Pie and Pastry Bible (167 page)

POINTERS FOR SUCCESS

The berries must have been frozen in order to release some of their liquid. Be sure to use frozen berries with no added sugar. The juices from berries in syrup cannot be reduced as much, because the sugar starts to caramelize.

Raspberry seeds are tiny and can pass through most food mills. Only the finest strainer or the puréeing attachment to the Cuisinart will remove all the seeds.

UNDERSTANDING

Raspberry pulp clings tenaciously to the seeds. The Cuisinart puréeing attachment was well worth the price because not only does it reduce this chore to a few effortless minutes, it also yields a higher amount of purée and because it is plastic as opposed to metal, results in the purest flavor. (Rubbing the seeds against metal can release some bitterness.) Unfortunately, this invaluable attachment is not being produced at the present time, so if you have one, guard it carefully; if not, look for one in a garage sale.

The microwave method of reducing the raspberry juice gives the purest flavor because it does not come into contact with direct heat, preventing any slight browning or caramel flavor.

STRAWBERRY SAUCE

I
t is amazing how this sauce captures the flavor of sun-warmed strawberries at their peak—more so than fresh strawberries themselves when eaten out of season! This is partly because strawberries for freezing are picked at their prime and also because this method of concentrating the juices without cooking the fruit results in a purée of double the concentration and a much fresher flavor than conventional ones. (This is a technique I have discovered to make the berries surrender all their flavor while maintaining their brilliant color.)

This sauce can be used in place of raspberry sauce when a lighter, more subtle touch is desired.

MAKES: 1 CUPS/12.25 ounces/35O GRAMS
INGREDIENTS	MEASURE	WEIGHT
		VOLUME	OUNCES	GRAMS
* Fresh berries are fine to use only in season when they are full of flavor. If using fresh berries, you will need 20 ounces (5 cups). In order to make them exude their juices, they must be frozen and thawed to break down the cell membranes. A few drops of French essence of wild strawberry (see page 638) will add flavor intensity.
frozen strawberries,* with no added sugar (20-ounce bag)	5 cups	20 ounces	567 grams
freshly squeezed lemon juice	2 teaspoons	0.3 ounce	10 grams
sugar	¼ cup	1.75 ounces	50 grams

In a colander suspended over a deep bowl, thaw the strawberries completely. This will take several hours. (To speed thawing, place in an oven with a pilot light.)

Press the berries, if necessary, to force out the juice. There should be close to ¼ cups of juice.

In a small saucepan (or in a 4-cup heatproof glass measure or bowl in a microwave on high power), boil the juice until reduced to ¼ cup. Pour it into a lightly oiled heatproof glass measure.

In a food processor, purée the strawberries. You should have 1 full (liquid) cup of purée. Stir in the reduced strawberry syrup and the lemon juice. There should be 1¼ cups. If you have less, add less sugar. (The correct amount of sugar is one fifth the volume of the purée; e.g., for 10 tablespoons purée, add 2 tablespoons sugar.) Stir until the sugar dissolves.

STORE

Refrigerated, up to 10 days; frozen, up to éyear. (The purée can be thawed briefly and refrozen several times with no ill effect.)

UNDERSTANDING

The little seeds in strawberries create a lovely textural effect.

The microwave method of reducing the strawberry juice gives the purest flavor because it does not come into contact with direct heat, preventing any slight browning or caramel flavor.

VANILLA CUSTARD SAUCE

(Cræme Anglaise)

T
he silken smoothness of this sauce creates a lovely contrast with tangy fruit pies.

Although it is fine to serve this sauce immediately once it’s chilled, its vanilla flavor deepens and the texture thickens after about eight hours of chilling.

Have a fine strainer suspended over a small mixing bowl ready near the range.

In a small heavy nonreactive saucepan, place the sugar and the vanilla bean and, using your fingers, rub the seeds into the sugar. Add the salt and yolks and, using a wooden spoon, stir until well blended.

In another small saucepan (or heatproof glass measure if using a microwave on high power), scald
^*
the milk. Stir a few tablespoons into the yoke mixture, then gradually add the remaining milk, stirring constantly. Heat the mixture to just below the boiling point (170° to 180°F.), stirring constantly. Steam will begin to appear and the mixture will be slightly thicker than heavy cream. A finger run across the back of the spoon will leave a well-defined track. Immediately remove it from the heat and pour it into the strainer, scraping up the thickened cream that has settled on the bottom of the pan. Return the vanilla pod to the sauce until serving time.

Cool the sauce in an ice-water bath or the refrigerator. Stir in the optional liqueur.

STORE

Refrigerated, up to 5 days; frozen, up to 3 months. (The sauce thickens slightly overnight in the refrigerator.)

POINTERS FOR SUCCESS

See Ice Cream Pies and Ice Cream (page 223).

UNDERSTANDING

Vanilla cream sauce is actually very similar to unfrozen New York-style (custardbased) vanilla ice cream, but with half the liquid and one third the sugar. Unlike ice cream, which requires a high fat content to keep ice crystals from forming, this sauce can be kept lighter by using only milk and no cream or a smaller proportion of cream. For a richer, thicker sauce, use
cup of milk and
cup of cream or ½ cup of milk and ½ cup of cream.

COFFEE CUSTARD SAUCE

(Cræme Anglaise au Café)

T
his classic French method of extracting coffee essence by steeping ground coffee beans in hot milk provides intense flavor. Fresh-roasted high-quality beans provide the most flavor. Extra sugar is often used to offset the bitterness of the coffee. This sauce is lovely served with tarts that have a chocolate crust, such as Chocolate Oblivion Tartlets (page 308) and the Chocolate Burnt Almond Ice Cream Tartlets (page 230).

MAKES: 1 CUPS
INGREDIENTS	MEASURE	WEIGHT
		VOLUME	OUNCES	GRAMS
* Use only 3 tablespoons sugar if adding Kahl—a.
†If using a Tahitian bean, use only one quarter bean. You can substitute éteaspoon vanilla extract for the vanilla bean, but the bean offers a fuller, more aromatic flavor. If using extract, add it after the sauce is cool.
sugar	¼ cup*	1.75 ounces	50 grams
½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise†	•	•	•
salt	a pinch	•	•
4 large egg yolks	¼ liquid cup	2.5 ounces	74 grams
milk	1 liquid cup	8.5 ounces	242 grams
finely ground coffee beans	2½ tablespoons	0.3 ounce	10 grams
optional: Kahl—a	2 tablespoons	1 ounce	25 grams