recipes

Make the Dough:

• In a food processor, pulse the all-purpose flour, potato flour, sugar, butter, baking powder, and salt until pea-size crumbles form.
• Add the beaten egg and 2-3 tbsp.
• ice-cold water; pulse until the dough comes together.
• Form the dough into a flat disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Prepare the Tart Shell:

• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a 10-inch circle.
• Press the dough into a greased 11-inch tart pan with a removable bottom set over a baking sheet.
• Chill the tart shell for 1 hour.

Preheat Oven:

• Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).

Assemble and Bake the Tart:

• Spread the almond meal evenly over the chilled tart dough.
• Arrange the halved apricots on top of the almond meal.
• Bake until the crust is golden brown and the fruit is tender, about 25-30 minutes.
• Transfer the tart to a wire rack and let it cool.

Glaze and Garnish:

• In a 1-quart saucepan, heat the apricot preserves until warmed.
• Pour the preserves through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl.
• Brush the top of the tart generously with the strained preserves.
• Sprinkle with the lightly toasted sliced almonds.
• Let the tart cool completely before serving.

Preheat Oven:

• Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).
• Grease a 9-inch cast-iron skillet or baking dish with the softened butter and set aside.

Prepare Batter:

• In a blender, combine the milk, sugar, kirsch, vanilla extract, eggs, and a pinch of kosher salt.
• Blend for a few seconds to mix the ingredients.
• Add the flour to the blender and blend until smooth, about 1 minute.

Assemble and Bake:

• Pour the batter into the buttered skillet or baking dish.
• Evenly distribute the cherries over the top of the batter.
• Bake until a skewer inserted into the batter comes out clean and a golden brown crust has formed on top and bottom of the clafoutis, about 30 minutes.

Finish and Serve:

• Dust the clafoutis with confectioners’ sugar before serving.

Preheat Oven:

• Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
• Grease a 9″ x 13″ glass baking dish with butter.

Mix Ingredients:

• In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar until pale and lightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
• Add the brocciu or ricotta cheese, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and kosher salt.
• Whisk until smooth and well combined.

Bake the Cheesecake:

• Pour the mixture into the greased baking dish and spread evenly.
• Bake until barely set in the middle, about 35 minutes.

Broil for Browning:

• Transfer the baking dish to the broiler and broil on high until the top is browned, about 2 minutes.
• Watch carefully to prevent burning.
• Let the cheesecake cool before cutting it into squares to serve.

Prepare the Batter:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, 4 tbsp. of melted butter, and the egg.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and baking powder.
• Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and whisk until smooth.
• Set aside for 10 minutes to let the batter rest.

Cook the Crêpes:

• Grease a 10-inch nonstick skillet with ½ tbsp.
• of butter and heat over medium-high heat.
• Add ¼ cup of batter to the skillet and swirl the pan to spread the batter evenly.
• Cook the crêpe, turning once, until browned, about 1–2 minutes per side.
• Transfer the cooked crêpe to a warm plate and repeat with the remaining butter and batter.

Serve the Crêpes:

• Sprinkle ½ tbsp. of maple sugar onto each crêpe and drizzle with 1 tbsp. of maple syrup.
• Roll up each crêpe into a cylinder and serve immediately.

Make the Pastry:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt.
• Rub the butter and shortening into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Sprinkle 3 tbsp. ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, into the flour mixture, and knead until the dough just holds together.
• Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Prepare the Pears:

• Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
• To fan the pears, place them core-side down on a cutting board.
• Starting just below the stem, cut each pear into 4 lengthwise slices, leaving the stem end attached.
• Place the pears in a bowl, gently toss with lemon juice and ¼ cup of the sugar, and set aside for 20 minutes.

Caramelize the Sugar:

• Meanwhile, melt the butter in a 9-inch ovenproof skillet over medium heat.
• Add the remaining 1 cup of sugar and cook, stirring constantly, until it turns golden brown and caramelized.
• Remove the skillet from heat and stir to cool slightly, as the sugar will continue to darken off the heat.

Arrange the Pears:

• Drain the pears and place them in the skillet with the caramelized sugar, round side down, with the stems facing the center.
• Gently fan the slices out.

Prepare the Pastry:

• Roll out the dough on a floured work surface into a 10-inch round about ¼ inch thick.
• Place the dough on top of the pears, covering the edge of the skillet.
• Press the edges down between the pears and the inside of the skillet, and cut four ¼-inch steam holes in the center.
• Bake for 25 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.

Finish and Serve:

• Remove the skillet from the oven and tilt it carefully, using a baster to draw off excess juices.
• Transfer the juices to a small saucepan and reduce over high heat until thick.
• Place a large, flat serving platter on top of the skillet and invert quickly and carefully.
• Spoon the reduced caramelized juices over the pears.
• Serve warm or at room temperature.

Make the Pastry Cream:

• Put milk into a medium saucepan.
• Scrape seeds from the vanilla bean and add seeds and pod to milk.
• Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
• Remove pan from heat, cover, and set aside to steep for 1 hour.
• Strain milk into a bowl, discarding the pod.
• Return milk to the saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
• Meanwhile, beat egg yolks, 10 tbsp. of granulated sugar, and cornstarch together in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until pale yellow and thick, about 3-5 minutes.
• Gradually add 1 cup of the hot milk to the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly.
• Then gradually add the egg yolk-milk mixture back into the hot milk in the saucepan.
• Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer to a medium bowl and stir constantly until very warm (about 125°F on an instant-read thermometer), 5-10 minutes.
• Add butter, 1 tbsp. at a time, whisking well after each addition.
• Cover the surface of the pastry cream with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate until ready to use.

Prepare the Puff Pastry:

• Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
• Place 1 sheet of puff pastry on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, cover with another sheet of parchment, and refrigerate until chilled, 20-30 minutes.
• Put another baking sheet directly on top of the parchment-covered pastry to weight it down.
• Bake until the pastry begins to turn brown, about 10-15 minutes.
• Remove the top baking sheet and parchment paper.
• Sprinkle the pastry with 1 tbsp. granulated sugar, then bake, uncovered, until golden brown, about 6-8 minutes more.
• Transfer to a clean surface and remove the parchment from the bottom.
• Set aside to cool.
• Repeat the process with the remaining sheet of puff pastry and 1 tbsp. sugar.
• Using a serrated knife, cut each pastry sheet into twelve 4″ x 2″ rectangles, making 24 rectangles in total.

Assemble the Napoleons:

• Spoon 2 tbsp. of the pastry cream down the center of each sugared side of 8 pastry rectangles and stack another pastry rectangle on top.
• Repeat the process with the remaining pastry cream and pastry rectangles.
• Sift confectioners’ sugar over the assembled napoleons.

Prepare Dough:

• Sprinkle sugar on a work surface.
• Cut each puff pastry sheet in half and roll out to ¼-inch thickness, sprinkling with sugar as you work.
• Fold each of the short ends 2 or 3 times inward until they meet in the middle.
• Fold the dough in half along the center fold and press gently to seal.
• Repeat with the remaining half of puff pastry.
• Refrigerate the folded dough for 30 minutes.

Preheat Oven:

• Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

Slice and Bake:

• Slice the rolls into ⅓-inch thick pieces and sprinkle each with more sugar.
• Place the slices on an ungreased baking sheet, spacing them 1 inch apart.
• Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes, turning the cookies once halfway through baking.

Cool and Serve:

• Let the cookies cool completely before serving.

• Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
• In a heatproof bowl, stir together the cubed butter, water, canola oil, sugar, and salt.
• Bake until the butter is bubbling and lightly browned at the edges, about 20 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and stir in the flour until the dough comes together.
• Press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of five 4-inch tart pans (or one large 9-inch tart pan).
• Use a fork to prick the dough all over.
• Bake until the crust is cooked through, 10-12 minutes.
• Let cool.

Make the Filling:

• In a 4-quart saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, flour, salt, and egg yolks until smooth.
• Stir in the milk and place the saucepan over medium heat.
• Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 15 minutes.
• Remove from heat and slowly whisk in the chilled butter until smooth.
• Stir in the vanilla extract.
• Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
• Chill until set, at least 2 hours.

Assemble the Tartlets:

• Once the pastry cream is set, spread it evenly over the cooled tart shells.
• Garnish with fresh blackberries.
• Chill the tartlets until ready to serv

Prepare Olives:

• In a 2-quart saucepan, boil the pitted black olives with 2 cups of water for 5 minutes.
• Drain and set aside.
• Add half the sugar (½ cup) and 2 cups of water to the pan; bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to medium and add the olives; cook until the olives are tender, about 2 hours.
• Let the olives cool, then strain and discard the syrup.

Preheat Oven:

• Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
• Grease a 9-inch pie plate with butter and set aside.

Mix Ingredients:

• In a bowl, whisk together the melted butter and 3 eggs.
• In another bowl, whisk the remaining ½ cup of sugar with the 4 egg yolks until fluffy.
• Slowly whisk in the milk, flour, and kosher salt.
• Fold in the butter mixture and chopped almonds until combined.

Assemble and Bake:

• Spread the batter into the prepared pie plate.
• Arrange the candied olives over the top.
• Bake until golden and slightly puffed, about 40 minutes.

Cool and Serve:

• Let the clafoutis cool before serving.

Preheat and Prepare:

• Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

Mix Ingredients:

• In a large mixing bowl, use an electric hand mixer to beat together the sugar, softened butter, orange blossom water, salt, and eggs until the mixture is fluffy, about 1–2 minutes.

Form Dough:

• With the mixer running, slowly add the flour until a stiff dough forms.
• Transfer the dough to a work surface and knead briefly until smooth.

Divide Dough:

• Divide the dough into sixteen 1¾-ounce pieces.

Shape Cookies:

• Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll it into a 6-inch log about ½ inch thick.
• Flatten the ends of the log.
• Place the log on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Using a knife, cut a ¼-inch-deep slit lengthwise in the top of the log, starting and ending about ¼ inch from each end.
• Using your fingers, slightly splay the dough open.

Bake:

• Bake in the preheated oven until pale golden and slightly crisp, about 20 minutes.
• Cool and Serve: Let the cookies cool completely before serving.