The Workbook
Pulse flour, sugar, and salt in a
food processor until combined.
Add butter and pulse until mixture
resembles coarse meal with some
pea-size pieces remaining. Drizzle
4 tablespoons ice water over mix-
ture; pulse until mixture holds
together when pinched (dough
should not be wet or sticky). If too
dry, add more water, 1 teaspoon
at a time, and pulse. Form dough
into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrig-
erate at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
ACTIVE TIME: 5 MIN. | TOTAL TIME: 1 HR.
5 MIN. | MAKES: ENOUGH FOR ONE
SINGLE-CRUST PIE
Brown Sugar–Cornmeal
Shortbread Cookies
1 ½ cups unbleached all-
purpose flour
½ cup fine yellow or white
cornmeal
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 sticks unsalted butter,
room temperature
½ cup packed light-brown
sugar
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla paste
or extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon,
preferably Ceylon
- Preheat oven to 300 ̊. Whisk
together flour, cornmeal, and salt
to combine. In a mixer fitted with
the paddle attachment, beat butter
with brown sugar and 1/3 cup
granulated sugar on medium speed
until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 min-
utes. Add egg and vanilla; beat
until smooth. Reduce speed to
low and gradually add flour mix-
ture, beating just until combined.
Spoon a scant 2 tablespoons
(1 ounce) dough into each cup of
a mini muffin tin. Firmly rap
tin against a counter a few times
to ensure dough reaches bottom
edges of each cup. Flatten tops
with your fingers.
2. Bake until cookies are golden
brown and set, 25 to 30 minutes.
Let cool in tin 5 minutes. Mean-
while, in a small bowl, stir
together remaining 1/3 cup gran-
ulated sugar and cinnamon. Flip
cookies out of tin. Working with
a few at a time, toss cookies in
cinnamon sugar to evenly coat;
transfer to a wire rack and let
cool completely. Cookies can be
stored in an airtight container
at room temperature up to 1 week.
ACTIVE TIME: 30 MIN. | TOTAL TIME: 1 HR.,
PLUS COOLING | MAKES: ABOUT 35
Scott Peacock’s Brandied
Figs
For full canning instructions, go
to freshpreserving.com. If you start
early in the morning, you can
complete this recipe within a day,
but you can also let the figs cool
to room temperature and refrigerate
them overnight between simmers.
Resting the figs in sugar overnight
before cooking helps draw out
moisture and lessens the chance of
scorching, but in a pinch you can
cook them right away.
3 pounds fresh ripe figs, such
as Celeste or Brown Turkey,
stems intact
1 ½ cups sugar
¼ cup brandy, plus more
if desired
- Wash figs a few at a time by
quickly dipping them in a bowl
of cool water. (Do not soak.)
Place in a single layer on a kitchen
towel; drain. Sprinkle ¾ cup
sugar evenly in a wide nonreactive
pot. Top with figs, then sprinkle
with remaining ¾ c up s uga r.
Cover; refrigerate at least 12 hours
and up to 2 days.
2. Place pot over low heat, un-
covered, and bring figs to a bare
simmer. (Tilt pan from side to
side or swirl a bit to help sugar
dissolve, but do not stir, or fruit
may get damaged.) Partially cover
and simmer 10 minutes; remove
from heat. Cover; let stand 4 hours.
3. Repeat step 2 twice; figs should
turn translucent in final simmer-
ing stage. (If necessary, allow to
simmer longer than 10 minutes in
final simmer, until they do.)
- Carefully spoon hot figs into
hot sterilized canning jars (ideally
pint-size or smaller). Bring syrup
to a boil, skimming any scum that
rises to surface. Turn off heat; stir
in brandy. Taste; add more brandy
as desired. Pour hot syrup over
fruit to cover. Seal and process in
a hot-water bath 10 minutes. Figs
can be stored in a cool, dark place
up to 1 year.
ACTIVE TIME: 15 MIN. | TOTAL TIME: 1 HR. 10
MIN., PLUS STEEPING | MAKES: 2 QUARTS
THE HEIGHT OF
GREATNESS
PAGE 100
Lemon-Cranberry
Meringue Pie
CRUST
Deep-Dish Pâte Brisée
(see recipe, page 121)
Unbleached all-purpose
flour, for dusting
LEMON FILLING
1 1/3 cups sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
½ teaspoon kosher salt
4 large egg yolks (whites
reserved for meringue)
2 teaspoons grated lemon
zest, plus ¾ cup fresh juice
4 tablespoons unsalted butter,
cut into ½-inch pieces
CRANBERRY GELÉE
10 ounces fresh cranberries,
rinsed and drained; or frozen
cranberries (about 2½ cups)
½ cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Pinch of kosher salt
MERINGUE
5 large egg whites, room
temperature
¾ cup sugar
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Crust: Preheat oven to 400 ̊.
Roll out dough on a lightly floured
surface to an approximately
13-inch round. Transfer to a
9-by-2-inch fluted tart pan, or
a 9-inch deep-dish pie dish.
Trim flush with edges of pan. Line
with parchment and fill with
dried beans or pie weights. Bake
until crust is set and dry, about
25 minutes. Remove beans and
parchment; continue baking
until crust is golden on bottom,
about 15 minutes. Transfer to
a wire rack; let cool completely.
- Lemon filling: Combine sugar,
cornstarch, and salt in a saucepan.
Whisk in egg yolks, lemon zest,
and 11/3 cups water until smooth.
Bring mixture to a boil over
medium-high heat, whisking fre-
quently; boil 1 minute. Remove
from heat; whisk in lemon juice
and butter until smooth. Pour
mixture into crust. Refrigerate
until filling is cool and set, about
30 minutes.
- Cranberry gelée: Combine
cranberries, sugar, cornstarch,
salt, and ¾ cup water in a sauce-
pan. Bring to a boil over medium-
high heat, stirring occasionally;
boil 1 minute. Press through a
fine-mesh sieve (discarding solids),
then pour over pudding in crust,
gently spreading to edges with an
offset spatula. Refrigerate until
cold and set, at least 30 minutes
or, loosely covered, up to 1 day.
If using tart pan, remove pie from
pan and transfer to a serving plate
or cake stand.
- Meringue: In the bowl of a
mixer set over (but not in) a bowl
of simmering water, beat egg
whites and sugar until sugar has
dissolved and mixture is hot.
Transfer to mixer fitted with the
whisk attachment; beat on low
speed until foamy. Add cream of
tartar and vanilla, increase speed
to medium-high and whisk until
stiff, glossy peaks form, about
8 minutes.
- Spoon meringue onto center
of pie, spreading slightly and
leaving a 1-inch border between
meringue and crust. Wave a
kitchen torch over meringue until
browned in places. Cut pie into
wedges; serve. (Pie is best eaten
the same day.)
ACTIVE TIME: 50 MIN. | TOTAL TIME: 2 HR.
30 MIN., PLUS COOLING | SERVES: 10 TO 12
Cherry-Cheese Strudel Pie
If your puff pastry comes in two
sheets, stack and roll them out
together to the directed dimensions.
To simplify the crust prep, you
can simply score a one-inch border
around the oval and proceed.
14 to 17.3 ounces puff pastry,
preferably all-butter
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons
unbleached all-purpose flour,
and more for dusting
1 large egg, beaten
½ cup sugar, plus more for
sprinkling
122 NOVEMBER 2019
