My grandmother’s bean tarts

It was on a time that I barely can remember, in a time when I had too much time to give it some importance, in a time when I didn’t realize the huge void that means losing someone…

When I lost my grandmother Leonor, I’ve lost a part of my name and the answer to all the questions that I didn’t even asked.

Sometimes, and besides all my apparent disbelief, I like to feel her behind me, her support at each step of my path and her intuitive “special touch”.

Today I bring you her bean tarts, with the same generosity that she would have: the best cook in the world.

Bean tarts
(traditional portuguese tarts)

Makes 12:

Pastry
100 g wheat flour
15 g butter
50 ml milk (as necessary)
a pinch of salt

Combine well all the ingredients.
Let it rest for one hour covered with wrap film.

Filling
500 g sugar
125 g white beans’ puree
125 g almond, finely chopped
12 egg yolks
Icing sugar (to sprinkle on top)

Bring to boil sugar and a little bit of water until soft-ball (117º C / 40 Bé)
Add the puree and let it boil for a while.
Add the almonds and let it boil a little more.
Remove from heat and add the sieved egg yolks, stirring constantly.
Bring to low heat, stirring constantly for 10 minutes.
Set aside.

Pre-heat the oven to 225º C.
Roll out the pastry over a lightly floured work surface until very thin.
Put on small moulds and fill with the beans’ filling.
Bake on a baking sheet for 20-25 minutes.

September 12, 2008 | Filed under pies, tarts, tartelettes | 18 Comments

Improvised tartelettes…

An humble solution for a failed custard…

Soft egg tartelettes

Dough:
137 g wheat flour
a pinch of salt
1 tbsp sugar
112 g butter
25 ml cold water

With your fingers combine butter with all the dry ingredients.
Add the water.
Fold gently just to combine everything.
Refrigerate with wrap film for 30 minutes.
Roll out the dough over a slightly floured work surface.
Put on tartelette pans.

Soft eggs cream
8 egg yolks
150 g sugar
100 ml milk
Lemon and orange zest, cinnamon stick, vanilla bean
8 g cornstarch
300 ml cream

Soft eggs:
Bring to boil sugar and a little bit of water until soft-ball (117º C / 40 Bé)
Remove from heat and add the sieved egg yolks, stirring constantly.
Bring to low heat, stirring constantly until thick.
Remove from heat and set aside.

Dissolve cornstarch in a part of milk.
Bring the milk to boil with the zests, cinnamon and vanilla.
Mix with cornstarch and bring to heat, stirring constantly until thick.
Combine with soft eggs and gently fold the cream.

Pre-heat the oven to 180º C.
Pour the mixture into the moulds with the dough and bake for 30 minutes on a baking sheet.
Garnish with toasted almonds on top.

September 11, 2008 | Filed under pies, tarts, tartelettes | 5 Comments

Today I remain silent…

And because a picture is worth a thousand words…

Chocolate crust:

To a 20-23 cms diameter pan:

15 g cocoa
125 g flour
36 g icing sugar
75 g cold butter, chopped
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp cold water

Pre-heat the oven to 180º C.
Combine together dry ingredients.
Add butter and blend.
Add egg yolk and water.
Wrap tightly and refrigerate (30 minutes).
Roll out the dough (5mm thick).
Transfer the rolled dough to the pan.
Dock the bootom of the crust to prevent it from bubbling up.
Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Caramel and lemon filling:

150 g sugar
180 ml cream
30 ml lemon juice
1/4 lemon zest
20 g cornstarch
5 egg yolks
90 ml water

Prepare a caramel with the sugar.
Add the warm cream and stir gently until completely blended.
Add cornstarch (dissolved in water), lemon juice and zest.
Bring to medium heat to thicken.
Remove from heat, stir to cool down and add whisked egg yolks.

Meringue:

4 egg whites
250 g sugar
Whisk the egg yolks and sugar until stiff peaks form.

Pre-heat the oven to 150ºC.
Fill the crust with the caramel and lemon mixture and top with meringue.
Bake until meringue is dry.

September 6, 2008 | Filed under chocolate, meringues, pies, tarts, tartelettes | 12 Comments

Uh la la..

Petite Tatin…
Petit plaisir…
Petit four…
Gran délice!…

Tarte Tatin

serves 10:

10 pears (1,5 kg)
200 g sugar
100 g butter
½ kg puff pastry

Pre heat oven to 200ºC.
Peel and cut the pears as desired. Set aside.
In a pan, cook together butter and sugar at med-high until it turns into a brown caramel.
Add the cut pears, filling any holes as much as possible.
Roll the puff pastry and cut a disc slightly larger than the pan.
Cover the pears with the pastry folding in inside the pan.
Cook for 30-40 minutes.
Un-mold while the pie is still hot.
Serve with ice cream, cream or whipped cream with a little bit of sugar.