Category: food

Introduction

This is one of the most unique recipes in the book. It is also one of the more challenging ones. This came as a bit of a surprise given that the book rates the difficulty as a “moderate 3/5”. At times the instructions were a bit brief and some additional photos and tips could have been helpful. Nonetheless, this was an incredibly interesting recipe that used a variety of techniques (quince preparation, poaching, jelly, skillet tarts, etc). Likewise the output is delicious (the poached quince alone is amazing). For these reasons this recipe is definitely worth trying. You can find quince in October and November, but often in limited quantities (in the USA). Quince is kind of like a tropical apple+pear and a very versatile ingredient.

Recipe Outline

Recipe: Quince and Almond Tart with Rosé	Special Equipment: 10-Inch Cast Iron Skillet, Dutch Oven
Source: Dessert Person	Time: 6 Hours
Author: Claire Saffitz	Difficulty: 4/5
Type: Dessert (Baking)	Score: ★★★☆☆

Making The Flaky Pie Dough

Tip 1: Consider freezing the bowl, the rolling pin, and the working surface (such as a cutting board) to keep the butter from melting. Likewise, freeze the bowl and the flour/butter mixture for at least 5 minutes between each step.

Tip 2: Consider chilling in refrigerator for longer than suggested for both steps.

Preparing The Quince

Tip 1: Quince can be hard to find. Look in mid October to mid November. It’s okay if the quince looks rough, as rinsing and lightly scrubbing cleans them up significantly. Buy several backup quince in case any are bad – as it’s hard to tell from the outside.

Tip 2: Use a larger spoon to core and a paring knife to cut out any particular hard parts that extend past the core. It’s quite an arduous process.

Tip 3: Once you start poaching the quince regularly check every 10 minutes. They can go soft quite rapidly. Be careful not to boil to aggressively or the quince will be mushy. It’s not totally necessary, but consider moving the quince about periodically to evenly distribute heat.

Tip 4: Make sure to let the quince cool a bit before cutting them, otherwise they’ll fall apart and not hold their shape.

Tip 5: It can take a long time for the mixture to reduce to a jelly, but the transformation happens very quickly. Make sure to watch very intently as the water level gets low. Even if you end up with a small amount of jelly, it can still turn out well because the jelly melts during baking.

Assembling And Baking The Tart

Tip: Ensure that the pie dough is fully cooked through. The insulating almond paste layer can make it hard for heat to work through from both sides.

Final Product

Key Takeaways

• Make sure to use the tips above. This is a particularly complex recipe that could have used a bit more instruction and photos (when compared to others in the book).
• Buy extra quince in case some of your picks are bad.
• Final Score: 3/5 – This is one of the most interesting recipes in the book, but also one of the most complex (despite not being rated as such in the book). With the tips above you’ll probably have better luck than we did. All things considered though this recipe is definitely worth a try. The quince slices and the poaching liquid are incredible. There are a lot of interesting techniques employed in this recipe that are definitely worth learning.

Introduction

This is a great fall galette when you can get fresh Belgian endive (and a great introduction to working with endive). While this is yet another savory recipe that is heavily allium-based, it still stands out and it worth doing. The recipe is quite straight forward and the hardest part is making the dough. For that reason, this is a great “intro galette” for beginners. This could be served as an appetizer or main course and would be sure to impress. It’s refreshing, flavorful, and colorful.

Recipe Outline

Recipe: Caramelized Endive Galette	Special Equipment: Large Sheet Pan, Rolling Pin
Source: Dessert Person	Time: 6 Hours
Author: Claire Saffitz	Difficulty: 2/5
Type: Dessert (Baking)	Score: ★★★★☆

Making The Flaky Pie Dough

Tip 1: Consider freezing the bowl, the rolling pin, and the working surface (such as a cutting board) to keep the butter from melting. Likewise, freeze the bowl and the flour/butter mixture for at least 5 minutes between each step.

Tip 2: Consider chilling in refrigerator for longer than suggested for both steps.

Making The Filling

Making The Galette

Final Product

Key Takeaways

• Buy extra endives just in case.
• Make sure to use quality, fresh ingredients as there is little else to support the flavor.
• Final Score: 4/5 – This was a surprisingly good galette and rather easy. This is definitely worth trying of the many galettes in the book.

Introduction

This is an interesting loaf. Persimmon is a fun consistency and flavor to work with. The recipe itself is fairly simple, but there are a few spots where it’s easy to get tripped up. This is best attempted in fall when ripe persimmons a ready. If you don’t like the taste of fennel, consider replacing the Chinese five spice powder with a combination of nutmeg and cinnamon. All things considered this isn’t one of the best recipes in the book.

Recipe Outline

Recipe: Spiced Persimmon Cake	Special Equipment: Standard Loaf Pan, Blender
Source: Dessert Person	Time: 5 Hours
Author: Claire Saffitz	Difficulty: 2/5
Type: Dessert (Baking)	Score: ★★☆☆☆

Making The Batter

Tip: Our persimmon and baking soda mixture didn’t really solidify. We aren’t quite sure as to why. Our best guess is that we could have waited even longer for the persimmons to soften further or didn’t blend smoothly enough. The cake turned out well though. It’s better to err on the side of the persimmons being overly-jelly like.

Baking The Cake

Tip: Cutting the fuyu persimmon can be difficult. Utilize the fact that the persimmon is transparent when thin and use that to adjust the thickness of your slices as you cut (and use a serrated knife). Lay the persimmons in a straight line rather than in a pattern; otherwise they’ll spread apart.

Final Product

Key Takeaways

• This is a great way to try out persimmons and best done in fall.
• Final Score: 2/5 – This is a fun loaf, but working with the persimmon was slightly finicky. It turned out alright.

Introduction

This is an easy cake and a great introduction to working with rice in a baking context. Each step is fairly straightforward, but it can be a tad time consuming as the caramel and rice pudding need to be watched closely while they cook. Note that even though the book says this is a winter recipe, it’s actually a spring/summer recipe as mangoes are generally in season then. If you don’t feel like making the cake, then consider just making the caramel – it’s incredible.

Recipe Outline

Recipe: Rice Pudding Cake With Mango Caramel	Special Equipment: 9-Inch or 10-Inch Cake Pan
Source: Dessert Person	Time: 6 Hours
Author: Claire Saffitz	Difficulty: 2/5
Type: Dessert (Baking)	Score: ★★★★★

Making The Mango Caramel

Tip: The book claims this is a winter recipe, but mangos are actually in season sprint and early summer. So make this in spring or summer, not winter. While the type of mango is not specified, we recommend Kent for the strong flavor and proper consistency.

Making The Rice Pudding

Tip: Use a medium/large or large pot. The milk will froth as it cooks and take up even more volume.

Baking The Cake

Tip: If you use a 9-inch cake pan it might rise over a bit or form a lip. Simply press down a bit after cooking and it will go away. It may also go away naturally as part of the cooling process.

Final Product

Key Takeaways

• Make sure to use quality mangoes that are in season.
• The caramel itself is amazing and could be used on just about anything.
• Final Score: 5/5 – This is an incredible cake (especially the caramel). We’ll definitely be trying some variations in the future, such as banana.

Introduction

This is a great fall pie when you can get fresh Concord grapes and apples. It’s not particularly difficult, however there are a lot of steps. So it can be time consuming. The flavor of the pie is great and probably the best apple pie in the book (there are a couple of other apple recipes such as the Apple Tart and Double-Apple Crumble Cake). Definitely worth giving a try in the fall when all of the ingredients are fresh. The apple and Concord grapes go together particularly well. Note that in the footnotes of the book an alternative is proposed that is essentially a double-crumble instead of a pie. In hindsight, that’s probably the ideal way to make this and we’d recommend doing that instead. The pie is nice, but isn’t worth the extra effort and doesn’t add a ton of flavor. The structure of the pie makes it hard to get the right ratio of crumble-to0-apple in each bite anyways. Plus skipping the pie crust simplifies the recipe significantly.

Recipe Outline

Recipe: Apple And Concord Grape Crumble Pie	Special Equipment: 9-Inch Pie Plate
Source: Dessert Person	Time: 8 Hours
Author: Claire Saffitz	Difficulty: 3/5
Type: Dessert (Baking)	Score: ★★★★☆

Making The Flaky Pie Crust

Tip 1: Consider freezing the bowl, the rolling pin, and the working surface (such as a cutting board) to keep the butter from melting. Likewise, freeze the bowl and the flour/butter mixture for at least 5 minutes between each step.

Tip 2: Consider chilling in refrigerator for longer than suggested for both steps.

Making The Buckwheat Crumble

Tip: It can take a while to achieve the right texture, but work the mixture vigorously and it will come together.

Making The Filling

Making And Baking The Pie

Final Product

Key Takeaways

• While the pie is great, considering trying the crumble-only modification proposed in footnote 2.
• Get quality apples and grapes as they’re what makes the recipe really work.
• Final Score: 4/5 – Apples and Concord grapes are an incredible combination and this dessert is a great way to try it.

Introduction

This is a great cookie to make if you have fresh Concord grapes. This is the most difficult cookie recipe in the book though, so don’t attempt it as your first cookie. The dough is very fragile and difficult to work with. Making the jam is fairly straight-forward though. Note that this recipe can also be used to make plain peanut butter cookies. If the recipe is too difficult, check out the video version that offers several easier variations. It tastes like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Recipe Outline

Recipe: Peanut Butter And Concord Grape Sandwich Cookies	Special Equipment: Stand Mixer, Cutting Rounds
Source: Dessert Person	Time: 6 Hours
Author: Claire Saffitz	Difficulty: 4/5
Type: Dessert (Baking)	Score: ★★★☆☆

Making The Concord Grape Jam

Making The Dough Logs

Tip: Stand the logs upright in the fridge so they maintain their cylindrical shape and don’t develop a flat side.

Making, Baking, And Assembling The Cookies

Tip 1: Chill the logs in the freezer for 15-30 minutes before working with them. It will make it easier to cut the fragile dough.

Tip 2: While crunchy peanut butter will give a better texture, it makes the dough harder to work with. Considering using smooth peanut butter for an easier time.

Tip 3: The dough is very fragile and hard to work with. If you have trouble working with the logs, you can instead roll the dough into a flat layer between two sheets of parchment (to the thickness of a single cookie) and cut out the cookies using a round. If you have trouble removing the rounds, freeze the sheet with the rounds and then remove them after. This method is much easier and produces better looking cookies, but might affect the bake time and consistency slightly.

Final Product

Key Takeaways

• The dough is very difficult to work with. When it doubt, put it in the freezer for a bit.
• Consider some of the tips listed above to make the dough easier to work with.
• Final Score: 3/5 – This is a great cookie, but surprisingly difficult. It’s not the best cookie in the book, but it is very good. It tastes like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Introduction

This is a fairly easy introduction to some of the techniques involved in making cheesecake. If you like goat cheese, then this is the recipe for you. If not, then you probably won’t love it – the “funky” flavor of the goat cheese definitely comes through. Make sure you use ripe figs (best in late summer and fall). Don’t forget to top with olive oil and honey – it really helps bring everything together.

Recipe Outline

Recipe: Goat Cheese Cake with Honey and Figs	Special Equipment: Stand Mixer, 9-inch Springform Pan, Walled Roasting Pan (must hold springform pan with some extra space all around)
Source: Dessert Person	Time: 1 day
Author: Claire Saffitz	Difficulty: 2/5
Type: Dessert (Baking)	Score: ★★★☆☆

Making The Crust

Making The Filling And Baking The Cake

Tip: Using extra-large sized foil will make wrapping the pan much easier.

Assembling The Cake

Tip 1: Use ripe figs that are very soft and oozing nectar. They may take a few days to ripen.

Tip 2: Liberally apply olive oil and honey.

Final Product

Key Takeaways

• You can get a sense of the “funk” the cheesecake will have from the goat cheese by simply trying the cheese first. The baking process doesn’t change the taste much.
• Make sure your figs are ripe – they should be very soft and oozing nectar.
• Final Score: 3/5 – This was a fun recipe and a great intro to cheesecake. It’s best done on a day that’s not too warm in fall.

Introduction

This is a great late summer galette if you can find some fresh, small plums. The recipe is not too difficult and a good introduction to galettes and flaky all-butter pie dough. This recipe isn’t particularly amazing or unique, but still worth a shot if you like plums. If you don’t like plums, any similar type of fruit can be used instead.

Recipe Outline

Recipe: Recipe Review: Plum Galette with Polenta and Pistachios	Special Equipment: None
Source: Dessert Person	Time: 6 Hours
Author: Claire Saffitz	Difficulty: 2/5
Type: Dessert (Baking)	Score: ★★★☆☆

Making The Dough

Tip 1: Keeping things chilled by putting the bowl back in the freezer for a bit between each step. Consider putting the rolling pin in the freezer first as well.

Tip 2: If the dough isn’t forming and it’s too dry then consider adding up to an extra 1/4 cup of water.

Tip 3: It can be hard to roll out the dough after the first refrigeration as it tends to be loose and break apart. You can help combat this by rolling the dough out in small sections, going rapidly back and forth over each small section before moving onto the next section. That is, roll back and forth over a 3-4 inch segment of the dough, before moving to the next 3-4 inch segment. This helps compact and tighten the dough, preventing it from breaking apart. If you do long rolls across the entire dough it’s more prone to break apart due to how the stress is applied.

Making The Filling

Tip: Halve the plums by slicing around the seam with paring knife and then twisting.

Assembling The Galette

Baking The Galette

Final Product

Key Takeaways

• Italian plums can be found fairly easily in early September. They are also called Italian prunes. If you can’t find them, consider using another type of plum that is small.
• The plums can be a bit tart, so be liberal with the application of sugar and honey.
• Final Score: 3/5 – This is a great summer galette. Definitely give it a try.

Introduction

This is a great summer tart when you have fresh, ripe peaches. This is a rather complicated recipe though and the peaches can be finicky to work with. Luckily, the recipe is executed in steps – the tart, cream, and peaches are all made separately. So if you have any trouble with one step, you can try again. The end result is a light, flavorful tart that tastes like summer.

Recipe Outline

Recipe: Peach Melba Tart	Special Equipment: Large Baking Sheet, Large Dutch Oven
Source: Dessert Person	Time: 1 Day
Author: Claire Saffitz	Difficulty: 4/5
Type: Dessert (Baking)	Score: ★★★★☆

Making The Pastry Cream

Tip: Have all of the steps memorized before you start – you won’t have time to look or double check.

Making The Dough

Tip 1: Keeping things chilled by putting the bowl back in the freezer for a bit between each step. Consider putting the box grater and rolling pin in the freezer first as well.

Tip 2: If the dough isn’t forming and it’s too dry then consider adding up to an extra 1/4 cup of water.

Tip 3: It can be hard to roll out the puff pastry after the first refrigeration as it tends to be loose and break apart. You can help combat this by rolling the dough out in small sections, going rapidly back and forth over each small section before moving onto the next section. That is, roll back and forth over a 3-4 inch segment of the dough, before moving to the next 3-4 inch segment. This helps compact and tighten the dough, preventing it from breaking apart. If you do long rolls across the entire dough it’s more prone to break apart due to how the stress is applied.

Baking The Tart

Tip: The dough looks far darker in the picture above than it actually was.

Making The Peaches

Tip 1: We found it easier to peel the peaches prior to poaching with a combination of a peeler and paring knife. Consider cutting the peaches in half prior to peeling.

Tip 2: Use small-medium peaches.

Assembling The Tart

Final Product

Key Takeaways

• Only attempt this with fresh peaches.
• Save the poaching liquid for other uses – it tastes incredible.
• Final Score: 4/5 – This is a rewarding summer tart to make. It’s a full day effort, but the end result is light, fragrant, and delicious. Give this one a try, but only if you have some experience with each of the components first.

Introduction

This is a great savory pie – especially if you like olives. While no single step is too difficult, it is a bit time consuming. Plus the pie takes a long time to cool. The olive oil dough is very forgiving to work with, so don’t worry. Make sure you get high quality ricotta cheese and olives, otherwise it won’t turn out well.

Recipe Outline

Recipe: Recipe Review: Ricotta and Broccoli Rabe Pie	Special Equipment: 9-Inch Springform Pan
Source: Dessert Person	Time: 6 hours
Author: Claire Saffitz	Difficulty: 3/5
Type: Dessert (Baking)	Score: ★★★★☆

Making The Flaky Olive Oil Dough (Twice)

Making The Filling

Tip: You can use a cherry pitter to quickly pit the olives.

Assembling And Baking The Pie

Tip: Save some of the extra dough that you cut off for the rounds for patching the sides later.

Baking The Pie

Final Product

Key Takeaways

• Use high quality ricotta and olives.
• While anchovies aren’t required, they are recommended.
• Final Score: 4/5 – Overall this is a fun pie to make and a great example of savory baking. The olives come through more than the broccoli, but it still tastes great. It’s a good way to practice for the All Allium Deep-Dish Quiche that appears right after in the book.