kosher salt

Thin-Crusted Apple Tart with Chipotle Chili Powder

Apple Tart with Chipotle Chili
By jgreghenry Published October 14, 2011
Prep time: 5
Yield:1 (Servings)

Ingredients:

  • 1 flour
  • 0.5 t plus 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 0.5 c unsalted butter, cut into ¼-inch cubes and chilled
  • 4 T ice water
  • 1 lemon, juice only
  • 4 apples, preferably gravenstein
  • 3 T melted butter
  • 3 T sugar
  • 1 t ground cinnamon
  • 0.125 t ground clove
  • 0.125 t ground nutmeg
  • 0.125 t chipotle chili powder
  • 3 T warm hot pepper jelly

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the flour with one-half teaspoon salt. Add the chilled butter cubes and use a pastry cutter or fork to work the butter into the flour, forming an even crumb. Work quickly so the butter stays cold. Drizzle over 3 tablespoons of ice water and mix quickly with a fork, careful not to overmix. The dough may not come together completely; this is fine. However, if the dough feels especially dry, drizzle over up to 1 additional tablespoon of ice water. Place the dough in the center of a large sheet of plastic wrap. Pull the edges of the plastic wrap around the dough, pressing the dough into a disk. Seal tightly and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour. While the dough is chilling, fill a medium bowl half full with water and add the lemon juice. Peel the apples and halve them lengthwise. Core the apples with a sharp knife or melon baller and trim the ends. Place the apples in the acidulated water as they are peeled and trimmed so they do not brown. Cut the apples lengthwise into very thin (one-sixteenth inch) slices, and return to the water. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Sprinkle your work surface generously with flour. Roll out the dough into an 11-inch circle; the dough will be about one-eighth-inch thick. Carefully transfer to a nonstick, rimmed baking pan. Turn up the outer edge of the circle of dough to form a one-half-inch rim. Use the tines of a fork to press the rim into place and to prick the tart in several places. Drain the apples, shaking them vigorously to remove excess water. Set the apples out on a dish towel to dry. Arrange a circle of overlapping apple slices at the far edge of the dough. Add a second circle inside the first and a third inside the second. Finish with a small circle of apples in the center. You may not use all the apples. Using a pastry brush, coat the apples and outer rim of the dough with the 3 tablespoons of melted butter. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, chipotle chili powder and remaining one-eighth teaspoon of salt. Sprinkle the mixture over the apples. Bake the tart until the apples are tender and the crust is golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool for 5 minutes. Set the tart on a serving plate and gently brush the top of it with the warm pepper jelly. Cut the tart into wedges and serve immediately.
Source: Adapted from Michele Anna Jordan

Macerated Oranges with Balsamic-Meringue & Caramel- Not Masticated

21 Sep 2011
White Balsamic Orange Slices with Meringue Cookies

Tell me if you think I am getting too piss elegant. Macerated Oranges with White Balsamic-Meringue & Caramel. I hope you think it’s fabulous. But you see fabulous should never be pretentious. It should walk right up to the line and spit on it. But it should never cross the line.

At least not on a blog– unless you have a piss elegant blog, in which case ignore everything I just said.

Seriously though, fancy is in the eyes of the beholder right? How many dishes have I presented here only to watch them sputter off and sink to the bottom of the blogoshere completely unloved? Well plenty let me tell you. Cakes with brandy, cookies with seeds, or vinegar for dessert. Stinkers all. Sound buzzer end of game. 

Now I think I am a pretty good cook with pretty good instincts. But once the meal ends I just can’t get it right. I intended these orange slices with meringue cookies (made sweetly complex with white balsamic vinegar) to be a birthday dessert for a woman in her forties. I thought I was showing my love by thinking outside the cake box and presenting something special and far from mundane. But you should have seen the crest fallen looks I got when I discussed my menu with some of the guests. When it comes to dessert it seems I miss the mark more than I hit it. As my mother would say I gotta learn to lift the lid and aim better. Talk about piss elegant!

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White Balsamic Macerated Oranges with Balsamic-Meringue & Caramel

Balsamic Macerated Oranges with Balsamic-Meringue & Caramel
By jgreghenry Published September 19, 2011
Prep time: 120
Yield:1 (Servings)

Ingredients:

  • 6 navel oranges
  • 1 c granulated sugar, divided
  • 4 t white balsamic vinegar
  • 2 large egg whites
  • 0.25 c powdered sugar
  • 0.5 t kosher salt, divided
  • 1 T light corn syrup
  • 2 T water
  • 2 T unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
  • 0.25 c heavy cream
  • 1 T crème fraîche

Directions

For the oranges: Using a sharp paring knife, cut peel and pith from oranges, then cut each section of fruit away from membranes, cutting as close to membranes as you can. Squeeze juice from membranes into a medium bowl. Add 1/4 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon vinegar; stir to dissolve sugar, then add orange segments and gently stir to combine. Let mixture stand at room temperature until orange segments are flavorful, about 1 hour. (Macerated oranges keep, covered and chilled, for up to 1 day.)

For the meringue: Heat oven to 300 degrees F with rack in middle. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; lightly coat with nonstick spray. Fill a medium saucepan with 2 inches water; bring water to a simmer. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat together egg whites, 1/4 cup granulated sugar and the confectioners sugar on medium speed until well-combined, about 2 minutes. Set bowl over (but not touching) the simmering water, and whisk mixture until hot to the touch and not at all grainy, about 3 minutes.

Return bowl to mixer fitted with whisk and beat on medium speed until eggs are cool, thick and creamy (resembling shaving cream), about 10 minutes. Add 3 teaspoons vinegar and 1/4 teaspoon salt; beat on low speed just to combine.

Evenly spread meringue, about 1/4 inch thick, onto prepared baking sheet. Bake, rotating halfway through, until meringue is lightly golden, with no visible white patches, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool completely on baking sheet on wire rack. Break meringue into large shards. (Meringue can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. If it loses its crunch, dry in a 300 degree F oven, 5 to 10 minutes.)

For the caramel: In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine remaining 1/2 cup sugar, corn syrup and water. Gently whisk together mixture to ensure sugar is damp throughout, being careful not to get sugar on sides of pot. Cook over medium-high heat until mixture is golden at edges, 5 to 6 minutes, then gently whisk until a golden caramel forms, about 1 minute more.

Remove pot from heat and, one ingredient at a time, carefully whisk in butter, cream, crème fraîche and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Transfer caramel to a small metal bowl and chill over an ice bath, or refrigerate until cool. (Caramel keeps, refrigerated in an airtight container, for up to 2 weeks.)

To serve: In a small saucepan, gently heat caramel just until warm; remove from heat. Divide orange segments among 6 bowls; spoon a little macerating liquid over the top. Garnish with meringue shards, drizzle with caramel and serve immediately.

Notes:

White balsamic vinegar can be found at most large supermarkets and is also available at specialty food shops.

Source: Adapted from La Cucina Italiana

How Too Make The Most Chocolatey Very Best Chocolate Cookies Using Blog Love

10 Jul 2010
Very Chocolate Cookies from Sippity Sup

Angela from Spinach Tiger is coming to visit me!

We are going to hang out in the kitchen this weekend. I think I'll take her to the Hollywood Farmers Market on Sunday. I just know we are gonna have a blast.

I think I should probably get ready– maybe make some special yummy something to offer her when she arrives. But I'll tell ya the truth, it's been a long time since a girl spent the night at my house! What do girls eat anyway?

Oh that's right, I have read enough blogs to know– girls eat chocolate.

That means baking. I think I may have mentioned I am not really much of a baker. But don't you think I oughta make some sort of effort? Afterall her husband is trusting me to take care of her while she is here. To me that means clean towels and of course feeding her well. What did you think it meant?

Anyway, I may not be a girl but I know where to find chocolate. So I decided to visit Daydreamer Desserts because I remember she had some mighty impressive chocolate cookies a few months back. She called it them Insanely Chocolate Cookies.  Well I figure Spinach Tiger must be insane to spend her well earned vacation time visiting me, so this insane chocolate cookie may be just the thing for a girl like her. Besides that cookie has stuck in my brain all these months and I think this is the perfect occasion to bring it out.

This cookie has quite a pedigree too. The version I made comes from Daydreamer Desserts who adapted it from Chocolate & Zucchini. Though it was originally introduced as a recipe by Jacques Torres published in the New York Times on August 11, 2003.

See how blog love works...

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Insanely Chocolate Cookies

Insanely Chocolate Cookies from Sippity Sup
By jgreghenry Published July 9, 2010
Prep time: 60
Yield:1 ()

Ingredients:

  • 0.5 c flour
  • 1 t baking powder
  • 0.5 t kosher salt
  • 16 oz bittersweet chocolate chips
  • 0.25 t espresso powder
  • 0.666667 c granulated sugar
  • 3 T unsalted butter (at room temperature)
  • 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
  • 0.666667 c chopped toasted pecan halves

Directions

Line a 9x9 baking dish with parchment paper. In a small bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. Melt 10oz of chocolate using the double-broiler method or in the microwave. While still hot, stir in espresso powder. Set aside to cool. In the bowl of a stand mixer cream together the sugar and butter until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and mix just until they are combined. Slowly add whisked dry ingredients and mix until combined. Stir in the melted chocolate. Finally stir in the reserved chocolate chips and pecans. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread it into an even-ish layer with a spatula. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place in the fridge for 20-30 minutes, or until firm enough to handle without it sticking to your fingers. Remove the dough from the fridge and slide the parchment paper and dough onto a cutting board. Using a large, sharp knife, cut the dough into 16 equal pieces. Give each piece a somewhat rounded shape with the palms of your hands and place on the prepared baking sheets. Insert into the oven and bake for 12(chewy)-15(crispy)minutes. Or until the surface is just set, but still plenty soft when gently pressed in the middle. Let the cookies settle on the baking sheet for 20 minutes before transferring them to a rack to cool completely.

Notes:

makes 16 cookies Source: Daydreamer Desserts