Lemon Meringue Tart

http://www.joyofbaking.com/LemonMeringueTart.html

This Lemon Meringue Tart is very similar to the Lemon Curd Tart recipe on the site except it is topped with a layer of meringue. Most would agree that there are few desserts this irresistible; that combination of a sweet and crisp pastry crust with a filling that's tart yet creamy, finished off with an airy sweet meringue.

So what exactly is the difference between a Lemon Meringue Tart and a Lemon Meringue Pie besides the obvious difference that one uses a tart pan and the other a pie plate? Well, for one thing a Lemon Meringue Pie uses a lemon filling (or custard) which contains little or no butter and uses cornstarch (corn flour) or flour for thickening. A Lemon Meringue Tart, on the other hand, is filled with lemon curd which does not contain cornstarch or flour and contains more lemon juice and zest than the Lemon Meringue Pie's filling so it has a sharper lemon flavor. It also contains butter which makes the curd's texture smoother and creamier.

Nevertheless, they are both delicious and both have that same pitfall, the problem of a 'weeping' meringue; that is, beads of moisture that form between the baked meringue and the filling, causing the meringue to slip away from the filling. For help on this subject I consulted both Carole Walter's 'Great Pies and Tarts' and Jane Grigson's 'Fruit Book' and their solution seems to be that the lemon filling needs to be 'hot', not cold, when spreading on the unbaked meringue. I have found that having the filling hot, along with gently pressing down on the meringue to remove any air pockets, does, in fact, solve the 'weeping' problem. It is also a good idea not to over whip the egg whites as this can be another cause of weeping. Once the tart is removed from the oven, place it on a wire rack to cool, away from any drafts. This tart is at its very best the day it is made although leftovers can be covered and refrigerated.

Sweet Pastry Crust:
1 1/2 cups (210 grams) all purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten

In a separate bowl, sift or whisk together the flour and salt. Set aside. Place the butter in your mixer and beat until softened. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Gradually add the beaten egg, beating just until incorporated. Don't over mix or the butter will separate and lighten in color. Add flour mixture all at once and mix just until it forms a ball. Don't overwork or pastry will be hard when baked.

Flatten dough into disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about 30 minutes or until firm.
Have ready an 8 - 9 inch (20 - 23 cm) tart pan with removable bottom. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry into an 11 - 12 inch (28 - 30 cm) circle that is about 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick. To prevent the pastry from sticking to the counter and to ensure uniform thickness, keep lifting up and turning the pastry a quarter turn as you roll (always roll from the center of the pastry outwards to get uniform thickness). To make sure it is the right size, take your tart pan, flip it over, and place it on the rolled out pastry. The pastry should be about an inch larger than pan.

When the pastry is rolled to the desired size, lightly roll pastry around your rolling pin, dusting off any excess flour as you roll. Unroll onto top of tart pan. Never pull pastry or you will get shrinkage (shrinkage is caused by too much pulling of the pastry when placing it in the pan). Gently lay in pan and with a small floured piece of pastry, lightly press pastry into bottom and up sides of pan. Roll your rolling pin over top of pan to get rid of excess pastry. With a thumb up movement, again press dough into pan. Roll rolling pin over top again to get rid of any extra pastry. Prick bottom of dough (this will prevent the dough from puffing up as it bakes). Cover and refrigerate for about 20 minutes to chill the butter and to rest the gluten in the flour.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Line unbaked pastry shell with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Fill tart pan with pie weights, rice or beans, making sure the weights are to the top of the pan and evenly distributed over the entire surface. Bake the crust for 20 to 25 minutes or until the crust is dry and lightly golden brown.

Lemon Curd:
3 large eggs
1/3 cup (80 ml) fresh lemon juice (2-3 lemons) (do not use the bottled lemon juice)
3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated white sugar
4 tablespoons (56 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon (4 grams) lemon zest

While the crust is baking make the Lemon Curd.In a stainless steel bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and lemon juice until blended. Cook, whisking constantly (to prevent it from curdling), until the mixture becomes pale in color and quite thick (like a hollandaise sauce or sour cream) (160 degrees F or 71 degrees C on a thermometer). This will take about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and immediately pour through a fine strainer to remove any lumps. Cut the butter into small pieces and whisk into the mixture until the butter has melted. Add the lemon zest. Immediately pour the lemon curd into the baked crust and smooth the top.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Bake the tart for about 10 minutes or until the lemon curd is firm but still a little wobbly in the center. Do not let it brown or burn.
Lemon Zest - The yellow outer rind of the lemon that contains the fruit's flavor and perfume. The rind being the outer skin of the lemon which consists of both the yellow zest and white membrane (pith).

TIPS:
Always remove the zest first before halving and squeezing the lemon.
Thin, smooth skinned lemons at room temperature yield the most juice.
Thick, bumpy textured cold lemons give the maximum amount of zest.
Use a fine strainer to remove the seeds and pulp from the juice.


Meringue:
4 large egg whites
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (130 grams) white granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

In a clean bowl of your electric mixer, with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue beating until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar and continue to whip until stiff peaks form.

Using a spoon, place dollops of the meringue over the entire surface of the hot lemon curd, starting at the outside edge of the tart. (Make sure the meringue comes right up to the crust and there are no gaps between the crust and the lemon curd.) Then, with the back of your spoon, gently press down on the meringue to get rid of any air pockets and to make sure all the lemon curd is covered with the meringue. If desired, swirl the meringue making a few decorative peaks. Return the tart to the oven and bake for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the meringue has nicely browned.

Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool, away from any drafts. When cool, serve or else cover and refrigerate.

Note: Leftover pastry can be used to make Sables (French Butter Cookies)

Serves 6 - 8

Sources:
Beranbaum, Rose Levy. 'The Pie and Pastry Bible'. Scribner. New York: 1998.
Friberg, Bo. 'The Professional Pastry Chef'. Van Nostrand Reinhold. New York: 1996.Grigson, Jane. 'Jane Grigson's Fruit Book'. Penguin Books. London: 1982.
Walters, Carole. 'Great Pies and Tarts'. Clarkson/Potter Publishers. New York: 1998.

"Pappa col Pomodoro" - Tuscan bread and tomato soup

http://www.franceinlondon.com/en-Article-597-Summer-Recipes-Food--Wine--summer-pasta.html

Rich San Marzano tomaotes are ideal for making sauces and soups and are just delicious in this traditional Tuscan recipe…

500g San Marzano tomatoes
2 garlic cloves
Pinch of crushed chillies
Handful of basil
1ltr beef stock
300g slightly stale bread
extra virgin olive oil

Heat some oil in a large saucepan or pot. Gently fry the garlic and some chillies, removing the garlic when golden brown.

Puree the tomatoes then add to the pot with some basil and cook for a couple of minutes. Then add the bread, thinly sliced. Mix. When the bread has soaked up the sauce, add the hot stock. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook for 15 minutes adding more stock if necessary. Rest for an hour, then mix again to dissolve the bread. Serve hot, but not piping hot, with a drizzle of olive oil and garnish with fresh basil leaves.

YakGwa - Korean Wheat and Honey Cakes

http://www.koreataste.org/lang/en/en/food-en/recipes-en/food_type8_en/yakgwa/
http://shinsveganloving.blogspot.com/2011/05/vegan-yakgwa-for-mothers-day.html
http://www.koreataste.org/lang/en/en/blogging-en/yakgwa-little-fried-honey-cakes/
http://sites.google.com/site/kamrecipe/korean-yakgwa-fried-honey-cookie-yaggwa
http://www.internationalrecipes.net/find/Korean%20Fried%20Honey%20Cake

Mung Bean Porridge in Coconut Milk

This recipe is from http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2010/04/mung-bean-porridge-in-coconut-milk-recipe.html?ref=related

Mung beans, small and dark green, become bean sprouts when left to sprout. This porridge is commonly eaten as breakfast in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand, but its sweetness makes for a fine dessert as well.

Ingredients

serves 6 to 8 servings

• 1 cup mung beans, about 7 ounces or 200 grams
• 4 1/2 cups water
• 1 cinnamon stick, about 4 inches in length
• 1 piece ginger, about 2 inches in length
• 1 cup sugar, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk

Procedures

1. Rinse the mung beans in a few changes of cold water, picking through them to remove any stones or grit. Place the beans in a saucepan along with the water, cinnamon stick, and ginger. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 40 minutes, until the beans have cracked open a bit but are not mushy.
2. Add the sugar, salt, and vanilla extract. Continue to simmer until the sugar is dissolved, about three minutes.
   
   
3. Stir in the coconut milk. Cook until the coconut milk is just heated through, about 2 minutes. Take care not to simmer for too long, or else the milk will thicken too much. Remove the ginger and cinnamon stick from the pot. Ladle the porridge into bowls and serve warm.

Pulut Hitam (Black Rice Pudding with Coconut Milk)

This recipe is from http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2010/10/pulut-hitam-black-rice-pudding-with-coconut-m.html?ref=related

Special equipment: 4 quart saucepan

Ingredients

serves 4 to 6 as a hearty dessert or breakfast, active time 10 minutes, total time 1 1/2 hours (plus overnight soak)

• 1 cup black sticky rice (purple rice)
• 2/3 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups coconut milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Procedures

1. Soak rice for at least 6 to 8 hours in a large bowl filled with cold water.
2. The next day, drain the rice and add to large saucepan. Add 8 cups (2 quarts) fresh water to the pan. Add sugar and bring water to boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook, partially covered, until rice grains have split open and the rice is tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. The liquid in the pan will have thickened to the consistency of a light syrupy pudding. Towards the end of cooking time, stir the rice to prevent scorching and sticking on the bottom.
3. Meanwhile, combine coconut milk with salt and let sit at room temperature.
4. Ladle rice pudding into serving bowls and drizzle the coconut milk over each portion. Serve immediately. Leftover pudding may be kept in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Reheat before serving.

Toasted Mochi made from Sweet Rice, not rice flour

This recipe is from http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2010/02/how-to-make-mochi-red-bean-asian-lunar-new-year-recipe.html and has some nice photos of the procedures.

I like this recipe because I already have the sweet rice, and most recipes call for only rice flour.

In Japan and Korea, the rounds of glutinous rice, known as mochi and tteok, respectively, are indulgently gooey affairs. The cakes, which can either be sweet or savory, are steamed, pounded, or pan-fried.

Store-bought versions are usually coated with too much starch and can taste like chemicals or waxy fillings. The homemade version, however, is one of my favorite treats: soft and chewy with the sweetness of glutinous rice coming through, freshly pounded mochi is not to be missed. And, despite its opaque appearance, making mochi at home is a completely manageable, albeit sticky, activity. The steps and recipe ideas, after the jump.

Special equipment: food processor or spice grinder, mortar and pestle 

Ingredients:

Glutinous sweet rice 

Potato or rice starch

 

Procedure:

In a food processor or spice grinder, coarsely process the glutinous sweet rice. Soak the rice in a large bowl of water for an hour, then arrange the drained rice on a steamer insert fitted with muslin or cheese cloth.

Steam the rice for 40 to 45 minutes, until the broken grains of rice are translucent. Let rest in the steamer insert for 5 minutes.

With wet fingers, transfer the cooked rice to a mortar and pestle.

Depending on the size of the bowl, you may need to complete this step in batches. Pound the rice in an up-and-down fashion for 10 minutes or so.
As you continue to pound the rice, have a bowl of warm water ready to add to the bowl if needed. The rice should be somewhat moist, but not wet, as you pound it. By the end of the pounding process, the rice will be one cohesive, sticky mass.

Sprinkle potato or rice starch over your work surface. Wet your hands again and transfer the mochi to the surface. Now make sure your hands are completely dry and cleaned of residual sticky rice. Lightly knead the mochi, adding more potato starch as needed, until the mass of rice is no longer extremely sticky to the touch. Divide the mochi into 2-inch balls, rolling each around in a thin layer of starch.

If you want to fill the mochi, use red bean paste or another filling of your choice. (I like mixing the highest-quality peanut butter and honey.) Flatten the ball of mochi and place a teaspoonful of filling in the center. Gather the ends of the circle together and roll again to form a ball with the enclosed filling. Eat as is, or proceed with toasting. In this form, the mochi can be kept underneath a wet towel for 10 to 12 hours. If you intend to the toast the mochi later, the rounds of rice can be stored for 24 hours.

Heat a heavy skillet or pan. Place each round of mochi onto the pan. You may either leave the mochi in its spherical form or use a spatula to flatten the mochi. Toast the bottoms of the mochi until they are golden brown, taking care not to move or disturb the balls as they cook. If the mochi is prematurely moved, the surface will not have time to harden and the balls will stick to the pan. Continue to toast the mochi on all sides.

Eat the plain toasted rounds of mochi dipped in soy sauce or sugar. Or, place the balls of mochi in soup for a New Year's dumpling soup, where they will absorb the flavors of the broth. Eat the soup immediately upon serving to fully experience the delicate balance of the crisp, charred surface to the gooey, soft interior. The filled and toasted rounds of mochi may be eaten as they are. 

Natural Marshmallows

This recipe is from http://marshmallowchefsticks.com/marshmallowchefstickrecipes.htm

Contributed by Carol Stacy

Makes 10 / Takes 1 1/2 Hours

Ingredients:

2 egg whites 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 cup raw cane sugar 1 tablespoon powdered Marshmallow (root)

Directions:Whip egg whites until almost stiff. Add vanilla and whip until stiff. Then whip in the sugar, 1 tsp at the time. Finally, add Marshmallow and whip again. Place by teaspoonful on cookie sheet. Bake in 325 oven for 1 hour.