Fond Farewell Cherry Almond Tart

 

Cherry season is a highlight of summer for me. I love the sweet rich taste of cherries and enjoy them for as long as I can. However, the day comes when cherries are no longer in the markets. I bought what might be the last cherries for this year, and decided to make a cherry tart with them. 

This recipe is a combination of two from Laura Calder's book Paris Express. I will warn you that this is not a very sweet concoction. It's also a thin tart, and quite light to eat. I took it to dinner with friends and we all agreed that it would also be wonderful as breakfast. 

Let's start with the crust. It's an easy one, for the "pastry-phobic" as Laura Calder puts it. 

Pastry:

1 cup (125 g) flour

1/3 cup (70 g) butter, cut into pieces

1 Tablespoon icing sugar (I might increase this to 2 T)

1 teaspoon vanilla

Put all of the ingredients into a food processor, pulse to fine crumbs that are barely beginning to hold together, and place in a 9" tart pan with a removable bottom. Press the crumbs evenly to line the bottom and sides of the pan. You want a good amount on the sides, and really press the dough into the fluted sides. Chill for 15 minutes while you make the filling.

Frangipane Filling:

1/2 cup (70 g) ground almonds

1/4 cup (55 g) butter

1/4 cup (55 g) sugar

2 Tablespoons flour

1 egg yolk

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Put the almonds, butter, sugar, and flour in a food processor and pulse until a paste forms. Add the egg yolk and almond extract; pulse until combined. 

Cherries:

2 cups (375 g) fresh sweet cherries, pitted and halved

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the frangipane filling gently over the crust. The crust is fragile and I found it easiest to dot the frangipane over, then place it in the oven for 5 minutes to soften and make it easier to spread. 

Arrange the cherry halves over top of the filling. 

Bake 40 minutes. Remove from oven and cool before removing from the pan. Dust with a little sifted icing sugar, if desired. 

Panna Cotta with Summer Fruit

 

The ideal summer dessert, to me, is cool and light, and definitely something that can be made ahead. We're in the midst of our third heat wave this summer. Guests are coming for dinner and last night I put 8 lovely ramekins of Panna Cotta in the fridge where they will lounge about, coolly waiting for dinner. 

Yes, I unmolded one ahead of time to take the photo. 

The fruit is a cooked cherry compote to which I added fresh blackberries and the very last of our garden's blueberries. Any fruit would be good and I'll leave that part up to your imagination. 

Panna Cotta (for 6) 

1 cup whole milk

1 cup whipping cream (unwhipped)

1/3 cup sugar

2 teaspoons good vanilla

2 1/2 teaspoons unflavoured gelatin

2 Tablespoons cold water

1 cup plain yogurt (I used 3.5% fat)

Heat the whole milk and whipping cream along with the sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until it steams. Do not let it boil. 

Meanwhile, soften the gelatin in the cold water. 

When the milk is steaming, add the gelatin and stir until completely dissolved. Whisk in the vanilla and yogurt. 

Pour into individual ramekins which have been very lightly oiled. 

Place into the fridge for several hours. Unmold, or serve in the ramekins with a fresh fruit sauce, or simply a handful of summer berries. 

Blackberry Shrub

 

I had never heard of "shrub" drinks until a couple of years ago. They are a mixture of fruit, vinegar, and sugar that form a concentrated syrup that is then mixed with still or carbonated water, or other liquids. This blackberry shrub is also flavoured with cinnamon and makes a very refreshing drink on a hot summer day. You can mix the drink to your own strength, but 1-2 Tablespoons per glassful is usual. 

Blackberries are not yet ripe here on Vancouver Island, but I had some frozen from last summer and they worked well. I found this recipe in a Taste of Home Make-Ahead magazine. 

Blackberry Shrub

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blackberries, crushed

1 cinnamon stick 

1 cup apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup water

1. Place the fruit and cinnamon stick in a sterilized quart jar. Bring the vinegar just to the boil; pour over the fruit, and screw the lid on tightly. Refrigerate for 2-5 days. 

2. Strain the vinegar mixture through a fine-meshed strainer. Press the fruit to extract as much of the juice as possible. Discard the cinnamon stick and the fruit. 

3. Bring the sugar and water to a boil and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and stir in the vinegar mixture. 

4. Store in a sterilized jar in the fridge for 2 weeks. 

5. To serve, add ice to glass, then 1-2 Tablespoons of syrup, and top with ice water, club soda, or sparkling water. 

Rhubarb Custard Pie

 

Our rhubarb plant is huge this year. I had some leftover pastry in the freezer and decided to make a Rhubarb Custard Pie. The pastry was a bit skimpy but I was able to roll out a decent crust, which I then blind baked before adding the filling. It's a pie that tastes best cold, I think. A bit of whipping cream would be a good topping, although it was fine without. 

Rhubarb Custard Pie

1 9-inch blind-baked pie crust

4 cups diced fresh rhubarb

1/4 cup sugar

Mix the above and place the rhubarb into the crust.

Whisk together the following ingredients:

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup flour

1/2 - 1 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg

3 eggs

2/3 cup cream (I used table cream - 18%)

2 Tablespoons melted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

Pour the filling over the rhubarb and place in the oven. You may want to put the pie dish on a rimmed baking sheet in case of spills. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes. 

Date Loaf

 

"Company's Coming" is the title for 200 cookbooks published in Canada beginning in the 1980s by Jean Paré, a caterer. The series included Appetizers, Salads, Light Recipes, Pies, etc. I pared down my own collection of them several years ago, but hung on to a number of them. In "Muffins and More" there are a host of delicious recipes, this date loaf among them. It's a family favourite. I like to double the recipe and make one for immediate eating and another for the freezer. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. 

Date Loaf (makes one 9 x 5 x 3 loaf)

• 1 1/4 cups chopped dates 
• 3/4 cup boiling water
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

   Combine the above ingredients. Stir and cool.

• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

In large bowl, beat egg lightly. Add sugar, salt, and vanilla. Beat to mix. Stir in cooled date mixture.

In separate bowl mix:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

Add to date mixture. Stir to mix. Stir in:

• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Pour into greased 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan. Let stand for 20 minutes, then bake in 350 degree oven for 1 hour. Let stand for 10 minutes. Remove from pan. 

 

 

Lemon Shortbread

When spring comes I crave bright citrus flavours. With a tangy lemon glaze, these buttery shortbread cookies melt in the mouth and satisfy the desire for a fresh taste. I use the same basic recipe as my Cranberry Orange Shortbread, but substitute lemon for the orange, and add a lemon glaze.

Lemon Shortbread

1 cup butter
3/4 cup icing sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup cornstarch

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

2. Cream together butter and icing sugar. 

3. Add lemon rind.

4. Stir together the flour and cornstarch, then add to the butter mixture. Cover and chill for about 30 minutes.

5. Roll to desired thickness. I like a crisper, thinner cookie, so mine are about 1/4 - 1/2 inch thick. 

6. Cut as desired. These are cut in rectangles, about 3 inches by 1 1/2 inches.

7. Bake on parchment lined baking sheets for 15-18 minutes or until pale golden brown. 

8. Cool on a rack, then glaze with Lemon Glaze. 

Lemon Glaze

1 1/2 cups icing sugar
2-3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Stir together. You should have a smooth mixture that is spreadable, but not too runny. 

Chicken with a Hint of Mexican

During these days of staying at home I find myself thinking about food a lot more than usual. I want bold flavours and food that's hearty and satisfying. This recipe is a twist on an idea I read about in Fine Cooking magazine, but bears little resemblance to the original.

Smokey bacon, sweet onions and peppers, and a hint of chipotle heat made these chicken drumsticks something we really enjoyed. 

Chicken with a Hint of Mexican

8-10 chicken drumsticks
3 slices thick bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 Tablespoon chipotle in adobe sauce (found in the Mexican food section - I keep leftovers in a small glass jar in the freezer)
2 cups chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place drumsticks in a 9 x 13 glass baking pan. Arrange bacon pieces on top of and around chicken. Bake for 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil over medium high heat, then add the peppers and onion and saute until tender. 

3. Stir in the chili powder, ground cumin, and chipotle pepper. Add the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then pour over the chicken in the baking dish.

4. Return to oven and bake for an additional 30-40 minutes or until the chicken is tender and cooked through. 

5. Sprinkle with fresh parsley, if desired, or cilantro. Serve with rice.