In the bowl of an electric mixer, place ground almonds, flour, sugar and lemon zest.
Mix until combined.
Add butter and continue beating for two minutes.
Stir rum and vanilla into egg whites, then add the flour mixture in two additions.
Beat for 2 minutes after each addition, scraping down the bowl as necessary.
Fill each pan with 2 ounces of batter, then add one berry.
Cream butter until soft in mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add 1/4 cup sugar and mix until incorporated.
Stir flour, cornstarch, and salt in medium bowl.
Add dry ingredients into the butter mixture and mix at low speed just until all ingredients are almost incorporated. Then add lavender and mint and zest if used and mix until dough starts to come together.
Flour work surface and knead by hand until the dough is smooth.
Roll dough into 1 1/4 thick sausage and slice off cookies with serrated knife trying to keep the round shape.
Prepare cookie sheet with Silpat. Distribute cookies and prick the shortbread all over with a fork to prevent any buckling or shrinking. Sprinkle surface with remainding sugar.
Bake 20 – 25 minutes until golden and very lightly browned.
As soon as cookies come out of the oven sprinkle again with a bit of sugar.
Line two baking sheets with parchment or Silpat and set aside.
Using a medium-mesh sieve, sift the confectioners’ sugar and almond flour into a large bowl and set aside.
In a clean stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites on medium speed until foamy, and the wires of the beater(s) leave a trail, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 1 Tbs. of the granulated sugar and whip for another 30 to 45 seconds. Repeat 3 times with the remaining granulated sugar. Once all of the sugar is mixed in, continue whipping the whites until they turn glossy and stiff (when you lift the beater(s) from the bowl, the whites should hold a straight peak that doesn’t curl at the tip, about 2 minutes more. Add vanilla and stir lightly.
Fold in half of the confectioners’ sugar mixture with a large rubber spatula. Once most of it has been incorporated, fold in the remaining mixture until just combined. When you run out of flour, press and spread the batter against the bowl’s sides. Scoop the batter from the bottom and turn it upside down. Repeat this process about 15 times.
Pipe the cookies using a piping bag fitted with a 1/2- to 3/4-inch round tip (Ateco#806 to #809); pipe the batter onto the prepared sheets in rounds that are about 1 inch in diameter and 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick, spaced about 11/2 inches apart. As you pipe, hold the bag perpendicular to the baking sheet and flick the tip of the bag as you finish each cookie to minimize the peaks.
Rap the sheet against the counter several times to flatten the mounds and pop any large air bubbles. Dry the batter at room temperature, uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes until it is no longer tacky. The drying process is completed if the cookies no longer stick to your fingers.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325°F, using convection to circulate air. Stack the baking sheet with the cookies into an empty baking sheet and slide both into the oven. Immediately reduce the temperature to 300°F. Bake until the meringues are very pale golden for 15 to 20 minutes. Cool completely on the baking sheets on wire racks.
Ingredients for Butter Cream Filling
7 Tbsp (100 g) unsalted butter
3 Tbsp (45 ml) water
3 Tbsp (40 g) granulated sugar
1 egg
flavoring options:
drop or two vanilla extract or
1 or 2 Tbsp Grand Manier, or Rye, or Rum or
2 Tbsp instant coffee powder into the same amount of hot water
Cut butter into smaller pieces and place them in a heat-resistant bowl. Heat for 30 sec. in the microwave to soften but not melt. Stir the butter with a spatula until it becomes smooth and creamy, like mayonnaise.
Put the water and granulated sugar in a heat-resistant container and stir well. Heat in microwave for 1 minute. Stir again. Heat in microwave for another 3 minutes.
While heating the syrup, break an egg into a bowl and beat lightly. Pour hot syrup like a thread into the bowl while beating at high speed. Reduce speed as the mixture becomes white and heavy.
Divide the butter and add it to the mixture in three batches. Beat at medium speed. When the butter is well mixed, the process is done. It may seem that the butter separates from the syrup. You may think you have made a mistake but keep beating unit the mixture becomes creamy. Stir in flavorings.
Spread the cream between the cookies.
The cookies are best the day they’re made, but you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day, in the fridge in a sealed container for 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.
Lemon Curd In a 3-quart nonreactive saucepan, heat the lemon juice and butter over medium-high heat until just under a boil.
In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk the eggs and egg yolk and then slowly whisk in the sugar until combined. Gradually whisk the hot lemon juice mixture into the sugar and eggs.
Return the mixture to the saucepan and set over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon and scraping the bottom of the pan frequently, until the curd thickens and coats the spoon, 2 to 4 minutes. Draw your finger along the back of the spoon; when the curd is done, it should hold the trail.
Remove the curd from the heat and strain it through a fine sieve into a bowl. Whisk in the vanilla and salt. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic onto the surface of the curd, and chill for 1 to 2 hours before using. Make
Ahead Tips The curd can be made up to 5 days ahead; or kept refrigerated in an airtight container
Making the crust
Combine 5 first ingredients into a dough. Roll into thin layer and cut-out with 2 inch cutter to fit into greased muffin form. Preheat oven to 350°F and place pre-bake crust for 10 minutes
Fill crusts with Lemon Curd and bake for another 15 minutes.
3 tablespoons sour cream (or yogurt or buttermilk)
1/3 cup ice water
1 cup flour
¼ cup yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
To make the dough stir the sour cream and 1/3 cup ice water together in a small blow and set aside. Put the flour, cornmeal, sugar, and salt into a large bowl and stir with a fork to mix. Drop the butter pieces into the bowl, tossing them once or twice just to coat them with flour. With a pastry blender, work the butter into the flour, aiming for pieces of butter that range in size from bred crumbs to smalls peas. The smaller pieces will make the dough tender, the larger ones will make it flaky.
Sprinkle the cold sour cream mixture over the dough, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork to evenly distribute it. After you’ve added all of the sour cream, the dough should be moist enough to stick together when pressed; it it’s not, add additional cold water.
Chill the dough by dividing it into half. Press each piece into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Berry Galette
½ recipe Galette Dough
1 ½ cups mixed fresh berries
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon honey (optional)
1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter
Preheat oven to 400 F
Put dough onto slightly floured work surface and roll into a 11-inch circle that’s about 1/8 inch thick. Spread the berries over dough, leaving a 2 to 3 inch border. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the sugar over the fruit and drizzle on the honey. Cut the butter into slivers and scatter it on top of the fruit. Fold the uncovered border of dough up over the filling. Dip the pastry brush in water, give the edge of the crust a light coating, and then sprinkle the crust with the remaining teaspoon of sugar.
Combine first 5 ingredients into a food process and let it run until a dough forms. Spread into greased springform. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs.
Peel rhubarb and cut into 1 inch pieces. Place on dough and bake for 20 min.
Towards to end of the 20 minutes baking time whisk egg whites until stiff. Slowly add sugar and continue whisking.
After the first 20 min. of baking, spread baiser on top of pie and continue baking for another 10 minutes at 350°F. Quickly open the oven door to let heat escape. Then reduce heat to 200°F (or lower if you oven goes lower) and let baiser dry for 1 to 1 1/2 hour in the oven.
Whip egg white with 50 g sugar until stiff. In a separate bowl, beat egg yolks with 100 g sugar, Vanillesossenpulver, sour cream, and flour. Fold egg whites under egg yolk mixture until combined.
Spread half of the filling on top of the rhubarb, bake for 30 minutes, then add the rest of the topping to finish baking until golden brown.
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 tsp sugar (optional)
1/2 tsp kosher salt
130 g all-purpose flour, sifted
4 eggs
Whipped cream for filling
Confectioners’ sugar to dust
Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a parchment-lined baking sheet or use a Silpat.
To make the dough:
Sift the flour. In a 3-quart stainless steel saucepan, combine water, butter, sugar (if used), and salt. Heat until the butter and water come to a rolling boil and the butter has completely melted.
Remove from the heat and add the flour all at once using a wooden spoon to mix until no lumps remain.
Return the saucepan to medium-high heat and cook, stirring consistently, until dough forms a thin starchy film on the bottom of the saucepan and pulls together into a cohesive mass.
Transfer dough into a stand mixer with a paddle attachment and beat at medium speed until more moisture evaporates and it’s cooled down to 145°F.
Add eggs, one at a time stirring well between each addition until they are incorporated and the mixture is smooth, thick, and glossy.
Pipe immediately or keep choux for up to 2 hours at room temperature.
Fill a pastry bag with a large plain tip with the choux. Pipe 1 1/2-inch balls onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 30 – 35 minutes or until golden.
Optional for them to better hold their crunch: Rest baked choux for 30 minutes in the turned-off oven with a cracked door but still hot from the baking. This helps keep the exteriors dry as the interior moisture dissipates, resulting in choux that will hold their crunch for at least several hours at room temperature.
Cool on a wire rack.
When completely cooled, cut them in half and fill them with whipped cream or pastry cream. I often whip cream with lemon zest or raspberries for a fun pink filling. Dust with sifted confectioners’ sugar and enjoy!
¾ cup ground or finely chopped almonds or hazelnuts
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons Kirschwasser
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 – 5 tablespoons milk
1 egg
½ cup butter, cold cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Filling
1 12-ounce package frozen unsweetened raspberries
12 ounces fresh raspberry jam
1 egg yolk with little bit of milk for egg wash to brush on top
In a food processor, combine the first 7 ingredients. Pulse a few times to get them mixed. Add Kirschwasser, vanilla, milk, and the egg. Combine. Add butter last and pulse until the mixture comes together into a ball.
Divide the batter in 2/3 for crust and 1/3 for lace.
Mix the frozen berries with the jam and spread over the crust.
Use cookie cutters to make patterns for the top or try your hand at some fancy lace work. Brush with egg wash before baking.
Combine 5 first ingredients into a dough. Roll out and spread into greased tarte form. Bake the unfilled shell for 15 minutes.
To make alomnd cream, beat together the confectioners’ sugar, butter and vanilla until light and creamy. Add the egg yolk and beat well, then add the ground almonds. Spread the mixture in an even layer over the cooled pastry shell.
Peel, quarter and core the apples, then sprinkle them with lemon juice. Thinly slice the apples and arrange in overlapping circles over the layer of almond cream.
Bake for another 20 – 25 minutes, or until the apples are cooked. Place on wire rack to cool.
When the tart has cooled a bit, plase some apricot jam or quince jelly in the microwave to heat a bit. Once easily spreadable, lightly dab the surface of the tart with it to give the apples a nice shine.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch square cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Chop the chocolate and add it into the butter, stirring over low heat until the chocolate is melted.
Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar and vanilla. Beat in the eggs one at a time.
Add the flour and stir energetically for 1 minute, until the batter loses its graininess and becomes smooth and glossy.
Stir in the chopped nuts and the cocoa nibs, if using. Scrape the batter into the cake pan and bake for 30 minutes. Cool completely before removing the brownies from the pan.
These brownies will keep well for up to 4 days, can be frozen for 6 months if well wrapped.
