Apple Almond Tart

Apple Almond Tart

Pastries with flaky crusts, such as pies and tarts, tend to be laden with fat and calories. While phyllo can also supply a wallop of fat (due to each sheet being well-buttered) using egg whites instead can trim hundreds of calories from the dessert. Use the same technique with phyllo for savoury pastries as well.

Ingredients
½ cup (125 mL) natural almonds
1/3 cup (80 mL) granulated sugar
3 tbsp (45 mL) butter
Pinch salt
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 tbsp (15 mL) amaretto or almond liqueur
½ tsp (2 mL) pure almond extract
Vegetable oil cooking spray
4 phyllo pastry sheets, thawed overnight in refrigerator
1 egg white
2 Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored and cut into ¼ inch (5 mm) slices tossed with 1 tbsp (15 mL) fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp (30 mL) apricot jam

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). 

Pulse almonds with 2 tbsp (30 mL) sugar in a food processor until finely ground. Add butter, remaining sugar and salt to almond mixture and process until well mixed. Whisk together egg, egg yolk, liqueur and extract in a small bowl and add to almond mixture, processing until combined well. 

Prepare a 10- or 11-inch (25- or 28-cm) tart pan with removable bottom by spraying with nonstick vegetable oil spray. Place 1 sheet of phyllo dough in the tart pan and press into sides of the pan. Tuck edges down towards bottom so that they will not burn during baking. Keep remainder covered with a damp towel to prevent drying. Brush sheet with egg white. Repeat with each sheet of phyllo, crisscrossing to give length to all sides and covering any holes in phyllo. Brush each layer with egg white. 

Spread almond mixture over prepared phyllo, making sure that filling is evenly spread. Place apple slices in concentric circles (may be slightly overlapping). Using scissors, trim excess phyllo so that the phyllo is even with the top of the tart pan. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until apples are tender and crust is golden. Just before removing tart from the oven, melt jam in small saucepan over medium-low heat, about 5 minutes; strain. Brush tart, both top and crust, with apricot jam.

Serves 8

TARTLET VARIATION 

Prepare eight 3-inch (8-cm) tartlet pans by spraying with nonstick vegetable oil spray. Cut 1 sheet phyllo into 4 squares. Keep remainder covered with a damp towel to prevent drying. Place 1 square over a tartlet pan, with half of the phyllo over the edge. Brush phyllo in tartlet pan with egg white. Fold remaining side over and brush with egg white. Repeat with another square of phyllo in the same pan. Repeat with remaining tartlet pans. 

Spoon almond mixture over prepared phyllo (using approximately 2 tbsp/30 mL mixture in each tartlet) making sure that filling is evenly spread. Place apple slices over filling. Proceed as with tart.

Sugar Cookie Martinis

 Sugar Cookie Martinis

Ingredients:

For the Martini

1/2 cup whole milk

!/4 cup Baileys  2 oz.

Vanilla Vodka  2 oz.

Amaretto

Ice

For the Rim

1/2 cup vanilla frosting
1/4 cup Sprinkles, plus 1 teaspoon, divided
Pre-made sugar cookie dough.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll sugar cookie dough out to ¼” thick. Using a cookie cutter, cut out desired shapes then place cookies on prepared baking sheet. Bake until just set and lightly golden around the edges, 12 minutes. Let cool. 
Using an offset spatula, spread a thin layer of frosting onto rim of two martini glasses. Pour ¼ cup sprinkles onto a small plate then dip rims in sprinkles to coat. Use an offset to frost cookies with frosting then decorate with remaining 2 tablespoons sprinkles. 
In a cocktail shaker, combine milk, Baileys, vodka, and amaretto. Add ice and shake until cold. Pour into glasses and garnish rim with a cookie.

Preheat oven to 350° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll sugar cookie dough out to ¼” thick. Using a cookie cutter, cut out desired shapes then place cookies on prepared baking sheet. Bake until just set and lightly golden around the edges, 12 minutes. Let cool. 

Using an offset spatula, spread a thin layer of frosting onto rim of two martini glasses. Pour ¼ cup sprinkles onto a small plate then dip rims in sprinkles to coat. Use an offset to frost cookies with frosting then decorate with remaining 2 tablespoons sprinkles.

In a cocktail shaker, combine milk, Baileys, vodka, and amaretto. Add ice and shake until cold. Pour into glasses and garnish rim with a cookie.

Apricot, Plum & Almond Tart

In-season apricots make a delicious curd, but here the crust, flavoured with toasty almonds, shares the spotlight. Choose very ripe apricots for the curd, and slightly firmer ones to decorate. The tart is best the day it’s made.

Ingredients:
CRUST

1 cup (250 mL) all-purpose flour
¾ cup (175 mL) toasted, unsalted almonds
¼ tsp (1 mL) salt
¼ cup (60 mL) sugar
½ cup (125 mL) cold unsalted butter, 1 stick, cut into chunks
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp (15 mL) cold water

APRICOT CURD
5 ripe medium-size apricots, pitted and roughly chopped
2 tbsp (30 mL) lemon juice
6 egg yolks
½ cup (125 mL) sugar
Pinch salt
6 tbsp (90 mL) cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks
2 to 3 ripe apricots
4 to 5 ripe yellow plums
¼ cup (60 mL) apricot jam
2 tsp (10 mL) Grand Marnier, amaretto or water
1 tbsp (15 mL) sliced almonds
¾ cup (175 mL) whipping cream
2 tbsp (30 mL) icing sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).

2. Combine flour, almonds, salt and sugar in a food processor; pulse until almonds are finely chopped. Add butter and process until mixture resembles coarse meal.

3. Whisk egg yolk with water. With the motor running, add through feed tube. Tip dough (mixture will be crumbly) into a lightly buttered 8-inch (20-cm) round tart pan with a removable bottom. Press dough into bottom and up sides of pan. Prick all over with a fork and place in freezer for 30 minutes.

4. Line tart with parchment and fill with pie weights (or dried beans). Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes; remove weights and parchment and bake an additional 10 minutes. Remove to a rack and cool completely.

5. To make curd, add apricots to a blender; purée. Pass through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Measure out ½ cup (125 mL). Reserve remainder for another purpose if you wish. Combine apricot purée with lemon juice, egg yolks, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Using a flexible spatula, cook for 6 to 7 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly and being sure to get into all the corners of the pot. Remove from heat, add butter, and whisk until glossy and combined. Scrape into tart shell and smooth; chill for at least 2 hours (or as long as overnight).

6. To finish, cut apricots and plums in halves and wedges; discard pits. Arrange decoratively over tart.

7. Combine apricot jam with desired liquid in a small pot over medium heat; whisk until liquefied. Brush over fruit; garnish with almond slices and chill 1 hour longer.

8. When ready to serve, beat cream and icing sugar with an electric mixer to medium peaks. Cut tart into 6 wedges and serve each with a dollop of sweetened cream.

Serves 6

Almond Pound Cake

Bake/Cook time :
0:55 to 0:65
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients
1 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon white vinegar
3 cups all-purpose flour*
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter,
softened
2 3/4 cup extra fine granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons almond extract
1/4 cup amaretto


Amaretto Sauce
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup packed Light Brown Sugar
1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
1/3 cup half and half
3 tablespoons amaretto 

*Spoon and Sweep method: Use a spoon to fill measuring cup with flour until required amount is obtained. Scooping measuring cup directly into flour bag will firmly pack flour resulting in too much flour required for recipe.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease a 10-inch bundt pan with baking spray or butter and flour it. Set aside.

In small bowl, whisk together milk and vinegar. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In large bowl of stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla and almond until well combined. Beat in flour mixture alternating with milk and amaretto.

Pour batter into prepared bundt pan. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until center is set and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 

Allow cake to cool completely (in bundt pan) before inverting onto cake plate.

Amaretto Sauce: Combine the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring often, until smooth. Add the cream and amaretto and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes.

Serve pound cake warm drizzled with amaretto

sauce.