top down microwave tart 
I’m skipping the “Tuesdays with Dorie” selection this week — Toasted-Coconut  Custard Tart.  Instead of adulterating Dorie’s recipe which is too rich for my taste (and a few other problems I’m not admitting to), I was inspired to pull out my favorite recipe for custard filling and show you how easy it is to make in the microwave.

The results are absolutely amazing and not difficult or time-consuming.  Say good-bye to pudding mix forever. You control the flavor, the sweetness, and the richness when you make it yourself.

You might have noticed my love affair with the microwave. (Microwave Lemon Curd, Caramelized Nuts, Emergency Microwave Brownies) It began in 1970 when my mom purchased an Amana microwave oven.

They were new on the market at the time, costing around 500$ as I remember. Nobody we knew had ever heard of them. I loved showing it off to my friends.  Baked potatoes in minutes, leftovers reheated almost instantly, popcorn in a paper bag–oh, the miracles that happened in the tiny cavity of those first ovens.  Never mind the burned spots, exploding eggs, or sparking stray twisties.

In the eighties, I taught microwave cooking schools as appliance companies and stores sought to sell and then help consumers learn to use them.

Nowadays, the novelty seems to have worn off for a lot of people. It’s no longer cool or sophisticated.

bl and wh coconut tart

Just like you, I have a life to live and every minute counts.  When I can save time and get the same or better results, I’m in!

Because microwave ovens vary widely, each cook must adapt the recipe times to their own microwave.  It’s not hard. You just have to pay attention the first time or two you prepare something to see how it goes in YOUR microwave.

slice with fork

This method of cooking a cream/custard filling applies to most any custard recipe.  I have yet to find one that won’t work.  Try this with your grandmother’s chocolate pie, a favorite banana pudding or a soft custard sauce. 

Microwave Custard Filling

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups milk (I used 2%  but any milk will work, even skim)
4 egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons butter

Directions:
First:
  Dump milk, egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch and salt into blender or food processor.  You could also whisk it well but results may not be as smooth.  Blend for about 10 seconds.  There may be a lot of foam.  That’s OK–it will disappear when cooked.

microwave cream story board_edited-1 

Second: Pour into 2-quart glass batter bowl.  (DO NOT USE A SMALLER CONTAINER–it could boil over and make a  mess.)  Cook in microwave on HIGH for 5-7 minutes.  Whisk well after each minute.  After 4 minutes, whisk every 30 seconds.  Watch filling carefully.  Do not answer the phone.  Do not pass GO.  Do not collect 200$! It will become thick in a split second and you want to be there to whisk and make sure filling cooks evenly.  When this happens it may look like a big lump rising up in the middle or one side. Whisk furiously and it will all smooth out. Trust me. Keep cooking till thick as pudding but do not allow to boil.  Practice makes perfect with this step. If it should turn out lumpy (beginner’s luck), put it through a sieve immediately.

Third: Stir vanilla and butter into thick custard.  Press plastic wrap over the surface to prevent a skin from forming.  Let cool on the counter (or in ice bath if you are short on time) until lukewarm, then pour filling into prepared crust.   Again press plastic wrap against surface and refrigerate until filling is cold and firm.

cooling cream 

To Make  Coconut Cream Tart as pictured:  Add 1/2 to 1 cup toasted coconut (which can also be done in the microwave) and a dash of coriander (thanks for the idea, Dorie) to filling. Pour filling into cookie pie crust.  There might be a little too much filling for the tart but if you make a 9-inch pie, you will need it all. Cover tart with sweetened whipped cream and garnish with toasted coconut shavings.

Speaking of coconut shavings, they are sold in a bag at my local Krogers next to the usual grated coconut. When toasted, they make the most wonderful topping for yogurt or as a snack all by themselves.

Skinny Secret:

Need to watch your calories?  Use skim milk and substitute two whole eggs for 4 egg yolks. Won’t hurt to experiment with the amount of sugar to suit your sweet tooth.

My Favorite Cookie Crust

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled butter, cut into 8 pieces
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
First:  Combine flour, sugar and salt in food processor.  Add butter and process until it looks like a cross between oatmeal and coarse cornmeal.

tart dough storyboard_edited-1 

Second:  Combine egg yolk, heavy cream and vanilla extract.  Process until most of dough rolls into a ball.  If necessary, sparingly add drops of cream to make it come together.

Third:  Press dough into a disk and wrap in plastic.  Refrigerate at least 1 hour.

tart crust story board 

Fourth: Roll dough into large circle. In the pictures you see a circular plastic bag that magically facilitates the rolling out process.

Dust inside of bag with flour.  Place dough inside and zip bag.  Roll out dough large enough to hang over edges of tart pan approximately 1/2 inch.  Open up bag.  Place tart pan upside down on top of dough.  Flip dough over into pan.  Carefully and without stretching, press dough into creases.  Instead of cutting dough at top edge, I prefer to fold excess (not more than 1/2 inch) dough back inside the edge of the pan so sides will thicker. Seems to help prevent crust from shrinking so much.

Note:  If you don’t have the cool plastic contraption pictured, roll out on lightly floured board or pastry towel similar to instructions seen here.

Fifth:  Freeze tart at least 30 minutes. Lay nonstick foil or butter the shiny side of aluminum foil and  fit flat but snugly inside of crust.  No need to use weights if you have frozen the tart.   Bake in 375 degree oven for 30-35 minutes.  Remove foil for last 8 minutes of bake time.  Gently push crust down if  you see it has begun to puff when you remove the foil.  Cool.

 

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fudge cake with candleI made this cake for my husband’s birthday last Sunday.  It’s a tradition in our family.  Turned out to be a bittersweet celebration because his mother died the day before.

While frantically going through photo albums before my mother-in-law’s funeral, I found the picture below.  It contains several interesting details.

birthday in 1986

Circa 1986

1. The older lady is my husband’s mother.  Anytime she was around her grandchildren, she was happy. Unfortunately, she was diagnosed with a brain tumor last year and the complications finally caught up with her.  She was a generous and loving Christian servant. We will miss her terribly.

2. Check out my son’s birthday cake.  It’s the same glazed fudge cake I made this weekend.  Looks like I’ve been baking this cake for over 20 years.

3. One of my sons is a CPA. Can you guess which one?

Back to the cake….We love this cake but it’s slightly quirky.

For starters, it’s made in a food processor. I acquired the recipe while assisting with a cooking school taught by Abby Mandel. At the time, she had just published a new cookbook called Cuisinart Classroom. Not sure why, but this recipe was not included in the book.

While I’m sure this cake could be made with a regular mixer, I have never tried it myself. The author originally touted the food processor as a way to make a chocolate cake without melting the chocolate , supposedly quicker and more flavorful. Not sure if I buy that–but the cake tastes fabulous. Can’t argue with fudgy and tender.

Secondly, the cake has a tendency to fall if not handled carefully.  The old picture above provides evidence.  Be sure to use the 9-inch spring form pan specified.  Also, let the cake cool completely before removing it from the pan.  Even it falls a little, it won’t affect the taste.

slice glazed fudge cake

Glazed Fudge Cake

Ingredients:
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cake flour (3 1/2 ounces)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, broken into pieces
1 1/4 cup sugar (8 3/4 ounces), divided
1/3 cup boiling water
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon cocoa
3/4 cup butter (6 ounces), room temperature, cut into 6 pieces
1 tablespoon dark rum (or 1/2 teaspoon rum extract)
1/2 cup sour cream

Directions:
First:
Butter a 9-inch springform pan. Cut a circle of parchment paper or wax paper to fit the bottom of the pan and place inside. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Second: Place flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in work bowl of food processor and process 5 seconds to blend and set aside.

Third: Place the chocolate and 1/4 cup sugar in work bowl and process 1 minute or until chocolate is finely minced. With machine running, pour hot water through the feed tube and process until the chocolate is melted.

Fourth: Add the eggs and cocoa and process 1 minute.

Fifth: Add remaining sugar (1 cup) and process 1 minute, stopping once to scrape down the inside of the bowl.

Sixth: Add the butter and process 1 minute more. Add rum and sour cream and process 5 seconds.

Seventh: Add the dry ingredients and combine by turning the machine on and off 3 or 4 times until the flour just disappears. Do not over process.

Eighth: Pour the batter into prepared pan and spread evenly with a spatula. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely before removing from the pan.

fudge cake with slice

GLAZE

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons water
3 ounces milk chocolate, broken into pieces
1/4 cup powdered sugar (1 ounce)
2 teaspoons dark rum or vanilla extract

Directions:
First: Put the chocolate and powdered sugar in the work bowl and pulse food processor on and off 3 times to chop the chocolate, then process continuously until it is finely minced.

Second: With the machine running, pour the hot water and butter through the feed tube and process until the chocolate is melted. Add the flavoring and process for 5 more seconds.

Third: Refrigerate the glaze until it begins to thicken then spread over the surface and sides of the cake.

To Decorate: Melt 1 1/2 ounce white chocolate in small zippered plastic bag. Make tiny snip across corner of bag. Draw parallel strips across cake. Using thin knife draw lines perpendicular and parallel across white chocolate lines to make a chevron design.

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honey wheat germ cookies 1a
I keep wheat germ at my house to make skinny granola–or “cookies in a jar” as I call it. Because it goes rancid quickly, I’ve been looking for more recipes requiring wheat germ. These cookies may be the answer.

The honey and lemon flavored dough is formed into balls and rolled in wheat germ. The interior is soft and chewy with a coarse exterior reminiscent of ground oatmeal.

Since I’m obsessed with frosted cookies, I mixed up some lemon filling and turned these into sandwich cookies.  Adding powdered sugar to my microwave lemon curd made a delicious icing of rather firm consistency.  I frosted the flat side of one cookie and made a sandwich with the flat side of another cookie.

honey wheat germ cookies 2

If you want to check out the recipe, go see Flourchild or get a copy of Dorie’s fabulous cookbook, Baking-From My Home to Yours.

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