The Epicurious Cookbook (31 page)
Read The Epicurious Cookbook Online
Authors: Tanya Steel
2.
Squeeze a small handful of dough; if it doesn’t hold together, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring (or pulsing) until incorporated, then test again. (Do not overwork mixture, or pastry will be tough.)
Squeeze a small handful of dough; if it doesn’t hold together, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring (or pulsing) until incorporated, then test again. (Do not overwork mixture, or pastry will be tough.)
3.
Turn out the mixture onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 8 portions. With the heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather the dough together with a pastry scraper, if you have one, and press into 2 balls, then flatten each into a 5-inch disk. Wrap the disks separately in plastic wrap and chill until firm, at least 1 hour.
Turn out the mixture onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 8 portions. With the heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather the dough together with a pastry scraper, if you have one, and press into 2 balls, then flatten each into a 5-inch disk. Wrap the disks separately in plastic wrap and chill until firm, at least 1 hour.
do ahead:
The
DOUGH
can be chilled up to 1 day.
vanilla cream
YIELD: MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS
½ vanilla bean, halved lengthwise, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chilled heavy cream
2 tablespoons sugar
Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean with the tip of a knife into a bowl. Add the cream and sugar and beat with an electric mixer until cream just holds soft peaks.
fruit
crumble
crumble
With a recipe as simple as this, there’s no reason not to make dessert. The fruit comes out soft and tender, while the crumble is crisp and light golden brown. Experiment with other seasonal fruit combinations: raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries are other summer options, while apples, pears, and quince are perfect for fall. All are delicious with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
YIELD: MAKES 6 SERVINGS
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup sugar
½ cup sliced almonds
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
2 pounds plums, peaches, or nectarines (or a combination), pitted and cut lengthwise into ½-inch wedges
Vanilla ice cream, for serving
1.
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
2.
Pulse the flour, sugar, almonds, and salt in a food processor until nuts are chopped. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture begins to clump.
Pulse the flour, sugar, almonds, and salt in a food processor until nuts are chopped. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture begins to clump.
3.
Spread the fruit in a 9½-inch deep-dish glass pie plate and sprinkle the topping over it.
Spread the fruit in a 9½-inch deep-dish glass pie plate and sprinkle the topping over it.
4.
Bake the crumble in the middle of the oven until fruit is tender and topping is golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.
Bake the crumble in the middle of the oven until fruit is tender and topping is golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.
“I used oat flour and ¼ cup less sugar. I ate it while warm, by itself. I also sprinkled some fresh ground nutmeg (just a touch!) on the crumble before baking.”
Dottz817, Boston, Massachusetts
Mascarpone-Filled Cake with Sherried Berries
mascarpone-filled cake
with sherried berries
with sherried berries
Just before serving this light and simple buttermilk cake, drizzle the warm, syrupy berries on top. Serve for casual get-togethers or a birthday party, paired with a dessert wine.
YIELD: MAKES 8 TO 12 SERVINGS
FOR CAKE
2 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup well-shaken buttermilk
FOR BERRIES
½ cup fino (dry) Sherry
½ cup sugar
4 cups mixed berries, cut if large
FOR CREAM
8 ounces mascarpone (1 cup)
1 cup chilled heavy cream
¼ cup granulated sugar
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Special equipment: 9-inch round cake pan 2 inches deep
MAKE CAKE
1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F, with the rack in the middle. Butter the cake pan and line the bottom with a round of parchment, then butter the parchment.
Preheat the oven to 350°F, with the rack in the middle. Butter the cake pan and line the bottom with a round of parchment, then butter the parchment.
2.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3.
Beat together the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. With mixer at low speed, beat in the buttermilk until just combined. Add the flour mixture in 3 batches, mixing after each addition until just combined.
Beat together the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. With mixer at low speed, beat in the buttermilk until just combined. Add the flour mixture in 3 batches, mixing after each addition until just combined.
4.
Spread the batter in the cake pan, smoothing the top. Rap the pan on the counter to eliminate air bubbles.
Spread the batter in the cake pan, smoothing the top. Rap the pan on the counter to eliminate air bubbles.
5.
Bake until golden and a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool in the pan on a rack 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen, then invert onto a plate. Discard the parchment and reinvert cake onto a rack to cool completely.
Bake until golden and a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool in the pan on a rack 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen, then invert onto a plate. Discard the parchment and reinvert cake onto a rack to cool completely.
MACERATE BERRIES
Bring the Sherry and sugar to a boil in a small heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Put the berries in a bowl and pour the hot syrup over them, gently tossing to coat. Let stand 15 minutes.
MAKE CREAM AND ASSEMBLE CAKE
1.
Beat the mascarpone and cream with the granulated sugar in a large bowl until mixture just holds stiff peaks.
Beat the mascarpone and cream with the granulated sugar in a large bowl until mixture just holds stiff peaks.
2.
Halve the cake horizontally with a long serrated knife. Reserve top half. Put the bottom half on a plate, then spread evenly with all of the cream and replace top half. Dust with confectioners’ sugar. Serve with berries.
Halve the cake horizontally with a long serrated knife. Reserve top half. Put the bottom half on a plate, then spread evenly with all of the cream and replace top half. Dust with confectioners’ sugar. Serve with berries.
“I did not have a long knife, so I cut very carefully around the cake (shallow cuts) and then used dental floss. Pass it through (start from back) one of the cuts carefully with a back-and-forth motion, bring the thread to the front, cutting the cake in two.”
A cook, Washington, D.C.
do ahead:
The
CAKE,
without cream, can be baked 1 day ahead. Wrap in plastic wrap once cool and keep at room temperature. The
BERRIES
can macerate at room temperature up to 2 hours.
pound cake
with blueberries and lavender syrup
with blueberries and lavender syrup
Forget the boring “welcome to the neighborhood” pound cake of yesteryear! This dessert gets an aromatic lift from lavender syrup and fresh blueberries. The syrup can be made with either dried or fresh lavender flowers: dried will tint the syrup a pale purple, and fresh will infuse it with a more powerful floral taste.
YIELD: MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS
FOR CAKE
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1½ cups sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ cup whole milk, at room temperature
FOR BLUEBERRIES
¾ cup water
½ cup sugar
4 teaspoons dried edible lavender flowers, or 2 tablespoons fresh
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
10 ounces fresh blueberries (1 pint)
Special equipment: a 9 by 5 by 3-inch metal loaf pan
MAKE CAKE
1.
Put the oven rack in middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously butter and flour a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan, knocking out excess flour.
Put the oven rack in middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously butter and flour a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan, knocking out excess flour.
2.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat together the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes in a stand mixer or 5 minutes with a handheld. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in the zest and vanilla. Reduce mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture and milk alternately in batches, beginning and ending with the flour and mixing until just incorporated.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat together the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes in a stand mixer or 5 minutes with a handheld. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in the zest and vanilla. Reduce mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture and milk alternately in batches, beginning and ending with the flour and mixing until just incorporated.
3.
Spoon the batter into the loaf pan and bake until golden and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in the center comes out with crumbs adhering, 1 to 1¼ hours. Cool the cake in the pan on a rack 30 minutes, then invert onto a rack and cool completely.
Spoon the batter into the loaf pan and bake until golden and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in the center comes out with crumbs adhering, 1 to 1¼ hours. Cool the cake in the pan on a rack 30 minutes, then invert onto a rack and cool completely.
MAKE BLUEBERRIES
1.
Bring the water and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in the lavender, then steep 30 minutes for dried lavender or 40 minutes for fresh.
Bring the water and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in the lavender, then steep 30 minutes for dried lavender or 40 minutes for fresh.
2.
Pour the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, discarding the lavender. Stir in the lemon juice and blueberries.
Pour the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, discarding the lavender. Stir in the lemon juice and blueberries.
3.
Spoon the berries and syrup over slices of cake just before serving.
Spoon the berries and syrup over slices of cake just before serving.
do ahead:
The
LAVENDER SYRUP
(without berries) can be made 2 hours ahead and kept, covered, at room temperature. The
CAKE
can be made 1 day ahead and cooled completely, then wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or kept in an airtight container at room temperature. Add berries to syrup just before serving.
raspberry buttermilk cake
This buttermilk cake begins with a fluffy, vanilla-infused batter that’s topped with tart, sweet berries and covered in sugar, and then baked until golden brown.
YIELD: MAKES 6 SERVINGS
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
⅔ cup plus 1½ tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
½ cup well-shaken buttermilk
1 cup fresh raspberries (about 5 ounces)
1.
Preheat the oven to 400°F with the rack in the middle. Butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan.
Preheat the oven to 400°F with the rack in the middle. Butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan.
2.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3.
Beat the butter and ⅔ cup sugar with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes, then beat in the vanilla. Add the egg and beat well.
Beat the butter and ⅔ cup sugar with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes, then beat in the vanilla. Add the egg and beat well.
4.
At low speed, mix in the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour, and mixing until just combined.
At low speed, mix in the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour, and mixing until just combined.
5.
Spoon the batter into the cake pan, smoothing the top. Scatter the raspberries evenly over the top and sprinkle with the remaining 1½ tablespoons sugar.
Spoon the batter into the cake pan, smoothing the top. Scatter the raspberries evenly over the top and sprinkle with the remaining 1½ tablespoons sugar.
6.
Bake until cake is golden and a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in the pan 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool to warm, 10 to 15 minutes more. Invert onto a plate.
Bake until cake is golden and a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in the pan 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool to warm, 10 to 15 minutes more. Invert onto a plate.
“I substituted sour cherries for raspberries and almond extract for vanilla, and it was lovely! The sugar sprinkled over the top of the cake creates a crispy, golden, sparkly crust—no need to dress it up with frosting. I lined the pan with parchment.”
Foodhappy, Edmonton, Canada
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