Crisp Honey Toast With Whipped Cream & Rhubarb Compote

              Crisp Honey Toast With Whipped

               Cream & Rhubarb Compote

Inspired by Arôme Bakery in London, this version of crispy honey toast is the ultimate ending to a glorious brunch. Slices of brioche are coated in a mixture of butter, brown sugar and honey, then baked until they develop a yin-yang of crispy crust and pillowy centre. Vanilla whipped cream adds another dreamy texture, while rhubarb compote brings a tart counterpoint.

Ingredients:
Rhubarb Compote
2 cups (500 mL) chopped rhubarb
1/4 cup (60 mL) sugar
2 tbsp (30 mL) water
2 tsp (10 mL) lemon juice
1/4 tsp (1 mL) ground cardamom
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt

Crispy Honey Toast
1/2 cup (125 mL) softened butter
1/4 cup (60 mL) brown sugar
3 tbsp (45 mL) honey
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
10-inch (25-cm) loaf brioche (or challah), unsliced

Vanilla Whipped Cream
3/4 cup (175 mL) whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

Directions
For the rhubarb compote, place rhubarb, sugar, water, lemon juice and cardamom in a medium-size saucepan. Heat on medium and cook until rhubarb is softened, about 10 minutes. Add salt and set aside.

For the honey toast, preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium-size bowl, mix butter, brown sugar, honey and salt with a spoon until creamed and smooth.

Cut brioche into six thick slices, each about 1 1/2 inches (4 cm) thick. Trim and discard crusts.  Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Spread butter mixture evenly over both sides of bread, fully covering sides and edges too.

Bake until caramelized and light brown, 18 to 20 minutes, flipping at halfway point. Remove from oven and transfer toast to a cooling rack. Let cool to harden sugar, about 10 minutes.

For the whipped cream, combine whipping cream and vanilla bean paste in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk. Beat on medium-high until cream holds stiff peaks, about 3 minutes.

To serve, place toasts on plates and dollop generously with
whipped cream and compote. Serve immediately. Serves 6

Raspberry Crumble Pie

 

Raspberry Crumble Pie

This lightly sweetened pie is all about the floral flavour of fresh raspberries with a little help from oats, hazelnuts and cardamom in the crumble topping. Use firm-ripe berries for the best set, and though it’s hard to resist eating warm from the oven, the pie will cut cleanest if you make it the day before you serve it.

Ingredients:

Pastry

1/4 cup (60 mL) ice water
1 tbsp (15 mL) apple cider vinegar
1 1/4 cups (310 mL) all-purpose flour, 165 g
1/2 tsp (2 mL) sugar
1/4 tsp (1 mL) fine sea salt
1/2 cup (125 mL) unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes
1 egg white, lightly beaten

Topping
2/3 cup (150 mL) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (80 mL) skinned hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup (60 mL) old-fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup (60 mL) packed light brown sugar
2 tbsp (30 mL) sugar
1/4 tsp (1 mL) fine sea salt
1 1/2 tsp (7 mL) ground cardamom
1/3 cup (80 mL) unsalted butter, melted, cooled

Filling
7 cups (1.75 L) raspberries, about 840 g
1 tbsp (15 mL) fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup (60 mL) sugar
Pinch salt
1/4 cup (60 mL) tapioca starch

Directions                                                                                         For the pastry, combine water and vinegar in a liquid measuring cup and add a few ice cubes. Keep in the fridge until ready to use.

Combine flour, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Add butter and work with your fingers, pressing all the butter cubes flat until they are incorporated into the flour as large and small pieces. Drizzle in enough ice water mixture, stirring with a fork to start then with your fingers, to just bring dough together into a ball—do not overwork! Wrap dough in plastic and flatten into a disc. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 3 days.

For the topping, combine flour, hazelnuts, oats, sugars, salt and cardamom in a medium bowl. Drizzle in butter and stir with a fork until absorbed into dry ingredients. Cover and refrigerate until you can easily break crumble up into small and large clumps, at least 30 minutes.

Place rack in lower third of oven. Preheat to 425°F (218°C).

Remove pastry from fridge and allow it to warm up enough to be pliable (up to 10 minutes). Roll out on a floured surface until it’s large enough to fit into a 9-inch (23-cm) pie plate with a 1-inch (2.5‑cm) overhang. Trim pastry as needed, roll edge under and crimp as desired. Place in freezer until solid (about 15 minutes).

Dock pastry all over with a fork. Line with parchment and weigh down with pastry weights or dried beans. Bake in lower third of oven until edges are lightly golden, about 18 minutes. Remove parchment and weights. Bake until bottom is set, 3 to 5 minutes more. Use a fork to compress any bubbles that may have formed. Remove from oven, wait 3 minutes then brush warm crust with egg white to seal. Cool completely before filling.

Reduce oven to 375°F (191°C) and place a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil in bottom third of oven.

For the filling, combine raspberries, lemon juice, sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl. Toss gently to combine. Let stand until sugar has dissolved and berries are evenly juicy, about 30 minutes. Strain juices into a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-low heat. Simmer until thickened and reduced to no more than 1/4 cup (60 mL). Set aside. Add tapioca to raspberries and gently toss to combine. Set aside.

Transfer raspberries to crust and drizzle reduced juices overtop. Sprinkle with topping. Place on preheated baking sheet and bake until crumble is deeply golden, about 45 minutes. Cover loosely with foil and continue baking until raspberry juices are bubbling, 20 to 30 minutes more. Remove from oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Cool completely, ideally overnight, to set before serving.  Serves 8

Cardamom Poached Dried Apricots Dipped In Chocolate

Cardamom-Poached Dried 

Apricots Dipped in Chocolate

The cardamom flavors the apricots, giving them a sophisticated edge while the chocolate gives them zest.

Ingredients:

2 cups water

2 cups granulated sugar
12 pods cardamom, crushed
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 pound dried apricots

4 oz. milk chocolate
4 oz. white chocolate

2 oz. white pistachios

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Directions:

Bring water, sugar, cardamom and ground cardamom to a boil over high heat.  Boil 5 minutes, reduce heat to low and add apricots.  Simmer for 20 minutes or until soft and infused with syrup.  Drain on a rack.

Melt chocolates in to separate bowls over low heat.  Divide apricots into three portions.  With a dipping fork and skewer, dip one third of apricots into milk chocolate, one third into white chocolate and one third into pistachios leaving a little piece of apricot uncovered.

Gooey Butter Pear Cake

GOOEY BUTTER PEAR CAKE

For the cake:

2 medium fresh pears, peeled, cored and diced (or 1 1/2 cups diced canned pears, patted dry)

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 cup milk, room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 egg

2 cups all-purpose flour

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

For the topping:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 cup corn syrup

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

To finish:

Powdered sugar

Toasted sliced almonds

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Directions:

Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

In small bowl, toss pear with cardamom, then set aside.

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In bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, combine milk, yeast, sugar, salt, egg and flour. Mix on medium until a smooth dough has formed. Add 2 tablespoons butter and mix until fully incorporated. Repeat with remaining butter. This should take 6 to 8 minutes.

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Scrape dough into prepared baking dish, and using greased hands, spread over the bottom of the pan. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes.

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Heat oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle pears over top of dough.

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To make topping: In bowl of an electric mixer, cream together butter, cream cheese, sugar and salt. One at a time, add eggs, beating until well mixed. Stir in vanilla and corn syrup, then mix in flour. Dollop this mixture over the pear-covered dough.

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Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until center is slightly set but still jiggly. Allow to cool. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and toasted almonds to serve. Refrigerate any leftovers. Serves 16.