Pie and Pastry Bible (122 page)

Dean Fearing of the Inn at Turtle Creek in Dallas makes a perfect rendition of this recipe, and whenever I visit I order one. Nancy Silverton makes a delightful variation by brushing the bottom of the baked puff pastry with a fine layer of ganache and then adding a layer of griottes (cherries in brandy) before pouring in the custard mixture. Gary Danko, when he was at the Ritz in San Francisco, made a fabulous chocolate créme brülée. My version keeps the pastry crisp and the cream silky but firm enough to hold up in the pastry when cut. The secret is cooking the custard and cooling it before pouring it into the prebaked pastry shells and then baking it to give the custard a chance to thicken more.

EQUIPMENT

Six 4¾-inch fluted tartlet pans or 4- by ¾-inch flan rings with removable bottoms and a large cookie sheet or inverted half-size sheet pan

Make the dough (page 417 or 420).

MAKE THE PASTRY SHELLS

On a lightly floured counter, roll the puff pastry into a rectangle at least 13 by 19 inches in size and about
inch thick. Using a cardboard template and a sharp knife, cut six 6-inch circles. Set the tart pans or flan rings about 1 inch apart on the cookie sheet. Line them with the pastry (it will extend ¼ inch above the edge). Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400°F at least 20 minutes before baking. Set an oven rack at the lowest level before preheating.

Line each pastry shell with parchment and fill it with pennies or pie weights. Bake the pastry for 15 to 20 minutes or until set. Remove the parchment and pennies or weights and prick the pastry all over with a fork. Continue baking for 5 to 7 minutes or until the pastry begins to brown lightly. Turn off the oven and leave the pastry shells in the oven with the door open for 5 minutes. Brush the pastry shells with the egg white, turn the oven heat to 325°F, and bake for 7 minutes longer. Remove the baking sheet to a rack to cool the pastry shells completely.

MAKE THE CUSTARD FILLING

Have a fine strainer suspended over a 4-cup glass measure with a spout or a small mixing bowl ready near the range.

In a heavy nonreactive saucepan, place the vanilla beans and sugar and, using your fingers, rub the seeds into the sugar. Remove and reserve the pods. Using a wooden spoon, stir the yolks into the sugar until well blended.

In a saucepan (or a heatproof glass measure if using a microwave on high power), combine the cream, milk, and vanilla pods and heat to the boiling point. Stir a few tablespoons into the yolk mixture, then gradually add the remaining mixture, stirring constantly. Heat the mixture over medium-low heat to just below the boiling point (180°F.). Steam will begin to appear and the mixture will be slightly thicker than heavy cream. If a finger is run across the back of the spoon, it will leave a well-defined track. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and pour into the strainer, scraping up the thickened cream that has settled on the bottom of the pan. Remove the vanilla pods (and rinse and dry for future use). Cool the mixture completely, then stir in the vanilla extract. (At this point, the custard can be used immediately or refrigerated for up to 24 hours.

Preheat the oven to 325°F. at least 15 minutes before baking. Set an oven rack in the middle position before preheating.

Pour the custard into the pastry shells (still on the cookie sheet). Bake for 20 to 30 minutes until the cræme shimmies like jelly when shaken and a knife inserted into the center comes out almost clean. (The temperature will be 175°F.) Place the cookie sheet on a rack and allow the tarts to cool completely, a minimum of 30 minutes and a maximum of 3 hours.

FIFTEEN TO 30 MINUTES BEFORE SERVING, MAKE THE CARAMEL TOPPING
^*

Sift 2 firmly packed teaspoons of brown sugar onto each tart. Use a mini propane torch (see page 670) to caramelize the topping, or protect the edges of the pastry with foil rings (see page 19), place the tartlets under a preheated broiler, 4 inches from the heat source, and broil for 1 to 3 minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning, just until the sugar melts and turns a deep brown. Serve immediately.

VARIATION

CHOCOLATE CRÈME BRÛLÉE TARTLETS
Stir 3 ounces of bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped, into the hot custard before straining it. When filling the pastry shells, there will be about 1 tablespoon more filling. (See above for the caramel topping.)

STORE

Although best eaten right after caramelizing the topping, the finished tartlets can be refrigerated overnight and allowed to come to room temperature for about 30 minutes. In some refrigerators the caramel will retain its hard texture, but in a high-humidity refrigerator, it will liquefy.

UNDERSTANDING

I prefer the combination of milk and cream, as it is a little lighter in texture than all cream.

The only reason to heat the cream and milk is to steep the vanilla beans, to extract the maximum flavor from them. If not using the vanilla beans, you can add the milk and cream without heating them.

Preparing the custard and cooling it before pouring it into the pastry keeps the pastry shells crisp. Rebaking it allows the egg yolk molecules to reconnect and thicken so that the custard is still soft and creamy but does not flow out of the crust when cut.

DANISH WAFFLE CREAMS

I
n this pastry from Denmark, two ovals of the flakiest, lightest, melt-in-the-mouth quick puff pastry sandwich fluffy whipped cream buttercream. On a trip to Copenhagen, I discovered that they sell a special plate on which to roll this dough that gives it the slightly waffled texture.

This is an exciting party dessert because it is unlike anything most people have ever experienced. Also, the components are easy to make and are quick to assemble up to four hours ahead of serving.

OVEN TEMPERATURE: 425°F. • BAKING TIME: 12 TO 15 MINUTES SERVES:4
INGREDIENTS	MEASURE	WEIGHT
VOLUME	OUNCES	GRAMS
Danish Waffle Dough unsalted butter	• 8 tablespoons	(11 ounces) 4 ounces	(311 grams) 113 grams
bleached all-purpose flour	1 cup (dip and sweep method)	5 ounces	142 grams
salt	teaspoon	•	•
heavy cream	3½ tablespoons	1.75 ounces	50 grams
sugar for rolling	•	•	•
Rich Whipped Cream Filling 2 large egg yolks	(2 cups) approx. 2 tablespoons	(10.5 ounces) 1.3 ounces	(300 grams) 37 grams
sugar	3 tablespoons	1.25 ounces	37 grams
water	½ tablespoon	•	•
unsalted butter, softened	6 tablespoons	3 ounces	85 grams
heavy cream	liquid cup	5.3 ounces	153 grams
pure vanilla extract	½ teaspoon	•	•
powdered sugar	•	•	•
optional: fresh berries	•	•	•

EQUIPMENT

Two cookie sheets or inverted half-size sheet pans, lined with parchment, and a 3-inch round cookie cutter

Cut the butter into ½-inch cubes and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Place the flour and salt in a reclosable freezer bag and freeze for at least 15 minutes.

FOOD PROCESSOR METHOD

Place the flour and salt in a food processor with the metal blade and process for a few seconds to combine them. Add the butter cubes and pulse until the butter is the size of small lima beans. Add the cream and pulse until the butter is the size of large peas.

Empty the mixture onto a large piece of plastic wrap and, using the wrap and your knuckles, knead and press the mixture until it holds together. If you find it easier, you can use a reclosable gallon-size freezer bag instead; holding both ends of the bag opening with your fingers, alternate using the heels of your hands and your knuckles to knead the mixture from the outside of the bag until it holds together. Remove the dough to a work surface and knead it briefly until you can form a smooth ball. If the dough starts to soften and become sticky, wrap it with plastic wrap, flatten it into a disc, and chill it for 20 minutes.