Rhubarb Tarts with Aprium Glaze

I didn't grow up eating rhubarb but I have just fallen in love with it over the past few years: this bright, tart vegetable- yes, vegetable- that we seduce into a dessert through sheer willpower (and lots of sugar) to fulfill or winter-long craving for fruity tartness.  These tarts showcase the rhubarb and puff pastry equally, a combination that can do no wrong.

The tarts also feature an aprium glaze.  Aprium?  Yes, these are a hybrid between apricots and plums (a 3:1 ratio, to be specific).  I was very excited when I saw these at the grocery store and immediately imagined a concoction with fresh fruit and pastry cream.  However, I found their texture to be a little lacking so I decided instead to use them for glazes and sauces.  They added just the right amount of floral sweetness to these rhubarb tarts.  If no apriums are to be found, an apricot would be just fine.

Ingredients:
- 1 aprium
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 c. + 2 tbsp water
- 1/4 c. + 2 tbsp light brown sugar
- 2 c.  sliced rhubarb
- 1 approximately 10x16 sheet of puff pastry, thawed if store bought.

Directions:
- Begin by slicing up the aprium and mashing it through a sieve into a bowl.  No need to peel it first: the sieve will take care of that.
- To the fruit puree and juices add the lemon zest, lemon juice, 1/4 c. water, and 1/4 c. brown sugar.  Whisk until combined.
- Slice the rhubarb at and angle to create longer slices.  Add the rhubarb to the bowl and toss to coat with the liquid.  Let marinate for 30 minutes.
- Prepare your puff pastry by cutting it into the desired shape and size, (I made four, but eight would be cute and perhaps ideal for individual servings).
- With a sharp knife, cut lines to mark the edges: this will help the puff pastry rise at the border.  Don't cut completely through the dough, just about half way.
- Arrange the rhubarb, without the juices, in the center of each piece of dough.  Make it look pretty!
- Bake the tarts at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes, until the the crust is golden.
- While the tarts bake, transfer the remaining juices into a small pot and add 2 tbsp. water and 2 tbsp sugar.
- Simmer the mixture on low heat, whisking occasionally, for about 5 minutes until it has thickened and is a bit syrupy.
- When the tarts come out of the over brush them all over ,(crust included), with the aprium glaze.  Let the tarts cool for at least additional minutes before serving.

Serve the tarts warm or at room temperature.  They are delicious on their own, but are also nice with a bi of vanilla bean ice cream.  Like most puff pastry desserts, they are best eaten the first day.  However, with a brief stop in the oven to crisp them up again, they are are still tasty the next day.

Strawberry Frangipane Tart

It's hard to imagine the possibility of summer approaching until strawberries start to make their appearance.  What a cheerful, bright harbinger they are!  While I normally revel in enjoying them fresh and plain, baking with strawberries can be a real delight, especially for those first few begin to appear at the market in spring.  They are a natural pairing with frangipane-- that delicious, fluffy almond creme-- but I decided to mix things up a bit.  Instead of the traditional almonds, I used pecans in the frangipane.  I also blended the strawberries right in, rather that layering them on top.  The result is a pretty magenta tart with a delicate jammy flavor that will guarantee a smile.

Ingredients for the Tart Shell:

- 6 tbsp butter, cut into pieces

- 1 tbsp canola oil

- 3 tbsp water

- 1 tbsp sugar

- 1 pinch salt

- 1 cup flour

Directions:

- Combine all ingredients except the flour into an oven safe bowl.

- Put in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes.

- Carefully remove the bowl, add the flour, and stir with a wooden spoon until a dough is formed.

- Let the dough cool until it is safe enough to handle.

- Transfer the dough to your tart pan and gently press it out and up the sides.  Reserve a small piece of dough to patch any cracks after blind baking.

- Prick all over with a fork, especially the corners.

- Return the tart shell to the oven for 15 minutes until it is lightly golden.

- Upon removal patch any noticeable cracks with the reserved dough.  If you work quickly and have little feeling in your fingertips, you can add it instantly and it will cook right on.

- Let the tart shell cool.

Ingredients for Frangipane:

- 2/3 c. pecans, + additional for decoration

- 2/3 c. strawberries

- 1 egg

- 1/4 c. sugar

- 2 tbsp. butter, softened

- 1 tbsp. flour

- 1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions:

- Lightly toast the pecans and grind in a food processor until they are roughly sandy.

- Trim and chop your strawberries and add to the food processor along with all of the other ingredients.

- Pulse until smooth.

- Gently pour the frangipane into the tart mold.

- Place pecan halves in decorative manner of your choosing.  You could cover the entire surface if you wanted a richer, nuttier tart.

- Bake in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes, until the tart is firm.

- Allow to cool completely.  I recommend serving with a generous scoop of fresh sliced strawberries.  The tart should keep for up to three days, though it is best the first day as the color will fade a bit.

Enjoy!

Smoky Lemon Tart

I have long wanted to make a lemon tart and have consistently put it off.  Why?  Because once I made one, I knew it wouldn't be long before I made another, and another...  and that would get to be a problem.

Well, I had a few Meyer lemons hanging about that were just pleading to be made into a tart.  How could I refuse?  Then... inspiration.  What if I roasted these lemons?  A tart was born.  And it was good.

Roasting the lemons creates a lovely round flavor.  There's a hint of smokiness, but not enough to give the secret away.  Most people would never guess what you were up to in the kitchen.  I will advise that some may find it a little odd.  If you took a bit expecting the usual lemon curd, you might notice a difference and find it slightly off putting.  I do encourage you to take a chance on it, though.  I found the risk most definitely worth it.

Before we get to the new and exciting stuff, we must make the crust.  I used my favorite tart dough recipe, yet again.

Ingredients for the Tart Shell:

- 6 tbsp butter, but into pieces

- 1 tbsp canola oil

- 3 tbsp water

- 1 tbsp sugar

- 1 pinch salt

- 1 cup flour

Directions:

- Combine all ingredients except the flour into an oven safe bowl.

- Put in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes.

- Carefully remove the bowl, add the flour, and stir with a wooden spoon until a dough is formed.

- Let the dough cool until it is safe enough to handle.

- Transfer the dough to your tart pan and gently press it out and up the sides.  Reserve a small piece of dough to patch any cracks after blind baking.

- Prick all over with a fork, especially the corners.

- Return the tart shell to the oven for 15 minutes until it is lightly golden.

- Upon removal patch any noticeable cracks with the reserved dough.  If you work quickly and have little feeling in your fingertips, you can add it instantly and it will cook right on.

- Let the tart shell cool.

Now, on to the fun part!

As with roasting a marshmallow, a bit of char is desired. 

Ingredients for the Lemon Curd:
- 1/2 c. lemon juice (about four small), preferable Meyer lemons: their flavor is lovely, if less tart.  Regular lemons may be used, but the sugar should be increased a bit.
- 1/3 c. sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 egg yolks (set the whites aside for the meringue below)
- a pinch of salt
- 6 tbsp butter, cut into 1/2" cubes

Note the slight opacity the roasting lent to the lemon juice.

Directions:
- Start by roasting your lemons!  I cut mine in half, but next time I'll cut them in quarters for more surface area to char.  Put them in a pan under the broiler.  It should take around 10 minutes, but keep your eye on them.
- When the lemons are cool enough to handle, juice them.  It should be exceptionally easy.
- Combine the juice, sugar, eggs, yolks, and salt in a medium saucepan.
- Add the butter cubes and cook over low heat, whisking constantly.
- Raise the heat just a bit and continue whisking.  No need to go at a breakneck pace, but keep the mixture moving.  For a while it will seem like nothing is happening.  Then, suddenly, it will start to thicken.
- I advise lowering the heat again to prevent scorching while you in those last moments deciding if it's done.  When it holds its shape in a spoon it is done.
- Remove from the heat and press the curd through a mesh strainer to make sure there are no curdled bits.
- Set aside to cool to room temperature.

You can make a typical meringue, but I decided to make an Italian meringue (I know, I know:  as if this tart didn't have enough steps and dirty dishes).  The advantage of Italian meringue is mostly that it is very stable, great if your dessert won't be eaten right away.  It also doesn't need to be baked after it's made.

Ingredients for Meringue: (This makes enough to cover the whole tart.  I think you could half it without a problem if you just want a border like I did.)
- 2 egg whites
- 5 tbsp sugar
- a pinch of salt
- 1/4 tsp vanilla

Directions:
- Comine egg whites, sugar, and salt in a large glass bowl.
- Place over a pot of gently simmer water.
- Whisk gently until the mixture reaches 140 degrees (an instant read thermometer is ideal, a candy thermometer will do).
- Remove the bowl from heat and blend with an electric mixer on high speed.
- Add the vanilla when it begins to firm up and continue blending until it forms stiff peaks.

Now, to put it all together!
- First, coat the tart shell with about a tbsp of honey, slightly warmed so it's easier to brush on.  This is to help prevent the crust from getting soggy should you not eat the tart all at once.  Though the flavor is not really noticeable, I like to think the honey complements the smoky lemons.
- Spoon the lemon curd into the tart shell and smooth it with a spatula.
- Transfer the meringue to a pastry bag (or ziplock with a corner cut off) and pipe the meringue onto the tart.
- If you piped your meringue fairly flat and are familiar with your broiler, you can put the tart under the broiler to brown.  If your meringue has any height, (as mine did, ahem), or your broiler is unwieldy, I recommend putting it in a 400 degree oven for a few minutes.  Either way, watch it carefully or you will find yourself plucking off burnt meringue and repiping.
- Let the tart cool completely before serving.

This tart is ideal the first day but will last up to three.  It should probably be refrigerated, but I left mine on the counter of my cool kitchen and I seem to have lived.  This was definitely one of the more time consuming things I've made, exacerbated by the pile of dishes it leaves in its wake, but when I took a bite of the slice I didn't care one bit.

Enjoy!

Last Minute Banana Tart!

When I make pie dough, I often make a double batch.  It's just as easy and being able to stash the extra away in the freezer for future use is worth the effort.  The only trick is being sure to give it long enough to thaw.  If you remember to do that, you can throw together any number of last minute tarts, like this banana tart.

-  Roll out your tart dough and place it in a 9" tart pan and roll over the edges.
- Slice 2-3 large bananas in 1/4" slices and layer them in the tart shell (2-3 layers).  I suppose you could just dump them in if you were really in a hurry, but we like things pretty around here.
- Whisk together 1 egg, 1/2 cup cream,  3 tablespoons powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 2 shakes ground cinnamon, and 1/4 tsp vanilla.
- Pour the liquid over the bananas.
- Bake in a 375 degree oven about 30 minutes, until the crust and top is golden.
- To be decadent, serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Enjoy!

Poached Pear Frangipane Tart

When winter leaves you craving fruit but your tongue is tingling from all of the citrus, the mild sweetness of juicy pears is just the thing to fill the void.  This tart features a tender crust, the rich nuttiness of almond frangipane, and the winter freshness of poached bosc pears.

Ingredients:

For the Poached Pears: Note that these not traditional poached pears, not the warm wine poached pears that are often featured on their own as dessert.  Really, it's closer to a marinade, but poached pears is more alliterative.

• 1-2 bosc pears, depending on size (also depending how much fruit you want on your tart.  I used two small ones for the tart pictures, minus a few slices that I snacked on.)
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup Lillet Blanc (optional, but lovely)
• 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped out.
• Zest of one orange

1 Recipe David Lebovitz's French Tart Dough, found here.  This is truly a wonderful, foolproof recipe that can open up a world of tarts to those who feared making the oft-dreaded crust.

• 3 oz unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 3 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 rounded cup flour

For the Frangipane:

• 1/2 cup ground almonds (I used sliced almonds, toasted them just slightly, and ground them in my mini food processor.  Don't use almond flour, it's too fine.)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 3 tbsp softened butter
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Slice and peel the pears.  They should be ripe all the way through, but still firm.
2. In a small sauce pan, combine water, sugar, vanilla bean (seeds and pod), and orange zest.
3. Simmer until the sugar is dissolved.
4. Stir in the Lillet.
5. Place the pears in a shallow bowl and pour the mixture over.
6. Leave the bowl on the counter until it has cooled to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for a minimum of two hours.  Longer is better (overnight would be great).
7. Make the tart crust, according to the instructions in the link.
8. For the frangipane, after the almonds are coarsely ground, add the remaining ingredients to the food processor and pulse until everything is blended.
9. Press the tart dough into a 9" tart pan.
10. Spoon the frangipane into the tart and spread until it's even.
11. Fish the pear slices out of the sauce.  Strain the sauce and set aside.
12. Press the pear slices gently into the frangipane.
13. Bake the tart on a sheet pan in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes, until the crust and frangipane is slightly golden and firm in the center.
14. Let the tart cool.
15. While the tart is cooling, return the reserved sauce to the stove.  Reduce over low heat until the syrup thickens slightly, about ten minutes.  While still warm, brush the syrup over the top of the tart for a lovely sheen.

This tart is lovely for dessert, but absolutely perfect for tea.  The floral notes of the orange, vanilla, and Lillet will be wonderfully complemented by a cup of Earl Grey.  Enjoy!

Currant Confections Cultivate Contentment

There I was at the farmers market, loading up on the usual additions to round out my CSA-- a few of the first squash, some blueberries, some scallions-- and then I saw them:  bright red jewels glinting in the sun, beckoning me to come scoop them up into my basket.  I was powerless against their lure.  Never mind the fact that I had never cooked with fresh currants (I'm not sure if I'd ever even really eaten them), that was a problem for another time, like when I got home.