Cranberry Almond Crostata Food

CRANBERRY ALMOND CROSTATA

Steps:

• Make dough:
• Pulse almonds with 1/4 cup flour until finely ground (be careful not to grind to a paste).
• Beat together butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reserve 1 tablespoon beaten egg, chilled, for egg wash and beat remaining egg into butter mixture, then add vanilla and almond extracts, beating well. At low speed, mix in almond mixture, zest, salt, and remaining 1 3/4 cups flour until mixture just forms a dough.
• Halve dough and form each half into a 5- to 6-inch disk. Wrap disks separately in plastic wrap and chill until firm, at least 30 minutes.
• Make filling:
• Bring cranberries, orange juice, marmalade, brown sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to a boil in a heavy medium pot, stirring, then simmer, uncovered, until some of cranberries burst and mixture is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Cool filling quickly by spreading it in a shallow baking pan and chilling until lukewarm, about 15 minutes.
• Bake crostata:
• Preheat oven to 375°F with a foil-lined large baking sheet on middle rack. Generously butter springform pan.
• Roll out 1 piece of dough between sheets of parchment paper into a 12-inch round (dough will be very tender). Remove top sheet of paper and invert dough into springform pan. (Dough will tear easily but can be patched together with your fingers.) Press dough over bottom and up side of pan, trimming dough to reach 1/2 inch up side of pan. Chill shell.
• Roll out remaining dough into a 12-inch round in same manner. Remove top sheet of paper, then cut dough into 10 (1/3-inch-wide) strips with pastry wheel and slide (still on wax paper) onto a tray. Freeze strips until firm, about 10 minutes.
• Spread filling in chilled shell and arrange 5 strips 1 inch apart on filling. Arrange remaining 5 strips 1 inch apart diagonally across first strips to form a lattice with diamond-shaped spaces. Trim edges of all strips flush with edge of shell. Brush lattice top with reserved beaten egg and sprinkle crostata with granulated sugar.
• Bake crostata in pan on hot baking sheet until pastry is golden and filling is bubbling, 50 to 60 minutes. (If pastry is too brown after 30 minutes, loosely cover crostata with foil.) Cool crostata completely in pan on a rack, 1 1/2 to 2 hours (to allow juices to thicken).

ALMOND CRANBERRY CROSTATA

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Whisk until well combined.
• Add the butter cutting it with a pastry blender, mixing until the dough is the texture of rolled oats. (Avoid large pieces of butter) Then mix in the almonds mixing until well combined.
• Add the egg and egg yolk and mix until it all comes together.
• Transfer onto floured surface and knead for 2 mins or until you get a smooth consistency. Form dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours
• While dough chills prepare filling Add heavy cream, and cornstarch into a sauce pan, whisking until cornstarch dissolves. Then add the sugar.
• Heat the mixture over medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves, bring to a boil them simmer for about 6 mins, or until it thickens (Remember to stir often to prevent the mixture to stick to pan)
• While the cream mixture is thickening mix together the cranberries, almonds, cinnamon, and nutmeg until well combined
• Once the cream mixture has thickened, remove from heat and add the berry and almond mixture, using a rubber spatula.
• Line a 9 inch pie pan with plastic wrap, then transfer the filling to this spreading evenly to the edges, place in fridge until ready to add to the crostata.
• Once the 2 hours have pasted. Preheat oven to 375 Degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Take out dough from fridge
• On a floured surface knead dough a bit then roll dough out to about 14 inches round and about 1/8 inch thick. Transfer the dough on the cookie sheet.
• Take the chilled filling out and add the center of the dough.
• Fold the edges toward the center leaving a window of the filling
• Cool in the fridge for about 15 mins
• For the egg wash whisk together egg and water.
• Take out the crostata and brush the egg wash on top of dough. sprinkle a bit of sugar
• Bake for 30 minutes. Allow to cool for 15 mins before cutting. Enjoy!

CRANBERRY SAUCE QUICK CROSTATA WITH ALMOND CRUMBLE

Steps:

• For the crumble topping: Combine the flour, almonds, sugar and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Drizzle in the butter and use your fingers to fully incorporate. Set aside.
• For the galette: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Stir the cranberry sauce in a bowl with the sugar, cornstarch and orange zest and juice.
• Put the pie dough round on the prepared baking sheet. Spread the cranberry mixture evenly over the crust, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border, then fold and pleat the exposed crust to partially cover the filling. Brush the crust lightly with the milk and sprinkle generously with sugar. Sprinkle the crumble topping over the cranberry, leaving a little border exposed.
• Bake until the crust and topping are golden brown, about 35 minutes. Cool on a rack before serving.

STRAWBERRY ALMOND CROSTATA

Steps:

• Combine flour and sugar. Cut in cold butter. Add 2 eggs and yolk. Mix together with wooden spoon until it forms a ball. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate one half hour. In a medium sized bowl, combine strawberries, almonds, flour and sugar. Roll dough into a cylinder and cut off pieces as needed. Roll each piece into circle 4-inches in diameter and 1/8-inch thick. Place a spoonful of strawberry mixture in center and gently fold up the sides, overlapping as you go. Brush with egg wash and bake at 350 degrees F for 18 to 20 minutes.

CRANBERRY/ALMOND LOAF

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C).
• Butter a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan, or line with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• Make a well in the centre and add beaten eggs, Milk, butter and vanilla.
• Sprinkle with cranberries and almonds; stir just until combined.
• Spread into prepared pan, smoothing top.
• Bake for 65 to 75 mins, or until tester inserted in centre comes out clean.
• Let cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes.
• Remove from pan and transfer to rack to cool completely.

RASPBERRY AND ALMOND TART

Steps:

• Mix the flour, sugar, and lemon peel, in a food processor.
• Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.
• Add salt and pulse in the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until moist clumps form.
• Gather the dough into a ball; flatten into a disk then wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
• Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F
• Roll out the dough on a floured surface to an 11-inch round then transfer the dough onto a heavy baking sheet that has been lined with a silpat or parchment paper.
• Heat in the microwave the almond paste with 2 T of butter to thin it out, then spread on top of the dough, leaving a 2-inch border.
• Stir the lemon juice into the raspberry preserve and spread on top of almond paste, still leaving a 2-inch border.
• Fold the 2-inch dough border over to form an 8-inch round, pleating loosely and pinching to seal any cracks in the dough (looks like a flat pie).
• Bake until the crust is golden, 35 to 40 minutes.
• Allow to cool.
• Sprinkle with the almonds and dust with the powdered sugar, if you wish.
• Slide a metal spatula under the crust to free the crostata from the baking sheet and serve.
• Optional: Top with chopped hazelnuts instead of almonds; or mix some lemon juice w/powdered sugar and drizzle over the top after cooking.
• *There are several good almond paste recipes on Zaar.