Cook Like a Rock Star - Anne Burrell [77]
TO ASSEMBLE THE TART
1 Remove the pastry from the fridge, carefully drape it over the top of the pears, and tuck the pastry around the edges of the pan. Bake the tart for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the dough is golden brown and crispy.
2 Let the tart cool for 10 to 15 minutes, then place a serving platter upside down on top of the pastry and CAREFULLY flip the platter and pan over, letting the tart fall gently out of the pan.
3 Place the remaining heavy cream in a medium bowl and, using an electric mixer or a whisk and good old-fashioned elbow grease, whisk the heavy cream to soft peaks. Slice the tart and serve garnished with the whipped cream.
What a pear!
DON’T FEAR THE CARAMEL!
Making caramel can be a little scary but once you get the hang of it, it’s fun. Start by putting sugar in a large saucepan and giving yourself a couple of insurance policies—some acid, like lemon juice, and some water. These two ingredients help the caramel cook without recrystallizing or burning super-quickly.
Then bring the pan to medium-high heat and let it rip. When you see the sugar start to turn a shade of amber, don’t walk away—things can go south very quickly and if the sugar burns, there’s no recovery. Once the sugar is one shade past amber and heading toward brown, pour in the heavy cream, reduce the heat to low, and stand back—the mixture will bubble up like crazy. This is why it’s really important to use a large saucepan—you don’t want it to overflow when you add the cream and the mixture bubbles up. This stuff is molten!!! It can cause a really severe burn if you’re not careful.
Once the bubbles calm down, swirl in the butter a couple pats at a time. Be sure not to add more until each addition is melted. You’ve made caramel!
Macedonia (My Super-Special Fruit Cocktail)
SERVES: 6 TO 8 • TIME: ABOUT 1¼ HOURS
It’s pronounced MACH-a-donia and you can use any kind of fruit you want here—whatever you have in the house, or what looks best at the farmers’ market. The fruits that I suggest in this recipe are ones that I love, but have fun coming up with your own signature mix. The key to this recipe is to keep it REALLY cold so it’s totally refreshing and palate cleansing.
MISE EN PLACE
2 cups sugar
Zest of 1 lemon, removed in large strips with a peeler
4 cups assorted summer fruit (any combo of the following: peaches, nectarines, plums, cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, or any other firm-fleshed fruit you like), cut into bite-size pieces
8 fresh mint leaves, cut into a chiffonade just before serving
1 pint lemon sorbet
1 In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar with 2 cups water and the lemon zest. Bring to a boil (BTB), then turn off the heat and let cool. (You have made simple syrup!) When the syrup is cool, remove the lemon zest.
2 Transfer the syrup to a large mixing bowl, add the fruit, and mix to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour—the idea is to serve this COLD on a HOT summer day.
3 Ladle the fruit into individual serving bowls and sprinkle with the mint.
4 Nestle a scoop of lemon sorbet in each dish of fruit. Serve cold!
I’ll have another one of THESE cocktails please!
Juicy, Jammy, Jelly Tart
SERVES: 6 TO 8 • TIME: ABOUT 2 HOURS, PLUS COOLING TIME
Think of this sweetie as a giant Linzer tart cookie. Use any flavor of fruit preserves that you want, add a bit of fresh fruit if you like, and have fun making a little crisscross lattice top! It’s super-cinchy—the only thing to remember is to use really high-quality preserves.
MISE EN PLACE
2½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
¾ cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
Zest of 1 lemon
½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold, cut into pea-size pieces
3 large egg yolks
1 12-ounce jar high-quality cherry preserves
1 cup fresh or frozen sour cherries, cut in half
1 large egg, beaten with 2 tablespoons water
1 In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and lemon zest and pulse to combine. Add the