Blueberry & Meyer Lemon Breakfast Pastry

This beautiful breakfast pastry uses store-bought puff pastry as a shortcut. I loved the crushed dried blueberries sprinkled over the top.

I served this pastry as part of our Easter brunch along with my favorite brunch dish, Asparagus, Leek and Gruyere Quiche. We also had fruit and green salads, cheeses with crackers and warm bread, hummus with vegetables, nuts, and sliced kielbasa.

This recipe was adapted from Food and Wine, contributed by Anna Theoktisto. I modified the method and proportions. The combination of blueberries and lemon was bright and delicious.

The pastry is ideally served warm, but I made it a day in advance, refrigerated it overnight, and served it at room temperature. Still great. It could also be reheated prior to serving.

Yield: Two 5×12-inch Pastries (about 8 to 10 servings)

• 1 (18.3-ounce) package frozen puff pastry, thawed (I used Trader Joe’s)
• all-purpose flour, for dusting
• 5.2 ounces cream cheese (such as Philadelphia), at room temperature
• 5.2 ounces (about 1 1/3 cups) unsifted confectioners’ sugar
• freshly grated zest from one Meyer lemon
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 tsp freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice
• 5 to 6 T blueberry preserves (I used Stonewall Kitchen)
• scant 3/4 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 large egg
• 1 T water
• 2 T whole milk
• 2 T whole freeze-dried blueberries, crushed

1. Line two large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, and lemon zest and juice with an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on low speed, gradually increasing mixer speed to medium-high, until mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as needed.
3. Measure 1/3 cup cream cheese mixture into a separate medium bowl; set aside for icing.
4. Unroll thawed puff pastry on a lightly floured work surface. (I used a pastry mat instead.) Cut pastry in half lengthwise; place 1 pastry half on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with second roll of pastry on second baking sheet.
5. Divide remaining cream cheese mixture in half. Spoon one ration of the mixture in a 1 1/2-inch-wide strip lengthwise down the middle of each pastry half on the prepared baking sheets, leaving a 1-inch border along short pastry edges.
6. Stir together preserves and cornstarch in a small bowl. Divide the mixture into fourths.
7. Spoon each ration of the preserves mixture evenly along the long edges of both cream cheese strips (about 1 1/2 tablespoons per side), leaving a 1-inch border on each long side.
8. Beat together egg and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl. Brush border of topped pastry lightly with egg mixture; reserve remaining egg mixture.
9. Place remaining pastry half on top of filled pastry, pressing edges firmly to seal.
10. Chill until firm, about 20 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. (I set my oven to true convection.)
11. Brush chilled pastry lightly with reserved egg mixture. Using a paring knife, cut 5 small (about 1-inch) slits on top of pastry.
12. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown and evenly puffed, 40 minutes on convection or up to 45 minutes in a standard oven, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time.
13. Transfer baking sheet to a wire rack; let pastry cool 10 minutes.
14. Place freeze-dried blueberries in a zip-top bag and crush with a rolling pin.
15. Whisk milk into reserved 1/3 cup cream cheese mixture until smooth.
16. Drizzle icing over warm pastries, and sprinkle with crushed freeze-dried blueberries. Serve warm. (see Note)

Note: I waited for the pastries to cool to room temperature prior to drizzling with the icing. Once garnished, I wrapped them in plastic wrap and refrigerated them overnight. Pastry can be reheated or served at room temperature. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Blueberry & White Peach Graham Galette

This fabulous galette was oozing with delicious juices. I loved that the crust incorporated crushed graham crackers. It was fabulous with and without vanilla ice cream.

This summer galette recipe was adapted from Bon Appétit, contributed by Samantha Seneviratne. I modified the method, used white peaches, and sprinkled the dough with turbinado sugar. I weighed the dry ingredients as well.

Yield: Serves 8

For the Dough:

• 4 graham crackers (about 2 oz)
• 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 T granulated sugar
• 3/4 tsp Diamond Crystal or 1/2 tsp Morton kosher salt
• 10 T chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces

For the Filling & to Finish:

• 2 large peaches (about 12 oz), halved, pitted, & thinly sliced (I used white peaches)
• 2 cups fresh blueberries
• 1 T cornstarch
• pinch of coarse salt
• 3/4 tsp finely grated lemon zest (I used the zest of 1/2 of a large lemon)
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/3 cup (67 g) granulated sugar
• all-purpose flour (for rolling dough)
• 1 large egg, beaten to blend
• 2 T chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• turbinado sugar, for sprinkling
• vanilla ice cream, for serving, optional

To Make the Dough:

1. Process graham crackers, flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor until crackers become crumbs and mixture is combined.
2. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse sand with some larger pieces remaining.
3. Add ice water by the tablespoonful, pulsing after each addition, until evenly moistened and dough holds together when squeezed (2–4 tablespoons).
4. Pat into a 1-inch thick disk and wrap tightly in parchment paper or plastic wrap. Chill at least 1 hour.

Do ahead: Dough can be made 3 days ahead. Keep chilled. (I made the dough 2 days in advance.)

To Make the Filling & to Finish:

1. Preheat oven to 400°, preferably on convection.
2. Toss peach slices, blueberries, cornstarch, salt, lemon zest, cinnamon, and 1/3 cup (67 g) granulated sugar in a large bowl.
3. Unwrap dough and roll out between lightly floured sheets of plastic wrap or parchment to a 12″ round. The round will be approximately 1/8-inch thick.
4. Transfer dough to a piece of parchment paper the size of a rimmed baking sheet.
5. Arrange fruit on top, leaving a 1 1/4-inch border.
6. Lift dough edges up and over fruit, pleating as needed.
7. Using parchment paper, slide galette onto the rimmed baking sheet; chill 10 to 15 minutes.
8. Brush top of pastry with egg and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
9. Dot filling with butter.
10. Bake galette until fruit is softened and crust is deep golden brown, 40–50 minutes (some juice may leak out). (Tons of juice leaked out of mine!)
11. Serve galette warm or at room temperature with scoops of ice cream, if desired.

Ina Garten’s Easy French Apple Tart

I already have a couple easy fall apple desserts that I make every year- French apple cake and apple pie bars. I had to add this one onto the list this year. I love fruit desserts! 🙂

This recipe was adapted from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics by Ina Garten, via epicurious.com. I used the puff pastry shortcut, reduced the amount of jam in the glaze, and modified the baking method.

The apple juices, sugar, and butter collect on the edges of the tart (and become quite dark!) but can be trimmed prior to serving. We ate it with vanilla ice cream which was completely unnecessary but delicious.

For the Pastry:

(Alternatively, use one sheet of store-bought puff pastry- I used Trader Joe’s)

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced
• 1/2 cup ice water

For the Apples:

• 4 Granny Smith apples or a combination of apples (I used 1 1/2 Granny Smith, 1 1/2 Honey Crisp, and 1 Juici apple)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, small-diced
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup apricot jelly or warm sieved apricot jam
• 2 tablespoons Calvados, rum, or water

For the Puff Pastry Crust:

1. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or for 2 hours at room temperature.
2. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper; remove from the pan.
3. On the parchment, roll the thawed crust into a 10×14-inch rectangle. Using a ruler and a small knife, trim the edges.
4. Place dough (on parchment) on the rimmed baking sheet and keep in the refrigerator to chill while the apples are prepared.

To Make the Pastry Crust:

1. Place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse for a few seconds to combine.
2. Add the butter and pulse 10 to 12 times, until the butter is in small bits the size of peas.
3. With the motor running, pour the ice water down the feed tube and pulse just until the dough starts to come together.
4. Dump onto a floured board and knead quickly into a ball. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
5. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
6. Roll the dough slightly larger than 10×14 inches. Using a ruler and a small knife, trim the edges. (I would roll it out on the parchment paper.)
7. Place the dough on the prepared sheet pan and refrigerate while the apples are prepared.

To Prepare the Apples and Finish the Tart: 

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, preferably on convection.
2. Peel the apples and cut them in half through the stem. Remove the stems and cores with a sharp knife and a melon baller.
3. Slice the apples crosswise in 1/4-inch-thick slices. (I used a mandoline.)
4. Place overlapping slices of apples diagonally down the middle of the tart and continue making diagonal rows on both sides of the first row until the pastry is covered with apple slices. (I tend not to use the apple ends in order to make the arrangement beautiful.)
5. Sprinkle with the full 1/2 cup sugar and dot with the butter.
6. Bake for 30 minutes, rotating halfway through.
7. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees, preferably on convection, and continue to bake 15 to 30 minutes more, until the pastry is browned, the edges of the apples start to brown, and the apples are tender. If the pastry puffs up in one area, cut a little slit with a knife to let the air out. *Don’t worry! The apple juices will burn in the pan but the tart will be fine!
8. When the tart’s done, heat the apricot jelly together with the water or Calvados and brush the apples and the pastry completely with the jelly mixture. (I used apricot jam and used a whisk to break up large chunks. It could also be strained.)
9. Loosen the tart with a metal spatula so it doesn’t stick to the paper. Allow to cool and serve warm or at room temperature.

Gougères

I have wanted to try making gougères for what is starting to seem like forever. As they are dangerous items to have around, I needed a crowd to share them with! When we were asked to bring an appetizer to a friend’s birthday party, I finally had my chance.

Of course, the next issue was selecting a version to try. There was a cheese-topped choux pastry from Food and Wine, a version incorporating milk and less cheese from Ina Garten, or this super-cheesy version adapted from Bon Appetit, contributed by Mimi Thorisson. My description reveals how my final decision was made. 😉

Elegant and addictive.

Yield: about 50-60 cheese puffs

• 6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 4 large eggs
• 6 ounces (about 1½ cups) grated Comté cheese or Gruyère
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large egg yolk

1. Preheat oven to 400°, preferably on convection.
2. Bring butter, salt, nutmeg, and 1 cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan, stirring until butter is melted.
3. Remove from heat, add flour, and stir to combine.
4. Cook mixture over medium heat, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon, until mixture pulls away from sides of pan and forms a ball, about 2 minutes.
5. Continue to cook, stirring vigorously, until a dry film forms on bottom and sides of pan and dough is no longer sticky, about 2 minutes longer.
6. Remove pan from heat and let dough cool slightly, about 2 minutes.
7. Mix in whole eggs one at a time, incorporating fully between additions.
8. Mix in cheese and pepper.
9. Scrape dough into a piping bag fitted with a ½” round tip (#1A) (alternatively, use a plastic bag with a ½” opening cut diagonally from 1 corner). Pipe 1” rounds about 2” apart onto 2 to 3 parchment-lined baking sheets, as needed.
10. Whisk egg yolk and 1 tsp water in a small bowl; brush rounds with egg wash.
11. Bake gougères until puffed and golden and dry in the center (they should sound hollow when tapped), 20–25 minutes.

Note: Dough can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover and chill.

Make Ahead: Gougères can be baked 2 hours ahead and kept at room temperature; reheat before serving. Alternatively, the baked choux can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days; recrisp in a 325° oven for 10 minutes.

One Year Ago:

• Leek & Gruyère Tart with Prosciutto

Two Years Ago:

• Caramelized Onion Dip

Three Years Ago:

• Cranberry Margarita
• Buckwheat Crepes with Mix & Match Creamy Mushroom, Caramelized Sweet Onion, Sautéed Greens, & Citrus Shrimp Fillings
• My Dad’s Breakfast Crepes

Four Years Ago:

• Popovers

Raspberry Custard Tart

I chose to make this lovely tart with my precious hand-picked raspberry harvest. The filling was warm, silky, and tasty – the crust crisp and lemony. I did have difficulty with the caramel sauce; it didn’t include any cream and only had minimal butter to keep it from firming up when cool. After adding cream, the sauce was more successful. Honestly, this simple tart would be perfect even without the sauce! This recipe was adapted from Food and Wine, contributed by Nancy Silverton, the pastry chef of La Brea Bakery and Campanile in Los Angeles.

For the Caramel Sauce:

• 1/2 pint fresh raspberries
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

For the Pastry:

• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick cold unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

For the Filling:

• 1 pint raspberries, plus more for serving
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped

1. Prepare the sauce: Puree the raspberries in a food processor or blender. Strain the puree through a fine sieve set over a medium bowl and discard the solids. In a small heavy saucepan, bring the sugar and water to a boil. Cook over moderately high heat, without stirring, until a medium-amber caramel forms, about 6 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and carefully stir in the raspberry puree until smooth. Stir in the butter and cream, then remove from the heat and stir in the salt. Let the raspberry sauce cool completely.
2. Make the Crust: In a food processor, pulse the flour with the sugar and salt. Cut the butter into 8 pieces and add to the flour; pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. In a small bowl, whisk the cream with the egg yolk, lemon juice and zest. Add to the flour mixture and process just until large clumps of dough form. Pat the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic and chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough 1/8 inch thick and fit in a 9- or 10-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Freeze 15 minutes, or until firm.
4. Preheat the oven to 350°. Line the dough with foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake the tart shell for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and weights and bake for 5 minutes longer, or until the pastry is lightly browned on the bottom. Cover the shell loosely with foil if the sides begin to brown too quickly. Let cool completely on a rack.
5. Make the Custard Filling: Arrange the raspberries in concentric circles over the bottom of the tart shell. In a small bowl, whisk the cream with the egg yolks, sugar and scraped vanilla seeds. Pour the custard into the tart shell. Bake in the middle of the oven for 40 to 55 minutes, or until the custard is set. Let the tart cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Serve with fresh raspberries and the raspberry-caramel sauce, if desired.

One Year Ago:

• Cornmeal Summer Berry Muffins with Streusel Topping
• White Peach & Raspberry Cobbler with Butter Biscuits