Monday, January 28, 2008

Lemon Meringue Tarlets



Lemon Meringue Tarlets

For the Crust:

¾ cup (180 mL) cold butter; cut into ½-inch (1.2 cm) pieces
2 cups (475 mL) all-purpose flour
¼ cup (60 mL) granulated sugar
¼ tsp (1.2 mL) salt
⅓ cup (80 mL) ice water

For the Filling:

2 cups (475 mL) water
1 cup (240 mL) granulated sugar
½ cup (120 mL) cornstarch
5 egg yolks, beaten
¼ cup (60 mL) butter
¾ cup (180 mL) fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp (15 mL) lemon zest
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract

For the Meringue:

5 egg whites, room temperature
½ tsp (2.5 mL) cream of tartar
¼ tsp (1.2 mL) salt
½ tsp (2.5 mL) vanilla extract
¾ cup (180 mL) granulated sugar

For the Crust: Make sure all ingredients are as cold as possible. Using a food processor or pastry cutter and a large bowl, combine the butter, flour, sugar and salt. Process or cut in until the mixture resembles coarse meal and begins to clump together. Sprinkle with water, let rest 30 seconds and then either process very briefly or cut in with about 15 strokes of the pastry cutter, just until the dough begins to stick together and come away from the sides of the bowl. Turn onto a lightly floured work surface and press together to form a disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 20 minutes.

To roll out tartlet dough, slice the dough into 6 pieces. On lightly floured surface, roll each circle of dough into a 5 inch disk. Stack the disks, separated by pieces of plastic wrap, on a plate, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.To bake the dough, position rack in oven to the centre of oven and preheat to 350ºF (180ºC). Place the disks of dough, evenly spaced, on a baking sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown. Cool completely.

To finish tartlets, first place oven rack in the upper third of the oven and increase heat to 425ºF.

Divide the lemon filling equally among the disks, mounding it in the centre and leaving a 1-inch border all the way around.
Spoon the meringue decoratively over each tartlet, right to the edges, in dramatic swirling peaks. Return tartlets to oven and bake for about 5 minutes, until the meringue is golden brown.

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the crust with foil and fill with metal pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and continue baking for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden. Cool completely before filling.

For the Filling: Bring the water to a boil in a large, heavy saucepan. Remove from the heat and let rest 5 minutes. Whisk the sugar and cornstarch together. Add the mixture gradually to the hot water, whisking until completely incorporated.

Return to the heat and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until the mixture comes to a boil. The mixture will be very thick. Add about 1 cup (240 mL) of the hot mixture to the beaten egg yolks, whisking until smooth. Whisking vigorously, add the warmed yolks to the pot and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in butter until incorporated. Add the lemon juice, zest and vanilla, stirring until combined. Pour into the prepared crust. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming on the surface, and cool to room temperature.

For the Meringue: Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Using an electric mixer beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar, salt and vanilla extract until soft peaks form. Add the sugar gradually, beating until it forms stiff, glossy peaks. Pile onto the cooled pie, bringing the meringue all the way over to the edge of the crust to seal it completely. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden. Cool on a rack. Serve within 6 hours to avoid a soggy crust.








I am now very hungry waiting for my next challenge, as fears had been overcome!

Big Boys Oven

Thursday, January 24, 2008

The Making of Macarons

Whisking the eggs . . . . .


Egg testing . . . . ?


Adding dry ingredients . . . !


Pipe it out babe!!!


Dressing them up!


Time to cook them . . . .


A coffee break with Illy and chit chat . . . .


Indulge some CHEESE TARTS


Lingering those CHOCOLAT MACARONS


Break is over, JENNIFER'S turn .....



YOKESZE'S turn now ......



Ahha SANDY'S turn ........



Filling time!!!



The MACARONS of the day, what a wonderful day!!!


THE ENTREMENTS

THE ISPAHAN


CHOCOLAT MACARON WITH ROASTED CHESTNUTS



A CAKE DECORATED WITH ASSORTED MACARONS


MACARON TARTS


MANDARIN TARTS to end the class of the day!

It was an enjoyable afternoon and very fruitful especially for myself and also meeting my new students.

Big Boys Oven

Monday, January 21, 2008

A Lite Cheesecake




Ingredients

A
160gm Cream cheese
25gm Soften unsalted butter
120gm Milk
4 Egg Yolk

B
40gm Cakeflour
30gm Cornflour

C
4 Egg white
1/8 tsp Cream of Tartar
100gm Sugar
a pinch of salt

Method
Preheat oven 180C
Sift ingredient B.
Whisk ingredient A, add egg yolk one by one. Add in ingredient B portionly.
Whisk egg white, add in sugar portionly, cream of tartar and salt. Whisk until firm.
Add C in to A, and gradually mix.
Place the mix in the baking tin. Sit the baking tin on a pool of water. Baked in the oven for 20-30mins.
When the cake surface turn golden in colour, it is ready, remove from the oven.
Optional - Brush kumquat syrup on the cake surface and place half cut kumquat compote as deco.

It is easy, whatever it takes you must try this recipe and you will never regret.

Big Boys Oven

Thursday, January 3, 2008

Kumquat Compote


Kumquat Compote (adapted from Hidemi Sugino's The Dessert Book) Makes about 24 halves kumquats

200g (7oz, about 12) kumquats
200g (1 cup) granulated sugar
200g (generous 3/4 cup) water

1. Wash and pat dry kumquats. Remove calyces, and cut in half horizontally; pit with a fork.
2. Bring sugar and water to a boil, and add kumquats. Cover with paper towel, and cook over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside at room temperature overnight.
3. Reheat only poaching liquid to a boil an return over to kumquats. leaving overnight. refrigerated in a container up to 1 week.

I love these kumquat compote as they can be added into your baking, ice cream and many other dessert. In coming posts I will show you what I did with this gorgeous and lovely kumquat compote.

Big Boys Oven