Apricot Almond Cake

Cake or cupcake, make this recipe. 
Soon. 

{Apricot Almond Cake}

Ingredients: 

3/4 cup sugar

 7 oz. almond paste

1 cup butter, room temperature

 5 eggs

1 + 1⁄2 tsp. vanilla

3 Tbs. syrup from apricots

 1/2 cup flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1⁄4 tsp. salt

6-8 Organic Artisan preserved Apricots 
1 cup whipping cream




Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 

In food processor sugar and almond paste until finely ground. Add butter, eggs, vanilla and syrup and mix until incorporated. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt and sift into the batter mixture until smooth. 

Pour into buttered and floured springform pan or muffin tins half way.  Place cut halves of stone fruit.  Top with batter. Finish with sliced halves of stone fruit. 

Sprinkle vanilla almond sugar.

If making as a cake, bake for 45 minutes to one hour.  If baking in muffin tins, bake for 20-30 minutes.  Cake is done if toothpick is dry when inserted.





Serve with whipped cream. 

Buon appetito! copyright 2012 Alisa Barry

Fresh Berry Polenta Tart

 

This recipe was originally created by one of my fellow students in culinary school.  It was  {and often still is} made with fresh summer peaches and nectarines, but can be made with poached pears or apples, pitted plums or apricots.  

The unusual part of this recipe is not the filling, but the tart dough. It's made with Italian polenta, or coarse cornmeal, which gives it a crunchy texture and toothy bite, not to mention a deliciously sweet corn flavor. 

While shopping at the farmer's market one Saturday this summer, I came upon two beautiful cardboard pint cartons of dewberries and blueberries and I just knew I had found 

another new filling for this unusual tart. 

{Polenta Crostata}  

Filling: 

1 pint each of fresh dewberries and blueberries

{about 3-4 cups of fruit} 

1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour

½ cup cane sugar

Tart  dough:

1 stick plus 2 ½ Tablespoons butter

¾ cup  cane sugar

3 egg yolks

1 ¼ cup flour

¾ cup Italian polenta or cornmeal

Cream the butter and sugar in a mixer using the paddle attachment.  May also be done by hand with a woodern spoon or food processor.  Add the yolks one at a time, mixing completely after the addition of each yolk.  Sift the cornmeal, flour, and salt.  Slowly add to the mixture on slow speed.  When mixture just comes together, remove from mixer and turn out on a lightly floured surface.  Knead until smooth and in a ball shape.

Cut ball of dough in half.  Wrap one half of the dough in plastic wrap, press into a disc shape and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes to an hour,  Roll out other half of dough into an 11 inch circle, then transfer to a buttered 8 ½ inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Press in the dough making sure bottom and side edges are even.  Sprinkle one teaspoon of polenta on bottom of shell to absorb any liquid from the fruit.  Bake for 5-7 minutes.  Brush bottom with glaze.  Top with the fruit filling.

On a lightly floured surface roll out remaining half of dough so that it is large enough to cover tart shell.  It is important that surface and rolling pin be floured ro avoid the dough from sticking, and thus breaking.            

Either fold the dough in half and place over tart shell, pressing and trimming edges, or cut-out shapes (such as hearts) and place on tart in a circular pattern, pressing at the edges.

Make an egg wash for the tart by lightly mixing 1 Tablespoon cream and 1 egg yolk in a small bowl.  Lightly brush on tart crust and edges.  Bake at 375 degrees until bubbly and golden brown, about 40-50 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Cook's Note: 

If making with peaches or nectarines, here is the recipe for the filling......

3 lb.   ripe peaches

3 Tbs. flour

½ teaspoon ground cloves

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ cup sugar

Buon appetito! copyright 2010 Alisa Barry

Blueberry Crostata with Meyer Lemon Cream

Fresh berries are synonymous with summertime at my house. I can find a thousand ways to eat fresh berries. savory. sweet. scrumptious.

I am a savory girl and desserts are not really what I live for. And, when its berry time, I have my simple tried and true repetoire of desserts that are easy to make and hard to mess up.

Chez Panisse Desserts has always been my cookbook bible. Not being a baker, this is an easy-to-make recipe cookbook that always delivers on delicious.

And, my new seasonal favorite, Chez Panisse Fruit . Whatever fruit is in season, you will love the simple, fresh recipes it suggests. {Try the peach and polenta tart-one of my summer staple favorites!}

and then there is the classic Italian dessert favorite, The Italian Baker by Carole Field. From the early days of culinary school, this was my favorite go-to book. Like the Italians, I am not a big fan of too much sweet, but I do like to finish a meal with something good.
A nice crusty crostata made with fresh blueberries and Meyer Lemon Cream will do nicely for the summertime. simple. easy to make. easy to eat. gone. done. finished. yum!

But don't take my word for it. Try this recipe.

PS: don't tell. but I cheated. Pre-rolled pastry tart dough. easy. easy. easy. In case you really do cook, I have included an excellent crostata dough recipe. {find it in your specialty grocer or bakery's freezer section}

BLUEBERRY CROSTATA WITH MEYER LEMON CREAM

For the crostata tart dough:

2 cups Unbleached all-purpose Flour
⅜ teaspoon Salt
⅛ teaspoon Sugar
5 tablespoons Cold salted butter
6½ tablespoon Cold unsalted butter
3 tablespoons Vegetable shortening
3 tablespoons Ice water -- plus
1 teaspoon Ice water

This is a good basic pie crust recipe from Lindsey Shere at Chez Panisse. It is flaky and has a good butter flavor. MIX THE FLOUR, SALT AND SUGAR in a bowl. Cut the salted butter in pieces 1/3-inch thick and quickly cut them into the flour mixture until it is the texture of cornmeal. You can do this with a pastry blender, with your hands by rubbing quickly and lightly Cut in the unsalted butter and the vegetable shortening until they are in larger pieces, about 1/8- to 1/4-inch in diameter. This helps to make the dough flaky. Sprinkle in the 3 tablespoons ice water, tossing the dough lightly with a fork to moisten it e During this time, the enzymes in the flour will mellow the gluten to permit the water to be absorbed completely; this conditioning will help to prevent shrinkage and toughness later. Makes enough for two 9-inch pie shells. DEBORAH MADISON - PRODIGY GUEST CHEFS COOKBOOK

For the crostata filling:

1 cup Meyer Lemon Cream
1 pint fresh blueberries, or other fruit in season
1 Tablespoon organic sugar
1/2 + 1 Tablespoon heavy whipping cream
1 egg yolk

To assemble the crostata:

Roll out the dough into a 1/8 inch thick round. Place on a parchment or Silpat lined baking sheet . Leaving about a 2 inch border on the crust, spread 1/2 cup cream evenly on the bottom of the tart dough. Place the berries on top of the cream. Starting on one side, roll the sides of the dough over and over, tucking under the dough at the end.


Brush the edges of the crostata dough lightly with a mixture of lightly beaten egg yolk and 1 Tablespoon cream.
Sprinkle the sugar over the berries and on the edges of the crust.

Bake for 12-20 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the berries are just beginning to bubble.

serve with Meyer lemon whipped cream {1/2 cup meyer lemon cream and 1/2 cup cream whipped by hand or mixer}.

buon appetito!



Buon appetito!
copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

Chocolate Olive Oil Cake with Mascarpone Icing

This recipe is an unusual twist to the traditional chocolate cake. The olive oil adds the moist texture and the chocolate hazelnut sauce adds a distinct Italian flavor to this sweet dessert. A great recipe for chocoholics or anyone who loves an easy to bake, delicious cake.

CHOCOLATE OLIVE OIL CAKE

1-1/2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup sugar
6 whole eggs, seperate yolks from whites
1/2 cup chocolate hazelnut spread
1/4 cup espresso or strong coffee
cocoa powder for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Butter an 8 inch springform or rectangular baking pan; line with parchment; coat with flour, shaking off excess. {if leaving in the pan, you can omit this step}.

In a large bowl, mix flour, baking soda, and olive oil until well-combined. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 1/2 cup of the sugar with the egg yolks until thick and light in color.
Add the coffee and mix until just incorporated. Fold into the flour mixture, adding the chocolate hazelnut spread until combined.




Whip egg whites until stiff, adding remaining sugar one Tablespoon at a time. Gently fold egg whites into the chocolate mixture until just smooth. Some streaks of egg whites may remain but will melt into mixture when baked.
Pour the batter into pan; bake 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of cake comes out clean.





MASCARPONE ICING

4 ounces mascarpone cheese
2 cups confectioner's sugar
1/2 cup milk

With an electric mixer or whisk, combine all ingredients until sugar is incorporated and mixture is smooth.


Buon appetito!
copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

Meyer Lemon Cream Pasta with Shelled Sweet Peas

farmer joe smiling for the camera. doesn't he clean up nice!

Sweet spring peas are in season and we are spreading the love......LOVE IS LOVE farm was our featured producer at our Artisan Thursday evening festa and we were highlighting what's in season.
It poured all night, and that gave us a great excuse to stay and linger over some wonderful wine, pasta and tiramisu.


farmer judith and guest enjoying a night out with good food from the farm.


The featured recipes were adapted from La Bella Vita and prepared by our in-house chef extraordinaire, Ms. Lala Cochran.
Meyer Lemon Cream Pasta with Shelled Sweet Peas.
and, Nocciola Tiramisu layered with thin slices of sweet, ripe just picked strawberries.
Wine selections from Murphy's were the carefully picked to pair perfectly with our dishes. Thanks Tom & Brian. You guys rock!


MEYER LEMON CREAM PASTA WITH SHELLED SWEET PEAS

1 pound fresh sweet peas, shelled
1 pound pasta {use a high quality durum wheat dry pasta or a freshly made egg yolk pasta}
1 cup Meyer Lemon spread {or lemon curd}
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

In a large pot, bring 4 quarts salted water to a boil.
Add the shelled peas and cook until tender, about 1-2 minutes.
Ladle the peas out of the water and set aside until ready to use.

Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente {about 10 minutes for dry pasta or 2-3 minutes for fresh}
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix together the lemon cream, mascarpone, oil, salt, and pepper until smooth. When the pasta is cooked, drain and add to the bowl with the lemon cream mixture. Toss with the sweet peas and serve, topped with a generous shaving of cheese.

serves four








Buon appetito!
copyright 2009 Alisa Barry