Broiled Apricots With Stirred Custard Food

BROILED APRICOTS WITH FRESH RICOTTA AND PISTACHIOS

Steps:

• Preheat broiler. Place sugar in a small saucer. Dip cut side of apricots in sugar to coat and transfer to a small broilerproof baking dish. Broil, rotating once, until apricots are caramelized and juicy, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Remove apricots from oven. Let cool slightly and top with ricotta and pistachios. Serve immediately.

BROILED APRICOTS WITH STIRRED CUSTARD

Steps:

• Make the custard: In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the egg yolks and sugar. Beat on medium-high speed until pale yellow and thick, 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce speed to low, and add flour. Beat just to combine, about 30 seconds.
• In a medium saucepan, scald milk and vanilla bean over medium heat. Discard vanilla bean. With mixer running, pour half the milk into egg mixture, and beat until smooth. Return the mixture to saucepan, and set over medium heat, whisking constantly until mixture just begins to bubble, about 3 to 4 minutes.
• Transfer the mixture to a large bowl; cover with plastic wrap touching surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until needed, up to 3 days.
• Make apricots: Heat broiler. Halve apricots along their natural line; remove pits. Place halves on a baking sheet, cut side up. Fill each cavity with 1/2 teaspoon each of butter and brown sugar.
• Place apricots under the broiler 3 inches from heat. Cook until the butter has melted, the sugar has started to bubble and caramelize, and the apricots have softened, about 3 minutes, depending on ripeness of the fruit. Let cool slightly.
• When ready to serve, spoon custard into individual serving bowls, dividing evenly; garnish each portion with 2 or 3 broiled apricot halves.

BERRIES WITH VANILLA CUSTARD

Steps:

• In a small heavy saucepan, mix cream, egg yolks and sugar. Cook and stir over low heat until mixture is just thick enough to coat a metal spoon and a thermometer reads at least 160°. Do not allow to boil., Transfer to a bowl; stir in vanilla. Refrigerate, covered, until cold. Serve over fresh berries.

APRICOT CUSTARD TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Slice the apricots 3/4-inch thick, discarding the pits. Place the apricots in the prebaked tart shell in a decorative pattern. Set aside.
• Combine the sugar, egg yolks, and cream in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk until combined. Stir in the flour and salt. Carefully pour the creamy mixture over the apricots.
• Sprinkle the almonds over the top of the tart. Bake until the custard is almost completely set, about 35 to 40 minutes. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
• In a small bowl, mix the egg and cream together. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and butter. Using the paddle attachment on low speed, mix in the butter until it is the size of small peas. With the mixer on low speed, add the egg mixture. Mix the dough just until it is no longer dry looking. It will still be loose and crumbly at this point.
• Place the dough on the work surface. With your hands, combine and form the dough into a single ball. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm but still malleable.
• Roll out dough and fit it into a 9 1/2-inch tart shell. Prebake the shell in a preheated 325 degree F oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes
• Yield: 1 (9 1/2-inch) tart shell

APRICOT CRèME BRûLéE TART

Steps:

• For the pastry, beat the butter and sugar together until pale, mix in flour and almonds then stir in the egg until the pastry just comes together. Shape into a ball, wrap in cling film and chill for at least 30 mins.
• While the pastry is chilling, make the filling. Tip the apricots into a bowl. Bring the wine and the sugar to a rolling boil, then pour over the apricots and leave to steep in the liquid. In the same saucepan (there's no need to wash it) bring the vanilla and cream to the boil. Turn off the heat and leave the cream to infuse.
• Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Roll the pastry to fit a 23cm fluted tart tin and leave it to chill in the freezer for 10 mins. Line the tart case with foil or greaseproof paper and fill the tart with baking beans. Bake the tart for 20 mins until the edges become biscuity, then remove the beans and foil or greaseproof paper and cook for a few more mins until the base starts to brown. Remove the tart from the oven and lower the heat to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3.
• While the tart case is cooking, whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Strain the vanilla cream over the eggs and whisk, then drain the apricots and mix the liquid in with the vanilla cream and the eggs to make a custard. Pull the apricots apart and press them sticky side down into the tart case. Pour the custard over the apricots and bake for about 20-30 mins until the filling is just set. Remove the tart from the oven and leave to cool. To serve, scatter the remaining sugar over the tart and blast with a blowtorch to caramelise it, leave it to harden for a minute and cut into slices and serve. As there are so many lovely flavours in the tart already it needs no accompaniment

SOUR CREAM CUSTARD TART WITH PEACHES, APRICOTS, OR NECTARINES

Steps:

• Making the custard.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees[F].
• Adjust rack to upper third of oven and place a heavy baking sheet on the rack.
• Place all custard ingredients in a food processor or blender.
• Process until well combined.
• (To mix by hand: In a large bowl, whisk together the egg with the orange zest, orange liqueur, and orange juice. Mix in sour cream, sugar, and sifted flour until the mixture is well blended. Break up any lumps of flour with your fingers.) The custard can be made up to three days in advance and refrigerated.
• Arranging the Fruit.
• For peaches or nectarine: Do not peel.
• Cut the fruit into sixths.
• Starting at the outside edge of the tart, lay slices on their sides, touching each other, in two concentric circles on the bottom of the baked tart shell.
• Arrange the few remaining pieces, skin side up, in the center to fill in the gaps.
• For apricots: Do not peel.
• Cut the apricots into fourths.
• Arrange the slices in their sides, nestled together, in three concentric circles on the bottom of the baked tart shell.
• Place 2 or 3 slices in the center to fill in the gaps.
• Filling and baking the tart: Place the custard mixture in a heatproof bowl and stir it over gently simmering water until it is just warm to the touch.
• Pour approximately 2 cups of sour cream custard mixture into the tart shell.
• The tops of the fruit slices will be poking up through the custard.
• Place the tart in the oven on the heated baking sheet and bake for 40-45 minutes.
• During baking, the custard will set from the outside edge toward the center of the tart.
• Watch carefully during the last 8 minutes or so of baking, jiggling the baking sheet occasionally, so that you can remove the tart from the oven as soon as the custard has set.
• (Fruit with a high water content may give off a lot of juice when cooked, which will make the center part of the tart appear very loose. Don't think that it means that the custard hasn't set; these juices will be absorbed back into the tart as it) Cool completely.
• Slip a cardboard round underneath and remove the flan ring.
• Serve at room temperature, with Vanilla Sauce flavored with orange liqueur, or Apricot Sauce.

BROILED APRICOTS WITH GINGER WHIPPED CREAM

Steps:

• Heat broiler to high, with rack set 4 inches from heat. Squeeze juice from grated ginger into a large bowl (you should get about 1 teaspoon juice); discard pulp. Add cream and granulated sugar. Whip until soft peaks form; refrigerate.
• Place apricots, cut side up, on a rimmed baking sheet. Dividing evenly, top with brown sugar, butter, and cardamom. Broil until apricots just begin to char, 2 to 5 minutes. Top apricots with whipped cream, and serve immediately.