Home Party Dessert Recipe
11/20/2008
Designer Cherry Pie
The following recipe comes from "The Pie and Pastry Bible"
For pie:
12 T cold unsalted butter
10 oz flour
1/4 t salt
1/4 t baking powder
4.5 oz cold cream cheese
2 T ice water
1 T cider vinegar
For filling:
2 lbs pie cherries, pitted
8 oz sugar
1 oz cornstarch
a pinch of salt
1/4 t almond extract
For glaze(optional):
1 T large egg yolk
1 t heavy cream
>how to make<
*Cut the butter into small cubes.
*Wrap it in plastic wrap and freeze it until frozen solid, at least 30 minutes.
*Place the flour, salt, and baking powder in a reclosable gallon-size freezer bag and freeze for at least 30 minutes.
*Place the flour mixture in a food processor with the metal blade and process for a few seconds to combine. Set the bag aside.
*Cut the cream cheese into 3 or 4 pieces and add it to the flour.
*Process for about 20 seconds or until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
*Add the frozen butter cubes and pulse until none of the butter is larger than the size of a pea.
*Remove the cover and add the water and vinegar.
*Pulse until most of the butter is reduced to the size of small peas.
*The mixture will be in particles and will not hold together.
*Spoon it into the plastic bag.(It may be easier to divide the mixture in a ratio of two thirds: one third.)
*Holding both ends of the bag opening with your fingers, knead the mixture by alternately pressing it, from the outside of the bag, with the knuckles and heels of your hands until the mixture holds together in one piece and feels slightly stretchy when pulled.
*Wrap the dough with plastic wrap, flatten it into a disc (or discs), and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes, preferably overnight.
*Remove the larger piece of dough from the refrigerator.
*Roll the dough 1/8" thick or less and large enough to cut a 13" circle.
*Transfer the dough to the pie pan.
*Fold the extra dough under so that it is flush with the outer edge of the pie plate.
*Cover the pastry with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for a minimum of 30 minutes and a maximum of 3 hours.
*Preheat the oven to 425 degrees at least 20 minutes before baking.
*Line the dough with parchment.
*Fill the parchment with rice or dried beans, making sure they are pushed up well against sides of the parchment.
*Place it in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
*Lift out the parchment with the rice or beans and prick the crust all over with the times of a fork.
*Return the shell to the oven for 5 minutes more or until pale golden brown.
*Roll the remaining dough out 1/8" thick and use a sharp knife to cut out about 18 leaf shapes, 3" long.
*Drape them over little clumps of aluminum foil set on a baking sheet.
*Brush them with the egg glaze if desired and bake them at 425 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden. Set them aside.
*Place all the filling ingredients except for the almond extract in a non-reactive medium saucepan and allow them to sit for about 10 minutes or until the cherries exude enough juice to moisten the sugar.
*Stir gently until evenly mixed and bring to a full boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.
*Lower the heat and simmer for 1 minute or until the juices thicken, stirring gently.
*Remove from the heat and stir in the almond extract.
*Pour the cherry mixture into the prebaked pie shell.
*Place the doughnut shaped cut-out foil ring on the pie to protect the edge of the crust and bake in a preheated 400 degrees oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until bubbling all over.
*Remove to a rack and while the pie is still hot, arrange the rederved pastry leaves over the cherries.
-serves 6 to 8-
The following recipe comes from "The Pie and Pastry Bible"
For pie:
12 T cold unsalted butter
10 oz flour
1/4 t salt
1/4 t baking powder
4.5 oz cold cream cheese
2 T ice water
1 T cider vinegar
For filling:
2 lbs pie cherries, pitted
8 oz sugar
1 oz cornstarch
a pinch of salt
1/4 t almond extract
For glaze(optional):
1 T large egg yolk
1 t heavy cream
>how to make<
*Cut the butter into small cubes.
*Wrap it in plastic wrap and freeze it until frozen solid, at least 30 minutes.
*Place the flour, salt, and baking powder in a reclosable gallon-size freezer bag and freeze for at least 30 minutes.
*Place the flour mixture in a food processor with the metal blade and process for a few seconds to combine. Set the bag aside.
*Cut the cream cheese into 3 or 4 pieces and add it to the flour.
*Process for about 20 seconds or until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
*Add the frozen butter cubes and pulse until none of the butter is larger than the size of a pea.
*Remove the cover and add the water and vinegar.
*Pulse until most of the butter is reduced to the size of small peas.
*The mixture will be in particles and will not hold together.
*Spoon it into the plastic bag.(It may be easier to divide the mixture in a ratio of two thirds: one third.)
*Holding both ends of the bag opening with your fingers, knead the mixture by alternately pressing it, from the outside of the bag, with the knuckles and heels of your hands until the mixture holds together in one piece and feels slightly stretchy when pulled.
*Wrap the dough with plastic wrap, flatten it into a disc (or discs), and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes, preferably overnight.
*Remove the larger piece of dough from the refrigerator.
*Roll the dough 1/8" thick or less and large enough to cut a 13" circle.
*Transfer the dough to the pie pan.
*Fold the extra dough under so that it is flush with the outer edge of the pie plate.
*Cover the pastry with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for a minimum of 30 minutes and a maximum of 3 hours.
*Preheat the oven to 425 degrees at least 20 minutes before baking.
*Line the dough with parchment.
*Fill the parchment with rice or dried beans, making sure they are pushed up well against sides of the parchment.
*Place it in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
*Lift out the parchment with the rice or beans and prick the crust all over with the times of a fork.
*Return the shell to the oven for 5 minutes more or until pale golden brown.
*Roll the remaining dough out 1/8" thick and use a sharp knife to cut out about 18 leaf shapes, 3" long.
*Drape them over little clumps of aluminum foil set on a baking sheet.
*Brush them with the egg glaze if desired and bake them at 425 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden. Set them aside.
*Place all the filling ingredients except for the almond extract in a non-reactive medium saucepan and allow them to sit for about 10 minutes or until the cherries exude enough juice to moisten the sugar.
*Stir gently until evenly mixed and bring to a full boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.
*Lower the heat and simmer for 1 minute or until the juices thicken, stirring gently.
*Remove from the heat and stir in the almond extract.
*Pour the cherry mixture into the prebaked pie shell.
*Place the doughnut shaped cut-out foil ring on the pie to protect the edge of the crust and bake in a preheated 400 degrees oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until bubbling all over.
*Remove to a rack and while the pie is still hot, arrange the rederved pastry leaves over the cherries.
-serves 6 to 8-
Labels: cherry pie, Pie, pie crust, Thanksgiving dessert
11/04/2008
Strawberry Mousse Cake
Syrup:
6 T water
3 T sugar
2 T Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur
Cake:
8 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 t vanilla extract
1/4 almond extract
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
6 T (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, cooled
Mousse:
2 12oz baskets strawberries, stemmed, chopped
1 1/2 cups chilled whipping cream
6 T powdered sugar
1 T Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur
1 t vanilla extract
Topping:
2 cups chilled whipping cream
3 T powdered sugar
1 T Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur
1 t vanilla extract
16 large strawberries, stemmed
>>HOW TO MAKE<<
For syrup:
*Stir 6 T water and sugar in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolved.
*Mix in Grand Marnier.(Can be prepared 1 week ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
For cake:
*Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
*Butter two 9" round pans with 2" high sides.
*Line bottoms of pans with waxed-paper rounds.
*Butter and flour waxed paper rounds.
*Whisk eggs and sugar in large bowl set over saucepan of simmering water until mixture is just warm to touch.
*Remove from over water.
*Add vanilla and almond extracts.
*Using electric mixer, beat mixture at medium-high speed until tripled in volume, about 7 minutes.
*Sift half of flour over egg mixture and fold in.
*Repeat with remaining flour.
*Fold butter mixture back into remaining cake batter.
*Divide batter evenly between prepared cake pans.
*Bake until tester inserted into centers comes out clean, about 25 minutes.
*Cool cakes in pans 5 minutes.
*Turn cakes out onto racks and col completely.
*Peel off paper.(Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature.)
For mousse:
*Puree half of berries in processor or blender.
*Using electric mixer, beat cream, sugar, Grand Marnier and vanilla extract in large bowl until stiff peaks form.
*Fold in pureed berries and remaining chopped berries.
For topping:
*Using electric mixer, beat whipping cream, sugar, Grand Marnier and vanilla extract in large bowl until stiff peaks form.
For assembling:
*Cut each cake layer in half horizontally.
*Place 1 layer on platter.
*Brush with 1/4 of syrup.
*Spread 1/3 of mousse on cake.
*Repeat layering with cake, syrup and mousse 2 more times.
*Top with last cake layer.
*Brush with remaining syrup.
*Spread topping over top and sides of cake.
*Arrange whole berries around top edge of cake; chill.(Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover with cake dome and chill.)
SERVES 12
Syrup:
6 T water
3 T sugar
2 T Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur
Cake:
8 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 t vanilla extract
1/4 almond extract
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
6 T (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, cooled
Mousse:
2 12oz baskets strawberries, stemmed, chopped
1 1/2 cups chilled whipping cream
6 T powdered sugar
1 T Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur
1 t vanilla extract
Topping:
2 cups chilled whipping cream
3 T powdered sugar
1 T Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur
1 t vanilla extract
16 large strawberries, stemmed
>>HOW TO MAKE<<
For syrup:
*Stir 6 T water and sugar in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolved.
*Mix in Grand Marnier.(Can be prepared 1 week ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
For cake:
*Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
*Butter two 9" round pans with 2" high sides.
*Line bottoms of pans with waxed-paper rounds.
*Butter and flour waxed paper rounds.
*Whisk eggs and sugar in large bowl set over saucepan of simmering water until mixture is just warm to touch.
*Remove from over water.
*Add vanilla and almond extracts.
*Using electric mixer, beat mixture at medium-high speed until tripled in volume, about 7 minutes.
*Sift half of flour over egg mixture and fold in.
*Repeat with remaining flour.
*Fold butter mixture back into remaining cake batter.
*Divide batter evenly between prepared cake pans.
*Bake until tester inserted into centers comes out clean, about 25 minutes.
*Cool cakes in pans 5 minutes.
*Turn cakes out onto racks and col completely.
*Peel off paper.(Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature.)
For mousse:
*Puree half of berries in processor or blender.
*Using electric mixer, beat cream, sugar, Grand Marnier and vanilla extract in large bowl until stiff peaks form.
*Fold in pureed berries and remaining chopped berries.
For topping:
*Using electric mixer, beat whipping cream, sugar, Grand Marnier and vanilla extract in large bowl until stiff peaks form.
For assembling:
*Cut each cake layer in half horizontally.
*Place 1 layer on platter.
*Brush with 1/4 of syrup.
*Spread 1/3 of mousse on cake.
*Repeat layering with cake, syrup and mousse 2 more times.
*Top with last cake layer.
*Brush with remaining syrup.
*Spread topping over top and sides of cake.
*Arrange whole berries around top edge of cake; chill.(Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover with cake dome and chill.)
SERVES 12
Labels: Cake, Grand Marnier, mousse, orange liqueur, strawberry
