Apple Crostata With Crystallized Ginger Recipes

PEAR AND APPLE CROSTATA WITH FIVE-SPICE WHIPPED CREAM

Steps:

• for crust:
• Mix both flours, sugar and salt in processor. Add butter and shortening. Using on/off turns, process until butter and shortening form pea-size pieces. Mix in enough ice water to form moist clumps. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. (Can be prepared 3 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.)
• for filling:
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 400°F. Combine first 6 ingredients in large bowl. Toss to blend. Let stand until juices form, about 15 minutes.
• Roll out dough on lightly floured work surface to 1 1/2-inch round. Transfer dough to unrimmed baking sheet. Mound filling atop dough, leaving 2-inch border. Fold dough border over filling to form 7-inch round, pleating loosely and pinching to seal any cracks in dough. Brush crust and fruit with egg, then sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar.
• Bake crostata until crust is golden and juices bubble thickly, about 40 minutes. Transfer baking sheet to rack; cool 10 minutes. Slide metal spatula under crust to free from baking sheet. Cool crostata to lukewarm. Using large tart pan bottom as aid, transfer crostata to platter.
• Whip cream, honey and five-spice powder in medium bowl until stiff. Serve crostata lukewarm or at room temperature with whipped cream.
• *A blend of ground anise, cinnamon, star anise, cloves and ginger, available in the spice section of most supermarkets.

APPLE CROSTATA

Steps:

• For the pastry, place the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and pulse 12 to 15 times, or until the butter is the size of peas. With the motor running, add the ice water all at once through the feed tube. Keep hitting the pulse button to combine, but stop the machine just before the dough becomes a solid mass. Turn the dough onto a well-floured board and form into a disk. Wrap with plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Flour a rolling pin and roll the pastry into an 11-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Transfer it to a baking sheet.
• For the filling, peel, core, and cut the apples into 8ths. Cut each wedge into 3 chunks. Toss the chunks with the orange zest. Cover the tart dough with the apple chunks leaving a 1 1/2-inch border.
• Combine the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and allspice in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is crumbly. Pour into a bowl and rub it with your fingers until it starts holding together. Sprinkle evenly on the apples. Gently fold the border over the apples to enclose the dough, pleating it to make a circle.
• Bake the crostata for 20 to 25 minutes, until the crust is golden and the apples are tender. Allow to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

APPLE CROSTATA WITH CRYSTALLIZED GINGER

Steps:

• For crust:
• Combine flour, sugar, and salt in processor; blend 5 seconds. Add butter; using on/off turns, cut in until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 3 tablespoons ice water. Using on/off turns, blend until moist clumps form, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic; chill at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
• For filling:
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 425°F. Combine apples, 3 tablespoons sugar, crystallized ginger, and lemon juice in large bowl; toss gently to blend.
• Roll out dough on large sheet of parchment paper to 14-inch round. Transfer parchment with dough to large baking sheet. Arrange 3/4 of apple mixture in center of dough, mounding just slightly, forming 8-inch-diameter circle and leaving 3-inch plain border. Overlap remaining apple slices in concentric circles atop apple layer. Fold plain edge of crust over apples, leaving apples exposed in center. Gently fold and pinch dough edge to seal any cracks. Sprinkle apples with 1 tablespoon sugar, then dot apples with butter. Brush crust with milk and sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.
• Bake crostata until crust is golden brown and apples are tender, about 40 minutes. Remove from oven. Brush apples with warm apricot preserves. Cool on baking sheet 15 minutes. Slide long knife under crostata to loosen. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Let stand on sheet at room temperature. Rewarm in 425°F oven 5 minutes before serving.) Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream, as desired.