Apple Croustades

From Bon Appétit magazine

I am a recipe hoarder! Now I have hundreds of clipped recipes from the newspaper. I don’t mind waiting for my appointment…it gives me a chance to catch up on gossip… I mean Housekeeping magazine. If I saw a good recipe I just write it down on the back of the some crumpled receipts…my turn already? Just a moment, I’m almost fini… the kind receptionist offer to copy the page and some luck, she allowed me to take the magazine home.

Try to pare down ever glowing old issues of Bon Appetite magazine I subscribe to is a futile effort. I always re-discover the recipes I wanted to try since the first encounter. It sounds Truly Scrumptious! While the song is playing in my head, I checked for the ingredients…need apples yay?

By coincidence, my husband had jury duty that day, there was a tiny mom and pop produce store proximate to the court house. He stopped to get a few new variety apples.You’re the answer to the wishes, Never never ever go away!

May seem presumptuous  but I think this could be great alternative to usual apple pie on Thanksgiving Day. Honest truly, I do.

Ingredients and Instruction for 12 croustades (Print Recipe Here)

For the filling

• 3 pounds apples Magazine suggested Honeycrisp variety. peeled cored, cut into 1/2 inch cubes. I soaked in lemon water to prevent browning. Note; I sliced horizontally and cut core out with 1 inch round biscuit cutter. See picture below.
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 Tablespoon water
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, roughly sliced
• 1/2 vanilla bean pod, split lengthwise and scrape the bean seeds
• 1-1/2 Tablespoon brandy (optional)
• ! Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon Kosher salt I used 1/2 teaspoon

1. Stir sugar and water gentry in a large heavy skillet over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, swirling pan frequently until caramel is golden brown, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Immediately whisk in butter then vanilla and stir well.
2. Add apples to pan (do not panic when the caramel ceases up). Return skillet to medium–high heat and cook, stirring occasionally but resist the urge to stir them often so they won’t get too mushy. Add brandy if using. add lemon juice and salt. Toss to coat. Spread out filling on a large rimmed baking sheet. Let cool completely
   

For Assembly

Necessary equipment – 12 regular size muffin tin, pastry brush

• 1/2  cup (1 stick) unsalted butter melted and cooled.
• 9 - 17x12 inch frozen phyllo pastry thawed according to package. I used this organic fillo dough, tastes better in my opinion.
• 1/4 cup sugar
• Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)

1. Butter muffin cups and dust with flour, tapping out excess ( I just sprayed with non-stick spray). Set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 375F. Unroll thawed phyllo pastry. Carefully transfer 1 sheet phyllo pastry to a clean work surface.- cover the rest with plastic sheet then a moistened towel so that phyllo won’t dry out – lightly brush a thin layer of melted butter onto pastry, then sprinkle with generous 1 teaspoon sugar. Top with another sheet of phyllo and repeat the butter and sugar process for a total of 3 layers.
   
3. Cut layered phyllo sheets lengthwise in half, then cut each half crosswise for a total of 4 rectangles. Set aside.
4. Repeat step #2 and step # 3 twice more with remaining phyllo sheet to make 12 rectangles total. If you have limited space, stack up those rectangles using plastic sheet between them until needed.
5. Working with 1 rectangle at a time, insert phyllo pastry in muffin cups, gently pressing onto bottom and up the side. Fill each pastry with 1/4 cup apple filling. mounding in center, gather edges of phyllo together above filling to form a purse. Using the left over filing in pancakes is scrumptious as a cherry parfait, we’ve found.
   
6. Bake for 27- 35 minutes (rotating pan halfway though) until golden brown on top (with my oven it took about 30 minutes). Let cool slightly before unmolding. Run a paring knife around each croustade. Using an offset spatula, support the weight of pastry from bottom to lift. Do not grab from top, it might tear. Serve with a scoop of ice cream or dust with powdered sugar or both. Do-ahead: Croustades can be made 2-days ahead. Let cool completely. Store airtight in refrigerator. Return to muffin pan and rewarm before serving.

Scrumptious as the breeze across the bay! When you’re smiling, it’s so delicious! ….Don’t you love the song?

Speaking of music, my husband and I plus a group of friends are grateful for the opportunity to have enjoyed a preview concert of Portland Youth Philharmonic the other night. They sounded absolutely fabulous!. My daughter was a member of  this orchestra in her teen years, played violin…again that seems like many moons ago.

May you always have a song in your heart.

Fruits Enzyme Cooking

Betting on Fruits’ Gold

When did you last hear that lots of sugar is good for you? Never? Me either, until I started making fruits enzyme extract. The sugar used in the process to make this magical enzyme actually has great benefits to your health…OK don’t quote me on it,  I’m just summarizing what it said in the cookbook. It's saying that the enzyme is a type of protein that breaks down food we take in and also boosts metabolism. It is not a snake-oil sales pitch… I hope.

Making fruits enzyme is not very hard. I found many recipes online. It seems that you could use any fruits or vegetable except ginger. The most difficult part is timing I guess. So if you don’t mind me sayin’ I’m not quite sure when to hold ‘em. Anytime you see mold or smell something funny that’s when you walk away. Like I said, the secret to survivin’ is knowin’ what to throw away…just singing (kidding).

Ingredients and Instruction for Fruits Enzyme Extract (Print recipe here)

Necessary equipment: Large wide mouth glass jar 3 liter or larger

• 1000g of your choice of fruits and vegetable – avoid ginger or strong aroma food such as garlic, garlic chives, bitter melon. Cut in chunks.
• 1000g of sugar (although I used tensai sugar, you could use regular sugar but not brown sugar)

1. Put 1/4 of fruits/vegetables in the glass jar. Add 1/4 of sugar on top. Stir with your clean and dry hand (harmless bacteria in your hand promote fermentation process faster…sounds gross doesn’t it?). Repeat three times more and mix well each time.
    
2. Cover with paper towel or cloth and secure with rubber band or twine. Do not put an air tight lid on it. Avoid direct sun, leave it at room temperature of 68 to 77 degree. If it’s lower than that, fermentation is slow. In ideal atmosphere, it will be ready in about 10 days. Make sure to stir the contents 1-2 times a day.
3. When lots of tiny bubbles are evident then it’s ready. Strain the fruits/vegetable from juice through a sieve without pressing. Keep refrigerated (if you leave the juice at room temperature, fermentation continues and may turn into alcohol) Note: fruits part should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator and consumed within 5 days.

Ingredients and Instruction for meat wrapped broccoli

• 2 Tablespoons tonkatsu or Worcester sauce
• 2 Tablespoons of fruits enzyme extract
• 1 teaspoon of stone ground mustard
• 1 pound each of ground beef and ground pork, combine well
• 1/2 of medium onion finely minced
• 2 cloves of garlic finely minced
• 1 Tablespoon of finely minced ginger
• 2 Tablespoons sake
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Pepper
• 1 head of broccoli divided in small florets Note: broccoli must be dry other wise it will cause spattering in the frying process
• Cornstarch or flour for dusting
• Oil for frying

1. Make sauce – combine tonkatsu sauce, enzyme juice and mustard in a small bowl. Set aside. Option: Go spicy by adding hot pepper sauce.
   
2. Heat oil in thick deep pan to 338 F.
3. Mix well meats, onion, garlic, ginger, sake, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Divide into however many broccoli florets you have.
4. Flatten the divided meat and wrap floret top tight. Dust lightly with cornstarch.
5. 
   Fry for 3-4 minutes. Receive in 2-3 layers of paper towel to remove excess oil. Serve with prepared dipping sauce.

Oatmeal cookie with minced enzyme fruits Yield approximately 2 dozen

• 140g butter room temperature
• 40ml fruits enzyme extract
• 140g low viscosity flour 
• 60g oatmeal, chopped small
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 140g fruits enzyme fruits/vegetable, minced
• 50g corn flakes (optional)
• 1/3 cup chocolate chips (optional) I used mini chocolate chips

1. Heat oven to 356F
2. Whisk butter in a large bowl until creamy. pour fruits enzyme extract and continue to whisk for an additional minute.
3. Add flour, oatmeal and baking powder. Combine with wooden spoon or spatula.
4. Fold minced fruits/vegetable in, then fold in corn flakes and chocolate chips if you are using.
5. Drop 1-2 Tablespoons of the dough onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Flatten the dough with back of spoon if you like the uniform look
   .
6. Bake for 20 minutes.
   Without additional sugar, cookie has gentle sweetness and scone like texture. Care for tea? Why yes!

Spicy Hot chocolate – a single serving

• 1 Tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons fruits enzyme extract
• 3/4 cup milk
• Freshly ground black pepper

1. Put cocoa powder and fruits enzyme extract in a small sauce pan. Combine well to make pasty mixture.
2. Gradually add milk to thin it out. Grind pepper in then heat up to desired temperature at low heat.

Cul de sac tale…We share what we make with neighbors sometimes, then neighbors return the favor. One of our neighbors tried this Marshmallow Gelato recipe from my blog. With her blueberry compote. Life is really cool!

Weekend warrior –  the store that specializes in orchids was moving to another location. This table was used as a display table and sold to me at a huge discount. I gave my husband a project to refinish it. I think this will be a great piece of furniture some weekends later.

Mahalo for reading this post thus far….we’re going to take a few weeks off from blogging and projects, plan to do mainly nothin on the sandy beach.

 

Haystack

Triple Layered Apple Tart

The famous landmark, Haystack Rock is in our favorite beach in Cannon Beach, Oregon. When it’s low tide, you could walk up to the rock and observe little sea creatures. As you know, beaches in Oregon are not swim oriented…too cold, often gray and wind is relentless…but it surely has it’s charm and beauty.

This haystack-looking tart recipe originated from Kinzo Nishihara (西原金蔵) but is not an exact copy. The owner of the pastry shop, Au Grenier D’or (オ・グレニエ・ドール) in Kyoto which store we have not yet uncovered but it is now included in my must visit list. My goal is to do it this fall but that’s a long wait…sigh…I don’t mind going to Cannon Beach and enjoying the long walk along the water’s edge. The best time to visit is in early Summer before school gets out as later the town is really crowded with tourists.

Ingredients and Instruction to make 1- 8inch tart. (Print Recipe here) I recommend that you make the dough and apple sauce the night before.

Necessary equipment – 8 inch tart ring, food processer
Desirable equipment  - mandolin slicer, hand held blender

#1 For tart crust

• Low viscosity flour (薄力粉) 150g
• Butter cubed and chilled 75g
• Water 25ml
• 1 Egg yolk or 12g
• Salt 1/2 teaspoon

1. In food processor, add flour and chilled butter. Use the pulse button to run 20 times. Add rest of ingredients and run 20 times more. If too crumbly then run a few times more.Do not over churn it.
2. Place onto flat surface and make a block. Tightly wrap with plastic wrap. Let it rest in the refrigerator for 3 hours or over night..

#2 For Apple sauce   Note: I doubled the recipe to use left overs later

• 1 large apple (original recipe recommend Fuji)
• Granulated sugar 100g
• Lemon juice 1 Tablespoon or bit more

1. Cut apple in quarters, remove core and seeds then peel skin. Slice 1/8 inch thick.
2. Put sliced apple and sugar in sauce pan. Cook on low heat for 10 to 15 minutes stirring occasionally until apple breaks down.
3. Blend with hand held blender or put in the blender to make sauce. Note: Does not have to be smooth. Add lemon juice.
   

#3 For almond cream Yield about 200g

• Almond flour 50g
• Powdered sugar 50g
• Unsalted butter 50g room temperature
• 1 egg beaten

1. Whisk almond flour and powdered sugar in bowl. Add butter and combine well with wooden spatula
   
2. Add egg in 4 parts. Blend well

# 4 Fit crust in ring  Line large cooking sheet with parchment paper

1. Take dough crust out of refrigerator and leave on the counter for 5 minutes. Pound with wooden rolling pin to flatten. Dust surface with a little bit of flour if necessary then roll out to 1/8 inch thick.
2. Lay ring on the prepared cooking sheet and put the crust on top of it. Fit crust tight at edge of ring. Roll the pin over the ring to remove excess dough. Prick all over bottom of crust with fork. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Bake with almond cream

1. Heat oven to 360F
2. Spread almond cream ( #3) evenly on crust.
3. Bake for 20 minutes. When it’s cool down enough to handle, remove the ring.

Second bake

• 2 large apples
• 3-4 Tablespoon lemon juice
• Water
• Granulated sugar 80g

1. Core apple but leave the skin on. Shoe string cut with mandolin. Put in a bowl and cover with water and add lemon juice. Leave in the bowl for about 5 minutes.
2. Heat oven to 360 F. Spread about 1 cup apple sauce (#2) over almond tart.
3. Make one size smaller ring  than tart with foil. Put it on the top of tart.
4. Drain the lemon water very well. Put apple on the sheets of paper towel to ensure that you have removed the water. Combine the apples and the sugar. Mound the apple on top of apple sauce. Do not press. 
5. Bake for 20 minutes. After it has cooled, remove the foil ring, sprinkle powdered sugar on top to decorate.Serve with ice cream if you like.

Left over dough was used to make Asian pear tartlets. Here is the Asian pear pie filling that my husband and I canned a couple years ago.

Limited season flavor we enjoyed lately…Cherry blossom soba (buckwheat noodle) has pink hue and hint of cherry scent.

And, little too sweet but nice – Pickled Beets and Strawberry. .

Merry Christmas!…Fooled ya!