I love summer stone fruits, how about you? Soon we will be filling our fruit bowl with plums, peaches and nectarines. What are some of your favorite summer fruits? Here are two recipes to make this summer for your parties using plums and raspberries! Which will you make first? IF you are looking for more recipes check my recipe box and the top tabs on my blog!
Plum Tart
8 to 12 servings
1 sheet frozen puff pastry (from a 17.3 oz box)
6 plums, a little soft, just not too ripe
4 tablespoons butter, plus extra for greasing
1 large egg plus 1 yolk
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon whipping cream
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Move an oven rack to the lowest shelf.
Place a 9 or 10-inch tart ring or tart pan with a removable bottom on top of a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Take some soft margarine and with your finger, rub the margarine around the inside of the ring or sides of the tart pan or ring.
Take the sheet of puff pastry out of the freezer. Thaw the puff pastry at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes or use the “Quick thaw method for puff pastry” (see Foolproof Tips and Techniques).
Unroll the pastry on top of a piece of parchment sprinkled with a little flour. Roll the pastry about 1 inch larger than your tart ring or pan. You will need to sprinkle some flour on your rolling pin so the pastry does not stick to it. Place your hand under the parchment and flip the pastry into the tart ring or pan, using your fingers to gently press the pastry into the corners. Peel the parchment off the pastry. Again, use your fingers to make sure the pastry is in the corners and then drape any extra dough over the top of the ring or pan. Roll your rolling pin along the top of the ring or pan to cut off the excess dough. Place in the freezer for 10 minutes while you prepare the plums and filling.
Take each plum, cut in half around the pit and then slice each half into 1/4-inch slices.
In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the butter in the microwave for 30 seconds to soften, but not completely melt it. In a bowl, place the whole egg and yolk, 1/3 cup of sugar, and vanilla and whisk. Add the flour and baking powder and mix with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula. Add the softened butter and whipping cream and mix well. Remove the pan from the freezer and spread this mixture evenly inside the tart ring or pan.
Take the plum slices and, starting on the outside of the pastry, place the slices on their sides, in concentric circles. Pack the plums in tightly. Bake on the bottom oven rack for 25 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining tablespoon of sugar on top. Place back in the oven on the middle rack and bake another 10 minutes. Remove to rack to cool. To serve, if you used a tart ring without a bottom, slide the tart onto a serving plate and then pull off the ring. For a tart pan with a removable bottom, place your hand under the bottom and lift the tart up and out of the ring. Store covered with plastic at room temperature for five days or freeze for up to three months.
Upside-Down Raspberry Cake
Makes one 9-inch cake; serves 8 to 12
You will like the combination of fresh and baked raspberries in this dessert. Plan to make this when you can find good quality raspberries. When I was in cooking school in Paris, we used gorgeous raspberries in our desserts that were the size of quarters.
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, very soft
3 cups fresh or frozen raspberries, plus 1 cup fresh raspberries to decorate
11/2 cups plus 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon sugar, divided
5 large eggs, separated
1/4 ounce (1 envelope) active dry yeast
3 tablespoons warm water
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Take a 9-inch spring form pan and detach the bottom. Cover the top of the pan bottom with aluminum foil and then wrap the excess foil under the bottom. Attach the pan sides to the bottom, lock in place, and then unwrap the foil and wrap up around the sides of the pan. Use 1 tablespoon of the margarine to grease the bottom and sides of the pan.
In a small bowl, toss the 3 cups of raspberries with the 3 tablespoons of sugar. Place in the bottom of the pan and spread to evenly cover the bottom.
With a stand or hand-held electric mixer or by hand with a whisk, beat the egg yolks with the 1 1/2 cups sugar in a large bowl for 5 minutes on high speed, or until the mixture is thick. Scrape the bowl down halfway through.
In a separate small bowl, mix the yeast with 1teaspoon sugar and warm water. Let sit 5 minutes. Add to the egg and sugar mixture and mix. Add the remaining 7 tablespoons of soft margarine and whisk well.
In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer on high speed to beat the egg whites until stiff and then fold into the batter.
Pour the batter on top of the raspberries. Bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the cake comes out clean. Let cool.
To serve, run a sharp knife along the sides and then remove the outer ring of the spring form pan. Place a serving plate on top of the cake and then turn the cake over onto the plate. Remove the bottom of the pan. Just before serving, scatter the 1 cup of fresh raspberries on top. Store covered with plastic in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Recipes may be reprinted with the following credit:
Recipes copyright: Paula Shoyer, The Kosher Baker: 160 dairy-free recipes from traditional to trendy (Brandeis 2010); photography credit : Michael Bennett Kress
