Alternative Baker
Page 17
MAKES 6–8 SERVINGS
2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter, plus 1 tsp for greasing the pan
2 large ears sweet corn
2½ cups (590 ml) water
2½ cups (590 ml) whole milk
¾ tsp fine sea salt
1 cup (160 g) uncooked yellow corn grits or polenta
3 tbsp (45 ml) mild honey, plus extra for drizzling
Cream or milk, for serving
2–4 cups (230–460 g) mixed summer berries, for serving
Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C). Rub a 2-quart (2-L) gratin dish, 10-inch (25-cm) ovenproof skillet or 9-inch (23-cm) square baking pan with the 1 teaspoon butter.
Shuck the corn and remove the silk. Hold a cob upright in a shallow bowl and, with a downward sawing motion, use a small serrated knife to carefully slice off the top half of the kernels. Reverse the knife and use the back of the blade to scrape the remaining milk from the cob and into the bowl with the kernels. Repeat with the remaining cob. You should have about 1½ cups (217 g) kernels and scrapings.
In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the water, milk and salt over a medium-high flame until it comes to a simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent the milk from scorching and taking care not to let the pot boil over. Whisking constantly, slowly sprinkle in the grits, and cook, still whisking, until the grits have swollen into a thin porridge, about 10 minutes, decreasing the heat as needed to maintain a bare simmer. Remove from the heat and whisk in the corn kernels and scrapings, the 3 tablespoons (45 ml) honey and the remaining 2 tablespoons (28 g) butter.
Pour the grits into the greased pan and place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips. Place in the oven and bake until the edges and top are golden and the grits have thickened, 60–70 minutes. The grits will soufflé up in the oven, but will settle back down when cool. Let the grits cool for 15 minutes—they will thicken considerably—then spoon into bowls and serve warm topped with a splash of cream, a drizzle of honey and a mess of fresh berries. The grits will continue to thicken and firm as they cool. Leftovers can be chilled, cut into squares and seared in a hot, buttery skillet to reheat. They will keep, refrigerated airtight, for up to 3 days.
VARIATION: CHEESY SWEET CORN BAKED GRITS
Honey and corn give this dish a nice savory/sweet contrast that’s well suited to breakfast. Omit the honey altogether if you prefer a strictly savory dish.
Omit the berries and cream topping. Make the grits as directed on the stove top, pour them into the greased pan and sprinkle the top all over with 1½ cups (150 g) grated sharp cheddar or other flavorful melting cheese. Top with plenty of coarsely ground black pepper and proceed with the recipe.
BOOZY CHOCOLATE CHERRY TEFF POTS
{TEFF}
These little pots of chocolate cherry goodness fall somewhere between a baked mousse and a flourless cake in taste and texture. Whipping the whole eggs with sugar makes for a fluffy batter that, while rich in flavor from chocolate and teff flour, still tastes feather-light on the palate. Infusing the cherries with bourbon adds another layer of flavor, though you can leave it out if you prefer.
Individual jars make these particularly well suited to dinner parties and potlucks, though you could also bake the batter in a 2-quart (2-L) baking dish, increasing the baking time as needed and spooning the baked pudding into bowls. I like these best when still slightly warm from the oven, but they can be made ahead and rewarmed to order. To play up the boozy factor, pass a bowl of maple bourbon whipped cream at the table; a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting over the top makes a fine accompaniment as well. Teff flour creates a silky smooth base, but another soft flour (buckwheat, chestnut or sweet rice) could easily stand in.
MAKES 8 SERVINGS
1¼ lb (560 g) fresh sweet cherries, stemmed, pitted and halved (about 3 cups)
¼ cup (60 ml) bourbon or GF whiskey (such as Queen Jennie)
4 tbsp (56 g) unsalted butter
5 oz (145 g) bittersweet chocolate (60–70% cacao mass), coarsely chopped (1 cup)
3 large eggs
½ cup (100 g) organic granulated cane sugar
½ tsp fine sea salt
5 tbsp (40 g) teff flour
½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
Powdered sugar, for dusting
Whipped Cream, Maple Bourbon Whipped Cream or Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, for serving (optional)
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325°F (165°C). Place eight 8-ounce (225-ml) ramekins or canning jars on a rimmed baking sheet.
Combine the prepared cherries and the bourbon in a bowl and let macerate, tossing occasionally, while you prepare the filling, at least 20 minutes and up to several hours.
Meanwhile, combine the butter and chocolate in a small saucepan and place over the lowest possible flame, stirring constantly until the mixture is melted and smooth, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the eggs, sugar and salt. Whip on high speed until the mixture has tripled in volume, 5–10 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and slowly sprinkle in the teff flour, mixing until just combined. Pour the melted chocolate mixture into the bowl, mixing until just combined, then add the cream and vanilla. Drain the cherries, reserving their bourbony juices, and add the juices to the filling mixture. Remove from the mixer and fold with a flexible silicone spatula to make sure it is homogenous.
Place the soaked cherries in the bottom of the ramekins and pour the filling over the top, dividing it evenly. Bake the pots until puffed and cracked and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with wet crumbs, or until an instant-read thermometer reaches 170°F (75°C), 30–35 minutes.
Let cool for at least 30 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm or at room temperature, passing whipped cream at the table. The pots are best when freshly baked but will keep for a few hours at room temperature or up to 3 days refrigerated airtight. Rewarm in a 325°F (165°C) oven until warmed through, 10–15 minutes, before serving.
NOTES
• If you don’t have a cherry pitter, these can be made with pitted frozen cherries.
• If you or your guests are highly sensitive to gluten, be sure to source a certified GF whiskey such as Queen Jennie, or substitute a GF brandy. Otherwise, I like spicy Bulleit bourbon in these pots.
BLACKBERRY CRISP FROZEN YOGURT
{SWEET RICE, OAT}
This frozen yogurt is just the thing for summer days when you crave a warm, gooey crisp but in a more cooling form. The ultra-creamy Vanilla Bean Frozen Yogurt on makes an easy-peasy base for thick blackberry compote flecked with nubs of cinnamon oat crumble that tastes a bit like berry cheesecake. The crumble stays toothsome for up to a few days and you’ll have enough left over to sprinkle on top of individual scoops, too. Roasting the berries with sugar until jammy releases moisture and keeps them from freezing into icy chunks. If you lack an ice cream maker, never fear; layer the compote and crisp into jars or glasses with some gently sweetened Greek yogurt for blackberry crisp yogurt parfaits.
MAKES ABOUT 5 CUPS (1.2 L), 10 SERVINGS
ROASTED BERRIES
2 cups (250 g) blackberries
¼ cup (50 g) organic granulated cane sugar Finely grated zest from 1 medium lemon
1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice, or more as needed
CRISP
¼ cup (35 g) sweet white rice flour
2 tbsp (10 g) oat flour
1 tbsp (5 g) tapioca flour
½ cup (50 g) GF old-fashioned rolled oats
¼ cup (50 g) packed organic light or dark brown sugar
¼ plus ⅛ tsp fine sea salt
¼ plus ⅛ tsp ground cinnamon
3 tbsp (42 g) cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 recipe Vanilla Bean Frozen Yogurt
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375°F (190°C).
To make the roa
sted berries, combine the blackberries, sugar and lemon zest in a small baking dish. Bake, stirring and mashing the mixture occasionally, until the berries are bubbling thickly, 30–40 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir in the lemon juice, then scrape into a heatproof container and chill until cold, at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.
To make the crisp, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sweet rice, oat and tapioca flours with the oats, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon and butter. Mix on low speed, increasing to medium speed, until the butter is worked in and the crisp begins to clump together, about 3 minutes. (Alternatively, combine the crisp ingredients in a large bowl and rub the butter with your fingertips until the mixture begins to clump together.) Spread the crumble on a small, rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake until golden and fragrant, 15–20 minutes, gently stirring the crisp once or twice to bring the outer edges in, and breaking up any large clumps bigger than the size of a hazelnut. Let the crisp cool completely. Place 1 cup (100 g) in the freezer to layer into the frozen yogurt and reserve the rest for garnish, airtight at room temperature.
Place a large loaf pan in the freezer. Make and churn the frozen yogurt and while it’s still soft, spread one-third of it in the frozen loaf pan. Dollop with one-third of the berries and one-third of the frozen crisp. Repeat with 2 more layers, giving the top layer a swirl with the tip of a knife or chopstick to make it pretty. Chill the frozen yogurt until firm, at least 2 hours and up to several weeks. Let soften for 5–10 minutes, then serve scoops sprinkled with the extra crisp.
The frozen yogurt is best within a day or two, when the crisp is crunchy, but it will keep for up to several weeks. For longer storage, press a piece of parchment paper directly onto the top of the frozen yogurt to discourage ice crystallization and wrap or cover airtight.
VARIATION: BLUEBERRY CRISP FROZEN YOGURT
Omit the blackberries, using 2 cups (250 g) blueberries in their place (as pictured here).
NECTARINE CHEESECAKES IN JARS WITH MESQUITE GINGERSNAP CRUSTS
{SWEET RICE, MESQUITE}
Jars make easy work of cheesecakes for a variety of reasons: 1) They can easily bake in a water bath, which keeps the custard extra creamy; 2) they bake and cool in a fraction of the time a larger cheesecake would, meaning cheesecake in your face sooner; and 3) they are adorable. Here, relatively thin layers of crust and custard leave room on top for a rosette of nectarine slices and a good fruit-to-custard ratio. The rosettes look harder to make than they really are, requiring merely wrapping thin slices of the fruit around themselves in layers. If you’re pressed for time, you can simply toss slices or chunks of the fruit with a bit of lemon juice and honey and pile them on top. The deep, dark flavor of the mesquite gingersnaps sets off the mild custard and summer fruit.
The 6-ounce (180-ml) jars from Weck, measuring 3½ inches (9 cm) in diameter, are an ideal vessel for these custards, leaving ample room for the fruit topping. Alternatively, make 4 larger servings in 8-ounce (235-ml) jars or ramekins.
MAKES 6 INDIVIDUAL 6-OUNCE (180-ML) CHEESECAKES
2 cups (110 g) broken-up Mesquite Gingersnaps or store-bought gingersnaps
2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter, melted
8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, at room temperature
¼ cup (50 g) organic granulated cane sugar
⅛ tsp fine sea salt
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ cup (60 ml) Crème Fraîche or sour cream
3–4 medium ripe but firm nectarines
Lemon juice, for drizzling over the nectarines
Honey, for drizzling over the nectarines
NOTE: When making cheesecake, always have your cream cheese and eggs at room temperature; otherwise, you may end up with lumpy custard. To warm it up quickly, cut the cream cheese into small cubes, place them in the bowl of your mixer, and set them in a warm spot (such as on top of the oven) while you make the crust. It should be soft within 20–30 minutes.
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C). Place six 6-ounce (180-ml) canning jars in a roasting pan.
Process the gingersnaps in a food processer until finely ground. Add the melted butter and pulse until evenly moistened. Divide the crust mixture among the jars and use the back of a spoon or small, silicone spatula to pack it in firmly. Bake the crusts for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
Decrease the oven temperature to 300°F (150°C). Bring a kettle of water to a boil.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer or wooden spoon), beat together the softened cream cheese, sugar and salt on medium-low speed until smooth, 2–3 minutes, scraping down the paddle and sides of the bowl a few times. Add the egg and beat until smooth, scrape the paddle and bowl, then beat in the vanilla and crème fraîche. Give the batter a final stir by hand to make sure it’s homogenous. Scrape the batter into a liquid measuring pitcher and divide it evenly among the jars. Rap each jar on the counter a few times to pop any large air bubbles. Pour enough boiling water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the jars, and carefully transfer to the oven.
Bake the cheesecakes until set when you give them a shake, 15–35 minutes (the bake time will vary greatly with the size and shape of the baking vessels). Remove from the oven and use oven mitts to carefully lift the jars out of the water. Let cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. Serve at room temperature or cover and chill until cold, 1 hour or up to 2 days.
To make the nectarine rosettes, slice the fruit off of the pit. Place a cut side down and use a sharp knife to cut it into very thin slices, a scant ⅛-inch (3-mm) thick. Squeeze a little lemon juice over the slices; this will keep then from oxidizing. Starting with the smallest slices, hold a slice on your work surface and gently roll into a circle with overlapping ends; this will be the innermost “petal.” Wrap slices around the first slice, overlapping as you go. When you can no longer hold the rosette closed on your work surface, use a butter knife or small offset spatula to transfer it to the center of the cheesecake. Continue wrapping slices around the rosette until the jar is full. Repeat with the remaining cheesecakes. Drizzle a bit of honey over the top of each and serve immediately.
PEAR AND POMEGRANATE CLAFOUTIS WITH VANILLA, SAFFRON AND PISTACHIOS
{ALMOND, SWEET RICE, OAT}
Similar to an oven pancake or Dutch baby, clafoutis traditionally involves boozy cherries roasted in a crepelike batter until gently puffed. This fall version uses ripe pears and pomegranate arils kissed with vanilla, saffron and pistachios for an Eastern take on the traditional French dessert. Use pears that are ripe and fragrant but firm enough to hold their shape, such as Bartlett or Anjou. The pomegranate seeds keep their shape as they bake, and, along with the pistachios, add a pleasant pop of color as well as texture. Soft pears, tart pomegranate, floral vanilla and exotic saffron all come together to make a beguiling dessert with flavors emerging one after another as you chew. A trio of flours—almond, sweet rice and oat—creates a smooth batter that puffs gently as it cooks, just like the real deal. The batter can be made a day ahead to ease preparations on the day you plan to serve it.
If you prefer, feel free to use all half-and-half in place of the milk and cream in the custard. A little precious saffron goes a long way, so don’t overdo it. Its flavor continues to emerge the longer the baked dessert sits. I wouldn’t hesitate to eat leftovers for breakfast the next morning with a scoop of plain yogurt.
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
3 tbsp (42 g) unsalted butter, plus 1 tsp softened butter for greasing the pan
½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scraped
A pinch of saffron threads ( tsp), crumbled
3 large eggs
¼ cup (50 g) organic granulated cane sugar, plus 1 tbsp (12 g) for sprinkling over the top
¼ tsp fine sea salt
¼ cup plus 2 tbsp (45 g) blanched almond
flour
¼ cup (35 g) sweet white rice flour
¼ cup (25 g) oat flour
¾ cup (180 ml) whole milk
¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream
3 medium ripe but firm pears (1 lb [450 g]), peeled, cut off the core and sliced lengthwise
¼-inch (6-mm) thick
½ cup (65 g) pomegranate arils
¼ cup (30 g) raw, shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400°F (200°C). Rub the bottom and sides of a 10-inch (25-cm) round solid-bottom tart, pie or cake pan or skillet (or the equivalent) with the 1 teaspoon softened butter.
In a small pot set over a medium flame, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons (42 g) butter with the vanilla pod and scrapings and the saffron until simmering. Remove from the heat and let steep for 10 minutes. Remove the vanilla pod (you can rinse it, let it dry and save it for making Vanilla Extract.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, ¼ cup (50 g) sugar and salt. Push the almond, rice and oat flours through a strainer directly into the egg mixture, adding back any bits that get caught in the strainer. Whisk until very smooth, then whisk in the flavored butter and any good stuff hanging out on the bottom of the pan. Gradually whisk in the milk and heavy cream. The consistency will be that of a thick crepe batter. (The batter can be made a day ahead and chilled overnight. If the batter separates, whisk it to recombine.)