The Workbook
6 ounces (1½ cups)
frozen pitted sour cherries
(not defrosted)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
8 ounces cream cheese,
room temperature
½ cup ricotta
3/4 teaspoon finely grated
orange zest
- Preheat oven to 400°. Unfold
dough onto a flour-dusted
parchment-lined baking sheet;
if necessary, roll out slightly to
form a rectangle, about 151/2 by
10 1/2 inches. Cut out a 15-by-10-inch
oval. Fold oval in half crosswise
from short ends, like a book (1);
turn so folded side is facing you
and dough resembles an arch.
Working from folded side, and
starting 1 inch in from either
edge, cut along curve of dough,
leaving ¾ inch uncut at top of
arch (2). Unfold, then cross outer
border sections over each other
(3), lining up edges as best as
possible, to create a pastry shell
with a 1-inch border and twists
at top and bottom (4). Dock center
with a fork. Trace a scored line
just inside border, into but not
all the way through dough.
(This will allow the sides to rise
up straight.) Freeze 15 minutes.
If desired, score border with
a knife in a decorative pattern.
Carefully pierce center with knife
tip to release steam. Continue
baking until golden brown, about
10 minutes more. Reduce oven
temperature to 375°; bake until
fully cooked in center (if top is
browning too quickly, tent with
foil), about 5 minutes more. Let
cool 15 minutes. Carefully (it will
still be hot) press center in with
a metal spatula to make a well.
- Meanwhile, in a small sauce-
pan, combine cherries with 1/4 cup
sugar, 2 teaspoons flour, and salt.
Bring to a boil, stirring frequently,
then cook until juices have
thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Let cool
15 minutes. In a food processor,
pulse cream cheese and ricotta
with remaining 1/4 cup sugar and
2 tablespoons flour, and orange
zest, until smooth. Add reserved
egg; pulse to combine.
- Spread cheese filling into well
in crust. Top with cherry mixture,
swirling juices in with a toothpick
to create marbling. Bake until
filling is set in center and puffed
slightly around edges, 25 to 30
minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire
rack; let cool 10 minutes. Using
parchment, slide pie off sheet
onto rack; let cool completely.
Serve immediately at room tem-
perature, or refrigerate, covered
with plastic wrap, up to 2 days.
ACTIVE TIME: 20 MIN. | TOTAL TIME: 1 HR.
45 MIN., PLUS COOLING | SERVES: 8
Mile-High Triple-
Chocolate-Espresso
Mousse Pie
If you are concerned about using
raw eggs, buy pasteurized ones.
The crust can be made a day ahead;
tightly wrap the pan in plastic and
store at room temperature.
CRUST
1 stick unsalted butter, melted,
plus more for pan
9 ounces chocolate wafer
cookies, such as Famous
1/3 cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
MOUSSES
8 ounces bittersweet
chocolate, chopped (11/4 cups)
8 ounces milk chocolate,
chopped (11/4 cups)
6 large egg whites, plus
2 yolks, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla paste
or extract
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
ESPRESSO CREAM
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon instant
espresso powder
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
Unsweetened cocoa powder,
for dusting
- Crust: Preheat oven to 350 ̊.
Brush the bottom and sides of
a 9-inch-round, 3-inch-deep
springform pan with butter. Pulse
cookies and granulated sugar
in a food processor until finely
ground. Add butter and salt,
pulsing until texture resembles
that of wet sand. Press mixture
evenly into bottom and halfway up
sides of prepared pan. Bake until
crust is set and dry to the touch,
12 to 15 minutes. Transfer pan to
a wire rack; let cool completely.
- Mousses: Melt both chocolates
in separate heatproof bowls set
over (but not in) a pot of simmer-
ing water, stirring occasionally,
until only pea-size lumps remain.
Remove from heat; stir until
chocolate is completely melted.
Let cool to warm room tempera-
ture. Stir 1 egg yolk and 1/2 tea-
spoon vanilla into each bowl just
to combine.
- In a mixer fitted with the whisk
attachment, beat egg whites
on low speed until foamy. Add
cream of tartar; increase speed
to medium-high and beat to soft
peaks. With motor running,
gradually add granulated sugar
and beat to stiff, glossy peaks.
Stir 1 cup meringue into each
chocolate mixture. Divide remain-
ing meringue evenly between
mixtures, gently folding in until
no streaks remain. Whisk cream
with confectioners’ sugar to soft
peaks. Divide evenly between
chocolate mixtures, gently fold-
ing in until no streaks remain.
- Pour bittersweet-chocolate
mousse into crust, smoothing top
with an offset spatula. Gently pour
milk-chocolate mousse over bit-
tersweet mousse, smoothing top.
- Espresso cream: Whisk cream,
espresso powder, and confection-
ers’ sugar to stiff peaks. Spread
evenly over milk-chocolate mousse
in pan, smoothing top. Refriger-
ate until set, at least 8 hours or,
loosely covered with plastic
wrap, up to 3 days. To serve, lightly
dust top with cocoa, then run
a thin knife around edges of pan
to loosen; unlock pan and lift
sides to remove. Transfer pie to
a serving plate or cake stand and
cut into wedges.
ACTIVE TIME: 45 MIN. | TOTAL TIME: 9 HR.,
PLUS COOLING | SERVES: 10 TO 12
Butterscotch Pie With
Pecan-Shortbread Crust
CRUST
1 cup pecan halves
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons
unbleached all-purpose
flour
½ teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter,
room temperature
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg yolk
FILLING
1 cup firmly packed dark-
brown sugar
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon
cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
4 large egg yolks
1 2/3 cups whole milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Whole or coarsely chopped
Sugared Pecans (recipe fol-
lows), for serving (optional)
- Crust: Preheat oven to 375°.
Toast pecans on a rimmed baking
sheet until fragrant and golden,
8 to 10 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes,
then finely grind in a food pro-
cessor. Add flour and salt; pulse
just to combine.
- In a bowl, stir together butter
and granulated sugar; stir in egg
yolk. Add flour mixture and stir
until mixture has the texture of
fine crumbs and holds together
when pressed between two fingers.
Press evenly into bottom and up
sides of an 81/4-by-11-i nch f luted
tart pan with a removable bottom.
Freeze 15 minutes. Bake until
set and deep golden brown, about
25 minutes. Transfer pan to a
wire rack; let cool 15 minutes.
A B B A
1
3 4
2
- Brush crust with some of
beaten egg (reserving rest for fill-
ing); sprinkle with sugar. Bake,
rotating sheet halfway through,
until puffed, about 20 minutes.
124 NOVEMBER 2019
JAMES MAIKOWSKI