The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook (98 page)

4.
Bake until a knife inserted in one of the vents comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack; let cool completely. Remove ring before serving. The pie can be stored, covered, overnight.

mini cranberry meringue pies

MAKES 12

If you can’t find blood oranges, use regular ones.

All-purpose flour, for work surface

1 disk Pâte Sucrée Citrus Variation (Basics)

3¼ cups fresh cranberries (12 ounces)

1½ cups sugar

1½ teaspoons finely chopped lemon zest

1 teaspoon finely chopped blood orange zest, plus ¼ cup blood orange juice

¼ teaspoon salt

¹
/
₈
teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of ground cloves

3 tablespoons cornstarch

3 large egg whites

Pinch of cream of tartar

1.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to
¹
/
₈
inch thick. Cut out 4
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/
₈
-inch fluted rounds, and fit into cups of a standard 12-cup muffin tin (not nonstick). Pierce bottoms with tines of a fork. Freeze 15 minutes.

2.
Line each shell with parchment paper, and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake 15 minutes. Remove weights and parchment. Return to oven; bake until bottoms are just turning golden, 5 minutes more. Transfer to wire racks; let cool 5 minutes. Remove shells from the tin; let cool completely.

3.
Bring 2 cups cranberries, 1 cup sugar, and 1½ cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat, and simmer mixture, stirring occasionally, until cranberries have burst, about 5 minutes. Pour through a coarse sieve, then a fine sieve; discard solids. (You should have about 1¾ cups; if you have less, add water.)

4.
Bring strained cranberry juice, ¼ cup sugar, the zests, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and remaining 1¼ cups cranberries to a boil in a medium saucepan, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat; simmer, stirring occasionally, until cranberries are soft but have not burst, about 3 minutes.

5.
Meanwhile, stir cornstarch, blood orange juice, and ¼ cup water in a bowl; whisk into cranberry mixture. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook, stirring, until translucent, about 1 minute. Divide among prepared shells. Refrigerate until set, about 1 hour (up to overnight).

6.
Preheat the broiler. Put egg whites and remaining ¼ cup sugar into the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer set over a pan of simmering water; whisk until sugar has dissolved and mixture is hot to the touch. Attach to mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; beat on medium speed until foamy. Raise speed to high. Add cream of tartar; beat until medium, glossy peaks form. Divide the meringue evenly among pies.

7.
Set pies under broiler until tops are browned, 30 seconds to 1 minute.

pear–sour cherry flat pie

MAKES ONE 7½
×
10-INCH
DOUBLE-CRUST PIE

All-purpose flour, for work surface

14 ounces best-quality frozen puff pastry (such as Dufour), thawed

3 small or 2 medium Bartlett pears (about 1 pound 2 ounces), peeled, halved, cored, and cut into ¼-inch slices

2 ounces dried sour cherries

¹
/
₃
cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling

4 teaspoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Five-spice powder

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. On a lightly floured surface, unfold the dough, and roll out to 10 × 15 inches. Cut into two 7½ × 10-inch rectangles. Place on baking sheets; refrigerate until cold.

2.
Stir pears, cherries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and
¹
/
₈
teaspoon each of salt, pepper, and spice powder in a bowl.

3.
Transfer 1 rectangle of dough to a baking sheet lined with parchment. Spoon fruit mixture onto dough, leaving a 1-inch border all around. Brush border with beaten egg. Lay remaining dough over filling; press gently to seal. Refrigerate 20 minutes. Transfer to a room-temperature rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment.

4.
Trim edges, and brush top with beaten egg. Cut five 5-inch vents in top. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake, rotating once, until crust is golden and juices are bubbling, about 35 minutes. Transfer the pie to a wire rack; let cool 20 minutes before serving.

yogurt-plum pie

MAKES ONE 9-INCH PIE

Graham Crust (recipe follows)

2 cups whole-milk Greek yogurt

½ vanilla bean, seeds scraped and reserved

½ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted

4 large egg yolks

1 cup sugar

¼ cup all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup Plum-Vanilla Jam (recipe follows) or best-quality store-bought plum jam

1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Press crust mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Freeze 15 minutes. Cover edge with foil. Bake until beginning to dry out, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely. (Leave oven on.)

2.
Stir yogurt, vanilla seeds, and zest in a bowl. Stir in butter and yolks. Stir sugar, flour, and salt in a bowl; stir into yogurt mixture until smooth. Pour into crust.

3.
Bake, with foil covering edge of crust, until just set in center, 45 to 55 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool 1 hour. Spread jam over center of pie. Refrigerate at least 3 hours (up to overnight).

graham crust

MAKES ENOUGH FOR ONE
9- OR 10-INCH PIE

²
/
₃
cup all-purpose flour

¹
/
₃
cup whole-wheat flour

3 tablespoons wheat germ

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

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/
₃
cup packed light-brown sugar

Pulse the flours, wheat germ, salt, and cinnamon in a food processor to combine. Add the butter and sugar; process until dough just holds together. Use immediately.

plum-vanilla jam

MAKES 1¾ CUPS

1½ pounds red plums, halved, pitted, and coarsely chopped

1½ cups sugar

3 strips (2½ inches) lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Pinch of salt

½ vanilla bean, seeds scraped and reserved

Bring all ingredients to a boil in a large stockpot, mashing with a potato masher. Cook, stirring frequently, until mixture is the consistency of very thick honey, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove plum skin if desired. Discard vanilla bean and zest. Do not strain; jam should be chunky. Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 1 month.

pithiviers

MAKES ONE 9-INCH TART

This classic tart, essentially a frangipane filling enclosed between two layers of puff pastry, is named for the French town in which it was created. We recommend using an insulated baking sheet instead of a regular baking sheet to prevent the bottom of the pastry from getting too browned during baking.

²
/
₃
cup whole blanched almonds

½ cup sugar

3 large egg yolks

3 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces

2 tablespoons light rum

All-purpose flour, for work surface

1 pound Puff Pastry dough (Basics), or best-quality frozen puff pastry (such as Dufour), thawed

1 tablespoon heavy cream

1.
Make the frangipane: In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, process the almonds and sugar until the mixture is very fine crumbs. With the machine running, add 2 egg yolks, butter, and rum; continue processing until the mixture is smooth and combined.

2.
On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pastry dough into a rectangle at least 9¼ × 18½ inches and about
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/
₈
inch thick. Using a 9-inch round cake pan as a guide, cut out 2 9-inch rounds.

3.
In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining egg yolk and cream for the egg wash. Place 1 round on a baking sheet, and spread the almond mixture on top, leaving a 1-inch border all around; brush the border with egg wash. Using an aspic or cookie cutter, cut a ½-inch hole in the center of the remaining round; place the cut round on top of the other round, pressing lightly around the filling to seal the rounds together. Place in the refrigerator 1 hour.

4.
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Remove the tart from the refrigerator; using a small paring knife, score the top by making curved lines from the center to the edges, like a pinwheel. Brush the top of the tart with the egg wash, being careful not to let any excess drip over the cut edge of dough, as it will inhibit proper rising. Return to the refrigerator to chill again, if needed.

5.
Place the baking sheet in the oven, and bake 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 375°F; loosely cover the tart with aluminum foil, and continue baking 30 minutes more.

6.
Transfer to a wire rack, and let sit 20 minutes. Remove the tart from the pan by sliding it onto a serving platter. Serve warm or at room temperature, cut into wedges.

pumpkin-pecan pie

MAKES ONE 9-INCH PIE

1 disk Martha’s Perfect Pâte Briseé (Basics)

1 15½-ounce can pumpkin puree

¾ cup granulated sugar

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

3 large eggs

¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream

½ cup milk

¼ cup bourbon

²
/
₃
cup packed dark-brown sugar

3 tablespoons melted butter

1 cup coarsely chopped pecans, plus halves for garnish

Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, for serving (optional)

1.
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Remove the dough from the refrigerator, and place it between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Roll out to a 12-inch round. Remove and discard the plastic, and fit the dough into a 9-inch Pyrex or ceramic pie plate; trim the dough evenly along the outside edge, leaving about a ½-inch overhang all around. Crimp the edge, as desired. Prick the bottom of the dough all over with a fork. Place in the freezer until firm, about 15 minutes.

2.
Remove from the freezer, and line with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Fill with pie weights or dried beans, and bake until the edge are starting to turn golden, about 15 minutes. Remove the paper and weights, and continue baking until the center is lightly browned, about 5 minutes more. Remove from the oven. Reduce the oven heat to 350°F.

3.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, salt, ginger, nutmeg, eggs, ¾ cup cream, milk, and bourbon; whisk until well combined.

4.
Fill the prepared pie shell with the pumpkin mixture, and return to the oven. Bake until the filling is set around the edges but still slightly soft in the center, about 55 minutes. Remove from the oven; let cool. The filling will continue to firm as it cools.

5.
Heat the broiler. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, melted butter, remaining tablespoon cream, and chopped pecans. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the top of the pie. Arrange the pecan halves on top, in a circle near the edge.

6.
Place the pie under the broiler just until the topping begins to bubble, being careful not to let the nuts burn. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream, as desired.

crisp coconut and chocolate pie

MAKES ONE 8-INCH PIE

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

11 ounces sweetened shredded coconut (about 6 cups)

8 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

1¼ cups heavy cream

1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the butter and one-third of the coconut in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Process until the mixture forms a ball, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. Sprinkle the remaining coconut over the mixture, and combine with your fingers.

2.
Place an 8-inch tart pan with a removable bottom on a baking sheet. Press the coconut mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the pan to form a crust, leaving the top edge loose and fluffy. Place a ring of aluminum foil over the edges to prevent burning. Bake until the center begins to brown, 10 to 15 minutes; remove the foil, and cook until the edges are browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

3.
Place the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. Bring the cream just to a boil in a small saucepan, and pour over the chocolate. Let sit 10 minutes, and stir until the chocolate is melted and combined. Let cool, and pour into the coconut crust. Cover with plastic wrap, and transfer to the refrigerator until the filling is set, at least 1 hour. Cut into wedges, and serve.

plum galette

MAKES ONE 16
×
18-INCH GALETTE

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, plus more for the work surface

Galette Pâte Brisée (recipe follows)