Apple Tarts with Vanilla Ice Cream

Easily made with puff pastry, these light, thin apple tarts provide just the right amount of dessert. The skins get added to the syrupy glaze, enhancing the tarts with a bit of sweetness and the faintest blush of pink.


Ingredients:

6 Gala apples (preferably red; 2 3/4 pounds)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 (17 1/4-oz) package frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed
All-purpose flour for dusting
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Special equipment: parchment paper
Accompaniment: vanilla ice cream


Directions:

Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 400°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Peel apples, reserving skins. Stir together water and 6 tablespoons sugar in a 1-quart heavy saucepan, then scrape in seeds from vanilla bean and add pod. Add reserved apple skins and bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes. Pour through a medium-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing hard on and then discarding solids.

Roll out 1 pastry sheet into a 10-inch square on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin, then cut in half and transfer to 1 of baking sheets. Repeat with remaining pastry sheet, transferring to second baking sheet.

Halve apples lengthwise, then core with a melon-ball cutter or a small spoon and cut crosswise into very thin slices (1/8 inch thick or less), keeping apple halves intact. Fan apple slices slightly, keeping apple shape, then arrange 3 halves in a row on each piece of pastry, leaving a 2/3-inch border on all sides.

Brush border lightly with syrup and fold over about 1/3 inch to touch edges of apples. Crimp edges with a fork, then brush apples and edges of pastry with syrup (reserve remaining syrup). Brush apples completely with melted butter, then sprinkle evenly with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar.

Bake tarts in upper and lower thirds of oven 20 minutes, then switch position of sheets and reduce oven temperature to 375°F. Bake tarts until edges are golden, 15 to 20 minutes more. (If pastry edges aren't browning evenly, rotate tarts 180 degrees on sheets halfway through baking.)

While tarts bake, boil remaining syrup over moderate heat until reduced to about 1/4 cup, 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Let tarts stand 5 minutes, then brush warm apples with remaining syrup.

Cooks' Notes:

•Tarts can be assembled (but not sprinkled with sugar or baked) 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Sprinkle apples with sugar just before baking.

•Tarts can be baked 4 hours ahead and kept, uncovered, at room temperature.

Vanilla Panna Cotta with Raspberry Sauce

Try this easy recipe for creamy panna cotta served with a simple raspberry sauce.

Ingredients:

Panna Cotta:

3 gelatine leaves
250ml/9fl oz milk
250ml/9fl oz double cream
1 vanilla pod, split lengthways, seeds scraped out
25g/1oz sugar

Raspberry Sauce:

175g/6oz sugar
175ml/6fl oz water
splash cherry liqueur
350g/12oz raspberries

Garnish:
4 sprigs fresh mint
icing sugar, to dust


Directions:

1. For the panna cotta, soak the gelatine leaves in a little cold water until soft.
2. Place the milk, cream, vanilla pod and seeds and sugar into a pan and bring to a simmer.
3. Remove the vanilla pod and discard.
4. Squeeze the water out of the gelatine leaves, then add to the pan and take off the heat. Stir until the gelatine has dissolved.
5. Divide the mixture among four ramekins and leave to cool. Place into the fridge for at least an hour, until set.
6. For the sauce, place the sugar, water and cherry liqueur into a pan and bring to the boil.
7. Reduce the heat and simmer until the sugar has dissolved.
8. Take the pan off the heat and add half the raspberries. Using a hand blender, blend the sauce until smooth.
9. Pass the sauce through a sieve into a bowl and stir in the remaining fruit.
10. To serve, turn each panna cotta out onto a serving plate. Spoon over the sauce and garnish with a sprig of mint. Dust with icing sugar

Vanilla Bean Pudding

Vanilla beans can be expensive, but their superior flavor is worth the investment. Substitute vanilla paste or one teaspoon real vanilla extract if necessary. Stir extract in with the butter.


YIELD: 6 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup)


Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup half-and-half
2 large egg yolks
4 teaspoons butter


Directions:

Place milk in a medium, heavy saucepan. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean; add seeds and bean to milk. Bring to a boil.

Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a large bowl, stirring well. Combine half-and-half and egg yolks, stirring well. Stir egg yolk mixture into sugar mixture. Gradually add half of hot milk to sugar mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Return hot milk mixture to pan; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly with a whisk. Remove from heat. Add butter, stirring until melted. Remove vanilla bean; discard.

Spoon pudding into a bowl. Place bowl in a large ice-filled bowl for 15 minutes or until pudding cools, stirring occasionally. Cover surface of pudding with plastic wrap; chill.

Peanut Butter Pudding Variation: Omit vanilla bean, salt, and butter; stir in 1/4 cup reduced-fat creamy peanut butter after custard is cooked. Yield: 6 servings (serving size: about 1/2 cup).

Red Velvet Cake

Ingredients:

Cake:

• 3 3/4 cups AP Flour
• 3 tablespoons Dutch processed cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cups vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon red food coloring
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, at room temperature
• Frosting, recipe follows

For the cake:

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour 2 (9-inch) cake pans and line each pan with a round of parchment paper.


Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a small bowl

Cream the butter, sugar and oil in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl and beat until incorporated. Beat in the vanilla, vinegar and food coloring.


Add the flour mixture to the batter in 3 batches alternating with the buttermilk, mixing well after each addition. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool on a baking rack for 15 minutes before removing the cake from the pans. Let cool completely before frosting. Slice each cake into 2 layers and frost.

Frosting:

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
• 7 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups superfine sugar

Combine the cream, milk, vanilla bean and seeds in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Remove the vanilla bean and discard. Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until thickened to a paste, about 2 minutes. Scrape into a bowl, cover and refrigerate until very cold, at least 2 hours.


Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat until the mixture is very fluffy and the sugar is totally dissolved, about 6 minutes. Add the cold paste, a few tablespoons at a time to the butter mixture and whip until light and fluffy.

Quick Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients:

• 3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 to 2 tablespoons whipping cream

Directions:

In a standing mixer fitted with a whisk, mix together sugar and butter. Mix on low speed until well blended and then increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes.


Add vanilla and cream and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more, adding more cream if needed for spreading consistency.