Key Lime Cheesecake

Once a month my good friend Greg throws a supper club at his apartment with Chef Ronald Hsu. Chef Hsu is a sous chef at Le Bernardin and prepares 4 absolutely incredible courses. He doesn’t specialize in dessert and invited me to make the 5th course. Obviously, there’s some pressure following a chef of that caliber and wanted to create something that complimented his meal. I saw ginger and citrus in each of his courses and I decided to continue the theme and use blood orange.

I happened to have dinner with Chef Jenny McCoy (formerly of Craft) and I asked her advice. She saw that Chef Hsu introduced a new citrus into each course and she pointed out that blood orange was already used. She helped me brainstorm citrus and I went with key lime. Jenny also introduced me to Fingerling Limes. These little pickle looking limes have these little citrus looking caviar inside of them - bursting with flavor. You can order them from Mikuni Wild Harvest.

I was super nervous but it turned out quite tasty. Its been an entire week and I’m still getting compliments from some pretty serious foodies.

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 1 cup AP flour
• 1/2 cup ground almonds
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 5 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp ginger syrup

Filling:

• 8 oz chevre / goat cheese
• 8 oz cream cheese
• ¾ sugar
• 2 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup greek yogurt
• 2 Tbsp lime zest
• 2 Tbsp key lime juice
• 2 Tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp of freshly grated ginger

Key lime Custard:

• 8 egg yolks
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
• 3 key limes, zest grated and juiced

Garnish:
Fingerling Limes

Instructions:

Crust:
1) Preheat oven to 350°f
2) In a small bowl, combine the flour, almonds, sugar, and ginger syrup; cut in butter until crumbly.
3) Press crumb mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 10 inch tart pan.
4) Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.


Filling:
1) In a small bowl, beat goat cheese, cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy.
2) Beat in the eggs, yogurt, zest, juice and vanilla just until blended.
3) Pour over crust, and bake for 30 minutes or until filling is set.

Custard:
1) While cake is cooling, place the custard ingredients in the double boiler over boiling water. Ensure that the top pan does not touch the water.
2) Cook and continuously stir until mixture begins to gel or thicken, for about 15-20 minutes
3) Pour over cake while still warm and spread it, using an offset spatula if needed

Garnish
1) Cut fingerling limes and scoop out filling
2) Place the filling (caviar looking)  around the rim and in the center or however you like garnish with fingerling limes.
3) Refrigerate until ready to serve (up to 2 days)

Serving:
1) Remove from fridge 20 minutes before serving
2) Slice with a hot knife
3) Serve

Plum Frangipane Tart

A friend of mine posted the most beautiful plum tart on Facebook and I just couldn’t help myself but try one myself. I brought it into my office, paced it in the kitchen and it barely lasted an hour.

Ingredients

Crust

• 250 Grahams AP Flour
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 135 grahams very cold butter, cut into small piece
• 1 large egg mixed with 1 teaspoon of cold water

Filling

• 1 cup toasted almonds
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 5 tabelspoons of unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 egg
• 1 tabelspoon flour
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 lemon juiced
• Pinch of salt
• 4-5 small plums

Glaze

• 2 tablespoons of honey
• sprinkle smoked salt (or any coarse salt)

Instructions

Crust

1. Sift flour, sugar, and salt onto work surface
2. Add the cubbed butter to the flour mixture and cut into flour with fork (or pastry scraper) until the butter is the size of little peas.
3. Form a well in the center of the mixture and pour in the water-egg mixture. Working until just incorporated and the dough holds together. (You may need to add more ice water). Working any piece into the dough with your palm.
4. Gather the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic
5. Refrigerate the dough an hour or up to 24 hours
6. Flour a work surface, roll out the dough to a 10 inch circle that’s about 1/8 inch thick
7. Lightly wrap over rolling pin and place in pie dish
8. press into dish and cut excess dough
9. Place a piece of parchment paper over the top and add pie weights
10. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes, remove pie weights and let cool

Filling

1. Place the almonds, sugar, room temperature butter, egg, flour, almond extract,  lemon juice and a pinch of kosher salt in a food processor.
2. Spread the almond mixture into the prebaked crust.
3. Top with the sliced plum arranged decoratively.
4. Bake in the 375 degree F oven for 30-35 minutes.  It’s done when the almond cream is puffed and light brown.
5. Once cooled, warm 2 tablespoons of honey and lightly brush the top of the tart, and sprinkle with smoked salt
   

Brown Butter Raspberry Tart

I went home to my mom’s in New Canaan, CT for the long holiday weekend. Right after she picked us (me, my brother and our friend Monica) up from the train we went directly to the local market. I decided I’d bake whatever looked the freshest, and tasted the best.  Raspberries were it and so I attempted this Brown Butter tart.

Brown Butter Raspberry Tart

Ingredients

Crust

• 250 Grahams AP Flour
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 135 grahams very cold butter, cut into small piece
• 1 large egg mixed with 1 teaspoon of cold water

Filling

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• Pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, diced
• 2 6-ounce containers fresh raspberries

Instructions

Crust

1. Sift flour, sugar, and salt onto work surface
2. Add the cubbed butter to the flour mixture and cut into flour with fork (or pastry scraper) until the butter is the size of little peas.
3. Form a well in the center of the mixture and pour in the water-egg mixture. Working until just incorporated and the dough holds together. (You may need to add more ice water). Working any piece into the dough with your palm.
4. Gather the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic
5. Refrigerate the dough an hour or up to 24 hours
6. Flour a work surface, roll out the dough to a 10 inch circle that’s about 1/8 inch thick
7. Lightly wrap over rolling pin and place in pie dish
8. press into dish and cut excess dough
9. Place a piece of parchment paper over the top and add pie weights
10. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes, remove pie weights and let cool

Filling

1. Whisk sugar, eggs, and salt in medium bowl to blend.
2. Add flour and vanilla and whisk until smooth.
3. Cook butter in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until deep nutty brown, stirring often, this will take about 6 minutes.
4. Immediately pour browned butter into glass measuring cup.
5. Gradually whisk browned butter into wet mixture until well blended.
6. Place raspberries close together in  circles in the bottom of cooled crust. 
7. Place tart on rimmed baking sheet.
8. Carefully pour browned butter mixture evenly over berries.
9.  Bake tart until filling is puffed and golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.
10. Cool tart completely in pan on rack. (I found this tasted better on day 2.)

White Chocolate Cherry Tart

I made this on the fly at Chez Bushwick after finding some fresh cherries and having left over white chocolate, which I had used for some ice cream. It was really yummy, though I think it needs some salt and the filling measurements I did would work for two tarts.

Ingredients

Crust

• 250 Grahams AP Flour
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 135 grahams very cold butter, cut into small piece
• 1 large egg mixed with 1 teaspoon of cold water

Filling

• 1/2 cup half and half
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 4 egg yolks
• 6 ounces white chocolate
• 1 cup + 3 tabelspoons all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups of cherries, pitted and sliced in half.

Instructions Crust

1. Sift flour, sugar, and salt onto work surface
2. Add the cubbed butter to the flour mixture and cut into flour with fork (or pastry scraper) until the butter is the size of little peas.
3. Form a well in the center of the mixture and pour in the water-egg mixture. Working until just incorporated and the dough holds together. (You may need to add more ice water). Working any piece into the dough with your palm.
4. Gather the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic
5. Refrigerate the dough an hour or up to 24 hours
6. Flour a work surface, roll out the dough to a 10 inch circle that’s about 1/8 inch thick
7. Lightly wrap over rolling pin and place in pie dish
8. press into dish and cut excess dough
9. Place a piece of parchment paper over the top and add pie weights
10. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes, remove pie weights and let cool

Filling

1. Mix half and half, cream and sugar over medium heat until just simmering
2. Temper Egg Yolks, by adding some of warm milk to eggs, mixing and then adding the egg/milk mixture back into the sauce pan. 
3. Chop white chocolate and place in a medium bowl
4. Warm up milk/egg mixture again till just simmering, and pour over white chocolate
5. Add in flour, mix until incorporated
6. Place cherries in crust
7. Pour mixture over cherries, add additional cherries on top if needed.
8. Bake for about 40 minutes or until set at 350 degrees
   

Learning Tarts: Pate Brisee into an Apple Tart

There was a lot of baking happening last weekend and to start I made Pate Brissee. I used the traditional recipe from The Fundamental Techniques of Classic Pastry Arts book and it really wasn’t too hard. Then turning it into an apple tart wasn’t too hard. I had to stew some minced apples with vanilla and then chop some apples. What I was surprised about was the apricot jam reduction thing that was applied to give it the right color and seal the tart. It really does look pretty. The recipes are both available in the book.

I still need to work on my rolling techniques but it still came out really pretty and even. This is a great tart to practice as it allows you to practice traditional tart doughs while also working on knife skills.

Strawberry Hazelnut Macaroon Tart (Passover)

Last night my mom had 20 people over her house for Passover Sedar. Family, Friends and Friends of Family all stopped in. I decided this year I was going to make a TON of dessert. 5 Different Recipes to be exact. I’m going to blog each recipe separately so its easier to find and work with them.

I’m going to start with this Strawberry tart because it was the biggest hit and definitely my favorite. I prepared the crust and the filling the day before and I assembled in the morning. I should have waited till just before the sedar to assemble as it got a little drippy, though I think that might have been a good thing, to make the crust more manageable. This was sweet, tart, savory.

I found the recipe on Bon Appetit and made just a few changes.

Ingredients

Filling

• 2 12-ounce baskets strawberries, stem removed, diced
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 1/2 tablespoons Passover brandy
• 1 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• Pinch of ground cloves

Crust

• Matzo cake meal
• 2 cups husked toasted hazelnuts - I roasted and removed the skin, and added a little extra salt.
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Pinch of ground cloves
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 3 1-pint baskets strawberries, stems removed, thinly sliced

Instructions

Filling

• Combine all ingredients in heavy large skillet.
  
• Stir over high heat until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to boil.
  
• Boil until very thick, stirring frequently, about 18 minutes. Cool in pan. Transfer to small bowl, cover and refrigerate. Good for up to two days
  

Crust

• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F.
• Line 11-inch tart pan with removable bottom with heavy-duty foil, pressing firmly into scalloped sides of pan. Grease foil and dust with matzo cake meal.
  
• Finely grind nuts, sugar, salt and cloves in processor.
  
• Add egg and extract and process until mixture just holds together. Reserve 1/2 cup dough for another use. Using moistened fingertips, press remaining dough onto bottom and up sides of prepared pan. (I also dipped my hands in matza meal which helped with the stickiness.)
  
• Bake until crust is golden, crinkled and feels dry, about 13 minutes.
•  Cool crust completely in pan on rack. Remove tart pan sides. Carefully peel foil off crust. Return crust to pan. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature. Good for one day
  
• Spread filling over crust. Starting at edge of tart, cover tart with berry slices in overlapping concentric circles, with first circle leaning against crust edge. Can be prepared 3 hours ahead. Chill.
• Remove tart from pan. Cut into wedges and serve.

Trio of Tarts

My friend Phil had what he deemed, an ‘Arty Farty Bday Party’ full of friends, amateur painting and food. Phil sent me the link to some mini tarts and asked if I could make them. I liked the filling ideas but didn’t have little tart pans or foils so I decided to do all three as full sized tarts. Two of them were really good, one was a a little undercooked (The goat cheese just didn’t work). I also made the birthday cake but that’s another post later this week.

Ingredients:

Crust (for three 9inch):

• *3 3/4 Cup Flour
• *4 tablespoon Corn Starch
• *3/4 teaspoon Salt
• *18 tablespoons Butter Diced

Filling:

Haricots Vert Goat cheese

• 18 haricots verts, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 18 grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
• 6 (1/4-inch-thick) rounds soft mild goat cheese (from a small log)
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped chives

For crab:

• 2 finely chopped large shallots
• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1/2 cup bread cubes
• 3/4 cup jumbo lump crabmeat (2 oz), picked over
• 1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped tarragon
• 1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 2 pinches cayenne

• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup thawed frozen baby peas
• 5 thin slices pancetta

Filling for all  3 tarts:

• 1 cup butter cream
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 5 whole large eggs
• 2 large egg yolk

Crust

1. 1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch and one-fourth teaspoon salt.
2. 2. Cut the butter until it is in very tiny bits.
3. 3. Add one egg and mix with a fork until a dough forms. (I usually use my hands until the dough forms.
4. 4. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to a 12-inch circle.
5. 5. Place the dough in a 9-inch pie plate or tart pan and press to remove any air bubbles. Crimp the edges
6. 6. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. No parbaking required.

goat cheese and tomato

1. 1. Cook haricots verts in salted boiling water until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.
2. 2. Drain and place in shell with tomatoes
3. 3. Top with a round of cheese.

Crab and tarragon tarts:

1. 1. Cook shallot in 1/2 tablespoon oil in a small skillet over medium heat until softened, about 1 minute.
2. 2. Transfer to a small bowl. Heat remaining tablespoon oil in skillet over medium heat, then cook bread, stirring, until golden.
3. 3. Toss croutons with shallot and place in tart shell.
4. 4. Toss crab with tarragon, zest, and cayenne and add to the shell.

Pea, scallion, and pancetta tarts:

1. 1. Cook scallions in oil in cleaned small skillet over medium heat until softened, about 1 minute.
2. 2. Stir in peas and warm through, then place in tart shell.
3. 3. Add pancetta to skillet and cook, turning once, until just crisp. chop and place in tart shell.

Make filling and bake tarts:

1. 1. Whisk together filling ingredients with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
2. 2. Divide among shells. Sprinkle chives over goat cheese tarts and top pea tarts with pancetta.
3. 3. Bake tarts on baking sheets until custard is just set, about 25 minutes. Cool slightly.

Birthday Brownie Tart

Last week was my brother’s birthday and I decided to make him a Brownie in the shape of a tart or a Brownie Tart. He loves brownies and I wanted something that was more cake like. He also didn’t want a cake at his birthday party cause it was planned to be late night at a bar, so I made this for him to enjoy on his actual day. I was pleased when he didn’t want to share it with anyone!

Birthday Brownie Tart

Ingredients

• *6 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
• *3 1/4 Cups (20 Ounces) Chocolate Chips
• *3 Large Eggs
• *1 Cup Sugar
• *1 Tablesoon Instant Coffee
• *1/2 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla extract
• *1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour
• *1/4 Teaspoon baking powder
• *1/4 Teaspoon kosher salt
• *2 to 3 Tablespoons Heavy Cream

Cooking Directions

1. 1. Grease and flour a 9-inch tart pan with removable sides.
2. 2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
3. 3. Melt the butter in a bowl set over simmering water.
4. 4. Add 2 cups of the chocolate chips, remove from the heat, stir until the chocolate melts.
5. 5. Set aside to cool completely.
6. 6. In the bowl beat the eggs, sugar, coffee, and vanilla until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
7. 7. Stir in the cooled chocolate.
8. 8. In a another medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and 1 cup of the chocolate chips
9. 9. Fold the flour mixture into the batter just to combine.
10. 10. Pour into the pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the center is puffed the top will probably crack and inside will still be very soft.
11. 11. Cool to room completely before removing from the tart pan.
12. 12. Melt the remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate chips with the heavy cream and drizzle on the tart.

Zucchini Ricotta Tart

I have a few group of friends that throw dinner parties. And I love it cause it not only does it give me an excuse to cook, it means there will be people to actually taste the food! I actually thought this was bit bland, but it went really fast.

Ingredients

Crust

• *1 1/4 Cup Flour
• *1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons Corn Starch
• *1/4 teaspoon Salt
• *6 tablespoons Butter Diced

Filling

• *1 Egg
• *2 Small Zucchini, Sliced Into Thin Circles
• *1 Tablespoon Tablespoon Olive Oil
• *Salt & Pepper
• *1 1/2 Cup Fresh Ricotta
• *3 Ounces Goat Cheese At Room Temperature
• *3  Large Eggs
• *1 Cup Milk
• *1 Lemon Zest

Cooking Directions

Crust

1. 1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch and one-fourth teaspoon salt.
2. 2. Cut the butter until it is in very tiny bits.
3. 3. Add one egg and mix with a fork until a dough forms. (I usually use my hands until the dough forms.
4. 4. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to a 12-inch circle.
5. 5. Place the dough in a 9-inch pie plate or tart pan and press to remove any air bubbles. Crimp the edges
6. 6. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. No parbaking required.

Filling

1. 1. In a frying pan, heat the olive oil and cook the zucchini rounds until tender.
2. 2. Remove from the pan and place evenly across the bottom of the pie crust.
3. 3. In a mixing bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, goat cheese, eggs, lemon zest and milk.
4. 4. Season with salt and pepper and pour over the zucchini.
5. 5. Arrange another layer of Zucchini at the top
6. 6. Bake for about 40 to 45 minutes or until the edges are firm to touch and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
7. 7. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.

Tangerine Tart With a Cookie Crust

My grandmother sent me and my brother a huge box of honey tangerines so I decided to make a tart with them. This recipe is super easy and impressive as hell.

The one thing I was worried about was the extremely wet filling, but after baking, it had a perfect texture.

I wish I took a picture when I removed it from the tart pan. The crust was just perfect.

Ingredients for the Crust

• *2 cups all-purpose flour
• *3/4 cup powdered sugar
• *2 tsp. grated tangerine peel “zest”
• *14 Tbsp. (3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp.) butter

Instructions

1. 1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. 2. In a bowl add flour, sugar and zest, mix with a fork.
3. 3. Add butter one chunk and mix with hand just until dough holds together.
4. 4. Press over bottom and up sides of a 10-inch tart pan with removable rim. (I like to place on a cookie sheet so its easier to get in and out of the oven)
5. 5. Bake 25 to 35 minutes or until crust is lightly browned.
6. 6. While this is baking - start on the filling in a bowl with a pour and be prepared to add it directly to tart crust.

Ingredients for Filling

• *2 large eggs
• *2/3 cup granulated sugar
• *2 tsp. grated tangerine peel “zest”
• *1/2 cup fresh tangerine juice (3 to 4 juicy tangerines, such as W. Murcott variety)
• *1 1/2 Tbsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice
• *1/4 cup half-and-half (light cream)

1. 1. In a bowl with a mixer on high speed, beat eggs and granulated sugar until well blended.
2. 2. Add tangerine zest, tangerine juice, lemon juice and half-and-half.
3. 3. Beat until blended. 
4. 4. Pour into baked cookie crust. 
5. 5. Bake at 325 degrees F. 30 to 40 minutes or until the filling no longer jiggles in the center when the pan is gently shaken.
6. 6. Let cool completely on a rack, about an hour.