APRICOT-ALMOND PASTRY SLICES
Ingredients
Serves 10 to 12
PASTRY:
¾ cup (175 ml) cold, unsalted butter
2¼ cups (560 ml) all-purpose flour, sifted
¼ cup (60 ml) granulated sugar
½ tsp (2 ml) salt
¼ tsp (1 ml) baking powder
4 to 6 tbsp (60 to 90 ml) ice water
1 tbsp (15 ml) apple cider vinegar
1 egg, whisked
FILLING:
4 cups (1 L) fresh apricots, halved and pitted
⅓ cup (75 ml) fresh orange juice
½ cup (125 ml) apricot preserves
¼ cup (60 ml) light brown sugar
1 tbsp (15 ml) unsalted butter
½ lemon, zest only
2 tsp (10 ml) tapioca starch or cornstarch
¼ tsp (1 ml) almond extract
1 cup (250 ml) sliced almonds, toasted
TOPPING:
½ cup (125 ml) sifted icing sugar
1 to 2 tbsp (15 to 30 ml) whole milk or cream
½ tsp (2 ml) vanilla
Instructions
- To make PASTRY: Cut butter into cubes and freeze for 30 minutes. In a large zip-lock bag combine flour, granulated sugar, salt and baking powder. Stir and freeze, at least 30 minutes. Place ice-cold flour in food processor with metal blade. Add two thirds of frozen butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add remaining butter and pulse until frozen butter is the size of small peas. Add 4 tbsp (60 ml) ice water and vinegar and pulse a few times. If mixture does not hold together when pinched, add remaining water. Turn dough out onto a clean work surface and gather it together. Flatten slightly into a large disk. Tightly seal in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or preferably overnight. Can be refrigerated for several days.
- In a medium-sized saucepan combine FILLING ingredients except for tapioca starch, almond extract and almonds. Stir gently over medium heat for about 10 minutes or until apricots are very soft. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with starch, almond extract and three quarters of the sliced almonds. Stir in and set aside to cool. Can be made day ahead, if desired. Cover and refrigerate.
- To make pie, preheat oven to 375 F (185 C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, using a floured rolling pin, roll dough into a 12 x 18-in (30 x 45 cm) rectangle. Trim to 11 x 16-in (28 x 40 cm).
- Using a long thin spatula, transfer pastry to lined baking sheet. Turn baking sheet so long side is facing you. Brush edges of pastry with whisked egg. Spread filling evenly over bottom half of long side leaving a ½-in (1.25 cm) border. Fold top horizontal half over filling towards you. Press edges of pastry to seal. Press lightly along edges with tines of a fork to secure. Brush entire surface with remaining egg. Using a paring knife, slash surface with 5 small steam vents.
- Bake in centre of preheated oven for 45 to 55 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer baking sheet to rack to cool.
- In a measuring cup, combine TOPPING ingredients. Stir until smooth, adding just enough milk to make it pourable but not too runny. Drizzle in a zigzag pattern over top and sprinkle with remaining toasted almonds. Let rest and settle for about 2 hours before slicing and serving. Best eaten at room temperature day it’s made.
Drink Pairings
BROWN BUTTER AND SALTED CARAMEL LAYER CAKE
Ingredients
Serves 8
CAKE:
1 cup+6 tbsp (340 ml) salted butter, plus extra for greasing
2½ cups (625 ml) all-purpose flour
4 tsp (20 ml) baking powder
1 cup (250 ml) milk
¼ tsp (1 ml) almond extract, optional
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
1½ cups (375 ml) granulated sugar
4 large eggs
VANILLA CITRUS ICING:
1¾ cups (425 ml) salted butter, at room temperature
5 cups (1¼ L) icing sugar
⅓ cup (75 ml) whole milk
½ tsp (2 ml) grated tangerine zest
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped out
SALTED CARAMEL DRIZZLE:
1 cup (250 ml) granulated sugar
¼ cup (60 ml) water
1 tsp (5 ml) clear corn syrup
7 tbsp (105 ml) salted butter
⅓ cup (75 ml) whipping cream
1 tsp (5 ml) flaky sea salt, plus extra for garnish
Instructions
- Melt butter in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until butter starts to change colour to a golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and pour into a bowl along with any caramelized brown bits. Refrigerate until solidified, about 1 hour. Allow butter to come to room temperature before proceeding.
- Arrange oven racks in upper and lower third of oven before preheating to 350 F (180 C). Grease 4 round 6-in (15 cm) cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper.
- To make CAKES: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder. Set aside.
- In a glass measuring cup, stir together milk, almond extract, if using, and vanilla extract. Set aside.
- In electric stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream together browned butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy and pale, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well to incorporate each before adding next one. Alternate adding flour mixture (in four additions) and milk mixture (in three additions) beginning and ending with flour. Stir until smooth, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl. Divide cake batter evenly among prepared tins and spread out evenly with a spatula. Bake, rotating halfway through cooking time, until cakes are golden brown and a wooden skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean, about 30 to 35 minutes. Allow cakes to cool in tins on a wire rack for 15 minutes before carefully turning out onto rack and cooling completely. Once cooled, cake layers may be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 2 days.
- When ready to assemble cake, make Vanilla Citrus Icing. Place salted butter in bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until fluffy and pale, about 5 minutes. Turn mixer to low speed and gradually add icing sugar until well incorporated. Add milk, tangerine zest and vanilla bean seeds and beat on medium speed until incorporated. Increase mixer to high speed for 2 minutes and continue to beat until pale and fluffy.
- Place first layer of cake on a serving plate or cake stand and spread with 1⁄2 cup (125 ml) icing over top of cake in an even layer with a spatula. Sandwich icing with another layer of cake and repeat icing remaining cake layers. Thinly crumb-coat outside and top of cake with about 1 cup (250 ml) of icing. Place cake in refrigerator to chill for 1 hour. Cover remaining icing with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature while cake chills.
- Make SALTED CARAMEL DRIZZLE: Place sugar, water and corn syrup in a heavy- bottomed, medium-sized saucepan and place over medium heat. Bring to a boil and stir gently until sugar dissolves. Continue cooking, without stirring, until mixture starts to turn golden brown. At this point, you may swirl saucepan occasionally to prevent bottom from burning. When mixture turns a dark golden brown, orreaches350F(180C)onasugar thermometer, whisk in butter all at once. Take care as mixture will bubble up. Once butter has been incorporated, whisk in cream, taking care as mixture might bubble up again. Whisk over heat until smooth. Transfertoaheatproofbowl,stirinsalt and allow to cool to room temperature.
- Cover cake with remaining icing and chill again for at least another hour.
- Pour caramel over top of chilled cake, allowingittodripoverthesides.Return cake to refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to set caramel.
- Remove cake from fridge at least 30 minutes before serving. Garnish with a light sprinkle of sea salt over top before slicing and serving.
Drink Pairings
BUTTER TART BAR
Ingredients
Serves
PASTRY:
1 cup (250 ml) butter, chilled and cut into cubes
2½ cups (625 ml) pastry flour
¼ tsp (1 ml) salt
¼ to ½ cup (60 to 125 ml) cold water
FILLING:
½ cup (125 ml) brown sugar
½ cup (125 ml) brown rice or corn syrup
1 egg
2 tbsp (30 ml) butter, melted
2 tsp (10 ml) vanilla extract
½ tsp (2.5 ml) salt
2 tsp (10 ml) Canadian rye whisky
½ cup (125 ml) raisins, soaked in hot water and drained
Instructions
- To make PASTRY: In a food processor blend the butter, flour, and salt until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs the size of a pea. Sprinkle with ¼ cup (60 ml) of water. Pulse until the dough sticks together when squeezed, adding up to ¼ cup (60 ml) more water if needed, 1 tbsp (5 ml) at a time. It will still look crumbly.
- Form the dough into two balls, wrap with saran wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
- Roll the dough to 1¼-inch (3 cm) thickness and line the tart mould. Trim the edges and chill for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
- To make FILLING: Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C).
- Mix all ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Pour the filling into the tart shell and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown.
Drink Pairings
APPLE TARTE TATIN
Ingredients
Serves 4
1 cup (250 ml) granulated sugar
2 tbsp (30 ml) water
2 tbsp (30 ml) butter, plus extra for greasing ramekins
4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into quarters
1 cinnamon stick, broken
½ x 1 lb (500 g) frozen puff pastry, thawed
vanilla ice cream, for garnish
fresh mint sprigs, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C). Grease 4 x ¾ cup (175 ml) ramekins. Place on a baking sheet and set aside.
- Combine sugar and water in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Then continue simmering over medium heat until it begins to turn amber in colour. Immediately remove from the heat and pour enough caramelized sugar in the bottom of each ramekin to lightly coat.
- Keeping remaining caramelized sugar in saucepan, deglaze pan with butter. Add apples and broken cinnamon stick. Stir over medium heat and cook apples until almost tender and have started to release their juices, about 10 to 15 minutes. Apples should be coated in syrup. Divide apple mixture among ramekins and press slices in so they are flush with tops of ramekins. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface into an 8 x 10-in (20 x 25 cm) rectangle about ¼-in (0.5 cm) thick. Cut into rounds using pastry cutter the diameter size of ramekins. If you don’t have a pastry cutter, use a small bowl to cut puff pastry. Place puff pastry rounds over each individual ramekin and slightly press into apples. Make several slits in pastry to allow steam to escape while baking.
- Bake for approximately 15 to 20 minutes, until pastry is golden and apples have started to bubble. Remove ramekins and cool on a rack for 20 to 30 minutes.
- To serve, run a knife around outside edge of ramekins. Carefully place dessert plate over ramekin, making sure it is pressed tightly to the plate to contain the juices. Use oven mitts if ramekin is too hot to touch. Immediately invert plate and let ramekin sit upside-down on plate for a few minutes. Tap top and allow Tartin to release from ramekin. Repeat with remaining ramekins. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and garnish with mint.
Drink Pairings
CANDY CANE AND DARK CHOCOLATE SEMIFREDDO
Ingredients
Serves 16
6 oz (180 g) dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 tbsp (45 ml) unsalted butter
3 large egg whites
¾ cup (175 ml) granulated sugar
2 cups (500 ml) whipping cream
4 oz (125 g) mascarpone, room temperature
1 tsp (5 ml) peppermint extract (optional)
PEPPERMINT CANDY CANE SEMIFREDDO:
1½ cups (375 ml) whipping cream
½ cup (125 ml) coarsely crushed peppermint candy canes, plus more for garnish
3 large eggs, separated
½ cup (125 ml) granulated sugar
¼ cup (60 ml) mint liqueur or 1 tsp (5 ml) peppermint liqueur
Instructions
- Spray two 9 x 5-in (2 L) loaf pans with cooking oil and line with plastic wrap with a slight overhang.
- To make Dark Chocolate Semifreddo, melt chocolate in a double boiler, making sure top pan does not touch simmering water. Remove just before fully melted and stir until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
- In a mixing bowl, beat egg whites and sugar with an electric beater until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
- In a chilled mixing bowl, whip cream and mascarpone with an electric beater until smooth.
- Gently fold chocolate mixture into stiff egg whites until blended. Then, gently fold in whipped-cream mixture. Divide mixture and pour each half into prepared loaf pans. Freeze for at least an hour.
- Meanwhile, make peppermint layer. In a chilled mixing bowl, whip cream until stiff peaks form. Fold in ½ cup (125 ml) crushed candy cane. Cover and chill until ready to use.
- Prepare an ice water bath by placing a medium-sized bowl into a larger bowl with ice and water. Set aside. In a double broiler, whisk egg yolks and 3 tbsp (45 ml) sugar until thick and foamy, about 5 to 7 minutes. Make sure top pan is not touching simmering water. While beating slowly, add the mint liqueur or peppermint extract. Then whisk vigorously for another 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer mixture to bowl over ice bath and whisk until cool.
- In another mixing bowl, whisk egg white and remaining sugar until sugar is dissolved and mixture is warm to the touch, about 2 to 3 minutes. Then beat with electric beater until stiff and glossy peaks form.
- Gently fold egg-white mixture into egg-yolk mixture a third at a time. Fold in whipped-cream mixture. Divide and spoon mixture on top of the frozen Dark Chocolate Semifreddo. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until firm, at least 4 to 5 hours.
- Remove Candy Cane and Dark Chocolate Semifreddo from freezer and set aside for 5 minutes to soften slightly. Turn onto a board and remove plastic wrap. Garnish with crushed candy canes. Cut into slices, place on chilled serving plates and serve.