SWEET TEA PIE II

SWEET TEA PIE

Martha Hall Foose’s Sweet Tea Lemon Chess Pie

Adapted from The Southern Foodways Alliance Community Cookbook

Cream Cheese Piecrust

3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 cup (1/4 pound, 1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

For the piecrust, combine cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl and beat with an electric mixer until they are evenly combined. Add the flour and continue beating a low speed just until the dough comes together into a ball. Press and pat the dough into a pie pan, building up a thicker top edge of the crust. Set the piecrust in the freezer while you prepare the filling.

Sweet Tea Lemon Chess Filling

3/4 cup warm, freshly brewed strong orange pekoe tea

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

2 cups sugar

2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons cornmeal

Zest of one lemon

1 cup (1/2 pound, 2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

8 large egg yolks

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a small bowl or pitcher, combine the tea, vanilla, lemon juice and vinegar and stir well. In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cornmeal, and lemon zest, and stir with a fork to mix them together well.

In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter until it is fluffy. Add the sugar-flour mixture gradually, and continue beating to combine well. Add the egg yolks a few at a time, mixing well each time. Add the tea mixture and beat to combine everything evenly and well. The filling will be soft and liquid, not thick, and may seem curdled, but don’t worry about that.

Pour the filling into the piecrust. Bake until the top and crust are handsomely browned, and the pie is fairly firm throughout, with just a little jiggling in the center, about 50 minutes. Place on a cooling rack or a folded kitchen towel and cool to room temperature. Chill two hours or more before serving.

“MOM’S CHOCOLATE CAKE”

 Mom’s Chocolate Cake
(chocolate mousse cake with creme anglaise)

Adapted from Bistro Laurent Tourondel: New American Bistro Cooking by Laurent Tourondel and Michele Scicolone. Here is the basic idea: you make a yummy chocolate mousse, layer it with lady fingers dipped in syrup then let it sit in the refrigerator overnight. Then you make a vanilla creme anglaise, let it chill a couple of hours, pour it on top of the cake and chill again for a bit. Decorate with chocolate curls and serve. I’ve made the cake a little less boozy cause I like my liquor on the side rather than in my dessert. In my version the liquor just heightens the flavor but it won’t come through on its own. As for the chocolate curls, I turned to The Pioneer Woman to get a photo demonstration to show me the way. (I used chocolate chips) Here’s a link: Chocolate Curls

Chocolate mousse

7 ounces semisweet chocolate
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
1 tablespoons rum
2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup heavy cream
5 eggs, separated
6 tablespoons sugar, divided


1. Break the chocolate into small pieces and place it in the top half of a double boiler set over simmering water. Add the espresso powder and rum and let stand uncovered until the chocolate is softened. Stir until blended. Transfer the chocolate to a large bowl to cool.
2. In a large, chilled bowl, whip the cream on high speed for 4 minutes, or until soft peaks form. In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks with 2 tablespoons of the sugar until pale, about 3 minutes. In yet another bowl, beat the whites with an electric mixer on medium speed until frothy. Gradually add the remaining 4 tablespoons of the sugar and increase the speed to high. Whip until soft peaks form.

3. Add the egg mixture to the melted chocolate and stir to combine. Fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture, then gently fold in the whites.


Cake Assembly

Chocolate mousse
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons rum
20 to 25 ladyfingers, cut in half horizontally

1. Make a simple syrup by combining the sugar and ¾ cup water in a small pot and bring to a simmer. Stir until the sugar is fully dissolved. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool completely.
2. Mix together the simple syrup (you should have ¾ cup) and the rum. Dip half of each ladyfinger in the syrup until slightly softened.

3. In a 2-quart glass serving bowl, alternate layers of 1/3 of the mousse followed by 1/3 of the ladyfingers, finishing with the mousse. Alternatively, you may make individual servings by layering the mousse and ladyfingers in large wine glasses. Cover and chill at least 8 hours or up to 2 days.

Creme Anglaise

2 cups whole milk
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
1/2 cup sugar
5 egg yolks
Chocolate curls or shavings, if desired
1. Bring the milk, vanilla bean scrapings and pod, and 1/2 cup of the sugar to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Immediately remove the saucepan from the heat and discard the vanilla bean.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks until thickened slightly and well combined. Very slowly, add about 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture into the yolks and whisk until well incorporated. Slowly pour the egg mixture into the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture, stirring constantly. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until thickened slightly and the mixture lightly coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Alternatively, dip a spatula in the sauce and run your finger through it. If your finger makes a trail rather than causes all of the custard to run off, the sauce is ready.
3. Remove the sauce from the heat and strain into a clean bowl. Place the bowl in a larger bowl filled with ice to cool. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
4. Pour the creme anglaise over the chocolate mousse cake and chill until ready to serve. Decorate with chocolate curls just before serving.

CROUTONS

Croutons 

Baked Croutons 

Yield: Yields 2 to 3 cups.

Baguettes, white sandwich bread, and English muffins make great baked croutons.

Ingredients

• 3 Tbs. unsalted butter or extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large clove garlic, crushed and peeled
• 4 oz. (2 to 3 cups) bread cubes;
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Nutritional Information

Preparation

• Heat the oven to 350°F. In a small skillet, melt the butter or heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic clove, mashing and breaking it up slightly with a wooden spoon, and raise the heat to medium. Cook until the garlic just begins to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and discard the garlic clove. Put the bread cubes in a mixing bowl, drizzle the melted butter or oil all over, sprinkle on the salt, and toss to distribute evenly. Spread the cubes in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until golden all the way around, turning once or twice with a spatula, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool.

SAUTÉED CROUTONS

Yield: Yields 2 to 3 cups.

Try this method on irregularly sized pieces from a rustic, airy loaf like ciabatta, or little squares of pita bread.

Ingredients

• 2 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large clove garlic, crushed and peeled
• 4 oz. (2 to 3 cups) bread cubes
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Nutritional Information

Preparation

• In a 10-inch or larger skillet, heat the butter and oil over medium-low heat. When the butter is melted, add the garlic clove, mashing it and breaking it up slightly with a wooden spoon, and raise the heat to medium. Cook until the garlic just begins to turn brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Discard the garlic and add the bread cubes and salt. Toss to combine and cook, stirring frequently, until the bread is crisp and well browned on all sides, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to let cool.

Garlic Butter Croutons 

Yield: Yields about 4 cups.

Scatter these buttery croutons over a classic Caesar salad  or onto a creamy soup for a dash of crunch.

Ingredients

• 4 large slices white sandwich bread, cut into 3/4- to 1-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
• 3 oz. (6 Tbs.) unsalted butter
• 2 large cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
• Kosher salt

Nutritional Information

Preparation

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F.
  Put the bread cubes on a large rimmed baking sheet. Melt the butter in a 1- to 2-quart sauce pan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic, mashing it gently with the back of a wooden spoon, and raise the heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the butter is fragrant (the garlic may start to brown around the edges), 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and discard the garlic. Drizzle the butter over the bread cubes. Toss with your hands until the cubes are evenly coated. (Don’t worry if some crumble.) Spread them in a single layer and sprinkle with 3/4 tsp. salt. Bake until the croutons are a deep golden-brown, 15 to 17 minutes. Let cool completely. (You can store the croutons in an air-tight container for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 weeks.)

HERBED GOUGERES

Herbed Gougeres

Makes about 5 dozen

5 large eggs 

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter 

2 teaspoons salt 

1 teaspoon sugar 

1 cup all-purpose flour 

1 1/2 cups finely grated Gruyere cheese, plus 1/4 cup for sprinkling 

1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese 

2 tablespoons chopped chives 

2 tablespoons chopped dill 

1/4 teaspoon paprika 

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 

DIRECTIONS

1.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

2.
For the egg wash, whisk together 1 egg with 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl.

3.
In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup water with the butter, salt, and sugar over medium-high heat. Bring mixture to a boil, and immediately remove from heat. Using a wooden spoon, add flour, stirring vigorously, until flour is no longer visible. Return pan to medium-high heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan and forms a film on the bottom, about 4 minutes.

4.
Remove mixture from heat and transfer contents to a bowl. Add both cheeses, the herbs, and spices. Stir to combine with a wooden spoon and let cool slightly, about 3 minutes. Add remaining eggs, one at a time, stirring vigorously after each addition, and waiting to add the next egg until the previous one is entirely incorporated.

5.
Transfer dough to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip; pipe 1 1/2-inch puffs about 1 inch apart. Using a lightly moistened finger, smooth tops. Brush each puff with egg wash and sprinkle each one with remaining Gruyere.

6.
Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until puffs are golden, about 20 to 25 minutes. Serve immediately, as gougeres are best eaten warm from the oven.

FILLINGS FOR POPOVERS/CREAM PUFFS

Fillings for cream puffs you wouldnt normally think of....Think outside the box!

Salmon Mousse

- Goat Cheese with Herbs 

- Cream Cheese with Herbs

- Strawberries (Crushed, Pureed or simply stemmed) and (Whipped) Cream

- Beet Puree with Sour Cream and Horseradish

- Cucumber "Soup" (It should be quite thick. Basically, seeded Cucumbers, and peeled too if you like, with Strained Yogurt and Sour Cream and tons of sweet herbs like Tarragon, Marjoram, Chervil, Parsley, Cilantro, Mint and Thyme put in a blender and blended until smooth. If a little too soupy, simply strain in a cheesecloth. You can also add things like Cayenne and Paprika.)

- Roasted Eggplant puree with Aioli/Mayo, or

- Roasted Eggplant and Tomato Sauce puree with Aioli/Mayo

- Also, you could fill it with a Thick Blue/Bleu Cheese dressing and coat with slightly crushed Walnuts, though, you might then need to eat it with a knife and fork. Or, a Blue Cheese Dressing with a roasted apple puree fortified with a little Walnut oil. I I might also make a clam dip or shrimp and crabmeat and use that for a filling. Spinach and artichoke works well too. Pretty much any dip as long as it's not thin and runny"

GIANT CHEESE POPOVERS

Giant Cheese Popovers

This recipe for giant cheese popovers is from chef Laurent Tourondel's cookbook, "Bistro Laurent Tourondel: New American Bistro Cooking."

Makes 12

YIELD

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INGREDIENTS

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4 cups all-purpose flour 

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons coarse salt 

4 cups milk 

8 large eggs 

Nonstick cooking spray 

10 ounces freshly grated Gruyere cheese 

DIRECTIONS

1.
Place a popover pan with 12 cups in the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. 

2.
Sift together flour and salt onto a piece of parchment paper; set aside. 

3.
In a small saucepan, heat milk over medium heat until small bubbles form around the edges of the pan. Whisk eggs in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Slowly add heated milk to eggs, whisking constantly. Gradually whisk in flour mixture. 

4.
Remove heated popover pan from oven; spray each cup with nonstick cooking spray and place on a baking sheet. Fill each cup with batter so it is level to the top; top with cheese. 

5.
Bake 15 minutes. Rotate pan 180 degrees; continue baking until golden brown, about 35 minutes more. 

6.
Invert pan and remove popovers. Serve immediately. Popovers may also be made 2 hours in advance. Cool on a wire rack and reheat in an oven heated to 450 degrees just before serving. 

BLACKBERRY JAM CROSTATA

Blackberry Jam Crostata

• YIELD
8 servings

• TIME
1 3/4 hours, plus chilling

With a press-in-the-pan buttery cookie crust and a tangy jam filling that’s topped with almonds and Demerara sugar, this crostata is simple, homey and utterly delightful. A touch of whole-wheat flour gives the crust complexity and a gentle nutty flavor, while homemade blackberry jam spiked with lemon verbena makes the confection festive enough for guests. This recipe is adapted from Elizabeth Minchilli, a food writer in Rome, who often buys excellent-quality cherry jam for the filling. If you’d like to substitute store-bought jam, use 1 1/2 cups.

FOR THE FILLING:

• 3 cups/340 grams blackberries

• 1 cup/125 grams blueberries

• ¾ cup/150 grams granulated sugar, plus more as needed

• 2 teaspoons minced fresh lemon verbena (optional)

• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, plus more as needed

• ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• ⅓ cup sliced almonds

• Demerara sugar, for sprinkling

FOR THE CRUST:

• 1 ½ cups/190 grams all-purpose flour

• ¾ cup/95 grams whole-wheat flour

• 12 tablespoons/170 grams unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened

• ½ cup/100 grams granulated sugar

• 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature

• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt

• ¼ teaspoon almond extract

• Nutritional Information

Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

PREPARATION

1 Make the jam: In a medium saucepan, stir together blackberries, blueberries, sugar and lemon verbena, if using. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally at first, then more frequently as the mixture starts to bubble and reduce.

2 When mixture has reduced and looks syrupy (about 30 minutes total), stir in lemon juice and zest. Taste and add sugar if necessary. (This depends on how sweet your berries were to begin with.) Cook for 3 minutes longer, stirring frequently to prevent burning. When the jam is thickened and shiny but still slightly runnier than you expect jam to be, take it off the heat; it will continue to thicken as it cools.

3 Scrape jam into a bowl or heatproof container, stir in vanilla and let cool to room temperature. Taste and stir in a little more lemon juice if the jam seems very sweet. At this point, the cooled jam can be chilled for up to 1 week.

4 Make the dough: In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose and whole-wheat flours, and set aside. In a second bowl and using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg yolks, lemon zest, vanilla, salt and almond extract until combined, then beat in flour mixture.

5 Scoop 1/2 cup of the dough into a bowl or container, cover and chill. Transfer remaining dough to a 9- or 10-inch tart pan and use floured fingers to press evenly into bottom and sides. Chill crust in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes.

6 When ready to bake, heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread jam evenly into crust, then using your fingers, crumble reserved 1/2 cup dough over jam. Sprinkle with almonds and Demerara sugar.

7 Bake until golden, 38 to 48 minutes. Let cool completely to room temperature before serving.