apple hazelnut frangipane tarts

frangipane is essentially nut goo.

nut goo: a nut paste that is enriched with butter, sugar, and eggs. that becomes soft cream to fill in pastries and tarts and things.

frangipane tends to be almond, but goo can be made with any nut really.

these tarts could be the easiest thing to happen to your thanksgiving. and the cutest.

Apple Hazelnut Frangipane Tarts

1 sheet puff pastry, defrosted

a couple apples, fuji or granny smith, peeled, sliced 1/4 inch

sugar, for sprinkling

apricot jam 

for the hazelnut frangipane: i mixed together half a can of hazelnut paste, a beaten egg, 2 tbsp melted butter, a couple tablespoons of sugar, a pinch of salt, and 2 tablespoons of flour. 

preheat oven to 400 degreesF. cut the pastry into 6 rectangles. prick with a fork in the centers. spread on a few dollops of the frangipane down the center of each tart. lay the apple slices along each one. sprinkle sugar over apples. 

bake until puffed and golden. 

press a dollop of apricot jam through a strainer, brush the smooth jam on the apple tarts to give them a pretty glistening look. 

vanilla bean bourbon pudding

baking is comfort, the warmth from turning on the oven,

the dries and the wets melt together.

watching things rise and puff.

but some days are pudding days.

days for turning the flame on low and lurking over a pot of hot liquid. stirring and stirring, babying it, never leaving it's side.

and now, when it's november and the weather keeps doing what it's doing, any day can be a pudding day.

vanilla beans and bourbon make this pudding a luxury.

the moment milk transforms into gloopy beautiful custard...it's like whoooaaaa, this is totally pudding man.

i ate some and soon realized i had too much and in a stroke of productivity, tipped it into a graham cracker crust layered with sliced banonos.

top it with whipped cream and you have a damn classy bourbon banana cream pie.

Vanilla Bourbon Pudding

adapted from smitten kitchen

2 2/3 cups whole milk, divided

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 tsp salt

seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean (or 2 tsp vanilla extract)

1 large egg

2 tsp bourbon

bring 2 cups of the milk to a soft boil in a medium saucepan. while it is heating, combine sugar, cornstarch, salt, and the vanilla bean (if you're replacing it with extract, don't add it yet) in the bottom of a medium, heatproof bowl. gradually whisk in the remaining 2/3 cup milk, a little at a time so lumps don't form, then whisk in the egg. once milk is boiling, very gradually add it to the cornstarch mixture in the bowl, whisking constantly. 

return the mixture back to the saucepan, stirring constantly with a silicon spatula. once it comes to a simmer, cook for one minute longer (which will cook the cornstarch and egg fully.) stir in the bourbon and vanilla extract (if using). divide pudding in a bowl or among individual dishes and chill in refrigerator until fully set, about 2 hours. press a piece of plastic wrap directly against the top surface of the puddings so as to prevent a skin from forming. 

eat some. then make a pudding pie.

to make a Vanilla Bourbon Pudding + Banana Cream Pie:

Make a graham cracker crust by mixing graham cracker crumbs with a bit of sugar and pinch of salt. then slowly stir in melted butter until it resembles wet sand and clumps together if you squeeze it in your hands. press it into a pie plate or tin and bake for about 10ish minutes. 

oR buy a pre-done graham crust. whatever gives. no one's watching. 

fill the bottom with sliced bananas. then pour in some pudding over the top. then top with some barely sweet whipped cream. 

caramel would be good too. also pecans...a pecan graham crust, do that. 

salted caramel + chocolate tart

mb post.
normally loud and bustling.

the same building where my parents would go to buy stamps and send letters,
and here i am, thirty years later.
in that same building,
everyday,
rolling dough and making bacon brittle.

i drag myself from my heat-blasted car to the front doors.
i stand outside wait for craig to come let me in.

that light coming from the back, that's where i'm headed. it's still and silent, peaceful, and approximately FAR too early.

sometimes i am ready, coffee in hand and ready to seize the fucking baking day.

other times, i am absolutely no-no please not now no Not Ready. i just woke up 17 minutes ago, and my body should not be trusted to operate a vehicle, oven, or human sized kitchen aid.

and the lists.. jesus. they're daunting to look at in the morn.
i secretly hope a pot will fall on my head so that i can go back home to my bed.
but that never happens. so the bread and tart making continues.  

salted caramel tarts are a thing. a classic thing. a simple thing. a thing that people love, adore, and gush over. 

we worked on perfecting them for a week, so they have been very much on the brain.

i made one at home, the way i like it, heavier on the caramel with a thin sheet of ganache. 

so while this isn't exactly the one i make at work everyday, the classic construction is the same.
the pate sucree crust, buttery and crunchy, more like sugar cookie than flakey pie crust.
thick and glossy caramel.
ganache. deep and shiny.

and salt.
the flakey kind. lots. 

Salted Caramel + Chocolate Tart

adapted from all over. martha stewart, saveur, work

for the tart dough:
6 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 large egg yolks
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp heavy cream

for the caramel:

1 1/2 cups (300g) sugar

6 tbsp water

3 tbsp light corn syrup

1/4 tsp (2 g) kosher salt

1/2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped*

6 tbsp (90g/3 oz) unsalted butter

6 tbsp heavy cream
1 tbsp creme fraiche

for the ganache:

3/4 cups heavy cream

6 oz 55%-65% dark chocolate 

make the tart dough: in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine butter and confectioners' sugar. mix on low speed until combined, about 2 minutes. add egg yolks, and mix until incorporated, about 1 minute, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. add half of the flour, and mix on low speed just until the flour is incorporated, about 30 seconds. add remaining flour along with the salt and cream, and mix just until flour is no longer visible, about 1 minute. turn out dough onto a piece of plastic wrap and shape into a flattened disk. wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight. 
when ready to use, roll out dough on a floured surface, about 1/4 inch thick. drape over the tart pan of your choice (round, rectangle, square, mini round tarts) and gentle press into corners. using a sharp paring knife, trim away excess dough. prick the bottom of the dough all over with a fork and chill in the refrigerator until firm, about 30 minutes (or the freezer to cut down on chilling time)
preheat oven to 350 degreesF. line the tart shell with a piece of parchment leaving an overhang, and fill with pie weights or dried beans. bake until edges are just golden, 10-15 minutes depending on the size of your tart(s). remove parchment and weights. return to oven and continue baking until golden brown, 10-15 minutes more. cool completely. 

make the caramel: in a medium heavy saucepan, whisk together sugar, corn syrup, salt and water and bring to a boil over medium heat. cook undisrupted until the caramel turns a rich amber color, then remove pan from heat and whisk in butter, vanilla bean seeds, and cream. the mixture will bubble up. whisk until smooth and beautiful. pour caramel into cooled tart shell(s) and let cool slightly; refrigerate until set 3-4 hours. 

make the ganache: bring heavy cream almost to a boil in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat. put chocolate into a medium bowl and pour in hot cream. let sit for a moment, then stir around with a rubber spatula and whisk until smooth. pour ganache evenly over tart. 

the amounts and ratios of caramel to chocolate is completely up to you. with that, you might have more or less leftovers of caramel and chocolate ganache. 

*you can still make perfect beautiful caramel without vanilla beans! 

so if you don't have a vanilla bean, don't fret. make it without it. 

suggestions for leftover caramel: ice cream, caramel can transform ice cream. 

this is what i want: olive oil ice cream + caramel+ toasted peanuts + sea salt. done deal. 

 just follow the caramel principle: chilled for thick caramel. room temperature caramel will be less thick. heated caramel will be thinner and saucy. ..and you can pretty much include it in any dessert. 

suggestions for leftover ganache: heat until thick, glossy and pourable, then pour onto a tall bundt. banana? yes. i've also been eyeing this pecan molasses one. 

marmalade tart

the secret to being a bore is to tell everything.
-voltaire

the citrus can do all the talking today.

Marmalade Tart

from the Big Sur Bakery Cookbook

*recipe measurements makes a 10x14 inch rectangle tart, i made two smaller ones pressed into tart pans

3/4 cup unblanched almonds

for the tart dough:

1 1/2 cups cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

grated zest of an orange

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tbsp plus 1 1/2 tsp orange juice

for almond cream:

6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp powdered sugar

1 1/2 tsp almond extract

grated zest of 1 orange

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 egg, beaten

3 tbsp all-purpose flour

to assemble tart:

1 cup orange marmalade (or apricot jam)

2-3 citrus fruits

sugar

1 tbsp unsalted butter

preheat oven to 350 degreesF. 

scatter almonds on a cookie sheet and toast in oven until they are golden through the center, about 10 minutes. remove from oven, and let them cool completely. then finely chop the almonds by hand or in a food processor and set aside. 

for the tart dough: combine the butter cubes with the flour, sugar, salt, and zest in a bowl and place in the freezer for 30 minutes. 

 using the paddle attachment on an electric mixer, mix the chilled mixture until it's very crumbly. add orange juice and continue to mix until dough comes together. turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 2 minutes. flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least half an hour. can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. 

while the dough chills make almond cream: in an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, powdered sugar, almond extract, orange zest, and salt until the mixture is light and fluffy. add the beaten egg a little bit at a time, mixing until incorporated. then add the flour and mix well. use a rubber spatula to fold in the chopped almonds - the cream itself should be smooth, but the almonds will make it look chunky like peanut butter. reserve the almond cream at room temperature until ready to use. 

increase oven temperature to 375 degreesF. 

remove tart dough from the refrigerator and roll it out over a generously floured countertop until its 1/4 inch thick. for a freeform tart, cut out a 12x16 inch rectangle with a pairing knife (or cut to fit whatever tart pan you prefer). gather the excess dough into a ball, flatten into a disk, wrap, and reserve for another use. spread marmalade evenly over the dough and then, spread the almond cream over the marmalade, leaving a 1 inch border if making the freeform tart and then fold over the edges. if you use a tart pan like i've pictured, there's no need to leave a border or fold the edges. place the tart in the refrigerator for half an hour. 

while the tart chills, prepare the citrus. cut off both ends of the fruit with a sharp knife. place the citrus on the cutting board cut side down, and following the curve of the fruit, shave off the rind from top to bottom. then cut crosswise into 1/4 inh thick rounds. 

remove tart from the refrigerator and arrange the citrus circles over the almond cream, placing close together. sprinkle sugar over the entire tart, going heavier on the dough edges. dot the citrus rounds with the butter to prevent burning, and bake for 40-45 minutes, until the almond cream and the crust are golden brown. let it cool for at least 15 minutes. 

serve warm or at room temperature with a dollop of whipped cream. 

maple cream tart + pretzel crust

october. over?

i sit in my living room.
i pick pineapple off the pizza.
i rub my eyeballs.
i squeeze the cellulite on my leg.
i watch political things.
i rewatch episodes of girls.
i search the bag for the fruity tootsie rolls.
i dream of better things.`
i make a tart.

maple cream, pretzel crust.
whips of cream. valhrona carmelia crunchy balls.

i'm so into it. especially the crust. and maple.
and the balls.

Maple Cream Tart with Pretzel Crust

crust adapted from food & wine, maple cream from here

for the crust:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1 1/4 cups coarsely crushed thin pretzels

3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 large egg

maple cream:

4 cups whole milk

1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped

1 1/4 cup maple syrup

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup + 1 tbsp cornstarch

6 egg yolks

4 tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened, cut into pieces

1 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

splash of vanilla 

to make the crust:  in a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter with 3/4 cup of the pretzels and the confectioners' sugar at low speed until creamy. beat in the flour and egg. add the remaining 1/2 cup pretzels. flatten the dough between plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 30 minutes. 

preheat oven to 350. roll of the dough between sheets of parchment (or just press in the crust as i did) into a round or rectangular tart pan. (you may have dough leftover depending on the size of the pan you're using.) refrigerate the shell for 30 minutes until firm. 

line the shell with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. bake for about 30 minutes, until nearly set. remove the parchment and weights and bake for 10-15 minutes longer, until the tart shell is firm; cover the edge with foil if it darkens too much. let it cool completely. 

for the maple cream: in a large heavy-bottomed pot set over medium heat, add the milk, the vanilla bean, the maple syrup, and the salt. bring to a simmer, then remove from heat and steep for 10 minutes. 

in a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and the corn starch to a thick paste. bring the milk back to medium heat. once the milk just comes to a simmer, ladle a few cups of  it into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to combine. pour the egg mixture into the pot of milk, whisking constantly. cook until custard thickens, about 5-8 minutes. once thick, remove from heat and continue stirring to cool. once the custard has cooled a bit, add the softened butter pieces, stirring after each addition. the custard should be smooth and thick. if there is any trace of lumps in the custard, pass it through a fine mesh strainer. 

pour the maple cream into the cooled tart shell. this recipe makes more maple cream than needed to fill one tart shell, so if saving for later, press plastic wrap on the surface of the cream so it doesn't form a skin and refrigerate. 

whip cream with sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. spoon or pipe onto tart. 

triple coconut cream pie (with bananas)

i've been a little of a mess lately. everything's all over the place..me, my brain, my clothes, my eating habits, my slightly clumsy awkward ways.

i feel tired. i'm overwhelmed, i'm bored, excited, and not excited.

i've been getting honked at on my bike a lot, one guy even yelled. it makes me nervous.

i've been surviving off of brownie batter, cheddar cheese cubes, sticky bun scraps, and cereal. in a very not good way. my stomach and my heart and my blood have good reason to be quite pissed off at me.

i make biscuits by hand almost every day of my life. and not like 30...like 300. that must be doing something strange to my brain.

the other night, i was laying in bed, and i dropped my phone on my face.
maybe i was hallucinating and thought i was holding a biscuit.
i was not. it was an iphone. it really hurt.

my hair is either in work position - low super tight bun, jutting bobby pins, covered with a baseball hat.
or ridiculous knot mess bun on top of the head.
i'm having a hard time remembering the last time i looked particularly put together.

i went to a crosby stills nash show with my parents. they were rockin, i was falling asleep in my lap with kettle corn stuck in my scarf.

i was out in the world at a shin dig, in a room with well-groomed, seeming sophisticates.
within ten minutes of being there, i bit into a cream puff, and the cream shoots out the other end.
i somehow catch the cream before it lands on my clothes, while trying to lick off the additional cream that made its way onto my chin, and i have a drink in the other hand.
trying to look graceful in this situation is out of the question.

i have even been dreaming about myself doing weird embarrassing things, and then waking up the next day feeling ashamed and dumb, all in the dream.

this has been my life, i'm hoping to snap myself out of it soon.

in the meantime, i'll just keep baking and dropping phones on my face.

coconut cream pie is too dang good. add bananas and, it is, for me, the ultimate pie.

i have read some crazy good tales of seattle's dahlia bakery, and it's famed coconut cream pie.

and the recipe is out in the world! for everyone to bake up and savor, slice by slice.

with a coconut crust, a custardy coconut cream, an added layer of bananas, a blanket of whipped cream and a finish of toasted coconut and white chocolate..it's certainly dreamy.

better than any party cream puff that i could ever drop on myself.

Triple Coconut Cream Pie with Bananas

adapted from Tom Douglas of Dahlia Bakery     

for the coconut pie crust:

1 cup + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold

1 tbsp sugar

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1/3 cup ice water, plus more if needed

for the coconut pastry cream:

2 cups whole milk

1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut 

1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise

2 large eggs

1/2 cup + 2 tbsp sugar

3 tbsp all-purpose flour

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened

for whipped cream:

2 cups heavy cream, chilled

1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

 2 bananas, sliced

2 ounces unsweetened shaved coconut toasted in a 350 degree F oven for 7 minutes

a small chunk of white chocolate, shaved into curls

for the crust: put all the ingredients, besides water in a food processor. pulse until it becomes coarse crumbs. add water a few tbsp at a time, pulsing in between, until dough holds together when pressed between your fingers. 

dump dough onto a sheet of plastic and press into a disc, cover with plastic and refrigerate for an hour. 

roll dough onto a floured surface into a 12-13 inch circle. ease the dough gently into a 9 inch pie pan (i used a deep fluted tart pan), and trim the excess. chill at least 1 hour before baking. 

preheat oven to 400 degreesF. place a sheet of aluminum foil or parchment paper in the pie crust extending over the edges and fill with dried beans or pie weights. bake for 20-25 minutes until rim is golden. remove from oven, discard foil and beans, and return to oven. bake for 10-12 minutes more, until golden. remove and cool completely on a wire rack. 

for the coconut pastry cream: combine milk and coconut in a medium saucepan. scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and add both the seeds and the pod to the milk mixture. place the saucepan over medium heat and stir occasionally until the mixture comes to a boil. 

in a bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and flour until well combined. temper the eggs (to keep them from scrambling) by pouring 1/3 cup of the scalded milk into the egg mixture while whisking. then add the warmed egg mixture to the saucepan of milk and coconut. whisk over medium-high heat until the pastry cream thickens and begins to bubble. keep whisking until the mixture is very thick, 4-5 minutes more. 

remove saucepan from heat. add the butter and whisk until it melts. remove and discard the vanilla bean pod. transfer the pastry cream to a bowl and place it over a bowl of ice water, stir occasionally until it's completely cool. place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the cream to prevent it from forming a skin. refrigerate until completely cold. the pastry cream with thicken as it cools. 

for whipped cream: in an electric mixer, whip the heavy cream with the sugar and vanilla on medium speed, gradually increasing the speed to high and whip to peaks 

To Assemble: fill the pie crust with a generous layer of bananas. pour over the coconut pastry cream and spread it into an even layer. dollop and spread whipped cream over the top and garnish with a sprinkling of toasted shaved coconut and white chocolate curls (made with a vegetable peeler)

rainier cherry and blueberry pie

i made a pie on an overcast afternoon. it was my day off from making and rolling pounds of pie dough.

you see, for the last few months i've been baking and pastry-ing at a wonderful restaurant, true to food, bold and boisterous. MB Post is a gem, and i feel lucky everyday to be a part of it.

i spend my days cutting butter into flour, twisting perfectly imperfect pretzels, and of course, folding cheddar and bacon into biscuits.

so naturally, i would spend my day off out and about. maybe in a funky coffee shop, reading a book, perhaps doing handstands..?
it is of course my day off, i can do Anything i please really.

hah. let's be real. i got out the flour and butter. i rolled more dough. and then, i made pie.

is there a more summery dessert than pie?
other than popsicles, i know popsicles are the pinnacle of summer dessert..
but come on, summer fruit, summer pie. this all just makes sense.

and so i went, into my mindless baking brainworld. beach house playing on my computer, flour all over my pants and shirt and everywhere.

i took my time, i was baking a random pie, just for me. things could be slow and lovely, and any imperfections would be completely acceptable. it would all taste just as sweet in the end anyway.

i pitted sunny rainier cherries. i added blueberries, tossing them with sugar, lemon, a touch of cinnamon and ginger. enough to bring out awesome flavors in the fruit, but not enough to taste like fall.
right now, it's all about the summertime.

and the lattice top? i'm a sucker for a lattice topped pie. i love being able to see the major prettiness of the fruit inside.

making pie is love. eating a slice of pie that you made is extremely satisfying.
it's also one of those -sit-down,-oh-my-god, yes- moments.
if at any point this summer you'd want to come over and eat pie with me, i'd be all for it. please?

oh, and just in case you aren't completely sold on pie..(weirdo)
...pie goes with ice cream.

see all those finger marks on the scoop of ice cream? i was 'preventing it from melting too quickly'.

it's earl grey ice cream. it's irresistible. and i can hardly wait to tell you about it.

but! have patience. today, we focus on pie.

Rainier Cherry and Blueberry Pie

adapted from many places: smitten kitchen, joy the baker, martha stewart

pie crust:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tbsp sugar

3/4 tsp salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes

5 tbsp + 2 tsp ice cold water

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

for the filling:

2 1/2 - 3 cups pitted rainier cherries

1 1/2 cups blueberries

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

pinch of nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground ginger

3 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp lemon zest

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter

1 egg yolk + 1 tbsp water for egg wash

2 tbsp sugar + 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon for topping crust

to make the crust: in a medium bowl, whisk flour, sugar, and salt. add the cold cubed butter and using your fingers work the butter into the flour mixture. quickly bread the butter down into the flour mixture, some pieces will be larger than others. this is good. stir together the ice cold water and vinegar. create a well in the center of the flour and butter mixture and pour in the water and vinegar. use a fork to bring the dough all together. try to incorporate all the floury bits. on  a floured work surface, dump out the dough. it will be shaggy. divide into two and knead into two disks. wrap each disk in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. 


to make the filling: wash the cherries and blueberries and combine. in a bowl, whisk together the sugar, spices, flour, and cornstarch. pour this dry mixture over the fruit, and gently toss together with a spoon. stir in the lemon juice and zest and set in the refrigerator to rest while you roll the crust. 
preheat the oven to 400. place a rack in the center of the oven. remove one of the pie disks from the fridge. on a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into about a 13 inch round circle. make sure the dough isn't sticking to the surface. if it tears, pinch it back together. gently lift the 13 inch circle from the surface and center in the 9 inch baking dish. place in the fridge while you roll out the top. 
roll out top crust to about the same thickness as the bottom. for very detailed instructions on how to make a lattice top pie crust, go here!

take the fruit mixture out of the fridge and pour into bottom crust, evenly distributing fruit. cut butter into small pieces and dot over fruit. cover with top crust or lattice top. trim edges of the pie and press the bottom and top crusts together. crimp the edges. brush the top lightly with the egg wash and then sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar. 
place pie in the oven and bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes. then reduce the oven temperature to 375 and bake for about 45-50 minutes. remove from the oven when the crust is browned and golden, and the fruit is bubbling. allow to cool and set up for a couple hours before serving. bon appetit!

tomato goat cheese pizza tart

holla atcha!

the sun is out, the birds are squawking, and i made something round that isn't a cookie.

today is not about sugar.

it's about tomatoes.
and angrily buying herbs because all my herb pots have died.
and welcoming goat cheese back to the blog...it's been since september(!!?!)

AND lez not forget about magical puff pastry..it's a goooood thing to have hanging out in your freezer.
it's like a more delicious bread that you can wrap twist and fold. the inclusion of puff pastry almost guarantees success.

so this thing, it's a tart, it's like pizza. there are sweet winey onions. and three kinds of cheese because let me be excessive.

the best bites are the ones with the bits of crispy broiled parmesan.

this is totally an ina classic..i just made one big tart instead of a bunch of littles. it can totally be lunch, dinner, snack, leftovers for breakfast....that seems to be the way it goes around these parts.

i'm gonna go do art. meow meow!

Tomato Goat Cheese Pizza Tart

adapted from ina garten

1 sheet all-butter puff pastry (round or rectangle), defrosted

2 cups thinly sliced yellow onions

2 cloves garlic, sliced

kosher salt and black pepper

olive oil

2-3 tbsp white wine

1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, minced

1/4 cup parmesan, grated

handful of mozzarella, grated

2 ounces goat cheese

1-2 tomatoes, sliced

2 tbsp basil, julienned

unfold sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and roll it out slightly. preheat oven to 425. heat 1-2 tbsp olive oil  in a skillet over medium to low heat. add the onions and garlic and saute for 15-20 minutes, stirring often, until onions are limp and there is almost no moisture remaining. add 1/4 tsp kosher salt, a couple pinches of pepper, the wine, and thyme and continue to cook another 10 minutes, until all the onions are lightly browned. remove from heat. 

using a fork, prick the puff pastry a bit, leaving an inch border. sprinkle most of the parmesan over the puff pastry. top with onion mixture, and spread out evenly. crumble goat cheese over the onions, then top with the tomato slices. brush each tomato lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and basil. finally, scatter the remaining parmesan and a handful of mozzarella over the top. 

bake for 30-35 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown. 

roasted grape and onion tart with almond herb crust

there is nothing like this time of year. i want to wrap this time in my arms and never let it go.

hot spiced cider has happened.

i've thought a lot about how much i love presents.

i've seen a group of slutty reindeer ladies leaving a liquor store.

fireplaces burning everyday and holiday inspiration coming from all angles.

looking up at fireworks with my favorite people as we swig champagne from the bottle and watch young teenagers gaze into each other's eyes.

ah. the amount of love swirling around this time of year is almost too much for my brain to handle.

<but it's magical!> wouldn't you agree?

my dearest neighbor made me soup and brought me black grapes. (lovE)
so i turned some of those grapes into something lovely and brought it to her. (lovE cycle!)

a tart. the perfect vehicle for most things, especially when there is a hidden layer of goat cheese nestled in the crust.

it starts with a crust made of almond meal and rosemary, bound with eggs and clarified butter.

the cooled tart shell is spread with goat cheese and topped with arugula.

and then the grapes! i love these grapes.
roasted with red pearl onions, balsamic, and bay leaves.

it makes a delightful appetizer, with wine, cut into slivers. or why not for dinner, next to a mountain of leafy greens.

AND this tart is totally gluten-free. so for those of you who don't get down with gluten, i love you too, i'm just learning and easing my way into these kinds of things.

more tarts! more goat cheese! more grapes! more love and wine!

Roasted Grape and Onion Tart with Almond Herb Crust

tart crust adapted from roost, roasted grapes & 

onions adapted from sunday suppers

Almond Herb Crust

3 cups almond flour

2 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped

1 tbsp fresh sage, chopped

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup ghee, melted (clarified butter)

2 eggs

Roasted Grapes and Pearl onions:

20 oz red pearl onions

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup water

1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp unsalted butter

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 1/2 - 3 cups seedless grapes

1/2-2/3 cup goat cheese

few handfuls of arugula

*i used an 14x4.5" tart pan and had enough dough leftover for a couple mini tarts or some flatbread. i imagine it would work perfectly in whichever tart pan you prefer, rectangular or circle. 

to make crust: preheat oven to 350. in a bowl combine almond flour, herbs, salt, and baking soda. add clarified butter and eggs and mix until incorporated. either pat into a ball and roll out dough between two sheets of parchment, or simply press crust into tart pan, about 1/4 inch thickness.  dough will be more wet and crumbly than a standard tart dough.

bake crust for 12-15 minutes, remove from oven, and then let cool. 

for roasted grapes: 

preheat the oven to 425. blanch the onions (unpeeled) in boiling water for 2 minutes. drain and transfer to an ice bath, and then peel them and cut off the root ends. bring onions, vinegar, and water to a simmer in an oven proof heavy skillet with the butter, sugar, bay leaf, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. cover and simmer for 3 minutes. uncover skillet and transfer it to the oven. roast onions, stirring once or twice until most liquid has evaporated (15-18 minutes). stir in the grapes and roast, stirring once or twice until the liquid glazes the onions and grapes, about 8-10 minutes. let cool a bit and discard bay leaf. 

to assemble tart: spread goat cheese in the bottom of the cooled crust. arrange few handfuls of arugula over the goat cheese. then, spoon grapes and onions over and drizzle a bit of the extra glaze over. serve at room temperature or warmed in the oven! 

*depending on the size of your tart, you will most likely have leftover roasted grapes and onions. this is a bonus! they are delicious with crusty bread, tossed in a salad, or paired with any roasted meats. 

pecan pie with tangerine and bourbon

i have some bones to pick with you.
i can see that many of you are lurking. i have technological proof.

but barely any of you are saying hi.
to those of you who have said hi, hey, i love you. and those of you who haven't, i love you too. but please say hi!
i want to know who you are and how your day is and how many cookies you can pile in your mouth.

are you even reading this right now?
HEY HI!!!!! you're scrolling down through the pictures so fast.....did you stop?

hi. i just wanted to say hi.
i don't think i've ever really formally introduced myself here.
my name is julia...hey.
i like hanging out in my bed.
i mostly write at night, in this bed, with pens and papers. when i wake up, i find these papers beside me and don't remember writing half of the things until i see them in the morning.
aH HA!

formalities are weird. especially in a space like this when i can sound as crazy as i please.
but in all seriousness, listen. serious. i'd like to know you.

if you are obsessed with eating pies and find these ramblings worth returning to then we'd probably be awesome friends.

so today, in the spirit of this week, i want to thank you and give you love in the form of pie. one of the best forms of love in the world.

i love you for coming here and reading these words. thank you for the inspiration and encouragement and saying nice things to me about this silly little blog.
you make my day better. my life..you totally make my life better.

now onto the pie! this is a pie. a gargantuan monster of a pie. a pie to celebrate.

it's deep and rich and flakey and gooey. in other words, it's perfect.

i wish more than anything that i could share it with each one of you.

Pecan Pie with Tangerine and Bourbon

adapted from Tartine via Lottie and Doof

Flakey Tart Dough

3 cups plus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 cup + 5 tbsp unsalted butter, very cold

2/3 cup water, very cold

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

Filling:

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup light corn syrup

2 tbsp bourbon

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1 tsp vanilla 

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 cups pecan halves

1 tbsp tangerine zest

for crust: in a small bowl, add salt to the water and stir to dissolve. keep very cold until ready to use. put the flour and sugar in the bowl of a food processor. cut the butter into 1 inch pieces and scatter the butter over the flour. pulse briefly until the mixture forms large crumbs and some of the butter is still in pieces the size of peas. add the water and salt mixture and pulse for several seconds until the dough begins to come together into a ball but is not completely smooth. you should still be able to see some butter chunks. 

on a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into 2 equal sized balls and shape each into a disk, about 1 inch thick. wrap well in plastic and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight. 

on a lightly floured surface, roll one disk of dough into a circle about 1/8-inch thick. cut out a 12 inch circle and place in a 10 inch pie dish. trim dough so there is an even 1/2 inch overhang. fold the overhand under, and flute or crimp the edge. chill the shell until firm to the touch about 35-45 minutes. 

preheat the oven to 375. line the pie shell with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. bake the shell until the surface looks light brown, about 25 minutes, to check, lift a corner of the paper. remove from the oven and remove the weights and paper. return the shell to the oven and bake until golden, about 5-10 minutes longer. 

cool completely before filling. 

for filling: in a small saucepan, combine the sugar, maple syrup, corn syrup, bourbon, and salt. place over medium heat and bring to a rolling boil, boil for 1 minute. take the pan off the heat, add the butter and whisk until it melts. let the mixture cool to room temperature. while the mixture is cooling, preheat the oven to 350. 

add the vanilla and eggs to the cooled mixture and stir to mix well. stir in the pecans and zest. pour into the pie shell. 

bake until the filling is just set, 40 to 60 minutes. if the top is browning too quickly, cover with a piece of aluminum foil. let cool on a wire rack. serve warm or at room temperature, WITH ICE CREAM!

maple pecan tart

love is cool and awesome. 

and i am in love with maple syrup. 

maple. such a godly flavor. that accompanies any decent breakfast.

yes bacon. i want maple syrup on it.
oatmeal? yea, sneak a little bit in there.

eggs? i dunno, sure why not......woops it spilled all over my eggs! <act bummed. ah man. (muahaa yess. nice move!)>

but now, maple is taking full-on center stage. it totally deserves it.

gooey sugary food comfort.

maple loves being with nuts. use walnuts or use pecans, you're call. toasted pecans are the nut love of my life so that was no tough decision.

and as for you aunt jemimah, you seem like a cool aunt, but go away.

Maple Pecan Tart

adapted from the Essential New York Times Cookbook by Amanda Hesser

*the original recipe made a 9x13 inch pan of bars. i wanted to serve it in slices so i used two 9 inch pie/tart pans. 

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

zest of half an orange

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled

1 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed

2/3 cup maple syrup

2 large eggs

4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

1 tsp vanilla 

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups chopped pecans

heat the oven to 350. to make the crust, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and zest in a bowl. slice the butter into cubes and cut it into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or your fingertips. press onto the bottom and up the sides of two 9 inch pie/tart pans or 9x13 inch pan (to make bars). bake for 15 - 20 minutes until the edges begin to brown. let cool. 

for the filling, combine all the ingredients expect the pecans in a bowl and mix until smooth. pour into the cooled crust. distribute the nuts evenly over the top. bake until the filling is set, about 30 minutes. cool on a rack before cutting. 

cornmeal crusted pluot galette

the dentist.
noooooooooooooooooo. OOOO. oooo.

please no.
you are injuring me when you use that metal scrape tool. i hate it.

my eyes are watering, can't you see that?

i just want to be out of this chair and go to the movies.
you better not tell me i have to stop eating marshmallows and sweet things.

because sorry...no can do.

i realized that i haven't made a pie all summer long. zero pies. with all the sweet berries and rhubarb and peaches..
i got sad thinking about it and then, wait, plums! they're still here, all kinds of them! i can't even believe how many pluots exist these days.

can you imagine betty draper making a pie with pluots? no, no you can't.

but i WILL. because here in the future, there are 10 different kinds of a half plum-half-apricot. and because they're all over the market and perfect tasting.

i know that they won't be for long. so i had no choice but to make this neato little pie right away.

guh-Lette.

they are funky. no two galettes look the same. they are the snowflakes of the pie world.

these plums were so dang good it would have been impossible to screw up.

i wanted to make some kind of cornbread with plums at first. but no, absolutely not. i had to make pie. so i combined the two, a plum/pluot/whatever galette with a cornmeal crust..................................woot! good decisions.

ooo yes. buttery crunchy cornmealy crust.

there. a pie is made. and now all i want to do is make and devour more pies. fall pies! muahaha

Pluot Galette with a Cornmeal Crust

crust adapted from this here recipe

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup cornmeal

3/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

3 large egg yolks

5-6 pluots or plums, pitted and sliced (1/4 inch)

3 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp flour

zest of a lemon

1 egg + tbsp water

raw sugar

for the crust: whisk flour, cornmeal, and salt in a small bowl to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in a large bowl to blend. Beat in egg yolks. Then add dry ingredients and beat just until blended. divide dough in half and flatten into disks. wrap each in plastic and refrigerate for 20 minutes or up to 1 day. (let the dough soften at room temperature a bit before using)

Toss pluot slices with the 3 tbsp of sugar, 1 tbsp flour, and lemon zest. 

roll each disk of dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper into a round, about 1/4 inch thickness. transfer to a parchment lined cookie sheet and arrange fruit slices on the dough, leaving a 2 inch border. fold and pleat the edge of dough over the fruit. refrigerate for 20 minutes and preheat the oven to 350. 

beat the egg with water to make an egg wash. brush crust with egg wash and sprinkle the galette with raw sugar. bake until crust is golden and underside is cooked through, about an hour.