The photos of ingredients I’ve purchased for recipes I’ve tried recently grow in my photo library seemingly overnight even though I delete nearly as many as I decide to edit, mentally processing the quality of the recipe as I process my shots of it.  Recipes are sampled and the leftovers tucked away — or wedged considering the condition my fridge is currently suffering from — and the cycle repeats sans the writing that should factor in there somewhere.  Fresh fruit and vegetables are positioned on the kitchen counter tops in a sort of line up lest I forget they’re ready to be used. At some point, inspiration has to inspire, doesn’t it?  So that would be the problem.

And a lack of inspiration is not a small problem.

So while I prod, poke, and try to revive it, I’ve been cleaning up a few favorite old posts.  There’s nothing quite like restoring broken links, uploading photos from an old server onto a new one, and reformatting posts to keep one busy enough to justify a lack of creativity and avoidance of housework.

I also moved my photography station from the dining room to my office upstairs a few days ago, surprising myself with something I hadn’t given much thought to before it happened. It’s not a bad idea, but I’d just gotten organized in the office and spruced things up a bit — including the purchase of fabric to make curtains.  Nice curtains, too.  At this point, if I’m going to use the light from the window, then why put curtains up? Not an Earth-shattering dilemma, but still.

As much as I will enjoy not having lights and props lined up on the dining room table, I’ll miss the convenience of everything being right next to the kitchen.  I can still use the space when the light is perfect but won’t have to tolerate the things sitting around like a mess when I’m downstairs  I’ve already figured out a tray is in order to carry food upstairs, and a tote to carry props back and forth from the garage.  Perhaps one of those calorie counting gizmos is in order to make me feel even better about my decision since I’ll have to

Time will tell.  It always does.

In the meantime, I was lulled by the beauty of two kinds of apricots in the market a few days ago, and so they became my first experiment shooting with the light from my office window.  Leftover tart dough rescued from my freezer helped not only with the photography experiment, but a tart experiment as well.

This tart is perfect if you’ve got fresh apricots and want a tart that isn’t fussy to make.  The filling is is quickly mixed and poured over the apricots before baking.  A lovely recipe to end any meal.

Apricot Honey Almond Tart

Ingredients

3 T sliced almonds

1/2 c. heavy cream

1 lg. egg

1/2 tsp. almond extract

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 T wild-flower honey

1 T cake flour

1 pinch dried lavender

5 fresh apricots

powdered sugar for sprinkling

1 blind baked pie crust, cooled.  Use this crust recipe — it’s delicious!

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F
2. Sprinkle the sliced almonds evenly over the bottom of the blind-baked crust (I used an 8″ square)
3. Cut each of the apricots into 8 wedges and arrange them over the almonds so that they cover the surface of the crust as much as possible.  You should have 4 rows of 10 wedges
4. Prepare the cream by whisking the cream, egg, both extracts, and honey until well blended, then add the flour and mix well.
5. Carefully pour the cream mixture over the apricots as evenly as possible.
6. Sprinkle the dried lavender over the surface.
7. Place the tart on a baking sheet and bake in the center of the oven until the surface is golden brown, about 50 minutes.
8. Cool completely on a baking rack.
9. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

My Recipe Notes:

• This recipe was an adaptation of an adaptation from Patricia Wells’ At Home in Provence.  Picture someone’s photocopy of the recipe marked with their notes, and I took it from there.
• This is a lovely tart — a balanced combination of tartness and sweetness.  Definitely no sugar overload here.  I tried it with and without the sprinkle of powdered sugar and enjoyed it both ways.
• I had apricots that were crying out to be used and I originally intended to use both traditional apricots and some lovely Black Velvet Apricots, but the black apricots are much more tender in texture, quite juicy, and have fruit that clings to the stone more so than the traditional apricots.  This meant I would not have perfect little rows of apricot wedges for my tart, so I came up with Plan B for a second tart which I’ll write about later.
• Yes, I know that photo above is from a different sized tart pan, but I fell in love with the dough draping over the side of the pan — and remember — I was actually caught up in the throes of my new lighting set up.
• It seems I always have scraps of pie dough in my freezer, so that’s what I used for this tart.  I thaw it still wrapped in the fridge until it’s still pretty firm, then roll it on a lightly floured surface until it’s about 1/8″ thick.  I place it in a pan lightly sprayed with oil, easing the dough into the sides, sometimes doubling up the thickness with any extra dough that is draping over the sides.  I press it into the fluted edges, lightly tamping down from the top as well.  I like to leave a bit of dough poking above the edge of the pan because even when I use pie weights during blind baking, there’s shrinkage.
• Speaking of shrinkage, I forgot to use my pie weights, so the edges did slip a bit.  In the end, it was more rustic looking which is always fine with me, but I was worried about overflow during baking so I wrapped the tart pan in foil.  A bit leaked out, but it easily came out of the pan for serving.
• If you choose to use the pie dough recipe I’ve linked above (which is excellent — I’ve made it many times now) then you will have quite a bit left over.  Just freeze it in a well-wrapped disk shape to make rolling easy after it thaws.
• Another good tip when working with pie dough is to put it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes before baking.  It helps keep all the fat solid so that when it bakes, it melts and creates a lovely, flaky crust.
• Try any kind of stone fruit with this recipe.  I’m thinking cherries would be lovely!
• The Black Velvet Apricots are headed for jam!

I’m not much of a New Year’s resolution person.  I could blame it on the fact that I often don’t finish what I’ve begun, and to some extent that may be true, but know it’s more about being someone who constantly takes stock, reflects, compulsively evaluates, over-analyzes, sifts, sorts, and thrives on general hair-splitting.  It’s endless, so to some degree  I welcome January 1 each year to think in a more focused way — at least that’s what I’ve convinced myself of.

It’s really more about being able to sigh for the first time after a busy holiday season and quietly celebrate that I don’t have to cook anything too involved if I’m not in the mood.  That for the first day in quite some time, mental lists, menus to plan, groceries to purchase, and errands to run aren’t interrupting a quiet moment, or causing alarm should something important be forgotten.  It’s exhausting, and each year I vow to live through the holidays more graciously, more collected, and more as someone who enjoys and participates rather than orchestrates and delivers.

And so I’m reflecting on our holidays today and remembering some of the delicious food we shared with those we know and love.  It always allows us to pause long enough to enjoy one another’s company, to laugh, clink our glasses in a toast or three, and then smile at the quiet that comes after everyone has picked up their forks and begun to eat.

This beautiful and delicious Pear Gorgonzola and Walnut Rustic Tart was made on Christmas Eve in celebration of a special couple, recently engaged who happen to have a kitchen always filled with music, and often, dancing.  Here’s to you Lisa and Steve!

This year, there will be more music and dancing in my kitchen.  I promise myself.

Pear Gorgonzola and Walnut Rustic Tart

For the pastry…
2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 T fresh thyme leaves
12 T unsalted butter, cold
4 T ice water

For the filling…
1 c. gorgonzola cheese
4 Bosc pears, cored, unpeeled, sliced 1/8″ thick
1 handful walnuts, raw, crumbled in fist
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
heavy cream

For the glaze…
2T agave nectar
1 T balsamic vinegar
fresh thyme

Make the pastry first using by combining flour, salt, and thyme in the bowl and pulsing it a few times to mix.  Add the butter in cubes all at once, and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse clumps.  Add the ice water a dribble at a time, pulsing as you go, but only just until the dough begins to come together.  Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and bring it together in a ball.  Flatten with your hand, then wrap in plastic to chill for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place pears in a large bowl or plastic bag and sprinkle flour over, tossing (or shaking if you’re using a bag) gently to coat.

When the dough is chilled, roll it out on a lightly floured piece of parchment into a 1/8″ thick circle, about 18″ in diameter or so.  Crumble the cheese evenly across the center of the dough, making sure to leave a border of about 2″.  Arrange the pear slices over the cheese, then sprinkle over the walnut pieces, making sure to tuck a few here and there beneath the pears.

Turn the edge of the dough up over the pears, pleating it as needed.  Brush the pastry with a bit of heavy cream and transfer the tart to a baking sheet.  Bake for about 40-45 minutes until the pears and pastry are lightly browned.

To make the glaze, in a very small saucepan, stir the agave nectar and balsamic vinegar over low heat.  When the mixture is thin and easily poured from a spoon, add a pinch of fresh thyme and mix in.  Use a brush to evenly coat the pears with the glaze.  Sprinkle a few more fresh thyme leaves over before serving.

slice pears thinly

dust pear slices with flour

layer pears over gorgonzola

sprinkle walnuts over

fold dough over filling and brush with cream

Notes:

• This tart recipe was adapted from one found in desperation at a lovely site I recently found:  Desserts for Breakfast.  Fabulous recipes, great personality, and wonderful photography!  We enjoyed it as an appetizer at a Christmas Eve dinner and it was well received, so thanks!
• Pears are in season typically between July and January, with the bulk being grown on the west coast of the US.  If you’re thinking locavore and/or seasonal, time is almost up to try this great recipe!
• Bosc pears, originally developed in Belgium, are perfect for baking and roasting because they hold up better, but if you can’t get pears period, then apples would work in this recipe.  If you do have pears, but are picky about walnuts, then try this with almonds instead.
• Gorgonzola is produced in Italy’s Lombardy region and was originally called “stracchino verde.”  The blue is produced when holes are poked into the aging cheese so mold can develop.  If you turn your nose up — literally — at any blue veined cheese, you may be interested to know that when you cook gorgonzola, it sweetens, and mellows in flavor — like garlic!  It’s perfect with pears — especially when cooked.  But the combo is also fabulous in salads, souffles, and with pork.  Mmm…we love gorgonzola and pretty much any blue veined cheese.
• When I make tarts like this, I use a round baking stone.  They come in all sizes, shapes, and of course are made by a variety of manufacturers.  If you’re interested in buying one, I’ll encourage you.  The crust they help develop is fabulous!
• It can be a bit awkward getting the tart into the oven where the stone has been as the oven preheats.  Either roll out the dough over a piece of lightly floured parchment, or cover a baking sheet or the back of a jelly roll pan with the parchment and slide the tart from the counter to the covered baking sheet.  Then, transfer the tart to the hot baking stone by dragging the parchment.  It sounds complicated, but it isn’t.  Susan of Wild Yeast has written a great post written about the great results baking stones help achieve.  There’s another great discussion about baking stones — specifically Pampered Chef stones — at the Fresh Loaf.  I use one of those and have never had any problems with it.  But I do need a larger one to use for bread.
• I used a mandoline to slice the pears because it gets them very thin, it’s quick, and they’re uniformly sliced.  A mandoline is another great kitchen tool to add to your collection if you don’t have one.  I started with an inexpensive plastic model until I was gifted one a couple of years ago — a Bron Stainless Steel.  It’s a bit scary, but works very well.  The guard that comes with most mandolines can make slicing some foods impossible because of their size unless you cut them first, so if you get one, consider purchasing a mesh safety glove as well.  Bear in mind they’re only “cut resistant” so you still can’t slice with wild abandon.  Perhaps controlled abandon.  Caution?  Right.
• If you don’t have a food processor, the dough can easily be made by pinching the butter into the flour mixture until pea-sized crumbs appear, then tossing the mixture in ice water until moist clumps form, and the dough begins to take shape.  You know I prefer this method, but the processor comes in handy when I’m busy.
• This recipe comes together very quickly, but making the dough the night before helps save some time.
• Although I’ve not tried it, I’ll bet the constructed tart could be frozen if well wrapped, then thawed and baked.

leave it on the baking stone to keep warm

]]> http://www.sassandveracity.com/2011/01/03/pear-gorgonzola-and-walnut-rustic-tart/feed/ 35 http://www.sassandveracity.com/2010/04/05/olive-oil-carrot-cake/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=olive-oil-carrot-cake http://www.sassandveracity.com/2010/04/05/olive-oil-carrot-cake/#comments Mon, 05 Apr 2010 22:43:43 +0000 kellypea http://sassandveracity.com/?p=1394

I can’t remember the first time I had carrot cake, but I’m sure it wasn’t until I was well into my adult years.  It’s strange now that I think about it because my mother used to make a mean carrot salad.  The basic ingredients aren’t all that different except for the mayonnaise she’d dollop in the huge bowl of grated carrots and raisins before stirring in some sugar, and I’ll bet I can find more than one recipe for carrot cake that calls for mayo, too.  Mind you, this would be much to the complete horror of my husband who steers clear of anything that suggests mayo is an ingredient.

Other than cheesecake or an occasional pineapple upside down cake made in a skillet, my mother’s cakes came from a box, as did mine for years.  Can carrot cake actually be made from a box mix?  Perhaps that’s why I don’t remember ever tasting one.  I could blame it on family members more inclined to request chocolate cake:  chocolate peanut butter, German chocolate, and even a chocolate mint cake that unfortunately reminded more than one of us of toothpaste.  Sadly, there were no requests for carrot cake.

In the years since, I’ve learned that everyone seems to have made carrot cake but me and relies upon a favorite recipe.  I, on the other hand, have only made it twice:  the first time, I used a good friend’s recipe (sans the crushed pineapple she says she never adds) which was delicious;  the second time, I decided to look for a recipe that was made with olive oil.  Most of the recipes I’ve considered use from 3/4 to 1-1/2 cups of oil, so if  oil is going into a cake, why not make it monosaturated?

Perhaps it might soothe concerns about butter, mascarpone and sugar as one bites into this fabulously luscious cake.

Olive Oil Carrot Cake

For the cake batter…

250ml/8-3/4 fl. oz. olive oil
500g/1 lb. + 1 oz. sugar
4 eggs, beaten
250g/8-3/4 oz. all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground allspice
1 tsp. ground cardamom
1 tsp. salt
125g/4-1/2oz. walnuts, coarsely chopped
250 g./8-3/4 oz. raisins
500g/1 lb.+1 oz. carrots, peeled and grated

For the icing…

125 g./4-1/2 oz. unsalted butter, softened
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
250 g./8-3/4 oz. mascarpone
250g/8-3/4 oz. powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 325 F.

Pour olive oil, sugar and eggs in a medium bowl and blend well. Sift flour and remaining dry ingredients into a separate bowl. Add egg and oil mixture and stir until the mixture is uniformly moist. Add the walnuts, carrots, and raisins, stirring until incorporated.

Line two 8-in. cake pans with removable bottoms with baking parchment.  Spray with oil, then lightly dust with flour. Divide cake batter evenly between the two prepared pans and set on a baking sheet. Bake for about 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center is removed clean.  Allow to cool at least 15 minutes in the pans on a baking rack before removing the layers from the pans to cool completely.
For the icing, mix the softened butter and mascarpone with the vanilla in the bowl of a standing mixer until smooth.  Add powdered sugar gradually, beating on medium speed until smooth and creamy.  Spread each layer with half the icing before stacking layers. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes:

• This is a very dense, moist cake with lots and lots of yummy texture.  A little slice will go a very long way in satisfying a sweet tooth.
• This recipe was adapted from one I found at BBC — Food and it forced me to use my kitchen scale.
• With a bit more than a cup of oil, this recipe’s quantity is average compared to others I looked at.   Make sure to use a good quality olive oil.
• The center of the cake will sink as it cools.
• Check out the link if you’d like a larger, single layer cake.
• Now, I’m off to find a version that uses applesauce.  I’ve heard that creates a nice, moist carrot cake as well.

The very last issue of Gourmet sits in a stack along with the most recent issues of Saveur, Bon Appetit, and Food & Wine — all barely touched.  Holiday catalogs I’d rather not receive lay scattered in the mix as well reminding me that I should probably pay attention.  How can it be the end of November?  The month has flown by and with it my favorite season of the year, leaving only a few days to think about recipes I’d like to try this year for Thanksgiving.  Outside of making a simple list of traditional dishes and leaving it to sit on the kitchen counter, I’m still not prepared.

I’ve accepted that this just won’t be the year to try yet another way to mash and flavor potatoes with the likes of parsnips or roasted garlic, white truffle oil or black truffle shavings.  I won’t have to wonder why a stuffing recipe calls for freshly made cornbread that has to sit on the counter for a day before it can be cubed and tossed with other ingredients to make an herby stuffing.  And I’ve decided that deep-frying a ton of microscopically thin onion rings to flavor a new spin on the classic green bean casserole won’t be happening, either, even though it was quite a fabulous recipe.  No, we’re going to be relatively conservative this year which is why I was able to spend some time in the kitchen today trying a new recipe with some of my favorite flavors:  apples, pecans, and cinnamon with a hint of orange.

David Guas’ Spiced Upside-Down Apple Bundt Cake was perfect from the moment I saw it in Food & Wine’s “Last Bite.”  Even though I’ve never owned a bundt pan, it was the least of my worries because the recipe calls for buttermilk.  Whenever I buy buttermilk,  it gets pushed to the back of the fridge and is forgotten until long after the date stamped on it, then ends up down the drain.  Not this time!   I found it with a day to spare — not that I could tell given its characteristic pungent smell.

How does one tell whether buttermilk is sour when it always smells badly?  It’s a very good thing that it works so nicely as a cooking ingredient, don’t you think?

Spiced Upside-Down Apple Cake

The recipe can be found here in the November 2009 issue of Food & Wine.

Make the streusel first and make sure to add the pepper.  Yes, it’s unusual, but it’s very nice with this cake since the apples are sweet.  They compliment one another well.

The spiced apples are so tasty I had trouble keeping myself from spooning them right into my mouth.  Make sure you saute them only until just beginning to soften and then spread them out on a baking sheet to set in the fridge to cool.

The cake batter is thick and easily spooned over the cooled apples in the generously oiled (Pam) cake pans.

The brioche tins baked for 45 minutes, and the 6″ round cake for 1 hour.   Test for doneness with a wooden skewer.  After they come from the oven, let them sit for 5 minutes before turning them upside-down on a baking rack positioned over a baking sheet.  You may have to rescue a few apples stuck to the bottom of the pan.  Just add them to the top of the cake.

Divide the streusel evenly over the cakes, pressing gently into the apples.  They’re quite moist so let cool an hour before serving.

Notes:

• I used cardamom in the streusel instead of cinnamon. I couldn’t resist. Its somewhat citrusy taste had me thinking of lemon pepper, but that didn’t quite pan out.  Although I could taste the pepper in the streusel when eaten alone, it was less noticeable when I sampled the finished cake.  I’d definitely add more pepper next time.
• I didn’t have Calvados so used Laird’s Applejack instead.  No, it’s not quite French apple brandy from Normandy, but it worked out quite well in this cake.  There is no boozy taste at all — something I don’t enjoy in baked desserts.  If you’d rather not use alcohol, apple cider will work just fine.
• Fuji apples were substituted for the Granny Smith’s because I was out of those as well.  Fuji’s aren’t as tart, but they held up well and the flavor was excellent.
• We enjoyed this cake.  It’s super moist and surprisingly light in texture with hints of orange laced through it.  The streusel topping provides a perfect crunch.  Although pecans are ground in the streusel, I think next time I’d enjoy chopping a few more to add to the apples before spooning the mixture into the pans.
• Raisins or dried cranberries would be a nice addition to this cake as well.
• Definitely a keeper!
• Oh — of course you can make this with one 10-inch bundt pan.

About this time last year, I was editing the nearly 800 photographs I took while on vacation in Italy and as much as I can say that I enjoyed reviewing our trip in front of my Mac, one photo in particular stood out.  It was taken the first day we were in Rome from the kitchen window of the apartment we rented.  We’d visited the farmer’s market in the Campo di Fiori directly after arriving because I swore I was going to cook on vacation.  The market was near closing time so the vendors were busy packing up their product when we arrived rushing to gather the ingredients for our dinner. Of all the items still displayed, the tomatoes caught my eye.  Red, plump, shiny tomatoes.  I recognized their shape as something I’d only seen on the label of cans in select stores until that time.  More elongated than a Roma,  definitely thinner in the center, and a deep, deep red.  I knew they were San Marzanos, so of course I had to buy some for our pasta that evening.

Later in our trip while window shopping one morning in Sorrento, I saw packages of San Marzano seeds, but I resisted buying them.  I pictured the passive-aggressive customs officers pulling them from my bags as if they were dangerous contraband, and glaring at me for my indiscretion, so decided to wait until I returned home to order them on line.

Procrastination is my middle name, so it wasn’t until this past March that I accompanied my good friend to Tomato-mania, an event held at the Quail Botanical Gardens in San Diego.  While there, I chose five tomato plants:  1 heirloom, 1 yellow cherry, and 3 Super San Marzanos.  My friend chose several varieties as well.  Although I do consider myself a gardener, I’m a bit out of practice and have very little space to plant anything.  Therefore, I knew the tomatoes I’d purchased would end up potted, and in spite of my better judgment, I decided to plant them all in one large pot.   I knew the pot would be far too crowded, but the real experiment was to judge whether there was enough sunlight on the side of my house to actually grow tomatoes.  I thought that if my experiment worked, then I’d be willing to pull out the perennials in one of my flower beds and plant tomatoes the next year.  (Although this is somewhat true, I’ve decided it’s as good an explanation as any, and if you believe me, then I have swamp land in Florida you may be interested in.)

My tomatoes did grow as plants have a tendency to do if watered and fed occasionally, and the San Marzanos were the first to show fruit.  Unfortunately they were also the first to show evidence of blossom rot, which is caused by over-watering, under-watering, over-fertilizing, under-fertilizing, or a combination of any or all above.  I do appreciate that Andrea of Andrea’s Recipes who provided me with that information on a day when as much as I knew that the growing conditions for my tomatoes weren’t great, that having tomatoes that were plump and a gorgeous color of red did excite me until I saw the darkish bottom on several.

And then there were my friend’s tomatoes…

On July 4th, I finally picked quite a few to make two tomato herb tarts.  My friend had invited us over for the holiday and so I thought it was the perfect appetizer to share before she said, “Don’t bring tomatoes.”  This was actually code for I have a zillion trillion tomatoes coming from my gifted tomato plants and we’ve been eating tomatoes like there’s no tomorrow.

I did end up making my tomato herb tarts and if you’re like my friend who has so many tomatoes she gives them away,  then this recipe is definitely for you.  It’s extremely easy to make, you can make it ahead of time, it travels well,  and I promise the shell won’t be soggy.

Tomato Herb Tarts

2 sheets purchased puff pastry

1 whole egg, beaten

1 c. Parmesan, freshly grated

4-5 San Marzano tomatoes

goat’s cheese

fresh herbs

minced garlic

extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Remove the goat’s cheese from the fridge and warm to room temperature.  Chop the garlic and mix with about 1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Slice tomatoes into 1/4″ rounds and place on several sheets of paper toweling.  Liberally sprinkle with salt, then cover with more paper towels.  Allow to sit for about 30 minutes, then gently press the tomatoes to remove any excess moisture.

While the tomatoes are sitting, lightly flour a work surface.  Gently roll each sheet of puff pastry until each is even in thickness and shape.  Using a rolling cutter, trim two 1-inch pieces from the short end of each rectangle.  Next, trim two 1-inch strips from the long end of each rectangle.  Place both rectangles on a parchment or silicone lined baking sheet and brush egg around the perimeter.  Place the long strips around the exterior of the rectangle over the egg wash.  Brush the strips with egg wash again and trim any uneven edges.

Using a fork, evenly pierce the inside of the pastry surface.  Divide the Parmesan between the two shells sprinkling over the entire surface.

Bake 10-12 minutes then turn oven down to 350 degrees F and bake for an additional 10-12 minutes or until golden brown and very crisp.  Remove from oven and transfer immediately to a wire rack.

If you’re ready to put the tarts together immediately, then turn the oven back up to 425 degrees F.  Spread a thin layer of goat’s cheese over each tart shell.  Place the tomatoes evenly over each and dab on the garlic oil mixture.  Sprinkle on the chopped herbs and a bit more freshly grated Parmesan. Bake about 10 minutes.  Allow to cool a few minutes before slicing to serve.

Notes:

• I have made puff pastry only once and failed miserably.  Yes, I’ll give it another go, but not quite yet, so in the meantime, I’m glad I tried Aussie Bakery’s Puff Pastry at Whole Foods.  Lovely product — especially if you want to make a nice tomato tart.
• I used lemon thyme, basil, parsley, oregano, and green garlic from my very own little herb box that has managed to escape the bugs so far this year.  After the tarts were done baking, I chopped some fresh sorrell, mixed it with a bit of olive oil and sprinkled that over the top.
• I baked my tart shells ahead of time and allowed them to cool completely.  I packed up the dried tomatoes and herb oil with my softened goat’s cheese and assembled the tarts at my friend’s house — 5 minutes prep max.
• The shells were amazingly crisp even after sitting for a while after baking.
• This recipe was very loosely based on one from the August 2003 issue of Cook’s Illustrated, primarily for the tart shell and tomato preparation.
• My friend sent me home with about 6 lbs. of her tomatoes and because we were going on vacation, I popped them just as they were into the freezer.  I thawed them at room temperature after we returned and made a tomato spinach soup which was quite yummy.  In the process, I learned that after tomatoes thaw out, the skins come right off — no parboiling needed!
• My tomato plants are still producing, but only 4-5 at a time.  Not exactly enough to make a sauce with, unfortunately.  I guess I may have to pull out those perennials to get ready for next year, right?  Otherwise, how will I ever be able to keep up with my friend and her tomato growing skills?

It’s becoming very apparent that I’m a complete failure at this business of working and trying to keep a food blog. I’m surprised, actually, because for years and years I managed to work a ridiculous number of hours and still have time to occasionally pretend that I might be Martha — sans the income, of course.  I’ve figured out that because I used to have so little time to do anything, I took quite a few shortcuts, or completely gave up what I enjoyed.

A few nights ago, I was yet again trying to explain to my very patient husband what the problem is;  I find solace in quiet activities that are often solitary in nature and often have a tangible product.  They’re things that keep my hands and mind busy and are often of a creative nature that can also be considered practical. Of course writing here packs several of those interests all into one nice product, so it makes sense that I’d enjoy it.  Unfortunately, for me it’s not very practical.

Therein lies the rub.

This would be the enormous excuse for why I’m just now getting around to posting The June Daring Bakers’ Challenge, hosted by Jasmine of Confessions of a Cardamom Addict and Annemarie of Ambrosia and Nectar. They chose a traditional (UK) Bakewell Tart….er….pudding that was inspired by a rich baking history dating back to the 1800’s in England.

Making a Bakewell Tart isn’t all that difficult if you’ve had lots of practice making pie crust.  It’s perfect with a cup of tea or coffee and a good book enjoyed on a sunny morning patio, or near a fireplace on a chilly day.  In fact, making a Bakewell Tart isn’t all that time consuming, either.  No, it’s more the time needed (and enjoyed) to read the forum at the Daring Kitchen to see what creative ideas others are using to make the experience more challenging, or to sit at my Mac on reveal day, clicking from one blog to the next, enjoying the stories and photos that accompany each baker’s experience.  I seem not able to manage both.

So here I sit well past June 27th, just now showing my tart.  It’s the first day of the July 4th weekend and the start of our family vacation time.  The sky is cloud free for the first time in more than a week and blue as blue can be.  It figures.

I’m sure there’s a lesson in this somewhere, so perhaps I’ll take my book out on the porch, stretch my legs and turn my face to the sun to doze a bit and wonder what I can do to avoid giving up something I truly enjoy yet again.

In the meantime, here’s my delicious Mixed Berry Bakewell Tart.

Here’s the recipe as provided by our hosts:

Bakewell Tart…er…pudding

Makes one 23cm (9” tart)
Prep time: less than 10 minutes (plus time for the individual elements)
Resting time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 30 minutes
Equipment needed: 23cm (9”) tart pan or pie tin (preferably with ridged edges), rolling pin

One quantity sweet shortcrust pastry (recipe follows)
Bench flour
250ml (1cup (8 US fl. oz)) jam or curd, warmed for spreadability
One quantity frangipane (recipe follows)
One handful blanched, flaked almonds

Assembling the tart
Place the chilled dough disc on a lightly floured surface. If it’s overly cold, you will need to let it become acclimatised for about 15 minutes before you roll it out. Flour the rolling pin and roll the pastry to 5mm (1/4”) thickness, by rolling in one direction only (start from the centre and roll away from you), and turning the disc a quarter turn after each roll. When the pastry is to the desired size and thickness, transfer it to the tart pan, press in and trim the excess dough. Patch any holes, fissures or tears with trimmed bits. Chill in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 200C/400F.

Remove shell from freezer, spread as even a layer as you can of jam onto the pastry base. Top with frangipane, spreading to cover the entire surface of the tart. Smooth the top and pop into the oven for 30 minutes. Five minutes before the tart is done, the top will be “poofy” and brownish. Remove from oven and strew flaked almonds on top and return to the heat for the last five minutes of baking.

The finished tart will have a golden crust and the frangipane will be tanned, poofy and a bit spongy-looking. Remove from the oven and cool on the counter. Serve warm, with crème fraîche, whipped cream or custard sauce if you wish.

When you slice into the tart, the almond paste will be firm, but slightly squidgy and the crust should be crisp but not tough.

Sweet shortcrust pastry

Prep time: 15-20 minutes
Resting time: 30 minutes (minimum)
Equipment needed: bowls, box grater, cling film

225g (8oz) all purpose flour
30g (1oz) sugar
2.5ml (½ tsp) salt
110g (4oz) unsalted butter, cold (frozen is better)
2 (2) egg yolks
2.5ml (½ tsp) almond extract (optional)
15-30ml (1-2 Tbsp) cold water

Sift together flour, sugar and salt. Grate butter into the flour mixture, using the large hole-side of a box grater. Using your finger tips only, and working very quickly, rub the fat into the flour until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Set aside.

Lightly beat the egg yolks with the almond extract (if using) and quickly mix into the flour mixture. Keep mixing while dribbling in the water, only adding enough to form a cohesive and slightly sticky dough.

Form the dough into a disc, wrap in cling and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes

Frangipane

Prep time: 10-15 minutes
Equipment needed: bowls, hand mixer, rubber spatula

125g (4.5oz) unsalted butter, softened
125g (4.5oz) icing sugar
3 (3) eggs
2.5ml (½ tsp) almond extract
125g (4.5oz) ground almonds
30g (1oz) all purpose flour

Cream butter and sugar together for about a minute or until the mixture is primrose in colour and very fluffy. Scrape down the side of the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. The batter may appear to curdle.  After all three are in, pour in the almond extract and mix for about another 30 seconds and scrape down the sides again. With the beaters on, spoon in the ground nuts and the flour. Mix well. The mixture will be soft, keep its slightly curdled look (mostly from the almonds) and retain its pallid yellow colour.

Kelly’s Notes:

• I chose to make an easy jam of blackberries and raspberries.  I used equal quantities (300g) of each cooking them over a medium heat with 30g. granulated sugar until soft and thickened.  Off the heat, a squeeze from half a fresh lemon stirred in before cooling finished it off.  I actually enjoy the seeds in berry jam so didn’t use a sieve to remove them.  This is Jasmine’s recipe, so thanks!  For the most part, I’ve made fresh fruit filling using a microwave method from Baking with Julia which would also work perfectly for this tart.
• I made the pastry by hand on the same evening I made the jam and kept both in the fridge for a day and a half.  I’d never used the grater on the butter before and really liked the ease of this technique which I’ll use from now on when making pastry and biscuits.
• I rolled the pastry between two pieces of plastic wrap before placing it in a 9″ square tart pan and trimming the edges.
• The rest comes together quite quickly so make sure you have everything ready!
• I used parchment to make a design to place over the almonds and dusted the warm tart with powdered sugar.

If you’ve made it this far down the page and are still reading, thank you very much.  I’ll figure out how and when I’m able to keep writing here one way or another.  I hope.