1 lb puff pastry (homemade or store bought)
3 poached peaches (from Moraga Farmers’ Market)
3/4 cup almond paste (can substitute store bought)
3/4 cup pastry cream
1 egg
Peach jam (heated and strained)
Almond brittle (optional)
Roll puff pastry and cut out 7inch circles using saucer as template. Place circles in mini pie pans and fold over edge ½ an inch. Pierce all over with fork. Combine almond paste, pastry cream and egg. Add 1/4 cup to each pie shell and top with the poached peaches. Bake at 425 degrees until golden. Brush with warm peach jam.
(Pastry Pie Bible) Quick Puff Pastry
18 Tbs. butter
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 1/4 cup cake four
3/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup water
Cut butter into ½ inch cubes and refrigerate for 30min. Place flour and salt in mixer and mix until combined. Add butter and mix until size of lima beans. Add water and mix until just combined. Put the dough out on lightly floured surface in rectangle about 10 x 8 inches. Flip the dough into 3rds as you would fold a business letter. Position dough so closed side is to your left and roll same size as before. Repeat two more times for a total of four turns. Cover and rest in the refrigerator for 40minutes before completing last two turns.
Poached Peaches (Original Recipe)
2 cups water
1 cup sugar
½ a vanilla bean (split)
Cut peaches (skin attached) in half and remove pit. Bring water, sugar and vanilla bean to a simmer. Add peaches. Simmer until tender approximately 5min. Cool in juices overnight or until cool. Remove skins.
(Adapted from Pie and Pastry Bible) Pastry Cream
2 eggs
4 Tbs. cornstarch
2 cups half & half
½ cup sugar
½ a vanilla bean split
Pinch salt
1 Tbs. butter
In a small bowl, whisk together eggs and cornstarch. Add 1/4 cup half & half (whisking until dissolved). Place sugar and vanilla in heavy sauce pan. Rub seeds into sugar. Stir in remaining 1 3/4 cup half & half and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Add gradually to cornstarch mixture. Bring this mixture back to a near boil over medium heat, whisking rapidly. Once thickened, add butter. Press mixture through sieve.
(Baking with Julie) Almond Paste
½ stick unsalted butter (room temperature)
3/4 cup finely ground almonds
½ cup powdered sugar
1 Tbs. cornstarch
1 tsp. almond extract
Put butter, almonds and powdered sugar in food processor and process until creamy. Add cornstarch and extract. Process until filling forms a ball that rides on blade.
Almond Brittle (Original Recipe)
1 cup sugar
2 Tbs. butter
1/3 cup sliced almonds
Pinch of sea salt
Make caramel by melting sugar and butter until golden. Add almonds and stir until amber in color. Add salt. Pour onto baking sheet to cool.
3 poached peaches (from Moraga Farmers’ Market)3/4 cup almond paste (can substitute store bought)3/4 cup pastry cream1 eggPeach jam (heated and strained)Almond brittle (optional)Roll puff pastry and cut out 7inch circles using saucer as template. Place circles in mini pie pans and fold over edge ½ an inch. Pierce all over with fork. Combine almond paste, pastry cream and egg. Add 1/4 cup to each pie shell and top with the poached peaches. Bake at 425 degrees until golden. Brush with warm peach jam.(Pastry Pie Bible) Quick Puff Pastry 18 Tbs. butter1 1/4 cup all purpose flour1 1/4 cup cake four3/4 tsp salt1/3 cup waterCut butter into ½ inch cubes and refrigerate for 30min. Place flour and salt in mixer and mix until combined. Add butter and mix until size of lima beans. Add water and mix until just combined. Put the dough out on lightly floured surface in rectangle about 10 x 8 inches. Flip the dough into 3rds as you would fold a business letter. Position dough so closed side is to your left and roll same size as before. Repeat two more times for a total of four turns. Cover and rest in the refrigerator for 40minutes before completing last two turns.Poached Peaches (Original Recipe)2 cups water1 cup sugar½ a vanilla bean (split)Cut peaches (skin attached) in half and remove pit. Bring water, sugar and vanilla bean to a simmer. Add peaches. Simmer until tender approximately 5min. Cool in juices overnight or until cool. Remove skins.(Adapted from Pie and Pastry Bible) Pastry Cream 2 eggs4 Tbs. cornstarch2 cups half & half½ cup sugar½ a vanilla bean splitPinch salt1 Tbs. butterIn a small bowl, whisk together eggs and cornstarch. Add 1/4 cup half & half (whisking until dissolved). Place sugar and vanilla in heavy sauce pan. Rub seeds into sugar. Stir in remaining 1 3/4 cup half & half and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Add gradually to cornstarch mixture. Bring this mixture back to a near boil over medium heat, whisking rapidly. Once thickened, add butter. Press mixture through sieve.(Baking with Julie) Almond Paste½ stick unsalted butter (room temperature)3/4 cup finely ground almonds½ cup powdered sugar1 Tbs. cornstarch1 tsp. almond extractPut butter, almonds and powdered sugar in food processor and process until creamy. Add cornstarch and extract. Process until filling forms a ball that rides on blade. Almond Brittle (Original Recipe)1 cup sugar2 Tbs. butter1/3 cup sliced almondsPinch of sea saltMake caramel by melting sugar and butter until golden. Add almonds and stir until amber in color. Add salt. Pour onto baking sheet to cool.Reach the reporter at:
Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA