budino

remember when we just told you about a great trip to philly and the delicious salted caramel budino at barbuzzo? well you can imagine how happy we were to see the recipe printed in the september issue of bon appetit! a great make ahead dessert and the perfect ending for our lovely evening with matt, adam & linda a few weeks ago - we all just about licked the jar clean. find the recipe here.

we both have lots of work out right now in mags like every day with rachel ray, food network and a cooking light special issue but the knotted dinner rolls and ragus i styled for the oct/nov issue of Fine Cooking were really delicious recipes that stick out in my mind- especially this one.

it was a beautiful new york day on governors island yesterday for pig island. a few favorites were maple bacon sticky buns from print & lechon nam khon from ducks eatery. hope you had a great weekend!

chocolate & pretzels

as you're busy planning your thanksgiving menu, here's a little treat to make you drool! after thursday, when you need a break from all things pumpkin and turkey, try making this rich, salty, sweet dessert. this recipe is adapted from an old issue of Food & Wine magazine and we decided peanut butter was a perfect addition to the pretzel and chocolate combination.

check out the latest post in our mad props series here - a warm german scene with gold crackle plates, weisswurst and sauerkraut.

finally got to the new amsterdam market for the smorrebrod table 2010 and the rye bread project which was great! also got to meet fellow big leo food stylist Heidi Johannsen and taste some of her delicious and beautiful tea from Bellocq.

Chocolate Pretzel Tart

serves 8

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

1 1/4 cups coarsely crushed pretzels

3/4 cup confectioner's sugar

1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 egg

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

3/4 lb bittersweet chocolate, chopped

2 tbs maldon sea salt for garnish

in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter with 3/4 cup pretzels and confectioner's sugar on low speed until creamy. beat in flour and eggs. add remaining 1/2 cup pretzels and mix, leaving some pieces intact. flatten the dough between two sheets of plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 30 minutes.

preheat oven to 350 degrees F. roll out the dough between the sheets of plastic wrap to a 12-inch round. peel off the top sheet and invert dough over a 10-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom. press the dough into the corners and patch any tears. trim the overhanging dough and refrigerate for 30 minutes. line the shell with parchment and pie weights or dried beans and bake 30 minutes. remove the parchment and bake 8-12 minutes more or until firm and set. let the shell cool completely. using a small offset spatula, spread the peanut butter into a thin even layer and refrigerate while making the chocolate filling.

in a medium saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer. turn off heat and add chocolate, let stand 5 minutes. whisk until completely smooth. let filling cool slightly before pouring into the shell and smoothing with spatula. sprinkle with sea salt and refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours.

layers

as you can tell from the last several posts, we've been digging into the recipe tear outs. doesn't everyone have a huge three ring binder filled with recipes for great sounding desserts, salads, thanksgiving sides, cocktails, etc. from articles published six years ago?! well, we do, but it often gets overlooked on a day to day basis when thinking about what to quickly throw together for dinner. we are trying to make an effort to pick out just a few recipes each week to finally try, see if they're keepers and even better, to see if they're worth sharing with our readers. these amazing little treats are definitely worth sharing! each layer adds another texture and level of richness that you'll find irresistible.

Chocolate Caramel Slice

(from Bon Appetit)

makes 16-20

crust:

1 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tsp cornstarch

1/4 tsp salt

1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 tbs ice water

1 egg yolk

toppings:

14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup brown sugar

6 tbs unsalted butter, diced

2 tbs dark corn syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

6 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

2 tbs Maldon sea salt

preheat oven to 350 degrees F. grease a 8 1/2-inch square metal baking pan. blend flour, brown sugar, cornstarch and salt in a food processor. add butter and pulse until a coarse meal forms. add ice water and egg yolk and blend just until moist clumps form. press dough onto bottom of prepared pan evenly. pierce all over with a fork. bake 20 minutes or until golden brown. cool completely.

whisk together condensed milk, brown sugar, butter, corn syrup and vanilla in a medium saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves, butter melts and mixture comes to a boil. insert a candy thermometer and boil gently until caramel is thick and temperature reaches 225 degrees F. whisk constantly to prevent from burning. pour caramel evenly over cooled crust and let set 15 minutes. melt chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave at 15 second intervals, stirring occasionally. spread melted chocolate evenly over caramel layer. sprinkle with sea salt and refrigerate until set, at least one hour. can be made three days ahead if covered and refrigerated. cut into bars and enjoy!

gooped

yesterday was a great day for pictures and pancakes...to say the least. we were "gooped" as they say, by being mentioned in the blog and newsletter from goop, by gwyneth paltrow. we were included in her favorite food blogs along with some company that we are flattered to be with. blogs like orangette, matt bites, what katie ate and some great others, were chosen by goop for being some of gwyneth's favorite reads to sit down and have a glass of wine with after the kids are in bed and her feet are up. having a new auidence is always amazing, and this is a great opportunity to write and take pictures for a whole new group. thanks to eliza and gwyneth for loving the blog, we are humbled, and to all the new readers who we will try hard to please. we hope you all enjoy!

now for some more fun, and our favorite part, the food!! now that we have tried to suck you in to the tart world on our last two posts, its time for a little change...but i do mean little, sticking in the dessert department. simplicity is always something we like to stick with whenever we can, and this is a dish that will take just a little time for a tasty result. try this with seasonal fruit or really any fruit you have around the house!

Roasted Fall Fruit

serves 4

2 cups seedless red grapes

4 plums, pitted and quartered

2 bartlett pears, quartered and cored

1 pint vanilla ice cream

2 tbs honey

preheat oven to 450 degrees F. place grapes, plums and pears in a single layer in a shallow sheet pan and roast, tossing the fruit occasionally, until the fruit is soft, about 24 minutes. serve in a bowl with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of honey. enjoy!

turnovers

we saw this pear at the market and just couldn't resist his perfect shape and adorable dried leaves - isn't he cute? we bought a few extra and headed home with only a pear portrait in mind. so now what? this recipe from molly inspired me to make an incredibly easy & dangerously delicious little pastry. it's amazing what a little puff pastry can do! this is a great recipe to use with any extra fruit you have on hand (like apples & cinnamon), although watch out for very "wet" fruits making a soggy pastry. a pear turnover & a cup of stumptown coffee is a wonderful way to being your day. (we're currently working out way through latin america!)

Pear Turnovers

makes 9

1 1/2 lbs. firm pears, peeled, cored & cut into 1-inch pieces

1/8 cup water

2-3 tbs sugar

juice of 1/2 lemon

1/2 tsp cardamom

1 package frozen puff pastry (this is our favorite), thawed

1 egg, beaten with 1 tsp water

2 tbs demerara or turbinado sugar

place pears, water, sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves. cook for about 5 minutes or until pears are very tender but not too mushy. you can add a few tablespoons of water if the mixture is much too dry. remove from heat and stir in cardamom. cool completely.

preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. roll out puff pastry into a 15-inch square. cut pastry into nine 5-inch squares. place a generous tablespoon of filling in center of each square and lightly brush the edges of pastry with beaten egg. fold half of pastry square over the filling to form a triangle and press the edges firmly with fingertips to seal tightly. brush the top of pastry with beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar. using a sharp knife, make 3 small slits on the top of each triangle to allow steam to escape. place triangles on baking sheets and refrigerate 15 minutes. bake turnovers until beginning to color, 15 minutes. reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue baking until golden brown, 10-15 minutes longer. serve slightly warm or at room temperature. enjoy!

gingersnaps & jam

if you happen to be looking for a very easy, nice & light dessert to whip up using ingredients that you probably have on hand any given day, then look no further. this is a recipe my mom made several years ago from an old issue of martha stewart and i immediately fell in love. there are endless flavor options from substituting different kinds of cookies and jam but some reason i can't get past gingersnaps and raspberry jam.

we also have a few random tidbits to mention today. be sure to check out the apr/may issue of Fine Cooking to see a great noodle article i styled along with the cover! we just picked up a bag of these amazing caramels at Marlow & Daughters and they sure didn't last long. also, if you twitter, look for us @picturenpancake - we don't tweet often but are trying to more & more. lastly, check out this fabulous article in the ny times about the coffee scene in new york - a perfect read as we sipped new orleans iced coffees from the newly opened blue bottle in brooklyn. have a great weekend!

Gingersnap & Jam Parfait

makes 4

3/4 cup raspberry jam

3 tbs lemon juice

1/2 cup sour cream

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup sugar

3/4 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp ground cardamom

1/4 tsp ground ginger

8 gingersnaps, crushed

whisk together jam and lemon juice and set aside. beat sour cream, cream, sugar, vanilla, cardamom and ginger until stiff peaks form. layer about 1 tablespoon whipped cream mixture, 1 tablespoons crushed gingersnaps and 1 tablespoon of jam. repeat and top with a dollop of whipped cream. enjoy!

pudding

when you look at these images you don't think pudding, do you? well, maybe you do if you're british or have a friend from across the pond or are for some reason familiar with steamed puddings. sticky toffee pudding, spotted dick and even bread pudding are molded desserts different in texture than regular old chocolate or tapioca pudding. i grew up with a family tradition of eating cranberry steamed pudding for dessert every christmas eve and have always loved it! we recently saw a recipe for marmalade pudding in jamie oliver's gorgeous magazine and decided to adapt it so you don't have to measure everything in grams. the slightly bitter orange flavor would be delicious with a cup of coffee in the morning, a cup of tea around 3pm or in a puddle of creme anglaise for dessert. you can find molds at garage sales, thrift stores and even brand new here. definitely worth having one in the cupboard but if you don't have one yet, you can always steam it in a coffee can.

Marmalade Pudding

serves 8-10

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 stick unsalted butter

1/2 cup marmalade

3 eggs

in a large bowl, combine flours, sugar, baking powder and salt. in a small saucepan, heat butter and marmalade until butter is melted. pour over dry ingredients and whisk to mix well. whisk in the eggs and stir until combined. pour into a greased pudding mold and cover tightly with a piece of greased foil. place in a large pot, slightly raised from the bottom if possible, and fill pot with boiling water about halfway up the side of the mold, being careful not to spill into the mold. bring to a boil over medium heat, cover and steam for about 2 hours. the water will need to be refilled a bit as the pudding cooks. test the pudding with a cake tester and turn out onto a dish. slice and serve warm or at room temperature. enjoy!

zeppole

we were just watching a repeat of everyday italian on the food network and it happened to be an episode from the season i worked on. giada was making zeppole, which is essentially an italian doughnut hole, and it reminded me of how delicious little fried balls of dough tossed in cinnamon sugar and dipped in chocolate taste. so while it was snowing outside all day today, we stayed inside and made these! the recipe is adapted from this cookbook which has lots of great recipes. yes it's a little indulgent and no we don't fry things every day but today it was a special treat!

Zeppole

serves 4-6

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/4 cup sugar plus 1/2 cup for coating

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup all purpose flour

4 eggs

1 tbs orange zest

vegetable oil for frying

1 tsp cinnamon

in a medium saucepan, combine butter, sugar, salt and 1/2 cup water. bring to a boil over medium heat. take the pan off the heat and stir in the flour. return to low heat and cook, stirring vigorously until the mixture forms a ball. transfer the dough to a medium bowl and using an electric mixer, beat in eggs one at a time. add orange zest and set aside. in a small bowl, combine cinnamon with remaining 1/2 cup sugar and set aside.

pour enough oil into a frying pan to reach a depth of 2-inches. heat the oil over medium heat until it reaches 350 degrees F on a candy thermometer.

using a small ice cream scoop, carefully drop small tablespoons of dough into the hot oil. fry several at a time but be careful not to crowd the pan. turn zeppole with a wooden skewer to evenly brown both sides and cook until golden and puffed, about 5 minutes. roll cooked zeppole in cinnamon sugar and serve immediately plain or with melted chocolate for dipping. enjoy!

winter white

how about a goat cheese & honey tart in beautiful shades of white to make up for the lack of winter white weather? this elegant dessert couldn't be easier to make and the simple flavors of tart goat cheese and yogurt are perfectly complimented by a drizzle of local honey. the recipe is inspired by a tart from an old issue of food & wine but i used the crust from this fall tart and think it turned out wonderfully - enjoy!

Goat Cheese & Honey Tart

serves 8

1/4 cup each almonds, walnuts and hazelnuts (toasted & cooled)

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 tbs flax seeds

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 tsp salt

6 tbs chilled unsalted butter, diced

1 egg yolk

11 oz goat cheese

2 cups greek yogurt

2 tbs lime juice

2 tsp lime zest

1/3 cup confectioner's sugar

1/3 cup honey

grease a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom. in a food processor, grind nuts, flour, flax, sugar and salt into a fine meal. add butter and pulse until a coarse meal forms. add egg yolk and pulse until moist clumps form. press dough into bottom and sides of pan, about 1/4-inch thick, and pierce bottom with a fork several times. chill for 30 minutes. preheat oven to 400 degrees F. bake crust 12-14 minutes or until golden brown. cool completely.

in the bowl of an electric mixer, beat goat cheese, yogurt, lime juice and zest until combined. add sugar and beat until smooth. spread the filling evenly into the crust and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. just before serving, heat the honey in a small saucepan until it's a thinner consistency and drizzle over tart.

coffee & chocolate

chocolate & coffee is one of those perfect combinations. so when i came home from a recent job with some really nice chocolate and saw this recipe while going through old magazines, i knew exactly what to do - run out and buy some haagen-dazs coffee ice cream immediately! this mocha caramel sauce is from a 2006 issue of gourmet and is definitely worth the few extra minutes it takes to make caramel and melt chocolate for an amazing homemade dessert. i'm sure it would be great poured over any flavor ice cream but coffee was just the thing for us. enjoy!

Mocha Caramel Sauce

1 cup heavy cream

3 1/2 tsp instant espresso powder

1/2 cup sugar

4 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

1/8 tsp salt

in a small bowl, stir together cream and espresso powder. cook sugar in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, undisturbed, until it begins to melt. continue to cook, swirling the pan gently, until a deep golden caramel color. remove from heat and let sit 1 minute. very carefully pour in espresso cream - mixture will steam and bubble. then cook over low heat, stirring, until caramel is dissolved. add chocolate and salt and cook until sauce it smooth. serve warm or at room temperature.

the big apple

we're back!! it's been so long we almost forgot how to post, sorry. just to update, if you care, our move went pretty well for the most part and we are thrilled to be living in manhattan. it's amazing and every day we have to pinch ourselves to make sure this is all really happening. love our apartment, love our neighborhood, love the greenmarket, love our butcher, love exploring the city and getting used to a new way of life. we've had LOTS of fun foodie adventures so far - visit to murray's, pinot gris, warm olives and hard boiled eggs here, great sandwiches from Defontes, shacks (BLT & shake), and a great waffles from these guys. new york is amazing!! have seen lots of gorgeous plums at a few local greenmarkets and had to make something that reminded me of home - my mom's plum kuchen. it's also great with apples - perfect for fall! changed the recipe a bit to use whole wheat pastry flour and muscavado sugar (cause we had it) but they both add a nice bit of depth to the treat. enjoy & we're glad to be back!

Plum Kuchen

3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1/8 cup muscavado or brown sugar

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

3 tbs unsalted butter, cold & cut into chunks & 2 tbs melted

1 egg, beaten

1/8 cup milk

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

3 cups sliced plums (or tart apples)

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/8 cup sugar

preheat oven to 400 degrees F. in a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. cut in butter with a fork or fingers until coarse. add egg, milk and vanilla and stir with a fork until combined. spread batter evenly and very thin in bottom of a lightly greased 8-inch square baking pan - wet fingers or spatula to help spread evenly. arrange sliced plums (or apples) in rows over batter. drizzle with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. bake for 25-30 minutes or until edges are brown and crispy. let cool before slicing.

frozen treat

sometimes we forget how simple it is to make homemade ice cream and sorbet and what a special treat it really is. this buttermilk sorbet is originally from a martha recipe for a rhubarb float which we'll have to try another time - instead, i adapted the recipe and folded in ripe fresh cherries for a sweet & tart combination. did anyone see this great article from the new york times magazine back in april? it got me on a serious buttermilk kick! have a great weekend and treat yourself to something cold, rich and creamy.

Buttermilk Sorbet

makes 1 quart

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tbs corn syrup

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup cherries, pitted & halved (or other ripe fresh fruit!)

in a small saucepan, combine sugar with 1 cup water and bring to a boil until sugar dissolves. let cool completely. whisk together cooled simple syrup with buttermilk, cream, corn syrup and vanilla. freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. transfer to an airtight container and freeze at least 1 hour before serving.

limoncello

even though there isn't much booze in them, these are popsicles for adults only! limoncello is an italian liqueur made with loads of fresh lemons and traditionally served after dinner as a digestivo. we used to think all limoncellos were equal, until we tasted this one from just down the coast in ventura - it's vibrant and fresh like no other we've ever sipped. these popsicles would be a perfect after dinner refreshment on a hot summer night - the texture is similar to sorbet and they melt rather quickly so don't linger too long. enjoy!

Limoncello Popsicles

makes 10

1 1/2 cups water

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup limoncello

1 cup fresh lemon juice

in a small saucepan, combine water and sugar and bring to a boil, stirring, until sugar dissolves. remove from the heat and let cool. add limoncello and lemon juice and stir to combine. pour into popsicle molds and freeze for an hour. insert popsicle sticks and freeze overnight.

crisps & crumbles

rhubarb is a such a wonderful summer ingredient - i love the tart tangy flavor it adds to fruit and it makes a perfect pair with vanilla ice cream. i got one of these in the mail recently and it's a whole new taste of rhubarb! i tend to prefer crisps to cobblers or pies. well, i'd definitely eat and enjoy any of them but making a crisp couldn't be simpler - just combine fruit and sugar, sprinkle a crumbly mixture on top and pop it in the oven! the combinations of fruit are endless and you can use this recipe all year long with whatever fruit is in season - apple & currant, nectarine & blueberry, cherry & blackberry. but you have to top it off with this great haagen-dazs flavor i just discovered and help save the bees while you're at it!

Rhubarb Raspberry Crisp

serves 2

1 pint raspberries

2 cups rhubarb, chopped

1/4 tsp lemon zest

1 tbs lemon juice

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1/4 cup old fashioned oats

1/4 tsp ground cardamom

1/4 tsp salt

3 tbs unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

preheat oven to 375 degrees F. in a small bowl, combine raspberries, rhubarb, zest, juice and granulated sugar. toss together and put in a greased 1-quart baking dish. in another bowl, combine brown sugar, flour, oats, cardamom and salt. add butter and cut in with a fork or use your fingers to combine until mixture resembles a coarse meal. sprinkle evenly over fruit. bake 25-30 minutes or until bubbly and lightly brown on top. enjoy!

moms days

since mother's day is coming up, we had an idea pop into our heads - why not get our moms to pick their favorite recipes they cooked for us growing up. they are after all the reason why this blog works so well. they were our teachers and early enablers. as they flipped through recipe boxes, lots and lots of tasty memories came floating to the surface.  one dish that came to the forefront of my (andrew's) culinary memories was my mom's unreal mint bars.  it's a little bit cake, a little bit chocolate and a lot of taste.  it reminds me of mint chip ice cream flavor, in a nice bite-sized hand held treat.  it's been a long, long time since i tasted these, but they are really amazing, simple yet amazing.  

chocolate mint bars

makes about 28 bars

for cake

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

4 eggs

1/2 tsp peppermint extract

1 16 oz. can chocolate syrup

mix all ingredients together in stand mixer with paddle attachment.  preheat oven to 325 degrees.  pour into 9x13 baking dish.  bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes.  let cool to room temperature.

for peppermint filling

2 cups powdered sugar

2 tbs unsalted butter, softened

2 tbs milk

1 tsp peppermint extract

about 3 drops green food coloring(use to desired mint coloring)

whip all ingredients together in stand mixer with whisk attachment.  spread onto cooled cake. allow to set, about 1/2 hour.  

for topping

4 tbs unsalted butter

4 oz. semi sweet chocolate 

melt butter and chocolate in a small pan over low heat stirring constantly.  pour over top of peppermint filling.  Let cool. we like to put them in the fridge or freezer and eat cold.  

i scream, you scream

everyone loves ice cream. i've also always loved the combination of oranges and cream - creamsicles, orange julius, orange sherbet. i haven't had most of these in years so when i saw these beautiful blood oranges at the market, i thought ice cream would be a fun thing to make. a traditional sherbet recipe is lighter than ice cream and contains egg whites instead of yolks but this is a more traditional ice cream recipe. it stirs up memories of melty bright orange sherbet on a hot summer day, now with a little more sophisticated color and flavor.

Blood Orange Ice Cream

makes about 3 cups

2 cups whole milk

1/2 cup sugar

1 vanilla bean, split open

pinch of salt

2 tbs orange zest

4 egg yolks

1/2 cup blood orange juice, about 6 small oranges

in a heavy saucepan, combine milk, 1/4 cup sugar, vanilla bean, salt, and zest. bring to a boil and remove from heat. beat together egg yolks and remaining 1/4 cup sugar until pale and frothy. slowly add warm milk mixture while constantly whisky until well combined. pour mixture back into saucepan and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until mixture coats back of a wooden spoon. remove from heat and strain through a fine mesh sieve into a metal bowl set in a larger metal bowl of ice and water. whisk to release heat and let cool about 10 minutes. stir in blood orange juice and freeze in ice cream maker. transfer to an airtight container and freeze until hard.

restaurant week- wednesday

thomas keller is a genius and bouchon bakery is one of those places we can't get enough of. if you're a regular reader, you know we have eaten at bouchon and bouchon bakery in las vegas and napa valley many many times - sometimes more than once in a singele day! rumor has it a bakery is coming to los angeles and we are anxiously awaiting it's arrival. it's hard to pick just one favorite item from a place like this so we decided on the bakery's signature chocolate bite. these small brownie cakes are baked in a mold to resemble the shape of a cork, "bouchon" in french. you can purchase the mold at williams-sonoma and they even sell a mix but why not make the recipe from scratch which is written in the bouchon cookbook. it's a beautiful book filled with inspiring photos and wonderful recipes for traditional french bistro fare. enjoy!

Chocolate Bouchons

(from Bouchon by Thomas Keller)

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp salt

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cups plus 3 tbs sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

24 tbs unsalted butter, melted and slightly warm

6 oz semisweet chocolate, such as Valrhona 55%, chopped

confectioners' sugar for dusting

preheat oven to 350 degrees F. sift flour, cocoa powder and salt into a bowl. in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the eggs and sugar on medium speed for 3-5 minutes or until thick and pale. mix in the vanilla. on low speed, add 1/3 dry ingredients, then 1/3 butter and continue alternating with the remaining flour and butter. add the chocolate and mix to combine.

put the mold on a baking sheet. fill each mold about 2/3 full. bake 25 minutes or until the tops look set like a brownie and a cake tester comes out clean. transfer to a cooling rack. after a few minutes, invert and let the bouchons cool upside down in the molds, then lift the mold off. dust with confectioners' sugar and serve with ice cream is desired.

frozen

the few dwarf citrus trees we have in our backyard decided to all produce ripe fruit at the exact same time this year. fresh meyer lemons, mexican limes and pommelo with a little tangerine from farmer's market seems like the perfect way to bring a little summer sunshine onto your winter table for dessert. plus a granita is like eating flavored snow! use whatever citrus you have on hand and adjust the sugar depending on the sweetness of your juice.

Fresh Citrus Granita

4 cups water

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup meyer lemon juice

1/2 cup tangerine juice

1/4 cup pommelo juice

in a saucepan, bring water and sugar to a boil for 2 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. let cool completely and then stir in citrus juices. pour into a 9x9-inch pan and freeze for at least 4 hours or overnight. scrape with a fork to loosen and serve.

deep purple

i've never been a huge fan of grape flavored anything - popsicles, gum, cough syrup, jelly. it's not my thing. but when i saw this grape jam tart recipe in the october issue of martha stewart living something made me want to try it. the jam almost didn't make it into the tart because it was so good on it's own that i wanted to slather it all over buttered toast or just eat it with a spoon. i don't have a non-fluted tart pan so i made it in a vintage pie tin and it still turned out great. serve a slice at room temperature with a dollop of creme fraiche or plain yogurt and enjoy!

Concord Grape Jam Tart

(from martha stewart living october 2008)

crust:

2 cups flour

1/4 cup sugar

3/4 tsp salt

2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1/4 cup ice water

in a food processor, pulse flour, sugar and salt. add butter and process until mixture resembles coarse meal. with the machine running, slowly add water until mixture begins to form a ball. remove and shape into 2 disks. wrap in plastic and refrigerate 1 hour.

jam:

1 1/2 lbs concord grapes, stems removed

3 tbs lemon juice

1 cup sugar

salt

1 egg

1/4 cup coarse sugar for sprinkling, like turbinado

combine grapes and lemon juice in a medium saucepan over high heat. cook, stirring frequently, until grapes release their juices, about 7 minutes. strain through a fine sieve. return juice to saucepan over high heat, stir in sugar and a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. reduce heat and simmer until temperature reaches 220 degrees. transfer to a bowl and cool.

on a lightly floured surface, roll out each disk of dough to 1/8-inch thickness. transfer one round into tart pan or pie tin and trim edges flush with pan. place other round on a sheet pan lined with parchment and freeze both for 15 minutes. 

preheat oven to 375 degrees. spread about 1 cup of grape jam in bottom of pan. brush top edge of dough with 1 beaten egg. slide the remaining dough round on top and press edges to seal. trim excess dough and crimp with a fork. brush top with egg and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. refrigerate for 30 minutes. bake tart for 15 minutes, then gently tap pan on counter to release air bubbles and return to oven for 15 minutes, until golden brown. cool on a wire rack.