Table of Contents

PIES AND
TARTS

Foolproof Pie Crust

French Pastry Dough
Olive Oil Tart Crust
The Great Unshrinkable Sweet Tart Shell
Good for Almost Everything Pie Dough
Whole Wheat Yeasted Olive Oil Pastry
Key Lime Tart
Butter Pie
Chocolate-Ricotta Pie
Chocolate Mascarapone Tart
French Pear Almond Tart
Cherry Almond Clafouti
Amaretti Torta
whole lemon tart
Lazy Mary's Lemon Tart
Crustless Cranberry Pie
Tarte Tatin
Peach Tart
Almond Tart
Truly Scrumptious Apple Pie

Page
1
2
2
3
4
5
5
6
7
8
9
9
10
11
11
11
12
13
14
15

Foolproof Pie Crust

mass of dough has been broken up, 4 to 6 quick pulses. Empty mixture
into medium bowl.
Sprinkle vodka and water over mixture. With rubber spatula, use folding
motion to mix, pressing down on dough until dough is slightly tacky and
sticks together. Flatten dough into 4-inch disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and
refrigerate at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days.

1 1/4 cup
1/2 tsp
1 tbsp
6 tbsp
slices
1/4 cup
2 tbsp
2 tbsp

unbleached all-purpose flour

table salt
sugar
cold unsalted butter (3/4 stick), cut into 1/4-inch
chilled solid vegetable shortening, cut into 2 pieces
vodka, cold
cold water

Preheat the oven to 425F.

Process 3/4 cups flour, salt, and sugar together in food processor until
combined, about 2 one-second pulses. Add butter and shortening and
process until homogenous dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps,
about 10 seconds (dough will resemble cottage cheese curds with some
very small pieces of butter remaining, but there should be no uncoated
flour).

Remove dough from refrigerator and roll out on generously floured (up to
1/4 cup) work surface to 12-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. Roll dough
loosely around rolling pin and unroll into pie plate, leaving at least 1-inch
overhang on each side. Working around circumference, ease dough into
plate by gently lifting edge of dough with one hand while pressing into
plate bottom with other hand. Leave overhanging dough in place;
refrigerate until dough is firm, about 30 minutes.
Trim overhang to 1/2 inch beyond lip of pie plate. Fold overhang under
itself; folded edge should be flush with edge of pie plate. Flute dough or
press the tines of a fork against dough to flatten it against rim of pie
plate. Refrigerate dough-lined plate until firm, about 15 minutes.
Remove pie pan from refrigerator, line crust with foil, and fill with pie
weights or pennies. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil and weights,
rotate plate, and bake for 5 to 10 minutes additional minutes until crust
is golden brown and crisp.

Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl with rubber spatula and
redistribute dough evenly around processor blade. Add remaining 1/2
cup flour and pulse until mixture is evenly distributed around bowl and

PIES & TARTS

French Pastry Dough

fingers to press it up the sides of the tart mold. Reserve a small piece of
dough, about the size of a raspberry, for patching any cracks.
Prick the dough all over with the tines of a fork about ten times, then
bake the tart shell in the oven for 15 minutes, or until the dough is golden
brown.
Remove from the oven and if there are any sizable cracks, use the bits of
reserved dough to fill in and patch them. Let the shell cool before filling.

Olive Oil Tart Crust

4 oz
2 tbsp
4 tbsp
2 tbsp
1/4 tsp
1-1/2 cup

unsalted butter, cut into pieces

vegetable oil (I used canola)
water
sugar
salt
flour

Preheat the oven to 410F.

In a medium-sized ovenproof bowl, such as a Pyrex bowl, combine the
butter, oil, water, sugar, and salt. Place the bowl in the oven for 15
minutes, until the butter is bubbling and starts to brown just around the
edges.
When done, remove the bowl from oven (and be careful, since the bowl
will be hot and the mixture might sputter a bit), dump in the flour and stir
it in quickly, until it comes together and forms a ball which pulls away
from the sides of the bowl.

1 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp

3/4 tsp
1 tsp
1/2 cup
2 tbsp
1/2 tsp

all-purpose flour
kosher salt
sugar
mild olive oil
whole milk
almond extract

In a mixing bowl, stir together 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 tsp salt and sugar.
Stirring enables the salt and sugar to sift the flour, so you dont need to
sift it in advance. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, milk and
almond extract. Pour this mixture into the flour mixture and mix gently
with a fork, just enough to dampen; do not over work it.
Transfer the dough to an 11-inch tart pan (you can use a smaller one if
needed), and use your hands to pat out the dough so it covers the
bottom of the pan, pushing it up the sides to meet the edge. This will
work if you pat firmly and confidently, but not if you curl your fingertips
into the dough. It should be about 1/ 8-inch thick all around; trim and
discard excess dough.

Transfer the dough to a 9-inch (23 cm) tart mold with a removable
bottom and spread it a bit with a spatula. Once the dough is cool enough
to handle, pat it into the shell with the heel of your hand, and use your
PIES & TARTS

The Great Unshrinkable Sweet Tart Shell

1 1/2 cups
1/2 cup
1/4 tsp
1 stick + 1 tbsp
1

all-purpose flour
confectioners sugar
salt
very cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
large egg

Preheat the oven to 375F.

Pulse the flour, sugar and salt together in the bowl of a food processor.
Scatter the pieces of butter over the dry ingredients and pulse until the
butter is coarsely cut in. (Youre looking for some pieces the size of
oatmeal flakes and some the size of peas.) Stir the yolk, just to break it
up, and add it a little at a time, pulsing after each addition. When the egg
is in, process in long pulsesabout 10 seconds eachuntil the dough,
which will look granular soon after the egg is added, forms clumps and
curds.

Butter a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Roll out chilled
dough on floured sheet of parchment paper to 12-inch round, lifting and
turning dough occasionally to free from paper. (Alternately, you can roll
this out between two pieces of plastic, though flour the dough a bit
anyway.) Using paper as aid, turn dough into 9-inch-diameter tart pan
with removable bottom; peel off paper. Seal any cracks in dough. Trim
overhang to 1/2 inch. Fold overhang in, making double-thick sides.
Pierce crust all over with fork.
Alternately, you can press the dough in as soon as it is processed: Press
it evenly across the bottom and up the sides of the tart shell. You want to
press hard enough that the pieces cling to one another, but not so hard
that it loses its crumbly texture. Freeze the crust for at least 30 minutes,
preferably longer, before baking.
Butter the shiny side of a piece of aluminum foil (or use nonstick foil) and
fit the foil, buttered side down, tightly against the crust. And here is the
very best part: Since you froze the crust, you can bake it without weights.
Put the tart pan on a baking sheet and bake the crust for 20 to 25
minutes.
Carefully remove the foil. If the crust has puffed, press it down gently
with the back of a spoon. Bake the crust about 10 minutes longer to fully
bake it, or until it is firm and golden brown, brown being the important
word: a pale crust doesnt have a lot of flavor. (To partially bake it, only
an additional 5 minutes is needed.)

Turn the dough out onto a work surface and, very lightly and sparingly,
knead the dough just to incorporate any dry ingredients that might have
escaped mixing. Chill the dough, wrapped in plastic, for about 2 hours
before rolling.

PIES & TARTS

Good for Almost Everything Pie Dough

For a 9-inch double crust:
3 cups
all-purpose flour
1/4 cup
sugar
1 1/2 tsp
salt
2 1/2 sticks
very cold unsalted butter, cut into tbsp-size pieces
1/3 cup
very cold unsalted butter, cut into tbsp-size pieces
1/2 cup
ice water
For a 9-inch single crust:
1 1/2 cups
all-purpose flour
2 tbsp
sugar
3/4 tsp
salt
1 1/4 sticks
very cold unsalted butter, cut into tbsp-size pieces
2 1/2 tbsp
very cold unsalted butter, cut into tbsp-size pieces
1/4 cup
ice water

the dough for a single crust into a disk and wrap it. Refrigerate the dough
for at least 1 hour before rolling. (If your ingredients were very cold and
you worked quickly, though, you might be able to roll the dough
immediately: the dough should be as cold as if it had just come out of
the fridge.)
To partially or fully bake a single crust:
Butter the shiny side of a piece of aluminum foil, fit the foil, buttered side
down, tightly against the crust and fill with dried beans or rice or pie
weights. Put the pie plate on a baking sheet and bake the crust for 25
minutes. Carefully remove the foil and weights and, if the crust has
puffed, press it down gently with the back of a spoon.
For a partially baked crust, return the pie plate to the oven and bake for
about 8 minutes more, or until the crust is very lightly colored. To fully
bake the crust, bake until golden brown, about another 10 minutes.
Transfer the pie plate to a rack and cool to room temperature before
filling.

Preheat the oven to 400F.

Put the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor fitted with a metal blade;
pulse just to combine the ingredients. Drop in the butter until the butter
and is cut into the flour. Don't overdo the mixing what you're aiming
for is to have some pieces the size of fat green peas and others the size
of barley. Pulsing the machine on and off, gradually add about 6 tbsps of
the water if making a double crust, 3 tbsps if making a single crust
add a little water and pulse once, add some more water, pulse again and
keep going that way. Then use a few long pulses to get the water into the
flour. If, after a dozen or so pulses, the dough doesn't look evenly
moistened or form soft curds, pulse in as much of the remaining water
as necessary, or even a few drops more, to get a dough that will stick
together when pinched. Big pieces of butter are fine. Scrape the dough
out of the work bowl and onto a work surface.
If making a double crust, divide the dough in half. Gather each half into a
ball, flatten each ball into a disk and wrap each half in plastic. Or shape
PIES & TARTS

Whole Wheat Yeasted Olive Oil Pastry

2 tsp
1/2 cup
1/4 tsp
1
1/4 cup
1 cup
1 cup
3/4 tsp

active dry yeast

lukewarm water
sugar
large egg, at room temperature, beaten
olive oil
whole wheat flour
unbleached flour (more as needed)
salt

Dissolve the yeast in the water, add the sugar, and allow to sit until the
mixture is creamy, about five minutes. Beat in the egg and the olive oil.
Combine the flours and salt, and stir into the yeast mixture. You can use
a bowl and wooden spoon for this, or a mixer combine the ingredients
using the paddle. Work the dough until it comes together in a coherent
mass, adding flour as necessary. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface,
and knead gently for a few minutes, adding flour as necessary, just until
the dough is smooth do not overwork it. Shape into a ball. Place in a
lightly oiled bowl, cover the dough tightly with plastic wrap, and allow to
rise in a draft-free spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, gently knead a couple
of times, and cut into two equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball
without kneading it. Cover the dough loosely with plastic wrap, and let
rest for 5 minutes.
Roll out into thin rounds. If not using right away, freeze the dough to
prevent it from rising and becoming too bready. The dough can be
transferred directly from the freezer to the oven.

PIES & TARTS

Key Lime Tart

9 to 10
2 tbsp
cup
4 tbsp
1 can (14 oz)
cup
4
salt

graham crackers (each 2 by 5 inches)

sugar
sugar
unsalted butter, melted
sweetened condensed milk
fresh lime juice (from 4 to 6 limes)
large egg yolks

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Process graham crackers and 2 tbsp sugar in a food processor until fine
crumbs form, add butter. Process until combined. Transfer mixture to a
9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom, pat into bottom and up sides.
Place pan on a baking sheet, and bake until crust is fragrant and slightly
colored, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine condensed milk, lime juice, egg
yolks, remaining cup sugar, and salt; whisk until smooth.
Pour mixture into crust (warm or cool is fine), leaving 1/8 inch at the top;
return to oven. Bake until filling is set around edge but still slightly loose
in center, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool completely at room temperature, then
refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours.

Butter Pie

Press dough down firmly into a disk. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or

up to one day, before rolling. (Dough will keep frozen for up to a month).
On a lightly floured surface, roll chilled dough into a circle 12 inches in
diameter and 1/4-inch thick. Transfer to a deep-dish 9-inch pie pan,
lifting dough to let it settle into corners of pan; do not stretch it. Turn
edges under to make a thick rim; flute the rim, pinching it into a zigzag
pattern.

1 1/4 cups
all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp
kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp
sugar
8 tbsps
cold unsalted butter, cut into dice
1/4 cup
ice water
Dried beans or rice, for blind baking
6 tbsp
unsalted butter at room temperature
2 cups
light brown sugar
1 tsp
kosher salt
1 tsp
vanilla extract
2
large eggs
1/2 cup
cranberries (optional)
Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, for serving.

Line crust with parchment or foil and cover bottom with pie weights,
dried beans or raw rice. Bake in lower half of oven for 15 to 20 minutes,
then remove weights and bake in upper half of oven 5 to 10 minutes,
until just golden on edges.
Filling: In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and
brown sugar together at medium speed until sugar looks like wet sand.
Add salt and vanilla extract. With mixer running, add eggs one at a time
and beat until creamy and light, about a minute. Mix in cranberries, if
using.
Scrape filling into par-baked crust. Place pie on a sheet pan and bake in
center of oven for 25 to 35 minutes, until top looks dry and browned.
The filling will form a skin and puff slightly, then deflate as it cools and
sets. Let cool at least one hour, then wrap and refrigerate until serving, at
least one hour or overnight. Serve cold with very lightly sweetened
whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Crust: In a bowl, mix the flour, salt and sugar. Add butter and gently toss
with the dry ingredients until evenly coated. Using fingertips and thumbs,
press each cube of butter into a thin leaf, and continue tossing in flour.
When all butter is coated, add ice water one tbsp at a time. Continue
tossing gently until mixture starts to look ragged and just holds together
when squeezed. Wrap loosely in plastic, waxed paper or parchment.

PIES & TARTS

Chocolate-Ricotta Pie

Line the tart dough with aluminum foil and fill with pie weights or dried
beans. Bake the tart shell in the lower third of the oven until just set,
about 25 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and pie weights. Bake the
shell until golden, about 10 minutes longer. Cool completely.
Combine the remaining 3/4 cup of sugar with 1/2 cup water in a small
saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Cool the
sugar syrup slightly. In a double boiler, melt the chocolate over very
softly simmering water.

1 1/2 cups
2 tbsp
3/4 cup
3/4 cup
1/4 cup
3/4 cup
salt
1 stick
1/2 cup
8 oz
3/4 cup
3 oz
1
3

all-purpose flour
cornmeal
pine nuts,
toasted pine nuts
sugar
sugar
unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
water
semisweet chocolate chips (about 1 1/3 cups)
ricotta cheese
cream cheese, at room temperature
large egg
large egg yolks

Pulse the ricotta cheese and cream cheese in a food processor until
smooth. Add the egg and egg yolks, 1 at a time, and process until
smooth. Add the melted chocolate and process until combined. With the
machine running, add the sugar syrup in a thin steady stream and
process until smooth.
Pour the custard into the tart shell and bake until the filling is almost set,
about 30 minutes or until the custard has set. Scatter the remaining 3/4
cup toasted pine nuts on top of the filling. Let the tart cool completely
before serving.

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Blend the flour, cornmeal, 3/4 cup pine nuts, 1/4 cup sugar, and salt in a
food processor until finely ground. Add the butter and pulse, just until the
dough forms. Press the dough over the bottom and about 2 inches up
the sides of an 11-inch-diameter tart pan with a removable bottom.
Refrigerate until the dough is firm, about 30 minutes.

PIES & TARTS

Chocolate Mascarpone Tart

Knead chilled dough slightly until malleable, then form into a disk. Flour
dough and surface and roll dough to fit 10 fluted tart pan. Sever excess
dough at rim of pan and press dough firmly into pan.
Filling: Bring sugar and water to a boil in a non-reactive saucepan. Add
butter and continue to cook until butter is melted. Off heat, add chocolate
and allow to stand 2 minutes, then whisk smooth.
Whisk together the eggs and mascarpone, then whisk in the chocolate
mixture. Pour the filling into the crust and bake until the dough is baked
through and the filling is set, about 30 minutes. Cool the tart on a rack.

1 cup
3 tbsp
1/4 cup
1/4 tsp
3/4 tsp
5 tbsp
1

all-purpose flour
alkalized (Dutch process) cocoa
sugar
salt
baking powder
unsalted butter, cold
large egg

1/2 cup
1/3 cup
4 tbsp
8 oz
3
1 cup (9 oz)

sugar
water
unsalted butter
bittersweet chocolate, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
Large eggs
mascarpone cheese

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Crust: Combine dry ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with
the metal blade. Pulse to mix. Cut butter into 10 pieces, add to work
bowl, and pulse until finely mixed in. Add egg and pulse until dough
forms a ball. Wrap and chill dough until ready to bake the tart.

PIES & TARTS

French Pear-Almond Tart

CHERRY-ALMOND CLAFOUTI

6 oz
2 tsp
2 tsp
3 oz
1

1/2 cup
1 1/4 cups
1 tbsp
8 oz
3 large
1/2 tsp

1 1/2 tsps
3
1

almond paste
sugar
flour
butter, cubed, at room temperature
large egg, plus one egg white, at room temperature
a few drops almond extract,
rum
poached (canned) pears,
blotted dry, then cut into 1/2-inch (2 cm) slices
pre-baked 9-inch tart shell, at room temperature

Preheat the oven to 375F.

In a stand mixer, or by hand, beat the almond paste with the sugar and
flour, until smooth. Some almond pastes may be drier than others. If
yours is dry, just mix until the almond paste is finely-broken up.
Gradually beat in the butter, until smooth, then beat in the egg and the
egg white, the almond extract, and the liquor. Spread the almond filling
evenly over the tart shell. Fan the pears out evenly over the almond filling,
then press them in slightly.
Bake the tart for about 40 to 45 minutes, or until the almond filling
between the pears has browned. Cool slightly before serving.

PIES & TARTS

1/4 cup

Almond meal
whole milk
plus 1/2 cup sugar
dark sweet cherries, pitted, halved (about 2 cups)
eggs, room temperature
almond extract
Pinch of salt
all purpose flour
Powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 375F.

Add milk and almond meal in a saucepan and bring to simmer. Remove
from heat; let steep 30 minutes. Pour through fine strainer, pressing on
solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard solids in strainer.
Butter 10-inch-diameter glass pie dish; sprinkle with 1 tbsp sugar.
Scatter cherries evenly over bottom of dish.
Using electric mixer, beat eggs, almond extract, salt, and remaining 1/2
cup sugar in medium bowl until well blended. Add strained almond milk
and beat to blend. Sift flour into egg mixture and beat until smooth. Pour
mixture over cherries. Bake until set and knife inserted into center comes
out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool completely. Let stand at room
temperature. Lightly dust clafouti with powdered sugar and serve.
9

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake until a toothpick comes
out clean, about 45 to 50 minutes.

Amaretti Torta

Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Turn the cake
out onto a platter and continue to cool to room temperature. Top with the
orange marmalade in an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining crushed
amaretti cookies over the top of the cake. Slice and serve.

20 + 8
2 ozs
1 cup
1 cup
5
2 tbsp
1/2 cup
1/4 cup

amaretti cookies
semisweet chocolate chips (about 1/2 cup)
unsalted butter, room temperature
sugar
large eggs, separated
orange-flavored liquor
all-purpose flour
orange marmalade

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Grease a 10-inch cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
Combine the 20 amaretti cookies and the chocolate in a food processor.
Run the machine until the mixture is very finely minced. Set aside.
Cream together the butter and sugar until pale yellow, about 2 minutes.
Add the egg yolks 1 at a time. Once all the eggs are added continue to
cream the mixture together until light and fluffy, about 4 more minutes.
Add the orange liqueur. With the machine on low, add the flour and the
chocolate amaretti mixture. Mix well after each addition.
In medium bowl whip the egg whites using an electric mixer until stiff
peaks form, about 3 minutes. Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the
cake mixture until well combined.
PIES & TARTS

10

Whole Lemon Tart

Lazy Mary's Lemon Tart

1
1 1/2 cup
1 stick
4
1 tsp

large Meyer lemon cut into pieces

superfine white sugar
unsalted butter (1 stick)
eggs
vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350F.

1
1
1 1/2 cups
1 stick
4
2 tbsp
1/4 tsp

partially baked 9-inch Great Unshrinkable Tart Shell

average-sized lemon rinsed and dried
sugar
unsalted butter, cut into chunks
large eggs
cornstarch
table salt

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Cut the lemon in half. Slice the lemon halves into thin wheels, remove
any seeds, and toss the rounds lemon flesh and peel sugar and
chunks of butter into the container of a food processor. Process,
scraping down the sides of the container as needed, until the lemon is
thoroughly pureed. Add the eggs, cornstarch and salt and pulse until the
batter is smooth.
Pour into prepared tart shell. Do not pour it past the top of your crust or it
will become difficult to unmold later.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the filling is set. You can test this by
bumping the pan a little; it should only jiggle slightly. At which point, the
filling is set is also when it starts to get very light brown on top. Let cool
on rack, unmold tart pan and serve (chilled)

PIES & TARTS

Put all ingredients into a blender and whirl like crazy! Pour into tart shell.
Bake for 40 minutes or until set, watching so that the top doesnt burn.

Crustless Cranberry Pie

1 cup
1 cup
1/4 tsp
2 cups
1/2 cup
1/2 cup
2
1 tsp

all-purpose flour
white sugar
salt
Fresh cranberries
chopped walnuts
butter, melted
eggs
almond extract

Preheat the oven to 325F.

Grease one 9 inch pie pan.
In a bowl, mix the cranberries and cup sugar. Spread them in the pan.
Sprinkle with walnuts. In another bowl, beat the eggs, 1 cup sugar, flour,
and butter. Pour the mixture over the cranberries and smooth the top.
Bake the pie for 50 to 60 minutes or until it is set and golden.

11

Put the pan over medium heat and cook until the sugar turns a deep
caramel color. You'll see it bubbling up the sides of the pan. To get the
color you want without burning the sugar, you may have to lower the
heat after a while. Count on 15 minutes, more or less, to get the color.
Transfer the skillet to the baking sheet.

Tarte Tatin

Remove the pastry from the fridge and center it over the fruit, loosely
tucking in any overhang. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the pastry is
baked through and, puffed.

1 sheet
1 stick
3/4 cup
8

frozen puff pastry thawed

unsalted butter
sugar
sweet firm apples peeled, cored and quartered

Now, here's the only tricky part: Cover the skillet with the large, rimmed
serving plate and, acting quickly and confidently (and making sure you're
wearing good oven mitts), turn the tart out onto the platter and remove
the pan. If any of the apples have stuck to the pan it happens to the
best of us gently lift them off the pan with an icing spatula and press
them gently back onto the tart. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before
serving.

Preheat the oven to 375F.

Choose a 9- or 10-inch ovenproof skillet (cast iron).
Roll the dough out until it is about 1/8 inch thick (it can be thicker, if
you'd like). Using a paring knife, cut the dough into a circle that is 1 inch
larger than the diameter of the pan you're using. Prick the dough all over
with the tines of a fork and transfer it to the baking sheet. Cover the
dough and refrigerate it while you work on the apples.
Put the skillet over medium heat and add the butter. When it melts, tilt the
pan so that the sides have a thin coating of melted butter. Sprinkle the
sugar over the butter. Remove from the heat.
Fit a layer of apples into the skillet, putting the apples into the pan
rounded side down and making concentric circles. What's important here
is to pack in the apples. When you've got a tight single layer, cut the
remaining apple quarters in half and strew them over the first layer.

PIES & TARTS

12

In a bowl, combine 3/4 cup sugar, 2 tbsps flour, 1/4 tsp salt and the
butter. (If your peaches are especially juicy, add 1 tbsp additional flour.)
Using your fingers, pinch the butter into the dry ingredients until crumbly,
with a mixture of fine granules and tiny pebbles.

Peach Tart

1 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp

3/4 tsp
3/4 cups + 1 tsp
1/4 cup
1/4 cup
2 tbsp
1/2 tsp
2 tsp
3 to 5

all-purpose flour
kosher salt
sugar
vegetable or canola oil
mild olive oil
whole milk
almond extract
cold, unsalted butter
small ripe peaches, pitted and thickly sliced

Starting on the outside, arrange the peaches overlapping in a concentric

circle over the pastry; fill in the center in whatever pattern makes sense.
The peaches should fit snugly. Sprinkle the pebbly butter mixture over
top (it will seem like a lot). Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until shiny, thick
bubbles begin enveloping the fruit and the crust is slightly brown. Cool
on a rack. Serve warm or room temperature, preferably with generous
dollops of whipped cream.

Preheat the oven to 425F.

In a mixing bowl, stir together 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp
sugar.
In a small bowl, whisk together the oils, milk and almond extract. Pour
this mixture into the flour mixture and mix gently with a fork, just enough
to dampen; do not over work it. Then, transfer the dough to an 11-inch
tart pan (you can use a smaller one if needed), and use your hands to pat
out the dough so it covers the bottom of the pan, pushing it up the sides
to meet the edge. It should be about 1/ 8-inch thick all around; trim and
discard excess dough.

PIES & TARTS

13

Bake the shell for 20-30 minutes, until it is set and light golden-brown.
Remove from the oven and patch any holes with leftover dough.

Almond Tart

Heat the cream, sugar, and salt in a big, wide heavy-duty pot, until it
begins to boil. Continue to cook and when it starts to foam up, remove it
from the heat and stir in the almonds, the almond extract, and the liquor.
Scrape the filling into the shell. If theres a bit too much filling, dont toss
it; in case the tart leaks, you can use it to add more. Make sure theres
no clumps or piles of almonds and that everything is evenly distributed,
then put the filled tart shell into the oven.
1 cup
1 tbsp
1/2 cup
1 tbsp
1/2 tsp
1/8 tsp

flour
sugar
chilled unsalted butter, cut into little cubes
ice water
vanilla extract
almond extract

1 cup
1 cup
1/8 tsp
1 cup
1/8 tsp
2 tsp

heavy cream
sugar
salt
sliced almonds
almond extract
Grand Marnier or Amaretto

Preheat the oven to 375F.

Mix the flour and sugar in a standing electric mixer or food processor (or
by hand, using a pastry blender.) Add the butter and mix or pulse until
the butter is in very small pieces, the size of rice. It should be pretty wellintegrated with no large visible chunks. Add the water and extracts and
mix until the dough is smooth and comes together. Press into a flat disk,
wrap in plastic and chill thoroughly.

PIES & TARTS

After the first 10 minutes, check the tart. Take a heatproof rubber spatula,
holding it diagonally and with a tapping motion, break up the surface of
the tart. Be sure to give the filling a good series of tapsnot enough to
break the tart shell pastry underneath, but its important to break up the
surface crust thats forming.
Continue to cook, checking the tart every 5-8 minutes, and break up any
dry crust that may be forming, getting less aggressive as the filling sets
up. As it begins to caramelize, stop tapping it and let the tart do its thing.
Remove the tart from the oven when the filling is the color of coffee with
a light touch of cream in it and there are no large pockets of gooey white
filling, about 30 minutes. Let the tart cool a few minutes on a cooling
rack.
Serve in small wedges either as a dessert, or as a cookie-like
accompaniment to fresh fruit, bowl of ice cream or sorbet, or a compote.

14

Truly Scrumptious Apple Pie

If making the dough yourself, roll out one round of dough on a lightly
floured surface into a circle about 11 inches across. Place crust into a 9inch pie pan with 1-inch high sides. Roll another round of dough into a
circle about 10 inches across. With a knife or scissors, cut excess dough
from bottom layer, keeping about a inch overhang. Set aside scraps.
Starting with the Granny Smith slices, place them in one layer into the
bottom crust. Next, layer the Golden Delicious slices over. And lastly,
layer the Macintosh slices over. Dot with butter.
Cover with top crust. Tuck overhang of top crust under the bottom crust
edge. Flute edges with fingers, or however you like. Vent top.

2
3/4 cups
1/4 cup
1/2 tsp
1/4 tsp
2 cups
2 cups
2 cups
3 wedges
2 tbsp
2 tbsp

chilled pie dough disks (ref Pg #4)

granulated sugar, plus extra for decorating, if desired
flour
fresh grated nutmeg
ground cinnamon
Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced thin
Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored and sliced thin
Macintosh apples, peeled, cored and sliced thin
fresh lemon
unsalted butter
cream or milk

Gather any leftover dough scraps, flatten out dough and cut out a few
leaf shapes with a knife. With the point of a knife, gently make vein
indentations like on a real leaf.
Brush top crust with cream. Gently press on leaves and brush them with
cream. Sprinkle sugar over the whole pie, if desired. Place pie on a
parchment-lined sheet pan.
Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until juices bubble through vents. Check the
pie after 20 minutes, and if you see the edges burning, take two long
strips of aluminum foil and wrap edges of pie loosely.
Let the pie cool on a rack for about a half an hour before cutting into it.

Preheat the oven to 425F.

Mix together the dry ingredients.
Place Granny Smith apple slices in bowl, squeeze a wedge of lemon
juice over and toss. In another bowl, place Golden Delicious apples,
lemon juice and toss. And in a third bowl, place Macintosh, lemon juice
and toss. Evenly distribute sugar mixture over apples in three separate
bowls. Mix.
PIES & TARTS

BAKED CHOCOLATE TART

Recipe courtesy Jamie Oliver
5 ounces unsalted butter
5 1/2 ounces semisweet chocolate
8 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
Small pinch salt

15

4 eggs
7 ounces sugar
3 tablespoons maple syrup
3 medium heaping tablespoons sour cream or crme fraiche
10-inch flan or tart shell, baked blind
Place the butter, chocolate, cocoa powder and salt in a bowl over a
pan of simmering water and allow to melt slowly, stirring occasionally
until well mixed. In a separate bowl beat the eggs and sugar together
until light and well creamed, and then add the golden syrup and sour
cream or crme fraiche. Stir the chocolate mixture into this mixture,
scraping all the chocolate out with a spatula. Once youve mixed it
well, pour it into the pastry shell. Place into a preheated 150C/300
degree F/Gas 2 oven for 40 to 45 minutes. During cooking a beautiful
crust will form on top.
Carefully remove the tart from the oven and allow to cool on a rack for
at least 45 minutes, during which time the skin will crack and the filling
will shrink slightly.
Show # NC1A06

PIES & TARTS

16