image courtesy William Yeoward
Honey is back on my mind……… And, whether you choose this beautiful specimen or the jolly version below, don’t trek on through the season without a venture, head first into the honey pot, not once, but many times, because that, as we all know, is such a happy place to “bee”………..
I am a lifelong devotee of cookbooks. I am also a serious devotee of extreme nostalgia. And, as this week went on and I wrote about my favorite work of others in the collection-mode intended by this month’s posts, and worked on a few adaptations myself, my eye kept on catching this book as I stepped into my upstairs office in the early morning hours. There is always a reason why. As I sat down to write this morning, there was never a question where I would go. And, the words, “all I want for Christmas” popped into my head……..
so young and so great
Before we go on here, I’d like to suggest that we definitively insert a happy image into our mind’s eye. Let’s focus on all the great pastry chefs who have gone on to another place, baking away, and giddily so, in a haze of flour and clouds of powdered sugar, in their pastry kitchens in the sky…… Ok, now we can begin. This is meant to be a happy post.
As the year 2016 began, we all saw, on January 1, 2016, the New York Times obituary of the great Gina De Palma. She had succumbed to cancer at 49, after her long battle and the pastry world was crushed by her loss. But, we are not deterred, as we can not be by such unexplainable tragedies. Her legacy and her amazing recipes live on, and, as with all nostalgic recipe memories, we must return there to bake them on and on, and fill up our hearts with gratitude at having received them in our time.
Having developed a huge soft spot in my heart for fellow ICE alum, and being forever in awe of those who went from there to achieve amazing feats after their graduation, Gina remains at the very top of my list of those to be pedestal-ized. Her recipes are iconic and her memory will remain burned in my repertoire of greatest gifts.
photos courtesy Gina De Palma
And, as far as gifts in the tangible category go, if you have VIPs this Christmas that you know love making or even just reading about great pastries, trundle on over to amazon and gift them this book. This is a treasure not to be undone and, might I add, one that I consider to be very under-appreciated. One of the many things I love about this book is the way Gina wrote her recipes. They are exacting and the precision and love with which she developed them comes through every time you read one. See if you can tell.
When you page through this book, and especially look at the photos, you will easily realize the degree of talent here. And, if you are like me, you will want to make every one of her recipes.
photo courtesy alibaba
Today, I choose her cover recipe as I jump back into the honey pot. To say that this is Gina’s iteration of the pecan pie we grew up on would be a huge insult. Rather, consider her genius in raising it up to the heights it should have been at the idea’s very creation. There, that’s better and much more appropriate. (and, pardon me for re-writing history).
Gina De Palma’s Honey and Pine Nut Tart – recipe courtesy Dolce Italiano and Gina De Palma
Sweet Tart Crust
2 1/3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
freshly grated zest of 1 lemon or 1 small orange
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/4″ cubes
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup heavy cream
a few drops ice water, if necessary
Place the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and citrus zest in the bowl of a food processor and pulse several times to combine the dry ingredients. Add all of the cold, cubed butter to the bowl and pulse to process the mixture until it is sandy and there are no visible lumps of butter.
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and the heavy cream. Add the wet ingredients to the food processor and pulse 3 or 4 times, or until the dough comes together. If necessary, add some ice water, a few drops at a time, to make the dough come together.
Remove the dough from the food processor and work it with your hands to even out any dry and wet spots. Form the dough into a ball, flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill until firm, 1-2 hours, before rolling it out. You can also freeze the dough, well wrapped, for up to 2 months.
The Tart:
2/3 cup honey
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
2 sticks unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 1/4 cups pine nuts
On a floured board, roll the tart dough into an 11-inch circle 1/8″ thick. Transfer the dough to a 10-inch tart pan with fluted sides and a removable bottom by rolling the dough around the pin like a carpet and then unrolling it onto the pan. Press the dough into the bottom and sides of the pan, then trim it so it is flush with the top of the pan. Chill the tart shell while you make the filling.
Preheat oven to 325F and position the rack in the center.
To make the custard:
Place honey, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan and stir to combine them. Add the butter, place the saucepan over medium-high heat, and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring often. Remove the saucepan for the heat and transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl; allow it to cool for 20 minutes. Whisk in the heavy cream, followed by the egg and egg yolk.
Distribute the pine nuts evenly over the bottom of the tart shell and pour the custard into the shell until it reaches the top of the crust. Place the tart on a baking sheet to catch any drips and bake for 30 to 55 minutes, or until both the crust and the filling have turned light golden brown and the custard is set but still jiggly. Allow the tart to cool completely on a rack before carefully removing the sides of the pan.
Serve the tart while still slightly warm, or cool it and serve at room temperature. Wrapped in plastic, leftovers (?) will keep in the refrigerator for a few days.
Thank you, Gina. You will never be forgotten on this earth.