Gouda and Tart Apple Pie

Special equipment: food processor

Ingredients

serves Serves 8, active time 1 hour, total time 4 hours

• For the Crust:
• 2 1/2 cups (11.25 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoons salt
• 20 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 4 ounces Gouda, grated finely
• 6-7 tablespoons ice water
•  
• For the Filling:
• 3 pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled cored, and sliced into 1/4-inch slices
• 3 quarts boiling water
• 5 tablespoons granulated sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for sprinkling over crust
• 5 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten

Procedures

1. Whisk together the flour, salt, and grated Gouda in a large mixing bowl. Using a food processor, mix butter and flour/cheese mixture until the largest butter chunks are the size of large peas. .
   
2. Open the top of the food processor and sprinkle ice water over the flour mixture in increments of one tablespoon, pulsing a couple times between additions. Repeat until dough begins to clump together.
   
3. Remove flour mixture from food processor return it to the large mixing bowl. Gather the dough together with your hands and press into two disks. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for two hours or up to overnight.
   
4. Add apple slices to a large bowl and pour boiling water on top. Cover bowl and set aside for ten minutes. Drain apples completely and let sit in a colander in the sink, tossing occasionally until completely dry, about 10 to 15 minutes. Return apples to the large bowl and add sugars, cinnamon, salt, and cornstarch, and toss until apples are evenly coated. Set mixture aside.
   
5. Move oven rack to the center position and preheat to 425°F. Roll out one disk of pie dough into a circle about 12-inches in diameter and transfer to a 9-inch pie plate. Add filling. Roll out the remaining pie dough into a 10-inch rectangle and cut into 1/2-inch strips. Use the strips to weave a lattice top.
   
6. Brush the pie evenly with the egg white and then sprinkle evenly with a tablespoon of sugar. Transfer pie to a parchment covered rimmed sheet pan in the oven. Bake until light golden brown, about 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 375°F and continue baking until deep golden brown, about 25 minutes longer. If the edges are getting overly browned, you can cover with tin foil or crust protectors. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature for at least 2 hours before serving.

Pear and Gruyere Tart

Simple fall flavors inspire this easy brunch-friendly tart made with pears, gruyere, and puff pastry.

Ingredients

serves Serves 4, active time 15 minutes, total time 35 minutes

• 1 pound puff pastry, thawed if frozen
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 red pears, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 pound gruyère cheese, grated

Procedures

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 400°F. Divide puff pastry into 4 rectangles and place on 2 baking sheets.
   
2. Melt butter in a medium stainless steel skillet over medium high heat. Add pears and thyme and cook until soft, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
   
3. Divide pear mixture between puff pastry, then top each tart with shredded cheese. Bake until tarts are golden, rotating the sheet trays half way through, about 20 minutes. Serve hot.

Fergus Henderson's Custard Tart

Ingredients

serves serves 10 to 12, active time 30 minutes, total time several hours, including baking and cooling

• 1/2 quantity of Treacle Tart pastry (ingredients follow)
• 10 egg yolks
• 1 vanilla pod
• 3 cups double cream
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 1 nutmeg
•  
• Treacle Tart Pastry
• 11 ounces unsalted butter
• 1 cup 2 tablespoons caster sugar
• 1 large egg
• 5 large egg yolks
• Scant 1/4 cup strong white flour

Procedures

1. First make the pastry. Cream the butter and sugar together until white and fluffy. Lightly beat together the egg and egg yolks, then add them to the mixture a little at a time in order to prevent curdling. Sift in the flour and mix until just incorporated. The pastry will be very soft, so wrap it in plastic wrap and leave it in the fridge overnight. Separate into halves before wrapping, as this recipe only requires a half quantity of pastry.
   
2. Take the pastry out of the fridge and let it soften at room temperature for about 1-2 hours. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured work surface about 1 inch thick and use to line a 12-inch loose-bottomed tart tin. Chill for 1-2 hours. Cover the pastry case with plastic wrap, fill with baking beans and lightly fold the cling film over the top of the beans. Bake in an oven preheated to 375F until the pastry is golden brown around the edges. Remove the plastic wrap and beans and return the pastry case to the oven until golden brown. Lightly beat one of the egg yolks. As soon as the pastry case comes out of the oven, brush all over the inside with the beaten egg to seal any little holes.
   
3. For the filling, slit the vanilla pod lengthways and scrape out the seeds. Put the seeds and pod in a saucepan with the double cream and bring slowly to the boil to infuse the cream with the vanilla. In a large bowl, mix the 9 remaining egg yolks and the sugar together just for a minute with a whisk. Then pour the boiling cream onto the mixture, whisking constantly to prevent curdling. Pass through a fine sieve. If there is lots of froth on top, just spoon it off and discard. Pour the custard mix into the baked pastry case, then grate some nutmeg on top (do not use ready-ground nutmeg). Place carefully in the oven without spilling any of the filling down the sides of the pastry case; if you do, you will end up with soggy pastry, which is a no-no for custard tart. Bake at 250F for about 1 hour, until there is only a small wobble in the center of the tart. Take out of the oven and place on a cooling rack.
   
4. Serve warm or cold and, when in season, with some fresh raspberries.

Zucchini and Apricot Socca Tart

Ingredients

serves Serves 4 to 6, active time 30 minutes, total time 1 hour, plus at least 2 hours resting time

• Tart Base
• 1 1/3 cups (140 g) chickpea flour
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Olive oil for cooking
• Freshly ground black pepper
•  
• Zucchini Tart
• 9 ounces (250 g) apricots or yellow peaches, pitted and diced
• 1 small (120 g) zucchini
• Flaky sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Procedures

1. To prepare the tart base: In a medium bowl, combine the chickpea flour, salt, cumin, and 3 tablespoons oil. Pour in 3/4 cup (180 ml) cold water in a slow stream, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. The mixture will be thinner than pancake batter. Cover and let rest for 2 hours at room temperature, or overnight in the fridge.
   
2. Place a well-seasoned 10-inch (25 cm) cast-iron pan in the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
   
3. Whisk the batter again. Remove the pan from the oven cautiously (it will be hot) and pour in a good glug of oil, swirling the pan around to coat. Pour the batter into the pan and swirl to cover the entire surface. Return to the oven and bake until set, 25 to 30 minutes. Switch the oven to the broiler setting and leave the pan in, keeping a close eye on it, until golden brown and crisp at the top, about 10 minutes. Turn the socca out onto a plate, then flip it back onto a serving dish.
   
4. To make the apricot compote: Cook the diced apricots in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, uncovered, until very soft, about 10 minutes. Increase the heat, bring to a simmer, and cook for another 5 minutes to thicken slightly. Set aside to cool completely. You should have about 6 tablespoons of the apricot compote.
   
5. To finish the tart: Using a mandoline slicer or very sharp knife, cut the zucchini into paper-thin slices.
   
6. Place the socca browned side up on a serving dish and spread with the apricot compote. Scatter the zucchini slices on top and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and the thyme.
   
7. Cut with a serrated knife and serve.