Cook Like a Rock Star (43 page)

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 butter and egg yolks. Pulse, pulse, pulse! Check the consistency of the dough by squeezing a handful. If the dough sticks together, it’s done; if not, add 1 to 2 tablespoons cold water and pulse again until it just holds together.

2
Dump the dough out on a clean, lightly floured work surface. Using the heel of your hand, schmear the dough forward and then roll it back with your fingertips. Repeat this process 1 or 2 more times, dusting with flour if it sticks. Divide the dough into two pieces in a one-third/two-thirds split. Form the larger piece of dough into a disk and the smaller piece into a rectangle. Wrap them both in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

3
Take the dough out of the fridge 20 to 30 minutes before you’re ready to use it and let it come to room temperature.

4
Preheat the oven to 375°F.

5
On a lightly floured work surface, use a rolling pin to roll the larger piece of dough into a circle about ¼ inch thick. Lay the dough in a 9-inch tart pan, pressing the dough gently into the pan. Tear off a little piece of dough from the edge and roll it into a “dough ball.” Dip the ball in flour and use it to push the dough into the sides of the pan. Trim the edge of the dough by rolling the pin over the top of the tart pan to create a clean edge; remove the excess dough.

6
Gently line the dough with a piece of aluminum foil, pressing it into the sides of the tart to keep them tall and straight. Fill the tart with 1 pound of dry beans or rice, put the pan on a baking sheet, and bake for about 15 minutes. Remove the beans and foil and bake for another 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Remove from the oven and let cool.

7
Spread the fruit preserves in an even layer on the bottom of the cooled tart shell and sprinkle the cherry halves in an even layer on top of the preserves.

8
On a lightly floured surface, roll the remaining third of the dough into a 10-inch rectangle. Using a fluted pastry roller or a pizza cutter, cut the dough into 1-inch-wide strips. Lay the dough strips diagonally across the fruit preserves to create a crisscross pattern. Brush the bottom ends of each strip with a little egg wash and press the strips into the sides of the crust to secure them.

9
Brush the top of the pastry lattice with the egg wash.

10
Place the tart back on the baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the top is golden and crisp. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before serving.

Oh cherry baby!

MAKES: 25 TO 30 • TIME: ABOUT 45 MINUTES

Every time I go to a street fair or the New York state fair, I breathe in the smell of fried dough as it wafts through the crowd and just go crazy for it. So I couldn’t help but come up with my own version of the classic zeppole. But of course I added my own sexy twist: a delicious chocolate dipper! With this dessert, your kitchen will be as popular as the zeppole stand at the state fair.

MISE EN PLACE

FOR THE ZEPPOLE

1 cup sugar

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

Pinch of kosher salt

1 cup all-purpose flour

3 large eggs

Zest of 1 orange

3 cups peanut oil

2 teaspoons cinnamon

FOR THE CHOCOLATE SAUCE

6 ounces semisweet or dark chocolate, chopped

¼ cup heavy cream

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 tablespoons light corn syrup

FOR THE ZEPPOLE

1
In a small saucepan, combine ½ cup of the sugar, 1 cup water, the butter, and salt and bring to a boil (BTB).

2
Reduce the heat to medium and add the flour all at once, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon. Cook until the mixture forms a ball, has a slightly sweaty sheen to it, and pulls away from the pan, 3 to 4 minutes.

3
Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and let cool for 3 to 4 minutes (the mixture does not have to be cold, just cool enough so it doesn’t cook the eggs when added). Using an electric mixer or lots of good old-fashioned elbow grease, beat in the eggs one at a time; be sure each is fully incorporated before adding the next egg. Add the orange zest and beat for another few seconds to combine.