Absence

Hiya! Sorry I haven't been around nor have I shared any menu plans for this week nor any recipe. My aunt & uncle are here from IL and she is DS's favorite person on earth. So we've been spending a lot of time with them and menu plans are for the birds when you have company in town! And shhhhhh! Don't tell on me but I let DS stay home from school today. They fly back home tomorrow and I figured one missed day of school wouldn't be the end of the world if he got to spend the whole day with his favorite person.

Sunday I did make a yummy meal of marinated pork loin, roasted asparagus and mashed potatoes. It was the DESSERTS I spent all day on though and I will share those recipes with you now. I've been using a lot from the Williams Sonoma Essentials of Baking cookbook and attempting to bring my baking to the next level. So far, I am pleased with my progress! I've been making baking powder biscuts quite a bit and they are so easy and yummy. Then the other two desserts I made on Sunday were not exactly difficult but required me being careful and taking the time needed for each step.

Baking Powder Biscuts
2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cut into 1/2 inch pieces
3/4 cup whole milk

In bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the butter. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in the butter just until the mixture forms large, coarse crumbs the size of small peas. Pour in the milk and mix with a fork or rubber spatula just until the dry ingredients are moistened.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead gently a few times until it clings together. Roll or pat out the dough into a round about 3/4" thick (I make a rectangle and then just cut the dough into squares so I don't waste any bits).
Using a 3" round biscut cutter, cut out biscuts and place on prepared pan, spacing them 1" apart (prepared pan = 1/2 sheet pan lined with parchment paper). Then you can gather and roll out the scraps but by making a rectangle and square biscuts I eliminate this step and therefore do not have any tough biscuts from working the dough too much.
Bake in 425 degree pre-heated oven for 15 - 18 minutes until lightly browned.

Rich Tart Pastry
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter cut into 3/4" pieces
2 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon heavy cream
(and I added 1 teaspoon almond extract with the liquids)

In food processor combine the flour, sugar and salt. Pulse to mix. Add the butter pieces and pulse until mixture forms large coarse crumbs the size of peas. In a small bowl lightly beat the egg yolks then stir in the cream and extract until blended. Turn on the food processor and add the egg mixture in a steady stream. Process just until the dough begins to come together but does not form a ball.
On work surface, shape the dough into a 6" disk. Wrap in plastic and refridgerate until firm (45 min. to overnight).

Plum and Almond Frangipane Tart
Rich tart pastry
1 cup blanched almonds
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 large egg
4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temp
8 prune plums, pitted and quartered

Roll out tart dough and prebake partially (400 degree oven. Line tart crust with foil and weights. Bake about 15 minutes until foil will pull back from crust easily. If foil sticks to the crust, it is not done baking yet. Reduce heat to 350 degrees)
In food processor, process almonds and sugar until the almonds are finely ground. Add the salt, vanilla and almond extracts and egg and process until blended. Add the butter and process until it is smoothl blended into the mixture.
Scrape the mixture into the prebaked tart crust, spreading evenly. Arrange the plums quarters, cut side up, in a circular row on top of the frangipane. Sprinkle with 1 tablepoon of sugar (I used tourbinado (raw) sugar).
Bake the tart until the frangipane is goldend and set when you give the pan a gentle shake. 30-35 mintues. Cool on wire rack completely. Unmold tart and serve at room temp or cold.


Ok, my fingers are tired and that should keep you busy for awhile. I'll save the Quick Puff Pastry and Palmiers (Elephant Ears is what I always knew them as!) recipes for another day. Suffice it to say, they were EXCELLENT!