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4. Combine the eggs, sugar, and flour in a medium bowl, and whisk until smooth. Place the butter and the vanilla bean pod and seeds in a sauté pan, and cook over medium-high heat until the butter begins to brown. Add to the egg mixture, and whisk until fully incorporated. Remove the pod, and discard.

5. Remove the tart shell from the freezer, and fill with the apple mixture, making sure the dried fruits are evenly distributed. Slowly pour the egg mixture over the fruit, letting it seep into all the gaps, until it is 1/8 inch from the top of the tart shell.

6. Place the tart in the oven, and bake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean and the top is nicely browned, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes before removing the ring.

7. Serve warm or at room temperature, topped with vanilla ice cream and garnished with almond praline.

almond praline

MAKES ONE 10 × 15-INCH SHEET

1½ cups sliced almonds

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature

2 cups sugar

½ cup water

Juice of ½ lemon (1 tablespoon)

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the almonds on a baking sheet, and toast until golden brown and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

2. Butter a 10 × 15-inch rimmed baking sheet. Spread the toasted almonds in an even layer on the pan. Place the sugar and water in a medium saucepan; stir to combine. Place over medium-high heat; bring to a boil, brushing down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in water to prevent crystals from forming. Once the sugar is dissolved, cook without stirring until the sugar is a deep amber color.

3. Add the lemon juice; immediately pour mixture over almonds, coating with a thin layer. If the caramel doesn’t cover all the nuts, tilt the pan slightly to distribute, or stir in the nuts with a wooden spoon, being careful not to touch the caramel or the hot pan. Cool completely.

4. Gently twist the pan to release the praline. Break into pieces. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

cakes

basic chocolate cake

MAKES ONE 8-INCH LAYER CAKE

The cake layers can be wrapped well in plastic and refrigerated for up to 2 days; trim tops just before assembling.

Unsalted butter, for pans

1¼ cups unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for dusting

2½ cups all-purpose flour

2½ cups sugar

2½ teaspoons baking soda

1¼ teaspoons baking powder

1¼ teaspoons salt

2 large eggs plus 1 large yolk

1¼ cups warm water

1¼ cups buttermilk

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1¼ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Vanilla or Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (recipes follow)

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F, with racks in the upper and lower thirds. Cut 2 8-inch rounds of parchment paper to line the bottoms of 2 8-inch (2 inches deep) round cake pans. Butter and line the pans. Butter the linings. Dust the pans with cocoa, tapping out excess. Set aside.

2. Sift together the cocoa, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer. Return the bowl to the mixer. Fit the mixer with the paddle attachment. Add the eggs, yolk, warm water, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Mix on low speed until smooth, about 3 minutes.

3. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake, switching the positions of the pans and rotating them halfway through, until a cake tester inserted into the centers comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Let cool in the pans on wire racks 30 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edges of the cakes to loosen. Unmold; peel off the parchment. Let cool completely, top sides up, on the racks.

4. Trim the tops of the cake layers with a long serrated knife to make them level. Using a small offset spatula, cover the top of one cake layer evenly with 1½ cups frosting; spread the frosting so it extends just beyond the edges of the cake.

5. Place the second layer, cut side down, on top; press gently to level. Frost the top and sides of the assembled cake with the remaining frosting.

vanilla buttercream frosting