Saturday, July 29, 2006

Freeform Plum Tart!


Ever since I got home and saw my July/August issue of Everyday Food, I've had my eye on the Rustic Plum Tart. Yesterday I was debating back and forth between making it or Bizcocho de Naranja. Since I had everything for the plum tart except the plums, I decided if I could find some good plums, I'd make the tart. And I did. I just had to make some minor adjustments.
I took pictures. I just packed my camera before I copied the pictures onto my computer.

Plum Tart
Crust

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter cut into pieces
  • 2-4 tablespoons cold water

  • Filling
  • 1 1/2 lbs red plums, quartered, pitted, and cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour


  • 1 large egg yolk mixed with 1 teaspoon water (for egg wash)


  • In a food processor, pulse flour, cornmeal, sugar, and salt to combine. Add butter and pulse until it resembles a coarse meal. Add 2 tablespoons ice water and oulse until dough is crumbly, but holds together when squeezed.

    Turn dough onto floured work surface. Knead once or twice. Flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least an hour.

    Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Flour a large piece of parchment (about the size of the baking sheet). Place dough on paper. Lightly flour dough and roll out into a 14-inch round. Put parchment paper with dough on the baking sheet.

    Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

    In a large bowl, toss together ingredients for the filling. Pour into the center of the crust, leaving a two-inch border. Fold border over fruit and brush with egg wash.

    Bake tart until crust is brown and filling is bubbling, about 35-40 minutes. Tranfer baking sheet to rack. Let cool 20 minutes. Serve warm.

    Serves 6. (or 7)

    Sunday, July 16, 2006

    Lime Meringue Baked Alaska



    Today is National Ice Cream Day (or so I've heard). In honor of it, I decided it was the perfect day to try out the Lemon Meringue Baked Alaska Recipe that I'd been eyeballing ever since I saw it in the Cooking Light 2006 cookbook, but since we only have limes in the house, it seemed only logical to make Lime Meringue Baked Alaska instead.

    Lime Meringue Baked Alaska
    32 vanilla wafers
    2 cups low-fat creamy vanilla ice cream, softened
    2 cups lime sherbet, softened
    4 large egg whites
    1 cup sugar
    1/4 cup water
    grated lime rind from one lime

    Line bottom and sides of a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate with wafers.

    Place ice cream and sorbet in a bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Spoon mixture into prepared pie plate and place in freezer.

    Place egg whites in large bowl and beat with a standing mixer at high speed until foamy. Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook, without stirring, until it registers 238 degrees Fahrenheit on a candy thermometer. Pour hot sugar syrup over egg whites in a thin stream, beating at medium speed (this is why you want a standing mixer). Increase speed to high and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold in lime rind. Remove ice cream from freezer and spread over ice cream Loosely cover and freeze 4 hours or until firm.

    Using a blow torch (or small culinary butane torch), lightly brown the meringue before serving. (Or just be boring and use the broiler.)