Cooking for Two (38 page)

5.
Whisk
^¼
cup of the hot lemon mixture into the egg yolk until smooth, then whisk this lemon mixture back into the saucepan. Return the saucepan to very low heat and continue cooking and whisking for about 15 seconds, just to set the eggs. Do not let the mixture return to a boil. Divide this hot mixture between the two prepared tart shells and set them aside to cool for 15 minutes on a wire rack.

6.
To make the meringue, increase the oven temperature to 500°F. Beat the egg white and salt in a small bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until foamy. Slowly add the sugar in a steady, needle-thin stream, beating all the while; continue beating until soft peaks form, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a clean, dry rubber spatula as necessary. Do not overheat—the peaks should be glistening and moist (see Note).
Quickly beat in the vanilla, just until combined. Spoon the beaten egg white mixture onto each of the two filled tart shells, gently spreading it to the edges with the back of a teaspoon. Do not press down, or you will lose some of the rise in the meringue. Seal the edges by gently pushing the meringue against the crust until it adheres all the way around and there are no gaps.

7.
Bake for about 4 minutes, or until the meringue is lightly browned. Cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. If you’ve used a tart pan with a removable bottom, tap the bottom of the pie shells to loosen their edges. Push the bottom of the tart shell up until the tart comes clean of the metal sides. Once the tart is free of the form’s metal sides, run a thin knife under the removable bottoms to loosen the tarts from the metal bottom, then gently transfer the tarts to two serving plates. If you’ve used a paper pastry shell, either peel it away from the tart or simply serve the tart in its paper shell, scooping it out to eat it.

S
TRAWBERRY
C
HOCOLATE
T
ARTLETS
makes
2 tarts

T
hese are old-fashioned strawberry tarts. They’re topped with whipped cream and have a vanilla-wafer crust, which is spread with melted chocolate as a base for the strawberries.

1.
Position the rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F. To make the crust, grind the vanilla wafers and sugar in a food processor, a mini food processor, or a blender. Pour this mixture into a small bowl and stir in the melted butter, until thoroughly moistened. Press half this cookie mixture into each of two 4½-inch tart pans with removable bottoms, or two 4-inch paper pastry shells. Place the crust on a lipped baking sheet.

2.
Bake the crusts for 10 minutes. When they come out of the oven, use a teaspoon to press down any parts that have puffed up. Set the tart shells on a wire rack to cool completely. The recipe can be made in advance up to this point; store the tart shells, tightly covered, at room temperature for up to 2 days.

3.
To make the filling, slice the strawberries and place them in a small bowl. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the sugar; set aside to macerate for 30 minutes.

4.
Meanwhile, brush half of the melted chocolate into the bottom of each of the two cooled tart shells; set aside to cool and harden for 10 minutes. If using tart pans with removable bottoms, remove the sides from the tart by pushing up gently from the bottom, taking care not to break the crusts. Slip off the metal bottoms by running a thin knife between the crust and bottom. If using paper pastry shells, leave them on the crust because tearing them away can pull off too much of this delicate cookie shell. Place the tart shells onto two serving plates.

5.
Divide the strawberries and any accumulated juice between the two chocolate-coated tart shells.

6.
Beat the whipped cream in a small bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until foamy. Gradually add in the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, beating constantly, just until the sugar has dissolved and soft peaks form, but not until the whipped cream becomes dry and buttery (see Note). Alternatively, place the cream and sugar in a mini food processor and pulse until a light whipped cream forms. Stir in the remaining chocolate chips and the amaretto. Mound this mixture over the tarts, dividing it between the two filled shells and sealing it against the crust. Serve immediately, or set in the refrigerator to chill for up to 2 hours. If desired, wrap very loosely in plastic wrap to preserve the tarts from any refrigerator odors.

B
AKED
B
ANANAS WITH RUM
makes
2 servings

F
or this easy dessert, bananas are baked in a sauce of butter, rum, and jam. Serve with scoops of vanilla ice cream, vanilla frozen yogurt, sweetened whipped cream, or sweetened sour cream.

1.
Position the rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 450°F. Butter a piece of aluminum foil large enough to cover a small 2½-cup au gratin dish or other 2½-cup shallow baking dish; set aside.

2.
Place the bananas in the baking dish; dot with the butter and jam. Drizzle the rum and vanilla over the top, then sprinkle with ground cinnamon. Seal tightly with the prepared foil, buttered side down. Bake for 15 minutes, until bubbly. Serve warm, mounded in serving bowls.

Instead of the bananas, try sliced peaches or nectarines, halved pitted apricots or plums, or pineapple slices. All will bake up sweet and soft with the jam and butter. Increase the baking time to 20 minutes for the stone fruits, and to 25 minutes for the pineapple.

G
INGER
H
ONEY
P
OACHED
P
EARS
makes
2 poached pears

Here, fresh pears are poached in an aromatic honey syrup. Buy firm Bosc pears with no soft spots, so the fruit will hold up while cooking. Serve this dessert with sweetened whipped cream—or make the pears the night before and enjoy them the next morning for breakfast.

1.
Stir the water, ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons of the sugar, and the ginger in a small pot or medium saucepan until the sugar dissolves. Place the pan over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a simmer.

2.
Meanwhile, cut about ¼ inch off the bottom of each of the pears, so they have a flat surface to stand on when served. Core the pears with a small melon baller. Scoop up from the bottom end into the flesh, turning the melon bailer as you press in. It usually takes about two scoops to get out all the seeds. Alternatively, use a sharp knife to make an X in the bottom of each pear, then begin coring out this X with the knife, taking care not to slice deeply into the sides or remove too much of the flesh.

3.
When the water is boiling, place the pears on their sides in the pot. If you place them oppositely front to back, they will fit more easily. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes, gently turning the pears in the syrup a couple of times. When done, the pears will
be tender when pierced with a knife. Use a slotted spoon to remove them gently to a small bowl.

4.
Strain the liquid in the pot, discarding the ginger but reserving
cup of the liquid. Return this to the pot, then stir in the remaining ¼ cup of sugar. Set the pot over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Once the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is boiling, cook for 3 minutes without stirring, until thickened. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the honey as well as any liquid given off by the pears in the bowl. Stir until smooth, then pour this mixture over the pears. Cool to room temperature before serving. If desired, cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Serve chilled or at room temperature.