Look for a French-style aged goat cheese that looks a little bit like Brie on the outside, sometimes called a crottin and sometimes rolled in ash before being aged (such as Delice de Poitou). I’ve also baked these bites with several different types of Northern Californian cheeses and all work well: Cypress Grove’s Humboldt Fog, Cowgirl Creamery’s Mt. Tam and Laura Chenel’s Goat Brie and Ash-Rinded Buchette. If aged chèvre isn’t the cheese of your dreams, feel free to use a fresh chèvre or goat Brie instead. Do look for a cheese that isn’t too soft, lest it run all over the place in the oven. Similarly, look for figs that are ripe but firm, such as Black Missions.
MAKES 14–16 (3-INCH [8-CM]) BITES
CRUST
1 batch Flaky Pie Dough GF oat flour, for dusting
FILLING
8 large figs, such as Black Mission (ripe but firm)
6 oz (175 g) aged chèvre (or other cheese, see headnote), cut into 14–16 slices
1 tbsp (3 g) fresh thyme leaves
Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon
Cracked black pepper
1–2 tbsp (15–30 ml) honey
For the crust, prepare the pie dough with the fraisage and 1–2 turns and chill as directed. If the pie dough is very firm, let it soften at room temperature until malleable, about 5 minutes. On a work surface dusted lightly with oat flour, roll out the chilled dough into a rough rectangle that measures ⅜-inch (1-cm) thick, rotating the dough frequently, dusting it with just enough flour to keep it from sticking and sweeping off excess flour with a pastry brush. When the dough has been rolled out, cut out 3-inch (7-cm) rounds with a fluted biscuit cutter or the top of a glass, cutting the rounds as close together as possible. (Note: If your figs are smaller, cut out smaller rounds of dough.) Stack the dough rounds on a plate, cover, and chill until firm, 30 minutes or up to 1 day. Optionally, press the dough scraps together, and repeat the chilling/rolling/cutting process once more.
Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 375°F (190°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
For the filling, cut the stems off the figs and slice each one in half lengthwise. Place the chilled dough rounds 1–2 inches (2.5–5 cm) apart on the prepared baking sheet. Top each round with a slice of chèvre and a fig half placed cut side up, pressing the figs gently into the chèvre to keep them in place.
Bake the bites until the dough is golden, 22–27 minutes. Remove from the oven and place on a serving platter, allowing them to cool for a few minutes. Sprinkle with the thyme leaves, salt, pepper, and a drizzle of honey.
The bites are best served when still warm from the oven, but they will keep at room temperature for up to several hours or refrigerated for up to 2 days. Reheat before serving for best results.
MAPLE TEFF APPLE PIE WITH WALNUT CRUMBLE
{SWEET RICE, OAT, TEFF}
This was the first pie I baked with my flaky gluten-free pie dough, and I knew I’d finally struck gold when I literally forgot that the pie was gluten-free. The juicy apple filling is kissed with maple syrup and lemon, which keep the apples tasting bright and earthy. A maple sugar and teff crumb topping makes an attractive lid without the fuss of a top crust, and the slight bitterness of walnuts adds dimension (though pecans can take their place, too). Teff flour in the crust and crumble adds notes of caramel (or try the more vanilla version of this pie made with all oat flour, below).
MAKES ONE 9-INCH (23-CM) PIE, ABOUT 10 SERVINGS
CRUST
1 recipe Teff Pie Dough
Teff flour, for dusting
FILLING
2¼ lb (1 kg) tart, firm baking apples, such as Granny Smith (6–8 medium apples)
½ cup (120 ml) maple syrup (preferably grade B)
Finely grated zest from ½ large lemon
2 tbsp (30 ml) strained lemon juice
1 tbsp (6 g) cornstarch
½ tsp ground cinnamon
⅛ tsp fine sea salt
CRUMBLE
¼ cup plus 2 tbsp (35 g) GF oat flour
2 tbsp (15 g) teff flour
¼ cup plus 2 tbsp (50 g) maple sugar (or packed organic light brown sugar)
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
¼ tsp fine sea salt
5 tbsp (70 g) cold, unsalted butter
¾ cup (80 g) raw walnut halves
Vanilla Bean Ice Cream or Maple Bourbon Whipped Cream for serving
For the crust, prepare the dough, shape into a 9-inch (23-cm) crust as directed, and chill the unbaked crust until firm, at least 30 minutes.
For the filling, peel the apples, cut them off the core and slice them a scant ¼-inch (6-mm) thick. You should have 6 cups (900 g) total. Place the apple slices in a large bowl and gently toss with the maple syrup, lemon zest and juice, cornstarch, cinnamon and salt. Let sit while you prepare the crumble, 10–20 minutes, tossing a few times.
Meanwhile, position a rack in the lower third of the oven, place a baking stone on the rack if you have one and preheat to 350°F (175°C). If there are any holes in the pie crust, patch them with leftover dough scraps.
To make the crumble, in the bowl of a food processor, combine the oat and teff flours, maple sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Pulse once or twice to combine, then pulse in the butter until the mixture looks like coarse meal, with no large butter chunks remaining. Add the walnuts and pulse several more times until the nuts are broken down a bit and the mixture begins to clump together; don’t overmix. Cover and chill if not using right away.
Pour the apples and their liquid into the unbaked crust, and pack the apples snugly. Crumble the topping evenly over the apples, breaking it into some hazelnut-sized chunks and letting the rest be loose. Bake the pie until the top is golden and the juices are bubbling up thickly, 60–75 minutes. The topping and crust will look dark from the teff flour, but if it is getting too dark, reduce the oven temperature to 300°F (150°C). Let the pie cool most of the way, at least 2 and up to 8 hours to thicken the juices.
VARIATIONS
MAPLE OAT APPLE PIE WITH WALNUT CRUMBLE
For a more kid-friendly version of this pie, use the Flaky Pie Dough in place of the teff crust, and make the topping with ½ cup (55 g) oat flour instead of the oat/teff blend.
MAPLE BOURBON APPLE PIE WITH WALNUT CRUMBLE
I like this grown-up version best with the milder, all-oat variation, above. Reduce the maple syrup to ⅓ cup (85 ml) and add ¼ cup (60 ml) GF bourbon to the apple mixture. Increase the cornstarch to 2 tablespoons (11 g) to help absorb the extra moisture.
BUCKWHEAT PEAR GALETTES WITH WALNUTS AND SALTY CARAMEL
{SWEET RICE, BUCKWHEAT, OAT}
Biting into one of these little tarts when warm from the oven is sheer ecstasy. Crisp crust shatters against tender pears, gooey caramel drips everywhere and nubs of walnuts add their roasty flavor to the mix. The crust sings with the bold flavor of buckwheat, which always reminds me of a blend of hazelnuts and cinnamon, with earthy notes that smack of coffee or chocolate. Here, the dark crust plays dramatically against the white flesh of ripe pears. Toasted walnuts absorb the pears’ juices and keep the bottom crust crisp. I think my friend Erika, who tested this recipe, said it best: “I feel like I’m eating a fancy-ass pastry from Tartine, only I MADE IT.”
MAKES EIGHT 3½-INCH (9-CM) GALETTES
CRUST
1 recipe Buckwheat Pie Dough
Buckwheat flour, for dusting
FILLING
½ cup (55 g) raw walnut halves
4 medium ripe but firm pears, such as Bartlett (about 1½ lb [680 g])
1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice
2 tbsp (30 ml) cream or milk
3 tbsp (35 g) organic granulated cane sugar
½ cup (120 ml) Salty Caramel (any variation, at room temperature or warm enough to drizzle
Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon, for sprinkling (optional)
NOTE: Melon ballers aren’t just for making fussy, 1970s-inspired fruit salads; they also make a handy t
ool for coring pears. Halve a pear lengthwise, then use the melon baller to scoop away the stem, seeds and blossom.
For the crust, prepare the buckwheat pie dough, preferably with the fraisage and 1–2 turns, and chill as directed. Place the chilled dough on a surface dusted lightly with buckwheat flour. Use a sharp chef’s knife to divide the dough into 8 equal portions, and place 7 of the portions back in the refrigerator to keep cool. Use a rolling pin to roll out the first portion of dough into a 6-inch (15-cm) round a scant ⅛-inch (3-mm) thick, flipping and dusting the dough as you go to prevent it from sticking and sweeping away excess flour. Trim the edges to make an even round. Place the dough round on a plate and chill. Repeat with the remaining dough portions, stacking them on the plate and dusting with a bit of flour to prevent sticking. Cover and chill until firm, at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day.
Meanwhile, to make the filling, position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C). Spread the walnuts on a small, rimmed baking sheet and toast on the upper rack until golden and fragrant, 8–10 minutes. Let cool, then chop fairly finely. Increase the oven temperature to 400°F (200°C).
Peel the pears, halve them lengthwise, and remove their cores, stems and blossoms. Place a half cut side down and, keeping the slices together, slice lengthwise ¼-inch (6-mm) thick. Repeat with the remaining pears. Drizzle the pear halves with the lemon juice to keep them from oxidizing while you work; this also adds a bit of brightness to the finished galettes.
Divide the dough rounds between 2 rimmed baking sheets lined with parchment paper for easy cleanup. Divide the chopped walnuts among the rounds, mounding them in the center. Keeping the slices together, use a small knife or offset spatula to transfer a pear half to the top of a tart, placing it over the nuts and fanning out the slices a bit. Gently fold up the dough around the fanned pear slices to create a 1-inch (2.5-cm) lip, creasing and pleating the dough as you go. If it cracks, don’t worry—just press it back together. Use your palm to gently flatten down the galette slightly. If the dough has softened, place the galettes back in the refrigerator and chill until firm. Brush the dough lightly with the cream and sprinkle the pears and dough evenly with the sugar.
Bake the galettes until the pear juices bubble furiously and the dough is golden (you will have to look closely, as the dough will be dark and crusted in sugar), 30–40 minutes, rotating the pans front to back and top to bottom for even browning after the first 20 minutes.
Remove the galettes from the oven and let cool for at least 15 minutes or up to several hours. To serve, drizzle all over with the caramel sauce and top with a few flecks of flaky salt if desired. The galettes are best the day of baking but will keep at room temperature for 1 day or refrigerated airtight for up to 2 days.
PUMPKIN PIE WITH A BUCKWHEAT CRUST
{SWEET RICE, BUCKWHEAT, OAT}
My sweetie and I are obsessed with pumpkin pie, and would gladly eat it every day, all year round. And yet, I can understand where the world’s pumpkin pie haters are coming from. Canned pumpkin can have a metallic, vegetal taste. The filling can be curdled and watery, or overly thick and starchy, plagued by too many heavy spices. To mitigate these pitfalls, I’ve taken a few tips from Cook’s Illustrated, French patisserie and my own kitchen. First, I take the time to roast my own squash, which makes for a bright, fresh-tasting filling. Since most pumpkin puree actually comes from a squash in the butternut family, butternut is my go-to (though kabocha, carnival and red kuri squash also make excellent pie). Next, I add a bit of flour to the custard, a traditional French technique that helps absorb excess moisture. Finally, I give the squash puree a brief cook on the stove with the spices and sweeteners; this evaporates excess moisture and melds the flavors together. Maple syrup, fresh ginger and nutmeg and crème fraîche all make the filling sparkle, and all that pumpkin spice deliciousness is served up in a super flaky buckwheat crust that stays crisp longer than you’d guess.
For this pie, as for all custard-based pies and tarts, keep an eye on your oven temperature and be careful not to overbake the pie, lest the filling become grainy and watery. Watch the pie for visual cues of doneness, and be sure to allow 2 to 3 hours post-baking for cooling the pie; it will still be cooking from residual heat.
MAKES ONE 9-INCH (23-CM) PIE, ABOUT 10 SERVINGS
CRUST
1 recipe Buckwheat Pie Dough
FILLING
¼ cup (50 g) organic granulated cane sugar
2 tbsp (17 g) sweet white rice flour
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
⅛ tsp ground allspice
½ tsp fine sea salt
2 cups (460 g) roasted squash puree (see Note) or canned pumpkin puree
¼ cup plus 2 tbsp (90 ml) maple syrup (preferably grade B)
1 tsp packed finely grated fresh ginger
1 cup (235 ml) whole milk
3 large eggs
½ cup (120 ml) Crème Fraîche or sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
FOR SERVING (OPTIONAL)
Maple Bourbon Whipped Cream
For the crust, prepare and parbake the buckwheat pie crust as directed. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 400°F (200°C). If you have a baking stone, place it on the rack. Place your crust on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment for easy cleanup. If your crust has cooled, place it in the oven until hot just before pouring in the custard, 5–10 minutes.
To make the filling, in a large saucepan, whisk together the sugar, sweet rice flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and salt. Whisk in the squash puree, maple syrup and ginger. Place the pot over medium heat and stir frequently until the mixture comes to a sputtering simmer. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick and shiny, 5 more minutes. Remove from the heat. Whisk in the milk, then the eggs, crème fraîche and vanilla. Strain the custard through a medium-mesh strainer (fine-mesh will take forever and make you hate life); alternatively, puree with an immersion blender.
Pour the custard into the hot pie crust and very carefully transfer to the oven. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 10 minutes, then lower the temperature to 300°F (150°C) and bake for 20–35 more minutes, or until the outer edges are set and slightly puffed and the center wobbles like Jell-O. Let the pie cool completely at room temperature, 2–3 hours; it is still cooking from residual heat. For the cleanest slices or if the pie is soft, chill until firmer, 1–2 hours. Slice into wedges and serve cool or at room temperature with whipped cream if you like. The pie is best the day of baking but will keep, refrigerated airtight, for up to 3 days.
NOTE: To make your own roasted squash puree, cut a large butternut squash in half lengthwise and leave the seeds in for now (they’re easier to remove post-roasting). Place the halves with a cut side down on a lightly oiled, rimmed baking sheet and roast in a 375°F (190°C) oven until very tender and collapsing slightly, about 45 minutes. Let cool, scoop out and discard the seeds and strings, and scoop out and reserve the flesh, discarding the skin. Puree the flesh in a food processor until smooth. The puree will keep, refrigerated airtight, for up to 2 weeks.
MEYER LEMON AND VANILLA BEAN BUTTERMILK PIE
{SWEET RICE, OAT, MILLET}
This pie is one of my very favorite cures for the midwinter doldrums, bridging the gap between the spiced fruit pies of fall and the first of the strawberries and rhubarb of early spring. Meyer lemons, a lemon-mandarin hybrid common to California, have a sweet-tart flavor that reminds me of sunshine, flowers and brighter days to come. Here, thick buttermilk custard contrasts with shatteringly crisp pie crust. Flecks of vanilla bean bring out the floral notes in the lemons, and cream adds richness to round out the lemons’ acidity. It needs no accompaniment, but slices are nice when dressed up with Honey Candied Kumquats, fresh berries or segments of blood orange or tangerine. This pie is best the day of baking, when the crust is at its crispest, but it will keep well, refrigerated airtight, for up to 3 days. If Meyers are
n’t about, make an extra-tangy pie with regular lemon zest and juice.
MAKES ONE 9-INCH (23-CM) PIE, ABOUT 10 SERVINGS
CRUST
1 recipe Flaky Pie Dough
FILLING
¾ cup plus 2 tbsp (175 g) organic granulated cane sugar
Finely grated zest from 2 large (or 3 smaller)
Meyer lemons (1 packed tbsp, or 10 g)
1 vanilla bean
¼ cup (40 g) sweet white rice flour
¼ tsp salt
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1¼ cups (300 ml) fresh, well-shaken buttermilk
½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
¼ cup (60 ml) strained Meyer lemon juice (from 1–2 lemons)
For the crust, prepare and parbake the pie crust as directed.
To make the filling, position a rack in the lower third of the oven, top with a baking stone if you’ve got one and preheat to 325°F (165°C).
Place the sugar in a medium bowl and add the lemon zest. Slit the vanilla bean down the center, use the back of the knife to scrape out the seeds and add them to the sugar, reserving the pod for another use (such as Vanilla Extract. Use your fingertips to rub the zest and vanilla seeds into the sugar until it feels damp and slightly clumpy.
Whisk the flour and salt into the sugar until combined, then whisk in the eggs and yolks until smooth, whisking gently to avoid incorporating excess air into the batter. Slowly whisk in the buttermilk, then the cream and lemon juice until smooth.
Alternative Baker Page 11
