Raspberry Rhubarb Pie

I found a roll of Kodak Gold film from who knows when in the bottom of a drawer and loaded it in my camera the other day. Expired film is so fun (and random!) to work with. I got about 20 shots of yellow, super-grainy photos and a couple of snaps like the one above. Perfectly, imperfect. I guess even old crappy film can't keep a pie this good looking down.

I can't believe I had never made a rhubarb and raspberry pie before this one. Sure I've made cute little rhubarb and raspberry galettes and I've mixed rhubarb with just about every other berry that exists, but this pie: THIS PIE. If I ever get invited to compete in a pie contest, this will be my entry and it will win every damn blue ribbon there is to win. Strawberry rhubarb, step aside because raspberry rhubarb is where it's at. I used an all purpose flour crust for this guy, but I imagine a rye crust would be mighty fine too.

For a peek into my pie making process, check out this video made by photographer and pal Jen Causey who came over last week and shot me making this beaut. It was so much fun and we ate pie for lunch! Thanks Jen!

Raspberry Rhubarb Pie

yield, 1 double crust pie

Crust

12 ounces all purpose flour 
1 teaspoons salt
9 ounces cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
4 ounces ice cold water
1 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

To make the crust, combine the flour and salt in a bowl. Use your fingers or a pastry cutter to cut in half of the butter until it is the size of peas, then cut in the other half until it is the size lima beans. Some of the butter will be completely worked into the flour, but you should have lots of visible pieces of butter in the dough too. Add the apple cider vinegar to the water and make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Use a gentle hand or wooden spoon to mix the water into the flour until just combined. If the dough seems very dry, add more water a couple of teaspoons at a time. You have added enough water when you can pick up a handful of the dough and squeeze it together without it falling apart. Press the dough together, then split it in half, form into discs and wrap each half in plastic wrap. Chill the dough for at least one hour before using, or overnight.

Filling

20 ounces rhubarb (about 5 stalks)
6 ounces raspberries (about 2 handfuls)
10 ounces sugar
2 ounces all purpose flour
zest and juice of 1/2 of a lemon
pinch salt
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped and pod reserved for another use
egg and crunchy sugar for topping

To Assemble and Bake

Preheat oven to 425º


On a lightly floured surface, roll out one piece of the dough into a 12'' circle about 1/8'' thick and place it into a' pie pan. Place in the fridge while you prepare the rest of the pie. Roll out the other piece of dough into a 12'' circle about 1/8'' thick and place it in the fridge on a sheet pan to chill while you prepare the filling.

In a large bowl, rub the vanilla bean seeds and lemon zest into the sugar to evenly distribute. Remove the leaves from the rhubarb (if there are any) and chop it into 1/2-inch pieces. Add the rhubarb, raspberries, flour, lemon juice and salt into the large bowl with the sugar and gently toss to combine evenly. Be careful not to crush the raspberries too much. Fill the prepared pie shell with the rhubarb mixture and top with the second crust, crimp the edges and cut a few vents in the top. 

Alternately, you can top the pie with a lattice-style crust as I've done in the photos above. Here is a link to a great photo tutorial on Simply Recipes. When I make a lattice topped pie, I like to use nice thick strips of dough, so the ones pictured above are about 1-inch wide.

If the crust seems soft or warm, slide the whole pie into the fridge or freezer for about 15 minutes before you bake it. When you are ready to bake, brush the top of the pie with a beaten egg and sprinkle with a healthy dose of coarse sugar.

Put the pie on a baking sheet to catch any drips and bake for 15min on the lowest rack of your oven, then lower the oven temp to 400º and bake for 40-50 minutes or until the crust is deep golden brown and the rhubarb juices bubble. Cool before serving.

Spring Things

Cameras have been cleaned, spring has sprung, and I'm back. With rhubarb! I didn't intend to be away from this space for so long, but the photo clinic took a little longer than anticipated to give my old pentaxes a spit shine. It was totally worth it, btw, and they are looking better than they have in years.

In the mean time, it has been a busy spring round these parts: full of lots of fun freelance projects (including a little something that was published in the NYT!) and a new addiction/obsession (it's a fine line isn't it?) with making pottery. But now it is time to get back to business and the business at hand today is pies: little portable pies filled with the pinkest rhubarb I've ever bought at Union Square and crunchy apples that are perfect for all of your memorial day picnicking. I know it is already strawberry season in many parts of the country, but I just couldn't let May sneak by without posting at least one rhubarb recipe. If you are hankering for more rhubarb find LOTS more rhubarb recipes in the archives of this blog: here.

A few little notes:

Tim from Lottie and Doof wrote an A+ post about #normcore and how it relates to food issues (and lots more). Check it out here. Seriously, I can't recommend it enough.

For my film loving friends, I had my cameras cleaned and repaired at Nippon Photo Clinic in Manhattan. I highly recommend their services.

Rhubarb and Apple Hand pies

yield about 24, 3-inch pies

Rhubarb can tend to break down quite a bit when it is cooked, so I added some chopped apples to these little pies for texture and flavor. The other flavorings are quite simple, just a bit of lemon and vanilla, to let the fruit shine. Cooking the filling a bit before baking will help ensure that the filling stays inside the pies, instead of oozing out all over your baking sheet. There are a lot of pie crust recipes and techniques on this site, but this simple one is a new favorite. Make sure to handle the dough as little as possible for the most tender and flaky hand pies.

Crust

24 ounces all purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
18 ounces cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
6-8 ounces ice cold water
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

To make the crust, combine the flour and salt in a bowl. Use your fingers or a pastry cutter to cut in half of the butter until it is the size of peas, then cut in the other half until it is the size lima beans. Some of the butter will be completely worked into the flour, but you should have lots of visible pieces of butter in the dough too. Add the apple cider vinegar to the water and make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Use a gentle hand or wooden spoon to mix the water into the flour until just combined. If the dough seems very dry, add more water a couple of teaspoons at a time. You have added enough water when you can pick up a handful of the dough and squeeze it together without it falling apart. Press the dough together, then split it in half, form into discs and wrap each half in plastic wrap. Chill the dough for at least one hour before using, or overnight.

Rhubarb and Apple Filling

1 pound rhubarb stalks
2 medium baking apples, mutsus work well here
1 vanilla bean
4-6 tablespoons sugar
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
egg for egg wash
crunchy sugar such as turbinado or demerara for sprinkling

If your rhubarb has leaves attached remove them (they are inedible and poisonous) then chop the rhubarb into 1/2-inch pieces. Peel the apples and chop them into slightly larger pieces.

Add the chopped rhubarb, 4 tablespoons sugar, lemon juice, butter, and vanilla bean seeds and pod to a large skillet. Cook until the rhubarb has released most of its juices and the juices have thickened, about 7-10 minutes. The rhubarb should become jammy in texture.

Cool the mixture to room temperature, remove the vanilla bean pod then add the chopped apples and flour and stir to combine. Taste the mixture and if it seems too tart add more sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time.

To Assemble the pies: Preheat oven to 400ºF. One at a time, roll each piece of chilled dough roughly 1/4-inch to 1/8-inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Use a 3-inch circle cutter to cut as many circles as possible from the dough. Re-roll the scraps and cut more circles.

Put half of the circles on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and lightly brush the edges of the dough with a beaten egg. Add about 1 tablespoon of filling to each piece of dough, making sure that there is a small border of bare dough around the filling. Top each pie with another piece of dough and press the edges to seal well. Put the entire baking sheet in the freezer until the dough is firm, about 10 minutes.

Check to make sure all of the pies are well sealed. Brush the pies with a beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar. Bake until deep golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.

Tartine's Fruit Scones and Some Technical Difficulties

I'm gonna level with you here. These are without a doubt, the most complicated scones I've ever made. They require you to have loved and cared for a sourdough starter long enough that you can make a leaven the night before you even think about making the scone dough. The recipe calls for three types of flour and homemade creme fraiche or kefir although, I took the shortcut and just bought mine at the grocery store. Then there is the mixing, chilling, folding, chilling, loving, and whispering of gentle sweet nothings (that last one isn't written in the recipe, but I imagine it would probably help) that is required to make all of the flaky layers that make these scones great. That said, they are quite delicious and super tangy from the lemon zest and leaven and the combination of flours gives these a really nice complex flavor. I imagine that a couple of you out there are crazy like me and might like make a classic treat in a new way so I've provided the lengthy recipe below. If you try the it please let me know what you think in the comments!

A little programing note: I know things have been quieter than usual around here and it's because my well-loved film cameras are feeling a little under the weather. One has a crazy light leak and the other is leaving lovely stripes on all of my photos (which you can see in this post) so they are heading to Nippon Photo Clinic for a thorough cleaning and check up. Hopefully they will be back in action for when my favorite fruits and veggies start to hit the markets.

In the meantime you can keep up with me on instagram @yossyarefi where I post daily and Food52 where I write a column called Project Dessert every other week.

Thanks and Happy Spring!

Tartine's Fruit Scones
from Tartine No. 3
yield, 12 large or 24 small scones

As printed in the book, this recipe requires an obscene amount of lemon zest (10 lemons worth!) which I kind of assumed was a misprint, so I used 2 lemons worth and found the scones plenty zingy. I also added a Tablespoon of vanilla extract to the recipe, but in the end I think the sourdough and lemon zest masked the vanilla flavor so feel free to leave it out.

306 g/ 1 cup plus 5T cold unsalted butter
312 g/ 1 1/3 cups kefir or creme fraiche
306 g/ 1 1/2 cups leaven*
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract (optional)
306 g/ 1 pint berries
341 g/ 2 1/3 cups pastry flour (I used all purpose)
204 g/ 1 3/4 cups oat flour
136 g/ 1 cup plus 1T whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 Tablespoon baking powder
102 g/ 1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons sea salt
zest of 10 (or a couple) lemons
1 large egg
crunchy sugar for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 400ºF and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper

1. Cut the butter into 1/2-inch sized pieces and place in the freezer to chill. In a separate bowl or measuring cup, combine the leaven, vanilla and kefir until well mixed and place into the freezer to chill while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
2. Wash, hull and roughly chop the berries (only chop if you are using strawberries).
3. In a large bowl, combine the flours, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, lemon zest and salt. Dump the flour mixture onto a work surface or countertop and spread it into a rectangle about 1/3-inch deep. Scatter the butter cubes over the flour and toss gently to coat the butter with flour. Flour a rolling pin and begin rolling the butter into the flour. When the butter starts flattening into long, thin pieces use a bench scraper to fold the mixture back over itself into a rectangle so that is the same size that you started with. Repeat the rolling and scraping three or four times. Work quickly so the butter stays as cold as possible.
4. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the kefir-leaven mixture all at once. Use a bench scraper to gently fold the flour into the liquid. Keep folding the mixture until it is a shaggy mass, then shape it into a rectangle about 15-inches x 21-inches. Fold the dough in thirds, then roll it back into a rectangle. Repeat the folding and rolling process then transfer the dough to a baking sheet and chill for 15 minutes.
5. Roll the dough back into a rectangle and scatter the berries on top. Use a bench scraper to fold the top, bottom, and sides of the dough over itself then roll it into an 18-inch x 15-inch rectangle about 1 1/2-inches thick. Cut the dough into 12 rectangles or 24 smaller shapes and place the cut scones onto the prepared baking sheets. Move the baking sheets to the oven and chill for 20 minutes or until firm.
6. While the scones are chilling beat the egg with a tiny pinch of salt. When the scones are chilled and ready to bake, remove them from the fridge, brush the tops with egg wash, and sprinkle with crunchy sugar. Bake until the tops are lightly browned, 25-35 minutes. Serve warm.

*to make the leaven combine 100 grams all purpose flour, 100 grams whole wheat flour, 200 grams warm water and 1 Tablespoon mature sourdough starter in a bowl, cover and let sit overnight.

 

White Pine Infused Frozen Treats and Happy New Year

  

In Iran the new year, Nowruz or Norooz or many other spellings, is celebrated on the first day of Spring which is a tradition that hails partly from ancient Zoroastrianism. It is a celebration of renewal and fresh starts much like the Jan. 1 New Year celebrations, but with a heavy dose of cosmic energy, lots of feasting, and some wonderful cultural celebrations. If you are curious about the celebration, check out this link and man, those Zoroastrians were super fascinating people. Now what does this have to do with white pine ice cream? Not much really, except hopefully the first day of spring will bring us all warmer temperatures, more sunlight and the first edible signs of spring: asparagus, peas, greens, and my very favorite rhubarb so we don't have to make ice cream out of trees. I kid, these ice cream and sorbet recipes are actually pretty great.

White pine has a surprisingly citrusy flavor, bright and earthy at the same time, but I can't say that I ever thought of white pine as a food before I started foraging with my friend Tama who shared the white pine and rosemary ice cream recipe on her blog. I loved the flavor of this ice cream so much that I went ahead made a tart meyer lemon sorbet infused with a hefty dose of white pine. It made for a fresh and crisp counterpoint to the rich ice cream. Check out both recipes below and for more pine info check out this great article on Serious Eats by Tama Matsuoka, forager extraordinaire.

Happy Nowruz!

White Pine and Rosemary Ice Cream

yield about 1 quart

adapted from Gramercy Tavern and Meadows and More

1 1/2 cups milk

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1/2 ounce rosemary stalks (about 2 large stalks)

3/4 ounce white pine sprigs (needles and small branches)

1 cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

4 egg yolks

Combine milk, cream, rosemary sprigs and pine sprigs in a large pot. Bring to a boil then turn off the heat. Let the mixture infuse for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Strain the infused cream into a clean pot and press gently on the solids to squeeze any additional liquid. Whisk in the sugar, salt and lemon zest.

Whisk the egg yolks together in a medium bowl. Bring the cream to a simmer then ladle about 1 cup of the mixture into the egg yolks to temper. Pour the egg and cream mixture back into the pot and whisk well to combine.

Cook the mixture on medium low heat while stirring constantly until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and cool completely. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Remove the soft ice cream to a freezer safe container and freeze four hours or until firm.

White Pine and Meyer Lemon Sorbet

yield about 1 quart

This recipe includes one tablespoon of an obscure liqueur that I happen to love and keep stocked in my bar, but feel free to substitute a tablespoon of vodka in it's place.

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

1 cup freshly squeezed meyer lemon juice

3/4 ounce white pine sprigs (needles and small branches)

1 tablespoon finely grated meyer lemon zest

1 tablespoon Douglas Fir Eaux de Vie or vodka

In a small saucepan bring the sugar and water to a simmer. Add the pine sprigs and turn off the heat. Let the syrup infuse for at least 4 hours and up to overnight. After the mixture has infused strain the pine needles.

Whisk the pine infused syrup with with lemon juice, zest and vodka. Cool completely then freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Remove the soft sorbet to a freezer safe container and freeze for four hours or until firm.

p.s. I've been taking pottery classes for the last couple of months and it is my new favorite thing! I even made the bowls used in this post. Some more of my handiwork can be found below.

Rhubarb and Kumquat Jam

When I visited my family in Seattle last summer I discovered that my lovely and thoughtful mom saved me her last rhubarb harvest of the season because she knows how much I love it. I cut down the stalks on my way out of town and only got a couple of stares at the airport when I brought it back to New York with me, wrapped in newspaper and packed in my carry on luggage. Then, when I got home, I promptly shoved it to the back of my freezer and forgot about it for six months, as you do. Flash forward to a couple of weeks ago when I was cleaning out my freezer and stumbled upon my glorious (albeit a bit freezer burnt) bounty. I knew it was time to use it up, so I pulled out my favorite jam cookbook and turned to a page I had dog-eared years ago, this rhubarb and kumquat jam. I realize that rhubarb may not be in season where you live, but maybe you have some in the freezer too? Or maybe you can bookmark this one for next year? If you are lucky enough to live in a magical place where rhubarb and kumquats (darn you California!) are in season at the same time you won't have to plan so far ahead to make this delicious late winter/early spring treat.

Rhubarb and Kumquat Jam
adapted from the Blue Chair Jam Cookbook
yield roughly 8, 8-ounce jars

The original recipe calls for only kumquats, but I had a pile of mandarinquats that needed using up so I added them in. They are a bit sweeter than kumquats, but still tart with soft and edible rinds.

3 1/2 pounds rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 pounds 14 ounces sugar
5 ounces fresh lemon juice
1 pound seeded tart kumquats or mandarinquats cut into thin rounds

Day 1

Combine the rhubarb, sugar and lemon juice in a large glass bowl or storage container. Stir gently to combine then cover tightly and let the mixture macerate for 24 hours at room temperature.

Day 2

1. Transfer the now juicy rhubarb mixture into a large, non reactive pot or copper preserving pan. Add the sliced kumquats and stir well to dissolve any remaining sugar.

2. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Cook the jam until it is thick and no longer watery 15-20 minutes.  For the last 5-10 minutes stir the jam constantly to prevent scorching. Test the jam for doneness using the wrinkle test.

3. Ladle the jam into clean jars and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

Seeded Whole Grain Scones with Tahini

My dad used to buy chunks of halva (a dense sesame candy) from the middle eastern market in our neighborhood and I always turned my nose up at the sight of it. I wasn't a kid who shied away from strong flavors (hello, pickled garlic), but the flavor of halva was too much for my little palate to handle and I shied away from pretty much anything containing sesame seeds for a long time. Thankfully, I grew out of whatever bothered me about their flavor and now I am a huge sesame and tahini fan.

These hearty and wholesome tahini-enhanced scones contain a bit of sugar to balance all of the whole grain seediness and the slight bitter edge of the sesame paste, but it's not enough to make them truly sweet. I liked them best on the day they were baked slathered with butter and the tiniest drizzle of honey.

p.s. that cool cactus tea towel is by Amelie Mancini

Seeded Whole Grain Scones with Tahini

yield 12, 2-inch scones

The brand of tahini I used was quite liquid, if your tahini is closer to the texture of peanut or almond butter, add a couple of extra tablespoons of buttermilk. The dough should be soft but hold together after all of the liquid has been incorporated. It should also be said that these 100% whole grain scones are quite dense. If you prefer a lighter scone, substitute 1 cup of all purpose flour for either of the whole grain flours.

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 cup rye flour

4 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

6 tablespoons assorted seeds (sesame, chia, flax, pepitas, whatever you like)

2 tablespoons non-hydrogenated shortening

4 tablespoons butter, chilled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup tahini, room temperature

Preheat oven to 375º and line a sheet pan with parchment paper

Combine the flours, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda and 4 tablespoons of the seeds in a large bowl. Use your fingers or a pastry blender to cut the butter and shortening into the dry ingredients. Combine the buttermilk and tahini in a measuring cup and whisk well to combine. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, then pour in the buttermilk mixture. Stir gently until just combined. If the mixture seems dry, add more buttermilk, 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough holds together. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and pat it out until it is about 1 1/2-inches thick then use a floured 2-inch biscuit cutter to cut as many rounds as possible and set them on the baking sheet. Gather the scraps, pat them together, and cut as many rounds as possible. Brush the tops of the scones with water or milk and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of seeds. Press gently to make sure the seeds adhere to the scones. Bake until golden brown 20-25 minutes. Serve warm and fresh with butter and honey.

Tartine's Salted Chocolate Rye Cookies

If you've been reading this blog for a little while, I'm sure you've gathered that I am a huge fan of Tartine's cookbook collection. When the recipe for these cookies was released in anticipation the release of the third book in the Tartine series (Tartine No.3) I knew I had to make them, even though I was a bit holiday-cookied out. It is a simple recipe, with only a few ingredients that you may have in your house already (if you're like me and keep a stock of rye flour at the ready), but man, they are tasty. They are brownie like in texture, rich and salty with a bit of sour tang from the dark rye flour. I liked these cookies so much that broke my self-imposed cookbook moratorium to add Tartine No.3 to my collection and I can't wait to dive deeper into baking bread with the addition of heirloom and sprouted grains and porridges.

Tartine's Salted Chocolate Rye Cookies
yield, about 4 dozen cookies
from Tartine No.3
These cookies hit all of my baking sweet spots: whole grain flour, salt, and they are easy to put together. They have definitely earned a permanent spot in my holiday rotation of sweets.

1 pound bittersweet chocolate, chopped
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup dark rye flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 cups muscovado sugar (or dark brown sugar)
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
Maldon or other flaky salt for sprinkling

1. Place a saucepan filled with one inch of water over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Set a heatproof bowl over the simmering water, taking care that the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water, and melt the chocolate and butter together, stirring occasionally. Once melted, remove from the heat and let  the mixture cool slightly.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the rye flour, baking powder, and salt. 

3. Place the eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whip on medium-high, adding the sugar a few tablespoons at a time, until all the sugar is incorporated. Turn the mixer to high and whip until the eggs have tripled in volume and  turned very light yellow and fluffy, about 6 minutes. 

4. Reduce the mixer to low and add the melted chocolate mixture followed by the vanilla. Mix to combine, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, then add in the flour mixture and stir until just combined. The dough will be very soft. 

5. Refrigerate dough until it just firm to the touch, about 30 minutes. If cooled too long, the dough will be hard to scoop.

6. Preheat oven to 350º . Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Remove the dough from the fridge and scoop with a rounded tablespoon onto the baking sheets, shaping the balls of dough into rounds and spacing them 2 inches apart. Top each mound of dough with a few flakes of sea salt, pressing gently so it adheres.

7. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the cookies have puffed up and have a smooth bottom and rounded top with a few small cracks. Remove the baking sheets from the oven and cool slightly then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. The cookies with keep up to 3 days in an airtight container.

Pavlova with Pink Grapefruit and Pomegranate

Most folks might associate pavlova with a big pile of summer berries, but they are just as nice with a citrusy kick instead. For this wintery pavlova I topped crisp and chewy pillows of meringue with Tartine Bakery's perfect lemon cream which is a sweet, tart, and buttery-rich riff on lemon curd. The whole thing is adorned with juicy slices of pink grapefruit and tart pomegranate arils. Llight and refreshing to the max.

A few things

- I recently updated my portfolio site, I'd love if you all took a look: yossyarefi.com 
- If you love meyer lemons and grapefruit too, check out this killer bundt cake recipe.
- I made some meyer lemon eclairs for Food52 last week. Check them out here.
- Thanks for all of your kind words on my last post!

Pavlovas with Pink Grapefruit and Pomegranate
yield 6-8 individual or 1 large pavlova

In the photos above I made 6 6-inch "individual" pavlovas. This dessert is quite light and most people would probably be able to finish a pavlova that size, but for more modest dessert eaters try making 8 (or even 10) individual meringues. If you can't find meyer lemons for this recipe, go ahead and use regular lemons and if you can't find pink grapefruit, any sweet citrus fruit would be just great. I originally intended to make this with blood oranges, but couldn't find any. Also,  make sure to use room temperature egg whites and a very clean bowl and beaters.

Pavlova

4 large egg whites, room temperature
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup superfine sugar

Preheat oven to 220º and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat

1. Whip the egg whites and the cream of tartar on medium speed until the egg whites are quite foamy. Turn the mixer up to high and very slowly add the sugar, about 1 Tablespoon at a time. Whip the egg whites until they are stiff and glossy.
2. Divide the meringue into 6-8 even dollops at least 2 inches apart and with the back of a spoon gently shape them into circles with indentations in the center (to hold all of the yummy filling). Alternately, spread the whole amount of meringue into one large circle about 10-inches wide.
3. Bake the meringue until it is crisp on the outside and set, 60-80 minutes. Turn off the oven and prop the door open, then cool the pavlova completely in the oven completely.

Meyer Lemon Cream
adapted from Tartine Bakery's Lemon Cream

1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons meyer lemon juice
3 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
3/4 cup sugar
pinch salt
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup heavy cream

1.  Pour about 2 inches of water into a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat
2. Combine the lemon juice, eggs, egg yolk, sugar, and salt in a stainless steel bowl that will rest securely over the water without coming into contact with the water. (Never let the egg yolks and sugar sit together for more than a moment without stirring; the sugar will cook the yolks and turn them granular.) Place the bowl over the saucepan and whisk until the mixture becomes very thick and registers 180° F on a thermometer, about 10 to 12 minutes.
3. Remove the bowl from over the water and let the mixture cool to 140° F, stirring from time to time to release the heat.
4. Meanwhile, cut butter into tablespoon-sized pieces. When the cream is cooled transfer it to a blender and with the blender running, add the butter 1 tablespoon at a time, blending after each addition until incorporated before adding the next piece. The cream will be pale yellow and opaque and quite thick.
Chill the lemon cream completely, then in a separate bowl, whisk the heavy cream. Fold the half of the whipped cream (reserve the other half for garnish if desired) into the lemon cream and chill until ready to fill the pavlova.

To Serve

Supremed segments of 2-3 pink grapefruit (depending on size) arils from one pomegranate.

Stir the lemon cream to loosen. Fill each pavlova with a few generous spoonfuls of cream then top with grapefruit segments and pomegranate arils. Garnish with reserved whipped cream if desired. Enjoy immediately.

Persimmon and Ginger Upside-Down Cake

There are two type of persimmons that can be easily found around New York this time of year: fuyu and hachiya. This cake uses fuyu persimmons which are the short and squatty variety and unlike their hachiya cousins you don't have to wait until they are squishy-ripe to eat them. They have a sweet, honeyed flavor with a bit of vanilla and spice that makes them the perfect match for this spicy ginger cake. Make sure to have some unsweetened whipped cream or crème fraîche on hand to serve; a bit of something cool and creamy helps to balance the sweet persimmon slices and extra spicy cake.

I made another version of this cake a couple of years ago with poached quince. It's also great with pears or apples.

Persimmon and Ginger Upside-Down Cake 
adapted from the Macrina Bakery and Cafe Cookbook

For the Topping

3 Tablespoons soft butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch salt
4-5 firm, but ripe fuyu persimmons

For the Cake

1 cup butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 cup molasses
2 Tablespoons peeled and grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest
3 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 325º. Butter a 9 or 10-inch springform pan with high sides and line the bottom with an  circle of parchment paper.

For the Topping

Peel and slice the persimmon into 1/4-inch slices (a y-shaped peeler is great for this task).  In a medium saucepan combine the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Cook over medium heat for about 1 minute. Pour the mixture into the bottom of your lined pan, then arrange the fruit on top in a decorative pattern making sure that the bottom of the pan is covered. Put pan aside.

For the Cake

1. Cream the butter and sugar until very light and fluffy, add the grated ginger and zests. Mix for 1 more minute.
2. Scrape down the bowl and add the eggs one at a time. Then slowly pour in the molasses.
3. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
4. Alternately add the flour mixture and the buttermilk to the batter, being careful not to overmix.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until deep golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then invert onto a plate and gently peel away the parchment paper.

Eat warm with a dollop of whipped cream, crème fraîche  or a scoop of ice cream. This cake is best the day it's made.

Fall Fruit Recipes and a Simple Apple Galette

The apple galette above was made with my tried and true method: Roll out a circle of pastry (this time it was rough puff pastry, 12'' wide, 1/8-1/4 inch thick), top it with a generous layer of jam (plum in this case), add some sliced fruit (apples with the peels on because I am a lazy rebel), then paint an egg wash on the pastry, sprinkle the whole mess generously with coarse sugar and bake at 375º  25-35 minutes or until deep golden brown. It works like a charm every time.

Here are some more ways, from this site and others, to use all of the glorious fruit available right now. If you have any favorite fall recipes, please share them in the comments below.

Apples 

Apple Butter
Classic Apple Pie
Apple Yogurt Cake
Apple Cider Donuts
Brown Butter Apple Pie Bars
Unfussy Apple Cake
Apple, Cranberry and Quince Pie
Roasted Apple Scones with Ginger
Apple Cider Caramels
Apple Jelly with Lemon Verbena
Caramel Apple Cider Pie

Quince


Quince and Cream Cheese Danish (GF)
Cranberry Quince Preserves
Quince Custard Cake
Quince and Vanilla Sorbet 
Membrillo (quince paste)
Quince and Meyer Lemon Meringue Pie

Persimmon

Lebni Tart with Persimmon and Pomegranate
Persimmon Bread
Persimmon Scones
Chocolate and Persimmon Tart
Broiled Persimmon with Mascarpone

Concord Grapes

Concord Grape Pie
Concord Grape Jam and Handpies
Concord Grape Shrub
Concord Grape Sorbet
Concord Grape Juice

Pawpaw

Pawpaw Sorbet
Pawpaw Creme Brûlée

Pumpkin/Squash

Pumpkin Donuts with Buttermilk Glaze
Caramelized Pumpkin Puddings
Pumpkin Oat Bread
Pumpkin Pancakes
Spiced Pumpkin Scones
Squash Harvest Loaves
Pumpkin Hazelnut Coffee Cake

Pears

Pear Vanilla Dutch Baby Pancake
Poached Pears with Warm Chocolate Sauce
Black Sesame and Pear Tea Cake
Pear and Buckwheat Pancakes
Pear and Gorgonzola Pie
Maple Cheesecake with Roasted Pears

Happy Fall Baking!

Campfire Crisp

A few weeks ago, some friends gathered upstate on a perfect fall day for a pig roast. While the men folk manned the rotisserie I go to work on dessert, and inspired by Kelsey's camp cobbler, I decided to give dutch oven cooking a try. I still had a mess of apples left from my apple picking adventure and I knew a crisp would be just the thing to feed our crowd so I packed up all of the dry ingredients for my favorite crisp topping in a ziploc bag then mushed (technical term) the butter in when I was ready to bake. For the fruit portion of the equation, I chopped up the apples and tossed them in a buttered dutch oven with a lonely quince, a handful of concord grapes, and a bit of sugar and spice. I put the dutch oven over indirect heat, put some coals on top, and hoped for the best.

Campfire Apple, Concord & Quince Crisp

Make sure to not let the dutch oven sit directly on the fire and check it every 10 minutes or so to see if it needs to be rotated away from the flame, a set of heavy duty fire gloves works great for this. If you don't have quince or concord grapes, just use an extra apple or two.

5 pounds baking apples, about 10 - peeled (or not) and chopped into medium pieces
1 medium quince - peeled, cored and finely chopped
1 cup concord grapes cut in half and seeded
juice and zest of one lemon
juice and zest of half of an orange
1/2-2/3 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt

Crisp Topping 

6 ounces soft butter
3.5 ounces rolled oats
2.25 ounces all purpose flour
2.25 ounces whole wheat flour
5 ounces brown sugar
1/4t baking soda
1/2t salt

Combine all of the filling ingredients in a dutch oven with a lid.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, flours, sugar, baking soda and salt. Add in the butter and use your hands to work it into the mixture until it holds together in medium-sixed clumps. Sprinkle it evenly over the filling. Alternately, pack all of the dry ingredients in a ziploc bag, then when you are ready to bake, toss in the soft butter and mush it all around until it is evenly incorporated.

Place the dutch oven on a few rocks above the fire, then put about 5 (big) hot coals on the lid. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the fruit is bubbling and the topping is browned, rotating every 10 minutes or so to ensure even cooking.

And yes, that is the back end of a whole pig up there in that photo. Sorry if anyone is offended by that image.

Apple Yogurt Cake

I would put this cake in the "everyday" category and with a pretty equal ratio of fruit to cake, it makes an excellent breakfast alongside a hot cup of coffee or tea. It's also the perfect treat to throw together when you fall victim to the glorious beauty of an apple orchard on a fall day and pick far too many apples. If you've been apple picking I'm sure you know what I mean.

Apple Yogurt Cake
adapted from Smitten Kitchen
yield one, 8-inch cake

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1-1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
2 Tablespoons bourbon
1 cup plain yogurt
2/3 cup olive oil
3 cups thinly sliced or finely chopped tart apples such as ginger gold, mutsu, or jonagold
confectioner's sugar (for dusting)

Preheat oven to 350º and butter and flour a 9-inch cake pan.

1. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together and set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until light yellow and fluffy. Beat in the orange zest, yogurt and bourbon.
3. Working in batches alternately add the sifted flour and olive oil. Gently fold in the apples and spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake the cake until golden and a toothpick comes out clean, 55-65 minutes. Let the cake cool on a rack for 15 minutes then invert the cake onto a rack to cool completely. Dust with confectioner's sugar before serving.