Cannoli Tart

For the Crust:

• Cooking spray

• 160 g all-purpose flour (5.7 ounces; 1 1/4 cups)

• 50 g granulated sugar (1.8 ounces; 1/4 cup)

• 3 g (1 teaspoon) Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume or the same weight

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 85 g (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

• 5 tablespoons (80 ml) heavy cream

• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract

• 1 egg white, lightly beaten (save egg yolk for filling below)

For the Filling:

• 425 g whole milk ricotta (from one 15-ounce container)

• 50 g granulated sugar (1.8 ounces; 1/4 cup)

• 1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk, divided

• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract

• 1/2 teaspoon orange zest from about 1/2 a large orange 

• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• Pinch kosher salt

• 85 g (3 ounces) dark or semisweet chocolate finely chopped

• 30 g shelled, toasted pistachios (1 ounce; 1/4 cup), for topping (optional)

• Powdered sugar, for topping

Directions

1. For the Crust: Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly grease an 8-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, and cinnamon and whisk to combine. Add butter cubes and, using hands, work butter into the dry ingredients until mixture is the texture of a coarse meal. Add cream and vanilla and toss the mixture until large clumps of dough form.

3. Press 2/3 of the dough mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared tart pan, then press the remaining dough into the sides. Prick the bottom of the dough all over with the tines of a fork. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.

4. Line the chilled pastry with a large piece of aluminum foil, taking care to press the foil into the corners of the pan. Fill the foil with pie weights, dried beans, dried rice, or sugar all the way to the brim. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350°F (175°C) and bake until crust is deep golden brown on the sides, about 15 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and pie weights and bake until crust bottom is dry to the touch and deep golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool until no longer too hot to touch, 5 to 10 minutes. Using a pastry brush, brush crust all over with a thin layer of the beaten egg white. Return crust to oven and bake until egg white has dried and crust is shiny, 2 to 5 minutes longer. Set aside to cool while preparing the custard.

5. For the Custard: Reduce oven temperature to 325°F (163°C). In a medium mixing bowl, whisk ricotta, sugar, egg, egg yolk, orange zest, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt until smooth. Using a spatula, stir in chocolate until well combined, then pour custard into prepared crust (note that the custard will be fairly thick). Spread custard into an even layer, then bake until custard is just set all the way through but center still jiggles slightly when pan is shaken, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool on counter for 30 minutes, then cover the tart loosely with plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 1 day before serving.

6. Just before serving, scatter pistachios over top of tart, if using.Using a fine-mesh strainer, dust generously with powdered sugar. Slice and serve.

Raspberry Clafoutis

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for greasing the dish

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

Kosher salt

3 large eggs

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk

1 1/2 pints raspberries (3 cups)

Powdered sugar, for dusting

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch gratin dish. In a bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, and a pinch of salt. Whisk in the eggs, butter, and lemon zest until smooth. Add the milk and whisk until light and very smooth, about 3 minutes. Pour the batter into the gratin dish and top with the raspberries.

Bake for about 30 minutes, until the clafoutis is set and golden. Let cool slightly. Dust with powdered sugar, cut into wedges, and serve.

Creme Brulee

gredients 

• 1 1/2 cups (355ml) heavy cream

• 1 1/2 cups (355ml) whole milk

• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scraped

• 1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume

• 7 large egg yolks (98g)

• 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar

• Just-boiled water, for the water bath

• Raw or granulated sugar, for topping (see note)

Directions

1. In a 3-quart saucepan, combine heavy cream, whole milk, vanilla bean and seeds, and salt. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, then remove from heat, cover, and let stand 1 hour.

   Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

2. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 325ºF (163ºC). In a large bowl, whisk yolks with granulated sugar until smooth (do not combine the sugar and yolks until you are ready to add the dairy; if left to stand before adding the dairy, the sugar will absorb moisture from the yolks and leave behind hard, clumpy bits, something pastry chefs refer to as “burning” the yolks). Set a fine-mesh strainer over yolk mixture and pour cream mixture through; discard vanilla bean. Whisk custard base until thoroughly combined.

   Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

3. Set six 4-ounce ramekins in a 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Divide custard base evenly among the ramekins, filling them 1/4 inch from the top of the rim. (If you have a few tablespoons of extra custard, that’s okay.) Pour just-boiled—but not boiling—water (around 180º to 200ºF; 88º to 93ºC) into baking dish until it comes 2/3 of the way up the ramekins; be careful not to splash water into the ramekins as you pour. Carefully transfer baking dish to middle rack of oven and bake until custards are just set (they should jiggle slightly in the middle and register 175ºF/79ºC to 178ºF/81ºC on an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center), about 35 minutes. Remove from oven, and, using towels or silicone-coated tongs, carefully transfer ramekins to a cooling rack. Allow custards to cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. Refrigerate until set, uncovered, at least 4 hours.

   Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

4. To finish and serve, let custards stand for 20 minutes at room temperature. Right before serving, top the surface of each custard with an even layer of raw sugar (about 2 teaspoons per ramekin), swirling the ramekins to distribute the sugar evenly. Working in a circular motion, use a butane blowtorch to pass a flame over the top of each crème brûlée, 1- to 2-inches away from the surface of the custard, until the sugar has caramelized and melted into a glossy, crackling sheet and turned golden brown (how closely and how long you should torch your custards will depend on the strength of your blowtorch; watch the sugar carefully as you pass the torch over the surface of the custard to avoid scorching your crème brûlées). Alternatively, for a broiler method, see notes.

   Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

5. Cool slightly for 1 to 2 minutes, then serve immediately.

   Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

Notes 

Though it isn’t our recommended method, you can use your broiler to caramelize your crème brûlées if you don’t have a blowtorch. To do so, preheat your broiler, and set an oven rack 3 to 4 inches away from the flame. Top the surface of each custard with an even layer of raw sugar (about 2 teaspoons per ramekin) and broil until the sugar has melted, about 5 minutes. Keep an eye out, as broiler strength can vary quite a bit and the sugar may burn if left unattended.

Though I liked the results of using raw sugar more, opting for granulated sugar is lower-risk given its finer grain size and less likely to overbrown compared to already-brown raw sugar.

If you don’t have ramekins, you can bake the custard in a single 2-quart baking dish set in a larger baking dish with a hot water bath.

Why a Set of Ramekins Are My Kitchen’s True MVP

Special Equipment 

3-quart saucepan; whisk; six 4-ounce ramekins; blowtorch (recommended)

Make Ahead and Storage 

The custards can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated uncovered. Avoid caramelizing the sugar topping until you are ready to serve; after 20 minutes, the crisp sugar topping will soften and liquify.

• 4 cups heavy cream

• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

• Pinch of kosher salt

• 8 egg yolks

• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

• 1/3 cup turbinado sugar, divided, for glazing

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Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300°F. Combine cream with vanilla bean and salt in a medium saucepan and simmer over medium heat until surface begins to shimmer, about 5 minutes.

2. Beat egg yolks and granulated sugar with a wooden spoon in a large heatproof bowl. Slowly pour in hot cream mixture, stirring gently. Strain custard through a mesh sieve into a large measuring cup; skim off any bubbles.

3. Arrange 8 shallow 4 1/2-inch-wide ramekins in a roasting pan (see Note above). Slowly pour custard into ramekins, filling almost to top. Set roasting pan in center of oven and carefully pour in enough hot water to reach halfway up sides of ramekins. Cover pan loosely with foil and bake until custards are firm at the edges but still a bit wobbly in the center, about 1 hour.

4. Transfer ramekins to a wire rack to cool completely. Cover and refrigerate until cold, at least 3 hours or up to 2 days.

5. Preheat broiler to high. Place ramekins on a baking sheet and gently blot surfaces of custards to remove any condensation. Using a small sieve, sift 2 teaspoons of turbinado sugar over each custard in a thin, even layer, tilting ramekins as needed. Broil custards as close to heat as possible until sugar is evenly caramelized, 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Let cool slightly until sugar hardens and serve at once.