Tag: pastry

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Lemon Meringue Pie

What’s not to love about this time-honored dessert? It’s one of my all-time favorites. I’ve amped up this traditional recipe with a bit of extra lemon juice, a ton of fluffy meringue, and a lightly sweetened crust. The only down-side is the long cooling time required between preparation and om nom noms, but it’s definitely worth the wait.

Ingredients

Crust

  • 1 cup All-Purpose Flour
  • 1/2 tsp. Salt
  • 1/3 cup Shortening
  • 2 tbsp. White Sugar
  • 3-4 tbsp. Ice Cold Water

Filling

  • 3 Egg Yolks
  • 1-1/2 cups White Sugar
  • 1/3 cup plus 2 tbsp. Corn Starch
  • 1-1/2 cups Water
  • 3 tbsp. Butter or Margarine
  • 3/4 cup Lemon Juice

Meringue

  • 5 Egg Whites
  • 1/2 tsp. Cream of Tartar
  • 1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
  • 9 tbsp. White Sugar

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees.
  2. In a large bowl or stand mixer, blend together flour, salt, sugar, and shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  3. Slowly add water and mix until dough pulls away from the side of the bowl and is fairly moist.
  4. On a heavily floured surface, roll dough into a large circle of a suitable size for your pie tin. (I’ve been known to make this pie in a round cake pan instead, to accommodate lots of filling and meringue.)
  5. Turn rolled dough out into pie pan and flute or crimp as desired.
  6. Prick the dough several times with a fork, on both the bottom and sides.
  7. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until light brown.
  8. Remove crust from oven and set aside.
  9. Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees.
  10. In a small bowl, whisk egg yolks and set aside.
  11. In a medium-sized saucepan, mix together sugar and corn starch.
  12. Add water and place the saucepan over medium heat.
  13. Stir constantly and be patient! It will seem as if nothing is happening, and you will start to lose hope, and then suddenly the mixture will start to turn translucent, thicken, and bubble.
  14. Once bubbling, boil for 1 additional minute.
  15. Put a large spoonful of the hot corn starch mixture into the egg yolks, and quickly mix together.
  16. Stir egg mixture into corn starch mixture, and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
  17. Remove from heat, and add butter or margarine and lemon juice.
  18. Mix until butter or margarine has melted and lemon juice is completely incorporated.
  19. Pour filling into baked crust. Use a rubber spatula to get every delicious drop into your pie. (Then lick the spatula. Yum!)
  20. In a large bowl or stand mixer, whip egg whites, cream of tartar, and vanilla until foamy.
  21. Gradually add sugar and whip until stiff and glossy.
  22. Pipe meringue on top of filling, ensuring that the meringue is touching the crust all the way around, and the filling is completely covered.
  23. Bake in preheated oven for 10 – 12 minutes, until meringue is light brown.
  24. Cool for at least 2 hours before transferring to refrigerator.
  25. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight before serving.*

*I know this is difficult, and that the pie with all of it’s lemony-fluffy-goodness is calling to you from the fridge, but cutting into this pie before it has completely set is a decision that is sure to lead to disappointment.

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Pain au Chocolat

Yes, laminated dough is a “pain” in the ass. (You see what I did there?) However, there’s no comparison between a fresh, warm croissant made from scratch, and a gluey, pale crescent-roll made from a tube of mass-produced faux daux. I’ve made this a fair bit easier by starting the dough in the bread machine, but nonetheless you’ll want to plan on washing your apron after this recipe.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Warm Water
  • 1/2 cup Warm Milk
  • 2-1/2 tbsp. White Sugar
  • 2 tsp. Salt
  • 1 tbsp. Cooking Oil
  • 4 cups Bread Flour
  • 2-1/2 tsp. Active Dry Yeast
  • 18 oz. Cold Unsalted Butter
  • 1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
  • 1 Large Egg, beaten
  • 2 tbsp. Powdered Sugar (optional)

Directions

  1. Add water, milk, sugar, salt, oil, flour, and yeast to the pan of your bread machine in the order listed, and select the Dough cycle.
  2. While dough is doing it’s thing (completely independent of your efforts thanks to your bread machine) place two 6 oz. pieces of butter between two large sheets of parchment paper each. Then beat the living hell out of them, and roll into two 12×18 sheets, keeping them between the sheets of parchment. Refrigerate while you wait for your dough.
  3. When dough cycle has completed, remove dough from pan, and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Split into two equal pieces.
  4. Roll the first piece of dough into a 18×18 rectangle.
  5. Remove flattened butter from the refrigerator and set it on top of the dough, even with the left-hand side.
  6. Fold the right-hand (unbuttered) third of the dough, up over the butter.
  7. Then fold then left-hand (buttered) side over the top. (The result should be a 6×12 rectangle with five layers: dough, butter, dough, butter, dough.)
  8. Roll gently and evenly, maintaining the rectangular shape, just enough to help the dough layers adhere to the butter layers.
  9. Repeat steps 4 – 8 with the second piece of dough.
  10. Wrap both dough and butter rectangles in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least four hours.
  11. While dough is chilling, place two 3 oz. pieces of butter between two large sheets of parchment paper each, and beat and roll each out into a very thin 12×18 sheet. Refrigerate until dough is finished chilling.
  12. Remove one packet of dough from the refrigerator.
  13. Remove from plastic wrap and roll out into an 18×18 rectangle. (This may take a little extra muscle, as the dough may be harder after chilling.)
  14. Repeat steps five through ten.
  15. When ready to assemble and bake, place a large cake tray on the bottom rack of your oven, and move the rack you are going to bake on into the top half of the oven.
  16. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
  17. Preheat oven to 360 degrees.
  18. Remove one packet of dough from the refrigerator.
  19. Place on a floured surface and roll out into a 12×18 rectangle.
  20. Slice in half lengthwise, and in thirds by width, creating 6 six-inch squares.
  21. Place a small handful of chocolate chips (about 20 – 24) on one end of each square of dough, and roll the dough up over the chips at a slight angle, resulting in vaguely triangular points at each end.
  22. Place shaped dough onto prepared baking sheets.
  23. Repeat steps 18 – 22 with the second packet of dough. (Alternatively, you can keep the second packet of dough refrigerated for another day, and bake a fresh batch tomorrow.)
  24. Brush dough with beaten egg.
  25. As you put the dough in the oven, throw 4 – 5 ice cubes into the cake tray at the bottom of the oven to create a nice burst of steam.
  26. Bake pastry in preheated oven for 12 – 16 minutes until golden brown, turning sheets once mid-way through the bake.
  27. Remove pastry from oven and transfer to a baking rack to cool.
  28. If you have a sweet tooth, wait until pastry has completely cooled, and dust with powdered sugar. (Optional)
  29. Brew up some strong coffee and enjoy!

Sneaky Trick: Do you find that removing the butter sheets from the parchment is more frustration than you can handle? You can spread softened butter on the dough instead. Just increase your chilling time to at least eight hours each time you chill the dough.

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Easy Éclairs

Éclairs do take a little time to make, but they are completely worth the effort. This classic French recipe is made a wee bit easier by using instant pudding for the filling, but that doesn’t detract from the taste or texture in the least. And this ganache style frosting — c’est magnifique! 

Ingredients

Pastry

  • 1/2 cup Butter or Margarine
  • 1 cup Water
  • 1 cup All-Purpose Flour
  • 1/4 tsp. Salt
  • 4 Large Eggs

Filling

  • 1 package Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix*
  • 1-1/2 cups Whole Milk
  • 1 cup Whipping Cream

Ganache Frosting

  • 1 cup Whipping Cream
  • 3/4 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
  • 1/4 cup White Sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
  • 2 cups Powdered Sugar

*Any instant pudding mix will work well. Just be sure to select one that calls for 3 cups of milk, and you’re all set!

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 420 degrees.
  2. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
  3. In a medium-sized saucepan, heat butter or margarine and water over medium-high to high heat until boiling.
  4. Remove from heat, and add flour and salt.
  5. Mix together until well combined and pulling away from the sides of the saucepan into one large lump.
  6. Place flour mixture in a large bowl or stand mixer.
  7. Stir flour mixture while adding eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth after each egg.
  8. Put dough into a pastry bag and pipe onto prepared baking sheets in about 12 strips, approximately 1-1/2 inches by 4 inches each.
  9. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes.
  10. Reduce heat to 325 degrees, and bake for another 15-20 minutes, until pastries are golden brown and sound hollow when you tap on them.
  11. Remove from oven and transfer to a baking rack to cool.
  12. In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine pudding mix, milk, and whipping cream.
  13. Beat for 2-3 minutes until firm and fluffy.
  14. Cover and refrigerate.
  15. In a small bowl, blend together cocoa powder and white sugar with a fork or small whisk until well combined and all of the lumps are out of the cocoa.
  16. In a small saucepan, heat whipping cream over medium-high heat until almost boiling.
  17. Remove whipping cream from heat and add cocoa mixture, whisking until smooth.
  18. Add vanilla and whisk to combine.
  19. Slowly add powdered sugar while whisking, and continue whisking until completely smooth.
  20. Keep ganache frosting warm.
  21. By now, your pastry should be completely cooled. Pierce the end of each pastry with a long, thin knife, pushing the knife almost to the end, and wiggling it to create an easy path for the filling.
  22. Fill a pastry bag with chilled vanilla filling and attach a long, thin tip.
  23. Insert the tip deeply into the end of each pastry and fill, drawing the tip back toward the hole you made at the end of each pastry as you go.
  24. Return each pastry to the cooling rack after they are filled, leaving space between each one.
  25. Stir warm ganache frosting again until smooth.
  26. With a large tablespoon, spoon ganache over the top of each pastry, allowing any excess to drip below the baking rack.
  27. Refrigerate to set frosting.
  28. Store in the refrigerator in a sealed container, and enjoy within one day for the best texture. (Who am I kidding? These will be gone tout de suite!)

Sneaky Trick: Put a layer of parchment paper under your baking rack before frosting your éclairs to catch any dripping ganache. If you’re a little short on ganache, this will allow you to rescue some of the unused portion that drips through the baking rack, warm it, and re-use it. (Or, you can just snack on it while your éclairs are chilling in the refrigerator.)

 

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Mocha Faux Mousse Filling

This isn’t really a mousse, per se, but it has a fantastic, fluffy texture and chocolate and coffee sweetness that is very reminiscent of a traditional chocolate mousse. This makes a tasty cake filling, soft frosting, or is even great inside cream-filled donuts or the Cream Puffs that I posted earlier today… hence the picture! 

Ingredients

  • 2-1/2 cups Whipping Cream
  • 3 tbsp. Cocoa Powder
  • 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
  • 1-1/2 tsp. Instant Coffee Granules

Directions

  1. Beat whipping cream with a hand mixer or in a stand mixer.
  2. Gradually add cocoa, powdered sugar, and coffee granules while beating.
  3. Feel free to taste frequently as you add the sugar to make sure this has just the right sweetness for whatever you’re using it for. Just turn off the mixer before you stick your finger in, silly.
  4. Continue beating until very stiff, but stop before it turns into sweet, chocolaty butter.

 

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Vanilla Cream Puffs

If folks knew how easy it is to make cream puffs, they would eat them every day. Step one: Choux pastry. Step two: Vanilla pudding. Step three: Fill ’em up! I make the filling even easier by using instant pudding, but you can make your filling from scratch if you want to show off. Bonus: You can call these “Bouffée de Creme de Vanille” and people will think you’re very cosmopolitan!

Ingredients

  • 5 oz. Package of Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix*
  • 2 cups Whipping Cream
  • 3/4 cup Whole Milk
  • 1/2 cup Butter or Margarine
  • 1 cup Water
  • 1/4 tsp. Salt
  • 1 cup All Purpose Flour
  • 4 Large Eggs
  • 2 tbsp. Powdered Sugar

Directions

  1. Mix together vanilla pudding mix, whipping cream, and milk, and beat for two minutes.
  2. Refrigerate pudding for at least one hour.
  3. Preheat oven to 420 degrees.
  4. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
  5. In a large pot, bring water and butter or margarine to a rolling boil over medium high heat.
  6. Add flour and salt and stir until well combined into a single lump.
  7. Transfer dough to a large bowl or stand mixer.
  8. Beat dough, and add eggs one at a time, blending well after each egg.
  9. Continue beating until smooth.
  10. Use a tablespoon to spoon lumps of batter onto prepared baking sheets.
  11. Bake in preheated oven for 22-24 minutes until golden brown.
  12. Remove from oven and transfer to a cooling rack.
  13. When pastry is completely cool, fill a pastry bag with vanilla pudding.
  14. Pipe pudding inside of cream puffs until full.
  15. Dust with powdered sugar, and serve.

*Not every brand of instant pudding comes with exactly the same weight per box. Select one that calls for three cups of milk, and you’re good to go!

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Chocolate Baklava

If you’re searching for something to go with your coffee that’s so sweet it’ll give you tooth decay just smelling it, look no further. I’ve turned the traditional recipe up to eleven with the addition of chocolate. Sweet as sin, and twice the calories! Απολαμβάνω!

Ingredients

  • 1  16 oz. Package Phyllo Dough
  • 1 lb. Finely Chopped Walnuts or Pecans
  • 1/2 cup Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
  • 3/4 cup Unsalted Butter
  • 1 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
  • 1 cup Water
  • 3/4 cup White Sugar
  • 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
  • 1/2 cup Honey
  • 3 tbsp. Chocolate Syrup

Directions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Heavily coat a 9×13 baking dish with butter or a LOT of cooking spray.
  3. Melt butter in small saucepan.
  4. Unfold phyllo dough and cut in half to fit baking dish.
  5. Place one sheet of cut phyllo dough in the prepared baking dish and brush with melted butter.
  6. Repeat until the bottom layer is eight to ten sheets thick.
  7. Chop nuts into small pieces.
  8. Mix nuts with cinnamon and chocolate chips.
  9. Spread nut mixture evenly across phyllo dough layers.
  10. Cover with a single sheet of phyllo dough and brush with melted butter.
  11. Repeat until the top layer is eight to ten sheets thick.
  12. Using a sharp knife, cut into small squares or diamond-shaped pieces. (Remember, this is ridiculously sweet, so smaller pieces are better.)
  13. Bake in pre-heated oven for 45-50 minutes until very brown and crisp.
  14. While baklava is baking prepare sauce. Bring sugar and water to a boil in a saucepan over medium to medium high heat.
  15. Reduce heat, and add honey, vanilla, and chocolate syrup, and simmer while stirring for 20 minutes. Set aside.
  16. Remove baklava from oven and immediately pour sauce over the top, making sure to cover every piece.
  17. Allow to cool in baking dish.
  18. Serve in cupcake liners or on small squares of parchment paper. Do not wrap to store, or it will get soggy and end up more like a sad Poptart than baklava.
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