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Tag Archives: tart

Blueberry Tart

06 Wednesday Jun 2012

Posted by createdforjoy in Cook, Read

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Tags

bake, banana, blueberries, blueberry, butterscotch, cook, cream cheese, lemon curd, pastry, pastry cream, recipe, summer, tart, white chocolate

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With blueberry season about to start in earnest, this recipe is sure to have a place on your summer table. It is more nuanced than its simple two-word title might lead you to believe: a flaky cream cheese pastry crust scented with fresh lemon zest; white chocolate pastry cream, somehow both rich and light at once; and a layer of sweet, ripe blueberries. Taking a bite of this tart makes me want to turn Iron Chef judge and say ridiculous, completely true things like, “I feel as if I’m tasting blueberries for the first time.”

This may not be the right recipe in its entirety for the novice or hurried baker, so do what pleases you without bringing frustration. I assure you no one will complain if you crumble store-bought shortbread in a glass and top it with pastry cream and berries. (Indeed, no one in my house would complain if you simply handed them a bowl of pastry cream and a spoon.) Or try your hand at the homemade crust this time, and fill it with a thin layer of purchased lemon curd, then top with berries and whipped cream. At the end of the day, a recipe is a success only when it puts both delicious food on the plate and a smile on the cook’s face.

A final note: you’ll notice the recipe below produces enough pastry for two 9″ tarts. I actually doubled the pastry cream recipe and baked and assembled two tarts, as we had company coming twice in one week. However, if you’d rather make just one tart, freeze the remaining uncooked pastry for use another time. It’s a lovely, useful thing to have on hand. And should you find yourself with some leftover pastry cream, it makes a perfect filling for a batch of Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes. (recipe coming next week :)

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Blueberry Tart
makes pastry enough for two 9″ tarts;
pastry cream and berries are enough for one 9″ tart, eight servings

For Cream Cheese Pastry tart shell:
2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur)
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
finely grated zest of one lemon
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. cold unsalted butter (2 sticks), cut into 1/4″ pats
6 oz. cold cream cheese, cut into small cubes
10″ tart pan with removable bottom

In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, lemon zest, and salt and pulse a few times to blend. Scatter the butter over the dry ingredients and process until reduced to fine, buttery sand. Scatter the cream cheese cubes over the top and process until ingredients mix completely and come together in a ball of dough.

Divide dough in half and form into two discs, then wrap each disc in plastic wrap and chill for at least four hours, up to three days, before using. (If making only one tart, double-wrap unused portion and freeze up to one month. Thaw overnight before using, then proceed as usual.)

When ready to use, let dough sit at room temperature for fifteen minutes, then roll out between two pieces of parchment paper until it forms a 12″-diameter circle that is 1/4″ thick. Carefully place into a 10″ tart pan and trim away excess dough. (Quick tip: to easily remove extra dough, simply roll the rolling pin across the top rim of the tart pan.) Prick the bottom of the crust with a toothpick every few inches to allow steam to escape and keep your pastry from bubbling up while it bakes. Freeze the tart shell for twenty minutes before baking. (This solidifies the butter and cream cheese again and produces a flakier, more tender cooked pastry.)

Oven 350F. Bake the tart shell for 20-25 minutes, until edges and bottom are light golden brown. The crust will shrink quite a bit, hence the finished 9″ size, but this shrinking makes removing the tart shell from the pan a breeze. Allow tart shell to cool completely, then remove from pan, place on desired serving platter, and set aside until ready to fill. This can be done the day before, but be sure to wrap the cooled pastry well while it sits.

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For White Chocolate Pastry Cream:
1 1/2 c. milk
1/3 c. granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla bean paste or real vanilla extract, or the seeds of 1/2 a vanilla bean (for more about vanilla bean paste, see these recipe notes)
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 1/2 tsp. all-purpose flour
2 large egg yolks (check the bottom of this earlier post for something to do with those leftover whites)
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1/2 c. white chocolate chips or 3 oz. white chocolate bar, chopped
1/2 c. heavy whipping cream, whipped to soft peaks

In medium saucepan, stir together one cup of the milk, the sugar, salt, and the vanilla bean paste or vanilla bean seeds. (If using vanilla extract, wait to add until just before refrigerating the hot custard.) Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat.

Meanwhile, whisk together the remaining 1/2 c. milk, cornstarch, flour, and egg yolks in a small glass bowl or measuring cup. Transfer a 1/2 cup of the boiling milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture and whisk until combined. (This step changes the temperature of the eggs slowly so that you don’t wind up with white chocolate scrambled eggs.) Pour the tempered egg mixture into the boiling milk and stir thoroughly. Bring back to the boil and cook for 30 seconds until thickened.

Immediately remove from heat and pour through fine wire mesh strainer positioned over large mixing bowl; this step removes any remaining cornstarch or flour lumps. You will need to help the last of the custard through the strainer by pushing on it with a silicone spatula or the back of a spoon. Be sure to scrape the underside of the strainer too, so you don’t lose any of that yumminess. :)

Stir the butter and white chocolate into the hot custard until it is all melted and thoroughly combined. Rub a bit of butter over the top of the custard, then cover well with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic down on to the surface of the custard so that no skin forms as it cools. (The butter will keep the plastic wrap from sticking.) Refrigerate until cold, at least four hours. Once cooled, gently fold in the 1/2 cup of whipped cream and refrigerate again, tightly covered, until ready for use. Pastry cream will keep up to a week.

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To assemble:
2 cups fresh blueberries, washed and picked through to remove stems
2 Tbsp. apricot jelly
pastry shell
pastry cream

Spread a generous layer of pastry cream in the bottom of the tart shell, about 1/2″ deep. Scatter blueberries over surface of pastry cream in an even layer. (I favor a more rustic and arbitrary arrangement, but feel free to place them in precise concentric circles. Whatever floats your boat, captain!)

Place apricot jelly in a small bowl and microwave until melted. Brush on surface of berries with a pastry brush to produce a shiny glaze. You won’t taste the jelly at all, it’s just there to be pretty. Chill until served. (I meant the tart, but this could also apply to the cook. You’ve earned it.)

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P.S. — If you’ve read this far, you get a gold star! This is my longest recipe post by far, but I promise it’s worth it. ;)

Recipe Variations/Notes:
If you’re not a blueberry fan or they aren’t in season, try a Banana Butterscotch Tart instead. Simply substitute butterscotch chips for the white chocolate in the pastry cream, and sliced bananas for the blueberries. Omit the apricot jelly glaze and drizzle a little caramel over the top instead.

The Cream Cheese Pastry recipe above comes from Flo Braker’s fantastic book, Baking for All Occasions: A Treasury of Recipes for Everyday Celebrations. It is firmly ensconced as one of my favorite baking cookbooks of all time, and I highly recommend it. Not only is it full of inspired, yummy recipes written with detailed directions, you can just tell the author truly loves to bake, and that matters to me. As Braker suggests, this pastry makes a lovely crust for a savory pot pie or tart (like this one); simply omit the sugar and lemon zest and proceed as directed.

brakerbaking

(Chronicle Books: 2008; ISBN 978-0811845472)

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Ham and Chard Tart

11 Friday Nov 2011

Posted by createdforjoy in Cook

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Tags

autumn, chard, cheese, cook, ham, mustard seed, tart

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Want a great way to get more greens in your diet? Try a piece of this savory, cheesy tart — you won’t even notice all the vitamins sneaking in. This recipe won’t earn you any points if you’re supposed to be sticking to a low-cholesterol diet, but if you give a slice to your cardiologist, you’ll have a friend for life. (That’s planning ahead. :)

Ham and Chard Tart
Makes 12″x15″ tart, 8 generous servings

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 jumbo red onion, peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 large bunch chard (about 12 oz.), washed and roughly chopped
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried marjoram (or Major Ram, as we call it in my house)
1/2 tsp. cracked brown mustard seed (optional, see Recipe Notes below)
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt (or to taste, use 1-1/2 tsp. if using bacon)
1/8 tsp. fresh grated nutmeg (optional, but trust me)
2 c. creme fraiche (if not available, substitute all-natural sour cream)
5 oz. freshly grated Parmesan (or any hard, aged cheese)
3 large eggs
8 oz. ham or cooked bacon, roughly chopped
Your favorite pie crust dough, enough for two 9″ crusts (I like this recipe from King Arthur Flour or Immaculate Baking Co.’s refrigerated pie crust dough)
12″x15″x1″-deep baking sheet

Roll pie crust dough into rectangle roughly 13″x16″ and place in lightly buttered baking sheet. (Quick tip: I find it much easier to roll my pastry out between two sheets of parchment paper.) Pinch edges to form a small lip, prick bottom of pastry all over with fork (to keep it from bubbling up during baking), and place crust in freezer for 30 minutes. This step chills the fat in your pastry dough and makes for an extra tender, flaky crust.

Preheat oven to 375F. While tart crust is in the freezer, heat olive oil in saute pan over medium heat, then add onions. Cook 7-8 minutes, until onions are translucent but not browned. Add garlic and stir, then chopped chard. You may need to add it in batches and allow it to wilt before adding more so that it will all fit in your pan. Turn up heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1-2 minutes, then add 1 tsp. of the coarse sea salt and the thyme, basil, marjoram, and mustard seed. Stir well and allow to cook for 5-6 minutes more, or until chard and onions are tender. Turn off heat and set aside.

Place chilled tart crust in oven and bake for 7-8 minutes, just until golden. (This keeps the crust from getting soggy later.) While it’s baking, get out a mixing bowl and whisk together the eggs, creme fraiche, remaining salt, pepper, nutmeg, and 4 oz. of the cheese. When tart crust comes out of the oven, spread cooked chard and onion mixture across bottom evenly. Sprinkle over chopped ham/bacon, then pour over egg mixture — it will be full, but it will fit, I promise. Sprinkle remaining ounce of grated cheese over top of tart. You can also add another few shakes of dried thyme if you’re feeling artistic. Bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown and the filling is bubbly.

Let the tart cool and filling set up for about 10-15 minutes, then cut into squares. I like this served with a simple side salad of mixed greens or spinach dressed with a little olive oil, salt, pepper, and a generous squeeze of lemon juice. It needs a little acid on the side to compliment the richness of the tart. (Plus that’s more greens — yay, you!)

Recipe Notes + Tips:
Once again I task you with obtaining an unusual ingredient, and once again I guarantee it’s worth it! :) I first discovered brown mustard seed when I started experimenting with Indian cooking, and it quickly became a favorite ingredient of mine across the board. Just a little gives dishes savory, nutty depth. I love it with anything cheesy, veggies of all sorts, and roasted chicken, beef, and salmon. I never make a batch of stock without it, and it works in just about any soup or stew.

I buy crushed brown mustard seed on-line from the Spice House, and they are hands-down my favorite source of spices and herbs. Their prices are often better than the grocery store, and their products are always superior.

This recipe is an adaptation of the Italian Ham and Spinach Tart from Jamie Oliver’s 2007 cookbook, Jamie At Home. You won’t find a better guide to seasonal cooking, and I’ve made just about everything in the book with wonderful results. If you’re looking for formal, precise cooking instructions, he may not be your man, but I personally enjoy directions like “preheat your oven to full whack” and “put a glug of oil in the pan.” :)

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