Back and in Action

Tonight we are back to cooking in class-finally! It has been way too long since we've gotten behind those stoves. The class is A la Carte, so I really have no idea what we will make-I just hope that it is delicious!

For your cooking pleasure, I am going to post another super easy recipe from my adventures with my family this past weekend. For dessert on one of the nights I made the simplest Apple Tart and Creme Anglaise. Here's the recipe:

Apple Tart: Yields 6-9 servings (depending on size)
1/2 pkg puff pastry (aka 1 piece)
3/4 cup apricot jam, divided
2 apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
2 Tbsp sugar

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Unfold the sheet of pastry and lay it on a parchment lined baking sheet. Brush the top of the pastry, leaving a 1/2 inch border, with 1/2 cup of the apricot jam. Arrange the apple slices on top. Heat remaining 1/4 cup jam until melted and brush on top of the apple slices. Sprinkle with the sugar and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve with creme anglaise, ice cream, sweetened marscapone, or simply on its own.

Creme Anglaise: Yields 3 cups
6 large egg yolks
1/2 cup maple crystals
2 cups almond milk (It won't thicken as much as it would if it were made with cream. I might try 1 and 1/2 cups of milk next time)
1 and 1/2 Tbsp vanilla

1. Heat milk and vanilla until scalding in a double boiler.
2. In a medium bowl, beat egg yolks and maple crystals. Slowly add small amounts of the scalded milk, mixing well after each addition.
3. Place the mixture over the double boiler and heat, stirring constantly to prevent curdling. The sauce is cooked when it lightly coats the back of the spoon.
4. Cool the sauce by placing the bowl in an ice bath. Stir occasionally to cool evenly.

Hope you enjoy this dessert. It has few ingredients, and though the sauce looks difficult, it truly is simple. I will report back later with recipes from tonight's class!

Only in NY
Random Rant: My new pet peeve is people who carry their umbrellas parallel to the ground and swing their arms when they walk. I can't even count the number of times I got stabbed in the leg and stomach last night by some oblivious person jutting their umbrella out behind them while they walked. I understand that you are probably annoyed that it is no longer raining and you are therefore forced to carry your over sized umbrella that you debated on bringing with you anyways. However, you must still pay attention to how you carry that thing! Some guy is sure to lose his...um...manhood if you are not careful. I'm just not sure that impalement by umbrella is the ideal method for controlling our population growth.