeze out the batter and snip it with kitchen shears when it reaches 4 inches long. Fry the churros in batches, turning once, until deep golden brown, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. While they are still hot, roll in the cinnamon sugar. (The churros can be made ahead and kept warm in a low-temperature oven.) Serve with the chocolate sauce.
MAKES ABOUT 16 CHURROS
OCTOBER 5, 2008: “THE WAY WE EAT: FRY, BABY,” BY KELLY ALEXANDER. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM WATTS GROCERY IN DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA.
—2008
SUGARED PUFFS
These puffs were inspired by Maida Heatter’s Preheated-Oven Popovers here. David Lebovitz, a cookbook author and blogger (www.davidlebovitz.com), took Heatter’s batter, added more sugar and more salt, and then, after baking, brushed the popovers with butter and dipped them in cinnamon sugar.
“It’s like a cinnamon doughnut,” he said. “Who needs the fried and all the inside? You want the crunch.” That’s exactly what you get: a crisp, fragrant swell of pastry, pebbled with sugar: part soufflé, part doughnut, part cinnamon toast. As with Heatter’s popovers, all you need is a blender and a tiny pulse of ambition, and you’ll have a new favorite dessert.
———
For the Puffs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup whole milk
1½ teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
For the Sugar Coating
⅔ cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1. To make the puffs, heat the oven to 400 degrees. Liberally butter a nonstick popover pan or a muffin pan with ½-cup molds. Put the melted butter, eggs, milk, sugar, and salt in a blender and whiz for a few seconds. Add the flour and whiz for 5 to 8 seconds, just until smooth.
2. Divide the batter among 8 or 9 greased molds, filling each half to three-quarters full. Bake for 35 minutes, or until the puffs are deep brown.
3. Remove from the oven and wait a few minutes until cool enough to handle, then remove the puffs from the pan. You may need a small knife to help pry them out.
4. To make the coating, mix the sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Thoroughly brush each puff all over with melted butter, then dredge in the cinnamon sugar to coat completely. Let cool on a baking rack.
MAKES 8 TO 9 PUFFS (8 IN A POPOVER PAN, 9 IN A MUFFIN PAN)
MARCH 15, 2009: “RECIPE REDUX, 1966: MAIDA HEATTER’S POPOVERS,” BY AMANDA HESSER. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM DAVID LEBOVITZ, THE AUTHOR OF ROOM FOR DESSERT AND THE GREAT BOOK OF CHOCOLATE, AMONG OTHER TITLES.
—2009
