Cookie Crust

I decided to make a last minute batch of Magic Cookie Bars for tonight's David Bowie alternative liturgy at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral but didn't have graham crackers for the crust and didn't feel like running out to the store.

So I improvised and substituted a sweet crust recipe that I use for making tarts and it worked just fine. The only difference was that I knew that the crust would require a bit more baking time than a graham cracker one so I pre-baked the crust for 10 minutes in a 350 degree oven before adding the cookie bar toppings and baking according to the Magic Cookie Bar recipe.

This simple cookie crust would also be great for cheesecakes, cream pies, really any recipe that calls for a graham cracker crust. If you want to use it in a recipe that calls for an already baked graham cracker crust, bake the cookie crust in a 350-degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until done and golden brown.

Here's the recipe:

Cookie Crust
(enough for the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan or a 10-inch tart pan)

2 cups flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup unsalted butter, softened

Beat the butter, sugar, salt and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add the flour and mix just until a dough forms.

Mix just until a dough forms.

Press this dough evenly into the baking pan or tart shell and pre-bake for 10 minutes in a 350-degree oven before adding fillings or topping and baking according to your recipe instructions.

I pressed the dough into a 9x13 baking pan that I lined with parchment.

After pre-baking the crust, I topped it with condensed milk, coconut, chocolate and walnuts for the Magic Cookie Bars.

I lined the baking pan with parchment so that the whole thing lifted out which made cutting the bars a breeze.

Bars ready to be served at tonight's David Bowie alternative liturgy.

Blueberry Custard Tart

The tart slices beautifully and shows off the thick layer of blueberries over the creamy custard base.

For a recent last minute dinner party I devised this Blueberry Custard Tart and it was a huge hit. Good thing I took notes as I literally threw it together because I definitely want to make it again.

This tart comes together really quickly so you still have plenty of time to make it for tonight's New Year's Eve celebration. It has a custard base and a fruit topping made with a full two pounds of frozen blueberries. If you don't want to use blueberries you could substitute them with just about any other berry but you might have to add a bit more sugar. Blueberries are naturally the sweetest berry. A combination of berries would also be good.

Here's the recipe:

Blueberry Custard Tart


For the berry topping:
2 lbs. of frozen blueberries
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/3 cup heavy cream

Dissolve the cornstarch in the cream and set aside. Combine the remaining ingredients in a large saucepan and heat over medium high heat until simmering. Add the cornstarch mixture and bring it back to a simmer, stirring constantly. Keep cooking until the mixture thickens.
Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

For the crust:
2 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2/3 cup vegetable shortening
pinch sea salt
1 cup cold water

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar and salt. Add the shortening and using your fingertips break in into the flour mixture until coarse crumbs form. Add the water, a bit at a time until the dough comes together into a ball. Roll the dough into a round large enough to fill a 10-inch pie pan. Crimp the edges. Bake for 15 minutes until the crust is set and par-baked. Set the crust aside and prepare the custard filling.

For the custard filling:
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs

Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the vanilla, sugar and sour cream and beat again. Finally, add the eggs one at a time and beat well after each addition.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Pour the filling into the par-baked crust and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the custard is firm and set and the crust is fully cooked and golden brown.

To assemble:
Simply spread the cooled berry topping over the custard and place the tart in the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours before serving.







 
 

Berry Galette

No special pans are needed to make this fresh tasting berry galette.

I made mine into a large rectangle but you could shape your pastry dough any way you like. A heart shaped galette would be sweet for a wedding anniversary celebration.

You can use any kind of berry you like, fresh or frozen to make this. I used a combination of frozen blackberries and raspberries.

Berry Filling
4 cups berries, frozen or fresh
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 heaping tablespoons cornstarch

Heat the berries and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Whisk together the cream and cornstarch and add it to the berry mixture. Cook the mixture, stirring constantly until it is very thick. Remove from heat and let cool for at least 30 minutes before using.

Cool the filling for 30 minutes before using.

Crust
2 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2/3 cup vegetable shortening
pinch sea salt
1 cup cold water

In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar and salt. Add the shortening and using your fingertips break in into the flour mixture until coarse crumbs form. Add the water, a bit at a time until the dough comes together into a ball.

Topping
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup flour
pinch cinnamon

In a bowl combine the sugar, flour and cinnamon. Add the butter and break it into the flour mixture using your fingertips.

To Assemble:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Begin by patting the dough into a rectangle on a floured board.

Roll the dough into a large rectangle that is about 14 x 7 inches. Place the dough on a parchment lined baking sheet and crimp the edges to form a 1-inch dam.

Add the filling.

Add the topping. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 25 to 35 minutes.

The galette is done when it's golden brown.

Rosemary Apple Tarts

These Rosemary Apple Tarts are elegant comfort food. The earthy flavor of the rosemary compliments the apples and is a pleasant and unexpected change from the usual cinnamon flavored apple dessert.

These tarts are also easy to eat. You can pick them up and eat them with your hands or serve them on a pretty plate with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Rosemary Apple Tarts
(makes 6 individual tarts)

Crust
2 cups flour
2/3 cups shortening
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
cold water

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Add the shortening and using your hands, break it up into small pea sized pieces.

Add the cold water, a few tablespoons at a time, until a soft dough forms. Try to handle the dough as little as possible.

Roll the dough on a floured board until it is about 1/4 of an inch thick. Using a cutter or a knife, cut into 6 6-inch rounds. Crimp the edges and set them on a parchment lined baking sheet.

I used a small baking pan to cut 6-inch rounds.

After crimping the edges, set the rounds on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Rosemary Sugar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
2/3 cup sugar
In a bowl, combine the sugar and rosemary. Divide the sugar into three parts.

After mixing the fresh rosemary with the sugar, divide it into three equal parts.

To assemble:
2 medium sized apples, thinly sliced with the skin still on

Toss the apples with 1/3 of the sugar and set aside.

Toss 1/3 of the sugar with your thinly sliced apples.

Evenly sprinkle each pastry round with another 1/3 of the sugar.

Sprinkle 1/3 of the sugar evenly onto the pastry rounds.

Assemble a mound of sliced apples on each pastry round, 6 to 8 slices on each.

Sprinkle the remaining 1/3 of sugar on top of the tarts.

Sprinkle the final 1/3 of the sugar evenly over the apple topped pastry rounds.

Bake in a 400 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the tarts are golden brown and the apples are soft. Immediately transfer the tarts to a cooling rack and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Note: A scoop of vanilla ice cream would take these over the top!