Pie and Pastry Bible (143 page)

This homemade version, adapted from beloved baking teacher John Clancy, uses dried apricots, and its intensity is close to the original.

MAKES: 2¾ CUPS/APPROXIMATELY 29.5 OUNCES/840 GRAMS
INGREDIENTS	MEASURE	WEIGHT
	VOLUME	OUNCES	GRAMS
dried apricots	2	1 pound	454 grams
water	2 liquid cups	16.6 ounces	472 grams
sugar	1 cup • 3 tablespoons	8 ounces	227 grams
finely grated lemon zest	2 teaspoons	• 4 grams

In a medium saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, combine the dried apricots with the water and allow them to sit for 2 hours to soften.

Bring the water to a boil, cover the pan tightly, and simmer over the lowest possible heat for 20 to 30 minutes or until the apricots are very soft when pierced with a skewer.

In a food processor with the metal blade, place the apricots and any liquid, the sugar, and lemon zest and process until smooth.

Scrape the apricot mixture back into the saucepan and simmer, stirring constantly to prevent scorching, for 10 to 15 minutes or until deep orange in color and very thick. A tablespoon of the mixture when lifted will take about 3 seconds to fall from the spoon. Empty it into a bowl and cool completely.

STORE

Refrigerated, in an airtight container, about 1 year.

PRUNE LEKVAR

T
his was my favorite Danish filling as a child. Those of you who adore prune will want to use the lower amount of lemon zest and omit the cardamom for a pure prune flavor. Those of you who love it less may learn to appreciate it with the higher amount of lemon zest, which cuts through the pruniness, and the addition of cardamom, which accentuates the cardamom in the Danish dough.

MAKES: 2 CUPS/22 OUNCES/624 GRAMS
INGREDIENTS	MEASURE	WEIGHT
	VOLUMES	OUNCES	GRAMS
* Cardamom is most aromatic when freshly ground. I use a mortar and pestle. A spice or coffee mill also works.
pitted prunes	4 cups, tightly packed	1 pound	454 grams
water	2 liquid cups	16.6 ounces	472 grams
sugar	¼cup	1.75 ounces	50 grams
salt	a pinch	•	•
finely grated lemon zest	1 to 2 teaspoons	•	2 to 4 grams
optional: ground cardamom*	teaspoon	•	•

In a medium saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, combine the prunes with the water and allow them to sit for 2 hours to soften.

Bring the water to a boil, cover the pan tightly, and simmer over the lowest possible heat for 20 to 30 minutes or until the prunes are very soft when pierced with a skewer.

In a food processor with the metal blade, place the prunes and any liquid, the sugar, salt, and lemon zest and process until smooth.

Scrape the prune mixture back into the saucepan and simmer, stirring constantly to prevent scorching, for 10 to 15 minutes or until dark brown in color and very thick. A tablespoon of the mixture when lifted will take about 3 seconds to fall from the spoon. Empty into a bowl and stir in the optional cardamom. Cool completely.

STORE

Refrigerated, in an airtight container, about 1 year.

BRANDIED RAISINS

T
hese incredible aromatic raisins are simple to make and indispensable in Danish pastry. They could find their way into an apple pie as well. (To store, mark them “for baking only” and hope no one understands why and eats them anyway!)

EQUIPMENT

A 1-quart canning jar

Advance preparation:
3 days.

In a small saucepan, stir together the sugar and water and bring to a full boil, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and add the raisins and vanilla bean. Cover tightly and allow to cool to room temperature.

Transfer the raisins and liquid to the 1-quart jar and add the Cognac. Cover the jar tightly and swirl to mix well. Let stand for at least 3 days before using.

STORE

In a cool dark cellar or refrigerated, indefinitely.

^*
Plus, if possible, two 18- by 2-inch-deep sheet pans to be used as a proofing box.

^*
A cool cellar, particularly a wine cellar, is an ideal place to maintain this temperature. Alternatively, refrigerate it but allow it to soften slightly before using it. The butter should be cool but malleable.

^*
Plus, if possible, an 18- by 2-inch deep sheet pan, to be used as a proofing box.

^*
Plus, if possible, an 18- by 2-inch-deep sheet pan to be used as a proofing box.

^*
Plus, if possible, two 18- by 2-inch-deep sheet pans to be used as a proofing box.

^*
Plus, if possible, two 18- by 2-inch-deep sheet pans to be used as a proofing box.

^*
Plus, if possible, two 18- by 2-inch-deep sheet pans to be used as a proofing box.

^*
Plus, if possible, two 18-by 7-inch-deep pans to be used as a proofing box.

^*
Plus, if possible, an 18- by 2-inch deep sheet pan to be used as a proofing box.

BRIOCHE

B
rioche belongs in the pastry repertoire, yet it doesn’t have the crispness of what we usually think of as pastry. It seems more like a bread or a cake. This is because brioche has more liquid, more egg, and more sugar than any other dough. Actually, it is very similar to Danish pastry, and the doughs can be used interchangeably.

Brioche comes in many shapes and varieties beyond the classic breakfast bun with topknot. It makes the softest, most buttery sticky buns. In Austria, shaped into little buns and set atop a vanilla cream sauce, they are called
buchteln
and are served for dinner. And for lovers of escargots, the snail buns, which are a savory version of sticky buns, will be a unique treat.

BRIOCHE

(Master Recipe)

T
his is my basic buttery brioche recipe, used for both sweet and savory recipes. For those who desire even more butter, it can be increased to 6 ounces, which will also make the crumb finer and more dense.

EQUIPMENT

A heavy-duty mixer with the flat beater and dough hook attachments and sixteen 2¾-inch brioche molds, well buttered or sprayed with nonstick vegetable spray

Advance preparation:
at least one day ahead.

To proof the yeast (if using fresh or active dry yeast), in a small bowl combine the water (ideally a tepid 100°F. if using fresh yeast, a little warmer, 110°F., if using dry; do not use hot water, or the yeast will die), ½ teaspoon of the sugar, and the yeast. If
using fresh yeast, crumble it slightly while adding it. Set the mixture aside in a draft-free spot for 10 to 20 minutes. By this time, the mixture should be full of bubbles. (If not, the yeast is too old to be useful and you must start again with newer yeast.)

MAKE THE SPONGE

Place
cup of the flour and 1 of the eggs in the large mixer bowl and whisk until mixed. Add the yeast or yeast mixture and whisk until smooth. Sprinkle the remaining flour (for a total of 1½ cups) over the mixture but do not mix it in. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let it stand for 1½ to 2 hours.