dessert

Cranberry Crackle Tart: Light and Flavorful

I discovered this recipe on line, back before last Thanksgiving, at splendidtable.com. I loved the look and sound of it but didn’t find time to make it until last Christmas. Love at first bite. Like a fruit tart and a pavlova had a baby: this is the felicitous result. Light and delicate making it perfect after a hearty Thanksgiving feast. It is really guilt free if you eat it minus any toppings. I devoured it with vanilla ice cream on top at last year’s Christmas luncheon, nice flavor combination. I want to make one for Thanksgiving, maybe this time I will be serving it like you do a Pavlova, with lightly sweetened real whipped cream on top. Yumm!

It is really easy to throw together. If you are gluten free you can use the recipe provided below, which I adapted the splendid table recipe to make it gluten free. At holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas Wegmans often has gf redi-made crusts. So does Frey’s Better Foods in Hellertown. If you are a wheat eater use whatever cookie tart crust you like. I added the cinnamon to my crust and found it added a lot to the complexity of the flavors. The crust absolutely needs to be prebaked before you put the tart together.

I should say I seldom use fresh cranberries; I generally make a fresh relish – old family recipe – for Thanksgiving but never got it made last November. So I had the bag of cranberries in the fridge in the fruit bin. Yeah, it sat there a month: I did have to pick through it (you always should) after I rinsed them and remove and squishy ones. There are usually a few of those mixed in and they aren’t great for anyone to eat. Let the picked over berries dry. Anyway, my point is; this tart is fantastic tasting even if you aren’t a huge cranberry fan.

I used some smooth raspberry jam (what I had) but you could probably use most any jam. Just chose one full of real fruit in a flavor you like as you can definitely taste the jammy flavor mixed in with the crust and the meringue topping. I loved it with raspberry jam, a favorite flavor for me.

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Sweet Cookie crust

Place the following in a stand mixer bowl and combine

1 cup GF flour (recipe below)
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 tsp xanthan gum
½ tsp. cinnamon
Add 5 tbsp cold butter, cut into 6-7 chunks. Mix on low until the butter is just crumbs blended in.
Add 1 tsp. vanilla extract and 1 tbsp water. Blend well.

Pour the crumbs into a ten inch tart pan that was sprayed with cooking spray. Or a glass pie pan. Spread it up the sides. Press gently in so it is a cohesive crust but do not press really hard or it will be like concrete when you finish baking it!

Bake at 350 degrees for 18 minutes. Set the crust on a rack to cool to room temperature. Do not let it get more than light brown.

Brown Rice Flour Mix (Same as King Arthur’s GF Blend)
2 c brown rice flour
2/3 c potato starch
1/3 c tapioca flour
Filling

2 tablespoons chunky cherry, raspberry or strawberry jam
2 large egg whites, at room temperature
Pinch of fine sea salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups cranberries (if they’re frozen, don’t thaw)
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Directions: When you’re ready to fill and bake the tart: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Gently spoon the jam on top of the crust and spread it evenly over the bottom, I used the back of my big spoon for this operation. In a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the egg whites with the salt at medium speed just until they are fluffy and fairly opaque. With the mixer going, add the sugar in a slow, steady stream, then keep beating on high until the whites are shiny and form definite peaks; they will look like marshmallow. This is a meringue.

Pour the cranberries into the bowl of meringue and, using a flexible spatula or spoonula fold them into the meringue. Try to distribute the fruit evenly, but don’t mix too much– you want to keep the meringue fluffy. Spoon the meringue over the jam and spread it to the edges, making it swirly if you’d like. The jam might push up around the sides of the meringue, and that’s fine. Don’t fret if it looks like not enough filling, it will puff up in the oven to fill the pie pan.

Bake the tart for 1 hour, at which point the top will be light beige and cracked here and there. (If you’d like more color, you can bake it a bit longer or even put it under the broiler.) I did not go there! Transfer the tart to a cooling rack and cool to room temperature. I did cut it while slightly warm and we all thought that was just perfection. If you’d like, and I do, dust the tart with confectioners’ sugar before serving. Whipped cream on top is also great.

Storing: The tart is best the day it’s made, although it’s still pretty nice the next day. Leave the tart at room temperature, covering only the cut part with a piece of wax paper or plastic wrap. I doubt you will have any the second day anyway. It is that tasty.

Cranberry Apple Tartlets: Company Dessert!

Truth is I never was a fan of cranberries, sure I eat cranberry relish at Thanksgiving and maybe Christmas and sometimes I drink cranberry juice but that is about all I ever thought those little red fruits were good for. In this past year I have tried them in a few desserts and they have been spectacular – great flavor and color, yes they are rather tangy but with a little sugar they are perfect.

cranberries

If you only have a few apples and some cranberries you can make a really special dessert. I used my flat bottom tartlet pans to make these elegant little tarts; each one is a separate dessert which makes for a special look. My mom gave me two tart pans a few years ago and I use them all the time; each pan makes 4 tartlets.

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This is a simple recipe; toss the fruits with sugar and a touch of tapioca. If you don’t have tapioca use some cornstarch or rice flour mix. The individual tarts look like I bought them in a bakery. I tried them with bits of crust for a rustic topping and the crumb version which I liked a bit better in the flavor department so I went with that.

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I served them the other day and my guy pleaded for one to take home for breakfast. He does not need to eat gf but he loves a great dessert. Serve these tartlets and I promise you no one will even believe they are eating gluten free!

Angie’s Cranberry Apple Tartlets
Makes 5

Start by making some gf pie crust and the crumb topping. If you have leftover crumb topping in the fridge you are ahead of the game for making pies and tarts!

Crust:
1 c plus 2 tbsp brown rice flour mix (at bottom of recipe)
2 tbsp sweet rice flour
1 Tbps. granulated sugar
½ tsp xanthan gum
¼ tsp salt
6 Tbps. cold butter cut into 6 chunks
1 lg egg
2 tsp fresh orange or lemon juice
Mix dry ingredients in bowl of stand electric mixer. Add butter and mix until crumbly and resembling coarse meal. Add egg and juice. Mix until it comes together into big chunks. Shape into a ball with your hands. Put it on a crust sized piece of wax paper (14 x 14 inches more or less), flatten the crust ball some; put on top of it another piece of wax paper and chill it all in your fridge 15-20 minutes while you prepare the filling.
Crumb topping:Put all four ingredients in the same mixing bowl you made the bottom crust in and mix well with mixer paddle until crumbs form.

¾ c brown rice flour mix
½ c sugar
½ tsp xanthan gum
1/3 c cold butter cut into six chunks

You will use less than a cup of the crumbs. Put the rest in a tightly sealing glass container and store in the fridge for your next pie/tart. It should keep for several weeks.

Heat the oven to 375 while you make the filling.

Filling
1 baking apple
1 1/2 cup raw cranberries
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp. granulated tapioca
1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:
Peel, core, quarter and chop coarsely the cooking apple, put in a mixing bowl with the cranberries. Be sure to first wash and pick over the cranberries and remove any soft or iffy ones. Add the sugar, tapioca and cinnamon, mix with a spoon.

Roll out the crust into one big crust, lay it over the tart pans and use a knife to cut it into 4 pieces. Press, snip and fold to fit it into each of the small tart pans. Don’t make a big crust edge; not necessary, cut off excess dough. Re-roll the leftovers for a fifth tartlet.

Pour filling into the crusted tartlet pans. Sprinkle the tartlets with the crumb topping, I didn’t make a solid layer over the entire top; thicker in the middle. Place in the oven and bake 40-45 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned. Cool at least 10 minutes. Serve warm or cold. Great with vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!

Brown Rice Flour Mix (Same as King Arthur gf flour mix)
2 c brown rice flour (finely ground)
2/3 c potato starch – Not potato flour!
1/3 c tapioca flour

Awesome Apple Crisp

Apples are the lynchpin of the fall harvest season. Some may think pumpkins wear the crown but I firmly believe the apple is king of autumn in America. Crisp, sweet, flavorful and so good for you. That old adage of an apple a day has some basis in fact. When you get tired of apples in the raw; try an apple crisp.  It is very simple because there is no crust to roll out or position over the apples.  Dump, sprinkle and bake: a 7 year old can make this if you cut up the apples for them.

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If you can, get the organic ones as the sprays they use on growing apples are not at all good for you. I made this today with some Jonagold apples from a farm stand and it was very tasty indeed. I especially suggest you get your apples at an actual apple orchard if you want the most appley taste. South of Hellertown is Bechdolt’s Orchard which grows many apple varieties. Go there if you want the freshest tastiest apples in this geographic area. Apples grow all over the globe so you shouldn’t have problems getting them just picked! The variety is up to you but I would not suggest any that are not meant for baking; don’t use red delicious as they are for eating only, same for honey crisp apples.

This recipe is out of Gluten-Free Baking Classics Cookbook by Annalise G. Roberts with a few minor changes. I am betting you can use any GF flour mix in this recipe, crisp is not like a cake or other baked goods that have very specific flour requirements.

I have made the topping several ways. You can cut un-melted butter into the dry ingredients; it makes for a firmer crumb than the melted version below. I have made it egg free but it really somehow needs that egg to pull it together to mimic a wheat flour based crisp. The oats can be left out if you don’t like them or can’t eat them. I personally love oats in my crisp. A quarter cup of chopped nuts can be added to the topping; really a nice touch too. I don’t like it too sweet so I use the lesser amount of sugar. This is entirely a personal choice. You can up the nutritional value by adding flaxmeal to the dry mix; 2-3 tbsp.

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For those who love ice cream, this recipe is absolutely perfect with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream next to it. I like it warm from the oven but it also is tasty cold the next day, if you have any left over that is!

Angie’s Apple Crisp

3/4 cup GF flour (mix below)
½ to ¾ cup sugar (I prefer brown sugar)
½ cup old fashioned gf oats
1 ¼ tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
Sprinkle of nutmeg
½ tsp xanthan gum
½ tsp. salt
1 large egg
6 cups thinly sliced apples
¼-1/3 cup butter, melted

Directions:   Heat oven to 350 degrees. If your oven seems slow make it 375 degrees. Put a rack in the center level of oven. Lightly butter a 9 inch square pan or spray with cooking spray.

Combine all the dry ingredients. Add egg and stir to mix well. Place apples in the baking pan, top with the dry mix and sprinkle with the melted butter. Bake 40-50 minutes until bubbly and the topping is lightly browned. Let cool at least 10 minutes before dishing out. Six servings.

Brown Rice Flour Mix (same as King Arthur’s GF blend)
2 c brown rice flour (finely ground)
2/3 c potato starch – Not potato flour!
1/3 c tapioca flour

Peach Melba Perfection

Peach season is nearly done.  I have enjoyed excellent cobbler, spectacular peach crumb pie, tasty peach muffins and lots of sliced peaches on cereal or just whole peaches Au natural: the peach fuzz is full of fiber!  One more good peach recipe for you: one with no cooking.  A recipe for a company dessert with next to no work, that sounds about perfect for my busy life.

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Your success depends on the quality of the three ingredients. Yes, just three so they better be the best you can find!  I like peaches direct from the orchard, the best quality raspberry jam you can afford (homemade jam is the bomb for this recipe!) and excellent vanilla ice cream; I prefer Turkey Hill handmade vanilla.

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This post is all about none other than Peach Melba, created by that world renown chef Escoffier in honor of an Australian opera singer, Nellie Melba back in the early 1890’s.  If you look it up on line you can find fancy versions in stemmed glassware using a whole peach.  It is old school but truthfully the classics never go out of style. The flavors are just perfect together with next to no effort on your part.

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My typical version of peach melba is very rustic; in a desert bowl, no stemmed glasses like above, no six dollar a pint ice cream but delightful.  A friend of mine wanted something special for company dessert, no baking, no gluten and fruit based.  I gave her this recipe and it was a huge hit.  Even a non-cook can put this beauty together in less then 10 minutes.

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Peach Melba

(quantity per person)

One perfect ripe peach

One-two scoops vanilla ice cream

1 Tbps. raspberry jam, stirred up until it is semi-liquid

Heat a pot of water deep enough to immerse your peaches, bring it to a boil.  Gently drop in the peaches, turn heat down to medium and simmer for 3 minutes, remove with a slotted spoon.  Cool enough to be able to peel.  Peel the fruit, cut in half and remove the pit.

Place the peach halves in a dessert cup.  Top with 1-2 scoops of high quality vanilla ice cream and then drizzle the raspberry jam over the peaches and ice cream.  That’s all there is to Peach Melba.  Takes like 5 minutes to put together.  I sprinkled some fresh raspberries, red and gold ones on my serving. You can guild the lily with slivers of almonds but I prefer it with no further additions.  The peaches and raspberries play off each other perfectly and the vanilla ice cream is the ideal base for them to be showcased with.  Enjoy this naturally gluten free treat before all the good peaches are gone.

Peachy Keen Peach Cobbler

Peaches; peachy keen, peaches and cream, peach ice cream and peach cobbler.  Well, this post will be on peach cobbler and it is is peachy keen!  Still, I often make it with blueberries.  I am guessing most any fruit might work; blackberries, raspberries, cherries, plums, nectarines and apricots come to mind.

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This recipe is modified from one in Bette Hagman’s book, More from the Gluten-Free Gourmet and is based on a flour mix that will give you 4 cups of the dry ingredients.  One cup will make an 8×8 pan of cobbler topping.  I bet two cups dry mix will make a big 9×13 cobbler.

I have made it over a camp fire a few times, delish and not that difficult either.  But that will be a separate post as there are some tricks to campfire baking.

I have tried a number of cobbler recipes but nothing has been better than this one so I stick to what works for me.  If you use nectarines there is no peeling involved which makes it easy to throw together. I need to make a cherry cobbler but cherry season has passed.  Oh well, there are frozen cherries at the grocery store and in my freezer……

Mix this up and store in an airtight container in the freezer to keep it fresh.

I always get the fruit cooking before putting the topping together so the fruit is hot and ready for the topping and can go right into the oven. All of these pictures are of peach raspberry cobbler.  An interesting combination I can recommend to you.

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Dry Cobbler Mix

2 ¼ cups white rice flour

½ cup potato starch

½ cup tapioca flour

1 tsp. baking soda

4 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp. xanthan gum

1/3 cup sugar

Cobbler Topping

1 cup dry baking mix

2 eggs

2 tbsp melted butter or canola oil

1/3 cup milk/buttermilk

½ tsp. vanilla

Mix the wet ingredients and then add to the dry mix in a big bowl.

Fruit Filling

4 cups sliced ripe peeled peaches, nectarines, blueberries

½ tsp. almond extract

½-2/3 cup sugar depending on how sweet you want it

3 tbsp. GF flour

½ tsp cinnamon

Directions:

Mix the fruit and almond extract in a sauce pan. Stir together the sugar, cinnamon and flour and mix into the fruit.  Cook on the stove top for 5-10 minutes until it is thickened and hot.  Pour into a buttered 8 inch square pan, top with big blops of the cobbler topping.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.  The top should be light brown and spring back when you poke it with your finger.  If it looks damp or squishy bake it 5 more minutes.

Let cool 5-7 minutes before serving as it will burn your mouth right out of the oven!  Some people love it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream; had some that way in September 2015.  This peach raspberry cobbler shown below is perfect just on its own.

peach raspberry cobbler

Between you and me, I just made some cobbler with 4 fat peaches and a handful of fancy frozen raspberries. It tastes amazing!  The zing of the raspberries and the ripe peachy flavor mingle with the tender cobbler crust in an incredible blend that must be tasted and enjoyed ASAP!  Originally posted in August 2014.