Month: July 2010

Lemon Tart

lemon tart recipe with step-by-step images

Well, this might be the most interesting thing I’ve ever baked.

I’d describe it as decadent, fascinating and delicious.

The combination of a mildly sweet pie crust and a rather strong lemony filling will not allow you to stay indifferent to this tart.

You’ll either love it or…you’ll love it even more.

The taste is definitely intense, but very impressive, delicious and refreshing – especially to all the lemon lovers out there.

lemon tart recipe with step-by-step images

This is what you need to prepare this yummy treat.

lemon tart recipe with step-by-step images

1. First, we are going to use the flour, butter, egg yolk and the sugar (2 tablespoons).

Place all these ingredients in a medium bowl and with your hand, first combine them and then knead until you have a nice dough ball.

But don’t you work too much at this point, dear friends – I mean, don’t overwork the dough since pie crusts don’t like it, they want to remain flaky after baking.

lemon tart recipe with step-by-step images
2. Now, place the dough ball between 2 sheets of parchment paper and roll it out into an 11 – 12 inch (28 – 30 cm) circle.

Wow, this rolling between two papers, that’s something. I definitely recommend it if you want to make you life easier.
So much easier. It’s a pleasure to work this way. No sticking to the working surface whatsoever – you can forever forget that.

lemon tart recipe with step-by-step images

3. Have ready an 8 – 9 inch (20 – 23 cm) tart pan (with removable bottom, preferably, though I didn’t use that).

Spray the pan with a little oil.

Remove the top paper from the rolled out dough and invert the dough into the pan (along with the remaining paper that will end up being on top now).

Lightly press the pastry into the bottom and up the sides of the tart pan.

lemon tart recipe with step-by-step images

4. Remove the paper…

lemon tart recipe with step-by-step images

…only to crumple it and lay it out over the pastry again. Fill the paper with pie weights or just dried beans or peas.

Pop into the oven and bake at 375 F (190 C) for about 9 minutes, then remove the paper along with the weights and bake for another 5 minutes.

Remove from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to only 300 F (150 C).

Yeah, we are blind-baking (or pre-baking) here. This process keeps the unfilled pie crust from puffing up in the oven or becoming too soggy when the tart gets filled and baked.

lemon tart recipe with step-by-step images

5. Meanwhile we can prepare the filling for our tart.

Squeeze the juice out of four small lemons.

Make sure the juice contains no seeds – we don’t want this kind of surprise in the tart. Unless we wanted that, for some reason…

lemon tart recipe with step-by-step images

6. In the bowl of you electric mixer mix the eggs with the sugar (1/2 cup – 100 grams) for about 5 minutes or until smooth, fluffy and almost white in color.

Then add the cream and the lemon juice and mix again shortly.

lemon tart recipe with step-by-step images

7. Fill the crust with the filling and bake at 300 F (150 C) for about 40 minutes or until the filling doesn’t wobble.

lemon tart recipe with step-by-step images

8. Remove from the oven and let cool on the wire rack.

lemon tart recipe with step-by-step images

9. We are going to cover the whole tart with a nice lemony and syrupy glaze.

To prepare the syrup, pour the water and sugar (1/3 cup – 70 grams) into a saucepan. Place the saucepan over medium-low heat and heat the mixture up.

Peel the remaining lemon and slice it into thin rounds. Add the lemon rounds into the saucepan and let the mixture cook for about 15 minutes, stirring every now and then.

Then pour the mixture over the tart and spread it evenly.

And that’s it.

lemon tart recipe with step-by-step images

Mmmmmm…

lemon tart recipe with step-by-step images

Yummy!

I recommend chilling the tart before serving.

Also, store it in the refrigerator.

Enjoy, dear friends.

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Orange Granita

orange granita recipe with step-by-step images, orange slushie recipe, how to serve orange granita

Mmmm…my first encounter with granita…that was something truly amazing.

It happened during my vacation in Italy a couple of years ago.

Oh, I will never forget that moment.

Actually, I was spending the holiday with my sister and her family then. One lovely morning we decided to have a proper look at the village we were staying in…so – under the burning Italian sun – we walked every street, saw every sight and met ever person possible.

Phew!

My feet still get depressed when they remember that.

After a couple of hours, as knackered as people can get, we decided to relax in a cute café sitting on top of a hill and offering a magnificent sea view.

And GRANITA.

First of all, the cup I was given amazed me with its wonderfully colorful content.

And then…wow…that first mouthful…OH, THAT FIRST MOUTHFUL…it was the most refreshing,  invigorating and memorable dessert in my whole life.

During all the years that followed, just until recently, I hadn’t even dared to think I could prepare that delectable treat at home (you know, they make it in those big ‘freezing-and-mixing’ tanks).

But now the things have changed.

And you know what?

Granita might be the simplest and easiest dessert there is.

orange granita recipe with step-by-step images, orange slushie recipe, how to serve orange granita

THESE are the ingredients!

1. First, pour the juice into a saucepan and place it over medium-low heat.
2. Add the sugar and stir.

orange granita recipe with step-by-step images, orange slushie recipe, how to serve orange granita

3. Add the lemon juice and continue stirring just until the sugar has dissolved.
4. Remove from heat.

orange granita recipe with step-by-step images, orange slushie recipe, how to serve orange granita

5. Then find a larger (4 cup – 1 liter) ‘freezer-friendly’ container and pour the mixture in.
6. Cover with a piece of parchment paper and put in your freezer.

orange granita recipe with step-by-step images, orange slushie recipe, how to serve orange granita

7. After about 2 hours into the freezing process, remove the container from the freezer and move the liquid around with a fork, breaking the forming crystal structure. Put back in the freezer.
8. Repeat this process about 3 more times (every 2 hours). Then let freeze for as long as you wish.

orange granita recipe with step-by-step images, orange slushie recipe, how to serve orange granita

This is what I got after leaving the mixture in the freezer overnight.

Wonderful granita!

See? It’s doubled in volume.

orange granita recipe with step-by-step images, orange slushie recipe, how to serve orange granita

To serve the orange granita, you can use some fresh oranges. Just cut an orange in half and, using a spoon, remove its flesh. Let freeze for a couple of hours. That way you’ll get a nice, cooling and impressive bowl.

Enjoy, dear friends.

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Terrific Moving Tips

Okay, I have a little secret to share.

Since it seems pretty sure now, I can officially say that we are moving. We’ve just sold our flat where we’ve spent almost five years and decided to head for another town and for some new life experiences.

And you know what?

I am all happy about it (AHAI).

Do you like my new abbreviation?

I guess it’s gonna go viral!

Yeah, being humble is one of my biggest strengths.

Anyway, I’ve been AHAI for the past few days. Okay, my consumption of chocolate bars might have tripled and I might have been trembling with fear here and there (okay, it looks more like random spasms), but all in all, I see this as a great experience and an open road to new opportunities.

Change is good.

At least, they say so (TSS).

As a true blogger I also thought that I’d definitely share my moving experiences with you. You know, the little tricks on how to do things better and more effectively. Like how to get those twenty pairs of shoes into one box or that you should establish an ‘open me first box’ that will contain loads of chocolate bars and a bottle of vodka.

I was planning all that feverishly only to find out that my fate has something way better prepared for me.

My fate and my guiding angels are so kind that they sent my parents for a holiday at the exact same time when our packing needs to be done…leaving their dog and canary and zillions of plants to be taken care of by their sweet daughter…which is me, of course.

My parents know nothing about the fact that we are moving, we just didn’t want to spoil their holiday.

So here I am, packing my necessary cooking stuff (because, you know guys, I will bring you new cooking posts at any conditions, nothing is going to stop me in that) and leaving for my parents’ house delegating all the moving onto my beloved boyfriend.

Girls, it’s all about delegation.

That is the only thing that really matters.

DELEGATION.

And my boyfriend?

Well, he’s doing fine… he’s munching on a chocolate bar and is AHAI. But don’t worry about him – he’ll be given very precise phone instructions.

See you soon, dear friends.

(P.S. Mom’s kitchen stuff is awesome!)
 

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Pierogi with Chive Filling and Cheese Sauce

Pierogi, pierogi…what an interesting name.

Martha Stewart, for example, likes to make them and talk about them quite often.

Have you noticed?

It’s kind of the national food of the country her parents came from – Poland.

These cute, boiled dumplings with various kinds of fillings are spread and enjoyed over vast regions of Europe and America too.

Well, who knows, maybe also somewhere else.

If you know more, feel free to let me know.

I’d be very thankful.

Now I’m really curious – do you know them?

Do you like them?

Would you give them a try?

Or would you rather hide around a corner scared?

Well, I gave them a try, and not just once, and you know what?

They are yummilicious…

These are the ingredients I used to make very simple pierogi.

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.

2. Add the egg and the butter.

3. Using a pastry blender or a fork, incorporate the butter and egg into the flour until crumbs form.

4. Add the water.

5. With your hand, gather all the ingredients into a ball and knead until it’s rather smooth (for about 4 minutes).

The dough will be a little sticky. To make the kneading easier, dip your hand in some flour.

6. Now place the dough ball onto a well-floured working surface and roll it out into about 1/5 inch (0.5 cm) thickness.

7. Then grab a 3-inch (7.5 cm) cookie cutter – or a glass (see? I like the easier solutions so much – probably because I have no clue where my cookie cutter is right now) and cut out cute circles.

The glass or the cutter cuts into the dough much more easily if you dip it into some flour before.

8. Now we are going to magically turn the dough circle into pierogi.

For these very special purposes, we need the filling.

There are dozens of recipes for scrumptious pierogi fillings out there – sweet or savory. What I think is that this one might be the easiest of them all. Because all you have to do is just open your cream cheese container.

TA DA!

In case you would like to prepare your own flavored cream cheese filling, just go ahead and combine about 3/4 cup plain cream cheese with 1/4 cup plain yogurt, add about 1/2 cup chopped chives and salt to taste. Easy!

9. Place a small spoonful of the filling into the center of each circle.

10. Fold over.

11. And with your fingertip press the edges together to seal.

You can also use a fork to crimp the edges.

I used this gadget.

I love it from the deepest depths of my heart.

One day, I might break loose and write a poem about the pierogi press.

It’s my sweetheart from the first day we met.

I’m sure you’d love it too…

…if you saw this.

Amazing.

The best helper ever!

Hello little cuties.

You are having a bath soon!

12. To cook the pierogi, fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil.
13. Add the pierogi and cook – I recommend cooking them in three batches.

At first, your pierogi will sink. Stir them a little so that they don’t get stuck to the bottom. After a couple of minutes they will rise to the top – from this point on let them cook for additional 2 more minutes.

14. Using a spoon, remove the pierogi from the pot.

15. Drizzle some vegetable oil over a plate or a bottom of a pot and transfer the beauties there.

Toss them around every now and then (while the second and third batches will be cooking) so that they don’t get dry.

16. Meanwhile, you can prepare the sauce.

Again, it’s unbelievably simple and easy.

But then, I am afraid I am never going to come up with something difficult.

So…in a small saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour and whisk until the mixture starts to bubble.

17. Then add the broth, milk…

…and the cheese.

Stir until combined.

Bring the sauce to a boil, stirring constantly. Then remove the saucepan from heat.

18. Oh, and then I added the sweet paprika powder.

I just thought it would create a nice color contrast between the pierogi and the sauce.

Yummy.

Pierogi taste best when served warm (and with love, preferably).

Enjoy, dear friends.

(This recipe makes 22 pieces of pierogi and I guess you won’t spend more than one hour preparing it.)

 

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