For the crust:

6 oz. (1-1/3 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus a little more for rolling

3 Tbs. granulated sugar

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

4 oz. (8 Tbs.) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

2 Tbs. heavy cream

1 large egg yolk



For the filling:

1-1/4 cups macadamia nuts

2 cups heavy cream

1-1/2 oz. (3 Tbs.) unsalted butter, cut into chunks

1 cup plus 1-1/2 Tbs. granulated sugar

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped

6 oz. 70% bittersweet chocolate, chopped (about 1-1/4 cups)

1/2 cup whole milk

1/4 cup crème fraîche


Make the crust:

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, sugar, salt and butter and mix on medium speed until the butter blends into the flour and the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Mix the cream and yolk together in a small bowl. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the cream mixture and mix until just combined. Do not overwork the dough.

Transfer the dough to a work surface and bring it together with your hands. Shape the dough into a 1-inch-thick disk. If the dough seems too soft to roll out, put it in the refrigerator for 5 to 10 minutes to firm it up a little. Set the dough on a lightly floured work surface, sprinkle a little flour over it, and roll it out into a 1/8-inch-thick circle 14 to 15 inches in diameter, reflouring the dough and work surface as necessary.
Starting at one side, roll and wrap the dough around the rolling pin to pick it up. Unroll the dough over an 11-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom

and gently fit it loosely in the pan, lifting the edges and pressing the dough into the corners with your fingers. To remove the excess dough, roll the rolling pin lightly over the top of the tart pan, cutting a nice, clean edge. Cover loosely with plastic and chill for 1 hour.
Make the tart:

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 375ºF.

Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork and line it with a piece of parchment paper or several opened-out basket-style coffee filters. Fill the lined tart shell with dried beans or pie weights and bake until set around the edges, about 15 minutes. Take the tart out of the oven, and carefully lift out the paper and pie weights (if using coffee filters, spoon out most of the weights first). Return the tart to the oven and bake until the crust is golden brown all over, another 10 to 15 minutes. Cool completely on a rack.
While the crust is baking, spread the nuts on a baking sheet and toast (in the same oven) until they are golden brown and smell nutty, 10 to 12 minutes. Let them cool, and then chop coarsely.
In a small pot, bring 3/4 cup of the cream and the butter to a simmer. Set aside.
Combine 1 cup of the sugar with the corn syrup, vanilla bean seeds and pod, and 1/4 cup water in a 3 or 4-qt. heavy-based pot. Boil over high heat, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until the mixture becomes caramel-colored. Remove from the heat and immediately (but slowly and carefully; you don’t want the hot sugar to overflow or splatter) whisk in the hot cream mixture.
Pour the caramel into the baked tart shell and pick out the vanilla bean halves with a fork or tongs. Sprinkle about two-thirds of the macadamia nuts on top of the caramel. Let cool completely in the refrigerator.
When the tart is cool, put the chocolate in a large bowl. In a small pot, bring 1/2 cup of the cream, the milk, and the remaining 1-1/2 Tbs. sugar to a boil over medium-high heat. As soon as it boils, pour it over the chocolate. Let stand for 2 minutes and then stir very gently with a whisk until smooth and thoroughly combined. Let cool at room temperature for 5 minutes and then pour the chocolate filling over the completely chilled tart, covering the nuts and caramel.
Chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or until completely set. Unmold the tart, using a long thin metal spatula to release it from the pan bottom. Place it on a cutting board or a serving plate, depending on how you intend to serve it.
Just before serving, whip the remaining 3/4 cup cream and the crème fraîche to soft peaks. Slice and plate the tart in the kitchen or at the table. Top each serving with a dollop of the whipped cream and scatter the remaining macadamia nuts over and around.

Sweet and Spicy Mixed Nuts

Yields 3-1/2 cups.

1 lb. mixed unsalted almonds, pecans, and cashews

1-1/2 Tbs. light brown sugar

2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme

1/2 tsp. chipotle powder

Kosher salt

2 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted
Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F. Spread the nuts on a large rimmed baking sheet and roast until they start to brown, about 10 minutes.


While the nuts are roasting, combine the sugar, thyme, chipotle powder, and 1 tsp. salt in a small bowl. Transfer the nuts to a large bowl, add the butter, and toss well. Add the sugar mixture and toss again to coat evenly. Season with more salt to taste, transfer to small bowls, and serve while still warm. (These are also good at room temperature and will keep in an airtight container for at least 3 days.)

Chocolate Dulce De Leche Cookies

                                                                                                                                                                                                

9oz .(2 cups) unbleached all -pourpose flour; more for rolling
9 oz. (2 cups) whole-wheat flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. table salt

8 oz. (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1-1/2 tsp. finely grated orange zest

Two 13.4 oz. cans Nestlé dulce de leche

1 lb. bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1 pint heavy cream
                                                                                                                                                                          Make the cookies


In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the flours, baking powder, and salt. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the orange zest. Scrape down the bowl and paddle with a rubber spatula.


With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. After adding the last of the flour but before it’s fully incorporated, add 1/4 to 1/3 cup cold water and mix just until a smooth dough forms, 1 to 2 minutes. Divide the dough into two equal pieces, form into disks, and wrap in plastic. Chill overnight.


Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment. Roll out the cold dough on a lightly floured surface until it’s 1/8 to 3/16 inch thick. With a 2-inch plain or fluted round cookie cutter, cut the dough in circles—you can gather and reroll the scraps once. Bake one sheet at a time until the edges are very lightly browned and the cookies puff up slightly, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool the cookies on a rack and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month, until you’re ready to fill and coat them.


Fill the cookies

Lay out the cookies, flat side down. Put a heaping 1/2 Tbs. of dulce de leche on half of the cookies. Cover each with a top cookie, flat side up.


Coat the cookies

Put the chocolate in a small, deep, heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the cream just to a boil. Pour over the chocolate and let sit for 10 minutes. Stir the mixture very gently, incorporating the cream steadily and without overworking, until glossy and completely mixed.


Line 2 cookie sheets or rimmed baking sheets with parchment. Pick up a sandwich cookie with a small offset spatula. Immerse in the chocolate mixture, flipping the cookie to coat completely. Pick up with the spatula and tap a couple of times on the side of the bowl to get rid of excess chocolate. With another spatula in the opposite hand, gently smooth out the top of the cookie and then run the spatula along the bottom. Transfer to the parchment-lined sheet. Repeat with the remaining cookies. Allow the coating to set at room temperature for a few hours and then serve.
Store in a plastic container, separating each cookie with parchment or waxed paper, in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months

Swiss Raspberry Preserve–Filled Sandwich Cookies

MAKES ABOUT 3 DOZEN
                                                                                                                                                          ****Best if you use home-made rhubarb jelly

3/4 lb. (3 sticks) butter, softened

2 cups confectioners' sugar

3 egg yolks

3 1/2 cups flour

1 cup seedless raspberry preserves


1. Beat butter and 1 1/2 cups of the sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed. Increase speed to medium; beat until light and fluffy. Add yolks one at a time, beating until smooth after each addition. Reduce speed to low and add flour 1/2 cup at a time, beating after each addition to combine. Scrape sides of bowl with a spatula; give the dough one last stir. Transfer dough onto a large sheet of plastic wrap and press it into a 9" × 11" rectangle. Cover with more plastic wrap, place on a large plate, and let chill for 1 hour.

2. Arrange racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 325°. Divide chilled dough into 6 pieces. Rewrap 5 pieces individually in plastic wrap and chill. On a lightly floured surface, work the dough piece gently with a rolling pin to warm it slightly. Keeping surface and dough floured, roll dough into a 9" square. (If dough sticks, gently run a spatula underneath it, to release it.) Using a 3" round cookie cutter, cut out 9 circles of dough and transfer them to a parchment paper–lined baking sheet about 1" apart; reserve scraps. Repeat process with remaining chilled dough pieces. Combine leftover scraps into a ball. Reroll dough and continue cutting circles. Using a 1 1/4" round cookie cutter, cut a hole in the center of half of the circles—these are the tops. Bake all cookies in batches, rotating pans halfway through, until just pale golden, about 15 minutes. Let cookies cool completely.

3. Put preserves into a small pot and bring to a boil, stirring, over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring, until thickened and reduced by about one-quarter, about 5 minutes. Transfer preserves to a bowl; let cool. Put remaining 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar into a sieve; dust cookie tops. Turn whole cookies upside down—these are the bottoms; spoon about 1/2 tsp. of preserves onto each. Using a small spatula, spread preserves to within 1/8" of the edges. Cover each with a cookie top. Transfer remaining preserves into a plastic bag and snip the end. Using it like a piping bag, pipe a small amount of preserves into each hole. Serve cookies immediately or store between sheets of wax paper in an airtight container at room temperature.


****You can make and chill the dough for these cookies up to two days in advance.

Sponge Cake with Three Milks

Pastel de Tres Le(ches)



MAKES ONE 7" x 11" CAKE
                                                                                                                                                                       FOR THE CAKE:

1 tsp. butter

1 cup flour

2 tsp. baking powder

3 room-temperature eggs, separated

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup milk

1 cup heavy cream

1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk

1 12-oz. can evaporated milk
FOR THE FROSTING:

2/3 cup light corn syrup

2 room-temperature egg whites


1. For the cake: Preheat oven to 325°. Grease a 7'' x 11'' glass baking dish with butter and set aside. Combine flour and baking powder in a small bowl and set aside. Beat egg whites in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form, 2–3 minutes. Increase speed to high and gradually add sugar, beating until whites are glossy, 1–1 1/2 minutes, then beat in yolks, one at a time. Stir in one-quarter of the flour mixture at a time. Add milk and stir until smooth. Pour batter into prepared dish. Bake until a toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean, 25–30 minutes. Set aside to cool in dish, then prick at 1" intervals with a toothpick.


2. Combine cream and condensed and evaporated milks and slowly pour over warm cake in dish. Set aside to cool, then cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.


3. For the frosting: Combine corn syrup and egg whites in a large heatproof bowl. Set bowl in a skillet of gently simmering water over medium-low heat and immediately beat egg white mixture with an electric mixer on low speed until it reaches 140° on an instant-read thermometer. Increase speed to high and beat until stiff glossy peaks form, 4-5 minutes. Remove bowl from heatand beat until meringue is cool, 2-3 minutes, then frost cake.

Buttermilk Panna Cotta

SERVES 6


1 1/2 tsp. unflavored gelatin

1 1/4 cups heavy cream

7 tbsp. sugar

1/2 vanilla pod, split lengthwise

1 3/4 cups buttermilk
                                                                                                                                                            1. Soften gelatin in 1 tbsp. cold water in a medium bowl for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, put cream and sugar into a small saucepan. Scrape seeds from vanilla pod into pan, then add pod. Heat cream over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves, 3–5 minutes, then stir into bowl with gelatin. Stir in buttermilk, then strain into another bowl.
2. Divide custard between six 8-oz. ramekins and refrigerate until set, about 3 hours. To unmold, dip ramekins into a dish of hot water, then invert custards onto plates. Garnish with raspberries or other fruit, if you like.




*Really,Really Good! (Gotta try it!)

Old-Fashioned Genoese Sweet Bread

(Antico Pandolce Genoves

SERVES 8
                                                                                                                                                                1⁄2 tsp. active dry yeast

1⁄2 cup warm milk

1⁄2 cup butter, softened, plus additional

for greasing

3⁄4 cup sugar

1 tbsp. fennel seeds

1⁄2 tsp. ground coriander

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 tsp. vanilla extract

4 tsp. orange flower water

3 1⁄2 cups flour

1⁄2 cup dried currants

1⁄3 cup golden raisins

1⁄3 cup finely chopped candied

orange rind

1⁄3 cup pine nuts
                                                                                                                                                           1. Dissolve yeast in milk in a small bowl. Set aside until foamy, about 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, beat butter in an electric mixer and gradually add sugar, beating until mixture is light and fluffy. Stir in fennel seeds and coriander, then add egg, vanilla, and orange flower water, and mix thoroughly. Add milk and dissolved yeast and mix. (Mixture may appear slightly curdled.)
3. Gradually add flour, mixing thoroughly. When dough is smooth, mix in currants, raisins, orange rind, and pine nuts (dough will be moist). Transfer dough to a large greased bowl. Cover with a clean dish towel and set aside in a warm place to rise for 3–4 hours. (Dough may only rise a little; this is a dense bread.)
4. Preheat oven to 375°. Wet hands (dough will be sticky) and transfer to a greased cookie sheet. Shape into a 6" round and bake until golden, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Cool completely. To serve, cut or break into small pieces and serve with sweet wine, if desired. (Store in an airtight container.)