sweet thoughts The Adventurous Kitchen by chef ken frank Fruit tar t warms autumn hearts it into the bottom and sides of the pan. Crimp it off around the top. Chill while you prepare the filling. Bro wn Butter Tart batter 2 eggs 2/3 cup granulated sugar 3 tablespoons flour 1 stick unsalted butter Whisk together the eggs, sugar and flour until smooth. In a very hot skillet, cook the butter without stirring until it turns a nice golden brown, the source of its deliciousness. Whisk the browned butter into the batter. Fill the chilled tart shell with a basket of blueberries or slices of apple or pear. Pour the batter on top until the tart is about 3/4 full; do not over-fill. Bake for approximately 1 hour at 350 degrees until rich golden brown. Remove and allow to cool for 30 minutes before serving. Bon Appétit! Since 1973, when I first started cooking, my favorite dessert has been a simple fruit tart. Today pastry has been through a revolution and complicated multicomponent plated desserts reign supreme, but it’s hard to beat a piece of buttery rich fruit tart, especially in cool winter weather. It’s incredibly easy to make and you can keep the dough in the freezer until you need it, making it possible on short notice. Almost any kind of fruit can be adapted to the recipe, though my favorites have always been apple, pear or blueberry. The first step is making the “pâte sucrée,” French for sweet dough. It’s essentially a sugar cookie, which may explain why I’m such a fan. This recipe will make easily enough for two large tarts; freeze half to use another time. Pâte Sucrée 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 10 ounces unsalted butter, cut in small pieces 7 tablespoons granulated sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 8 drops vanilla extract 4 egg yolks In a food processor, pulse together the flour, butter, sugar and salt until crumbly, no more than 30 seconds. Add the egg yolks and vanilla; pulse a few more times until the dough comes together in a ball. If necessary you may add a few drops of water. Do not over-process, which risks toughening the dough. With your hands, shape the dough into two discs about 3/4 inch thick and 6 or 7 inches in diameter. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours. When you’re ready to assemble and bake the tart, remove dough from refrigerator and knead briefly just to soften it. On a floured work table, roll the dough out into a thin circle, about 1/8 of an inch thick and at least two inches larger than your tart pan. Carefully spread the dough over the tart pan and press 64 www.nAPAVA L L E Y L I F Emagaz ine.com
NVLife_NovDec_2014
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