Nancy Silvertons Mixed Berry Crostata Recipes

NANCY SILVERTON'S MIXED BERRY CROSTATA

Steps:

• For crostata dough: Combine flours, sugar and salt in an electric mixer or food processor. Distribute the butter over the top; mix or pulse until the butter is thoroughly incorporated and the mixture resembles moist cornmeal.
• Combine the ice water and vanilla; sprinkle over the top of the dough. Mix until the dough comes together and pulls cleanly away from the sides of the bowl.
• Remove the dough from the bowl; flatten it into a disk. wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate until ready to use.
• For crostata: Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Toss together the berries, sugar and cornstarch in a medium bowl; stir gently until well coated. Set aside.
• Roll the crostata dough out on a lightly floured surface to a roughly 16-inch diameter circle. Leave it a little thick; the added texture is better. Transfer the dough to a cookie sheet. Place the fruit mixture in the center. Distribute fruit in a low mound, leaving a 2-inch border.
• Fold the edges of the dough over the fruit to form a 6-sided tart, with the fruit showing in the center. Fold one edge over, then fold the second edge over, pleating the dough as necessary and pressing firmly on the pleat.
• Lightly brush the dough with a little water; sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake until the crust is brown and the fruit is soft and thickened, 30 to 35 minutes. Rotate the crostata halfway through baking for even coloring. Cool 10 minutes before cutting.

BROWN BUTTER TART WITH BERRIES

Steps:

• Dough: Combine flour, sugar, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until the butter and dry ingredients form a coarse cornmeal consistency, about 2 minutes. Alternatively, combine the flour, sugar, and butter in a large bowl and, with your fingertips or pastry cutter, crumble into a coarse cornmeal consistency.
• Whisk the egg yolks and cream together in a small bowl and add to the flour mixture; mix on low until large chunks form. Turn the dough onto a flat, clean work surface dusted with flour. Press the dough with the heel of your hand and gather the pieces together to bring the dough into a ball. Knead the dough a few more minutes, form it into a disc, wrap tightly with plastic wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour and up to 3 days. This dough makes enough for two 10-inch tarts. (Note: The dough can also be frozen for up to 2 months. Before using, defrost overnight in the refrigerator.)
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicon baking mat and butter the inside of the tart ring. Take the dough out of the refrigerator and cut it in half; reserve one half for later use. Cut the dough into large chunks. Pound the dough with a rolling pin and then knead it a few times to temper the dough to the consistency of Play-Doh. Dust your work surface and rolling pin with flour and pound the dough into a large disc, about ¼-inch thick. Roll the dough out to at least 2 inches larger than the ring to a thickness of 1/8 inch. Place the tart ring on top and trim the dough so that 2 inches remain around it. (Discard or reuse the excess dough scraps as cookie dough, etc.) Brush off the extra flour from the dough. Wrap the dough around the rolling pin and ease it into the tart ring. Dip the knuckle of your index finger in flour and press the dough into the crease with your knuckle so you have a straight edge, not sloping sides. Don''t stretch the dough to fit, because it will shrink during baking. Roll your rolling pin over the top of the tart ring to neatly cut off the excess dough; pull off the trimmed dough and discard. Place the tart shell in the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes and up to one day.
• Custard: Whisk the eggs and sugar in a large bowl until smooth; then add the flour and whisk until thoroughly combined. Using a small, sharp knife, split the vanilla bean lengthwise; scrape out the pulp and seeds and smear them on the butter. Add the butter, vanilla pulp and seeds, and vanilla bean to a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan and heat over high heat until the butter is brown and foamy. Continue cooking the butter until it is dark brown and gives off a nutty aroma. Pour the butter in a slow, steady stream into the bowl with the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Remove vanilla bean. (Note: The filling can be prepared up to 10 days in advance and refrigerated in an airtight container. Just before using, bring it to room temperature until it is a spreadable consistency.)
• Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat to 350 F. Remove the prepared tart shell from the refrigerator. Spoon the filling about halfway up the tart and spread evenly. Sprinkle ½ cup berries on top of the custard. Bake the tart until the top is golden brown, about 30-40 minutes if you are using an 8-inch ring or 45 minutes if you are using a 10-inch ring. Remove the tart from the oven and allow it to cool completely, or for at least 2 hours.
• To make the topping, set a colander inside a bowl; place 1½ cups blueberries into a second bowl. Bring sugar syrup to a boil, then pour over berries. Toss gently with a spoon to coat the berries, then immediately drain into the colander. To remove the tart from the baking sheet, slip a cardboard round under the crust and carefully slide the tart onto it, leaving the ring in place. Slide the tart onto a serving plate and remove the cardboard and the ring. Pile the blueberries on top of the tart. Immediately before serving, dust with confectioners sugar.

MIXED-BERRY CROSTATA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F
• Make the dough -- Combine 1 1/4 cup flour, 1/4 cup sugar and salt in a large bowl. Form a well in the center of the dry ingredients and place the butter and 1 egg in the well. Using your hands mix the ingredients into soft pliable dough. Form it into a 4 inch disk and place it on a lightly floured parchment paper. Lightly dust the dough with flour and roll it into a 10-inch circle. Place dough with parchment paper on a baking sheet, cover the dough in plastic wrap, and chill for 10 minute
• Make the Crostata: Un a small bowl mix renaining flour and sugar and set aside. Remove the dough from the fridge and evenly spread the flour and sugar mixture on the dough leaving a 1-inch winde border arroung the edge.Place berries on top of the mixture and sprinkel with lemon juice. Fold the 1 inch border over the edge of the top of the berries to form a 9 inch Crostata.
• Bake the Croatata: Lightly brush the top of Crostatat dough with remaining beaten egg and sprinkle with terbinado sugar if desired. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for about 35 minutes. Remove form oven and slide Crostata with the parchment paper onto a wire rack.
• Cool for 1 hour. Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla icecream!
• Enjoy!

MIXED BERRY CROSTATA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Line two small cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• Unroll pie crust dough rounds separately onto the prepared cookie sheets.
• Mix together 1/4 cup sugar and flour in a bowl. Sprinkle 1/2 mixture on each dough round, leaving a 1-inch border.
• Divide and arrange raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries evenly on top of flour-sugar mixture on each dough round. Squeeze juice from 1/2 lemon over each berry mixture.
• Fold in 1-inch border of dough on each round, pleating as you move, in order to keep all the berry juices inside. Brush beaten egg onto the pleated crusts. Sprinkle both crusts and both berry mixtures with 1 tablespoon sugar.
• Bake in the preheated oven until crusts are golden, about 25 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes or serve warm.

NANCY SILVERTON'S CRANBERRY-GINGER UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Make the topping: Slice ginger into 1/4-inch disks. Combine with cinnamon and wine, and bring to a boil. Turn off heat, add cranberries and let them soak until liquid cools. Cranberries should be slightly soft but not mushy.
• In a 10-inch, oven-safe frying pan, heat butter with maple sugar, stirring mixture until it melts. Tilt pan to coat the bottom evenly; cool.
• When maple-butter mixture is at room temperature, arrange drained cranberries in concentric circles in pan, starting in middle. There should be a single layer of cranberries. Set aside.
• Make the cake: Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, cream butter, and beat in brown sugar until well mixed. In a second bowl, stir together yolks and molasses. In a third bowl, sift together flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and ginger.
• Alternate adding dry ingredients and yolk mixture to butter mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.
• Dissolve baking soda in 1 tablespoon hot water. Stir into batter. Stir in sour cream.
• Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add granulated sugar, beating until stiff. Whisk a third of the whites into batter; fold in remaining whites.
• Spread batter in an even layer over cranberries. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven, and allow to sit a minute or so. Run a knife around the edge of the pan, and invert it onto flat serving platter. Serve immediately with a large dollop of sour cream or crème fraîch.