• Make
  • Cook
  • Read
  • Think
  • My Story

created for joy

~ make today

created for joy

Tag Archives: white chocolate

Blueberry Tart

06 Wednesday Jun 2012

Posted by createdforjoy in Cook, Read

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

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

blueberrytartmain

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 :)

blueberrytart01

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.

blueberrytart02

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.

blueberrytart03

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.)

blueberrytart04

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)

Advertisement

Peanut Butter Fudge Bars

26 Monday Mar 2012

Posted by createdforjoy in Cook

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

baking, brownie, chocolate chips, cook, cookie bars, dessert, frosting, fudge, peanut butter, white chocolate

Photobucket

Disclaimer: I don’t generally hold with the notion that there is such a thing as “bad” food, at least not the ones that nature created. As with most things in life, it is the extremes that will get you in trouble. A healthy diet is balanced, both in amounts and types of food, and pays attention to what our bodies require.

I also find that the quickest way to make a human being want something is to declare it off-limits. Unless dietary constraints based on health issues prevent you from eating sugar or fat, I don’t think there is anything wrong with indulging in a reasonable portion size of dessert. I love to bake, and I love to share what I bake, and I would have a hard time giving up either. Preparing food and feeding myself and others nurtures me, both body and soul, and that feels very right to me.

Okay, I felt the need to say all that first so that I can now quite contradictorily say these Peanut Butter Fudge Bars are BAD. They are so full of fat and sugar that whoever invented the recipe for the King Arthur Flour Baker’s Companion ought to blush. These cookie bars do happen to taste fantastic, in a rich, over-the-top sort of way, but that was not my real motivation for choosing them. Mainly, I made this recipe because I had two extra kiddos in the house who absolutely love chocolate and peanut butter in all its forms, and I had a surplus of white baking chips left over from the holidays.

I could pretend that the protein in the peanut butter somehow balances out the multiple sources of sugar, or take heart in the fact that I cut them into tiny servings. If it helps you sleep better at night, I could note that all four children who ate them are very healthy and spent hours playing outside every day during their visit. The truth is, I fell right off the balanced diet wagon into a pool of peanut butter frosting and white chocolate-studded fudge brownie. If you want to join me there, the recipe is below. (Don’t say I didn’t warn you. :)

pbfudgebars06

Peanut Butter Fudge Bars
makes 36 small bars

For crust:
1/4 c. unsalted butter (1/2 stick), softened
1/3 c. creamy peanut butter
3/4 c. granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. salt (not coarse)
1 tsp. vanilla bean paste or real vanilla extract
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur)

For fudge filling:
3/4 c. semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 c. unsalted butter (1 stick), softened
1/2 tsp. salt (not coarse)
1/4 c. golden syrup or light corn syrup (read more about golden syrup here)
1 c. plus 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1 c. all-purpose flour
2 eggs
1/2 c. white chocolate chips

For frosting:
3/4 c. white chocolate chips
1/4 c. creamy peanut butter
1/4 tsp. salt (not coarse)
1/4 c. mini-chocolate chips to sprinkle on top (optional)

Oven 350F. First the crust: in medium mixing bowl, beat together butter and peanut butter with electric mixer until soft and creamy. Stir in the sugar, salt, and vanilla until thoroughly combined. Mix in the flour until you have a slightly dry, crumbly dough. Press the dough into a lightly greased 9″x13″ glass baking dish. (It helps to put a sheet of plastic wrap between your hands and the dough.) Bake 8-10 minutes, until lightly brown at the edges. Remove from oven, but leave oven turned on.

While the crust is baking, start on the filling. In a medium microwave-safe bowl, microwave the semi-sweet chocolate chips, butter, salt, and golden/corn syrup until chocolate is melted. Stop and stir with a silicone spatula after first minute, and then every 30 seconds afterward to prevent over-cooking. Stir in sugar and flour until mixed, then beat in the eggs one at a time until well-combined. Fold in white chocolate chips, then pour filling on to baked crust and bake for 22-24 minutes. The top will be shiny and set, but don’t overbake — you want to keep a fudgy texture.

While the bars bake the second time, make the frosting by melting the white chocolate chips in the microwave, then stir in the peanut butter and salt until creamy and smooth. Spread the frosting over the baked, warm cookie bars using a silicone spatula, then sprinkle with mini-chocolate chips if desired. (I mean, really, why hold back now?) Allow bars to cool completely before cutting, then cut into roughly 1-1/2″x2″ bars (six rows both directions).

pbfudgebars01

Follow created for joy on WordPress.com

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Search

Recent Posts

  • Almond Butter and Jam Cookie Sandwiches
  • Bacon and Egg Breakfast Muffins
  • Loving the Kitchen
  • Creamy Chicken Noodles
  • Double Chip Molasses Oatmeal Cookies

Categories

  • Cook (48)
  • Easy-Peasy (3)
  • Make (37)
  • Read (24)
  • Think (20)

Archives

  • October 2013 (1)
  • March 2013 (1)
  • October 2012 (1)
  • August 2012 (6)
  • July 2012 (4)
  • June 2012 (7)
  • May 2012 (4)
  • April 2012 (6)
  • March 2012 (6)
  • February 2012 (9)
  • January 2012 (14)
  • December 2011 (15)
  • November 2011 (17)
  • October 2011 (6)

All original content © Spring Barnickle, Create Joy LLC, & createdforjoy.com, 2011-2014.

Feel free to link to createdforjoy.com or provide excerpts with clear credit and directions to original content; please ask before copying posts or pictures to your site or publication.

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Follow Following
    • created for joy
    • Join 96 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • created for joy
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar