Pump up the Jam: Strawberry Mint Jam & Strawberry Rhubarb

Being obsessed with fruit since a young kid (fresh strawberries squished on rye bread with a sprinkle of sugar), blueberries and cream on a simple sponge cake base, going cherry picking and eating as many as I could before we got tired, and working in a fruit and veg shop for many years before I came to America I have learned to seriously appreciate seasonal fruit. 

Seattlites have been waiting and waiting for some sort of berry to come to the markets for many weeks now, but the past two weeks have been strawberry weeks. Early varieties are available, not as sweet or flavorful as some later ones ("Hood" strawbs are the BEST <- underlined and bolded) sweet, full bodied, rich and so much "strawberry" packed in a little bundle. But, while I wait a few weeks for those guys to come into their peak I have been making some jams out of local strawberries. The latest are: strawberry & rhubarb and strawberry mint. 

Strawberry rhubarb is amazing. I have to admit I never had this combo until I came to the USA, but let me tell you, the American's were onto something. You have tart and sweet all at once, just the way I like it. I also decided to make a strawberry mint jam. It's a slow cooked jam with no pectin added, instead the berries are left to macerate in sugar and lemon juice overnight so the juice of the berries is removed from the fruit. I then let this cook down on a very gentle simmer for a couple of hours, and perhaps at two hours in I added some fresh mint leave and then a couple of grinds of pepper. It's a tart, rich and refreshing jam. 

I'll be making plenty more jams as the seasons progress, I'm looking forwards to integrating some good local wines into my jams as well. I have some good baking ahead!

Strawberry, Raspberry and Balsamic Vinegar

Yet another jam with strawberry's in it. This is a beautiful rich spread with strawberry's, raspberries, lemon, balsamic vinegar and sugar. Such a simple combo, but it leads to a really beautiful color and tasting spread.

Great on a rich rye, the flavor holds its own.

Strawberry Rhubarb Tart

I've been having problems setting pastry cream of late. I swear I cook it until it is thick and boiling, then leave it on the heat for a couple of minutes more. Yet time and time again my cream is not setting up very well. It turns into this gooey mass... a tasty gooey mass, yet not a very elegant mass when it is cut into slices. I don't want to use corn products in my baking unless it is fresh corn (although I do make some exceptions especially when I use chocolate or am making a candy) so I've been using potato starch instead of corn starch in the pastry cream. I'm wondering if this may be my downfall?

Anyway, back to the tart. A strawberry and rhubarb puree was made and then placed on a tart base (this wasn't a pate sucree...as I ran out of pastry flour. So I made an old tart base that I hadn't made in ages). I then put on the pastry cream and on top of that some strawberries. A very simple tart but devastatingly good.

Strawberry, Mint and Black Pepper Jam

This is so good. It's a nice dense preserve, with a little bit of freshness from the mint, and a smidge of a bite from the black pepper.

Great on rye bread, and I think it would work really well as a base for a tart with a simple vanilla pastry cream and fresh strawberries and mint on top.

Once again the strawberries are magnificent. The colours are amazing, the flavors intense. I would recommend preserving these flavors for winter.

Taken from Mes Confiture

Reject Macaroons with Strawberries

I've been on a fix lately to try and make macaroons like Thomas Keller makes in his at Boucheron

I had some cream, some strawberries and some marzipan liquor so I decided to make strawberry shortcakes with macaroons instead. I simply infused the cream with the marzipan liquor, let the strawberries macerate in some sugar and then assembled everything.

A delectable dessert, especially with gorgeously fresh strawberries. Bakery, but I failed miserably. The thing was they were really tasty, but they were just well, seriously flat.

Faux Canneles

We went to Portland recently and visited the bakery 'St. Honore'. They had some good looking stuff in their pastry case including a cannele, which I have to admit I had never had before. So I got one. They are really good. A mix of burnt sugar and rum and balled up in this dense yet moist cakey type thing. I wanted to try and make one. The only thing is they have this swanky mold they use, which I don't have. Nevertheless, as I'm not French and don't really have any attachment to having my cannele in the proper mold (so I used cupcake tins). I used the great recipe for 'Canneles Pretenders' of Tartelettes blog http://tartelette.blogspot.com/2007/06/canneles-pretenders.html.

They turned out really well. Also, strawberries are seriously good right now, and so is rhubarb...so I thought I would combine the beautifully tasty (remember burnt sugar and rum) with the sweet tart of strawberries and rhubarb. They paired surprisingly well!

Strawberry and Rhubarb Jam: Welcome Strawberries

Happy Strawberry season everyone! Make sure you hit the farmers markets and ask to sample the strawberries. I've found that last week many had no flavor but looked delicious, I found the strawberries I used in the jam after around 5 tasters at other stalls. I think we're getting more into the thick of strawberry season this week at least, so there shouldn't be such an issue with flavor.

have to say I'm new to the strawberry and rhubarb sensation - but I'm no less enthusiastic about it then a veteran. The combo is amazing. So in this is one of my attempts to create a bit of summer for enjoyment in winter.

Strawberry Custard Tart

It's summer, and the berries are out and utterly delicious. I had some strawberries this week and swooned, so I thought that I would make a fresh fruit tart that involved two of my favorite things: strawberries and custard.

Ingredients: Tart Base
1.25 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter

Ingredients: Custard

2 cups whole milk

6 large egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup corn starch (sifted)

1.5 tsp. vanilla extract

3.5 Tbs unsalted butter at room temp and cut into bits

Ingredients: Topping

2 pints fresh strawberries

1/4 cup apricot jelly

1-2Tbs water

Method: Tart Base

1. Preheat oven to 375F.

2. In a food processor, combine flour, sugar, salt, and butter, and process until large moist crumbs form.

3. Transfer the dough to a round tart pan (9inch in diameter).

4. With floured fingers press the dough into the pan.

5. Freeze until firm (around 30min).

6. Take out the freezer, and prick all over with a fork.

7. Bake until golden (20-25min).

8. Let cool to room temp.

Method: Custard

1. Bring the milk to boil in a small saucepan.

2. In a heavy bottomed saucepan whisk the egg yolks together, as well as the sugar and cornstarch until it is well blended and slightly thick.

3. Still whisking stir in around 1/4 of a cup of boiling milk (do this slowly - always adding a small bit whilst you whisk).

4. Keep whisking and pour in the rest of the boiling milk.

5. Put the saucepan over medium heat and bring the mixture to the boil while constantly whisking.

6. Keep boiling for around 1 min, then remove from the heat.

7. Whisk in the vanilla extract.

8. Let sit for 5 min.

9. Add the butter and whisk in until it is well Incorporated (the cream should be smooth and slightly shiny).

Method: Topping

1. Wash, hull and cut the strawberries in any way you desire.

2. In a microwave proof dish add the jelly and water - mix. Microwave until it boils. The consistency needed is quite watery.

Method: Assembly

1. Once the tart base has cooled, add the pastry cream. Smooth the top with a mini pastry scraper or a rubber spatula.

2. Place the strawberries on top in a manner that pleases.

3. Using a pastry brush, brush on the apricot glaze.

4. Keep refrigerated until serving time - best served on the day it is assembled.

Taken in part from: Dorrie Greenspan "Baking from my home to yours" pp. 448 and 376-7. as well as The magazine "Food".

Strawberry Tart with Pistachio Crust

This is a very simple recipe to make, and when strawberries are in season it's wonderful and fresh, full of the tastes of summer.

Ingredients: Dough

1.25 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup confectioners sugar (icing sugar)

1/4 cup finely ground pistachios

1/4 tsp. salt

9 Tbs. very cold butter, cut into small pieces

1 large egg yolk

Ingredients: Topping

Strawberry jam

Fresh, fragrant strawberries cup in half at room temperature

Whipped cream with a little confectioners sugar added

granulated sugar (to sprinkle over the top of the strawberries if desired)

Method

1. In a food processor put the flour, confectioners sugar and salt, and pulse a couple of times to mix.

2. Scatter the butter over the top and pulse until the butter is coarsely cut in - there should be small flakes and some the size of peas.

3. Stir the yolk, and add a little at a time to the mixture. Pulsing after each addition (10 seconds for each pulse).

4. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead briefly to incorporate any remaining dry ingredients.

5. Butter a tart pan with a removable bottom.

6. Press the dough evenly all over the bottom and up the sides. Don't be too heavy handed - press the crust in so that they cling together, but not so hard that the crust loses its crumbly texture.

7. Freeze for at least 30 min.

8. Preheat oven to 375F.

9. Butter the shiny side of aluminum foil, and press down onto the crust.

10. Put the tart on a baking tray, and put in the oven. Bake for 25 min.

11. Carefully remove the foil. If the crust has puffed press it down gently with the back of a spoon.

12. Put the crust back into the oven, and bake for another 8 min (until it is firm and golden brown).

13. When the crust has cooled remove from the tart pan (place it on top of an upside down bowl, and then remove the base of the pan).

14. Slather the base of the crust with strawberry jam.

15. Arrange the sliced strawberries on top and sprinkle with a little bit of sugar.

16. Serve with whipped cream.

Taken from "Baking: From My Home To Yours" by Dorie Greenspan. pp. 444-45 for the crust and pp. 374-375 for the rest.

Strawberries and Cream Cake

This is a cake that my Nana makes. She also uses blueberries (with a dark coloured jelly). Really tasty, wonderful with fresh, ripe berries.
Ingredients: Sponge
3 medium eggs
2 Tbs. hot water
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbs. vanilla sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 level tsp. baking powder
3 Tbs. cornstarch
Ingredients: Topping
3 cups fresh, ripe strawberries
1 package jelly (jello) red colour
1 carton cream
1Tbs. icing sugar
Method: Sponge
1. Preheat oven to 350F or 180C

2. Grease the bottom of a springform tin, and line with baking paper (parchment paper).

3. Whisk the eggs with the hot water at the highest setting for 1 minute until foamy.

4. Blend the sugar and vanilla sugar.
5. Slowly add the sugars to the egg mixture (while whisking). Continue to whisk for another 2 minutes.

6. Mix together the flour, baking powder and cornstarch.

7. Sift into the egg/sugar mixture and stir into the mixture on the lowest setting.

8. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin, and smooth it.

9. Bake for around 30min.

Method: Topping
1. Whip together the cream and icing sugar until firm peaks form.

2. Spread a 1 cm thick layer of cream on the cool sponge.

3. Wash, dry, hull and cut in half the strawberries.

4. Put the strawberries on the cream, pushing slightly (try and make the surface fairly even. You can always make the strawberries smaller by cutting off the rounded base).

6. With a piping bag filled with the whipped cream and a medium star shaped nozzle, add a boarder to the cake - to stop the jelly from spilling over the edge.

7. Make jelly using 1/2 the water they tell you to use.

8. Keep an eye on it, just before it sets put it on top of the strawberries.

9. Put in the refrigerator to set.

10. Serve!