Poached Nectarines

Summer is fast approaching, so what could be better than this recipe adapted (by Kosher Revolution‘s author Geila Hocherman) from Dede Wilson‘s Unforgettable Desserts?

Poached Nectarines with Rosé Granité and Frozen Sabayon

Serves 6 to 8

INGREDIENTS

Poached Nectarines

• 1 1/2 cup slightly fruity rosé wine
• 1 1/2 cup of water
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 6 ripe nectarines

Granité

• 1 cup slightly fruity rose
• 1 cup poaching liquid

Sabayon

• 6 large egg yolks
• 1/3 cup slightly fruity rosé wine
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup MIMICREAM HealthyTop
• 1 1/2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
• 1/4 cup chilled warm water

Photo by Alexandra Grablewski – Page 264

DIRECTIONS

For the poached nectarines – Stir together the wine, water, and sugar in a narrow , deep saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Add the fruit; the liquid should cover the fruit. Simmer just until the fruit is tender when pierced with a knife tip, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the poached fruit from the liquid with a slotted spoon and set aside on a cutting board. Measure out 1 cup of the poaching liquid and set aside. Boil any remaining poaching liquid until it reduces and becomes thick and syrupy. Cool and then pour into an airtight container. Once the fruit is cool, chop into 1/2-inch dice, discarding the pits. Scrape the fruit into the container with the syrup. Refrigerate until chilled or for up to 3 days.

For the granité – Stir together the wine and the 1 cup reserved poaching liquid in a 8-inchmetal baking pan. Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap. Freeze until solid or for up to 3 days.

For the sabayon – Whisk the egg yolks and wine together in the top of a double boiler (or deep bowl for a makeshift double boiler). Whisk in the sugar. Set over boiling water that just touches the bottom of the bowl and whisk constantly until very thick and almost tripled  in volume. The mixture should form a ribbon when you lift the whisk; this will take 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and immediately set over a bowl of ice water. Whisk the mixture until it is completely cool. Whip the HeathyTop in a separate clean bowl until soft peaks form, add the unflavored gelatin (diluted in the water) and then fold into the egg mixture. Scrape into an airtight container and freeze until solid or for up to 3 days.

For the assembly – Have 6 to 8 clear wine goblets available. Right before serving, scoop a layer of fruit into the bottom of the glasses. Top with a scoop of sabayon. Use a fork to make course, icy flakes of granité and scoop them onto the sabayon. Repeat the layers, ending with the granité, and serve immediately.

- TIP -

The sabayon will freeze pretty solid. In theory, it is best after it has softened at room
temperature for about 5 minutes. The reason I don’t suggest taking it out ahead of time is
that because by the time you have all of the desserts assembled, it will have come to the
proper temperature and consistency.

Delicious snack, perfect at any time. Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!

CS

Cherry Heering in Holy Day Dessert…

Considering the great memories Cherry Heering brought back of family simchas as I and later my kids were growing up, considering I discovered it on a kiddush on my very first Shabbat on these American shores, I hust had to incorporate it into the Rosh Hashana meals.

SYR, obliged with two delightful dessert recipes and here they are:

SYR’s Cherry Heering Sorbet

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 2 pounds fresh or frozen cherries, pitted and halved.
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon Cherry Heering
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Pinch of salt

Directions

1. Bring cherries, sugar, water, and lemon juice to a slow boil in a heavy saucepan, stirring until cherries are soft
   and liquid is syrupy. Cool to room temperature.
2. Add teaspoon of Cherry Heering. Blend in a food processor until smooth with minimal pulp.
3. Freeze with ice cream maker according to instructions, or freeze in containe.
4. Blend once more in food processor and refreeze in airtight container.
5. Scoop and serve.

SYR’s Cherry Heering Syrup

Serves 24

Ingredients

• 2 pounds fresh or frozen cherries, pitted and halved.
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon Cherry Heering
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• Pinch of salt

Directions

1. Bring cherries, sugar, ¾ cups water, and lemon juice to a slow boil- medium heat, in a heavy saucepan, stirring until cherries are soft and liquid is syrupy.
2. Stir 1/4 cup lukewarm water and cornstarch in a small bowl until smooth. Pour and stir into boiling cherry syrup. Boil, stirring constantly, until liquid thickens, for about 1 minute.
3. Cool to room temperature, add 1 teaspoon of Cherry Heering. Store in syrup bottle or container.

The Peter Heering distributor in the US had sent us a bottle of Cherry Heering and a bottle of Heering Coffee Liqueur for Purim; the Coffee Liqueur was finished so I decided to use the last of the Cherry Heering and the results were delicious!

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!

CS

Peach Cobbler

This makes a great dessert, whether for Shabbat or any other occasion:

Ingredients

• 6 peaches, peeled and sliced
• 4 tablespoons 10x confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon almond or vanilla extract
• parve vanilla ice cream (or dairy if you do not intend this dish to cap a fleishig meal)

Cobbler Topping

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup 10x confectioners’ sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted margarine (or butter, if this will be a milchig dessert)
• 1 egg
• 5-6 tablespoons almond milk (or milk, if this will be a milchig dessert)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
2. Put the peaches in an ovenproof dish; add the sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch , and almond extract, toss them all together. Bake the peaches in the oven for 20 minutes.
3. While the peaches are baking make the cobbler topping, sift the flour, all but 2 tablespoons of sugar, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Rub in the margarine with your fingers until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
4. Combine the egg and tablespoons of almond milk in a pitcher and mix into the dry ingredients with a fork until a soft, sticky dough forms. If the dough seems dry, stir in the extra tablespoon of milk.
5. Reduce the oven temperature to 400 F. remove peaches from oven and drop spoonfuls of the topping over the surface, without smoothing. Sprinkle with the remaining sugar, return to oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and firm – topping will spread as it cooks.
6. Serve at room temperature with ice cream on the side.

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!

CS

Geila Hocherman’s Cinco de Mayo Recipes – Part 2

[Geila gives us two more superb recipes! Editor]

Sweetcorn Salad

Photo by: Antonis Achilleous, Kosher Revolution on page 137

Serves 6

This delicious – and beautiful – salad began with a bag of sweetcorn kernels I’d scraped from cobs served at a barbecue. In my house, company is a constant. To feed a hungry crowd one day and to use up the kernels, I invented this salad. With toasted pine nuts, onion, pepper and a tantalising sesame oil-based dressing, the salad goes beautifully with my Surimi Crab Cakes with Red Pepper Mayonnaise or with any grilled meat or fish.

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon grapeseed or rapeseed oil
• 1/2 cup pine nuts
• 6 corn on the cobs
• 1/2 cup sugar, if needed
• 1 orange, yellow or red pepper, cored, deseeded and cut into 1/4 inch dice
• 1 red onion, diced
• 4 scallions, white part only, sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon mirin
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

1. In a small frying pan, heat the oil over a medium heat. Add the nuts and toast, stirring, until aromatic and beginning to color, about 3 minutes. Set the nuts aside.
2. Fill a large pan with water and bring to the boil. Taste the sweetcorn; if it’s not sufficiently sweet, add the sugar to the water. Add the corn on the cobs and cook until just tender, 5–7 minutes. Drain, and when the cobs are cool, cut off the kernels using a large knife. Transfer the kernels to a large bowl.
3. Add the pepper, onion, spring onions, cilantro and reserved nuts, and toss. In a small bowl, combine the sesame oil, vinegar, mirin and salt, and blend well. Pour over the sweetcorn mixture and toss well. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Geila’s Tip

Never add salt to the water in which you boil sweetcorn. It toughens the kernels.

—OooO—

Coconut Flan

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon corn syrup
• ¼ cup water
• 8 eggs
• 1 15 ounce can cream of coconut- Roland, coco lopez
• 2 tablespoons Mexican vanilla

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300.
2. Place sugar and corn syrup in small heavy bottomed saucepan with the water and stir.  Over medium heat let the sugar melt until it begins to turn color.  Once coloring has begun you may swirl the pan. When the caramel is medium amber pour into a greased 9 inch pan that has been placed on a dishtowel in a roasting pan.
3. Blend together the vanilla, eggs, and cream of coconut.  Pour the mixture over the caramel.  Place pan in oven and fill with hot water that comes half way up side of pan.
4. Bake for one hour or until custard is set and knife comes out clean.
5. Cool completely.  Run knife along edge and invert onto a plate and serve.

Enjoy!

Geila Hocherman

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A Conversation with Geila Hocherman

Viennese Chocolate Fingers

SYR and I are both confirmed, hopeless, chocoholics. Yes, we love chocolate in almost any shape or form. Here is a recipe she adapted (to make it pareve) from Jacqueline Bellefontaine‘s What’s Cooking Chocolate:

Makes about 18

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sweet margarine
• 6 tbsp confectioner’s sugar
• 1 1/2 cups self – rising flour, sifted
• 3 tbsp cornstarch
• 7 ounces dark chocolate

Directions

1. Lightly grease 2 cookie sheets. Beat the sweet margarine and sugar together in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat the flour and cornstarch into the mixture.
2. Melt 2 1/4 oz of the dark chocolate and beat into the cookie dough.
3. Place in a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip and pipe fingers bout 2 inches long on the prepared cookie sheets, slightly spaced apart to allow for spreading during cooking.
4. Bake in a prepared oven at 375 F for 12-15 minutes. Cool slightly on the cookie sheets, then carefully transfer with a spatula to a wire rack and let cool completely.
5. Melt the remaining, dark chocolate and dip one end of each cookie in the chocolate, allowing the excess to drip back into the bowl.
6. Place the cookies on a sheet of baking parchment and allow to completely set before serving.

Not only do these cookies practically “melt in your mouth,” but the taste is almost unequaled by anything else I can remember. They went so fast, I never got a chance to shoot my own picture and had to use the photo above, a detail from the one appearing  in the book!

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!

CS

Fresh & Easy

A well known New York Chef once told me that when he graduated from the Culinary Institute of America, he prided himself of making a pasta dish that required thirty ingredients. Sure, it was absolutely delicious, but it took a loooong time to prepare. Soon, however, he outgrew that urge as he realized you can still make delicious dishes with far fewer ingredients, less preparation time and those tasting them would still lick their fingers.

Leah Schapira‘s Fresh and Easy follows the latter philosophy, as the book makes food preparation fun, healthy, quick!

The book is divided into nine sections:

• Menus
• Soups
• Salads
• Dips & Sauces
• Side Dishes
• Brunch &Lunch
• Main Dishes
• Traditional
• Desserts

The Menus section is subdivided into five sections:

• Appetizer Ideas
• Pesach Menu
• Make-in Take-out
• Quick and Easy
• Freezes Well

Each of these subsections sports tempting thumbnail photos of various dishes and the page numbers where they can be found.

It wasn’t easy choosing just one favorite recipe, but I finally opted for a dessert:

Chocolate Mousse With Pear Chips

Ingredients

• 8 eggs separated
• 12 oz bittersweet chocolate (not baking)
• 1 teaspoon coffee granules (dissolved in 3 teaspoons boiling water)
• 1/4 cup red wine

         Pear Chips

• 2 firm pears
• 1 cup sugar

Directions

1. In a mixer, whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
2. Over a double boiler, melt the chocolatre with the coffee. Beat the egg yolks with a fork and quickly add to double boiler, mixing well. Add the red wine. Remove from heat.
3. Fold in the egg whites until combined. Place in individual cups for serving refrigerate.
4. To prepare pear chips, preheat oven to 325F.
5. Thinly slice the pears and lighly coat each side with sugar. Place the pear slices in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Turn the pears over and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave the pears in the oven to cool and dry.
6. Before serving, garnish mousse with chocolate shavings and caramelized pear chips.

With great photography, a nice – easy on the eyes – layout, this book is a delight to hold and salivate as you look at the featured recipes,  truly fresh and easy

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!

CS

Lemon Tarts, Lemon Tarts!!

Since my earliest days there was something about the taste of lemon I always liked, ever since I’ve tried to include lemon as an ingredient wherever possible… and sometimes even where it was not always possible to make it work.

Lemon Tarts are and have long been personal favorites, here is a a parve (and a dairy) version of the recipe:

Photo from: http://ourfamilyfoodadventures.com/2011/08/29/a-little-plate-of-sunshine/

Lemon Tarts

(adapted from Eat, Play, Love)

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

Tart Crust

• 1-1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 6 tablespoons margarine (butter, for a dairy version)
• 6 tablespoons parve cream cheese (regular cream cheese,  for a dairy version)
• 2 tablespoons ice water
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Tart Filling

• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup lemon juice (about 4-5 lemons)
• 1 tablespoon lemon peel, minced
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup butter

Directions

Tart Crust

In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, sugar, salt and lemon zest. Use a pastry blender to mix the dry ingredients. Next slice the margarine and parvecream cheese into 1″ slices and add it to the flour mixture. Use the pastry blender, or two knives in a scissor fashion, to combine the ingredients until mixture has the texture of a coarse meal.Next combine the water and the vanilla extract and sprinkle it over the flour mixture. Using two forks pull the flour from the bottom up over the top. Then with your hands, gently begin kneading the dough to form a ball. Wrap the ball in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes (or freeze it for up to one month).Finally preheat the oven to 375F. When you’re ready to use the dough, roll it out on a floured surface and place it in 6 to 8 mini tart pans (or one 9-inch tart pan). Add some pie weights or dried beans to the tart pans and bake the shells for 10 minutes. Then carefully remove the weights and return the shells to the oven for another 5 to 10 more minutes, or until golden brown. Remove and set aside to cool completely.While the tart shell is baking, prepare the filling.

Filling

Carefully remove the peel from one lemon. Cut the peel down so that it?s paper thin and slightly translucent. Then using a sharp knife mince the lemon peel. The peel of one lemon makes approximately one tablespoon.Add the minced lemon peel, sugar and eggs to a small sauce pan and whisk together. Stir in the lemon juice and then add the butter in pieces. Cook over medium heat until the butter melts and the mixture simmers. Do not let the mixture boil.Once the butter is melted, reduce the heat to a simmer and stir constantly until the mixture thickens (5 to 7 minutes). Finally remove from heat, cover and let cool, stirring occasionally.

Assembling the tarts

When the tart shell has cooled and the lemon filling has cooled. Pour the filling into the mini tart shells, using approximately 1/3 cup per tart. Refrigerate the tarts for at least an hour. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!

CS

Zisaleck… Woooow!!!

Through the middle of the night and on through the morning, the ZisaLek Oompa Loompas – at 13th Avenue between 49th and 50th (in Brooklyn’s Boro Park section) – are hard at work, creating the most outrageously splendiforous designer daily- fresh gelatos and sorbets imaginable.

My late morning visit to ZisaLek, (before the madding crowd of Zisathusiasts arrived) was like a private invite to a real Willy Wonka’s Fantasmagorium Ice Cream Emporium. I savoringly sampled every single flavor (sample teaser spoons were awesomely sweet- torturously too small) of each rippling wavy creamy mass, each lick surpassing its predecessor.

Amazing colors, amazing shapes, amaaazing flavors!!! A partial view of the Parve showcase

The sorbets were bursting with flavor; perfect balance of sweet to tangy with a marvelous consistency. I loved all the berry flavors, apple and Parve crusted Napoleon and Belgian Ferrero Rocher- well that is until I tasted the milchig (dairy versions) of the same. Wow!! All you chocolate lovers beware!! It’s insanely addictive and suddenly the crazy frenzied traffic, “Oh where will I find a parking spot on 13th Avenue” will be well worth the agita. I wouldn’t be surprised if they resort to valet parking during peak times.

The diet conscience need not despair, a 4 ounce cup of the Diet Chocolate and Diet Ferrero Rocher is well worth the 80 calories. You’ve just got to try the Cheesecake, the Oreo Cookie, Pistachio, Dolce de Latte, Chocolate Whiskey and so many more. Among the Parve flavors, CS and I loved the Orange, Green Apple,  Lemon Vodka, Mixed Berries, Pineapple and more.

Within the space of a week, we had no choice but to go back twice… just to make sure the flavors were really as good as we first thought. Frankly, after we went back a second time we realized how terribly wrong we were. The flavors tasted even better than we first thought!!!

The first time we went we shared a dish of Belgian Waffles…

Belgian Waffles

…it came topped with fresh whipped cream and, on the side, a scoop each of Strawberry and Mixed Berries sorbet with caramel and chocolate syrup. Heavenly, is a gross understatement!

When we went back again we had a plate of Dutch Pancakes…

Dutch Pancakes

…they were served with caramel, confectioner’s sugar and crunchy nuts, chocolate and strawberry sauce and a double scoop of Strawberry Creme Gelato. We followed it up with their Puffies…

Puffies

…covered in Dolce di Latte, with fresh whipped cream, scoops of Oreo Cookies and Coffee gelati and strawberry sauce. All we could say was… wooooow!

“We are the music makers… and we are the dreamers of dreams.” – says Willy Wonka

Well… ZisaLek has certainly proven to be the supreme frozen dessert maker of anyone’s dreamiest dreams.

SYR

Kaizen! Perfection at Prime Ko

Have you ever had one of those microcosmic moments in time encapsulating a window onto something so much bigger in its depth and substance? Though most of mine have not been food moments, this one surely was this past week at the Japanese inspired restaurant Prime Ko (217 West 85th Street New York, NY 10024-3901 - (212) 496-1888) when I tasted Chef Makoto Kameyama’s signature sushi Crispy Rice with Spicy Tuna appetizer. But more about that in a moment…

CS and I were escorted into the ground floor dining area; they’ve got a lower level with a wet bar, TV screen and more seating. Décor showed subtle Japanese influences. The waiting area had these lovely brown leather boxy ’kabuki’ shaped chairs and couch, fresh orchids on a dark rectangular table, with a wall of hand-painted coral peonies on soft aqua…

Wall dividers of slatted mahogany separated one area from another; windows were shaded with white bamboo semi-transparent treatments. Seating was brown textured suede on wood, a few striped suede backed benches, all tucked into square darkwood tables. Settings consisted of simple white geometric china, flatware laid out on deep red bamboo textured placemats, and chop-sticks resting on logo enhanced wood pieces. Lighting was recessed in one area and a framed oval shaped ruched red fabric with a back lit center aperture against the far wall, with a row of rice textured globe light fixtures in the other area.

A partial view...

Esteemed Chef Makoto Kameyama, the former prized Sushi Chef at Prime Grill for the past ten years, has served as Executive Chef at Prime Ko since it opened last year. His experience began in Tokyo where he assisted his father, a prominent Edo-sushi chef running a successful restaurant in Japan. In1981, Chef Kameyama came to the US and opened his own Japanese restaurant. Transitioning to Japanese kosher posed quite a challenge. Aside from the dietary restrictions on pork, shrimp, crustaceans, etc. sourcing fine quality kosher fish for sushi and sashimi, replacing basic Japanese cooking elements like bonita flakes and dashi (made of fish bone, until recently unavailable with a kosher certification), achieving consistent textures and creating exciting sauces were but a few of the obstacles he faced.

Chef Kameyama is very pleased with healthy low fat and low cal Japanese cuisine becoming staple of the American diet. Be it the DHA and heart healthy fresh fish, lung healthy miso, or vitamin mineral-rich seaweed, it is thanks to Japanese cuisine masters like Kameyama that this healthy streamlined fare is taking the nation by storm.

Now, back to our meal… The opening appetizer was an assortment of Rainbow Roll, yellowtail, tuna, and salmon sashimi and that fabulous Crispy Rice with Spicy Tuna I mentioned earlier. That was the defining moment of kaizen (Japanese for perfection) . The mouthful of toasted rice cake topped with spicy tuna pureed with bell pepper, topped with jalapeño and aioli sauce was a bite of pure perfection. The creative combination of textures and genius flavors conjoining to taste so remarkably well, spoke volumes about the artistry of a chef whose collective experience and expertise arrive at the table each time this signature dish is served. Bravo! Omedetou!

Sushi and Sashimi

But we were just getting warmed up… CS and I shared lovely grilled miso Chilean Sea Bass skewers in a spicy teriyake sauce served aside sautéed bok choy & veggies which couldn’t help but be outshined by an outstanding Tuna Delmonico, edged in breading served with jalapeño sauce, wasabi, beet and ginger sauce, with a side of soba noodles and pickled radish/onion/carrot garnish.

Tuna Delmonico

Our waiter, Al, our server, Lebron, treated us like royalty; they were friendly, efficient, informed. I thought we were getting the ‘special treatment’, but service to the tables nearby was just as extraordinary. Al, had the menu and wine pairings memorized down to the last nori seaweed bit & dot of sauce. Service was the epitome of high Japanese hospitality; water goblets refilled with Prime Ko’s own filtered carbonated water, napkins refolded, tables cleaned between courses, and soy sauce, dishes and silverware replaced with the arrival of each new dish.

We enjoyed a cleansing, refreshing Borgo Reale Pinot Grigio 2007 as we waited for our next course, a medley of kobe chopped beef dishes. We sampled Kobe Meatballs with ground ginger and garlic in miso sesame sauce, spicy Kobe Pizza - crispy dough, house made marinara topped with chopped salad & chopped wagyu. Wagyu Beef Sliders – a mini kobe hamburger with spicy aioli and teriyake sauce – completed this tasty Americanized trio.

Cutlery was replaced again with a fresh set including steak knives. I starved myself till dinner in anticipation, but this was turning out to be a most extravagant meal… The best was next! Three ounces of the most amazing Kobe/Wagyu steak resting on a slab of Himalayan salt rock witha side of white mushroom cooked at our table with a spritz of fresh lime. When quality is this good, extra spicing could only detract from it natural flavors – it was melt-in-your-mouth delicious.

Taken before being cooked at table-side. 3 ozs of marbled beauty!

The second steak dish was a 6 oz. Grain Fed Chateau-Briand with vegetable rice served with a jalapeño/uzu/teriyake sauce, with salad and rice. The steak was so good, I would have preferred the sauce on the side.

Steak Chateau-Briand

Chef then surprised us with Eggplant Dengaku. Baked eggplant topped with miso and sesame sauce. Unusual, and superbly tasty. The evening’s crown,  came with the creative and most beautiful desert dish pictured below.

Beautiful presentation, superlative tasting

Two crepes laid out like a Japanese fan, topped with blueberries and strawberries with hot chocolate sauce, sprinkled with green tea powder and confectioner’s sugar that looked like fairy dust. Need I say more?

A brilliant meal overall. Our thanks to Chef Kameyama and the staff of Prime Ko for a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

SYR

Little Lemon Meringue Pie

I’m constantly looking for delicious desserts, I confess, I have a sweet tooth… While scouring the web, for something decadent but fairly easy to prepare, I came across the following on The Food Network:

My mother (a"h) used to make something very similar... ahh, the memories!

 

Little Lemon Meringue Pies

Ingredients

Crust:

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature (3/4 stick)
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• Pinch fine salt
• 1 large egg yolk
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon sour cream or yogurt

Lemon Filling:

• 1/3 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (about 1 lime)
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
• 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed

Meringue:

• 1/4 cup egg whites (about 2 large eggs)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• Pinch fine salt
• 1 (6-cup) standard non-stick muffin tin

Directions

Crust:
Beat the butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high until smooth. Add the sugar and salt and continue to beat until evenly combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then beat in the egg yolk. Add half of the flour, beating until just crumbly. Scrape down the bowl again; add the remaining flour and then the sour cream or yogurt, beating just until the dough is evenly moistened. Turn dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead lightly to bring it together.

Roll the dough between 2 generously floured sheets of waxed or parchment paper into a circle about 1/4-inch thick with a rolling pin. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Cut out 6 (4 1/2-inch) rounds using an inverted bowl or round cookie cutter. Place rounds in the muffin tins and, using a small shot glass or your fingers, press into the corners and about halfway up the sides for a snug fit (see photo). Freeze dough in the muffin tin for 30 minutes.

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Spray the outside of 6 standard muffin liners with cooking spray and place in the crusts. Fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake crusts until just brown around the edges, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for about 1 minute; then carefully remove the muffin liners and baking beans. Return pan to the oven and continue to bake until crusts are cooked through and evenly browned (see photo), about 15 to 20 minutes more. Cool slightly. Then carefully remove crusts from the muffin tin and cool completely on a rack.

Lemon Filling:

Combine the sugar, cornstarch, and yolks in a nonreactive saucepan. Whisk constantly over medium-low heat until the mixture is smooth and sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Add the lemon and lime juice and zest and continue to cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture is as thick as sour cream and is just about to simmer, 3 to 4 minutes. (Take care to stir into the sides of the pot so that all curd thickens evenly.)

Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl. Whisk in the butter a little at a time, until smooth. Stir occasionally until cooled. (Setting the bowl in a larger bowl of ice will speed this up.). Fill each tartlet with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the cool lemon filling.

Meringue:

Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a saucepan that can hold a standing mixer’s bowl above the water. Whisk together the egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar and salt in the bowl by hand. Set the bowl above the boiling water and continue whisking until the mixture is hot to the touch (135 degrees F) and the sugar dissolves, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat the whites at medium-high speed until they hold soft peaks. Increase speed to high and continue to beat to make a stiff, cool meringue, about 10 minutes. Dollop or pipe on top of the filling.

Just before serving, preheat the broiler to high. Set the pies on a baking sheet, and place under the broiler until the meringue is evenly toasted, about 2 minutes. (Alternatively, brown meringue with a blowtorch.) Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

For Busy Bakers:

They can be refrigerated for up to 2 days These also freeze wonderfully! They can be assembled and frozen up to 1 week in advance. Defrost for 20 minutes before broiling the tops and serving.

To make ahead in stages:

- The crusts can be made, baked and frozen up to 2 weeks.

- The curd can be made up to 3 days in advance and refrigerated.

- The meringue can be made up to 1 day in advance and refrigerated.

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!

CS