The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook (111 page)

Vegetable oil, for spatula

Almond Cream Filling (recipe follows)

1.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place pastry on a lightly floured work surface. Roll out to
¹
/
₈
inch thick. Cut out twelve 4½ × 2¾-inch rectangles; transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet, and prick with a fork. Brush with egg, and cover with parchment. Top with a baking sheet. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.

2.
With top sheet still in place, bake until pastry is crisp and golden, 30 to 32 minutes. Remove top sheet and parchment. Let pastry cool completely on bottom parchment on a wire rack.

3.
Meanwhile, line a rimmed baking sheet with a nonstick baking mat. Stir together sugar, salt, and ½ cup water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, without stirring, until sugar begins to melt and turn light amber, about 3 minutes. Wash down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush as needed to prevent crystals from forming. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture turns dark amber, about 8 minutes.

4.
Remove from heat; stir in almonds. Pour mixture onto prepared sheet. Using an oiled offset spatula, spread to
¹
/
₈
inch thick. Let cool completely. Transfer half of the praline to a plastic bag; using a rolling pin, gently crush into very small pieces; set aside. Break remaining praline into large pieces.

5.
Transfer the almond cream filling to a pastry bag fitted with a petal tip (such as Wilton #127). Pipe filling onto 6 pastry rectangles; sprinkle each with crushed praline. Layer with another pastry rectangle and filling. Top each with a piece of praline.

almond cream filling

MAKES ENOUGH FOR 6 NAPOLEONS

2½ cups half-and-half

2 tablespoons almond paste

1 cup sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons cornstarch

4 large egg yolks

¹
/
₈
teaspoon almond extract

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, cut into small pieces

1 cup heavy cream

1.
Bring 2 cups half-and-half, the almond paste, sugar, salt, and cornstarch to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat.

2.
Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Whisk egg yolks, almond extract, and remaining ½ cup half-and-half in a medium bowl; add one-third of the hot half-and-half mixture in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly. Pour into saucepan.

3.
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking constantly. Cook, whisking, until mixture coats the back of a spoon, 3 to 4 minutes. Pass through a fine sieve into a bowl set in ice-water bath. Stir in butter, several pieces at a time. Let cool completely, stirring occasionally.

4.
Put cream into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed just until stiff peaks form. Fold into custard.

cornmeal crêpes with fresh buttermilk cheese and blackberries

SERVES 6

for the cheese

6 cups low-fat buttermilk

4½ teaspoons confectioners’ sugar

for the crêpes

¼ cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal

¼ teaspoon baking soda

Pinch of salt and freshly grated nutmeg

1 large egg plus 1 large egg white

¼ cup skim milk

¼ cup low-fat buttermilk

1½ teaspoons honey

½ teaspoon canola oil

Vegetable oil cooking spray

3½ cups blackberries

¼ cup crème de cassis

1 teaspoon confectioners’ sugar

1.
Make the cheese: Line a large fine sieve with 3 layers of cheesecloth, and set over a large bowl. Heat buttermilk in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, without stirring, until clear liquid separates from milk at edges or a candy thermometer clipped to the edge of the pan registers 95°F. Reduce heat to low; cook until thermometer registers 100°F. Remove from heat; let stand 3 minutes. Pour into sieve; cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until thick and creamy, about 3 hours (up to overnight). Before serving, stir in confectioners’ sugar.

2.
Make the crêpes: Whisk flour, cornmeal, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg in a bowl. Whisk egg, egg white, milk, buttermilk, honey, and oil in another bowl; gradually add to flour mixture, whisking until smooth. Transfer to an airtight container; refrigerate 30 minutes.

3.
Coat an 8-inch crêpe pan with cooking spray; heat over medium heat. Remove from heat; pour in 2½ tablespoons batter, swirling to coat. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, flipping once, until edges are golden and center is dry, 45 to 60 seconds per side. Repeat with remaining batter.

4.
Toss together berries and cassis. Let stand 15 minutes, tossing often. To serve, divide crêpes among plates. Spread each with ¼ cup cheese. Sprinkle with berries; drizzle with juice from bowl. Dust with sugar.

FIT TO EAT RECIPE
PER SERVING: 231 CALORIES, 4 G FAT, 46 MG CHOLESTEROL, 35 G CARBOHYDRATE, 372 MG SODIUM, 12 G PROTEIN, 5 G FIBER

apple strudel

SERVES 4

1 cup dried bread crumbs

¾ cup grated peeled red apple (1 to 2 apples)

½ cup golden raisins

¼ cup pitted prunes, coarsely chopped

¼ cup honey

2 tablespoons Armagnac or other good-quality brandy

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more for sprinkling

½ teaspoon coarse salt

5 sheets phyllo dough (at least 11 × 14 inches), thawed if frozen

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Confectioners’ sugar and whipped cream, for serving

1.
Preheat the oven to 375°F with rack in upper third. Gently stir together bread crumbs, apple, raisins, prunes, honey, brandy, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. Set filling aside.

2.
Brush a sheet of phyllo with butter. Top with 2 sheets, and brush with butter; repeat. Spread with filling. Starting at a short end, roll to enclose filling. Transfer, seam side down, to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

3.
Bake until golden brown, about 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; cool 15 minutes. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar; serve with whipped cream.

cookies
AND
candy

hermit bars with brown sugar icing and candied ginger

MAKES ABOUT 36 TWO-INCH SQUARES

These spice-laden cookies originated in colonial New England; the candied ginger is our own addition. As the name implies, the bars are best after being hidden away for a day or two, so the flavors have a chance to deepen.

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for the pan, room temperature

1¾ cups all-purpose flour

¾ teaspoon baking powder

¾ teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Pinch of ground cloves

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1¼ cups packed dark-brown sugar

1 large whole egg

1 large egg yolk

¼ cup molasses

1 cup (about 5 ounces) chopped candied ginger, cut into ¼-inch pieces

¾ cup raisins

Brown Sugar Icing (recipe follows)

1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 10 × 15-inch baking pan, and line the bottom with parchment paper. Butter the parchment, and set the pan aside. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl; set aside.

2.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium speed until smooth. Add the sugar; beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, yolk, and molasses.

3.
Add the flour mixture; beat on low speed until combined. Add ½ cup candied ginger and the raisins; beat until combined.

4.
Spread the dough into the prepared pan in an even layer, and bake until firm to the touch, 18 to 22 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Remove from the oven; let cool completely in the pan before icing.

5.
Drizzle with icing, and then sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup candied ginger. Let stand until icing has set, about 15 minutes. Serve cut into squares.

brown sugar icing

MAKES ¾ CUP

¼ cup packed light brown sugar

2 tablespoons milk, plus more as needed

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar, plus more as needed

Combine the brown sugar, milk, and butter in a medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat; whisk in the vanilla and confectioners’ sugar. If the icing is too thick to drizzle, stir in a little more milk. If it is too thin, add a little more confectioners’ sugar. Let cool slightly before using.

amaretti crisps

MAKES 20

To achieve the greatest volume, whisk the egg whites in a metal bowl set over a pot of simmering water until just warm to the touch.

1¾ cups sliced almonds (about 7 ounces)

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

2 large egg whites

½ teaspoon pure almond extract

1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the almonds in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, and toast in the oven until lightly browned and fragrant, 7 to 9 minutes. Remove from the oven; let cool.

2.
Combine the almonds and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, and grind to a fine powder. Transfer to a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the almond mixture; fold in the almond extract.

3.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Transfer the almond mixture to a pastry bag fitted with a ½-inch plain tip. Pipe 20 2-inch rings onto the prepared sheet, about 1 inch apart. Bake until golden brown and firm to the touch, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven, and immediately transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

citrus cookies

MAKES ABOUT 72

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest

Colored sanding sugar, for decorating

1.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the egg, zest, and flour mixture. Divide the dough in half; wrap in plastic. Freeze until firm, 20 minutes.

2.
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Unwrap one half on a lightly floured surface. Let stand 10 minutes. Roll out to ¼ inch thick. Cut out circles with a 2-inch round cookie cutter. Transfer the cookies to parchment-lined baking sheets. Roll out the scraps; cut out circles. Repeat with the remaining dough.

3.
Lightly press one end of a clean 1½-inch spool onto the surface of each cookie. Refrigerate the dough on the sheets 10 minutes.

4.
Sprinkle sanding sugar into the imprint on the cookies; brush off excess. Bake until golden, about 14 minutes. Cool on the sheets set on wire racks. Store airtight up to 1 week.

mixed fruit and nut cookies

MAKES ABOUT 36

2¼ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup packed light-brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1½ cups sweetened shredded coconut

1½ cups chopped dried apricots

1½ cups dried cherries

1½ cups sliced blanched almonds

1½ cups chopped pistachios

1.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, and set aside. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.

2.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium speed until smooth. Add the sugars, and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time until combined; beat in the vanilla.

3.
Add the flour mixture; beat on low speed until combined. Add the coconut, apricots, cherries, almonds, and pistachios; beat until combined.

4.
Drop the batter, 2 heaping tablespoons at a time, onto the prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. Remove from the oven, and transfer cookies on the parchment-paper lining to a wire rack to cool completely.

cashew-caramel cookies

MAKES ABOUT 36

1
²
/
₃
cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

2½ cups roasted, salted cashews

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon canola oil

1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened

¾ cup packed light-brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

24 soft caramel candy cubes (7 ounces)

¼ cup heavy cream

1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Sift the flour and salt together. Coarsely chop 1 cup cashews; set aside. Process the remaining 1½ cups cashews in a food processor until finely chopped. Pour in the oil. Process until creamy, about 2 minutes.

2.
Put the cashew mixture, butter, and sugars in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in the egg and vanilla. Reduce speed to low; gradually add the flour mixture. Mix in the reserved chopped cashews.

3.
Shape the dough into 1½-inch balls; space 2 inches apart on 2 parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake 6 minutes; gently flatten with a spatula. Bake until the bottoms are just golden, 6 to 7 minutes more. Transfer sheets to wire racks; let cool completely.

4.
Melt the caramels with the cream in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring. Let cool. Using a spoon, drizzle the caramel over the cookies; let set. Store airtight in single layers.

cornmeal-thyme cookies

MAKES ABOUT 36

These herb-flecked cookies are at once sweet and savory, making them perfect in the afternoon, with a cup of Earl Grey tea. They can also be served after dinner as a light dessert.

1¾ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup stone-ground yellow cornmeal

½ teaspoon salt

8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1¼ cups sugar

2 large eggs

¾ cup dried currants

1 tablespoon plus ½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme

1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F with racks in the upper and lower thirds. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, cornmeal, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.

2.
Put the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; cream on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in the eggs, 1 at a time. Add the flour mixture; mix on low speed until just combined. Mix in the currants and thyme.

3.
Using a tablespoon or a 1½-inch ice-cream scoop, drop rounded balls of dough onto the lined sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. Bake, rotating and switching the positions of the sheets about halfway through, until pale golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer the cookies, on the parchment, to a wire rack. Let cool completely.

peanut butter–chocolate chip oatmeal cookies

MAKES ABOUT 72

This recipe calls for natural peanut butter, which has less sugar than regular and gives the cookies a richer peanut flavor.

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

¹
/
₃
cup whole-wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup packed light-brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

½ cup natural peanut butter

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups salted peanuts

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, stir together the oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

2.
Put the brown and granulated sugars, the butter, and the peanut butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Mix in the eggs and vanilla, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

3.
Reduce speed to low. Add the oat mixture, and mix until just combined. Mix in the peanuts and chocolate chips.

4.
Using a small (1½-tablespoon) ice-cream scoop, make balls of dough, and place them 2 inches apart on parchment-paper–lined baking sheets.

5.
Bake until the cookies are golden and just set, 13 to 15 minutes. Let cool on the sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

iced oatmeal cookies with golden raisins and applesauce

MAKES ABOUT 30

1 cup packed light-brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 large egg

½ cup chunky-style applesauce

1½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1¼ cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup golden raisins

1¾ cups confectioners’ sugar

3 tablespoons pure maple syrup

1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Put the brown and granulated sugars and the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until combined. Add the egg and applesauce; mix until well combined, 2 to 3 minutes; scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add the oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; mix until well combined. Mix in the raisins.

2.
Using a small (1½-tablespoon) ice-cream scoop, make balls of dough, and place them 2 inches apart on parchment-paper–lined baking sheets.