Pie and Pastry Bible (41 page)

CURRANTS
14 ounces (2.6 cups/400 grams) of fruit, 1 cup (7 ounces/200 grams) of sugar, 1 tablespoon plus 2½ teaspoons (17 grams) of cornstarch if reducing the liquid, 2 tablespoons plus ½ teaspoon (20.5 grams) if not

MAKE THE FILLING

In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar and salt (omit the cinnamon). Add the fruit and lemon juice and, using a rubber spatula, toss together gently to coat the fruit. Allow it to sit for at least 30 minutes.

If reducing the liquid,
place the fruit in a colander and drain it, reserving the juices.

Spray a 2-cup heatproof glass measure with nonstick vegetable spray or grease lightly, add the juices, and reduce by half in a microwave oven, 5 to 6 minutes. Or reduce in a small saucepan, preferably lined with a nonstick surface. Allow the liquid to cool until no longer hot. Add the kirsch or extract.

Meanwhile, add the lemon zest and cornstarch to the fruit and toss lightly to blend. Add the cooled juices and toss lightly again.

If cooking the cherries or berries,
transfer the berries and their juices to a saucepan. Stir the lemon zest and cornstarch into the fruit until the cornstarch is dissolved and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring gently. Allow it to boil for 30 seconds to a minute, until the juices become clear and very thick. Gently stir in the Kirsch or extract. Empty the mixture into a bowl and allow it to cool completely, without stirring.

SHAPE THE TURNOVERS

Divide the dough into 10 equal pieces (1.75 ounces/50 grams each).

Using a floured pastry cloth and sleeve or two sheets of lightly floured plastic wrap, roll out one piece of dough slightly less than
inch thick and large enough to cut out a 6-inch circle. Using a cardboard template and a sharp knife, cut out the circle. Transfer it to the bottom end of a 9-inch-long piece of plastic wrap. Brush the bottom half of it with the egg white. Spoon 3 to 4 tablespoons of the fruit onto this section, leaving a 1-inch border. Using the plastic wrap if the dough is at all sticky, fold the top part of the dough over the fruit, so that the edges are flush. With your fingers, firmly press the i-inch border to seal it. Fold the edge up over itself, pressing again to seal it. Cover the turnover with the top section of the plastic wrap and lift the turnover onto the foil-lined sheet. Repeat with the remaining turnovers. Refrigerate them for 1 hour or freeze them for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. at least 20 minutes before baking. Set the oven rack in the lowest position and place a baking stone or large cookie or baking sheet on it before preheating.

Unwrap the turnovers and space them evenly on the foil-lined sheet. If desired, brush them lightly with the egg glaze and sprinkle lightly with the sugar. Use a small sharp knife to cut 3 steam vents through the dough into the top of each turnover.

Place the sheet directly on the stone and bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until the filling is bubbling thickly out of the vents and the pastry is golden. Remove the baking sheet to a wire rack to cool for 20 to 30 minutes. These are best eaten warm.

VARIATION

MINI-TURNOVERS
For 24 mini-turnovers, you will need about 0.75 ounce/21 grams dough for each. I prefer to roll one at a time so that there is no need to reroll the scraps. Divide the dough into 24 pieces and roll each one slightly less than
inch thick and large enough to cut out a 6-inch circle, using a cardboard template and a sharp knife. Alternatively, roll the dough into a large rectangle and cut out 4-inch circles. Then lay the scraps, side by side and slightly overlapping, in a few layers; roll them between plastic wrap, doing a turn (see page 15) if necessary
to make them adhere. Refrigerate this dough for at least 15 minutes, while shaping the first batch of turnovers.

Brush the bottom half of each turnover with egg glaze, as above, and spoon 1 to 1½ tablespoons of fruit onto the bottom, leaving a ½-inch border. Seal, vent, and chill as above and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the pastry is golden and the filling is bubbling thickly out of the vents. Cool for 15 minutes before eating.

STORE

Room temperature, up to 2 days.

UNDERSTANDING

The same weight of apples has a greater volume than the peaches and nectarines before leaching out the liquid. But once the liquid is released, despite the fact that the apples leach out less liquid, the volume of all three fruits will be the same.

Turnovers are baked at 400°F. instead of at 425°F., as pies are, because of the egg glaze and sugar topping. If this is omitted, it’s fine to use the higher temperature.

UN-RUGELACH MINI TURNOVERS

These tiny turnovers have the same balance of filling to dough as my number one favorite cookie, rugelach, but they are easier to prepare because they aren’t rolled.
Rugelach
means rolled; therefore, I have dubbed these “un-rugelach.” The buttery cinnamon/walnut flavors fill your mouth with opulent pleasure, but despite their richness, they are easy to keep on eating because of the fresh tanginess from the apricot jam filling.

EQUIPMENT

Two 12- by 17-inch cookie sheets or inverted half-size sheet pans, lined with parchment or foil

FOOD PROCESSOR METHOD

In a food processor with the metal blade, place the cream cheese and butter and process until smooth and creamy, scraping the sides once or twice. Add the sugar and vanilla and process for a few seconds to incorporate them. Add the flour and salt and pulse just until the dough starts to clump together.

ELECTRIC MIXER METHOD

In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter until blended. Beat in the sugar and vanilla extract. On low speed, beat in the flour and salt just until incorporated.

OVEN TEMPERATURE: 350°F. BAKING TIME: 15 TO 20 MINUTES MAKES: ABOUT TWENTY-TWO 3½-INCH TURNOVERS
INGREDIENTS	MEASURE	WEIGHT
VOLUME	OUNCES	GRAMS
Dough cream cheese, softened	½ of an 8-ounce package	4 ounces	113 grams
unsalted butter, softened	8 tablespoons	4 ounces	113 grams
granulated sugar	2 tablespoons	1 ounce	25 grams
pure vanilla extract	½ teaspoon	•	2 grams
bleached all-purpose flour	1 cup (sifted into the cup and leveled off)	4 ounces	114 grams
salt	teaspoon	•	•
Filling granulated sugar	approx. 3 tablespoons	1.25 ounces	35 grams
light brown sugar	2 tablespoons, packed	1 ounce	27 grams
ground cinnamon	¼ teaspoon	•	•
golden raisins	¼ cup + 2 tablespoons	2 ounces	57 grams
coarsely chopped walnuts	½ cup	2 ounces	57 grams
Apricot Lekvar (page 512) or preserves (well stirred)	cup	approx. 3.5 ounces	102 grams
Topping granulated sugar	1 tablespoon	0.5 ounce	14 grams
ground cinnamon	½ teaspoon	•	•
milk	2 tablespoons	1 ounce	30 grams

BOTH METHODS

Scrape the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap and press it together to form a ball. Place the dough in a bowl, cover it well, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.

MAKE THE FILLING

In a medium bowl, with a fork, stir together the sugars, cinnamon, raisins, and walnuts until well mixed.

Using a 1¼-inch cookie scoop or a tablespoon measure, scoop out level measures of dough, placing them on a cookie sheet. Refrigerate the dough. Remove one piece of dough and roll it quickly between floured palms to form a ball. Dust it well with flour and place it between two sheets of plastic wrap. Use the flat bottom of a tumbler to press the ball flat and then a light rolling pin to roll it into a 3½-inch circle. Remove the top sheet of plastic wrap and spread rounded ½ teaspoons of Apricot Lekvar or preserves evenly over the dough, almost to the edge. Carefully place 2 teaspoons of the nut mixture on one half of the dough circle, leaving a narrow border. Use the plastic wrap to lift the other half of the dough up and over the filling to encase it. Leaving the plastic wrap in place, press along the border of the dough to seal in the filling. Remove the plastic wrap, brush away any excess flour, and place the turnover on a prepared cookie sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling, leaving at least 1½ inches between each turnover. For the best shape, cover the turnovers with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before baking.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. at least 15 minutes before baking. Set the oven racks so that they divide the oven into thirds.

In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and cinnamon for the topping.

With a pastry brush or feather, brush each turnover with milk and sprinkle evenly with the sugar and cinnamon topping.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned. For even baking, rotate the cookie sheets from top to bottom and back to front halfway through the baking period. Use a small pancake turner to transfer the turnovers to wire racks to cool completely.

STORE

Airtight, room temperature, up to 5 days; frozen, up to 3 months.

UNDERSTANDING

This cream cheese dough can be more fragile and tender than the one used for pies and tarts (it contains no water to develop gluten), because it does not need strength due to the small size of the pastries.