Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook (30 page)

Spoon the cooked berries over the top of the layer of fresh berries in the pie. Use a small spoon or rubber spatula to gently lift up some of the fresh berries and use a pastry brush to make sure that all the berries are glazed. Put the strawberry pie in the refrigerator to cool and set up for at least 3 hours before serving. Serve with freshly whipped cream.

HAND TARTS

THIS IS OUR ODE TO CLASSIC POP-TARTS. RICH TART DOUGH
mimics the cakelike texture of the original pastry, the perfect vessel for homemade jam and thin slices of fruit. These are equally at home for dessert as they are for breakfast.

MAKES 8 TARTS

3½ cups> 525 grams
all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons> 38 grams
sugar

1 teaspoon> 6 grams
baking powder

1 teaspoon> 6 grams
fine sea salt

12 ounces> 345 grams
unsalted butter

1½ cups> 360 grams
heavy cream

1 cup> 340 grams
Strawberry Jam

2 large
apples,
peeled and thinly sliced

2 large
mangoes,
thinly sliced

1 large
egg yolk

2 tablespoons> 32 grams
whole milk

In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt and pulse to blend. Add the butter and process for 5 to 10 seconds until it forms a coarse meal. Add the cream and pulse until the mixture forms a crumbly dough that holds together when you squeeze a bit in your hand. Turn it out onto a floured countertop. Sprinkle the dough lightly with flour. Starting at one end, use the heel of your hand to smear the dough into the counter in small amounts. Do this quickly, being sure not to work any section of dough more than once. This technique, known as fraisage, forms flaky layers of fat and flour. Press the dough into a rough rectangle that’s about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two 18 × 13-inch (46 × 33 cm) baking sheets with parchment paper.

Put the jam in a bowl and stir briefly to loosen. Put the sliced fruit on a plate. In a small bowl, combine the egg yolk, milk, and a pinch of salt and mix with a pastry brush until it is smooth. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Take one piece and roll it out into an 8 × 4-inch (20 × 10 cm) rectangle that’s about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick. Trim the edges with a bench scraper or knife so that they are straight and even. Put 2 tablespoons of jam on one half of the rectangle and spread it in an even layer, leaving a 1-inch (2.5 cm) border of clean pastry dough around the entire outer edge. Layer a few pieces of fruit over the jam and fold the opposite side over the fruit like a book. Use a fork to press the edges together and seal the tart closed. Transfer to one of the prepared baking sheets and refrigerate while you make the remaining tarts.

Brush the top of each tart with a thin layer of egg wash. Bake for 20 minutes and then rotate the pans, turning them from front to back and switching racks from top to bottom. Bake until the tarts are a deep golden brown, about 10 minutes more. Transfer the tarts to a wire rack and cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

CARAMEL APPLE PIE

WE AMPED UP AN APPLE PIE RECIPE BY ADDING CARAMEL SAUCE
to the filling and an oatmeal streusel topping to make a pie with layers; tender cooked apples coated in rich caramel sauce, a crumbly topping, and a crisp pie shell all come together to make so much more than the sum of their parts. This triple-crusted pie has become one of our most requested recipes. A little freshly whipped cream or ice cream takes it over the top.

MAKES ONE 9-INCH / 23 CM PIE

CAKE CRUMB STREUSEL

1¼ cups> 100 grams
cake or cookie crumbs

¾ cup> 75 grams
rolled oats

¼ teaspoon> 1.5 grams
fine sea salt

⅛ teaspoon> 0.5 gram
Boker’s Bitters
(optional)

8 tablespoons> 113 grams
unsalted butter,
diced

¼ cup> 50 grams
raw sugar

CRUST AND FILLING

Pie Dough

5 large
Honeycrisp apples

4 tablespoons> 24 grams
tapioca starch

2 tablespoons> 14 grams
cornstarch

½ teaspoon> 3 grams
fine sea salt

1 cup> 250 grams
Ginger Caramel Sauce

1 tablespoon> 16 grams
whole milk

MAKE THE CAKE CRUMB STREUSEL:
In a food processor, combine the cake crumbs, oats, and salt and pulse 3 or 4 times to blend. Add the bitters (if using) and pulse 1 or 2 times to blend. Add the butter and sugar and pulse 3 or 4 times until the mixture forms rough crumbs. Streusel can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

MAKE THE CRUST AND FILLING:
Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C).

Roll one disc of the pie dough into a round 12 inches (30 cm) in diameter and line a 9-inch (23 cm) pie pan. Trim the edge so that there is a 1-inch (2.5 cm) overhang. Put the pan in the freezer to chill. Roll out the second disc of dough to the same size and reserve it in the refrigerator while you prepare the apples.

Peel, core, and cut the apples into ¼-inch-thick (6 mm) slices. Put the slices in a medium bowl with the tapioca starch, cornstarch, and salt and mix well to blend. Add the caramel sauce and mix into the apples to coat evenly.

Remove the pie pan from the freezer and pile the apples into a mound in the pan. Cover with the second dough round and trim the edge, leaving a 1-inch (2.5 cm) overhang. Tuck the top crust over the edge of the bottom crust and crimp them together all the way around the circumference. Put the pie on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Brush the top crust with the milk. Pile the streusel onto the top crust, gently pressing it in so that it adheres to the pie.

Bake for 30 minutes. Rotate the pie, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C), and bake until the pie is a deep golden brown, 1 hour more. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool to room temperature before serving.

PIE DOUGH

MAKES ENOUGH FOR TWO 9-INCH / 23 CM PIE CRUSTS

Great pie starts with the crust. For a combination of flavor and texture, butter is unbeatable. The food processor ensures that you don’t overwork the dough in the initial mixing process, and then the process of fraisage, flattening out pieces of the dough, leaves you with flaky layers. Soggy pie crust is usually a result of undercooking, while properly cooked crust should be crisp and textured with a wonderful, slightly sweet butter flavor that rivals that of puff pastry.

2¼ cups> 337.5 grams
all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons> 25 grams
sugar

¾ teaspoon> 4.5 grams
fine sea salt

8 ounces> 225 grams cold
unsalted butter,
diced

¼ cup> 56 grams
ice water,
plus more as needed

In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, and salt and pulse 4 or 5 times to blend. Add the butter and pulse 2 or 3 times to blend. Pour the ice water into the food processor and run the processor for 5 to 10 seconds to bring the mixture together. If it seems a little dry, add more water 1 tablespoon at a time. The dough will resemble small pebbles and hold together when you squeeze a bit in your hand.

Turn it out onto a floured countertop and sprinkle the top lightly with flour. Starting at one end, use the heel of your hand to smear the dough into the counter in small amounts. Do this quickly, being sure not to work any section of dough more than once. This technique, known as fraisage, forms flaky layers of fat and flour. Use a bench scraper or spatula to peel pieces of dough from the countertop. Gently press them into 2 compact balls of dough of about equal size, and flatten into discs no more than 2 inches (5 cm) thick. You can roll them out and use immediately or freeze for up to 1 month; alternatively, wrap the discs in plastic wrap to keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Let the refrigerated dough rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before rolling.

GINGER CARAMEL SAUCE

MAKES A GENEROUS 3 CUPS / 750 GRAMS

This spicy caramel sauce will keep in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to a month. We love it on ice cream, folded into whipped cream, or drizzled over warm scones or bread pudding.

2¼ cups packed> 450 grams
light brown sugar

½ teaspoon> 3 grams
fine sea salt

1 cup> 240 grams
heavy cream

2 tablespoons> 28 grams
unsalted butter

4 ounces> 113 grams peeled
fresh ginger,
sliced

In a deep, medium saucepan, combine the brown sugar, salt, and cream and set over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar and salt. Cook the mixture, without stirring, until it reaches 240°F (116°C) on a candy thermometer. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter and ginger; this will cause the caramel to bubble up. Once the caramel has stopped bubbling, stir it until smooth. Let the sauce cool for 30 minutes. Strain out the ginger, then cover and refrigerate. The sauce may be kept in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to a month. Gently rewarm the sauce before serving.

GINGER TART

WE CAME UP WITH THIS WHOLE WHEAT CRUST FIRST AND KNEW
it would be just right for a custard tart; the deep nutty flavors of the shell immediately made us think of gingerbread. To augment the flavors in this recipe, we use fresh ginger to help thicken cream to make
crème fraîche that is the basis for a creamy, spicy filling for the pie. Tapioca starch helps keep the eggs from curdling and holds water in suspension to ensure a silky filling.

The contrast of the wheaty crust and the soft custard makes for a very special combination. In the wintertime it is lovely with a tart cranberry compote, and in the summertime we like to serve it with a large spoonful of fresh berries and their natural juices.

MAKES ONE 10-INCH / 25 CM TART

GINGER CRÈME FRAÎCHE

2⅔ cups> 630 grams
heavy cream

9 tablespoons> 130 grams
cultured buttermilk
,
homemade or store-bought

4 ounces> 113 grams
fresh ginger,
thinly sliced

CRUST

Nonstick cooking spray

1⅓ cups> 200 grams
whole wheat flour

½ cup packed> 105 grams
dark brown sugar

½ teaspoon> 3 grams
fine sea salt

8 tablespoons> 113 grams cold
unsalted butter,
diced