Pomegranate Meringue Rose Tart

This dessert was an exercise in persistence and patience. First it began with the quest for rose water. Later we discovered a local Mediterranean eatery sells the heavenly scented liquid, after a Amazon.com purchase had been completed. Then it was the never ending search for the correct "high-quality white chocolate." Many e-mails went back and forth among us trying to determine if baking white chocolate was correct, if white chocolate chips for cookies would work, and if any local candy stores had what was required. In the end another Amazon.com purchase was placed.

Then the day of the dinner Tara woke (I would say "early" but she is always up before dawn) and began by making the crust, letting it rest and hour, rolling it out, letting it rest, baking it, letting it cool....etc. It was an all-day affair. In the end a very pretty but overly sweet tart. Next time leave the sugar out of the meringue and up the rose water to 1/4 tsp. and enjoy with a nice cup of tea.

Pomegranate Meringue Rose Tart

FOR THE CRUST:

3/4 cup pistachios

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups flour

1 stick unsalted butter, cubed and chilled

1 egg yolk

1/4 cup cold water

FOR THE GANACHE:

12 oz. high-quality white chocolate, finely chopped

1/2 cup orange juice

1/8 tsp. rose water

FOR THE MERINGUE:

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup pomegranate juice

1 tsp. cornstarch

1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

4 egg whites

20 drops red food coloring (optional)

Make the crust:

1. Combine pistachios and sugar in food processor and process until finely chopped.
2. Add flour and process to combine.
3. Add butter and pulse until no large chunks remain.
4. Add egg yolk and water and mix just until combined.
5. Transfer to counter and knead into a disk.
6. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
7. On a floured counter, roll dough to 1/8" thick.
8. Line a 9" tart pan with dough.
9. Prick with fork over the bottom and refrigerate for 1 hour.
10. Heat oven to 375°.
11. Bake for 20 minutes and then let cool to room temperature.

Make the Ganache:

1. Place chocolate in a medium bowl and set a fine strainer over bowl.
2. Heat juice in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until it begins to simmer.
3. Remove from heat and pour through strainer into bowl with chocolate; let sit for 1 minute.
4. Using a rubber spatula, slowly stir rose water into mixture until smooth.
5. Pour ganache into cooled crust and let cool completely.

Make the meringue:

1. Place the sugar and juice in a small saucepan and bring to a boil with a candy thermometer.
2. Place cornstarch, cream of tartar, and egg whites in a stand mixer with a whisk and beat to soft peaks.
3. When syrup reaches 250°, pour into a glass measuring cup, and then slowly stream into the beating egg whites until all is added; add food coloring, if you like.
4. Continue beating until glossy, stiff peaks form.
5. Immediately pipe or cover the pie with the meringue.
6. Chill until meringue is firm.
7. Use a blowtorch or the broiler to brown the meringue.

King Cake

King Cake

This traditional cake, made here with a rich brioche dough and stuffed with a decadent cream cheese filling, is drizzled with a buttermilk glaze and sprinkled with crunchy green, gold, and purple sanding sugars. 

This recipe just about had this Rookie in tears. For those of you that do not bake often and are not well versed in working with active yeast, I have a tip for you DO NOT BOIL THE WATER. I was told afterwards that hot tap water is warm enough. That whole 115 degree thing through this engineer for a loop. I ended up killing the yeast so it did not get "foamy" and in subsequent steps the dough did not double in rise...no matter how long I let it rise (and willed it to rise with my mind power). The filling is what really made this a "cake" and in the I believe the reason there was only one sliver of a slice left. Tara suggested this would make a great Sunday brunch coffee cake sans the colored sugar. You know the kids only wanted it BECAUSE of the colored sugar. Would I make this one again? Yes. because now I know it will work out in the end and not to kill the yeast!

For The Dough:

1 1/4-oz. package active dry yeast

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup milk

2 tbsp. light brown sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 egg

1 egg yolk

2 3/4 cups flour

3/4 tsp. kosher salt

8 tbsp. softened butter

For the Filling:

1 lb. cream cheese

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped pecans

2 tbsp. maple syrup

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Zest of 1/2 lemon

For the Icing:

2 cups confectioners' sugar

1/4 cup buttermilk

Green, purple, and yellow sanding sugars

Make the dough:

1. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a hook, combine yeast, 1/2 tsp. of the sugar, and 1/4 cup water heated to 115°.
2. Stir to combine and let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes.
3. Add remaining sugar, milk, light brown sugar, vanilla, egg, and egg yolk.
4. Beat on low speed until thoroughly combined, 1 minute.
5. Turn mixer off and add flour and salt.
6. Mix on medium speed until the dough just comes together.
7. Turn mixer speed to high and knead dough for 4 minutes.
8. Add the butter and continue kneading until dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, about 6 minutes.
9. Remove bowl from mixer, cover with plastic wrap
10. Let sit until doubled in size, 1 1/2–2 hours.

Make the filling:

1. Combine cream cheese, brown sugar, pecans, cinnamon, maple syrup, salt, and zest in a large bowl and beat on medium speed of a hand mixer until combined; set aside.

Shape and Fill the cake:

1.  Punch down dough and turn it out onto a heavily floured surface.
2. Using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a large circle, about 1/4"-thick.
3. Cut a hole in the center of the circle and pull with your fingers to widen.
4. Place dollops of filling evenly around circle halfway between outer edge and inner hole.
5. Drape outside edges over filling and continue rolling outside inward until filling is covered, widening inner hole as needed, until dough covers the seam.
6. Transfer rolled dough circle to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet; cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 1 hour.
7. Heat oven to 350°.
8. Uncover cake and bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes.
9. Let cool completely.

Make the icing:

1. Whisk together the sugar and buttermilk in a small bowl until smooth.

Finish the cake:

1. Transfer king cake to a cutting board or serving platter
2. Spread icing evenly over top of cake and sprinkle evenly with sanding sugars.

Torta di Sant'Antonio

When I was assigned to bring a pie, saying it pushed my culinary boundaries is an understatement. This traditional Italian torte was an odd combination of rich pastry and wine soaked apples. The sweetness of the wine and the zest of the orange gave it a distinctly mulled flavor that was cut by the flaky crust and creamy whipped cream.

Torta di Sant'Antonio Recipe

INGREDIENTS
2 cups flour7 tbsp. sugar, plus more1 tsp. baking soda6 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into ½" cubes, chilled¼ cup milk2 egg yolks1 ¼ cups red wine¼ tsp. ground cinnamon4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced¼ tsp. kosher saltZest of 1 orange1 egg white, lightly beaten

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a bowl, whisk together flour, 1 tbsp. sugar, and baking soda; rub butter into flour until pea-size crumbles form. In a bowl, whisk together milk and yolks; mix with a fork into flour. Transfer to a floured surface; knead into a ball; wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.

2. Bring remaining sugar, wine, cinnamon, apples, salt, and orange zest to a boil in a 4-qt.pan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until wine is reduced to a syrup, 25–30 minutes; let cool.

3. Heat oven to 375°. Transfer dough to a floured surface; roll out to ⅛" thickness. Transfer dough to an 11" tart pan with a removable bottom; press into bottom and sides. Trim dough edges; reserve scraps. Transfer apple mixture to pan; fold dough sides over edges. (To make garnish: roll dough scraps to ⅛" thickness. Cut out leaf and grape shapes; arrange on top.) Brush dough with egg white; sprinkle with sugar. Bake until golden, 25–30 minutes.

Cajun Cake Recipe

Though it has pineapple and coconut in it, it doesn't have a tropical island taste to it. The pineapple is in the cake, and if we didn't tell you it was in there I am not sure you would know. It is subtle. The topping is reminiscent of a traditional southern pecan praline and is a perfect accompaniment to a cup of chicory coffee.

Cajun Cake

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1/2 pound butter
1 cup chopped pecans
1 1/2 cups flaked coconut

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
3. In a large bowl, sift together flour, 1 1/2 cup sugar, salt and baking soda. 

Baking with your  kids is a great way to connect with them

4. Add eggs, pineapple and juice. Mix at low speed until well blended. 

5. Pour batter into prepared 9x13 inch pan and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 to 35 minutes or until done. 

6. Have topping ready when cake is done.

To Make Topping: 

1. In a saucepan, combine milk, 3/4 cup sugar and butter. 

2. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

3.  Add pecans and coconut and combine. 

4. Remove from heat.
5. When cake comes out of the oven, Pour on the topping and carefully spread on while cake is still hot.

A little too much topping, oh well gave Tara an
excuse to give it a through taste test. 

Enjoy!

Cookie Pizza Recipe

When I was assigned a dessert pizza, I was drawn to this simple Betty Crocker recipe.

Mostly because it was simple.

And let's face it, simple is best when one is involved in a Supper Club.

And when simple tastes this good, well, that's a win all the way around.

Sugar Cookie Pizza Recipe

Ingredients

1 package of Sugar Cookie Dough (to be honest, you could also use already refrigerated dough or, if you're really ambitious, make your own)
1 pint whipped cream
1 container frosting (again, you can make your own, but why when there are so many delicious pre-made ones?)
strawberries
blueberries
2 kiwi, peeled and sliced

Directions

Preheat your oven to 375.

1.  Mix your cookie dough according to package directions.

2.  Spread your cookie dough out on a pizza stone or pan. Warning. The dough WILL expand so leave yourself a little space or else you'll be cleaning up burnt cookie dough off the bottom of your oven. Not that I know from personal experience or anything. Just trust me on this one.

3.  Bake your giant cookie crust until the edges are golden.

4. While your "crust" is cooling, whip the cream with an electric mixer (do not try to use a whisk, not that I know from personal experience or anything). When stiff peaks form - and they will - fold in frosting. Gently.

5.  Spread the whipped cream and frosting combo on the cookie crust.

6. Top with fruit.

7. Eat and pretend it's healthy. After all, there's fruit!

Enjoy!

Mango Pudding Recipe

If you think of Bill Cosby and J-E-L-L-O when you hear the word "pudding," you and I have at least one thing in common. I will admit the thought of a cool creamy dairy mango concoction made me gag a little. I am a chocolate pudding girl, through and through. If it also makes you a little green for the same reason, think of it as a thick smoothie. After eating it, I've decided it would be very refreshing on a warm summers eve. Or after a heavy meal.

 Mango Pudding Recipe

Gather together:

• 3 mangoes, peeled and divided (who are we kidding? I used a bag of frozen)
• 2 1/4 cups water, divided
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin
• 1/4 cup whipping cream (or skip it, I completely forgot about this until I started writing out the recipe!)

Preparation I am supposed to start this recipe by dicing fresh mangoes...but I bought frozen instead. I have not cooked long enough to truly appreciate dicing anything when you can buy it already diced. 

1. Combine coarsely chopped mangoes and 1/4 cup water in a blender; process until smooth. Press puree through a fine sieve over a bowl; discard solids. (A fine sieve? This gal doesn't own one. So I just pureed it extra long until there were no visible fibers or chunks). 

2. Bring 3/4 cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add sugar to pan, stirring until dissolved. Remove from heat. Stir in the remaining 1 1/4 cups water. Sprinkle unflavored gelatin over water in the saucepan; let stand 1 minute.

3. Add the mango puree, stirring with a whisk. Pour the mixture evenly into each of 8 (6-ounce) ramekins or custard cups. (Your kidding? Ramekins or custard cups? Not in my kitchen. Poured the mixture into 2oz cups I use for my son's lunches)

4. Cover and chill overnight or until set. Top evenly with diced mango. (I skipped this part also. Frozen mango doesn't hold up the same as fresh...I didn't want little slimy bits on top.)

5. Place cream in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form. Serve with pudding. (COMPLETELY SPACED ON THIS ONE...served without whipped cream. Opps!)
  

Not too shabby for my first Six Kitchens attempt...