The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook - Martha Stewart Living Magazine [425]
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
½ vanilla bean, halved lengthwise and seeds scraped
¼ teaspoon salt
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Finely grind the nuts with 3 tablespoons sugar in a food processor.
2. Put the butter and remaining ½ cup sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; cream on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and yolk; mix 2 minutes. Add the nut mixture, flour, vanilla seeds, and salt; mix on medium-high until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
3. Refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use, up to 3 days.
pastry cream
MAKES ABOUT 4 CUPS
Be sure to make the pastry cream on the same day you plan to use it; otherwise, it has a tendency to become thin and runny.
¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon cornstarch
¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
4 cups milk
2 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1. Prepare an ice-water bath, and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the cornstarch, flour, ½ cup sugar, and salt; stir to mix. In another medium bowl, whisk the eggs until smooth. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture, and whisk to combine.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine the milk and remaining ½ cup sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat; whisking constantly, slowly pour into the egg mixture.
3. Transfer the mixture to a clean saucepan set over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 3 minutes.
4. Transfer the mixture to a large heatproof bowl. Whisk in the butter and vanilla; set the bowl in the ice bath, stirring occasionally, until completely chilled, 10 to 12 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface of the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
lemon curd
MAKES 1½ CUPS
In addition to using this curd in other recipes, it is delicious on its own or as a spread for scones or shortbread.
6 large egg yolks
¾ cup sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
½ cup fresh lemon juice
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1. Combine the yolks, sugar, and lemon zest and juice in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon, 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Pass the mixture through a fine sieve into a medium bowl. Add the butter, 1 piece at a time, stirring after each addition, until the butter is melted and combined.
3. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing directly onto the surface of the lemon curd to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until firm and thoroughly chilled, at least 1 hour.
CARAMEL SAUCE TWO WAYS
Making caramel is actually quite simple. To make this sweet elixir at home, you can use one of two methods: dry or wet. The dry method includes placing the sugar directly in the pan and heating it until the sugar turns into a liquid and darkens. This method requires constant stirring, or the sugar can go from just melted to burned in an instant. The wet method is safer for those new to caramel-making. Sugar is combined with a liquid (usually water) and heated until the sugar dissolves. The risk of this method is recrystallization, which occurs when undissolved crystals of sugar are reintroduced to the sugar syrup (usually in the form of stray sugar crystals that have adhered to the side of the pan or a stirring utensil). To avoid this, it is important not to stir the mixture once it is fully dissolved but rather to swirl it in the pan and brush down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush. The caramel sauce may be kept, refrigerated in an airtight container, up to 1 week. Let the sauce return to room temperature before using; it may be gently warmed over very low heat in a small saucepan.
caramel sauce—dry method
MAKES 1¼ CUPS
1½ cups sugar
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise