Simple, French, Perfect Tarte au Citron, or Lemon Tart

When I went to Paris, I learned once and for all that there is a difference between the tarte au citron (lemon tart) and its American cousin, Lemon bar. What is the difference? Well, the tartes are French, and therefore slightly better in every way. Here's how you make them. This lovely recipe is excerpted from French Bistro: Restaurant-Quality Recipes for Appetizers, Entrées, Desserts, and Drinks.

PS: want to read more about my overseas adventures? Here's a roundup of my last trip to Paris.

Lemon tart

Lemons are always in my kitchen at home—a favorite ingredient that I just can’t do without. They have a wonderful, fresh sourness that’s lovely in a creamy tart that might otherwise be too heavy and sweet. Delightfully delicious, citrusy lemon tart that simply melts in your mouth. Mmm. . .

6-8 people

dough

• 7 tbsp (100 g) butter, room temperature
• 1½ cups (350 ml) wheat flour
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tbsp powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp cold water

filling

• 5 eggs, preferably organic
• 4 organic lemons
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• ½ cup (100 ml) whipping cream
• ½ cup (100 ml) granulated sugar
• powdered sugar, for decorating
• whipped cream, for serving, optionally

Procedure

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Start by making the dough. Mix the butter, flour, egg yolk, powdered sugar, and water. Knead together with a light touch to form a smooth dough. Press out the dough in a spring-form pan, about 9½ inches (24 cm) in diameter. Pre-bake the crust for about 10 minutes until it’s a light golden color. Take it out and let it cool.

2. Meanwhile, make the filling: whisk together the eggs in a bowl. Squeeze in the juice from the lemons, and grate 1 tbsp of lemon zest into the bowl. Add the whipping cream and sugar, then whisk thoroughly.

3. Fill the cooled crust with the lemon cream and cook the tart for about 30 minutes, until the cream has set and feels a bit firm. Allow the tart to cool, and decorate it with the powdered sugar. Good on its own, or with whipped cream.

Excerpted with permission from French Bistro: Restaurant-Quality Recipes for Apetizers, Entreés, Desserts, and Drinks by Maria Zihammou. Photography by Åsa Dahlgren. Copyright 2014, Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.

Slivers of Sweet Bliss: Chocolate Covered Slices of Pie

The big news today is this: chocolate covered slice of pie. 

Not that you need more explanation, but since I am a giving person by nature, I'll tell you more. Basically, the story goes like this. First, you bake a pie. You're so excited about this recipe. And when it comes out of the oven and has cooled, you couldn't imagine being more excited about a dessert.

But then, a few days later, the pie has dwindled down to the last slice and suddenly you find yourself dreaming of different desserts. Better desserts. Fresher and prettier desserts.

That's one sad unwanted slice of pie. You could write a poem about it, it's that sad. 

It's at exactly that moment that you need to take action so that final slice isn't just discarded like yesterday's news. That's when you do the following:

Coat the whole slice of pie in chocolate.

The benefits of covering a pie slice in chocolate are many. To list a few:

• Let that pie slice burn out, not fade away!
• You get to melt chocolate and pour it on top of something you're going to eat. This always brings me joy.
• Most things taste better coated in chocolate, let's face it. Pie is no exception.

I first had this idea while taking a long, hard look at aforementioned sad slice of pie and trying to think of a non-milkshake solution to making it an awesome treat (I mean, I've done that before).

Turns out, coating a slice of pie in chocolate is not only funny to talk about, but it also tastes delicious. The slice in question here was from a sweet potato pie; the spicy-earthy flavor paired with the chocolate became a new dessert entirely, almost like a pumpkin truffle (since I've never seen a sweet potato truffle) but expanded to a much, much bigger scale. And, you know, with crust. 

Crust, I should say, LOVES being coated in chocolate. The buttery-flakiness is a dream when coated in chocolate, to the point where I wonder why choco-covered pie crust isn't a thing. 

But I digress. A few recipe notes:

I have based this on a single-serve basis; simply double the amount of chocolate for more slices. 

While I used a slice of sweet potato pie, I have wracked my brain for a type of pie I don't think would taste better coated in chocolate, and haven't come up with one yet.

In terms of ease of eating, you don't want the chocolate to set up entirely. You want it to set in the fridge for maybe 10 minutes, so that it has firmed but still yields when you cut into it with a fork or spoon. That is the exact best texture for the chocolate for maximum enjoyment while eating.

OK, ready? Here's the recipe.

Chocolate covered slices of pie

Makes one

You need:

• 2 ounces chocolate, chopped coarsely
• slice of pie 
• spatula
• microwave-safe bowl
• spoon

Procedure

1. Melt the chocolate, either in the top of a double boiler or in the microwave in short increments until it is mostly melted--the rest should melt in the residual heat if you give it a stir with a spatula.
2. Place your slice of pie on a rack or surface that will allow excess chocolate to drip through rather than pool up at the foot of the pie. Place something below it so that you don't get all messy.
3. Using the spatula or a spoon (or a combo), coat the pie all over with chocolate. Take care to get into the nooks and crannies, the sides and the back. Cover EVERYTHING with chocolate.
4. Transfer to a plate, and place in the refrigerator for about five to ten minutes. This should allow the chocolate to lightly set, but not become firm.
5. Remove and eat immediately, because that texture of slightly set but still yielding is the best moment to eat this pie for maximum pleasure.

Pleasuretown population = you.

Sweet Scenes from the Ybor Saturday Market Annual Cupcake Festival

CakeSpy Note: this is a delicious dispatch from Cake Gumshoe Aditi, who blogs at Follow the Red Velvet Road. Do follow her sweet adventures, starting with this one:

Ybor Saturday Market Annual Cupcake Festival 

Saturday, October 18th, 10:00am – 3:00pm

Since I moved to Tampa, I have been looking forward to this day. As a cupcake enthusiast, I have been searching for a festival that honors the glory that is the cupcake. After returning to the U.S. from Uganda, I did a great deal of research, looking for festivals or special days for cupcakes. Unfortunately, I wasn’t very successful…until I looked in Tampa.

Every Saturday, the city of Ybor hosts a Saturday market. Most Saturdays it a market where individuals promote their small businesses by selling items. There is also a fresh produce market and various food stalls. Once a year, in the fall, there is a special themed Saturday Market especially devoted to cupcakes. On this day, cupcake bakeries from all over the Tampa Bay area are welcome to show off their best and most delicious treats.

This year amateur bakeries were also encouraged to join in the festivities, including a cupcake competition. Bakers were judged on presentation as well as taste.

At the event this year, there were 17 local bakers competing. The bakers ranged from professional pastry chefs to at home bakers. Most had store-fronts or online order shops, but there were a few who did bake for fun, not necessarily for money.

The competition was solid this year. The local bakers as well as the home-based first timers were really bringing their A game. Traditional cupcake flavors like red velvet and chocolate peanut butter were present along with some really unique tastes, like chocolate Reese’s cupcakes and a Guinness stout cupcake. I believe the judges had a hard time this year, but one baker came out on top. “A Piece of Cake” bakery, located on West Hillsborough Avenue, took the first prize for taste. They concocted a Guinness stout chocolate cupcake with buttercream frosting garnished with pretzels, caramel, and chocolate drizzle.

Compared to the other cupcakes, this one was moist, light, and the flavor combinations were delicious. Some of the other hit cupcakes were the Reese’s cupcake from the “Cupcake Mama” bakery located on West Euclid Avenue...

as well as the Tres Leches cupcake made by “Chocolate Therapy by Jack” which is an online based bakery.

Overall the experience was great. I got more than my fill of cupcakes and got a taste for the cupcake bakery scene here in Tampa. I look forward to re-visiting the places I enjoyed or missed. There were only a couple that weren’t to my taste, but where there are cupcakes there will be customers!

Now I anxiously await the 2015 Ybor City cupcake festival.

All photos credits go to Siva Beharry

Read more of Aditi's adventures at The Red Velvet Road, as well as on her tasty instagram feed!

What Happens When You Melt 15 Candy Bars in a Pie Crust

Have you ever wondered what happens when you fill a pie crust with 15 candy bars* and then bake it?

* = if we're talking about Fun-Size candy bars, which I personally so often am around this time of year, you want to make that 30-36 or so. 

Well, if you have ever found yourself plagued by this candy bar quandary, you're not alone. I too have been baffled-- but lucky for you, I recently rolled up my sleeves and proactively worked to find out. 

Not only was I seeking a piece of tasty pie--but peace of mind.

First, I made up a pie crust. I used the recipe and method I mastered via King Arthur Flour. 

Next, this is where I must make a confession. I didn't specifically have the number fifteen in mind with my candy bars. Basically, I just kept unwrapping the bars I had received in the mail from Legit Organics, cutting in half, and adding candy bars til the pie crust was full.

It was full at around 12 candy bars. But it occurred to me (I'm always thinking, see) that once the candy began to melt, it would reduce in volume. So to be safe, I added three more candy bars. I'm not going to keep you in suspense: it was the right decision.

I put the whole thing in a preheated 350 degree oven. At 30 minutes it looked mostly done, but at 35 it was perfectly toasty. 

When I took it out of the oven, it looked like this. What the picture doesn't convey is that it was making a snappy bubbling sound that lasted a good minute. It was beautiful. 

I can pretty much say this is the best use ever of 15 candy bars (more Fun-Size). The pie is one of those desserts that makes you say "oh, it's too much!" but then somehow you're reaching for your second slice. Don't say you don't know what I mean.

(note: This pic had a bit of ice cream on top but I wiped it off to get a clear shot of the pie (hence the small white mark on the front).

Here's how you do it.

15-Candy Bar-Pileup Pie 

• 1 unbaked pie crust
• 15 regular sized candy bars, cut in half, or 30-36 Fun-Size candy bars, in harmonious flavors

 Procedure

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Place your candy bars in the crust. Pile them high enough so that they slightly form a  crown over the edges.
3. Just for safety, put the pie plate on top of a baking sheet. Place the whole thing in the oven.
4. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the bars are melted and bubbly and the crust is browned to your liking.
5. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature before serving. This can take up to an hour. 

Enjoy!

Do Good While Eating Chocolates: Seattle Chocolates for the Holidays

When I first moved to Seattle, I had a "real job" at an upscale furniture store. Truthfully, it wasn't very well suited to me, and it didn't last very long. But one of the real benefits of having the job (you know, aside from the money) was the fact that I was next to a store that sold bars by Seattle Chocolates. 

More often than was decent, I would purchase and eat an entire "Pike Place" bar--a deep, dark chocolate bar amped up with the addition of toasty ground espresso. It was so good that it made me float for as long as I ate it, and since I would slowly suck each piece, it would really last a good long while. 

That is a very happy memory for me, so I was really-really-really excited when Seattle Chocolates reached out to me to tell me about their new program for the holidays. Basically the idea is this (from an email from their marketing department):

Through our #ChocolateGives program, we are raising money to fight hunger through a network of local food banks. One of our partners is Northwest Harvest! We would like to send you a special gift of our Seattle-based, American made chocolate and information about the program. We know your readers will enjoy, because we are happy and colorful just like you.

So, they sent me a package and darn-straight, it was jam-packed with happiness and color.

So what does my awesome box of chocolate have to do with you?

Here's how you can get involved in goodness through eating chocolate.

Fact 1: I think that Seattle Chocolates are just great. I think you should buy them.

Fact 2: If you do buy them between November 1 through the end of the ear, for every item purchased on the Seattle Chocolates website and every post of #chocolategives on social media, Seattle Chocolates will donate a serving of fresh food to someone in need. The donations will be made through a network of food banks in New York City, Boston, SF-Marin, and Seattle. 

And that--along with the chocolate you're eating--is something to feel really good about.

So go ahead, get your chocolate on! Shop at Seattle Chocolates.

Pillsbury Bake-Off Countdown: Strawberry-Mascarpone-Hazelnut Chocolate Tart

What I love about this tart is...well, more than one thing. I love how it marries health food (strawberries) with dessert food (everything else in the recipe). I love how it looks super fancy but comes together rather quickly. And, I love that it has a cookie dough crust. YUM. Thanks to Pamela Shank of Parkersburg, West Virginia for coming up with this clever and pretty Bake-Off entry!

Strawberry-Mascarpone-Hazelnut Chocolate Tart

• Prep Time: 30 Min
• Total Time: 1 Hr 55 Min
• Makes: 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 roll Pillsbury refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough
• 2 (8 oz) containers mascarpone cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup chocolate hazelnut spread
• 3 cups halved large strawberries (about 2 pints)
• 1/4 cup white chocolate candy melts or coating wafers (1 1/2 oz) or 1/4 cup white vanilla baking chips

Procedure

1. Heat oven to 350° F. Press cookie dough evenly in bottom and 1 1/2-inches up side of ungreased 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Bake 15 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and edges are set. Cool completely in pan on cooling rack, about 1 hour.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat mascarpone cheese, vanilla and powdered sugar with electric mixer on medium speed, 2 minutes or until well blended; set aside.
3. Reserve 2 teaspoons of the hazelnut spread. Spread remaining hazelnut spread evenly in bottom of cooled cookie crust. Spoon and carefully spread mascarpone mixture over hazelnut spread to within 1/4 inch from edge. Arrange strawberries over mascarpone.
4. In small microwavable bowl, microwave reserved hazelnut spread uncovered on High 20 to 30 seconds or until drizzling consistency. Drizzle over strawberries. In another small microwavable bowl, microwave candy melts uncovered on High 30 to 60 seconds, stirring once or until drizzling consistency. Place melted candy melts in small resealable food-storage plastic bag. Cut off small corner of bag. Squeeze bag to drizzle melted candy melts over strawberries. Store in refrigerator.

Note: the Pillsbury Bake-Off is coming in November! Check out my coverage of the 45th and 46th Bake-Off, and follow the recipes posted so far by clicking the bakeoff tag below.

Pillsbury Bake-Off Countdown: Hummingbird Macaroons

You probably didn't need to be told that Hummingbird cake is simply the bomb. That might be a cheesy thing to say, but it's such a beautiful cake it moves me to corniness.

But did you know that hummingbird macaroons are also exceedingly amazing? If you didn't, it's time to give this recipe from Melanie Eichman of San Antonio, Texas a try. It yields soft cookies that are bound to make you hum with joy.

Hummingbird Macaroons

• Prep Time: 20 Min
• Total Time: 1 Hr 15 Min
• Makes: 30 cookies

Ingredients

• 1 roll Pillsbury refrigerated sugar cookie dough
• 1/4 cup mashed very ripe banana (1 small)
• 2 cups flaked coconut
• 1/2 cup finely chopped dried pineapple
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 teaspoon Watkins™ Ground Saigon Cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon Watkins™ Original Double Strength Vanilla Extract

Procedure

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Let cookie dough stand at room temperature 10 minutes to soften. Line cookie sheets with Reynolds® Parchment Paper.
2. In large bowl, break up cookie dough. Add remaining ingredients; beat with electric mixer on medium-low speed 1 to 2 minutes or until well blended. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.
3. Bake 11 to 16 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool 3 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 15 minutes. Store covered.

Note: the Pillsbury Bake-Off is coming in November! Check out my coverage of the 45th and 46th Bake-Off, and follow the recipes posted so far by clicking the bakeoff tag below.

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Halloween Links!

Happy Halloween!

A cultural history of candy. (Smithsonian Magazine)

What does Mellowcreme pumpkin think of Candy Corn? Find out here. (CakeSpy)

A brief history of candy corn. (CakeSpy)

The history of the jack o' lantern. (History.com)

Meringue skulls! (CakeSpy for Serious Eats)

America is addicted to PSL. Hilarious audio file! (Bob & Tom)

Pairing wine with Halloween candy. (Neatorama)

Happy Challah-ween! A Jewish tradition meets Halloween candy. (Tablet Magazine)

Fun infographic of pumpkin facts. (Sparefoot blog)

Cute pug Halloween costumes. You're welcome. (BuzzFeed)

Use up your leftover halloween candy like this. (CakeSpy for Serious Eats)

Pan de Muerto is a classic day after Halloween treat, for Day of the Dead. Why not try Frida Kahlo's recipe? (CakeSpy for Serious Eats)

What's the best Halloween candy? (ET Online)

What kind of Halloween candy do you give out and what does it say about you? (Post Grad Problems)

Book of the week: Sweet Treats for the Holidays: Edible Creations for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and More. I will be talking a lot more about this adorable book, but for right now: BUY IT.

Pillsbury Bake-Off Countdown: Creamy Cashew Turtle Pie

Things that I love definitely include pie crust, chocolate, cashew butter, cashews, salt, cream cheese, and caramel. Guess what? This pie has them ALL. Thank you to Tina Repak-Mirilovich of Johnstown, Pennsylvania for coming up with such a gem of a recipe. Good luck at the Bake-Off!

Creamy Cashew Turtle Pie

• Prep Time: 25 Min
• Total Time: 1 Hr 50 Min
• Makes: 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 Pillsbury Refrigerated Pie Crust, softened as directed on box
• 3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
• 1 1/3 cups cashew butter
• 1 cup chopped salted cashews
• 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
• 2/3 cup caramel topping
• 1 container (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed

Procedure

1. Heat oven to 450°F. Make pie crust as directed on box for One-Crust Baked Shell, using 9-inch glass pie plate. Cool completely on cooling rack, about 20 minutes.
2. In small microwavable bowl, microwave 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips uncovered on High 30 to 60 seconds, stirring once, until chips can be stirred smooth. Add 1/3 cup of the cashew butter; mix well. Spread chocolate mixture over bottom of cooled pie crust. Sprinkle 3/4 cup of the cashews over chocolate mixture. In large bowl, beat cream cheese, remaining 1 cup cashew butter and the caramel topping with electric mixer on medium speed 1 to 2 minutes or until blended. Gently stir in whipped topping until well blended. Spoon and spread cream cheese mixture over cashews. Refrigerate 1 hour.
3. In small microwavable bowl, microwave remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips uncovered on High 30 to 60 seconds, stirring once, until chips can be stirred smooth. Place chocolate in small resealable food-storage plastic bag. Cut off small corner of bag; squeeze bag to drizzle chocolate over pie. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cashews. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.

Note: the Pillsbury Bake-Off is coming in November! Check out my coverage of the 45th and 46th Bake-Off, and follow the recipes posted so far by clicking the bakeoff tag below.

Monster Cereal Milk Smackdown

Recently, I received a box containing the holy trinity of sweet Halloween nostalgia: the re-issue of Monster Cereals: Count Chocula, Boo Berry, and Franken Berry. Any self respecting child of the 80's ought to be highly jealous of me, and also very excited about this re-issue, because you're an adult now and you can eat all the sugary cereal you want.

But let me cut right to the chase and tell you that my first thought upon receiving the parcel was this: which cereal yields the best-tasting cereal milk?

Long considered a by-product of the cereal eating experience, the residual cereal-soaked milk has come into vogue in recent years, with much thanks to the tireless work of Christina Tosi of Momofuku. It's become a beverage which can be appreciated as a stand-alone thing, not a sad liquid giving you pause about whether or not you want to pour in more cereal to sop it up.

This is all to say: cereal milk matters. And therefore, by pouring milk in a sample of each cereal and then tasting the results, I am doing an experiment that really matters. And one that my mother never would have let me do in the 80's, so I was delighted to do it as an adult.

Oh, and since the cereals were sent to me gratis, it's a good time to put this: Disclosure: The product, giveaway samples and information have been provided by General Mills. All opinions are my own.

The specifics

What:

A tasting of the milk left after steeping Monster cereals for an hour: Boo Berry, Count Chocula, and Frankenberry. 

How:

 I poured a sample of each cereal into a small bowl, and then filled it with milk, which I then left to steep for an hour before straining.

Because I have a naturally scientific mind, I also did some combinations:

• Frankenberry and Count Chocula
• Count Chocula and Frankenberry
• Frankenberry and Boo Berry

and then, for fun, I made one bowl with equal parts of all three cereals.

The steeping process

I then let the cereals steep in milk for one hour. I figured an hour was a long enough period of time to get as much flavor as possible out of the cereal.

At the end of an hour, I strained out the cereal (I'd like to say I ate it, but it was at this point soggy and gross). 

And then I took a deep breath and set to tasting.

And here are my results.

Taste test: which Monster Cereal milk tastes best?

Stand-alone cereals:

Franken Berry:

This was undoubtedly the prettiest of the bunch, with a light pink hue. The flavor was like a gentle strawberry milk--and when I say strawberry milk, what I mean is the kind that contains no actual strawberry. It was pleasant, but perhaps not memorable.

Boo Berry:

The Boo Berry yielded an only gently blue-hued milk. The flavor was not very pronounced, and quite honestly tasted like Franken Berry milk but with slightly less personality. I was unimpressed by this milk.

Count Chocula: 

The color was a light cocoa hue, and the taste was like a milky chocolate milk, with undertones of Yoo-Hoo. It made for smooth drinking, and I thought it might be super nice when foamed and put on a latte. 

Mixed cereals:

Franken Berry and Count Chocula: 

The pink color and strawberry flavor remained dominant in this mix, even though it contained equal parts of each cereal. It tasted a little more interesting than the strawberry alone, but I found myself hoping for more chocolatey flavor.

Count Chocula and Frankenberry:

This milk had a sort of unpleasant purplish-brown hue, and the taste was just OK. It was not offensive, but it was like light chocolate milk with a soupçon of berry flavor. It was not memorable.

Franken Berry and Boo Berry:

This milk had a lightly purplish hue and tasted like a slightly enhanced version of the strawberry-flavored milk from Franken Berry alone. I liked the enhanced aspect, but I did not enjoy the color. Still, I would have this milk with a slice of cake.

Combo: 

All cereals together: Franken Berry, Boo Berry, and Count Chocula

I will confess, I was extremely surprised by the mix. I had thrown it into the mix mostly to be amusing, but I surprised myself by loving the combo. It had high notes of fruit, an extended strawberry flavor, and a lingering chocolate aftertaste. I surprised even myself by loving this mix. It was different, it was interesting, and I drank the entire little ramekin-full. 

The winners:

In spite of how horrifying it sounds, the mix of all of the cereals together, Franken Berry, Boo Berry, and Count Chocula, yielded the most interesting milk and the one I'd be most excited to drink again. 

Second place goes to the Count Chocula milk, which I think would taste great frothed and added to a latte. 

Third place goes to the Franken Berry and Boo Berry mix, which sounds like a Dr. Seuss creation and had a pleasing berry flavor. 

Happy Halloween!