The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook (138 page)

2.
Transfer the panade to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and mix on low speed, about 2 minutes, until slightly cooled. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, on medium speed, letting each incorporate completely before adding the next. Add the last egg a little at a time until the batter is smooth and shiny. Test the batter by touching it with your finger and lifting to form a string. If a string does not form, the batter needs more egg. If you have added all the egg and the batter still doesn’t form a string, add water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until it does.

3.
The batter may be used immediately or stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. To use chilled, remove from the refrigerator, and stir to soften before filling piping bag.

puff pastry

MAKES 2¾ POUNDS PUFF PASTRY, OR ENOUGH FOR 16 TURNOVERS

This pastry dough may be made in advance and frozen after the fourth turn for up to 2 months. The final two turns should be completed immediately before using.

2¾ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cake flour (not self-rising)

1 teaspoon salt

1 pound (4 sticks) very cold unsalted butter

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1.
Combine 2½ cups all-purpose flour and the cake flour and salt in a medium bowl. Cut 1 stick butter into small pieces. Add with the lemon juice to the flour mixture; cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or 2 knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Gradually mix in up to 1 cup ice water, until the dough just comes together. Pat the dough into a 6-inch square; wrap in plastic. Chill 30 minutes.

2.
Cut the remaining 3 sticks butter into bits. Sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup flour; mix together by rubbing against a cold work surface with the heel of your hand. Form into a 5½-inch square; wrap in plastic. Chill 15 minutes.

3.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a 6 × 18-inch rectangle with the short side facing you; place the chilled butter mixture in the center. Fold the top third of the dough over the butter mixture, and the bottom third of the dough over the top third. Seal the edges by pressing the dough with your fingers.

4.
Turn the dough packet over so the overlapped section is on the bottom. Roll into a 6 × 18-inch rectangle (do not allow the butter to come through the dough). Fold in thirds, as before. Rotate 90 degrees (one quarter-turn); roll again into a 6 × 18-inch rectangle; fold in thirds. Press 2 fingers into the dough to indicate the completion of 2 turns. Wrap in plastic; chill 30 minutes.

5.
Repeat the rolling-out process in step 4, rotating the dough 90 degrees before beginning. Mark with 4 fingers, signifying the completion of 4 turns; chill 30 minutes. The dough may be wrapped and frozen at this point.

6.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator (if dough has been frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator). Give the dough its final 2 turns by repeating the rolling-out process in step 4, again rotating it 90 degrees, before rolling it out. The dough should be used immediately after the sixth turn is completed.

pâte sablée

MAKES TWO 8- TO 11-INCH TARTS

8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

¾ cup confectioners’ sugar

4½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

Put the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes; mix in the vanilla. Add the flour and the salt, and mix on medium-low speed until just combined and crumbly, about 15 seconds (do not overmix). Pat the dough into a disk, and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 2 days, or freeze up to 1 month.

quick puff pastry

MAKES 2 POUNDS

1¾ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)

1 teaspoon salt

1 pound (4 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 to 1¼ cups ice water

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1.
Sift together the all-purpose flour, cake flour, and salt into a large chilled bowl. Cut in the pieces of butter using a pastry knife until the butter is in very small lumps, about ½ inch in diameter.

2.
Combine the ice water and the lemon juice, and stir into the flour mixture, a little at a time, pressing the dough together with your hands until it comes together.

3.
Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface, and roll it into a ½-inch-thick rough rectangle, approximately 12 × 18 inches. The dough will be very crumbly. Fold the bottom of the rectangle toward the center, then the top of the rectangle toward the center, overlapping the bottom third, like a letter, and give the dough a quarter-turn to the right. Roll the dough into a large rectangle, ½ inch thick, and fold into thirds again. This completes the first double turn. Using a dry pastry brush, brush any excess flour from the dough.

3.
Repeat the rolling, folding, and turning process 2 more times to execute another double turn, refrigerating the dough for a few minutes if the butter becomes too warm. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, and put in refrigerator to chill for 1 hour.

4.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Repeat the rolling, folding, and turning process again to execute 1 more double turn. There will be 6 turns in all. The dough needs to be rolled out to a ½-inch-thick rectangle each time. With each turn, the dough will become smoother and easier to handle. Store the dough, wrapped well in plastic, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months (thaw in the refrigerator).

DESSERT BASICS

almond frangipane

MAKES 2 CUPS

Frangipane, an almond-flovored paste, is a classic filling for tarts, such as the Sugar Plum Tart on Pies and Tarts.

1 cup whole blanched almonds, toasted and cooled

½ cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk, room temperature

2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

½ vanilla bean, halved lengthwise and seeds scraped

¼ teaspoon salt

1.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Finely grind the nuts with 3 tablespoons sugar in a food processor.

2.
Put the butter and remaining ½ cup sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; cream on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and yolk; mix 2 minutes. Add the nut mixture, flour, vanilla seeds, and salt; mix on medium-high until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

3.
Refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use, up to 3 days.

pastry cream

MAKES ABOUT 4 CUPS

Be sure to make the pastry cream on the same day you plan to use it; otherwise, it has a tendency to become thin and runny.

¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon cornstarch

¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

½ teaspoon salt

3 large eggs

4 cups milk

2 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1.
Prepare an ice-water bath, and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the cornstarch, flour, ½ cup sugar, and salt; stir to mix. In another medium bowl, whisk the eggs until smooth. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture, and whisk to combine.

2.
In a medium saucepan, combine the milk and remaining ½ cup sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat; whisking constantly, slowly pour into the egg mixture.

3.
Transfer the mixture to a clean saucepan set over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 3 minutes.

4.
Transfer the mixture to a large heatproof bowl. Whisk in the butter and vanilla; set the bowl in the ice bath, stirring occasionally, until completely chilled, 10 to 12 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface of the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

lemon curd

MAKES 1½ CUPS

In addition to using this curd in other recipes, it is delicious on its own or as a spread for scones or shortbread.

6 large egg yolks

¾ cup sugar

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

½ cup fresh lemon juice

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1.
Combine the yolks, sugar, and lemon zest and juice in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon, 8 to 10 minutes.

2.
Pass the mixture through a fine sieve into a medium bowl. Add the butter, 1 piece at a time, stirring after each addition, until the butter is melted and combined.

3.
Cover with plastic wrap, pressing directly onto the surface of the lemon curd to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until firm and thoroughly chilled, at least 1 hour.

CARAMEL SAUCE TWO WAYS

Making caramel is actually quite simple. To make this sweet elixir at home, you can use one of two methods: dry or wet. The dry method includes placing the sugar directly in the pan and heating it until the sugar turns into a liquid and darkens. This method requires constant stirring, or the sugar can go from just melted to burned in an instant. The wet method is safer for those new to caramel-making. Sugar is combined with a liquid (usually water) and heated until the sugar dissolves. The risk of this method is recrystallization, which occurs when undissolved crystals of sugar are reintroduced to the sugar syrup (usually in the form of stray sugar crystals that have adhered to the side of the pan or a stirring utensil). To avoid this, it is important not to stir the mixture once it is fully dissolved but rather to swirl it in the pan and brush down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush. The caramel sauce may be kept, refrigerated in an airtight container, up to 1 week. Let the sauce return to room temperature before using; it may be gently warmed over very low heat in a small saucepan.