Pears in wine, apples pancakes and custard

This is a triple dessert. You can prepare it as in my presentation or you can use just one of the three and even so have a fabulous dessert: pears in wine, apples pancakes or custard.

Pears in wine, apples pancakes and custard

Ingredients for the pears in wine:

4 small ripe william pears, peeled

400 ml of red wine

200 ml of water

80 gr of sugar

the skin of 1/2 orange

1 vanilla stick, graven by its length

1 cinnamon stick

1 clove

4 grains of pink pepper

a small piece of fresh ginger, 2 cm (or 2 pinches of ginger powder)

1 pinch of nutmeg

How to prepare the pears in wine:

Put all the ingredients, apart from the pears, in a pot (choose a pot of medium size, in order for the pears to be covered by the liquid when you will add them), cover with a lid and bring to the boil. When the liquid starts to boil, add the pears and cook slowly for 15-20 minutes, until the pears are tender.

Remove from the stove. Let cool and then put in the fridge for 12 hours.

Take the pears out of the liquid. Put the pot with the liquid back on the stove and boil until it will become like syrup (this might take around 15 minutes, but be careful because you risk to burn the sugar if you boil it too long). Then filter the liquid and discard the spices.

If you like to serve the pears on their own, prepare four individual bowls with a pear each and 2-3 spoons of wine syrup on the top.

Ingredients for the apples pancakes:

4 French (thin) pancakes

2 apples, peeled and diced

2 tbsp of sugar

1 knob of butter

1 cinnamon stick

4 tbsp of water

How to prepare the apples pancakes:

Put the apples, the sugar, the butter, the cinnamon and the water in a small pot. Cook covered on medium heat until the apples are tender. Then take the lid and cook uncovered for a few minutes to reduce the liquid. Take the pot from the stove and let cool.

Discard the cinnamon stick. Put 2-3 spoons of apples in the middle of each pancake and fold them in order to form four small packets.  Put the small packets on a backing tray covered with backing paper. Heat in the oven at 180⁰C for 5 minutes.

If you like to serve the apples pancakes on their own, prepare for individual plates with a pancake each. Then sprinkle with icing sugar.

Ingredients for the custard:

300 ml of milk

3 egg yolks

80 gr of sugar

3 tbsp of all-purpose flour

1/2 vanilla stick, graved by its length

 

How to prepare the custard:

Put the vanilla stick and the milk in a saucepan. Heat the milk on the stove until it will start to boil, then switch off and let it cool for 10 minutes, and then discard the vanilla stick. In a large microwave-proof bowl whisk the egg yolks with the sugar using a mixer. Whisk them for a few minutes until you will obtain a light yellow soft cream. Now add the flour and whisk again. Then, whisking all the time, pour the milk into the egg cream.

Now put the bowl in the microwave at maximum power for 1 minute. Then take it out, whisk and put it back for another minute. Stir it again and check if it is ready; the custard should now be dense. If the cream is still too loose put it back in the microwave for a minute more. Then let it cool.

If you like to serve the custard on its own. Prepare 4 individual bowls and pour in the custard. Decorate with two leaves of mint or a candy cherry.

For the whole presentation:

Prepare four plates. Spread in the middle of each plate 2 spoons of custard, add one apples pancake and one pear in wine, and then decorate with a little wine syrup.

 

 

Blueberries Pie

A simple and delicious pie made with short pastry, custard cream and fresh blueberries. But you can replace the blueberries with your favorite berries, strawberries, raspberries, etc, or also mix them all!

Blueberries Pie

Ingredients for the short pastry:

250 gr of all-purpose flour

125 gr of butter, at room temperature

2 egg yolks

100 gr of white sugar

2 drops of vanilla essence (or ½ grated lemon peel)

a pinch of salt

Ingredients for the filling:  

250 cl of whole milk

100 gr of sugar

2 egg yolks

25 gr of all-purpose flour

1/2  vanilla stick

250 gr of blueberries, washed

1 bag of jelly powder

How to prepare:

First prepare the short pastry dough. On a worktop make a well in the flour. In the middle add the sugar, the butter, the egg yolks, the vanilla essence and the salt. Knead all the ingredients for a few minutes, until the dough will be homogenous and compact (but do not knead it too much, because with the warmth of your hands the butter will start to melt and the dough will lose its consistency). When the dough is ready, wrap it in cling film and put it in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven at 180° C.

Take the dough from the fridge and with a rolling pin roll it out on a sheet of backing paper. The dough must have a slightly larger diameter than the round tin you will use for backing (around 25 cm diameter). Put the dough together with the paper on the tin and cut the extra dough that goes over the borders. With a fork pierce the dough. Put another sheet of backing paper on the top of the dough and spread on it a couple of handful of rice (this will prevent the pie from puff up in the middle while baking). Put it in the oven for 20-25 mins, until the borders will be golden. 

When the pie is baked take it from the oven, carefully remove the top sheet together with the rice and discard it. Let the pie cool.

Now prepare the custard cream. Make a cut on the length of the vanilla stick and put it in a saucepan together with the milk. Heat the milk on the stove until it will start to boil, then switch off and let it cool. In a large bowl whisk the egg yolks with the sugar using a mixer. Whisk them for a few minutes until you will obtain a light yellow soft cream. Now add the flour and whisk again. Then take the vanilla stick out of the milk, and, whisking all the time, pour the milk into the egg cream.

Now you have two possibilities: cooking the cream bain-mairie or in the microwave. If you do it bain-marie, you have to pour the cream into a saucepan; put a larger pot half full of water on the stove at medium high heat and when the water is boiling put the saucepan with the cream over it (with the bottom of the casserole in the boiling water).  With a wooden spoon stir the cream al the time until it will have the density of a soft pudding (around ten mins). When the cream achieves the wanted density, take it from the stove and let it cool.

If you prefer the microwave (as I do, because it is easier), leave the cream in the bowl and put it in the microwave at maximum power for 2 mins. Then take it out, stir and put it back for another 2 mins. Stir it again and check if it is ready; the cream should now be dense. If the cream is still too loose put it back in the microwave for another 1 or 2 mins. Then let it cool.

Prepare the jelly following the instruction on the bag.

Finally, take the pie from the tin and put it on a serving tray. Surround the tart with some kitchen foil, so that you will prevent from dropping the tray while you will fill the pie. Spread the custard cream into the pie and then arrange the blueberries on the top of it. When the jelly is ready pour it onto the pie, making sure that you will cover the entire surface. 

Now let the pie cool for a few hours (at least 2 or 3 hours) in the fridge. If you have the patience, or the time, wait until the next day, the pie will become even tastier! Serve with sweet wine, as Moscato, Malvasia or Porto.

Fresh Fruits Tart

The countdown to St. Valentine’s Day already started. For the sweetest day of the year you need a special dessert to complete your romantic dinner. Here is a fruity idea:

Fresh Fruits Tart

Ingredients for the short pastry:

250 gr of white 00 flour
125 gr of butter
2 egg yolks
100 gr of white sugar
2 drops of vanilla essence (or ½ grated lemon peel)
a pinch of salt

Ingredients for the filling:  

250 cl of whole milk
100 gr of sugar
2 egg yolks
25 gr of white 00 flour
½  vanilla stick
250 gr of strawberries
250 gr of peaches in syrup
1 sachet of jelly powder

How to prepare:

Prepare the short pastry. Let the butter soften for 30 mins outside the fridge. Make a well in the flour. Add the sugar, the butter, the egg yolks, the vanilla essence and the salt. Knead all the ingredients for a few minutes, until the dough will be homogenous and compact (but do not knead it too much, because with the warmth of your hands the butter will start to melt and the dough will lose its consistency). After the dough its ready place it in the fridge for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven at 180° C.

Take the short pastry from the fridge and with a rolling pin roll it out on a sheet of backing paper. The pastry must have a slightly larger diameter than the round tin you will use for backing (around 25 cm diameter and 3-4 cm high) and a thickness of around 3 mm. Put the pastry together with the paper on the tin and cut the extra dough that goes over the borders. With a fork pierce the pastry. Put another sheet of backing paper on the top of the pastry and spread on it a couple of handful of rice (this will prevent the pastry from puff up in the centre while baking). Put it in the oven for 20-25 mins, until the borders will be golden. Then take the pastry from the oven, carefully remove the top sheet together with the rice, and let the pastry cool.

Prepare the custard cream. Make a cut on the length of the vanilla stick and put it in a saucepan together with the milk. Heat the milk on the stove until it will start to boil, then switch off and let it cool. In a large bowl whisk the egg yolks with the sugar using an electric whisk. Whisk them for a few minutes until you will obtain a light yellow soft cream. Now add the flour and whisk again. Then take the vanilla stick out of the milk, and, whisking all the time, pour the milk into the egg cream.

Now you have two possibilities: cooking the cream bain-mairie or in the microwave. If you do it bain-marie, you have to pour the cream into a saucepan; put a larger pot half full of water on the stove at medium high heat and when the water is boiling place the saucepan with the cream over it (with the bottom of the casserole in the boiling water).  With a wooden spoon stir the cream until it will have the density of a soft pudding (around ten mins). When the cream achieves the wanted density, take it from the stove and let it cool.

If you prefer the microwave (as I do, because is much easier), leave the cream in the bowl, and put it in the microwave at maximum power for 2 mins. Then take it out stir and put it back for another 2 mins. Stir it again and check if it is ready; the cream should now be dense. If the cream is still too loose put it back in the microwave for another 1 or 2 mins. Then let it cool.

Now wash the strawberries and cut them in thin slices. Drain the peaches and cut them in thin wedges.

Prepare the jelly following the instruction on the sachet.

Finally, take the tart from the tin and put it on a serving tray. Surround the tart with some aluminium foil, so that you will prevent from staining the tray while you will fill the pastry. Spread the custard cream on the tart and then arrange the fruits on the top. When the jelly is ready pour it on the tart, making sure that you will cover the entire surface. Now let the tart cool for a few hours (at least 2 or 3 hours) in the fridge. If you have the patience, or the time, wait until the next day, the tart will become even tastier! Serve with a bottle of chilly sweet wine, as Moscato, Malvasia or Porto.