Apple Tarte with Pastry Creme

During our many travels through France, I noticed just how many desserts where made with a pastry creme. We do it stateside too but our pastry creme tends to be thicker, stiffer. This is one of two desserts I developed while living with my parents. I had taken to cooking because there really isn’t a whole lot to do in Vail other than hang out at home or go down to ‘The Club’ and play Foosball. Don’t get me wrong, I played plenty of Foosball but our home was much cozier. And who cooks at midnight anyway?

 

The Pastry Creme

Ingredients:

 

1 cup sugar

5 egg yolks

2/3 cup sifted flour

2 cups boiling milk

1 tblsp butter

2 tsp vanilla

3 tblsp Calvados (see ‘A What?’ tab)

Powdered Sugar for dusting (will be used last)

 

Beat sugar and egg yolks for 2-3 minutes until thick and pale yellow. Beat in flour. While beating constantly, slowly pour boiling milk in a thin stream of droplets into egg mixture. Once combined, pour into saucepan and set over moderately high heat. Stir with balloon whisk until it reaches a boil. Reduce heat to low for 2-3 minutes to cook the flour. Do not scorch. (Pastry Creme will reduce in volume and thicken.) Remove from heat and beat in butter, vanilla and Calvados. Dot top with softened butter to prevent from skinning and place in refrigerator.

 

The Apples

Ingredients:

 

4 crisp green apples, cored, peeled and sliced (set aside about 12 apple slices for decoration)

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp cloves

1 tblsp cognac

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and set aside.

 

Pate Sucree (Sweet Pastry Tart Shell)

Ingredients:

 

3 1/3 cups flour

13 tblsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

2 egg yolks

1 tsp salt

1 tblsp + 1 tsp sugar

1 tblsp Calvados

5 tblsp cold water

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Sift flour into a well. In the center place butter, yolk, salt, sugar, Calvados and water. With fingers, mix together ingredients inside well and gradually draw in flour from the sides. Work in flour until coarse crumbs form. Gather dough into a neat ball and knead vigorously for 1-2 minutes. Shape dough into a ball, wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes or until firm. Working quickly, roll out on generously floured surface to about 1/8 inch thick.  (You will have a substantial amount of pastry left over, you will use this for decoration.) Place a 10 inch tart pan with a false bottom on a baking sheet. Line the  pan with dough making sure to pinch into corners (don’t forget to pick it up by the sides if you move it.)   Pinch off excess dough at the top of the pan, roll into a ball and refrigerate. Line bottom of pastry shell with parchment paper and dried beans. Bake for 8-9 minutes. Remove lining and beans, prick bottom of shell with a fork a few times to keep it from rising. Bake an additional 2-3 minutes more.

 

Reduce oven heat to 375 degrees. Line bottom of tart shell with coated apples. Bake in upper 1/3 of the oven for about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool. While apples are cooling, make pastry roses and leaves with remaining dough: Roll out dough on floured surface. Cut 4 squares approximately 3×3 inches in size. Layer and pull corners together in one hand. Cut a ‘+’ shape in the top of the rose with a knife and arrange petals. Trim bottom. Cut out a few leaves.  Pour custard over apples and return to oven for 10 minutes until creme begins to puff. Decorate with apple slices and pastry roses and leaves. Dust heavily with powdered sugar and return to oven for 15-20 minutes more then broil on high for 1 minute. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely in the refrigerator. Place tart pan on a large coffee can to separate tart sides from pan.

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Laura’s Best Rolls Ever

Whenever my sister sends an email addressed solely to my brother and me and the subject line simply reads, “Best. Rolls. Ever.”, and there is no other text in the body of the email, I pay attention. So here they are, the best rolls ever. And the best thing about them, no kneading.

 

Ingredients:

 

2 cups warm water

2 packages active dry yeast

1/4 cup sugar

4 tablespoons butter, melted plus more for pan and brushing

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 1/2 tsp salt

6 cups flour plus more for shaping dough

 

Pour warm water into large bowl and sprinkle yeast over the top. Let stand until foamy about 5 minutes. Add sugar, butter, eggs and salt and whisk to combine. Add flour and mix until sticky dough forms. Brush top of dough with melted butter and cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place until dough has doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Turn dough onto a well floured surface. With floured hands roll dough into a thick log and cut dough into 18 equal pieces. Brush a 9×13 baking pan with butter. One at a time, flatten each piece of dough and then fold edges to the center, pressing to secure until a smooth ball forms. Place balls in baking pan, smooth side up…3 rows of 6. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled 30-40 minutes. In the meantime, preheat oven to 400. Remove plastic, brush rolls with butter and place in oven and bake 35-40 min. Tent with foil if browning too quickly. Brush with butter 1 more time and serve.

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Herb Butter

This is another one that makes for a pretty presentation. I like to use those ceramic butter molds shaped like cows or you can make individual pats of butter using flexible candy molds found at baking or craft stores.

 

Ingredients:

 

1/2 cup English butter, softened

1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, minced

1 tsp fresh sage, minced

 

In a small bowl mix together all ingredients. Press into ceramic mold, candy mold or dish. Refrigerate until hardened. To release from ceramic mold, dip into really hot water for a few seconds before turning out onto plate. To release from a candy mold, just wiggle it around a little bit to loosen pats.

 

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