Recipe: Plum Tart

Plum Tart

Recipe adapted from Amanda Hessler, Food52.com

Yield: 11 inch tart (8 servings)

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour

3/4 t kosher salt

3/4 c plus 1 t sugar

1/4 c vegetable or canola oil

1/4 mild olive oil

2 Tbsp whole milk

1/2 t almond extract

2 Tbsp cold, unsalted butter

20 small Italian plums (1 1/2 to 2 lbs)

Instructions

Heat oven to 425 degrees F

In a mixing bowl, stir together 1 1/2 c flour, 1/2 t salt and 1 t 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 overwork the dough.

Transfer the dough to an 11-inch tart pan 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 the excess.

In a bowl, combine 3/4 c sugar, 2 Tbsp flour, 1/4 t salt and the butter. Using your fingers, pinch the butter into the dry ingredients until crumbly, with a mixture of fine granules and tiny pebbles.

Arrange the plums in concentric circles, cut-side-up on the pastry, leaning against each other like fallen dominos; they should fit snugly. Sprinkle the sugar-butter mixture over top (it will seem like a lot).

Bake for 35-45 minutes, until shiny, thick bubbles begin enveloping the fruit and the crust is slightly brown. Cool on a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature, preferably with generous dollops of whipped cream.

Recipe: Classic Sour Cherry Pie

Classic Sour Cherry Pie

Adapted from The City Cook

Yield: 9 inch pie

Ingredients

6-8 c pitted sour cherries

1 c sugar

3 Tbsp tapioca

2 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

prepared pie crust

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375F

Roll out one piece of dough to form the bottom crust.  The disc should be approximately 12 inches in diameter. Transfer to the pie plate, letting the excess crust hang over the side.

In a large bowl, combine the cherries, sugar and tapioca. Let the mixture stand for at least 10 minutes so the sugar dissolves and the fruit releases its' juice. .

Turn the mixture into the prepared pie crust.  Dot the filling with the butter.

Roll out the second piece of pie dough to form the top crust. Place the dough on the top of the filled pie. Trim excess dough, then crimp the edges.

Cut 4 steam slits into the crust.

Place the pie onto a rimmed cooking sheet (to catch any juices that might drip from the pie) and place in middle rack of oven.

Bake for 20 minutes, and then reduce the oven temperature to 350F. Bake an additional 30-40 minutes, until the juices are bubbling and the crust is golden brown.

Remove from oven and let cool before cutting.

Recipe: Paula's Blueberry Crumb Tart

Paula's Blueberry Crumb Tart

Adapted from Paula Croteau's Farmhouse Kitchen Favorites 

Yield: 2 ten inch tarts or 8 six inch tarts

Ingredients

4 cups fresh blueberries*

1/2 cup blueberry jam**

Flaky Pastry Dough, recipe below

Butter crumb topping, recipe below

Preparation 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Roll pastry dough to desired size: 12 inches for a 10 inch tart or 8 inches for a 6 inch tart. Transfer the pastry dough to a parchment lined, unrimmed cookie sheet, and crimp the edges.

Spread jam on crust and top with blueberries

Sprinkle on crumb topping.

Bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.  

Let the tart cool on the cookie sheet for approximately 10 minutes and then slide it onto a wire rack to finish cooling.

*Note: You can substitute other berries (raspberries, blackberries, strawberries) or stone fruit (apricots, peaches, nectarines) for the blueberries. If doing so, use jam made with the corresponding fruit.

** The Swiss company Hero makes an excellent blueberry jam.

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Flaky Pie Crust

Yield: 2 ten inch tarts or 8 six inch tarts

Ingredients

4 c unbleached white flour

1 Tbsp sugar

1 t salt

1 3/4 c vegetable shortening

1/2 very cold water

1 Tbsp white vinegar

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Preparation

Combine flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl.  Add shortening. Using a pastry blender, cut the shortening into the flour until mixture resembles course crumbs.

In a separate bowl, mix the water, vinegar and egg together.

Gradually add the liquid to the flour mixture; stir until dough forms a ball.*

Divide the dough in half, wrap with saran wrap and flatten.

Chill dough at least 1 hour, or overnight.  Alternatively place in freeze for approximately 30 minutes.

Let dough warm slightly before rolling out to desired size.

*Note: depending on the humidity, you might need less liquid.

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Butter Crumb Topping

Yield: 2 cups

Ingredients

1/2 c unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 c unbleached white flour

3/4 c sugar

Preparation

In a bowl, mix together flour and sugar.

Add butter pieces to the flour mixture. Using a pastry blender, cut butter into the flour mixture until course crumbs form. 

Recipe: Coconut Cream Tart

Coconut Cream Tart

Adapted from Martha Stewart's Pies & Tarts

Yield: serves 6-8

Ingredients

1/2 c sugar, plus additional for whipped cream

1/4 c cornstarch

1/4 t salt

2 1/4 c scalded milk

4 egg yolks

1 t vanilla extract

1 cup sweetened coconut flakes

1 T unsalted butter

1 c heavy cream

1 pre-baked, 9 inch tart shell  (I used this recipe.)

Preparation 

In a heavy gauge sauce pan, combine the sugar, cornstarch and salt.  Carefully stir in the scalded milk and whisk until well blended.  Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens. Remove sauce pan from heat.

In a separate bowl, lightly beat the eggs yolks. Pour the cooked milk mixture into the beatened egg yolks, whisking until well incorporated. Return the custard to the sauce pan and cook over medium heat until the mixture returns to a boil. 

Remove the custard from the heat and stir in vanilla, coconut and butter.  Pour the custard into the prepared tart pan, and let cool.

Before serving, whip the heavy cream (and additional sugar, if using) until soft peaks form.  Serve the cream on the side, or pipe directly onto the tart.  

Recipe: Blueberry Tart

Blueberry Tart

Yield: serves 6-8

Ingredients

9 inch tart shell, well chilled

For the Filling

1 pint blueberries

1/2 c sugar

2 Tbsp minute tapioca

1 Tbsp lemon juice

For the Crumb Topping

1/2 c (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1/2 c all purpose flour

3/4 c packed light brown sugar

1 cup rolled oats

Preparation 

Preheat oven to 375F

Place the blueberries in a large bowl.  Sprinkle with sugar, tapioca and lemon juice.  Gently stir to combine.  

In a separate bowl, cut the butter into the flour with a pastry cutter (or your fingers). Mix in the brown sugar and the oats.

Pour the blueberries into the prepared tart shell*. Spoon the crumb topping over the fruit filling.

Bake for approximately 45 minutes, or until the blueberry juices have bubbled and thickened.

*It is helpful to place the tart pan onto a cookie sheet before filling and baking.