pastry

Buttermilk Pie Dough /  by Madeline Chen

by Judy Kim

Buttermilk Pie Dough Judy Kim

Buttermilk Pie Dough

Yield: Two 8 to 10-inch single-crust pies or one double-crust pie

This is an easy and forgiving recipe for a tender and flaky crust. I also developed it to make more dough than your average double crust pie recipe. Which is very handy if you’re making a lattice or decorative pie.

INGREDIENTS

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, additional for rolling

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoon sugar

½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted European style butter, cut into ½-inch cubes and chilled

1/2 cup chilled buttermilk

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a large deep mixing bowl combine flour, salt, and sugar. Bring pre-cut butter to room temperature for a few minutes and add all at once into flour mixture. Toss until each piece of butter is coated. Using your hands, break butter into the flour by pressing it between your index finger and thumbs while using a slow snapping or sliding motion. It will create large flattened shards of butter covered in flour. Rotate through all the pieces of butter until they have all been fully flattened out and well coated. There should not be any large pieces of butter left and the mixture should look shaggy at this stage.

  2. Using your hands, level the flour mixture and create a slight well in the center. For even distribution use a pour spout liquid measure to drizzle small amounts of chilled buttermilk all over the center of the flour. Using your hands toss mixture from the side to the top in order to keep liquid away from your hands and from touching the bowl; buttermilk should be incorporated rather than all over your hands or creating wet spots on the bowl. Wait until buttermilk is fully absorbed before each addition. Keep mixing with your hands and eventually squeeze the mixture together in your fist to test the consistency, it should just stick together.

  3. Spread a light dusting of bench flour on a clean surface and knead the dough 5 to 7 turns until it forms a ball. The dough will be slightly wet so add flour as needed to prevent sticking. Don’t be afraid to knead the dough until it’s smooth and all the loose bits are incorporated. Lightly coat the dough all over with flour. Cut the dough in two pieces, about 1/3 and 2/3 ratio. Place cut side down onto plastic wrap; tightly wrap and form the smaller piece into a flattened round about 1-inch thick, ideal for the base of your pie. Form the larger piece into a flattened rectangle also 1-inch thick. Sometimes I even cut the dough into equal 1/3 pieces, it’s often easier to work with smaller pieces and keep other pieces in the refrigerator. Chill for one hour to rest, at minimum 20 minutes. Bring dough to room temperature for a few minutes before rolling. I like to soften the edges of the dough while it’s still wrapped before rolling to prevent cracking.

  4. Dust surface and rolling pin with bench flour. This dough is well hydrated, so no need to be worried about adding bench flour, use when needed. Roll smaller round into a circle between 1/8 to ¼-inch thickness. Roll from the center outwards and lighten pressure of the rolling pin before you reach the edge, this keeps the thickness even. Slightly turn pastry after each roll to prevent sticking and add bench flour when needed. When the pastry begins to flatten out, concentrate the rolling pin movement in an upward and circular motion mimicking the curve of the dough, again lightening pressure before reaching the edge, this helps keep it round. When dough is larger than the size of your pie dish, gently fold into quarters and place inside the pie dish. Ensure it is well centered and nestled into the corners without stretching to prevent shrinkage while baking. Using your dominant hand, take the flat part of your upper index finger and gently press the dough into the base corners of the pie dish, while the other hand gently lifts each edge of dough to ensure it is not being stretched.

  5. For a classic crimp, trim dough ½-inch past the rim, reserving leftover pieces of dough. Fold under and crimp using the thumb of your dominant hand while pushing into the index finger and thumb of your other hand forming a subtle v-shape. Place pie dish and dough trimmings on rimmed sheet pan, and chill in refrigerator while you roll your second piece of dough into a rectangle. Use dough to make a dough crust, long strips for a lattice or use pie cutters to create embellishment pieces. Leftover trimmings from the base crust can be rolled out to be used with a pie cutter.

 

Pro Tip: Make a double batch of pie dough and label the plastic wrap (I prefer this brand as it is the stickiest and has a convenient slide for cutting) with the date for future use. You'll make your next pie in half the time. Keep dough tightly wrapped up to 5 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer. Thaw frozen dough in the refrigerator overnight.

Rustic Pie Dough /  by Judy Kim

by Judy Kim

Rustic Pie Dough

Yield: Two 8 to 10-inch single-crust pies or one double-crust pie

This is a no-fuss dough recipe made without a food processor or pastry cutter. Living proof that pastry can be made on a hot Summer day but still be delicious and flaky. I made this on a trip to Charleston, SC in August, so you can imagine the high humidity in an already hot kitchen. Needless to say, it was not an ideal situation for baking. Since I was in the South, the use of lard just seemed apropos and I paired it with my favorite high butterfat European butter. Most likely the reason this rustic thrown together dough tastes so delicate despite the thrown together process.

I would suggest using this pastry for simple galettes or tarts. If you're looking for pastry to make a decorative pie, use my Vodka Pie Crust or Vodka Pâte Brisée Pie Crust. 

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, additional for rolling

1 teaspoon flaky sea salt, such as Jacobsen Salt

12 tablespoons unsalted European style butter (1 1/2 sticks), cut into 1/2-inch cubes, I use Vermont Creamery European Cultured Butter with 86% butterfat

1/4 cup lard (or shortening)

1/4 cup cold water

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a large mixing bowl combine flour and sea salt. Add butter and break butter into the flour by pressing the butter between your index finger and thumbs using a slow snapping motion. It will create large chards of butter. Rotate through all the pieces of butter until they have all been flattened out and coated in flour to avoid clumps. Add the lard and continue to mix with your hands. Work quickly to prevent the butter from melting from the warmth of your hands. The mixture should look slightly lumpy.

  2. Add 1 tablespoon of cold water at a time and combine until the dough comes together. I used 1/4 cup of cold water. Chilled water using ice cubes is the most ideal, but cold filtered tap water is fine.

  3. Spread a thin dusting of bench flour and knead the dough just until it forms a ball. Avoid using too much bench flour and over kneading or the pastry will get tough. Cut the dough in half and wrap tightly in plastic wrap and form into a round or rectangle, based on your final desired shape. Chill in the fridge until ready for use. Bring to room temperature for a few minutes before rolling.

Note: European butter is different than regular butter, it has a high level of butterfat and will soften very easily. I typically keep this butter in the freezer until I'm ready to use it. At minimum keep it in the fridge. 

Pro Tip: Make a double batch of pie dough and label the plastic wrap with the date for a future use. You'll make your next pie in half the time. Freeze dough up to 3 months.

Vodka Pie Crust /  by Judy Kim

by Judy Kim

VODKA PIE CRUST

Yield: Two 8 to 10-inch single-crust pies or one double-crust pie

I've been working on this recipe for years and love the results. It's been rewritten and improved every few months. It's particularly great for decorative pies or anyone new to pie making because the vodka makes it very pliable. By using both butter and shortening, it creates a silky consistency. Vodka may seem to be the star, which does help reduce the formation of gluten, but I think technique reigns supreme for success. The key is evenly distributed butter and flour, which is easy to control in a food processor if you use the pulse feature. Big butter chunks may seem ideal, but they create an unevenly textured pie.  For another simple dough I prefer to make by hand, try my Buttermilk Pie Dough.

INGREDIENTS

12 tablespoons unsalted butter ( 1 1/2 sticks), cut into 1/2-inch cubes and frozen in advance. I prefer Vermont Creamery European butter

1/2 cup vodka

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons shortening, frozen

DIRECTIONS

  1. Pour vodka into a liquid measuring cup, then add several ice cubes. Wait until vodka is chilled and remove ice after a few minutes. Vodka water mixture should reach 3/4 cup measurement. (If you prefer to use less vodka, try 1/3 cup vodka with 1/4 cup ice water.)

  2. Combine flour and salt in a large mixing bowl; add frozen butter and shortening. Toss together quickly with your hands to coat each piece of butter and shortening with flour mixture, helps ensure an even dough. Transfer to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade; pulse 2 to 3 times until the size of chick peas.

  3. Pour vodka mixture through feed tube in a steady stream while constantly pulsing until dough begins to pull together. Avoid running the machine automatically or it may overmix. Butter and shortening should be about the size of dried lentils. Pro tip: Pour all the liquid into the feed tube, it's designed to stream an even amount and will help absorb all the flour evenly if you keep pulsing.

  4. Carefully turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and remove the blade. The dough is very hydrated, so use bench flour when needed. Working on marble or granite countertop will help keep the dough cool. Knead dough until smooth, turn 5 to 6 times.

  5. Divide dough in half. Wrap each half in plastic wrap and shape the dough into a round or rectangle. I find the dough will stay cooler if it's shape after wrapping and it reduces the need for additional bench flour. If you are using a round pie dish, shape dough into a flattened disk or rectangle if you are making a galette or lattice strips; this will help eliminate wastage. Refrigerate for minimum of 2 hours, preferably overnight.

  6. You can freeze the dough up to 3 months, just wrap well. If you have left over scraps I cut them into manageable pieces and wrap them in parchment paper and stack the pieces. The parchment will prevent them from sticking. Wrap in plastic wrap tightly and freeze to use for cut outs on a future pie. Or cut out decorative pieces using a pie cutter and freeze in a single layer, when frozen solid keep in air tight plastic container.

NOTES FOR DECORATIVE PIES:

If you desire a decorative pie using cut out shapes, try purchasing pie cutters at a local specialty store, Williams Sonoma or online such as Amazon . Cookie cutters are another favorite. Generally I prefer pie cutters since they give a detailed impression mark due to their plunger design. The texture will give a rich detail to your pie.

Using pie cutters is a great way to use excess dough. Keep pastry cut outs in the freezer and bake them off as needed. Brushing with cream or an egg wash will make them golden. I suggest using them for a topping on desserts like ice cream or berries with whipped cream. I've even been known to put them with skillet eggs and arugula. 

If you want to layer a lot of cut outs on your pie such as a fallen leaf layout, roll the dough a bit thinner since they will overlap. Cut out the shapes and place in a single layer on a parchment lined quarter sheet pan or any tray that will fit in the freezer. Once frozen use the them right away or stack the shapes into an airtight container for future use. The shapes can be scattered all over a fruit pie in place of a top crust.

For a custard pie that requires blind baking, create the pie cut outs a few hours in advance or the day before and freeze them solid. This will help them resist heat to maintain their shape and placement while baking. Roll the bottom layer 1/8-inch thick, place into a pie dish and trim neatly with scissors or a sharp paring knife. The shapes can be attached to a simple crust and form a wreath by brushing the backside with heavy cream. Freeze pie crust for about 5 to 10 minutes before blind baking. Pro tip: preheat oven with Baking Steel or your favorite pizza stone. There's no need to blind bake the pie! Place your pie dish on top of a rimmed sheet pan and place on top of the Baking Steel, and your bottom crust is be crispy. Eliminating blind baking is a huge time saver. I bake all my regular and custard pies on the steel, I just left it in the oven.

* recipe updated August 2018

Heirloom Tomato Tart with Crispy Breadcrumbs /  by Judy Kim

by Judy Kim

Heirloom Tomato Tart with Crispy Breadcrumbs

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

A great way to use bountiful Heirloom tomatoes at the height of Summer or to celebrate the end of tomato season. Either way, a nice light appetizer to be served with dry crisp champagne or served with a green garden salad for a light lunch. 

INGREDIENTS

4 medium to large heirloom tomatoes, sliced 3/8-inch or 1 cm thick

Flaky sea salt, such as Jacobsen Salt

1/2 pound Old Amsterdam Gouda, grated

1/2 pound white cheddar, grated

2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

Freshly ground black pepper

Extra-virgin olive oil

1 single crust, rustic pie dough

All-purpose flour, for dusting

Optional: 1 egg

1/2 cup chiffonade fresh basil

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat oven 350° F. Fix oven rack in middle with a Baking Steel, or your favorite pizza stone. I love how the steel makes the pastry so crisp. Eliminates worrying about a soggy crust.

  2. Prepare half sheet pan with parchment paper, I use pre-cut parchment paper when I have it available. Set aside.

  3. Place sliced tomatoes on a sheet pan lined with paper towels. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt on both sides. Set aside, minimum of 5 minutes. Pat dry to remove moisture.

  4. In a medium mixing bowl, combine all grated cheese and reserve 1/2 cup.

  5. In a small mixing bowl, combine ½ cup grated cheese, breadcrumbs, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and 2 tablespoons olive oil; set aside.

  6. Remove Rustic Pie Dough from refrigerator to rest until softened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle flour all over the counter and smooth over your rolling pin, I prefer a flat rolling pin compared to a rounded French style. Roll dough evenly into similar dimensions of the sheet pan, about ¼-inch thickness or a bit less. Move dough around as you roll and sprinkle flour as needed to prevent the dough from sticking. Trim the dough to match the rectangular shape with an additional 1-inch border, for a finished look. Or skip the trimming step for a more rustic approach. To transfer, loosely roll the dough onto the rolling pin and unroll over the sheet pan.

  7. Sprinkle remaining cheese all over pastry in an even layer, leaving a 1-inch border. Arrange tomatoes with minimal overlap all over cheese, also leaving a 1 inch border of pastry. Roll edges inward and crimp pastry edges.

  8. Place tomato tart in fridge to chill for 10 to 15 minutes.

  9. Place mounds of breadcrumb mixture over the tomatoes, especially covering the crust. You can spread breadcrumb mixture all over, but I like to keep most of the tomatoes uncovered since they are so beautiful. Place sheet pan directly on Baking Steel and bake until pastry is golden brown, approximately 40 to 45 minutes.

  10. Optional: Make egg wash, egg lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water. Brush crust with egg wash just before baking.

  11. Carefully transfer to a cooling rack.

  12. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil all over tart, sprinkle with basil and flaky sea salt. Serve at room temperature.

Apple & Blood Orange Garden Trellis Pie /  by Judy Kim

by Judy Kim

Apple & Blood Orange Garden Trellis Pie

Yield: 1 (9-inch) Pie

Created a new twist on apple pie. Blood oranges aren't a typical addition to pie, but I had them around and wanted to use them in place of lemon for some acidity. This design was inspired by a garden trellis woven with twisty vines. I've always had an affinity to gardening and all things floral, I get it from my Mother. I've included directions to create this design but the truth is, all designs don't go exactly as planned, so feel free to go rogue. I often utilize leaf and floral cut outs to cover up mistakes like broken pastry. There are some trouble shooting tips below. Regardless, true beauty and imperfection sit side by side in my book. 

You can watch my pie demo video below.

INGREDIENTS

1 double crust, such as Buttermilk Pie Dough

1/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus additional for rolling pastry

1 egg

1 tablespoon heavy cream

1 blood orange, zested and cut into supremes

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon kosher, such as Jacobsen sea salt

1/4 teaspoon aromatic bitters

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

5 (about 3 pounds) medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced on mandoline

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes and frozen

DIRECTIONS

  1. Prepare the Buttermilk Pie Dough recipe, which can be made in advance.

  2. Before rolling, let the pie dough come to room temperature, about 5 minutes, to prevent cracking. On a lightly floured surface, roll out round disk to thickness between 1/8-inch and 1/4-inch. Keep dough moving and apply just enough flour to prevent it from sticking. Try avoid using too much flour to prevent the pastry from getting tough. Gently fold in half and again into a quarter, then transfer over your pie dish. Drape dough and nestle into the corners of the pie dish. Trim pastry with scissors or a sharp paring knife along the rim, chill trimmed pastry; roll out pastry a bit thinner and cut out leaves using a small leaf pie cutter. These will be used to make the leaf crown around the crust. Place on a generously floured rimmed sheet pan. Keep pie dish and sheet pan in fridge until ready to use.

  3. Roll out rectangular piece of pastry to 1/8-inch thickness. Using a fluted edge pastry wheel, cut a variety of narrow and wide strips to create the lattice and twisted cables. Use remaining dough to cut out shapes such as flowers and leaves for decoration. To make the leaves look more realistic, try bending them a bit. Place lattice strips in a single layer on a new floured sheet pan; chill in refrigerator. Add flowers and leaves to previously prepared sheet pan with leaves and keep in the fridge, preferably freezer until ready to use.

  4. Place oven rack in middle and preheat oven to 425°F. In a small bowl beat egg with heavy cream; set aside.

  5. In a large mixing bowl, add blood orange zest and supreme orange segments. Drain and discard any excess liquid from the oranges. Mix in sugar, salt, bitters, cinnamon and vanilla extract. Fold in apples until well coated; sprinkle 1/4 cup flour and toss again. Transfer apple mixture into pie dish and try to keep the mixture even. Scatter frozen butter cubes evenly all over the apples.

  6. Remove sheet pans with remaining pastry from the fridge or freezer. To create a simple lattice design, place strips (any width you prefer) in one direction across the entire pie. Lift every other row, place another strip in the opposite direction and flip the strips back down. Alternatively lift every other row, place another strip in the opposite direction and flip strips back down again until the lattice is complete. Try to keep the lattice pieces close together to cover most of the filling, this will help trap in steam and make a tender filling.

  7. To create cable knit roping, loosely twist 2 strips of similar width together to create a cable knit effect. Try to keep the strips flat to create an even cable. For my Garden Trellis design I mixed in cable knit ropes, a row of leaves and a row of flowers with the wavy flat strips.

  8. Using a sharp paring knife, trim the excess lattice work. Gently lift the ends of the lattice work and brush a light coating of egg wash to glue down the strips to the pie shell. Brush the top edge of the crust with egg wash. Place leaves on a 45° angle, press down lightly and alternatively place leaves in opposite directions to create a crown crust.

  9. Brush a light coating of egg wash evenly all over the pie. Place pie dish on a sheet pan and bake on the center rack for 15 minutes. Reduce oven to 375°F, bake until bubbling and golden brown, about 75 minutes. If necessary, rotate the pie for even baking and cover with foil if the top is browning too much. For best results, let pie cool for 4 to 6 hours before serving. Or bake the day before. Note: pie must be bubbling or filling will not be tender and crust will not be crispy.

Salted Caramel Pear Pie /  by Judy Kim

by Judy Kim

Salted Caramel Pear Pie

Yield: 1 (9-inch) pie

I love this lesser known combination in comparison to apples and caramel, but it easily interchangeable, perhaps one the things I love most about pie. Recipes are suggestions and hope that with each pie, each baker personalizes them with small changes and substitutions when necessary.

This Springtime Garden Wreath pie design is a labor of love. In many ways the making of this is no different than the arts and crafts techniques I learned from my Mom. But I say, make a pie that suits you, and if time is a factor use a full pie crust in lieu of this detailed design, it will still taste delicious. See the video below for a demo.

INGREDIENTS

Crust:

1 double crust pie dough, such as Buttermilk Pie Crust

All-purpose flour, for rollling dough

1 egg

1 tablespoon heavy cream for egg wash

Salted Caramel:

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter (preferably European butter), sliced into 1/2-inch cubes

1/2 cup heavy cream, extra for egg wash

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon flaky sea salt

Filling:

4 Anjou pears - peeled, cored and thinly sliced

1 tablespoon lemon zest (suggest Meyer lemon if available)

1 lemon, juiced

1/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons tapioca flour (or cornstarch)

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes and frozen

DIRECTIONS

  1. To make the salted almond caramel, heat a large sauce pan over medium heat. Combine 1/4 cup water and 3/4 cup sugar, swirl the pan to help them dissolve. Add slices of butter, bring to a boil and simmer until golden brown, about 10 minutes. At this stage, stir occasionally using a wooden spoon. Watch the mixture carefully as it can burn. Turn off heat and add heavy cream carefully as it will bubble intensely. While continuing to stir, add almond extract (for stronger flavor add 1 teaspoon almond extract instead) and sea salt. Set aside to cool. This can be made in advance and kept in the refrigerator for a few weeks.

  2. Let the prepared Buttermilk Pie Crust come to room temperature, about 5 to 7 minutes before rolling out. On a lightly floured surface, roll out round disk to 1/8-inch thickness and larger than the circumference of your 9-inch pie dish. Gently fold into quarters and transfer to the pie dish. Trim excess with scissors or a knife along the rim and place pie dish in the fridge.

  3. Leftover dough from the bottom crust can be used for decorative cut outs in the shape of leaves and flowers. I prefer to use two different leaf shapes when possible. It may be necessary to roll a bit thinner and chill in the freezer for a few minutes. Dust each side of chilled leftover dough before using pie cutters or cookie cutters to cut out shapes. Lay them in a single layer on a quarter sheet pan dusted with flour, lay parchment paper between layers of pastry as needed. Place cut outs in the freezer.

  4. Remove second piece of pie dough from fridge and let come to room temperature before rolling to 1/8-inch thickness. To make this design, it is preferred if dough is pre-shaped into a rectangular. Use a ruler to cut long strips for the lattice work. To re-create my design, you will need a mix of braids using either narrow or wide strips. Work quickly to prevent the dough from getting warm, chill dough in fridge to firm up when necessary. After cutting enough strips, use leftover scraps for more cut outs; transfer to the chilled sheet pan with other cut outs. Place lattice strips and braids on a separate sheet pan, chill in the fridge until you are ready for final assembly; avoid the freezer as strips may become too stiff to handle later.

  5. In a large mixing bowl, fold pears, lemon zest (sometimes I zest the entire lemon for extra flavor), juice of 1 lemon, 1/4 cup sugar, tapioca flour, cinnamon, vanilla extract and sea salt. In a small bowl beat 1 egg with 1 tablespoon heavy cream. Set aside.

  6. For the final assembly, add even layer of 1/4 cup caramel at room temperature into chilled pie crust. If caramel is too thick to handle, warm on low heat, just enough to loosen but not too hot that it will melt the pastry. Layer half of the pear mixture in an even layer, top with 1/4 cup caramel, layer remaining pears and drizzle about 1/8 cup caramel. Scatter frozen butter cubes evenly all over the top layer. If time permits, chill pie in fridge or freezer for 10 minutes. NOTE: There will be some leftover caramel, keep in fridge for a few weeks or drizzle warm caramel over each slice when serving.

  7. Apply a very thin layer of egg wash around the rim of the pie using a small pastry brush, it will act as glue. Remove lattice pieces from fridge and bring to room temperature for a few minutes to prevent breakage. Begin lattice work by lightly arranging each element to create your design. When you're satisfied, trim the edges with scissors or a sharp paring knife. Begin to lift each piece alternatively to create the lattice and press down lightly along the rim to seal edges. For a traditional lattice layout, create 90° angles, but for an argyle arrangement try 45° angles.

  8. To complete the design, add a leaf and floral wreath border. Brush the back of the leave cut outs one at a time with egg wash to secure and place in a random pattern or alternate directions. Use a variety of flower shapes if possible and nestle them into the leaves trying not to cover up too much of the lattice work. For visual interest you can stack different sized flowers on top of each other. However be cautious to create too many layers as the pie thickness will affect the taste. Place pie in freezer preferable to the fridge to chill pastry, minimum of 20 minutes.

  9. Preheat oven to 425°F, with a pizza stone or Baking Steel on middle rack if possible. Just before baking, gently brush the pastry with a thin even layer of egg wash all over, avoid pooling. If any pieces become loose, glue them down with a small dab of egg wash. Place pie on a rimmed sheet pan and loosely tent entire pie with foil avoiding contact with the pie. Bake on the middle rack for 20 minutes. Reduce oven to 375°F and remove foil. Finish baking until filling is bubbling, and golden brown about 60 minutes more. Watch the pie carefully, rotate if necessary. Pro-tip, pie must be violently bubbling to ensure filling is cooked and bottom crust is crispy. Let pie cool completely before serving, minimum of 4 to 6 hours.

Springtime Garden Wreath pie design demo.

Cream Puffs with Raspberry Coulis /  by Judy Kim

by Judy Kim

CREAM PUFFS WITH  RASPBERRY COULIS

Yield: Approximately 36 puffs

Cream puffs remind me of my childhood. My mom used to make these for her dinner parties and I used to love helping her make them. They seemed so fancy to me, but now I realize how they are pretty easy to make and can be made in advance. When I make cream puffs, I tend to make a double batch and just freeze whatever I don't use as a time saver for the next time. Just reheat and they will be crisp and fresh, perfect for last minute parties. My preference is to fill them with pastry cream, but you can fill them with whipped cream or ice cream to make profiteroles if you don't have time to make the pastry cream. When you make profiteroles, don't forget a drizzle of chocolate.

INGREDIENTS

CREAM PUFFS:

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ cup unsalted butter, cut in 1-inch pieces

1 cup all-purpose flour

4 large eggs and 1 egg for the glaze

VANILLA PASTRY CREAM:

1 cup milk

3 large egg yolks

1 large egg

¼ cup sugar

Pinch of salt

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

RASPBERRY COULIS:

2 pints fresh raspberries

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

DIRECTIONS

CREAM PUFFS:

  1. In heavy medium saucepan, bring 1 cup water, salt and butter to a boil. Remove from heat. Add all the flour at once and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes together, approximately 1 minute. Return pan back to heat and continue stirring over low heat for 1 minute. Mixture should be shiny and bottom of pan should be lightly coated.

  2. Transfer dough to the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Mix at low speed to allow the mixture to cool slightly. At medium speed, add eggs one at a time. Make sure each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next. Scrape down sides of the bowl and continue mixing until dough is smooth and shiny.

  3. Fit large pastry bag with either 1-inch round tip or 1M star tip if you want more texture. Keep pastry bag folded backwards and add mixture to the bag till two-thirds full. Twist top of bag to remove air.

  4. Heat oven to 425°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. On each sheet, pipe approximately 1 1/2 - inch mounds. Suggest to apply constant pressure with one hand and use other hand to guide the tip. Gently squeeze the dough in a straight up motion. Keep dough 1 inch apart on baking sheet. Alternatively you can use an ice cream scoop or two spoons to create the mounds. Brush the dough with a egg mixture of beaten egg with 1 tablespoon water. You can also use your fingers by dipping in egg mixture just enough to pat down and smooth the tip of the dough. This will prevent burning.

  5. Bake 20-25 minutes till golden brown. Cool on rack. Serve immediately or they can be put in the refrigerator or freezer for future use. Just reheat at 375°F for 2 minutes, reheat for 5 minutes if frozen.

Suggestion: Even if outside looks golden brown, cut one cream puff oven to ensure center is cooked through. If it is slightly wet and sticky, put cream puffs back in the oven or they will not stay crisp later. 

PASTRY CREAM:

  1. In a medium heavy saucepan, scald the milk. Remove from heat.

  2. In a medium bowl, whisk yolks, egg, sugar and salt. Beat in the cornstarch until completely incorporated.

  3. Slowly pour the egg mixture into the hot milk, whisking to prevent eggs from scrambling. Return mixture to the sauce pan over medium heat. Whisk until mixture comes to a boil and reduce heat, simmer until thickened. Pastry cream should coat the back of a spoon. Stir in butter and vanilla.

  4. Strain the mixture in a fine-mesh strainer into a medium glass or metal bowl. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming on top. Let cool completely and chill until cold. 

RASPBERRY COULIS:

  1. Heat all ingredients in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Simmer on low and stir frequently until thickened, approximately 5 minutes.

  2. Using fine mesh strainer, strain raspberries using a rubber spatula to remove seeds. Use immediately or refrigerate for up to 2-3 days.

ASSEMBLE: 

  1. Split the puffs in half, horizontally.

  2. Fill puffs with vanilla pastry cream using a pastry bag fitted with a 1M star tip. Or fill with a small spoon.

  3. Pick mint leaves off stem and stack leaves on top of each other. Chiffonade or slice into thin strips.

  4. Drizzle with raspberry coulis. And top with fresh raspberries and mint.

 

Gougères /  by Judy Kim

by Judy Kim

GOUGERES

Yields: Approximately 36 puffs

INGREDIENTS

GOUGERES:

1 cup all-purpose flour

4 tablespoons dry mustard

¾ cup whole milk, separated

1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter

½ teaspoon kosher salt 

4 large eggs, at room temperature

 ½ cup freshly grated parmesan

¾ cup freshly grated Gruyère, separated

FILLING:

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese

1 cup crème fraîche

¼ cup finely chopped chives

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line 2 rimmed sheet pans with parchment paper.

  2. In a small bowl combine flour and dry mustard; set aside.

  3. In a medium sauce pan over high heat add 1/2 cup milk, butter, ¼ cup water and salt; bring to a boil. Add the flour mixture all at once and reduce heat to medium low. Using a wooden spoon, stir vigorously until the mixture forms a thick ball of dough and coats the sides of the pan, about 2-3 minutes. The dough should be smooth. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Beat in eggs one at a time until completely incorporated. Add Parmesan and 1/2 cup Gruyère; stir until well mixed.

  4. Using a small ice cream scooper or 1 tablespoon measure, drop dough on parchment lined sheet pans. Space evenly about 1-inch apart. Lightly brush dough with remaining milk and top with remaining Gruyère. Bake on middle rack until puffed and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Rotate halfway through. Cool completely on wire racks.

  5. Meanwhile, mix filling ingredients together in a small bowl. Spoon filling into a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip, such as a Wilton 1M tip. Just before serving cut off top quarter of each puff, pipe cream cheese filling and replace top.

Note: Gougères can be frozen after completely cooled, up to 2 months. Reheat in the oven before serving.