Sticky Toffee Pudding Tart

Happy New Year!!  I don't think that I would make it to the new year with a new post but here I am, making an effort to sit down and write the recipe to share :D

This dessert was actually made last year but I made the toffee sauce twice within two weeks time because it went nicely with another baked item that I created with leftover bananas.  Now I've let out a little hint of what will be the next post ;)

We all loved this tart; it had amazing flavor and the right crispness of the crust.  The toffee sauce was as lovely as the tart, I would think that it would be good with ice cream as well.

So here is the recipe!

Sticky Toffee Pudding Tart

Makes one 9-inch tart


For the crust:
1 batch simple tart dough, recipe follows

For the filling:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup pitted dates
1 cup hot brewed coffee
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the sauce:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
Pinch of salt or more, to taste


Make the crust:  Preheat the oven to 350 degree F.  Roll the dough into a rough 11-inch round.  Line a 9-inch round tart pan with the dough and dock.  Freeze the dough for 20 minutes.  Line the dough with parchment, fill it with pie weights or dried beans, and blind bake it for 20 minutes.  Remove the weights and parchment and bake the crust for 10 to 15 minutes more, until the bottom no longer looks raw and wet.

Make the filling:  In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.

Chop the dates into very small pieces.  Place them in a small bowl and add the hot coffee and baking soda and stir.  Set aside until cooled.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time and then the lemon zest and vanilla; beat until blended.  Gradually add the flour mixture and mix until just combined.

Remove the mixing bowl from the machine and fold in the date mixture by hand, using a rubber spatula.  Pour the filling into the prepared shell.  Bake until the pudding is set, 30 to 35 minutes.

Make the sauce:  Combine the butter, cream, brown sugar, and salt in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat.  Stir constantly until the sugar has completely melted, then raise the heat to medium and simmer gently until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes.

How to serve:  Spread 1 cup of the sauce over the top of the tart.  Serve it immediately, drizzling a little more toffee sauce over each piece.

Simple Tart Dough

Makes 2 1/2 pounds dough, enough for 3 to 4 (8- to 9-inch) tarts or 12 to 16 mini tarts


4 cups all purpose flour, cold
2 cups unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and chilled
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 egg, at room temperature, lightly beaten

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, pulse together the flour, butter, and salt until the mixture resembles cornmeal.

In a small bowl, whisk together the condensed milk and egg.  While pulsing, slowly pour this into the flour until the dough just comes together.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and gently turn over a few times until it is smooth, the dry ingredients have been completely integrated, and the dough holds together.  Take care not to overwork it.

Shape the dough into a loose circle, cover it with plastic wrap, and allow to rest in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes.

For this recipe, I divide the dough into 4 portions.  Each portions will weigh about .625 pounds or 5/8 of a pound.  Then I flatten each portion and double wrap it with plastic.  These will freeze for about a month.



Source:  adapted from Pie It Forward by Gesine Bullock-Prado

Strawberry-Frangipane Chocolate Tart

As soon as it's the end of May and the start of the month June, I'm looking forward to picking local strawberries.  The tantalizing taste of these strawberries isn't one I can ignore; even with the busy schedule I've to find a time to go u-picking.  U-pick farms are abound in the Portland area and they have berries that ripe almost at the same time.  This year I promise myself to replenish my strawberry and raspberry jam jars.  But of course, eating these berries fresh is the one of the anticipated events of the year.

I soon found out that getting older and choosing to u-pick berries didn't go together harmoniously.  My back would ache every five minutes or so from squatting too long.  I think it's just my age, really.  I saw some people brought kneeling mat, which now I think it's a brilliant idea.  Why didn't I think of that?

When I picked these berries, the day was supposed to be getting progressively hot.  I started in mid morning and finished picking ten pounds worth of strawberries before noon.  The sun was just starting to peek and blazed its hot rays upon the earth.  I told myself, that's enough berries, you really need to stop before it's too hot.  Yeah, I picked the weekend to do my jam making and baking when the temperature hit a record for the year.  There's no stopping back.  I felt like I lost a pound of weight that weekend.

I picked Hood strawberries because I love their taste and smell.  The idea behind making this tart was because I saw an Instagram photo from UK's Delicious magazine.  But I wanted to have a chocolate tart as the base so I turned to America's Test Kitchen for its recipe.  For the frangipane filling, I found that the recipe from Yossi Arefi's blog was a much better proportion.  The finished product is declared a winner by my family.  I'm happy when they're happy.

Strawberry-Frangipane Chocolate Tart

Makes one 9-inch tart

Chocolate Tart Dough:
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
2/3 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces and chilled

Frangipane Filling:
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 1/4 ground almonds
2 eggs, plus one egg white
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract, optional
1/4 teaspoons salt

1 1/2-2 cups fresh strawberries
3 tablespoons apricot jam for glaze


To make chocolate tart dough:
Whisk the egg yolk, cream, and vanilla together in a small bowl.  Process the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, and salt together in a food processor until combined.  Scatter the butter pieces over the top and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, about 15 pulses.

With the machine running, add the egg mixture through the feed tube and continue to process until the dough just comes together around the processor blade, about 12 seconds.  Turn the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and flatten into a 6-inch disk.  Wrap the dough tightly in the plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.  Before rolling the dough out, let it sit on the counter to soften slightly, about 10 minutes.

Roll out the dough to an 11-inch circle on a lightly floured counter and fit it into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.  Set the tart pan on a large plate and freeze the tart for 30 minutes.

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 375F.  Set the tart pan on a large baking sheet.  Press a double layer of foil into the frozen tart shell and over the edges of the pan and fill with pie weights.  Bake until the tart shell is set and looks dry, about 20 minutes.  Remove the weights and foil and continue to bake the tart shell until it is fully baked, about 5 more minutes.  Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack and let the tart shell cool completely on the baking sheet.

To make frangipane filling:  In the bowl of the food processor, combine the butter and sugar and pulse until smooth.  Add almonds and blend until well combined.  Add the flour and cornstarch followed by the egg and egg white and finally the vanilla and almond extract, if using, and salt.  Mix until just combined.

Spread the frangipane into the cooled tart shell.  Bake the tart shell while still on the baking sheet for about 40 to 45 minutes or until the filling is set and no longer jiggly when touched.  Let tart cool completely on a wire rack.

To assemble the tart:  Trim the strawberries and cut each into half.  Starting from the outside edge, lay them in neat overlapping circles until the top of the tart is covered.  In a small pan, heat the apricot jam with a bit of water until syrupy, don't boil the jam or the glaze will become cloudy and thick.  Pass it through a sieve back into the pan.  Brush the smooth, clear glaze over the fruit.


Source:  idea from Delicious magazine: Strawberry Frangipane Tart
                 chocolate tart dough from The America's Test Kitchen: Family Baking Book
                 frangipane filling adapted from Yossi Arefi for Food52: Berry and Frangipane Tartlets

Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Tart

I'm back!!!  Yes, it's been a few weeks since I wrote my last post.  Holiday and mother-in-law visit got in the way of me time, but I had a good time during my week off break.  It was also the time of indulging myself with delectable dishes that my mom made.  But there was one occasion that I had to make a special treat, that was my dad's birthday in the middle of November.  When I asked him what he would like for his birthday cake, he wanted to have something chocolate, preferably made with bittersweet chocolate.

I thought long and hard and I found the answer in this chocolate truffle tart.  It was rich in chocolate flavor, smooth, and a little fruity; a dessert that's manly and elegant.  The trick that I learned was that the chocolate didn't need to be super bitter to achieve the velvety texture.  Chocolate can get grittier as it gets bitter, so choosing chocolate liquor content between 60-70% should be enough.  I use Lindt chocolate bars and was very pleased with the result.  We enjoyed having tiny slices accompanied with a big dollop of frozen espresso-flavored custard.

Speaking of frozen custard, I tried a new brand called Snoqualmie.  Costco had the pumpkin custard sample in their store and it was excellent, and that made me decide to try the coffee custard--yay for egg yolk in ice cream!  This makes me want to try their Peppermint Stick Gelato once I see it in stores.  It'll be my holiday spoil that I may (not) share! :)

And yes, the photo above was what's left of the frozen espresso custard after too long of a photo shoot.  It was still amazing to eat!

Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Tart

Serves 10


For crust:
1 1/2 cups finely ground chocolate wafers, such as Nabisco Famous (28 wafers)
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

For filling:
1/2 pound bittersweet chocolate (60-70% cocoa), coarsely chopped
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 ounces fresh raspberries, plus extra to serve

Make the crust:  Put a rack in middle of oven and preheat oven to 350F.  Lightly butter side of pan.  Stir together ground wafers and butter in a bowl until combined.  Pat mixture evenly over bottom of pan and 1 1/2 inches up side.  Bake until crust is slightly puffed, about 10 minutes.  Cool completely on a rack, about 15 minutes.  (Leave oven on.)

Make the filling:  Melt chocolate and butter in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth.  Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes.  Whisk together eggs, cream, sugar, salt, and vanilla in a bowl.  Whisk in chocolate mixture and until well combined.

Scatter raspberries on crust.  Pour filling into cooled crust and rap pan once on counter to eliminate any air bubbles.  Bake until filling 1 inch from edges is set and slightly puffed but center still trembles slightly when pan is gently shaken, 20 to 25 minutes.

Cool tart completely in pan on a rack, about 2 hours.  (Center will continue to set as it cools.)  Refrigerate tart, uncovered, until center is firm, about 4 hours.  Remove side of pan and sprinkle with cocoa before serving.  Serve with extra raspberries, cream, and/or ice cream.


Source:  adapted heavily from Gourmet Today 2009

Tomato and Dijon Tart with Parmesan and Basil Crust

I think everyone agrees that this season's harvest is exceptional.  Summer produce is ripe at alarming rate and the sheer number of yields can be overwhelming.  What to do with hundreds of zucchinis, tomatoes, green beans?  Will there an end to cucumbers and peppers?  I like to tell people that for every garden, one can only have 1 zucchini plant!  But, really, seeing those wonderful produce is heartening and eating is naturally more enjoyable with the freshest local fruits and vegetables.

Here's a recipe to help you use the over abundant tomatoes.  It's a tart that with an addition of basil leaves and Parmesan emanates aromatic, sweet and cheesy.  The combo works well with tomatoes and savory custard filling.

Tomato and Dijon Tart with Parmesan and Basil Crust

Serves 6-8


For the dough:
1 cup all-purpose unbleached flour, plus extra for dusting
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
6 teaspoons unsalted butter, softened
10 basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg

For the filling:
3-4 ripe, medium tomatoes, all of similar size and shape, thinly sliced
1 Tablespoon flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
2/3 cup half-and-half
2/3 cup creme fraiche
2 large eggs
1 heaping tablespoon Dijon mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese


To make the dough:  Process the flour, Parmesan, butter, basil leaves, and salt together in a food processor until the mixture resembles fine green bread crumbs.  Add the egg and 1 tablespoon cold water, and bring the mixture together to form a soft dough.  Add a little extra water if needed.  Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.  Preheat the oven to 400F.

Roll out the dough on a well-floured surface to a large circle about 1/8-inch thick and use to line the tart pan, making sure it overlaps the sides.  Trim all but 1/2-inch of the overhanging dough.  Prick the bottom with a fork, line with parchment paper, and fill with baking beans.  Place it on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, until the dough is lightly cooked.  Remove the beans and paper, and bake for another 5 minutes to crisp.  Trim off any ragged edges while still warm.  Reduce the heat to 350F.

For the filling:  Place the tomatoes in an overlapping circle around the edge of the tart.  Fill the center with a smaller circle of tomato slices.  Scatter the chopped parsley over the tomatoes.  Whisk together the half-and-half, creme fraiche, eggs, mustard, salt and pepper in a large bowl.  Place the tart back on a baking sheet and carefully pour the cream mixture over the tomatoes.  Scatter the grated Parmesan cheese over the top.

Bake for 35 minutes, or until golden on top and the filling has just set.  Set the tart aside to cool for at least 30 minutes before eating warm or cold.  This is best eaten the day it is made.


Source:  adapted from Pies: Sweet and Savory by Caroline Bretherton

Blackberry Kahlua Cream Tart

Ah...blackberries.  I hate them when they're growing on or near my property because they'll take over everything.  I hate them for having such sharp thorns that go deep into the skin when I cut the branches that come from the neighbor's property over my fence.

But, come summer, when the fruits are ripe and juicy and sweet, then I love them.  The fruits are deep black and so easy to pick.  And what's best is that they're free, as long as I have time to pick.  This tart was made because my husband suggested one day that we went and picked blackberries in the neighborhood.  Anytime I can spend time together with him, however short, will be a good time.  So we traipsed about in one walking trail not far from home; there's someone kindly enough to clear a path around the thick bushes making it easy for us to gather the fruits.  It took us about half an hour to gather about 4 cups of fruits and we came home happy.

I love the flavor and texture of this tart; cool and smooth seedless blackberry puree that sits on top of shortbread-like crust with billowy whipped cream topping.  What's not to like?

Blackberry Kahlua Cream Tart

Makes 10 servings

1 10-inch Tart Pastry shell, fully baked--recipe follows.  I used a rectangular tart pan instead of an 10-inch round tart pan

Blackberry Puree

4 cups fresh blackberries (save some for decorations on top of the tart)

1/2 cup sugar

4 teaspoons cornstarch

Grated zest of 1 lemon

Kahlua Whipping Cream

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons Kahlua

Cool the tart shell thoroughly on a rack.  Transfer the shell to a large, flat plate or platter, cover with foil, and refrigerate.

To make the blackberry puree, process the blackberries in a blender or food processor until smooth.  Strain the puree through a fine-mesh strainer, working and pushing it with a spoon so you end up with as much seedless puree as possible; you should be left with close to 2 cups of puree.

Put the puree into a non-aluminum saucepan.  Mix the sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl and stir it, along with the lemon zest, into the puree.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often.  Hold it at a low boil for 1 minute, stirring, then scrape it into a glass casserole or pie pan and place it in the fridge to cool.  Once it has cooled, scrape it into the tart shell, evening it with a fork.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

When you are just about ready to assemble the tart, put the beaters and whipping cream bowl in the freezer.  Once they're chilled, beat the cream until it almost holds soft peaks, then add the sugar and Kahlua.  Beat until good and firm, but don't let it get grainy.  Spread the whipped cream over the puree and arrange a few blackberries here and there if you saved some out.  Slice and serve right away or hold in the fridge, covered for up to several hours.

Tart Pastry

Makes 1 10-inch tart shell

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

2 tablespoons (approximately) cold water

In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, and salt.  Add the butter and cut it in until the mixture resembles very small crumbs, with all the flour having been dampened by the fat; it should be actually be starting to clump together without the water.  At that point add the cold water, a teaspoon at a time, tossing and compacting the mixture with a fork until the dough coheres.

When the dough coheres, knead it once in the bowl to distribute the butter, then flatten it on a sheet of plastic wrap into a disk about 1/2 inch thick.  Wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes before rolling.  

To roll the dough:  Put the dough on a sheet of lightly floured wax paper.  Lightly flour the top of the dough, then roll it into a circle 13 to 13 1/2 inches in diameter.  Carefully invert the dough over the pan and tuck the dough down into the pan without stretching it.  Trim the dough off flush with the top of the pan.  Cover and refrigerate until baking.

Preheat the oven to 400F.  Line the shell with foil and tuck in into the pastry.  Pour dried beans or pie weights into the foil.  Place the weighted shell in the oven and bake for 15 minutes.  Remove the pan from the oven and very carefully lift the foil out of the pan with the beans still in it.  Pierce the bottom of shell several times with a fork and put the shell back in the oven for about 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown.  

Source: adapted from Country Baking by Ken Haedrich

Raspberry Cream Cheese Tart

Great, another raspberry post?  Yes, but I can convince you that this tart is worth the steps to make.  It's flaky at the bottom, tangy and creamy in the middle followed by sweet-tart burst of raspberry on the top.  This reminds me of clafouti which I also love; there's few custard type desserts I don't like!

Raspberry Cream Cheese Tart

Serves 8


For the pastry dough:
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 large egg yolk

For the filling:
4 oz (115 g) cream cheese, at room temperature
¼ cup sour cream
¼ cup granulated sugar
A pinch of grated nutmeg
3 large eggs, beaten
Zest of 1 lemon
12 oz (350 g) raspberries
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting


To make the pastry dough:  Place the flour, butter and sugar in a food processor, and pulse until it resembles bread crumbs.  Alternately, to make by hand, rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until it resembles bread crumbs, then stir in the sugar.

Add the egg yolk to the mixture and mix to a firm dough.  Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and use to line the pan.  Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork and chill for 30 minutes.  Preheat the oven to 400F.

Line the crust with wax paper and fill with baking beans.  Bake for 10 minutes, then remove the paper and beans and bake for another 10 minutes, or until pale golden.  Remove from the oven and reduce the temperature to 350F.

To make the filling:  Beat cream cheese, sour cream, and sugar together until smooth.  Add the nutmeg, eggs, and lemon zest; beat again until well combined.  Pour into the crust and scatter the raspberries over the surface.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until just set.  Set aside to cool before transferring to a serving plate.  Serve warm or wold, dusted with confectioners' sugar.


Source:  Pies:  Sweet and Savory by Caroline Bretherton

Rhubarb Orange Tart

Rhubarb has come into season.  Despite its bad rap as being stringy and fibrous, when cooked, rhubarb will become a perfect consistency for pie/tart filling.  I've cooked with rhubarb before and I adore it for its brightness in flavor.  Of course, it needs to be combined with lots of sugar to achieve the desired sweetness but it's forgiven because the end result is most often delicious.

Here, it's boosted with the presence of orange peels in a tart filling.  Rhubarb, sugar, and orange peels were cooked together in a saucepan to a thick-syrupy melange, its aroma permeates my kitchen like being in orange groves.  My son commented as to what I was cooking for he's eager to know what made the house smelled so good.

Since there're eggs in the filling, it tastes custardy, quite soft, but actually provides contrast to the flaky crust.  The rhubarb and orange go together happily by giving out tang and citrusy note.  Top the tart with Chantilly cream or vanilla ice cream and it will perhaps be a dessert to enjoy for Mother's Day.  I, myself, will go to a neighborhood restaurant with my family and parents to enjoy a night out.  Happy Mother's Day to you!

Rhubarb Orange Tart

Makes 8 servings



14 ounces rhubarb

Grated peel of 2 oranges

3/4 cup sugar

Pinch of salt

1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened

2 1/2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 prebaked 9-inch tart crust

Vanilla ice cream or Chantilly cream



Preheat oven to 325F.

Cut the rhubarb into 1-inch pieces, discarding the leafy end.  Cook the rhubarb, orange peel, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently, until soft, about 10 minutes.  Transfer the mixture to a bowl and let cool for 10 minutes.

Stir in the butter and the flour.  Stir in the beaten eggs.  Spread the rhubarb filling into the prebaked tart shell.  Bake the tart until set, about 25 minutes.

Let cool completely before slicing and serving.  Serve with ice cream or Chantilly cream.  Tart is best made and served the same day.

Tart Dough

Makes 1 9-inch tart

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

Pinch of salt

5 ounces (10 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter

2 tablespoons heavy (whipping) cream

1 large egg

Put the flour, sugar, salt, and butter in a food processor.  In a small bowl, whisk together the cream and the egg.  Pulse the flour mixture until the butter is pea sized.  This will happen very quickly--be careful not to overprocess.  With the machine running, pour the cream mixture into the food processor.  Process just until the dough comes together.

Preheat the oven to 400F.  Have ready a sheet of aluminum foil large enough that it comes up several inches above the shell.

Line the tart shell with aluminum foil, press lightly along the sides and let it stand up on the edges of the tart (don't bend the extra foil to the sides).  Fill with dried rice or dried beans.  Bake until the edges of the crust are golden brown, about 15 minutes.  Remove the aluminum foil and rice, lower the oven temperature to 375F, and continue to bake for about 10 minutes or until the bottom of the crust is golden brown.



Source:  adapted from A Passion for Desserts by Emily Luchetti

Strawberry-Meyer Lemon Curd Tart

I hope another posting of a variation on lemon curd recipe won't bore anyone.  But I can't resist not to whip up extra batch of Meyer lemon curd to make this lovely tart.  It's late spring, almost summer; local strawberries are just coming in, and Oregon-grown strawberries are red all-around, sweet and juicy.  When the tart is cut, the luscious and creamy curd seeps through the buttery and flaky crust; who can resist such temptation?

My parents have a small patch of strawberry plants and they're picking the fruits everyday---it's now or the slugs will get to them.  The fruits don't always look perfect but they're quite sweet.  Elsewhere, u-pick strawberry farms are starting to advertise their picking hours recently and I'm planning to go pick some more strawberries this season, to supplement what I can also get from my parents' patch.  Most of the fruits from last season were almost gone and my homemade strawberries jam is down to one last jar.  I used my vanilla-strawberry jam to glaze this tart and it helps the tart looking more gorgeous.

I didn't use up all the strawberries to cover up the tart--the rest was for snacking--but I think it still looks pretty that way.  The lovely combo of lemon curd and strawberries is a must-try for tart lovers.  I, for one, can't get enough eating the tart shell alone; in my opinion, a good crust equals a giant buttery cookie--simply irresistible!

Strawberry-Meyer Lemon Curd Tart

Serves 10

For Meyer lemon curd:  please see this recipe.  Note:  the curd can be made 2 days ahead.  Keep chilled until used.

For the crust:

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

2 tablespoons (or more) chilled heavy whipping cream

1 large egg yolk

For topping:

1 1/2 quarts strawberries, stem ends cut flat

1/2 cup strawberry jam



To make the crust:  Blend flour, sugar and salt in food processor.  Add butter; using on/off turns, blend until mixture resembles coarse meal.  Add 2 tablespoons cream and egg yolk.  Blend until moist clumps form, adding more cream by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry.  Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk.  Wrap and chill 1 hour.  The dough can also be made 2 days ahead; keep chilled until used.  Let the dough soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.

Roll out dough disk on lightly floured surface to 13-inch round.  Transfer to 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom.  Press dough onto bottom and up sides of pan.  Trim dough overhang to 1/2-inch; fold in and press firmly, forming double-thick sides.  Pierce crust all over with fork; refrigerate 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Bake crust until golden, pressing with back of fork if crust bubbles, about 20 minutes.  Cool crust completely on rack.

Spread curd in crust.  Stand berries in curd, cut side down.  Stir jam in small saucepan over medium heat until melted; strain into small bowl.  Brush jam over berries.  Chill tart until glaze sets, at least 1 hour and up to 6 hours.

Remove pan sides from tart.  Transfer to plate and serve.



Source:  adapted from Bon Appetit Desserts

Bittersweet Truffle Tart

I shared this tart with my Bunco friends a few weeks ago. Rich, chocolaty, and creamy; those three words pretty much summed up the end result.

There's so much to write but I'm still finding the time; it's been a long week and busy month.  I'll leave with a recipe to share, though.  Until later.

Bittersweet Truffle Tart

Makes 10 servings


2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup ground blanched almonds

6 tablespoons butter, softened

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/4 cups whipping cream

12 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup strawberry jam

Whipped Almond Mascarpone, recipe follows

Bittersweet or semisweet chocolate shavings (optional)


Preheat oven to 350°F.

For crust: In a large bowl, combine flour, powdered sugar, ground almonds, butter, and cocoa powder. Beat with an electric mixer until combined. Knead gently with hands until mixture comes together. Press dough onto the bottom and up the sides of an ungreased 9- or 9 1/2-inch fluted square or round tart pan that has a removable bottom or a 9-inch pie plate.

Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until crust is slightly puffed. Cool in pan on a wire rack.

In a medium saucepan, combine whipping cream, the 12 ounces chocolate, and granulated sugar. Cook over medium heat just until chocolate is melted, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a medium bowl; whisk in strawberry jam. Cover and chill about 1 hour or until mixture is cooled and slightly thickened, stirring occasionally.

Beat cooled chocolate mixture about 30 seconds or just until the color lightens slightly. Pour into crust, spreading evenly. Cover and chill about 2 hours and until firm.

Prepare Whipped Almond Mascarpone. Using a small sharp knife, gently loosen edges of crust from side of pan. Remove sides of tart pan. Spread the whipped mascarpone over top of tart. If desired sprinkle each serving with chocolate shavings.

Whipped Almond Mascarpone: In a medium bowl, combine half of an 8-ounce carton mascarpone cheese, 2/3 cup sugar, 1/3 whipping cream, and 1/8 teaspoon almond extract. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat on high speed until mixture is thick and holds firm peaks.

Source: Holiday Baking Better Homes and Gardens 2008

Fresh Calimyrna Figs-Almond Tart

I had an unexpected gifts from my friend last week; her son came up to me and handed me fresh Calimyrna figs in a plastic container.  "From my grandma's garden," that's all he said.  That instant I gushed out thank-yous.  His mom definitely knows my taste and I'm happier to receive these than if she'd given me diamonds :)  These are precious and I really love this type better than Mission figs.

I could've eaten these fresh, but I wanted an ally to complement these seasonal fruits.  Taste-wise, figs are often paired with honey and almonds; these flavors are greatly complement each other.  After browsing for some time, I settled on a tart recipe from Bon Appetit's Desserts book.  I think the reason I love making tart is that I enjoy eating the crust more than the filling, especially when it is tender, crumbly, and buttery.

From start to finish, this tart required three days for me to complete.  The base was done on the first day, the filling and chilling time took place on the second day, and on the last day, I finally got to eat it.  It could easily be completed in one day, however, part-time work and my job as a mom got in the way whenever I make desserts :) Distractions come and go but the tart is nonetheless still delicious.  As predicted, the crust was the last piece I savored.  Make this tart when the figs are in season, which is now; hurry while they last, the paradise is near.

P.S.  This post is for you, Laurel!

Fresh Calimyrna Figs-Almond Tart

Makes 6 servings

Crust:

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup whole almonds

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

1 large egg yolk

1 1/2 tablespoons (or more) ice water

Filling:

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel

1/2 cup honey

Topping:

6 fresh Calimyrna figs, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch thick slices

1 tablespoon honey

1/4 cup almonds, toasted, chopped

For crust:  Mix flour, almonds, sugar and salt in food processor.  Add butter, pulse several times until mixture resembles coarse meal.  Whisk egg yolk and 1 1/2 tablespoons ice water in a small bowl to blend; add to dry ingredients and pulse just until the mixture starts to come together in moist clumps.  Add ice water by teaspoon if mixture is dry.  Gather dough into a ball; flatten into disk.  Wrap in plastic and chill at least 1 hour.

Butter and flour 9-inch diameter tart pan with removable bottom.  Roll out dough disk on floured surface to 1/8-inch thick round.  Transfer to tart pan.  Press crust onto bottom and up sides of pan.  Trim edges; patch cracks on crust if needed; reserve the rest of trimmings.  Freeze crust 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Line crust with foil; fill with dried beans or pie weights.  Bake until crust is set, about 12 minutes.  Remove foil and beans.  Continue to bake until crust is golden, about 15-20 minutes longer.  Repair any cracks in crust with reserved dough if needed.  Cool crust.  Maintain oven temperature.

For the filling:  Whisk buttermilk, lemon juice, eggs, flour and lemon peel in bowl.  Add honey and stir until dissolved.  Pour into crust.  Bake until filling is set, it might look slightly jiggly, about 30-35 minutes.  Cool tart in pan on rack.  Chill until cold.

For the topping:  Arrange figs atop tart.  Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with almonds.

Source:  adapted from Bon Appetit's Desserts.

Beet Cheese Tart

I used to cook beet dish only for myself; now I have partners in crime, my parents.  They will try my food as well, though I'm not quite sure if they like all of it.  Sometimes what I cook will be too radically different than what they are accustomed to eat.  Take this beet cheese tart.  It looks delicious and it tastes delicious as well.  The cheeses I used here were made locally in Oregon and I was very happy the way it turned out.  The original recipe calls for different colors of beets but what I had on hand was the regular red ones.  I'm sure if I change the type of vegetable, it might work as well.  Think of summer veggies out there, it's suddenly a great idea to make this tart again.

Beet Cheese Tart

Makes one 13 x 19-inch tart

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All-purpose flour, for dusting

Pâte Brisée, recipe follow

1 1/2 pounds (without greens) beets

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1 pound fresh goat cheese, room temperature

1/2 scant fresh ricotta cheese (4 ounces)

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme, plus about 1 teaspoon whole leaves

1/2 cup grated fontina cheese (about 2 ounces)

Preheat oven to 375 degree F.  On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough 1/8 inch thick.  Press firmly into a 13-by-9-inch rimmed baking sheet, leaving a 1-inch overhang on all sides.  Tuck overhanging under to create a double thickness; press firmly against pan.  Pierce bottom of shell all over with a fork.  Refrigerate or freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.

Line shell with parchment; fill with pie weights or dried beans.  Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes.  Remove weights and parchment.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  (Keep oven on.)

Trim all but 1/2 inch of stems from beets; rinse well.  Toss with oil and 1 teaspoon salt.  Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet; cover with parchment, then tightly with foil.  Roast until beets are tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour.  When cool enough to handle, peel beets with a knife.  Cut into thin rounds.  Raise oven heat to 425 degree F.

Stir together goat cheese, ricotta, and chopped thyme until well combined; season with pepper.  Spread mixture over tart shell, filling all the way to edges.

Arrange beets over cheese mixture, overlapping slices slightly.  Lightly season with salt.  Sprinkle fontina and whole thyme leaves on top.  Lightly drizzle with oil, and season with pepper.  Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes.  Serve warm

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Pâte Brisée

Makes enough for one 9-inch double-crust pie or two 9-inch single-crust pies

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1/4 to 1/2 cup water

Pulse flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor.  Add butter, and pulse quickly until mixture resembles coarse meal, with some large pieces remaining.  Drizzle 1/4 cup water over mixture.  Pulse until mixture just begins to hold together.  If dough is too dry, add 1/4 cup more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse.

Gather dough into a ball, wrap loosely in plastic, and press into a disk using a rolling pin.  Refrigerate until firm, well wrapped in plastic, 1 hour or up to 1 day.

Source:  adapted from Martha Stewart's New Pies and Tarts