Macaron Tartlet



Tarts have always had a special place in my heart.  I love how they look.  I love their neat & sturdy portability.  Filled with fresh cream and fruit, it can only make the perfect afternoon snack or dessert.  My only problem: I hate lining tart shells.  I used to actually enjoy the act of coaxing the chilled dough into its mold, but that part of me died long ago (probably after lining the million and first) and will take a miracle to ressurect.  For those of you who still love lining tart shells, more power to you. 

This macaron tartlet is my way of eschewing one of the few things in pastry I dread; and the task I actually feel guilty about delegating to cooks.  The softer, chewier texture of a macaron base also makes, in my opinion, a better eating specimen; meaning there is no forcing your way through a solid sucree base.  A macaron also requires less equipment; no more reaching for tart rings, no need for blind-baking weights, blah, blah, blah.  Another advantage is that you can be in total control of the size and shape of the tart just by how it is piped: micro tarts, tarts for two, tarts for a bunch, square tarts, heart shaped tarts, even trapezoids.  I suppose the only disadvantage I can see would be its shallow capacity for filling, so maybe a ganache tart would be better suited to the classic vessel.

I also love that I can color coordinate the shell to compliment the filling, not that one couldn't drop a few bits of dye into a batch of tart dough, but that's just weird!  For those worried about a nut allergy, the almond flour can easily be substituted for another ingredient to make it nut-free, graham cracker crumbs is an example.  With this summer berry version, a rose-scented pink macaron is indented to make room for a thin layer of strawberry ganache.  Once set, an artful piping of barely sweetened vanilla cream cheese adds a little height and makes a sturdy bed for the fruit.  And not a single ring mold in sight.

Kolache...maybe

What is a kolache?  I still don't even know exactly what it is, but the word was thrown at me a few days ago, and so I was inclined to do a little research.  Granted, I have never actually eaten one, so this post is only how I think a kolache might taste.  From my research (as in Googling the word and clicking on the first link), its origin is Czech and thrives as an endeared pastry in Texas...who knew?

From my findings online, the base looks to be an enriched white dough, so I went with my own tried and true recipe.

A couple variations of cherry kolache is what I've got here, the simplest one being a bun dropped in a brioche pan and punctured with the fruit.  With another tray, I tried to get fancy by braiding the dough before coiling and filling them.  Although my favorite presentation may not be authentic to the world of Kolache, I love the landscape of golden bumps of what I would call 'kolache for a party'.  I actually did bring it to a friend's house that night, and everyone had fun getting their fingers sticky pulling apart the sweet mouthfuls.

So kolache or not, these ended up still being pretty and delicious, and are a great vehicle for poached fruit and jam.  I hope to one day have the real thing.



Strawberries & Cream Powder

Please excuse the over-filtered photo, but it's the only one I have for the moment.  I picked up a few tri-stars at the market the other day and had some friends over at the restaurant.  When it comes to beautiful produce, less is undoubtedly more.  A petite pile of perfectly sweet & tart berries dusted with cream powder makes for an easy summer pre dessert.  A light drizzle of green basil oil and a single twist of a peppermill are the only other components.

Goat Cheese Cheesecake

Liquid sable is definitely not a new idea in the dessert world, but it was definitely a new experience for me.  I don't know why I waited so long to try it out, but I'm glad I finally did.  I had in mind a dessert that

would emulate the look of slate or shards of flagstone, and this is my first attempt.  This is basically an inverted cheesecake, with a center of goat cheese cremeux completely enrobed in a liquid graham cracker crust.  Blueberries and anise hyssop play a part here too.

I'm not going to include a recipe here because I didn't use one myself.  I baked off a few sheets of homemade graham cracker dough until done.  While still hot from the oven, the cookie bits get thrown into a Vita Prep with some walnut oil and blended until a pourable consistency is reached.  If you're doing this for the first time, you, like me, will be surprised by the amount of oil that's needed to make this (that's to say - a lot!).  My first concern was "with this indecent amount of oil, how is this sable ever going to set?".  I used it anyway and poured the mixture over super frozen pieces of cremeux.  The liquid graham set pretty much immediately.  The true test, however, would be transferring the coated cheesecake to the fridge and allowing the cheese to fully defrost.  Would I find a cheesy, graham-y blob on a tray, or would this stuff really hold up to its rep?

Et voila!  Everything kept its shape!  With the blending and addition of oil, the graham is obviously going to take on a different texture, but I liken it to the slightly and pleasantly soggy texture of a true "graham cracker on the bottom" crust of a traditional cheesecake.  My husband just told me my cheesecakes look like two pieces of meat on a plate, so I think I need to work on the color and visual aspects of the dish.  Overall, I'm glad to have a new technique to play around with.

Like Rice On Rice

Almost everytime I read a rice pudding recipe, the author splits the entire human population into two camps: those who love rice pudding, and those who hate it.  By some masterful fate, I must have surrounded myself with only people who love it, and of course I do too.

Here, I've played on my love of rice to incorporate three forms of the wonder-grain in one dish.  Jasmine rice pudding creates a bed for forbidden rice ice cream and crispy Japanese brown rice.  To accentuate the Asian-ness of it all, rosettes of thinly sliced mango and cilantro freshen it up.

Here is my favorite rice pudding recipe.  Feel free to change out the aromatics to your taste.

100 g jasmine rice

100 g sugar

2 g     kosher salt

15 g  butter

1 qt   whole milk

1/2     vanilla bean

grated zest of 1/2 lemon

1 stick lemon grass

Everything goes into a medium pot on the stove on medium heat.  Stir occasionally until it starts to simmer.  From here on, keep it at a simmer and stir often until rice is cooked, about 20-25 minutes.  Cool on an ice bath and remove vanilla pod and lemongrass stick.  You may need to add a little more fresh milk to adjust the consistency to your liking.