pies tarts

PIES AND

TARTS

Table of Contents Page

Foolproof Pie Crust 1

French Pastry Dough 2

Olive Oil Tart Crust 2

The Great Unshrinkable Sweet Tart Shell 3

Good for Almost Everything Pie Dough 4

Whole Wheat Yeasted Olive Oil Pastry 5

Key Lime Tart 5

Butter Pie 6

Chocolate-Ricotta Pie 7

Chocolate Mascarapone Tart 8

French Pear Almond Tart 9

Cherry Almond Clafouti 9

Amaretti Torta 10

whole lemon tart 11

Lazy Mary's Lemon Tart 11

Crustless Cranberry Pie 11

Tarte Tatin 12

Peach Tart 13

Almond Tart 14

Truly Scrumptious Apple Pie 15

PIES & TARTS 1

Foolproof Pie Crust

1 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp table salt

1 tbsp sugar

6 tbsp cold unsalted butter (3/4 stick), cut into 1/4-inch

slices

1/4 cup chilled solid vegetable shortening, cut into 2 pieces

2 tbsp vodka, cold

2 tbsp cold water

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Process 3/4 cups flour, salt, and sugar together in food processor until

combined, about 2 one-second pulses. Add butter and shortening and

process until homogenous dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps,

about 10 seconds (dough will resemble cottage cheese curds with some

very small pieces of butter remaining, but there should be no uncoated

flour).

Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl with rubber spatula and

redistribute dough evenly around processor blade. Add remaining 1/2

cup flour and pulse until mixture is evenly distributed around bowl and

mass of dough has been broken up, 4 to 6 quick pulses. Empty mixture

into medium bowl.

Sprinkle vodka and water over mixture. With rubber spatula, use folding

motion to mix, pressing down on dough until dough is slightly tacky and

sticks together. Flatten dough into 4-inch disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and

refrigerate at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days.

Remove dough from refrigerator and roll out on generously floured (up to

1/4 cup) work surface to 12-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. Roll dough

loosely around rolling pin and unroll into pie plate, leaving at least 1-inch

overhang on each side. Working around circumference, ease dough into

plate by gently lifting edge of dough with one hand while pressing into

plate bottom with other hand. Leave overhanging dough in place;

refrigerate until dough is firm, about 30 minutes.

Trim overhang to 1/2 inch beyond lip of pie plate. Fold overhang under

itself; folded edge should be flush with edge of pie plate. Flute dough or

press the tines of a fork against dough to flatten it against rim of pie

plate. Refrigerate dough-lined plate until firm, about 15 minutes.

Remove pie pan from refrigerator, line crust with foil, and fill with pie

weights or pennies. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil and weights,

rotate plate, and bake for 5 to 10 minutes additional minutes until crust

is golden brown and crisp.

PIES & TARTS 2

French Pastry Dough

4 oz unsalted butter, cut into pieces

2 tbsp vegetable oil (I used canola)

4 tbsp water

2 tbsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1-1/2 cup flour


In a medium-sized ovenproof bowl, such as a Pyrex bowl, combine the

butter, oil, water, sugar, and salt. Place the bowl in the oven for 15

minutes, until the butter is bubbling and starts to brown just around the

edges.

When done, remove the bowl from oven (and be careful, since the bowl

will be hot and the mixture might sputter a bit), dump in the flour and stir

it in quickly, until it comes together and forms a ball which pulls away

from the sides of the bowl.

Transfer the dough to a 9-inch (23 cm) tart mold with a removable

bottom and spread it a bit with a spatula. Once the dough is cool enough

to handle, pat it into the shell with the heel of your hand, and use your

fingers to press it up the sides of the tart mold. Reserve a small piece of

dough, about the size of a raspberry, for patching any cracks.

Prick the dough all over with the tines of a fork about ten times, then

bake the tart shell in the oven for 15 minutes, or until the dough is golden

brown.

Remove from the oven and if there are any sizable cracks, use the bits of

reserved dough to fill in and patch them. Let the shell cool before filling.

Olive Oil Tart Crust

1 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp sugar

1/2 cup mild olive oil

2 tbsp whole milk

1/2 tsp almond extract

In a mixing bowl, stir together 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 tsp salt and sugar.

Stirring enables the salt and sugar to sift the flour, so you don’t need to

sift it in advance. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, milk and

almond extract. Pour this mixture into the flour mixture and mix gently

with a fork, just enough to dampen; do not over work it.

Transfer the dough to an 11-inch tart pan (you can use a smaller one if

needed), and use your hands to pat out the dough so it covers the

bottom of the pan, pushing it up the sides to meet the edge. This will

work if you pat firmly and confidently, but not if you curl your fingertips

into the dough. It should be about 1/ 8-inch thick all around; trim and

discard excess dough.

PIES & TARTS 3

The Great Unshrinkable Sweet Tart Shell

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 stick + 1 tbsp very cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 large egg


Pulse the flour, sugar and salt together in the bowl of a food processor.

Scatter the pieces of butter over the dry ingredients and pulse until the

butter is coarsely cut in. (You’re looking for some pieces the size of

oatmeal flakes and some the size of peas.) Stir the yolk, just to break it

up, and add it a little at a time, pulsing after each addition. When the egg

is in, process in long pulses–about 10 seconds each–until the dough,

which will look granular soon after the egg is added, forms clumps and

curds.

Turn the dough out onto a work surface and, very lightly and sparingly,

knead the dough just to incorporate any dry ingredients that might have

escaped mixing. Chill the dough, wrapped in plastic, for about 2 hours

before rolling.

Butter a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Roll out chilled

dough on floured sheet of parchment paper to 12-inch round, lifting and

turning dough occasionally to free from paper. (Alternately, you can roll

this out between two pieces of plastic, though flour the dough a bit

anyway.) Using paper as aid, turn dough into 9-inch-diameter tart pan

with removable bottom; peel off paper. Seal any cracks in dough. Trim

overhang to 1/2 inch. Fold overhang in, making double-thick sides.

Pierce crust all over with fork.

Alternately, you can press the dough in as soon as it is processed: Press

it evenly across the bottom and up the sides of the tart shell. You want to

press hard enough that the pieces cling to one another, but not so hard

that it loses its crumbly texture. Freeze the crust for at least 30 minutes,

preferably longer, before baking.

Butter the shiny side of a piece of aluminum foil (or use nonstick foil) and

fit the foil, buttered side down, tightly against the crust. And here is the

very best part: Since you froze the crust, you can bake it without weights.

Put the tart pan on a baking sheet and bake the crust for 20 to 25

minutes.

Carefully remove the foil. If the crust has puffed, press it down gently

with the back of a spoon. Bake the crust about 10 minutes longer to fully

bake it, or until it is firm and golden brown, brown being the important

word: a pale crust doesn’t have a lot of flavor. (To partially bake it, only

an additional 5 minutes is needed.)

PIES & TARTS 4

Good for Almost Everything Pie Dough

For a 9-inch double crust:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 1/2 sticks very cold unsalted butter, cut into tbsp-size pieces

1/3 cup very cold unsalted butter, cut into tbsp-size pieces

1/2 cup ice water

For a 9-inch single crust:


2 tbsp sugar

3/4 tsp salt

1 1/4 sticks very cold unsalted butter, cut into tbsp-size pieces

2 1/2 tbsp very cold unsalted butter, cut into tbsp-size pieces

1/4 cup ice water


Put the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor fitted with a metal blade;

pulse just to combine the ingredients. Drop in the butter until the butter

and is cut into the flour. Don't overdo the mixing — what you're aiming

for is to have some pieces the size of fat green peas and others the size

of barley. Pulsing the machine on and off, gradually add about 6 tbsps of

the water if making a double crust, 3 tbsps if making a single crust —

add a little water and pulse once, add some more water, pulse again and

keep going that way. Then use a few long pulses to get the water into the

flour. If, after a dozen or so pulses, the dough doesn't look evenly

moistened or form soft curds, pulse in as much of the remaining water

as necessary, or even a few drops more, to get a dough that will stick

together when pinched. Big pieces of butter are fine. Scrape the dough

out of the work bowl and onto a work surface.

If making a double crust, divide the dough in half. Gather each half into a

ball, flatten each ball into a disk and wrap each half in plastic. Or shape

the dough for a single crust into a disk and wrap it. Refrigerate the dough

for at least 1 hour before rolling. (If your ingredients were very cold and

you worked quickly, though, you might be able to roll the dough

immediately: the dough should be as cold as if it had just come out of

the fridge.)

To partially or fully bake a single crust:

Butter the shiny side of a piece of aluminum foil, fit the foil, buttered side

down, tightly against the crust and fill with dried beans or rice or pie

weights. Put the pie plate on a baking sheet and bake the crust for 25

minutes. Carefully remove the foil and weights and, if the crust has

puffed, press it down gently with the back of a spoon.

For a partially baked crust, return the pie plate to the oven and bake for

about 8 minutes more, or until the crust is very lightly colored. To fully

bake the crust, bake until golden brown, about another 10 minutes.

Transfer the pie plate to a rack and cool to room temperature before

filling.

PIES & TARTS 5

Whole Wheat Yeasted Olive Oil Pastry

2 tsp active dry yeast

1/2 cup lukewarm water

1/4 tsp sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature, beaten

1/4 cup olive oil

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup unbleached flour (more as needed)

3/4 tsp salt

Dissolve the yeast in the water, add the sugar, and allow to sit until the

mixture is creamy, about five minutes. Beat in the egg and the olive oil.

Combine the flours and salt, and stir into the yeast mixture. You can use

a bowl and wooden spoon for this, or a mixer — combine the ingredients

using the paddle. Work the dough until it comes together in a coherent

mass, adding flour as necessary. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface,

and knead gently for a few minutes, adding flour as necessary, just until

the dough is smooth — do not overwork it. Shape into a ball. Place in a

lightly oiled bowl, cover the dough tightly with plastic wrap, and allow to

rise in a draft-free spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, gently knead a couple

of times, and cut into two equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball

without kneading it. Cover the dough loosely with plastic wrap, and let

rest for 5 minutes.

Roll out into thin rounds. If not using right away, freeze the dough to

prevent it from rising and becoming too bready. The dough can be

transferred directly from the freezer to the oven.

Key Lime Tart

9 to 10 graham crackers (each 2 ½ by 5 inches)

2 tbsp sugar

½ cup sugar

4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk

¾ cup fresh lime juice (from 4 to 6 limes)

4 large egg yolks

salt


Process graham crackers and 2 tbsp sugar in a food processor until fine

crumbs form, add butter. Process until combined. Transfer mixture to a

9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom, pat into bottom and up sides.

Place pan on a baking sheet, and bake until crust is fragrant and slightly

colored, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine condensed milk, lime juice, egg

yolks, remaining ½ cup sugar, and salt; whisk until smooth.

Pour mixture into crust (warm or cool is fine), leaving 1/8 inch at the top;

return to oven. Bake until filling is set around edge but still slightly loose

in center, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool completely at room temperature, then

refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours.

PIES & TARTS 6

Butter Pie


1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 1/2 tsp sugar

8 tbsps cold unsalted butter, cut into dice

1/4 cup ice water

Dried beans or rice, for blind baking

6 tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature

2 cups light brown sugar

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1/2 cup cranberries (optional)

Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, for serving.


Crust: In a bowl, mix the flour, salt and sugar. Add butter and gently toss

with the dry ingredients until evenly coated. Using fingertips and thumbs,

press each cube of butter into a thin leaf, and continue tossing in flour.

When all butter is coated, add ice water one tbsp at a time. Continue

tossing gently until mixture starts to look ragged and just holds together

when squeezed. Wrap loosely in plastic, waxed paper or parchment.

Press dough down firmly into a disk. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or

up to one day, before rolling. (Dough will keep frozen for up to a month).

On a lightly floured surface, roll chilled dough into a circle 12 inches in

diameter and 1/4-inch thick. Transfer to a deep-dish 9-inch pie pan,

lifting dough to let it settle into corners of pan; do not stretch it. Turn

edges under to make a thick rim; flute the rim, pinching it into a zigzag

pattern.

Line crust with parchment or foil and cover bottom with pie weights,

dried beans or raw rice. Bake in lower half of oven for 15 to 20 minutes,

then remove weights and bake in upper half of oven 5 to 10 minutes,

until just golden on edges.

Filling: In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and

brown sugar together at medium speed until sugar looks like wet sand.

Add salt and vanilla extract. With mixer running, add eggs one at a time

and beat until creamy and light, about a minute. Mix in cranberries, if

using.

Scrape filling into par-baked crust. Place pie on a sheet pan and bake in

center of oven for 25 to 35 minutes, until top looks dry and browned.

The filling will form a skin and puff slightly, then deflate as it cools and

sets. Let cool at least one hour, then wrap and refrigerate until serving, at

least one hour or overnight. Serve cold with very lightly sweetened

whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

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PIES & TARTS 7

Chocolate-Ricotta Pie


2 tbsp cornmeal

3/4 cup pine nuts,

3/4 cup toasted pine nuts

1/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup sugar

salt

1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

1/2 cup water

8 oz semisweet chocolate chips (about 1 1/3 cups)

3/4 cup ricotta cheese

3 oz cream cheese, at room temperature

1 large egg

3 large egg yolks


Blend the flour, cornmeal, 3/4 cup pine nuts, 1/4 cup sugar, and salt in a

food processor until finely ground. Add the butter and pulse, just until the

dough forms. Press the dough over the bottom and about 2 inches up

the sides of an 11-inch-diameter tart pan with a removable bottom.

Refrigerate until the dough is firm, about 30 minutes.

Line the tart dough with aluminum foil and fill with pie weights or dried

beans. Bake the tart shell in the lower third of the oven until just set,

about 25 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and pie weights. Bake the

shell until golden, about 10 minutes longer. Cool completely.

Combine the remaining 3/4 cup of sugar with 1/2 cup water in a small

saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Cool the

sugar syrup slightly. In a double boiler, melt the chocolate over very

softly simmering water.

Pulse the ricotta cheese and cream cheese in a food processor until

smooth. Add the egg and egg yolks, 1 at a time, and process until

smooth. Add the melted chocolate and process until combined. With the

machine running, add the sugar syrup in a thin steady stream and

process until smooth.

Pour the custard into the tart shell and bake until the filling is almost set,

about 30 minutes or until the custard has set. Scatter the remaining 3/4

cup toasted pine nuts on top of the filling. Let the tart cool completely

before serving.

PIES & TARTS 8

Chocolate Mascarpone Tart

1 cup all-purpose flour

3 tbsp alkalized (Dutch process) cocoa

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 tsp baking powder

5 tbsp unsalted butter, cold

1 large egg

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup water

4 tbsp unsalted butter

8 oz bittersweet chocolate, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

3 Large eggs

1 cup (9 oz) mascarpone cheese


Crust: Combine dry ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with

the metal blade. Pulse to mix. Cut butter into 10 pieces, add to work

bowl, and pulse until finely mixed in. Add egg and pulse until dough

forms a ball. Wrap and chill dough until ready to bake the tart.

Knead chilled dough slightly until malleable, then form into a disk. Flour

dough and surface and roll dough to fit 10” fluted tart pan. Sever excess

dough at rim of pan and press dough firmly into pan.

Filling: Bring sugar and water to a boil in a non-reactive saucepan. Add

butter and continue to cook until butter is melted. Off heat, add chocolate

and allow to stand 2 minutes, then whisk smooth.

Whisk together the eggs and mascarpone, then whisk in the chocolate

mixture. Pour the filling into the crust and bake until the dough is baked

through and the filling is set, about 30 minutes. Cool the tart on a rack.

PIES & TARTS 9

French Pear-Almond Tart

6 oz almond paste

2 tsp sugar

2 tsp flour

3 oz butter, cubed, at room temperature

1 large egg, plus one egg white, at room temperature

a few drops almond extract,

1 1/2 tsps rum

3 poached (canned) pears,

blotted dry, then cut into 1/2-inch (2 cm) slices

1 pre-baked 9-inch tart shell, at room temperature


In a stand mixer, or by hand, beat the almond paste with the sugar and

flour, until smooth. Some almond pastes may be drier than others. If

yours is dry, just mix until the almond paste is finely-broken up.

Gradually beat in the butter, until smooth, then beat in the egg and the

egg white, the almond extract, and the liquor. Spread the almond filling

evenly over the tart shell. Fan the pears out evenly over the almond filling,

then press them in slightly.

Bake the tart for about 40 to 45 minutes, or until the almond filling

between the pears has browned. Cool slightly before serving.

CHERRY-ALMOND CLAFOUTI

1/2 cup Almond meal

1 1/4 cups whole milk

1 tbsp plus 1/2 cup sugar

8 oz dark sweet cherries, pitted, halved (about 2 cups)

3 large eggs, room temperature


Pinch of salt

1/4 cup all purpose flour

Powdered sugar


Add milk and almond meal in a saucepan and bring to simmer. Remove

from heat; let steep 30 minutes. Pour through fine strainer, pressing on

solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard solids in strainer.

Butter 10-inch-diameter glass pie dish; sprinkle with 1 tbsp sugar.

Scatter cherries evenly over bottom of dish.

Using electric mixer, beat eggs, almond extract, salt, and remaining 1/2

cup sugar in medium bowl until well blended. Add strained almond milk

and beat to blend. Sift flour into egg mixture and beat until smooth. Pour

mixture over cherries. Bake until set and knife inserted into center comes

out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool completely. Let stand at room

temperature. Lightly dust clafouti with powdered sugar and serve.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/235167

PIES & TARTS 10

Amaretti Torta

20 + 8 amaretti cookies

2 ozs semisweet chocolate chips (about 1/2 cup)

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

5 large eggs, separated

2 tbsp orange-flavored liquor

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup orange marmalade


Grease a 10-inch cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.

Combine the 20 amaretti cookies and the chocolate in a food processor.

Run the machine until the mixture is very finely minced. Set aside.

Cream together the butter and sugar until pale yellow, about 2 minutes.

Add the egg yolks 1 at a time. Once all the eggs are added continue to

cream the mixture together until light and fluffy, about 4 more minutes.

Add the orange liqueur. With the machine on low, add the flour and the

chocolate amaretti mixture. Mix well after each addition.

In medium bowl whip the egg whites using an electric mixer until stiff

peaks form, about 3 minutes. Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the

cake mixture until well combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake until a toothpick comes

out clean, about 45 to 50 minutes.

Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Turn the cake

out onto a platter and continue to cool to room temperature. Top with the

orange marmalade in an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining crushed

amaretti cookies over the top of the cake. Slice and serve.

PIES & TARTS 11

Whole Lemon Tart

1 partially baked 9-inch Great Unshrinkable Tart Shell

1 average-sized lemon rinsed and dried

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 stick unsalted butter, cut into chunks

4 large eggs

2 tbsp cornstarch

1/4 tsp table salt


Cut the lemon in half. Slice the lemon halves into thin wheels, remove

any seeds, and toss the rounds — lemon flesh and peel — sugar and

chunks of butter into the container of a food processor. Process,

scraping down the sides of the container as needed, until the lemon is

thoroughly pureed. Add the eggs, cornstarch and salt and pulse until the

batter is smooth.

Pour into prepared tart shell. Do not pour it past the top of your crust or it

will become difficult to unmold later.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the filling is set. You can test this by

bumping the pan a little; it should only jiggle slightly. At which point, the

filling is set is also when it starts to get very light brown on top. Let cool

on rack, unmold tart pan and serve (chilled)

Lazy Mary's Lemon Tart

1 large Meyer lemon cut into pieces

1 1/2 cup superfine white sugar

1 stick unsalted butter (1 stick)

4 eggs

1 tsp vanilla


Put all ingredients into a blender and whirl like crazy! Pour into tart shell.

Bake for 40 minutes or until set, watching so that the top doesn’t burn.

Crustless Cranberry Pie

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup white sugar

1/4 tsp salt

2 cups Fresh cranberries

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup butter, melted

2 eggs

1 tsp almond extract


Grease one 9 inch pie pan.

In a bowl, mix the cranberries and ½ cup sugar. Spread them in the pan.

Sprinkle with walnuts. In another bowl, beat the eggs, 1 cup sugar, flour,

and butter. Pour the mixture over the cranberries and smooth the top.

Bake the pie for 50 to 60 minutes or until it is set and golden.

PIES & TARTS 12

Tarte Tatin

1 sheet frozen puff pastry thawed

1 stick unsalted butter

3/4 cup sugar

8 sweet firm apples peeled, cored and quartered


Choose a 9- or 10-inch ovenproof skillet (cast iron).

Roll the dough out until it is about 1/8 inch thick (it can be thicker, if

you'd like). Using a paring knife, cut the dough into a circle that is 1 inch

larger than the diameter of the pan you're using. Prick the dough all over

with the tines of a fork and transfer it to the baking sheet. Cover the

dough and refrigerate it while you work on the apples.

Put the skillet over medium heat and add the butter. When it melts, tilt the

pan so that the sides have a thin coating of melted butter. Sprinkle the

sugar over the butter. Remove from the heat.

Fit a layer of apples into the skillet, putting the apples into the pan

rounded side down and making concentric circles. What's important here

is to pack in the apples. When you've got a tight single layer, cut the

remaining apple quarters in half and strew them over the first layer.

Put the pan over medium heat and cook until the sugar turns a deep

caramel color. You'll see it bubbling up the sides of the pan. To get the

color you want without burning the sugar, you may have to lower the

heat after a while. Count on 15 minutes, more or less, to get the color.

Transfer the skillet to the baking sheet.

Remove the pastry from the fridge and center it over the fruit, loosely

tucking in any overhang. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the pastry is

baked through and, puffed.

Now, here's the only tricky part: Cover the skillet with the large, rimmed

serving plate and, acting quickly and confidently (and making sure you're

wearing good oven mitts), turn the tart out onto the platter and remove

the pan. If any of the apples have stuck to the pan — it happens to the

best of us — gently lift them off the pan with an icing spatula and press

them gently back onto the tart. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before

serving.

PIES & TARTS 13

Peach Tart

1 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp kosher salt

3/4 cups + 1 tsp sugar

1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil

1/4 cup mild olive oil

2 tbsp whole milk


2 tsp cold, unsalted butter

3 to 5 small ripe peaches, pitted and thickly sliced


In a mixing bowl, stir together 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp

sugar.

In a small bowl, whisk together the oils, milk and almond extract. Pour

this mixture into the flour mixture and mix gently with a fork, just enough

to dampen; do not over work it. Then, transfer the dough to an 11-inch

tart pan (you can use a smaller one if needed), and use your hands to pat

out the dough so it covers the bottom of the pan, pushing it up the sides

to meet the edge. It should be about 1/ 8-inch thick all around; trim and

discard excess dough.

In a bowl, combine 3/4 cup sugar, 2 tbsps flour, 1/4 tsp salt and the

butter. (If your peaches are especially juicy, add 1 tbsp additional flour.)

Using your fingers, pinch the butter into the dry ingredients until crumbly,

with a mixture of fine granules and tiny pebbles.

Starting on the outside, arrange the peaches overlapping in a concentric

circle over the pastry; fill in the center in whatever pattern makes sense.

The peaches should fit snugly. Sprinkle the pebbly butter mixture over

top (it will seem like a lot). Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until shiny, thick

bubbles begin enveloping the fruit and the crust is slightly brown. Cool

on a rack. Serve warm or room temperature, preferably with generous

dollops of whipped cream.

PIES & TARTS 14

Almond Tart

1 cup flour

1 tbsp sugar

1/2 cup chilled unsalted butter, cut into little cubes

1 tbsp ice water

1/2 tsp vanilla extract


1 cup heavy cream

1 cup sugar

1/8 tsp salt

1 cup sliced almonds


2 tsp Grand Marnier or Amaretto


Mix the flour and sugar in a standing electric mixer or food processor (or

by hand, using a pastry blender.) Add the butter and mix or pulse until

the butter is in very small pieces, the size of rice. It should be pretty well-

integrated with no large visible chunks. Add the water and extracts and

mix until the dough is smooth and comes together. Press into a flat disk,

wrap in plastic and chill thoroughly.

Bake the shell for 20-30 minutes, until it is set and light golden-brown.

Remove from the oven and patch any holes with leftover dough.

Heat the cream, sugar, and salt in a big, wide heavy-duty pot, until it

begins to boil. Continue to cook and when it starts to foam up, remove it

from the heat and stir in the almonds, the almond extract, and the liquor.

Scrape the filling into the shell. If there’s a bit too much filling, don’t toss

it; in case the tart leaks, you can use it to add more. Make sure there’s

no clumps or piles of almonds and that everything is evenly distributed,

then put the filled tart shell into the oven.

After the first 10 minutes, check the tart. Take a heatproof rubber spatula,

holding it diagonally and with a tapping motion, break up the surface of

the tart. Be sure to give the filling a good series of ‘taps’—not enough to

break the tart shell pastry underneath, but it’s important to break up the

surface crust that’s forming.

Continue to cook, checking the tart every 5-8 minutes, and break up any

dry crust that may be forming, getting less aggressive as the filling sets

up. As it begins to caramelize, stop tapping it and let the tart do its thing.

Remove the tart from the oven when the filling is the color of coffee with

a light touch of cream in it and there are no large pockets of gooey white

filling, about 30 minutes. Let the tart cool a few minutes on a cooling

rack.

Serve in small wedges either as a dessert, or as a cookie-like

accompaniment to fresh fruit, bowl of ice cream or sorbet, or a compote.

PIES & TARTS 15

Truly Scrumptious Apple Pie

2 chilled pie dough disks (ref Pg #4)

3/4 cups granulated sugar, plus extra for decorating, if desired

1/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp fresh grated nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

2 cups Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced thin

2 cups Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored and sliced thin

2 cups Macintosh apples, peeled, cored and sliced thin

3 wedges fresh lemon

2 tbsp unsalted butter

2 tbsp cream or milk


Mix together the dry ingredients.

Place Granny Smith apple slices in bowl, squeeze a wedge of lemon

juice over and toss. In another bowl, place Golden Delicious apples,

lemon juice and toss. And in a third bowl, place Macintosh, lemon juice

and toss. Evenly distribute sugar mixture over apples in three separate

bowls. Mix.

If making the dough yourself, roll out one round of dough on a lightly

floured surface into a circle about 11 inches across. Place crust into a 9-

inch pie pan with 1-inch high sides. Roll another round of dough into a

circle about 10 inches across. With a knife or scissors, cut excess dough

from bottom layer, keeping about a ½ inch overhang. Set aside scraps.

Starting with the Granny Smith slices, place them in one layer into the

bottom crust. Next, layer the Golden Delicious slices over. And lastly,

layer the Macintosh slices over. Dot with butter.

Cover with top crust. Tuck overhang of top crust under the bottom crust

edge. Flute edges with fingers, or however you like. Vent top.

Gather any leftover dough scraps, flatten out dough and cut out a few

leaf shapes with a knife. With the point of a knife, gently make vein

indentations like on a real leaf.

Brush top crust with cream. Gently press on leaves and brush them with

cream. Sprinkle sugar over the whole pie, if desired. Place pie on a

parchment-lined sheet pan.

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until juices bubble through vents. Check the

pie after 20 minutes, and if you see the edges burning, take two long

strips of aluminum foil and wrap edges of pie loosely.

Let the pie cool on a rack for about a half an hour before cutting into it.

BAKED CHOCOLATE TART

Recipe courtesy Jamie Oliver 5 ounces unsalted butter 5 1/2 ounces semisweet chocolate 8 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted Small pinch salt

PIES & TARTS 16

4 eggs 7 ounces sugar 3 tablespoons maple syrup 3 medium heaping tablespoons sour cream or crème fraiche 10-inch flan or tart shell, baked blind Place the butter, chocolate, cocoa powder and salt in a bowl over a pan of simmering water and allow to melt slowly, stirring occasionally until well mixed. In a separate bowl beat the eggs and sugar together until light and well creamed, and then add the golden syrup and sour cream or crème fraiche. Stir the chocolate mixture into this mixture, scraping all the chocolate out with a spatula. Once you’ve mixed it well, pour it into the pastry shell. Place into a preheated 150C/300 degree F/Gas 2 oven for 40 to 45 minutes. During cooking a beautiful crust will form on top. Carefully remove the tart from the oven and allow to cool on a rack for at least 45 minutes, during which time the skin will crack and the filling will shrink slightly. Show # NC1A06

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