Oscar Party 2012

Recipe from Around My French Table by Dorrie Greenspan


                             Citrus-Berry Terrine


This recipe is way too easy to look and taste as good as it does. I'm sure it would be even prettier had I not over-chilled the gelatin. I really should not be blogging on two recipes at the same time while getting ready to host an Oscar party.

                                      I loved The Artist!!

                              Best Picture and Best Actor

           

The recipe states to chill the gelatin mixture until it has the consistency of egg whites - about two hours.With a couple of hours to spare I could get the tart dough prepared for the lemon dessert I was making.I must have a really cold refrigerator, for after just one hour my gelatin mixture was pretty close to solid. I threw it back into the pan to melt it down; after adding the fruit the gelatin had a more opaque, rather than a translucent look to it. Still it turned out quite pretty.

Success meter (1-3): 3

Book Seventy-Seven: Baking ~ From My Home to Yours

by Dorie Greenspan


The Most Extraordinary French Lemon Cream Tart

It's Oscar time again!

I have been wanting to make this ever since I bought the book and read "It is the ne plus ultra of the lemon world." I love lemon desserts and thought this would be the perfect occasion to make such an over indulgent treat.

Everyone seemed to enjoy this one; even my daughter who stopped by the following day and had the leftovers with me, which were great the next day. I had the last piece two days later and thought it was even better. The lemon cream firmed up beautifully and had the texture of smooth butter. I will for sure refrigerate it at least a day before serving should I make this again.

Success meter (1-3): 3

amazon

I received these in my Christmas stocking a few years

ago and have been anxious to use them ever since. I was

hesitant to use these for the tart dough is quite delicate -

so in the end I opted for my rectangular pan.

I love her desciption "to blend until you

 get the perfect light, airy texture of

 lemon-cream dreams."

I decided to roll out the dough rather than

pressing the loose dough into the pan.

The cookies came out a bit over cooked. I really

should not blog on two recipes and get ready

for a party at the same time.

The curd is nice and firm...

..until you whisk it, which makes it fluid again.

TWD: Chocolate Truffle Tartlets

Baking with Julia: Contributing baker David Ogonowski


                         Chocolate Truffle Tart

I must say I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome. I thought for sure these were going to be extremely rich and overly sweet which they were not. The tart has a crunchy, cocoa flavored crust and the filling came out with a moist brownie like texture with small chunks of white and milk chocolate and crunchy biscotti in the center. I think a drizzle of raspberry sauce would set this off and make it really pop!

The instructions require you to remove the bottom of the tart pan and place the ring directly on to a parchment covered cookie sheet. I have made several tarts over the years and have never done this and felt uncomfortable doing so and went with what I knew from past experience and placed my tart pan (with the bottom in!) directly on the oven rack. The crust turned out perfect.

I'm glad the notes mentioned that the dough breaks apart at times while rolling out (I think if you let it rest for about 30 minutes after you remove it from the refrigerator you can alleviate most of this - I was short on time.) for mine certainly did as you can see in the photos. I just went with the idea that it was an art project I was piecing together - like you would with clay; otherwise I would have been extremely frustrated.

As I bake I jot down notes on a list so I do not forget what I want to mention in my post. While writing this I am reading one note that my sister wrote down: "My sister had to wait a really long time for dessert while I shot (taking pictures) this." Funny Laura!! Hahaha!

Success meter (1-3): 3

Pastry scraps - could not stop eating...

Makeshift cookie sheet made from foil.

This is best served the day it is made.

Still good the next day; the flavor just

not as intense and the crust softer.