“Comfort me with apples, for I am sick of love.”
—King Solomon
As a member of the new breed of chefs during the megatrend eighties, ivy-educated and food-fad fed in every hot new restaurant between Nantucket, New York, and the Napa Valley, it is absolutely amazing that I have emerged with nary a kiwi, carambola, nor passion fruit in my repertoire. There must be something inexpugnable in my Yankee roots that makes me favor a hefty wedge of my mother’s apple pie to the most haute couture sliver of Tiramisù. Indeed, if truth be told, I would opt for a crate of cranberries from the swampy bogs of Cape Cod over the most precious half-pint of raspberries any day of the week. Come November, I not only love but also need the uncomplicated comfort of a just-baked Apple Brown Betty harboring an ovenful of warmth. Ruby Poached Pears proffer the most innocent sort of seduction, while pumpkin puddings, oatmeal cookies, and maple mousses remind one that pleasure can be a very simple affair. This collection of homey and nostalgic special relishes and desserts is rooted for the most part in the straightforward traditions of old-fashioned New England cookery. These are pies, puddings, and custards that render a sweet finale to the Thanksgiving feast and then continue to entice with the most reassuring antidote I know to blustery winds and icy drafts during cold-weather months.
A preference for cooked cranberry sauce or raw cranberry relish seems to have more to do with family traditions than taste. For those reared in the “cooked” mode, this version laced with port and crunchy toasted pecan halves is bound to please.
1 pound fresh cranberries
½ cup port
½ cup fresh orange juice
1 cup diced dried apricots
½ cup (packed) light brown sugar
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup pecan halves, lightly toasted
Place the cranberries, port, orange juice, apricots, and sugars in a saucepan. Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries are cooked and the sauce is thick, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the heat, cool, and stir in the pecan halves. Store covered in the refrigerator. The mixture will keep for several weeks and is best brought to room temperature before serving.
Makes about 4 cups
This raw relish is so named because it is the recipe I am most eager to make when the island’s first cranberries of the season are harvested. The citrus of lime and tangerine complements the tang of the cranberries and I’ve always found the unique flavor of pine nuts to have a natural affinity with cranberries. I think a dollop of this relish perks up any plate or palate, be it breakfast, lunch or dinner.
1½ pounds fresh cranberries
1 lime
1 tangerine
¾ cup (packed) light brown sugar
¾ cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons orange liqueur
Scant pinch ground cloves
¼ cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
1. Place the cranberries in a food processor and process just until the cranberries are coarsely chopped. Transfer to a mixing bowl.
2. Cut the lime and tangerine (peel and all) into ½-inch pieces. Remove any tangerine seeds and place the fruits in the food processor. Process until the fruit is finely chopped. Add to the cranberries.
3. Add the sugars, orange liqueur, and cloves to the cranberries and stir well to combine. Taste for sweetness and adjust if it seems too tart. Fold in the pine nuts and let the flavors of the relish mellow overnight in the refrigerator. This relish will keep for several weeks stored in the refrigerator.
Makes about 6 cups
My friend Al Cummings prevailed upon me from his office in Toronto to include this recipe in my cookbook. When I told him that I already had a surfeit of wonderful cranberry recipes, he pleaded with me to make room for just one more since this confit always leaves fellow Torontonians “crying for more!” Since I know far better than to question any of Al’s epicurean passions, I concocted a batch of this tart and tangy cranberry confit in my kitchen posthaste. Al, of course, did not lead me astray, and I am delighted to present my adaptation of the recipe as an alluring alternative to sweet cranberry relishes.
1½ pounds white pearl onions
⅔ cup golden raisins
⅔ cup dark raisins
2 cups boiling water
6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter
½ cup sugar
½ cup balsamic vinegar
1½ cups dry red wine
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon salt
12 ounces fresh cranberries
1. Trim the onions, leaving the skins on. Drop the onions into a large pot of boiling water and cook 30 seconds. Drain and slip the onions out of their skins as soon as they are cool enough to handle.
2. Combine the raisins in a small bowl, cover with the 2 cups of boiling water, and let stand 10 minutes.
3. Melt the butter in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat and stir in the onions. Add the sugar and 1 tablespoon of the vinegar. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar is dissolved and beginning to caramelize, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining vinegar and the wine; bring to a boil and continue to boil 2 minutes. Add the raisins with soaking liquid, the garlic, thyme, and salt. Simmer the mixture covered until the onions are tender, about 45 minutes.
4. Add the cranberries to the pan. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries are cooked and the confit has thickened, 20 to 25 minutes. Let the confit cool and serve at room temperature. Store any leftover confit in the refrigerator but be sure to bring it back to room temperature before serving.
Makes about 4 cups
For some reason I have an adversity to pumpkin pie, so I am forever conjuring up alternatives. This one is quite elegant, even though I have never had much luck getting all of the caramel coating to come out when I invert the dessert. Inevitably, there is a nice hard coating of caramel glued to the bottom of the mold. Rather than wrestle with the stuff with a soapy scouring pad, I stab it hard with a blunt knife to loosen it and break it up into praline-like shards. This is an excellent form of stress release, and the shards look stunning sprinkled all over and around the crème caramel.
1 cup granulated sugar
¼ cup water
¾ cup chopped lightly toasted macadamia nuts
½ cup (packed) light brown sugar
1 cup pumpkin puŕee, fresh or canned
⅓ cup orange-flavored liqueur
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
6 large eggs
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
3 cups half-and-half, scalded
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. In a small saucepan combine the granulated sugar and the water. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Continue to boil, without stirring, until the mixture turns golden brown, about 5 minutes. Watch carefully to avoid burning. Pour the hot caramel immediately into a 2-quart ring mold. Sprinkle with the macadamia nuts and tilt to coat the sides of the mold. Set aside.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat together the brown sugar, pumpkin, liqueur, nutmeg, ginger, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Gradually beat in the eggs, cream cheese, scalded half-and-half, and condensed milk. Beat until very smooth, 4 to 5 minutes. Pour the mixture into the ring mold.
4. Place the mold in a larger baking pan and pour in enough hot water to come 1 inch up the side of the mold. Bake until firm and set, 50 to 60 minutes. Cool 1 hour, then refrigerate overnight.
5. Run the tip of a small knife around the side of the custard to loosen it. Dip the bottom part of the mold briefly in a shallow dish of very hot water to loosen the caramel. Invert quickly onto a serving plate. Pry any caramel remaining in the mold loose by jabbing it forcefully with a blunt knife. (Beware of flying shards.) Sprinkle the pieces of caramel over the custard. Serve the custard in slices. For an even richer dessert, the slices may be placed on top of a smooth fruit sauce, such as raspberry or cranberry, or served in a pool of liqueur-spiked crème anglaise.
Makes 8 to 10 servings
This is another one of my alternative-to-pumpkin-pie desserts. As it was not conceived as a quick dessert using up stale bread, it should not be undertaken unless you are in the mood to do some serious cooking and have the time to devote to an elaborate but ultimately satisfying and tasty creation. The bread in the dessert is a homemade yeast-based pumpkin bread, which is worth making in its own right to use as a fabulous enclosure for that day-after-Thanksgiving sandwich. The custard is also pumpkin and all is crowned lavishly with cider-simmered pears. The Caramelized Amaretto Cream adds the final embellishment. Allow two days for the work and to build up adequate anticipation for enjoying the final masterpiece.
1½ tablespoons active dry yeast
⅓ cup warm water
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup pumpkin puŕee, fresh or canned
3 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons salt
2 large eggs
⅓ cup milk
5 to 5½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
Pears
2 cups sweet apple cider
3 tablespoons amaretto liqueur
½ cup (packed) light brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
6 pears, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
Pumpkin Custard
2½ cups milk
¾ cup heavy or whipping cream
6 large eggs
2 cups pumpkin purée, fresh or canned
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
3 tablespoons amaretto liqueur
Caramelized Amaretto Cream (recipe follows)
1. Two days before you plan to serve the pudding, prepare the bread: Place the yeast and water in a large mixing bowl and let stand until dissolved, 5 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together the butter, pumpkin, honey, salt, eggs, and milk. Whisk this mixture into the yeast. Using a wooden spoon, gradually stir in enough flour to make a soft, pliable dough. Knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth and satiny, about 5 minutes.
2. Transfer the dough to a clean bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled, 1 to 1½ hours.
3. Butter a 9 × 5-inch loaf pan. Punch the dough down and transfer it to to a lightly floured surface. Roll out into a 15 × 9-inch rectangle. Starting at one short side, roll the dough into a loaf and place in the prepared loaf pan. Cover and let rise again until doubled, about 1 hour.
4. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
5. Bake the pumpkin bread until crusty and brown on top, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool slightly, remove from the pan, and cool completely. Let the bread sit uncovered for at least a day before cutting into ½-inch cubes for the pudding. You will need 9 cups of loosely packed cubes for the pudding; save the remaining bread for another use.
6. Prepare the pears: Place the cider, liqueur, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium-size saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the sliced pears and cook 5 minutes. Remove the pears with a slotted spoon and set aside in a bowl. Simmer the remaining liquid until reduced to a thin syrup, about 30 minutes. Return the pears to the pan and cook a few minutes more, turning the pears to coat with the syrup. Set aside.
7. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 15 × 10-inch baking dish.
8. Place the 9 cups cubed pumpkin bread in the prepared baking dish.
9. Prepare the pumpkin custard: Scald the milk and cream together in a saucepan over medium heat. In a mixing bowl whisk together the eggs, pumpkin, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg until well blended. Whisk in the scalded milk and cream, then the liqueur. Pour the custard evenly over the bread in the baking dish.
10. Set the baking dish in a larger baking pan and add enough water to come 1 inch up the side of the dish. Bake the pudding 40 minutes. Spoon the pears and syrup over the top and bake until the custard is set, 20 to 25 minutes longer. Serve the pudding warm or at room temperature, drizzling each serving with Caramelized Amaretto Cream.
Makes 12 servings
1 cup sugar
¾ cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup heavy or whipping cream, at room temperature
¼ cup amaretto liqueur
1. Place the sugar, water, and vanilla in a small heavy saucepan. Stir over low heat to dissolve the sugar. Increase the heat to medium-high and boil, without stirring, until the mixture turns golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat.
2. Gradually whisk in the cream, being careful to stand back as the mixture will sputter and bubble. Return the mixture to low heat and stir until thickened to the consistency of thick whipping cream, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the liqueur. Serve warm.
Makes about 2 cups
I’ve always thought of Apple Brown Betty, a casserole of sliced apples and sweetened and buttered crumbs, as the quintessential Yankee, cold-weather dessert. Using day-old doughnuts for the crumbs makes for an extra good rendition of this homey apple pudding.
8 apples, peeled, cored, and coarsely sliced
½ cup (packed) light brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
½ cup apple cider
4 day-old plain doughnuts
½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
½ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Toss the apples with the sugars, spices, lemon juice, and cider in a large mixing bowl.
3. Process the doughnuts into crumbs in a food processor and toss with the oatmeal and walnuts. Drizzle with the melted butter and toss to moisten the crumbs evenly.
4. Sprinkle one-third of the crumbs over the bottom of a deep 2-quart casserole. Top with half the apple mixture. Sprinkle with another third of the crumbs and top with the rest of the apples. Sprinkle the remaining crumbs over the top and dot with 2 tablespoons butter.
5. Bake until the top is crusty brown and the apples are bubbly, about 1 hour. Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Makes 8 to 10 servings
This mousse is a welcome light sweet in the post-harvest repertoire of desserts. I make it with dark amber maple syrup rather than the more expensive grade A because I feel the less refined syrup imparts a richer and more complex flavor to the mousse.
⅓ cup cold water
3 large eggs, separated
⅓ cup (packed) light brown sugar
1 cup dark amber maple syrup
2 tablespoons dark rum
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 cups heavy or whipping cream
Small maple sugar candies for garnish
1. Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water and set aside to soften, 5 minutes.
2. Place the egg yolks, brown sugar, and maple syrup in the top of a double boiler and stir to combine. Cook over simmering water, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened, 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the gelatin, and stir to dissolve. Cool completely, then refrigerate until the mixture just begins to set, 15 to 20 minutes. (Do not allow it to gel.) Stir in the rum.
3. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Beat in the granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, and continue to beat until stiff and shiny. Gently fold half the egg whites into the maple mixture to lighten, then fold in the remaining whites.
4. Beat the cream until soft peaks form. Fold into the maple mixture. Spoon the mousse into a serving bowl or individual stemmed goblets. Refrigerate several hours or overnight. Garnish the top of each serving with a small maple sugar candy.
Makes 6 to 8 servings
These are a holiday variation on My Grandmother’s Oatmeal Cookies published in my last cookbook. The original recipe is not only one of my very favorites but also the most controversial recipe in the Nantucket Open-House collection. Most home cooks had difficulty incorporating the 4 pounds of oats into the batter that the commercial mixer in my catering kitchen accomplished quite effortlessly. I received numerous calls, at all hours of the day and night, from would-be cookie makers exasperated and exhausted by the culinary aerobics of making the batter. To appease all weary oatmeal-cookie lovers, I have scaled down the recipe and can confidently guarantee delicious home results. Cranberry fiend that I am, I might add that I prefer this pretty, ruby-speckled version to the original recipe. Bake plenty, the cookies make an especially welcome Thanksgiving or Christmas hostess gift.
1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted margarine
1¾ cups (packed) light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1½ tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 box (18 ounces) old-fashioned rolled oats
12 ounces fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped
½ cup golden raisins
Finely chopped zest of 1 orange
1¼ cups coarsely chopped walnuts
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Cream the margarine and sugar in a large bowl until smooth. Add the eggs, honey, vanilla, and salt and beat until smooth and creamy.
3. Using a large wooden spoon or your hands, work in the flour and oats until well combined. Add the cranberries, raisins, orange zest, and walnuts; mix until evenly incorporated.
4. With your hands, form the dough on the baking sheets into patties ½ inch thick and 2½ to 3 inches in diameter.
5. Bake the cookies until lightly browned but still a little soft at the center, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool on wire racks.
Makes about 25 cookies
The voluptuous simplicity of these sparkling red pears makes them a stunning fruit dessert. An accompanying blue-veined cheese and a plate of biscotti would enhance the presentation beautifully.
5 cups fruity red wine, such as Beaujolais or Zinfandel
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup cassis liqueur
2 cinnamon sticks (2 inches each)
8 whole cloves
Zest of 1 lemon removed in a wide spiral strip
10 medium-ripe pears, peeled
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1. Combine the wine, sugar, liqueur, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and lemon zest in a wide, deep saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
2. Carefully add the pears to the pan, stem end up, making sure all are immersed in the liquid, and simmer uncovered until tender but not mushy, about 20 minutes. Let cool to room temperature in the poaching liquid.
3. Remove the pears from the pan and place upright on a tray or platter. Bring the poaching liquid to a full boil and continue to boil until reduced to 2 cups, 15 to 20 minutes. Strain into a clean small saucepan. Add the cornstarch and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and shiny. Remove from the heat.
4. Using a pastry brush, coat the poached pears generously with the glaze. Transfer the pears to a serving platter. Serve at room temperature within 3 to 4 hours of glazing.
Makes 10 servings
The old-fashioned flavor of this great, homey dessert is not obtained without some serious time and effort in the kitchen. However, the dumplings are more fun than fussy to assemble, and the rave reviews of dessert lovers are sure to make the domestic endeavor most worthwhile.
2½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled, cut into small pieces
8 ounces cream cheese, chilled, cut into small pieces
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Filling
½ cup golden raisins
⅓ cup Calvados or applejack
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled, cut into small cubes
½ cup (packed) light brown sugar
½ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
6 large Golden Delicious apples
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
8 cinnamon graham cracker squares, crushed into fine crumbs
6 cinnamon sticks (2 inches each)
1. Prepare the pastry: Place the flour, salt, butter, and cream cheese in a food processor and process until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the vanilla and continue processing until the dough forms a ball. Shape the dough into a flat disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
2. In the meantime, prepare the filling: Place the raisins and Calvados in a small saucepan, bring to a boil, then simmer 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool slightly. In a small bowl blend the butter and sugar together with a fork until crumbly. Stir in the walnuts, cinnamon, and nutmeg, then blend in the raisins and set aside.
3. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
4. Using a small paring knife, core each apple without piercing through the bottom of the apple. Peel the apples.
5. Place the graham cracker crumbs in a shallow bowl. Brush each apple with some of the beaten egg, then roll in the crumbs to coat thoroughly. Fill the center of each apple compactly with the raisin filling.
6. Divide the chilled pastry into 6 equal pieces. Roll out each piece ⅛ inch thick, then trim to a 9-inch circle, reserving the scraps. Set an apple in the center of each pastry circle. Bring up all sides of the pastry to enclose the apple and meet on top at the center. Poke a cinnamon stick in the center of each apple to serve as a mock stem. Seal the pastry around the cinnamon stick, trimming the excess.
7. Arrange the dumplings on the baking sheet and brush the pastry all over with the beaten egg. Roll out the pastry scraps and cut out free-form leaves to place around the “stems” on each dumpling. Brush again with egg.
8. Bake until the apples are tender and the crust is golden brown, about 40 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Makes 6 servings
I’ve never been too wild about the layer of custard that forms in the middle of most pecan pies, so I decided to experiment with a chewier, date-laced filling. I was crazy about the results and must add that the chocolate, coffee, and bourbon all conspire to make this one of the best pecan pies ever!
Crust
1½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled, cut into small pieces
2 to 3 tablespoons ice water
Filling
6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon instant coffee granules
3 tablespoons bourbon
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup (packed) light brown sugar
½ cup light corn syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1¼ cups coarsely chopped pitted dates
1⅔ cups pecan halves
1. Prepare the crust: Place the flour, salt, and butter in a food processor and process just until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. With the machine running, add the water through the feed tube and process just until the dough begins to form into a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
3. Roll the dough out into a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Transfer to a 10-inch pie plate; trim and crimp the edge decoratively. Place the pie shell in the freezer while preparing the filling.
4. Place the chocolate chips, coffee, and bourbon in a small saucepan. Heat over low heat, stirring frequently until the chocolate is melted. Remove from the heat and set aside.
5. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together in a medium-size bowl. Beat in the corn syrup, vanilla, and eggs, one at a time. Stir in the melted chocolate mixture and the dates. Coarsely chop ⅔ cup of the pecans and stir into the filling. Pour the filling evenly into the prepared pie shell. Arrange the whole pecan halves in circles over the top of the pie.
6. Bake the pie until the filling is set, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool to room temperature and serve in slices with a dollop of whipped cream if desired.
Makes 8 to 10 servings
As a cook and cookbook author, I’m always delighted by the bonus of receiving a wonderful recipe from a friend. Although the sharing of tried and true recipes certainly makes my professional job easier, it is really the rich friendships born of culinary connections that make my private life truly meaningful.
Toby is a great and enthusiastic lady from Baltimore whom I befriended as a favored customer when I was starting out in the catering business. Throughout the years of entertainment highs and culinary woes, she has become an avid supporter and cherished confidante. While this fabulous crustless pie recipe reveals something of Toby’s impeccable taste, it cannot begin to communicate and capture the extraordinary warmth and caring of her personality.
½ cup (packed) light brown sugar
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ cup coarsely chopped walnuts
2 large eggs
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup sour cream
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Butter a 10-inch pie plate.
2. Place the cranberries in the prepared pie plate and toss them with the brown sugar, orange zest, cinnamon, and walnuts so all is evenly mixed. Spread the mixture out evenly in the plate.
3. Whisk the eggs together in a mixing bowl. Beat in the butter, sugar, vanilla, and sour cream until blended. Gradually stir in the flour and mix until smooth. Pour evenly over the cranberries in the pie plate.
4. Bake the pie until the fruit is bubbling and it is browned on top, 55 to 60 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature with a scoop of vanilla ice cream if desired.
Makes 6 to 8 servings
This is my mother’s elaboration on a recipe clipped out of a ladies’ magazine years ago. The pie should be made with tart apples, and it is at my father’s insistence that we use Rhode Island Greenings. Depending on her mood, my mother will flavor the apples with either cinnamon, Scandinavian cardamom, or angostura bitters. Unlike most pies, this one tastes better a day or two after it is baked. For many years now, it has been my favorite way to both end the Thanksgiving splendor and begin the day the morning after.
Crust
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled, cut into small pieces
½ cup vegetable shortening
¼ teaspoon salt
3 to 4 tablespoons ice water
11 cups quartered, cored, peeled Rhode Island Greening apples (about 12)
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
⅔ cup heavy or whipping cream
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground cardamom, or dash of angostura bitters
Milk for brushing the top crust
1. Prepare the crust: Place the flour, butter, shortening and salt in a food processor and process just until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. With the machine running, add enough ice water through the feed tube for the dough to begin to form into a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate.
2. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
3. Divide the pastry dough in half. Roll out one half into a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Line a 10-inch pie plate with the dough and trim the edge.
4. Prepare the filling: Place the apples in a large mixing bowl and toss with the sugar, flour, salt, cream, and seasoning of choice. Mound the filling in the pie shell.
5. Roll out the remaining dough ⅛ inch thick. Cover the pie with the top crust, pressing firmly to seal the edge, and crimp the edge decoratively. Make several small steam vent slashes in the top crust, then brush it with a little milk to ensure a shiny crust. Place the pie on a baking sheet to catch any drips while baking.
6. Bake the pie until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling, 1¼ to 1½ hours. If the crust seems to be getting too brown, cover it loosely with foil and continue baking. Cool the pie overnight. Serve at room temperature with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream if desired.
Makes 8 to 10 servings
This sublime tart requires some time and concentration to prepare, but it is well worth the effort, for the dessert is one of the most exquisite finales I know to a stylish dinner. I first created this tart while visiting my parents in Maine to pay homage to the delicious pear wine that Bob and Cathe Bartlett make at their Down East winery, so the Bartlett in the title of the recipe is really a double entendre. As the Bartlett’s pear wine is hard to come by outside of Maine, I’ve also tested the recipe with a dry white wine; the results are fine, although the pear flavor in the custard will be more subtle.
Hazelnut Crust
1 cup skinned hazelnuts, lightly toasted
¼ cup granulated sugar
1¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled, cut into small pieces
1 large egg yolk
Poached Pears
5 ripe Bartlett pears, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cored
2 cups pear or dry white wine
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
4 whole cloves
Custard Filling
1½ cups half-and-half
6 large egg yolks
¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup (packed) light brown sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Glaze
½ cup apricot jam, melted
3 tablespoons skinned toasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
1. Prepare the crust: Place the hazelnuts and sugar in a food processor and process until the nuts are finely ground. Add the flour, cinnamon, and salt; process to combine. Add the butter and egg yolk; process just until the dough forms a ball. Press the dough over the bottom and up the side of a fluted 10-inch tart pan. Place the tart shell in the freezer for 15 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
3. Prick the chilled tart shell on the bottom with a fork in several places. Bake just until the shell begins to brown lightly, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
4. Prepare the poached pears: Place the pears, wine, sugar, and cloves in a shallow wide saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer the pears uncovered until they are just crisp-tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the pears with a slotted spoon and let drain on a large plate. Boil the poaching liquid over high heat until reduced to ⅓ cup; it will be thick and syrupy. Discard the cloves and set aside.
5. Prepare the custard: Bring the half-and-half to a simmer in a small saucepan. In a mixing bowl whisk the egg yolks, flour, and brown sugar until smooth. Gradually whisk in about half the simmering cream to warm the egg mixture, then whisk it back into the remaining cream. Bring just to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring constantly, until the custard is thick and smooth, a few minutes more. Transfer the hot custard to a clean bowl and whisk in the almond extract, butter, and reduced poaching liquid. Set aside.
6. When ready to assemble the tart, preheat the oven again to 375°F.
7. Spread the custard evenly in the partially baked tart shell. Lay the pear halves cut side down on a clean work surface. Carefully slice the halves crosswise at ⅛-inch intervals, cutting almost but not quite all the way through to the bottom. (The pear halves should remain intact on the cut side.) Arrange the pears on top of the custard in a circle with the narrow points to the center and a half pear set in the center of the tart. Fan the pear slices slightly by pressing them gently into the custard.
8. Bake the tart until the custard is set and lightly browned, 30 to 40 minutes.
9. Brush the warm tart evenly with the melted apricot jam to glaze, then sprinkle with the chopped hazelnuts. Serve the tart slightly warm or at room temperature.
Makes 8 servings
The food processor makes this sensational tart a breeze to assemble. The crunch of three different nuts with the crispness of just-harvested apples makes this dessert the culinary equivalent to an invigorating stroll through the countryside on a clear and chilly day.
1¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
⅓ cup confectioners’ sugar
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
5½ tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled, cut into small pieces
1 large egg
2 tablespoons cold water
Nut Cream
¾ cup blanched almonds
¾ cup skinned hazelnuts
¾ cup granulated sugar
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 large egg
½ teaspoon almond extract
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Apples and Streusel Topping
4 apples such as Golden Delicious or McIntosh, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon brandy
3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons walnuts, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons old-fashioned rolled oats
1. Prepare the crust: Place the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and butter in a food processor and process just until the mixture forms coarse crumbs. Beat the egg and water together, add to the flour mixture, and process just until the mixture begins to form into a ball. Dust the dough lightly with flour, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate 30 minutes.
2. Roll out the dough into a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Transfer to a 10 to 11-inch tart pan with a removable bottom; trim and crimp the edge. Place the tart shell in the freezer while proceeding with the recipe.
3. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
4. Prepare the nut cream: Place the almonds, hazelnuts, and sugar in a food processor and process until the nuts are finely ground. Add the butter, egg, and extracts and process until smooth. Set aside briefly.
5. Prepare the topping: Toss the sliced apples with the lemon juice and brandy in a mixing bowl. Spread the nut cream evenly over the bottom of the chilled tart shell. Arrange the apple slices in concentric circles over the nut cream.
6. Place the 3 tablespoons flour, brown sugar, and butter in the food processor and process until crumbly. Add the cinnamon, walnuts, and oatmeal; process quickly just to incorporate. Sprinkle the streusel topping over the apples.
7. Bake the tart until the streusel is golden brown and the filling is set, 45 to 50 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature with rich vanilla ice cream.
Makes 8 servings
These make a light and gentle ending to a rich Thanksgiving dinner. They are so dainty and delicious that I am also prone to making them at Christmastime, when a little sprig of holly serves as a smashing garnish.
Almond Crust
½ cup blanched almonds, lightly toasted
1½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons sugar
Pinch of salt
1 large egg
1 teaspoon almond extract
Cranberry Curd
4 cups fresh cranberries (about 1½ packages)
½ cup fresh orange juice
1 to 1¼ cups sugar
6 large egg yolks
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
Whole cranberries or tiny holly sprigs for garnish
1. Prepare the almond crust: Place the almonds and flour in a food processor and process until the nuts are finely ground. Add the butter, sugar, and salt; process until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the egg and almond extract and continue processing just until the dough holds together. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
3. Roll the dough out ⅛ inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut the dough into circles to fit into ten 3 to 3½-inch round tartlet tins. Trim and crimp the edges decoratively. Line each pastry shell with aluminum foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until beginning to brown lightly, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the foil and pie weights, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F, and continue baking until the shells are golden brown, about 5 minutes more. Let cool completely.
4. Prepare the cranberry curd: Place the cranberries, orange juice, and 1 cup sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the berries have popped and are very soft, 15 to 20 minutes. Press the berries through a food mill to purée and discard the skins and seeds.
5. Place the cranberry purée in a clean saucepan. Taste for sweetness and add up to ¼ cup sugar if the mixture seems too tart. Whisk in the egg yolks and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until very thick, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the heat and stir in the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, waiting for each tablespoon to melt before adding another. Stir in the Grand Marnier and orange zest. Let the mixture cool, then refrigerate for several hours.
6. Just before serving, pipe the cranberry curd through a pastry bag fitted with a decorative tip into the baked pastry shells. Garnish each tartlet in the center with a whole cranberry or a holly sprig.
Makes 10 tartlets
This stunning apple creation is baked in a springform pan with a lovely marzipan pastry. The filling is rich with buttery, Calvados-laced apples which are further embellished with a topping of almond streusel. The result is a unique harvest dessert with the appeal of apple pie and the finesse of European confectionary art.
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup granulated sugar
3 ounces almond paste, broken into small pieces
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled, cut into small pieces
1 large egg, lightly beaten
½ teaspoon almond extract
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Apple Filling
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
½ cup (packed) light brown sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
12 cups coarsely sliced, cored, peeled cooking apples, such as Rhode Island Greenings (about 12 apples)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
¼ cup Calvados or applejack
Streusel Topping
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, chilled, cut into small pieces
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup slivered almonds
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Prepare the marzipan crust: Place the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and granulated sugar in a food processor and process just to combine. Add the almond paste and butter; process until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the egg, extract, and lemon juice; process until the mixture just begins to form into a ball.
3. Press two-thirds of the pastry over the bottom and 2½ inches up the side of a 9-inch springform pan. Refrigerate the remaining dough while preparing the apple filling.
4. To prepare the filling, melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar, lemon juice and zest, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add the apples and stir to coat. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
5. In a small bowl dissolve the cornstarch in the Calvados. Stir into the apple mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour the filling into the crust in the springform pan.
6. Prepare the streusel topping: Place the butter, granulated sugar, and flour in a food processor and process just until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the almonds and pulse the machine just to combine. Sprinkle the streusel over the top of the apples in the pan.
7. Roll out the remaining pastry into a 9½-inch circle and transfer to the top of the torte. Press the edges together to seal and trim and crimp them decoratively. Cut a few slits in the top to allow steam to escape.
8. Bake until the pastry is golden brown, 50 to 60 minutes. Cool to room temperature, remove the side of the pan, and serve cut into wedges.
Makes 10 to 12 servings
Bûche is the French word for log and a Bûche de Noël is a chocolate cake made to look like a tree log and served as a traditional French Christmas dessert. I decided to borrow the concept for an American log cake using the flavors of Thanksgiving. A pumpkin-and-spice genoise cake is rolled with a cream cheese and candied ginger filling, while a generous sprinkling of buttery nut brickle imparts a delightful praline crunch.
Pumpkin Spice Genoise
1 cup cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
¼ teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1 cup pumpkin purée, canned or fresh
1 cup Heath Bar Bits ’O Brickle or other nut brickle (about 6 ounces)
Confectioners’ sugar
Ginger Cream-Cheese Filling
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
⅓ cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped
1 cup Heath Bar Bits ’O Brickle or other nut brickle
½ cup confectioners’ sugar for garnish
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter a 15 × 10-inch jelly-roll pan. Line with a piece of waxed or parchment paper cut ½ inch smaller than the pan, then butter the paper.
2. Prepare the genoise: Sift the cake flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt together into a bowl; set aside.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs in a medium-size bowl until thick and creamy, 4 to 5 minutes. Beat in the brown sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, and continue beating until the mixture is very thick. Beat in the pumpkin purée. Using a large rubber spatula, quickly fold in the sifted flour mixture just until thoroughly combined. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Sprinkle the top evenly with the butter brickle. Bake until the cake springs back when touched lightly in the center, about 15 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes.
4. Using a sharp knife, trim ¼ inch cake from all sides. Invert the cake onto a clean kitchen towel that has been dusted generously with confectioners’ sugar. Peel off the paper. Starting with one short side, roll up the cake in the towel jelly-roll fashion. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
5. Prepare the ginger cream-cheese filling: Beat together the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add 1 cup confectioners’ sugar and beat until smooth. Stir in the crystallized ginger and butter brickle.
6. Carefully unroll the cooled cake and spread evenly with the filling. Reroll the cake and transfer to a serving platter. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the cake to set and the flavors to blend. Just before serving, sift ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar over the entire cake. Cut into 1-inch slices to serve.
Makes 8 servings
Biscotti are nutty, nonsweet Italian biscuits meant for dunking in dessert wines at the end of a meal. They have recently become fashionable in this country, and there are several good packaged brands available in specialty food stores. When biscotti are ground up, they make an excellent replacement for dried bread or cake crumbs in traditional strudel recipes. Packaged phyllo dough makes this recipe a breeze to prepare. In order to use the entire package of phyllo dough, this recipe makes two strudels, each feeding 5 or 6 people. If you haven’t the need for two, the extra strudel will freeze quite nicely.
6 ripe pears, peeled, cored, and thickly sliced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
⅔ cup (packed) light brown sugar
½ cup golden raisins
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons brandy
1 package (1 pound) phyllo dough, thawed if frozen
1½ cups clarified butter, melted (see box)
1½ cups finely ground biscotti crumbs
Confectioners’ sugar for garnish
1. For the filling, toss the pears with the lemon juice and zest in a mixing bowl. Stir in the brown sugar, raisins, cinnamon, ginger, and brandy. Let marinate at least 15 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter 2 baking sheets.
3. Using a large work surface, unroll the phyllo dough into a stack of flat sheets and cover with a damp kitchen towel to keep them from drying out while working. Assemble each strudel on a large sheet of parchment or waxed paper to aid in rolling them up. Place 1 sheet of phyllo dough on the paper and brush lightly with the butter. Lay another sheet on top, brush it with the butter, then sprinkle with a fine layer of the biscotti crumbs. Repeat the process, sprinkling every other sheet with crumbs, until you have 9 sheets layered and the top one is buttered but not sprinkled with crumbs. On top of the ninth sheet make a compact row of half the filling, spacing it 2 inches from one long end of the dough. Layer 2 more sheets of phyllo dough over the filling, brushing each with butter and sprinkling the second with biscotti crumbs.
4. Using the paper as an aid, roll up the strudel, jelly-roll fashion, starting at the edge closest to the filling. Slip the strudel onto a prepared baking sheet, making sure the seam side is down. Brush the top and sides of the strudel generously with butter. Repeat the process to make the second strudel.
5. Bake the strudels until golden brown, about 40 minutes. Serve warm, dusted with sifted confectioners’ sugar.
Makes 2 strudels, 10 to 12 servings