Blackberries are still ripe for the season...
Blackberry Cobbler
Van Wyck Family
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cups plus 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons cold solid vegetable shortening
- 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1/4 cup ice water
- Six 1/2-pint baskets of large blackberries
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- In a food processor, pulse the flour with the 1/2 teaspoon of sugar and the salt until combined. Add the vegetable shortening and pulse 5 or 6 times, until the mixture resembles small peas. Add the cold butter and pulse 5 or 6 times, until the mixture resembles peas. Add the ice water and pulse 5 or 6 times, just until the pastry is evenly moistened.
- Transfer the pastry to a lightly floured surface and knead just until it comes together. Flatten the pastry into a 6-inch disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375°. In a large bowl, toss the blackberries with the remaining 1 1/4 cups of sugar, the lemon juice, nutmeg and 1/3 cup of flour. Let stand at room temperature, stirring gently once or twice, until slightly juicy, about 15 minutes. Fold in the melted butter. Transfer the fruit to a round 2-quart glass or ceramic baking dish.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry out to a 1/4-inch thickness that is slightly larger than the baking dish. Drape the pastry over the berries. Trim the overhang to 1/2 inch and fold it under itself, pressing the pastry onto the rim of the dish. Crimp the edge decoratively and make 3 slashes in the center of the pastry.
- Bake the cobbler for 1 hour, or until the filling is bubbling and the pastry is golden. Cover the edges with foil if the crust browns too quickly. Let cool for 20 minutes before serving.
SERVE WITH: Vanilla ice cream.
Plums stay sweet and delightfully sour...
Plum Upside-Down Cake
Joanne Chang
Ingredients
Plums
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup water
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 pounds medium plums (about 6), pitted and cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges
- 1/2 cup crème fraîche
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- Whipped cream, for serving
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water and bring to a boil without stirring. Cook over high heat, washing down the side of the saucepan with a wet pastry brush, until an amber-colored caramel forms, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter. Immediately pour the caramel into a 9-inch (2 inches deep) metal cake pan. Carefully arrange the plum wedges in the caramel in concentric circles.
- In a small bowl, whisk the crème fraîche with the milk and vanilla. In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, mix the flour with the sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. At low speed, beat in the butter until the mixture resembles moist crumbs, about 30 seconds. Beat in the eggs at low speed until incorporated, then beat the batter at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute; scrape down the side of the bowl. At medium speed, beat in the crème fraîche mixture until smooth, about 30 seconds. Scrape the batter over the plums and gently spread in an even layer.
- Bake the cake in the center of the oven for 55 to 60 minutes, until golden and springy. Let cool in the pan on a rack for 30 minutes, then invert the cake onto a serving plate. Cut into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream.
Apple picking season means buy them by the boxful
Caramel Apple Cheesecake
Bobby Flay
Ingredients
- 8 whole graham crackers
- 1 cup lightly toasted walnuts, divided
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature (recommended: Philadelphia)
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed light muscovado sugar
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 large vanilla bean, seeds scraped
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 recipe Apple Mixture, recipe follows
- 1 recipe Apple Caramel Sauce, recipe follows
- 2 cups apple juice
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 vanilla bean, reserved from the cheesecake mixture
- 1 tablespoon cold butter
- 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, seeded and thinly sliced
- 3 Fuji apples, peeled, seeded and thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup apple brandy (recommended: Calvados)
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- Pinch salt
- 3 tablespoons apple brandy (recommended: Calvados)
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place the graham crackers, 1/2 cup of the walnuts and brown sugarin a food processor and process until finely ground. With the motor running, add the butter through the feed tube and process until the mixture just comes together. Spray the bottom and side of the pan with cooking spray. Pat the mixture evenly into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan, place on a baking sheet and bake in the oven until lightly golden brown and just set, about 8 minutes. Remove to a baking rack and let cool completely.
- Combine 1/4 cup of the sugar and the orange zest in a food processor and process until combined.
- Place the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand fixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the orange sugar, remaining granulated sugar, and light muscovado sugar and beat again until the sugar is incorporated and the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time and mix until just incorporated, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the vanilla seeds and vanilla extract and beat until combined. Add the salt and heavy cream and mix until just combined.
- Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan. Set the cheesecake pan on a large piece of heavy duty aluminum foil and fold up the sides around it. Place the cake pan in a large roasting pan. Pour hot tap water into the roasting pan until the water is about halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan; the foil will keep the water from seeping into the cheesecake. Bake until the sides of the cake are slightly puffed and set and the center still jiggles, about 55 minutes.
- Turn the heat off and prop the door open with a wooden spoon and allow the cake to cook in the water bath for 1 hour. Remove the cake to a baking rack and allow to cool to room temperature for 2 hours. Cover the cake and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours until chilled through.
- Top with the warm apple topping, drizzle liberally with the caramel sauce and sprinkle with the remaining toasted walnuts. Serve additional sauce on the side.
- Bring apple juice, sugar and vanilla bean to a boil in a large saute pan over high heat and cook until slightly thickened and reduced to 1/2 cup. Stir in the butter until melted. Add the apples and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly caramelized and soft. Add theapple brandy and cook until reduced by 1/2. Transfer the apples to a plate and let cool slightly.
- Place sugar and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat (do not stir), swirling the pot occasionally to even out the color, until amber in color, 10 to 12 minutes.
- While the caramel is cooking. Place the heavy cream in a small pan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat and keep warm.
- When the caramel has reached the desired color, slowly whisk in the heavy cream and salt and whisk until smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the apple brandy and vanilla extract. Keep warm.
Happy baking!
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