Mulberry and Rhubarb Crumb Cake

"Can I come and get some eggs?" I asked Robert early one morning. "Sure. I will have something for you when you get here" he replied.

I drive to their farm at least once a week these days. So many new recipes to test that I never seem to have enough eggs. It is also a great excuse to say hi to the goats and the chickens, as well as watching how the garden is growing.

"It is getting too hot" he explained. The brussels sprouts didn't make it, nor did the tiny wild strawberries.



But as I was getting ready to leave, he reached in the cooler and brought out this basket full of ripe mulberries. Deep purple, soft, sweet and as large as I have ever seen them.

A "whoa" escaped me. I was so excited. Hand picked the day before.

When I came home, I pulled out some frozen rhubarb and made a quick crumb cake before Jon got home from school. A sweet afternoon treat.

I wish I had someone to photograph my hands right after. Purple as can be.




I also wanted to remind you that this Thursday will be the last day to vote for Saveur's 2011 Best Food Blog Awards where one of my images was nominated for Best Food Photo.

Saveur also posted a very interesting timeline of the history of food blogs, where I was listed among amazing food bloggers.

Also, next week I will be speaking at this year's BlogHer Food Conference in Atlanta. Will you be attending?

Mulberry and Rhubarb Crumb Cakes

adapted from Martha Stewart Living

Makes a 9"x9" tart pan

6 Tbs unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup superfine brown rice flour
1/4 cup quinoa flour
2 Tbs almond flour
2 Tbs potato starch


1/2 cup unsalted butter, room tempertaure
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp lemon zest
2 eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup superfine brown rice flour
1/3 cup quinoa flour
2 Tbs almond flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups ripe mulberries
1 cup diced rhubarb

Mix the first seven ingredients in a bowl until it forms a crumble. Chill it for 20 minutes.

Pre-heat oven to 350F. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and powdered sugar together. Add the vanilla extract and lemon zest. Scrape the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs one at a time. Mix and scrape the bowl well. Add the dry ingredients and mix until the batter comes together.

Grease a 9"x9" square tart pan. Spread the cake batter evenly. Top the batter with the mulberries and rhubarb. Top the fruit with the chilled crumble (there might be some leftover crumble that you can freeze for another time).

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool, then cut it into 2 inch squares.

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Spring & Its Tutti Frutti Crumble

It was about two months ago when I received a phone call from Loren, my uncle in law. Loren and Jan live in Wenatchee, Washington where they are surrounded by cherry and apple orchards. "I am going to send you a few cherry blossom branches" he said. "Cherry blossom branches? But how?".

A few days later a package arrived in the mail. Tightly wrapped and with very specific instructions, there were four cherry branches. "Cut the ends and place them in water. They will bloom in a few days".

And indeed they did. Tiny little white flowers that reminded me of the blossoming trees back home.



This little gesture planted a seed in my mind. I got excited about the idea of being able to see these trees in person. "We should take a trip while my parents are here and visit cherry blossoms. It would be a wonderful family vacation before they leave" I suggested to C.

I knew the kids would love it.

I really wanted to go visit Loren and Jan in Wenatchee, but a trip to Washington state was just not practical considering it takes a whole day to get there and back. "How about Washington DC?". And so we found the National Cherry Blossom Festival.



We spent last weekend there. at "George Washington CD" as J calls it.

I welcomed the wintery cold.

Beautiful flowering trees all around the Tidal Basin. Dad and I walked around the entire basin by ourselves. He had his arm around my shoulder just as he used to do when we were kids. I cherished every second of it.



Then back home, I dreamt of the wild poppies that grew in the field next to our school and blossoming apple trees.

I received my copy of Heidi's "Super Natural Cooking". I had been waiting so anxiously since I had pre-ordered it months ago. Beautiful as I expected and filled with recipes I want to cook and eat.

"Look at that crumble" I said to my mom as we were flipping through the book. Heidi's tutti frutti crumble filled with berries, oats and poppy seeds. I made a gluten and dairy free version on Saturday for our last dinner with my parents. It was delicious, light and the perfect way to put an end to a wonderful visit. I miss them already.



And then, I have to thank all of you for your kind words and excitement over the workshop in France this upcoming October. Stephanie is working on some additional details as we speak (she is in France at the moment!), and then, we will post a brief notice a few days prior to opening registration to the public.

Thank you and stay tuned!

Tutti Frutti Crumble

adapted from Heidi Swanson's "Super Natural Everyday"

1/2 cup superfine brown rice flour
1/4 cup oat flour
1 Tbs potato starch
2 Tbs poppy seeds
1/2 cup gluten-free oats
1/2 cup natural cane sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup melted coconut oil (do not microwave it, melt it over water bath)

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl until it comes together. Divide the dough into three parts and form patties. Freeze them for 10 minutes.

1 1/2 cups diced strawberries
1 1/2 cups diced rhubarb
1 1/2 cups golden raspberries
1 Tbs cornstarch
1/3 cup natural cane sugar
1/4 cup Beaujolais

Toss the first five ingredients together in a bowl. Let the fruit macerate for 10 minutes. Add the wine and gently mix.

Transfer the filling to a 10" pie plate or divide it amongst individual ramekins. remove the crumble patties from the freezer and break them over the fruit leaving some chunkier pieces.

Bake at 375F until the fruit is bubbling and the topping is golden brown, about 30 to 40 minutes.

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What Basque Cooking Is About

It has been hot in South Florida this past few days, reminding us that the cool weather that I love so much is leaving us soon. Mornings are still cool, but temperatures soared into mid to high 80s during the day.

This is the peak of growing season. It was really noticeable when I visited Robert and Paula at their farm Sunday afternoon. I had to get my weekly eggs and say hello to the baby goats and chickens.

Their tomatoes were ripening, the squash were also ready to be harvested and all the herbs were flowering. All this warmth and abundance of produce put us in the summer spirit.



"What do you want to have for lunch?" mom asked after breakfast. You see, this is how it goes in our family. We finish one meal, clean up, and start thinking about the next one. Is this normal?

"Let's stop at Whole Foods after the farmers' market and see what kind of fish they have today" I told her.

When we arrived, we picked up a whole yellow-eyed snapper. Fresh as can be. "Why don't we make your fish soup? I would love that". We smiled and proceeded with local clams, mussels, and Key West pink shrimp. I was anxious to get home and start cooking.




While my mom was busy in the kitchen making the fish stock, prepping all the vegetables, and also cooking a batch of arroz con leche, Miren and I ate a bowl of heirloom cherry tomatoes with olive oil and sea salt.

We went outside to look at the flowering herbs and our wild strawberry plant. There is one ripe strawberry at the moment. I think I will wait one more day to pick it. There are some more ripening and there is such anticipation in the family. They are nature's candy for sure.




When we came back inside, dad took over baby watching duties. By the time I walked into the kitchen, mom had the arroz con leche cooling and the fish soup ready. "I'm waiting for you to take photos so I can add the fish into it!". She's amazing. So efficient. And well, me?... procrastinating.



But I did manage to make a quick galette with leftover dough from the book shoot. Tossed together strawberries, rhubarb, apple, sugar, and chamomile leaves to make a super simple filling. By the time I photographed the soup, the galette was ready.

"Mahaire!" I shouted to get my dad's attention who was still bird watching with Miren. Lunch was served.

And so when people ask me what Basque cooking is all about I say, "taking what is available and fresh, and preparing it as simply as possible". No big fuss. Knowing how to pick the best ingredients, how to smell the fish and look into their eyes to see how old it is... That is what Basque cooking is about.



All the credit for these dishes goes out to my mom who keeps us nourished and well fed during this crazy time for me. I'm not sure what I would do without her.

Eskerrik asko amatxu.

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Sophie Dahl's Eton Mess and Watermelon Radishes

Sunday, we picked up our eggs from Robert. Three dozen to be exact. Oh yes, we go through eggs like crazy around here. M. loves her egg in the morning, oozing runny yolk and all. I have lots of baking planned for the week and the farmers market was my stop to get all my provisions.



We had a big dinner planned so lunch was simple. Roasted tomatoes, blue cheese and sliced watermelon radish with yogurt and dijon dressing. Something light and quick to keep us going.

But then came dessert.



Searching for inspiration, I laid out cookbooks and magazines on the living room floor. Sometimes just browsing through UK's Country Living and definitely Elle À Table, I get a surge of ideas coming through me. Then I glanced over to my right and I saw the back of Sophie Dahl's "Voluptuous Delights". There it was. The white and rose rhubarb eton mess with crushed up meringue, a wave of heavy cream and poached rhubarb. Such beautiful color.

I thought of the rhubarb I had in the fridge. The first rhubarb of the season. I had stewed it for breakfast that morning and still had some leftovers.

That photo was just too tempting.



Whipped the egg whites and slowly baked the meringue mounds until crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. Served with lightly whipped cream and the stewed rhubarb.

It didn't even make it to dinner. A mid afternoon sweet snack. Just because.



Eton Mess with Rhubarb

adapted from Sophie Dahl's Voluptuous Delights

3 egg whites
3/4 cup caster sugar
pinch of salt

Whip the egg whites until light and fluffy. Slowly sprinkle in the caster sugar and salt while whipping. Continue to whip until stiff peaks form.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spoon out the meringue forming 6 mounds. Bake at 250F for 1 hour.

Stewed Rhubarb

8 oz rhubarb, diced
1/4 cup cane sugar
1 lemon, juice and zest

Cut the rhubarb into pieces and toss them with sugar, lemon juice and zest. Cook for about 5 minutes until soft. Do not cook it to mush and keep pieces whole.

Serve the meringue with whipped cream and the stewed rhubarb on top.

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Lemon and Buttermilk Sherbet, Stewed Rhubarb and Financiers

We have had gorgeous sunny and breezy weather these past few days. The first stalks of rhubarb also showed up at the produce stands really showcasing the best of Spring.



Easter Sunday, after the neighborhood egg hunt with all our friends, we had a quiet dinner at home with my parents. We churned a small batch of one of my all time favorite sherbets, David's lemon and buttermilk sherbet. I tried it a couple of years ago for the first time and it's one of the first things I crave when warm weather arrives. So simple, creamy and refreshing.



We took a long walk before dinner. I thought the sherbet would go perfectly with the rhubarb we had stewed that morning. Rhubarb is not something I grew up with, but I have grown to love it very much. I clearly remember the first time I ever had it when C. and I went on a camping trip to Glacier National Park and had one of the best rhubarb pies I have had in my life. One of those that sets the bar too high.

I had some leftover egg whites I needed to use up after our last pots de creme, so we also made financiers. Fragrant batter of toasted almond meal, quinoa, brown butter and some of the stewed rhubarb.



Stewed Rhubarb

225 grams rhubarb
60 grams sugar
1 lemon, juice and zest

Cut the rhubarb into pieces and toss them with sugar, lemon juice and zest. Cook for about 5 minutes until soft. Do not cook it to mush and keep pieces whole.


Rhubarb Financiers

120 grams whites
125 grams sugar
Zest of half a lemon
55 grams almond flour, toasted
55 grams quinoa flour
150 grams butter, browned
100 grams stewed rhubarb, strained

Brown the butter, strain it and let it cool. Toast the almond flour at 350F for about 5 minutes and let it cool.

Whisk together the egg whites with sugar and lemon zest. Add the dry ingredients and whisk. Add the cooled brown butter and whisk until all incorporated. Fold in the rhubarb.

Let the batter set in the refrigerator for about 4 hours or overnight.

Pipe into molds and bake at 350F until golden brown on top.

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Roasted Rhubarb, Strawberry, White Chocolate and Pistachio

We finally got a glimpse of sunshine here today. It has been stormy for the last few days, which always seems to put a damper on all my Spring plans. However, rhubarb is abundant on the produce shelves and that is always a reminder that Spring is here. It has such a short season that I feel I have to take full advantage of it while I can.

I made these pistachio, roasted rhubarb, strawberry and white chocolate petits gateaux about a week ago, but had not had a chance to enjoy them until last night.




I always seem to poach rhubarb in a simple syrup and then eat it with plain yogurt. That is for some reason encrusted in my brain, but this time I decided to roast it. Roasted fruit is one of my favorite things indeed.

I didn't notice that much of a difference between poaching and roasting as far as texture and flavor. The rhubarb didn't completely caramelize because of the amount of water in it but it did maintain a very vibrant color which seems to dissipate when poached.



Jill was of course first to taste them. She was honest and seemed to like the different components, but said it lacked texture, so that's when the macarons came into play. I had these leftover in the freezer from when I made the strawberry and vanilla bean macarons. Always good to have them handy.

And then there are these ranunculus. My friend M. is the florist at Whole Foods and always seems to bring the best ones out for me from the back. Love her.



Pistachio Joconde

makes quarter sheetpan

52 grams almond flour
53 grams pistachio flour
75 grams powdered sugar
25 grams flour
125 grams eggs
92 grams egg whites
37 grams sugar
17 grams butter

Place this first five ingredients in a bowl of an electric mixer. With a whip attachment, whip this mixture until a thick ribbon forms, about 5 minutes. Transfer this mixture to a large bowl and wash the electric mixer bowl and whip attachment.

Place the egg whites in the bowl of the electric mixer and whip until a light meringue starts to form. Slowly, sprinkle in the sugar and whip until semi-stiff peaks form.

Mix a third of the meringue into the first mixture. Add the rest of the meringue and fold gently. Add the melted butter and fold until it is all incorporated.

Pour the batter into a quarter sheetpan lined with parchment paper and spread the batter into an even layer. Bake at 375 degrees for about 12 minutes or until it starts to form a light color on top. Let it cool and refrigerate until ready to use.

Cut disks of cake that are the same diameter of the ring mold you will be using. About 8 3-inch rings.

Roasted Rhubarb

300 grams rhubarb, cut into 2 inch strips
40 grams sugar

Toss the rhubarb with the sugar and place on a baking pan. Bake at 375F for about 15 minutes or until it is soft and slightly caramelized.

Process it into a fine puree while hot. Let it cool in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Roasted Rhubarb Mousse

250 grams roasted rhubarb puree
20 grams sugar
5 grams gelatin sheets
250 grams heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks

Warm half of the puree with the sugar until sugar dissolves. In the meantime, soak the gelatin in ice water to soften it. Add the softed gelatin to the warm puree. Add the rest of the cold puree and mix.

Fold in the whipped cream into the puree base until well combined.

Place the mousse in a piping bag and pipe on top of the pistachio joconde and freeze until set.

Strawberry Gelee

300 grams strawberry puree
60 grams sugar
5 grams gelatin sheets

Warm half of the puree with sugar. In the meantime, soak gelatin in ice water to soften it. Add the softened gelatin to the warm puree. Add the rest of the cold puree and mix well.

Pour a thin layer on top of the frozen rhubarb mousse and freeze until set.

White Chocolate Chantilly

200 grams heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks
100 grams white chocolate, melted and slightly cool

Add a third of the whipped cream into the bowl with the melted and cooled chocolate. Whisk vigorously. Then add the remaining cream and now, fold gently with a spatula.

Place chantilly in a piping bag and top the ring mold with it. Using an offset spatula, level the tops. Freeze or refrigerate depending on when it will be eaten.

Top with a quenelle of sweetened vanilla whipped cream, chopped pistachios and macarons.

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Welcome Spring with a Rhubarb Flan and Pistachio Crumble Tart

The first things that come to mind when I think of Spring are cherry blossoms, morning dew and rhubarb. Growing up, I always looked forward to the few sunny mornings we got during Spring. Winter always seemed to linger far too long and when we had one full day of sun without rain, we rushed outside to play. I remember waiting anxiously for the trees to start to blossom and to start getting the first fruits and vegetables of the season.

Even though now I live in a warm climate where the change of seasons is very mild, I still feel the same excitement I did back then when I see new produce arrive or new flowers being planted. This week I spotted my first rhubarb and my head started spinning with all the possibilities.



There are many rhubarb desserts to come, but I really had to start with some kind of custard component. I hope you forgive me for all the eggs and milk that you will be seeing in this blog, but I am still not through with my custard craving.

So here is a tart made with vanilla bean sugar dough, poached rhubarb, vanilla bean flan and pistachio crumble. I love the tart rhubarb against the warm vanilla and the creamy interior with the crunchy topping. Let me warn you, this is best eaten slightly warm.

Have a great weekend!




Vanilla Bean Sugar Dough

250 grams butter
125 grams powdered sugar
1 vanilla bean, scraped
1 egg
370 grams flour
2 grams baking powder
3 grams salt

Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla bean together. Add the egg and mix until combined. Scrape the bowl. add the flour, baking powder and salt and mix until dough comes together.

Form the dough into a disk, flatten it and wrap it in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for at least two hours.

Roll the dough to about 1/16"-1/8". Cut circles larger than your tart rings and fill the rings with the dough. Place the filled tart rings in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

Poached Rhubarb

200 grams water
100 grams sugar
75 grams rhubarb cut into 2 inch pieces

In a small saucepan, make a syrup with the water and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Turn heat down to barely simmering and gently poach the rhubarb in the syrup for about 3 to 5 minutes until the rhubarb is soft but still keeps it shape.

Remove the rhubarb from the syrup and drain. Be careful not to mush it too much.

Flan

100 grams heavy cream
50 grams whole milk
75 grams sugar
1 vanilla bean, scraped
3 eggs
20 grams cornstarch

In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream, whole milk, half of the sugar and the vanilla bean to a boil.

In the meantime, whisk the eggs, rest of sugar and cornstarch together. Temper the hot cream into the egg mixture and whisk until combined. Strain through a fine sieve and cool over an ice bath.

Pistachio Crumble

100 grams unsalted butter
100 grams sugar
100 grams flour
125 grams pistachios, chopped
pinch of salt

Cream all ingredients together in an electric mixer. It will be crumbly. Place on a cookie sheet or in an air tight container and refrigerate over night.

Assemble the tarts

Start by blind baking the tart shells. Place a square of parchment paper on top of the dough and fill the ring with beans or pie weights. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes.

Drain the poached rhubarb really well and fill the pre-baked tart shells with it. Fill the tart with the flan mixture and bake in a 300F oven for about 5 minutes until it is slightly set.

Place the crumble on top of the flan and finish baking at 350F for about another 10 minutes until golden.

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Creme Bulgare, Christine Ferber and Petit Suisse Nostalgia

This post is about two loves of mine: yogurt and Christine Ferber...

Growing up, we ate a lot, A LOT of yogurt. Mainly plain whole milk yogurt sweetened with fruits, a bit of sugar or honey. Flavored yogurts from Danone (or Dannon as it is known here) were a treat, eaten as dessert. The fun about getting these flavored yogurts were all the "toys" that came with them. I think these must have been the first real marketing techniques applied to food products in Europe and of course, they were targeted to children. My favorite were the sticker albums usually in reference to some cartoon show that was popular at the time. I remember "Maya the Bee" like it was yesterday.

Our other childhood treat was petit suisse. If you grew up in Europe or even walked the yogurt and cheese section of European supermarkets, you have certainly tried or at least seen these little delicacies. Not to be confused with yogurt, petit suisse is an unsalted, unripened, fresh, cow's milk cheese originally from Normandy but widespread in Europe now. It is sold in six pack mini containers with ridges on the side and the cheese is usually wrapped in a thin piece of paper. Again, this was one of the staple snacks growing up. There were different flavors, strawberry, chocolate, banana... but my favorite was always plain.








I have looked and looked everywhere but I have not been able to find any near me so yes, I will be making my own petits suisse. Stay tuned for that one. The nostalgia for this rich and creamy texture is what inspired me to make some yogurt of my own but instead of milk, I used heavy cream, 40% butterfat to be exact. Thick like Greek yogurt but not as tangy. Sweet without any added sugar.

My second love is Christine Ferber. I learned about her a few years back and in my eyes, she is the quintessential seasonal pastry chef. All her books and recipes are always organized by season and she focuses very much on fruits. Her books "Mes Confitures" and "Mes Tartes" are two of my favorite pastry books on my shelf and I often times go to them for inspiration. I love her rustic, simple and natural approach to food. It resonates with me and how I like to eat. This apple and rhubarb jam I made to go with the creme bulgare is inspired by one of her recipes.




Creme Bulgare





1 liter of organic heavy cream

1 envelope (5 grams) of freeze-dried yogurt starter




In a saucepan, bring the cream almost to a boil (about 82 degrees Celsius). Remove from heat and let it cool to 42 degrees Celsius. Mix a small amount of the lukewarm milk with the yogurt starter. Add it to the rest of the cream and whisk lightly.




Pour the cream into your yogurt jars and follow the manufacturer's instructions. A thin layer of fat will rise to the top of the yogurt forming a skin. That's normal and that is actually the best part in my opinion. Refrigerate once the yogurt is set.





Rhubarb and Apple Jam




makes a medium jar of jam




100 grams rhubarb, small dice

100 grams Granny Smith apples, small dice

200 grams sugar

50 grams apple juice

1 Tbs fresh lemon juice




Cut the rhubarb in small dice. Peel and core the apples and cut them into small dice. Combine the fruit, sugar, apple juice and lemon juice in a bowl and let it macerated in the refrigerator overnight.




Next day, strain the mixture through a sieve. Bring the leftover syrup to a boil and cook to 221 degrees Farenheit. Add the macerated fruit and bring to a boil again. Skim any impurities, reduce heat to medium and cook for another 10 minutes. Pour the jam into jars and let it cool. Serve the creme bulgare with the rhubarb jam.





Candied Rhubarb Strips




75 grams sugar

75 grams water

1 rhubarb stalk




Make a simple syrup by boiling the water and the sugar. Turn heat off once the sugar is dissolved.




Cut thin strips of rhubarb with a vegetable peeler. Dip the rhubarb in the cooled simple syrup and place the strips on a silicon mat. Dry them in a 200F degree oven for about an hour. While they are still warm and pliable, twist them. They will cool quickly and as soon as they cool, they will hold their shape. Store in an air-tight container.








Stay tuned for part II and my attempt to make petits suisse...

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