Pomegranate and Apple Cake

 

Ingredients

 

Butter or margarine for greasing pan

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

¾ cup sugar plus 2 to 3 Tbsp. sugar, divided use

1 tsp. finely minced lemon zest or orange zest (color portion of peel)

2 large eggs

1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

4 Tbsp. milk

3 Granny Smith apples

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

¼ cup currant jelly or strawberry jelly

2 Tbsp. pomegranate juice

Seeds of 1 pomegranate, about 1 cup

Optional garnish: sprigs of fresh mint

For serving: vanilla ice cream or whipped cream

 

 

Directions

 

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position. Preheat oven to 400°. Generously grease a 9-inch springform pan with butter. Set aside.

 

1. In food processor fitted with metal blade o in large bowl of an electric mixer, combine softened butter, ¾ cup sugar, and lemon zest or orange zest; process until blended. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating between additions.

 

1. In separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to butter mixture and beat until blended, stopping to scrape down sides with rubber spatula if needed. Add milk and beat until smooth. Spoon batter into prepared pan and smooth out top.

 

1. Peel, core, and thinly slice apples and arrange slices atop batter in pan, overlapping slices in concentric circles, starting at outside edge. Brush top with melted butter. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons sugar on top. If you prefer a sweeter dessert, you can add 1 additional tablespoon of sugar.

 

1. Place springform pan on rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 375° and bake an additional 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and apples are golden. Place on wire rack to cool 10 minutes.

 

1. Carefully remove rim from springform pan, running a sharp knife around the edge if necessary.

 

1. In small saucepan, combine currant jelly or strawberry jelly and pomegranate juice. Place on high heat and stir until melted. Remove from heat and brush on top and sides of warm cake. Cool cake.

 

1. Sprinkle pomegranate seeds on top of cake. Garnish with fresh mint, if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature accompanied by ice cream or whipped cream.

Yield 8 servings.

 

                       

Caramelized Shallot and Bacon Tart

 

Ingredients

 

Easy Processor Pie Dough

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour plus flour for dusting work surface

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces

1/4 cup ice water

 

Filling

4 slices thick bacon (see Meatless Tip)

1 Tbsp. canola oil

4 large shallots, cut crosswise into thin slices

1 1/2 large yellow onions, cut in half top to bottom, thinly sliced crosswise

1/8 tsp. sugar

1 1/2 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese

1 egg yolk

1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

Egg wash: 1 egg yolk beaten with 1/2 tsp. water

 

Directions

 

1. Prepare pie dough: In food processor fitted with metal blade, pulse flour, ½ teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon sugar 2 or 3 times. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. With motor running add ice water through feed tube, processing just until mixture just barely comes together. Pat into disk shape; place in plastic bag and refrigerate 1 hour.

 

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position. Preheat to 350°. On lightly floured work surface, roll dough into a circle, roughly 11 inches in diameter, using a floured rolling pin. Place dough in 9 1/2 – inch tart pan with removable bottom. Use top of bent finger to press dough into fluted sides of pan. To create a double layer of dough on sides of crust, trim dough ¼ inch above top of pan; fold overhanging dough over to top of fold is even with top of pan to reinforce sides; press with top of bent finger to seal sides. Roll rolling pin over top of tart pan to make top of dough even all the way around. Poke dough at 1- inch intervals with tines of fork (bottom and sides). Line dough with sheet of aluminum foil. Add about 1 cup dry beans, raw rice, or pie weights. Bake 15 minutes. Remove from oven; remove foil and beans, rice, or weights. Set aside.

 

1. Prepare Filling: In large, deep skillet, cook bacon until crisp; remove bacon from pan and drain on paper towels, reserving 1 tablespoon bacon grease in pan. Add oil and heat on medium-high heat. Add shallots and onions; cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and starting to brown, about 9 minutes.

 

1. Reduce heat to medium or medium-low. Add sugar, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste; stir to combine. Cook until onions are golden, stirring occasionally, about 20 additional minutes.

 

1. In small bowl, combine ricotta, egg yolk, cheese, and salt and pepper to taste.

 

1. Cautiously spread ricotta mixture on bottom of tart shell. Top with shallot mixture, spreading out in an even layer. Crumble bacon and sprinkle on top of shallot mixture. Brush top edge of crust lightly with egg wash. Place on rimmed baking sheet and bake until golden brown and heated through, 35 to 45 minutes. Allow to cool 15 minutes before cutting into wedges and serving. Yield: 8 servings.