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Tuesday, June 30, 2020

apricot meringue pie~

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
I picked the last of my apricots and have been trying to squeeze in as many new recipes as I can before they all turn to pulp! speaking of pulp, this does make an excellent recipe! my inspiration for the apricot meringue came from here. I never really follow recipes, i always tweak to what i have on hand, i used 2 cups fresh apricots, no water and used a store bought crust...
 
 
~apricot meringue pie~
 
prebake your favorite crust until golden

For the filling:

  • 1 pound apricots, pitted and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 1 medium lemon)
  • 6 large egg yolks (reserve the whites for the meringue in the very clean bowl of a stand mixer)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/4 stick), cut into small pieces
for the filling
 
Place the apricots and lemon juice in a blender and blend until smooth.
 
Set a mesh strainer over a medium bowl and pour the apricot mixture through the strainer. Push on the mixture with the back of a ladle and discard the contents of the strainer. Measure 1 cup of the strained mixture and set aside; discard any excess.
(i used 2 cups, no way was i throwing out perfect apricots)!
 
Place the egg yolks in a medium bowl and whisk to break them up; set aside.
 
Place the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a large, nonreactive saucepan and slowly whisk in the water until smooth. Place over medium heat, whisking frequently, until the mixture starts to bubble around the edges of the pan, then continue cooking, whisking constantly, until thickened into a gel, about 10 minutes total. Remove the pan from the heat.
 
Transfer about 1/4 cup of the gel to the egg yolks and whisk to combine; set aside. Add the reserved apricot mixture to the saucepan with the gel and whisk to combine. Add the egg yolk mixture to the saucepan and whisk to combine. Return the saucepan to medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is very thick, about 7 minutes total. Remove the pan from the heat.
 
Add the butter, let sit for 1 minute to melt slightly, and stir to incorporate. Pour the apricot filling into the crust and smooth it into an even layer. Set aside to cool for 30 minutes.
 
For the meringue:
  • 6 large egg whites, at room temperature (use the whites leftover from the filling)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
 
By hand, whisk the sugar 2 tablespoons at a time into the mixer bowl of reserved egg whites, making sure the sugar is incorporated before the next addition, until all of the sugar has been added; set aside.
 
Bring 1/2 inch of water to a simmer over high heat in a saucepan large enough to hold the bowl of the stand mixer over the water without touching it. Reduce the heat to low to maintain a simmer.
 
Place the mixer bowl over the simmering water and whisk constantly until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture has reached 150°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 4 minutes. To check if the sugar is fully dissolved, carefully rub some of the mixture between your fingers—it should feel smooth without any sugar granules.
 
Attach the bowl to the stand mixer and fit the mixer with a very clean whisk attachment. Add the cream of tartar and whisk on low speed for 30 seconds. Increase the speed to medium for 30 seconds, and then increase the speed to high for 30 seconds. Continue whisking on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form (the tips of the peaks should barely curl over when you lift out the whisk attachment), about 1 to 2 minutes more. Do not overwhisk.
 
Using an offset spatula, spread about half of the meringue over the apricot filling in an even layer, making sure to cover about halfway over the edges of the crust (do not leave any holes, or the meringue will shrink as it cools and the filling will weep). Dollop the remaining meringue in heaping tablespoons over the top of the pie. Using the offset spatula, gently press the top of each dollop and quickly pull up and away to make swirled peaks.
 
 

Monday, June 29, 2020

pork kabobs

 
 
 
 
 
 
pork kabobs
 
pork lion cut into cubes
red onion cut in 2" wedges
fresh firm apricots halved
 
toss the above in
 
apricot jam
dash of cayenne
 
thread on skewers
grill for 12-14 minutes
 baste with apricot jam

Sunday, June 28, 2020

apricot frangipane~

 
 
 
apricot frangipane
 
preheat oven to 350
 
roll out prefab crust into tart  pan
 
mix
 
1/2 c soft butter
1/2 c sugar
t almond extract
2 eggs
1 1/4 c ground almonds
3 T flour
 
spread over pie crust
 
topping
 
toss
8-10 apricots cut into 6ths with
apricot jam
 
bake for 40'
 

beyond refrehing...

 
watermelon greek salad~

watermelon
fresh basil
cucumber
kalmata olives
cherry tomatoes
 
dress with...
 
balsamic vinegar
honey
olive oil
s&p
 

Wednesday, June 24, 2020

Apricot basil cream shortbread tart


 
 
Pastry cream
 
1 cup milk
5 T sugar
1/4 c packed basil leaves
2 egg yolks
2 1/2 T cornstarch
2 T butter
 
 
 
in a saucepan, combine 3/4 cup of the milk with the sugar and basil; bring to a simmer. Remove the milk from the heat and let stand for 15 minutes. Remove the basil and squeeze any milk back into the pan; discard the basil.

In a small bowl, whisk the remaining 1/4 cup of milk with the yolks and cornstarch until smooth. Slowly whisk the egg yolk mixture into the warm milk; bring to a simmer over moderate heat, whisking constantly until very thick, 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter until melted. Scrape the cream into a bowl. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface and refrigerate until chilled, 2 hours.

Shortbread crust

Preheat oven to 350

2 cubes of softened butter
2 cups flour
1/2 cup powder sugar

Press in pan
bake until golden, around 25'
Let cool for one hour
 

Topping

6 apricots
3 T sugar
1/3 c Apricot jam melted
 
Increase the oven temperature to 450°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the apricot halves cut side up on the paper and sprinkle all over with the sugar. Roast for about 20 minutes, until the apricots are tender and lightly browned. Let the apricots stand until completely cooled, about 30 minutes.
Unmold the crust and transfer it to a serving plate. Using a small offset spatula, spread the cream evenly in the crust. Arrange the apricots on the cream, cut sides down, and brush with the melted jam. Cut the tart crosswise into strips and serve at once.