The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook (99 page)

½ cup finely ground toasted hazelnuts

2 tablespoons light–brown sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

¼ teaspoon salt

1½ pounds (about 5) plums, sliced into ½-inch-thick wedges

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 large egg, lightly beaten

½ cup plum or red currant jam

1.
Preheat the oven to 425°F, with a rack in the lower third. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pâte brisée to
¹
/
₈
inch thick. Trim the edges to form a 16 × 18-inch rectangle, and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine the flour, hazelnuts, brown sugar, cornstarch, and salt; spread to cover the middle of the dough, leaving a 3-inch border all around.

2.
Arrange the plums in rows on top, slightly overlapping the slices and alternating the direction of each row. Sprinkle the plums with granulated sugar. Fold the dough to enclose the edges; brush the dough with egg wash. Chill 30 minutes in refrigerator.

3.
Bake 10 minutes. Reduce the oven heat to 400°F; bake until the pastry is golden brown and the plums are softened, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool to room temperature. Heat the jam in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring until melted. Let cool a few minutes; brush evenly over the plum slices. Serve.

galette pâte brisée

MAKES ENOUGH FOR 1 GALETTE

2½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

8 ounces (2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter

½ cup ice water

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, pulse the flour and salt. Add the butter; pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal, about 15 seconds. With the machine running, add the water in a slow, steady stream; process until the dough just holds together. Turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap, and flatten into a disk; wrap well. Chill at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.

raspberry tart

SERVES 6 TO 8

The tart shell can be made a day in advance; avoid filling it until 1 to 2 hours before you are ready to serve it in order to keep the shell as crisp and flaky as possible.

All-purpose flour, for the work surface

1 pound Puff Pastry dough (Basics), or best-quality frozen puff pastry (such as Dufour), thawed

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1
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/
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cups Pastry Cream (Basics)

½ cup heavy cream

2 6-ounce containers fresh raspberries, rinsed and dried

¼ cup confectioners’ sugar

1.
Lightly flour a clean work surface. Using a rolling pin, gently roll out the dough into a rectangle at least 9 × 18 inches and
¹
/
₈
inch thick, being careful not to press too hard around the edges. Using a pastry wheel or sharp paring knife, trim the edges, and cut out 4 1-inch strips, 2 from one of the short ends and 1 from each of the long sides. Set aside. The resulting rectangle should be about 6 × 15 inches. Transfer to a baking sheet.

2.
Dock, or pierce, the dough all over with a fork. Using a pastry brush, moisten the dough with the beaten egg, being careful not to let any drip over the cut edges.

3.
Lay the reserved 1-inch strips on top of the edges of the large rectangle, positioning them to line up exactly with the outside edge; this will be the raised border that will encase the filling. Trim the strips to fit, overlapping them at the corners; brush egg wash underneath each of the 4 overlapping corners to seal them together. Brush the tops of the strips with egg wash, being careful not to let any drip down the sides. Cover with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator to chill 1 hour.

4.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Transfer the tart shell to the oven, and bake until well browned and puffed all over, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven; using a balled-up clean kitchen towel, press down on the center, leaving the borders puffy. Return to the oven; bake 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Press down again, if needed.

5.
When the tart shell is completely cooled, place the pastry cream in a medium bowl. In a separate mixing bowl, whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form; fold into the pastry cream. Using a small offset spatula, spread the cream mixture over the bottom of the tart shell. Arrange the raspberries neatly in rows on top of the cream mixture to cover the bottom of the tart. Dust with confectioners’ sugar; cut into strips, and serve.

chocolate caramel tart

MAKES ONE 9-INCH TART

Chocolate Pâte Sucrée (Basics)

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ cup water

1½ cups heavy cream

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

Cocoa, for dusting (optional)

Caramel-Dipped Pecans (optional; recipe follows)

1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Roll the chocolate pâte sucrée
¹
/
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inch thick, and fit into a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Dock the bottom of the tart with a fork. Refrigerate 30 minutes.

2.
Place the chopped pecans on a baking sheet, and toast until slightly darkened and fragrant, about 10 minutes; set aside.

3.
Line the tart shell with parchment paper, pressing into the edges, and cover with dried beans or pie weights. Place on a baking sheet; bake for 20 minutes. Remove the paper and beans, and continue baking until the crust is golden, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

4.
Make the caramel by placing the sugar, salt, and water in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Wash down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in water to prevent crystals from forming. Cook, gently swirling the pan (do not stir), until the caramel is a rich amber color. Remove from heat, and add ½ cup cream and the butter and vanilla; stir until smooth.

5.
Pour the mixture into the chocolate tart shell. Sprinkle the toasted pecans over the caramel; refrigerate while melting the chocolate.

6.
Place the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. Bring the remaining cup cream to a boil in a small saucepan; pour over the chocolate. Let sit for 5 minutes; stir until completely smooth. Pour over the caramel and nuts; return the tart to the refrigerator to chill for at least 1 hour.

7.
When ready to serve, if desired, dust the top of the tart with cocoa powder and garnish with caramel-dipped pecans.

caramel-dipped pecans

MAKES 24

To produce interesting curves in the caramel drops, stand the skewers upright in flower foam or a heavy container while setting. If the caramel hardens before all the pecans have been dipped, rewarm it over low heat. A foolproof way to clean caramel from the pan is to bring it to a boil with a bit of added water.

24 pecan halves

3 cups sugar

¾ cup water

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1.
Gently insert an 8-inch wooden skewer into each pecan. Set aside.

2.
Prepare an ice-water bath, and set aside. Combine the sugar, water, and cream of tartar in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Wash down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in water to prevent sugar crystals from forming. Cook, without stirring, until the mixture begins to brown. Gently swirl the pan to color evenly. Remove from heat when the caramel is a rich amber color, and place the pan in the ice bath for 5 seconds to stop the cooking.

3.
Allow the caramel to sit until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. (To test: Dip a wooden spoon into the caramel, and lift it several inches over the pan; if a drip slowly forms and then hardens, the caramel is ready.) When the caramel is ready, dip the pecans, lifting up and swirling slightly to fully coat. Hold the skewer over the pan to allow the drip to lengthen and slightly harden, about 1 minute. If necessary, use a pair of scissors to cut the drip from the caramel remaining in the pan.

4.
Place the skewers on an inverted baking sheet lined with waxed paper, and allow the caramel to completely harden, about 5 minutes. If desired, stand the skewers upright in flower foam or a heavy container until ready to serve. Gently remove the skewers before serving.

chocolate cream pie

MAKES ONE 8-INCH PIE

For the smoothest, glossiest peaks, be careful not to overbeat the egg whites.

1 12-ounce box chocolate wafers

7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

½ cup milk

1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin

1 cup heavy cream

¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

8 ounces milk chocolate, finely chopped

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

4 large egg whites

1.
Place the chocolate wafers in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse until finely ground. Transfer to a mixing bowl. Add the melted butter, and stir until well combined. Press into an 8-inch springform pan, evenly coating the bottom and lower half of the sides. Cover the pan with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.

2.
Pour the milk in a small bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin over the milk, and let soften for 5 minutes. Place the cream and 2 tablespoons sugar in a small saucepan, and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the gelatin mixture, and stir to combine. Remove from heat. Add the chocolate and vanilla; cover, and let stand for 3 minutes. Stir until thoroughly combined.

3.
Pass the mixture through a fine sieve into the prepared cookie crust; leave behind any undissolved chocolate to prevent the filling from becoming grainy. Return the filled crust to the refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight.

4.
Place the egg whites and remaining ¾ cup sugar in the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer, and place over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir constantly until the egg whites are warm to the touch and the sugar is completely dissolved, about 3 minutes. Attach the bowl to the mixer, and use the whisk attachment to beat the egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes. Raise the speed to high, and beat until stiff and glossy but not dry, about 1½ minutes.

5.
Remove the pie from the refrigerator. Using a rubber spatula, drop the meringue on top, lifting the spatula to create tall peaks. Use a small kitchen blowtorch to brown the tops of the meringue peaks, or place under a broiler, watching carefully, as they will brown very quickly.

6.
Chill the pie in the refrigerator, and serve cold. The pie will keep in the refrigerator up to 2 days.

limeade pie

MAKES ONE 13½
×
4½-INCH TART

12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons finely grated lime zest (about 4 limes)

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cup fresh lime juice

½ cup confectioners’ sugar

1 lime, washed and thinly sliced

Graham-Nut Crust (recipe follows)

1.
Combine the cream cheese and granulated sugar in a food processor; process until the mixture is smooth. Add the lime zest and juice; pulse several times to combine. Transfer the filling to the prepared crust; cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until it is set, at least 1 hour.

2.
Preheat the oven to 250°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Sprinkle the confectioners’ sugar on a small plate. Dredge each lime slice in the sugar, turning to coat both sides. Transfer the slices to the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the slices are just stiff but not brown, about 40 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

3.
To serve, arrange the lime slices around the tart, or make a slit halfway through each slice, and tuck into slices of pie.

graham-nut crust

MAKES ONE 13½
×
4¼-INCH CRUST

¼ cup pecans

10 graham crackers (5 ounces)

3 tablespoons sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the pecans in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, and toast until they are fragrant, about 8 minutes. Remove from the oven; let cool.

2.
Place the graham crackers in a food processor; pulse until fine crumbs form. Add the sugar, salt, and pecans; pulse to combine. Add the butter; pulse until fine crumbs form.

3.
Transfer to a 13½ × 4¼-inch tart pan with a removable bottom, and pat evenly into the bottom and up the sides. Place the pan on a baking sheet; bake until the crust is golden and fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. The crust may be made up to 1 day ahead and stored, covered with plastic wrap, at room temperature.

strawberry chiffon pie

MAKES TWO 8-INCH PIES

If you are using pasteurized egg whites, you do not need to heat them before beating with the sugar and cream of tartar or coarse salt.

1 quart strawberries, hulled, plus 1 pint, for garnish

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1½ ¼-ounce envelopes unflavored gelatin (1½ tablespoons)

2 large egg whites

Pinch of cream of tartar

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice