The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook (84 page)

2.
Whisk together the egg, milk, vanilla, and remaining 4 tablespoons butter in another medium bowl. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture; stir to combine. Spread the batter evenly into the buttered pan.

3.
Toss the plums, nectarines, lemon juice, remaining ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, and a pinch of salt in a large bowl. Spread the fruit mixture evenly over the batter. Sprinkle with the topping. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack 1 hour before serving.

sour cherry–pistachio crisp

SERVES 8

1¾ pounds pitted fresh or frozen sour cherries

½ cup chopped unsalted pistachios

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

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cup old-fashioned rolled oats

¼ teaspoon baking powder

Salt

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

3 tablespoons packed light-brown sugar

¾ cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons cornstarch

Pinch of ground cinnamon

1.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. If using frozen cherries, spread them in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Let stand at room temperature until cherries have thawed almost completely but still hold their shape, about 30 minutes. Drain off any accumulated liquid.

2.
Whisk together the pistachios, flour, oats, baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a medium bowl; set aside. Put the butter, brown sugar, and ¼ cup granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until creamy.

3.
Stir the pistachio mixture into the butter mixture until just combined. Work the mixture through your fingers until it forms coarse crumbs ranging in size from small peas to gumballs; set the topping aside.

4.
Stir together the cherries, remaining ½ cup granulated sugar, the cornstarch, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Transfer the cherry mixture to an 8-inch-square baking dish. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the cherry mixture. Bake until the topping turns golden and the juices are bubbling, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Let cool on a wire rack 1 hour before serving.

PITTING CHERRIES

To pit a cherry and keep the stem intact, reach for a clean paperclip. Unfold the clip at its center; depending on the size of the cherry, insert either the large or the small end of the paper clip through the bottom of the cherry. Loosen the pit and pull it out.

apricot-almond cobbler

SERVES 8

½ cup whole raw almonds

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1½ teaspoons baking powder

Salt

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

½ cup whole milk, room temperature

1 large egg, room temperature

2 tablespoons almond-flavored liqueur, such as amaretto

1½ pounds apricots, halved lengthwise, pitted, and cut into ¾-inch-thick wedges

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Toast the almonds on a rimmed baking sheet in the oven, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely. Finely grind the almonds in a food processor; transfer to a medium bowl. Whisk in the flour, ¾ cup sugar, the baking powder, ¾ teaspoon salt, and the nutmeg; set aside.

2.
Brush a 10-inch cast-iron skillet with 2 tablespoons butter. Whisk together the remaining 4 tablespoons butter, milk, egg, and liqueur in a medium bowl. Stir the butter mixture into the flour mixture; spread evenly into the skillet.

3.
Stir the apricots, remaining ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, a pinch of salt, and the lemon juice in a medium bowl; spread evenly over the batter. Bake until a tester inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs, 50 to 60 minutes. Let cool in the skillet on a wire rack 1 hour before serving.

rhubarb-berry crumbles

SERVES 6

1½ pounds rhubarb, cut crosswise into ¼-inch-thick slices, leaves discarded

2 cups raspberries or sliced strawberries, or a combination

1¼ cups sugar

2 tablespoons instant tapioca

½ teaspoon finely grated orange zest, plus 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

Pinch of salt

Crumble Topping (recipe follows)

Vanilla yogurt, for serving (optional)

1.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Stir together the rhubarb, berries, sugar, tapioca, orange zest, orange juice, and salt in a bowl. Let stand 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2.
Divide the rhubarb mixture among 6 small ceramic baking dishes (1 cup capacity and 5½ inches in diameter). Transfer the baking dishes to a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with the topping, dividing evenly.

3.
Bake until the topping turns golden and the juices are bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool on the sheet on a wire rack 30 minutes. Serve with yogurt, if desired.

crumble topping

MAKES ABOUT 1 ¾ CUPS

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

¼ cup packed light-brown sugar

¼ teaspoon finely grated orange zest (for Rhubarb-Berry Crumbles; optional)

1 cup all-purpose flour

Pinch of salt

Put the butter, brown sugar, and orange zest, if desired, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until creamy. Stir in the flour and salt. Work the mixture through your fingers until it forms coarse crumbs ranging in size from peas to gumballs.

mixed-berry grunt

SERVES 8

1 cup sugar

¼ teaspoon plus a pinch of ground cinnamon

¾ cup all-purpose flour

¾ teaspoon baking powder

Salt

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

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cup whole milk, room temperature

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

4 cups raspberries (about 1½ pints)

3 cups blackberries (about 1½ pints)

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Heavy cream, for drizzling

1.
Stir together 2 tablespoons sugar and ¼ teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl; set aside. Whisk together the flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, the baking powder, a pinch of salt, and the ginger in a medium bowl. Stir together the milk and butter in a small bowl. Stir the milk-butter mixture into the flour mixture. Set the batter aside.

2.
Gently fold together the raspberries, blackberries, lemon juice, remaining ¾ cup sugar, a pinch of salt, the remaining pinch of cinnamon, and 2 tablespoons water in a large bowl. Transfer mixture to a large, straight-sided skillet. Cover; bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.

3.
Drop 8 large dollops of batter on top of the berry mixture using 2 spoons, spacing them evenly. Sprinkle the dumplings with the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Cover; reduce heat to medium. Cook until the dumplings are cooked through and the juices are bubbling, about 15 minutes. Serve warm, drizzled with cream.

apple-raisin pandowdy

SERVES 8

3 pounds mixed apples, such as Rome Beauty, Empire, and Cortland, peeled, cored, and cut into ½-inch-thick wedges

1 cup golden raisins

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for the work surface

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Pinch of ground cardamom

Pinch of ground allspice

Pinch of salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Toasted Pecan Dough (recipe follows)

Heavy cream, for brushing

Sanding sugar, for sprinkling

1.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Toss together the apples, raisins, brown sugar, flour, lemon juice, cardamom, allspice, and salt in a large bowl. Transfer to a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Dot the top with butter; set aside.

2.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Roll out to an 11-inch round about
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inch thick. Carefully place the dough on top of the apple mixture. Fold the edge under itself, crimping if desired. Chill in the freezer until firm, about 15 minutes.

3.
Brush the dough with cream, and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Bake until the crust is set and beginning to brown, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven; gently push some of the crust into the filling using a spoon. Bake until the crust is golden brown and crisp and the juices are bubbling, 25 to 35 minutes more. If the crust is browning too quickly, cover loosely with foil. Let cool on a wire rack 1 hour before serving.

toasted pecan dough

MAKES ENOUGH FOR 1 PANDOWDY

¼ cup pecans

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon sugar

½ teaspoon salt

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

3 to 4 tablespoons ice water

1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Toast the pecans on a rimmed baking sheet in the oven, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely. Coarsely grind the pecans in a food processor. Add the flour, sugar, and salt; process until combined.

2.
Add the butter; process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. With the processor running, add the ice water in a slow, steady stream just until the dough comes together.

3.
Turn out the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap. Shape into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 1 day before using.

lemon crêpes

MAKES ABOUT 18; SERVES 6

The crêpes can be made 1 day ahead and refrigerated, wrapped in plastic wrap. To reheat, wrap them in foil and warm in a 200°F oven.

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, plus about 1 tablespoon, melted, for the pan

¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

¼ cup sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

1¼ cups milk (not skim)

¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 large eggs

Lemon-Caramel Sauce (recipe follows)

Candied Lemon Slices (recipe follows)

1.
Bring 2 tablespoons water to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat; add 6 tablespoons butter, a little at a time, whisking until the butter is completely melted.

2.
Whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, vanilla, and eggs. Gradually add the milk mixture to the flour mixture, whisking until smooth. Whisk in the butter mixture. Pour the batter through a fine sieve into a bowl; discard lumps. Transfer the batter to an airtight container; refrigerate at least 2 hours (or overnight).

3.
Preheat the oven to 200°F. Lightly coat a 6- to 7-inch crêpe pan or nonstick skillet with melted butter. Heat over medium heat until just starting to smoke. Remove the pan from the heat; pour 2 to 3 tablespoons batter (depending on size of pan) in the center. Swirl to cover the bottom. Reduce heat to medium-low; return the pan to the heat. Cook until the edges of the crêpe turn golden and the center is dry, about 45 seconds. Flip the crêpe; cook until the underside is brown in spots, about 45 seconds more.