Yummy Goodness

In this case, real yummy goodness, no yarn involved, because the laptop sleeve is just a huge piece of pink and purple stockinette and the other thing I'm working on is a secret. Seraphim is currently on vacation while I finish up the other two projects.

My favorite early-summer dessert is this Apricot Cherry Tart. Martha calls it Apricot Cherry Bake, but I think that's awfully boring for something so yummy. This only has a top crust, so I guess technically it's not a tart, but still.... Both of the recipes below are based on recipes in the June 2003 issue of Martha Stewart Living.

Here's my version -- you can vary the amount of fruit, depending on what you've got and what you like. My version uses more cherries than Martha calls for. (And, by the way, one of these makes cherries a lot less trouble.) If you use much more (or less) fruit, you will, of course, need more (or less) flour and sugar.

2 1/2 to 3 pounds small ripe apricots (about 16-18), sliced into sixths
3/4 pound cherries, pitted (about 1 1/2 to 2 cups)
1/2 cup flour
1 cup sugar

Pie crust dough for a single crust pie (see below)
water
4 teaspoons sugar

Butter a 2 1/2 quart baking dish and set aside (again - vary this depending on how much fruit you're using. The fruit should fill the dish about 2/3 full.)

In a large bowl, toss the fruit with the flour and 1 cup sugar. Place in prepared baking dish.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out crust into a 12-inch round (so says Martha -- it doesn't need to be round). Cut into pieces about 3 inches square. Place over fruit mixture in a patchwork pattern. Refrigerate about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400°. Lightly brush dough with water and sprinkle with remaining 4 teaspoons sugar. Bake until crust is golden brown and the juices are bubbling, 50-60 minutes. Best served at room temperature.


Pâte Brisée (Sweet Pie Crust)
Makes enough for 1 9” single-crust pie

1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup ice water

Place flour, salt, and sugar in food processor; pulse a few times to combine. Add butter; process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds.

With machine running, add ice water a tablespoon at a time through the feed tube, just until dough holds together.

Turn out dough flatten to form a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least an hour or overnight.