Cherry and Peach Galette

This incredible dessert recipe came from Food Network Magazine.  Cherry season is short, and this is a delicious way to "spend" your cherries in that brief time.

Ingredients:

2 T. vegan margarine (I like Earth Balance.)

2 sheets vegan frozen puff pastry, thawed (one 17-oz. or 18-oz. package)

3 T. AP flour, plus more for dusting

1 large egg (ovo-vegetarians) or 2 T. plant-based milk (vegans)

1/2 c. sugar

1/4 t. ground allspice

2 t. almond extract

1/2 t. finely grated lemon zest

2 t. fresh lemon juice

2.5 c. cherries (about 1 lb.), pitted and halved

2 ripe peaches, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1/2-inch wedges

Method:

Position a rack in the lower third of your oven and preheat to 450 degrees F.  "Butter" a baking sheet with 1 T. vegan margarine.

Unfold 1 sheet puff pastry on a floured surface.  Beat the egg or plant-based milk with 1 T. water and brush over the dough.  Unfold the other sheet of puff pastry and lay it on top; press the sheets together with a rolling pin, then roll out a 14-inch square.  Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.  (Refrigerate the leftover egg wash/milk wash for brushing the galette later.)

Combine the sugar, allspice, almond, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a large bowl.; transfer 2 T. of the mixture to a small bowl and set aside for sprinkling.  Add the cherries, peaches, and 3 T. flour to the remaining sugar mixture and toss.

Spoon the cherry mixture onto the pastry and spread, leaving a 2-inch border.  Cut the remaining 1 T. vegan margarine into small pieces and scatter on top.  Fold in the pastry edges over the filling, pleating as needed.

Bake the galette on the positioned rack until puffed and golden, about 20 minutes.  Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.  Remove the galette from the oven, brush the crust with the reserved egg wash/milk wash, and sprinkle with the reserved sugar mixture.  Return the galette to the oven and bake until the juices thicken and the pastry is cooked through, 30 - 45 minutes more (depending on the juiciness of the cherries).  Transfer to a rack and cool at least 10 minutes before cutting to allow the filling time to set.

Serves 6.

Cherry Pie

Scott and I got it in our minds that we wanted cherry pie on Memorial Day.  Luckily, the essential cookbook Joy of Cooking (by Irma Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker, and Ethan Becker) had an easy recipe, and success was ours!  We served it with vegan chocolate sorbet (recipe here) for an out-of-this-world dessert experience.

 

CRUST
Ingredients:
2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
2 t. sugar
1 t. salt
6 T. vegan margarine (I use Earth Balance.)
1/4 c. chilled vegetable shortening (Again, I use Earth Balance.)
6 T. ICE-COLD water plus up to another 1 T.

Method:
Sift the flour, sugar, and salt together.  Using your fingers or a pastry cutter, cut half of the margarine into the flour mixture until it has the consistency of cornmeal.  Cut in the remaining margarine and then the shortening until it is pea-sized.

Sprinkle the flour mixture with 6 T. ice-cold water.  Blend gently until it just holds together.  If necessary to hold the ingredients together, add up to 1 T. more ice-cold water.

Divid the dough into halves.  Form the dough halves into discs, wrap each with plastic wrap, and allow the discs to "rest" in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes.  While the dough is resting, prepare the filling.

FILLING
Ingredients:
5 cups pitted sour cherries or Bing cherries (about 2 - 2.5 lbs.)
sugar - use 1 1/4 c. if your cherries are sour, 3/4 c. sugar if your cherries are Bing
3 - 3 1/2 T. cornstarch
2 T. water
1 T. fresh lemon juice
1/4 t. almond extract
2 - 3 T. vegan margarine, cut into small chunks

Method:
Combine the cherries, sugar, cornstarch, water, lemon juice, and almond extract in a large bowl, and allow the mixture to stand for 15 minutes.

PUTTING THE PIE TOGETHER
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Roll out one disc of pie dough to line your 9- or 10-inch pie plate.  Line the pie plate.  Pour the cherry filling into the bottom crust, and dot the filling with the remaining 2 - 3 T. vegan margarine chunks.

Roll out the top crust to a circle large enough to cover the pie.  Brush water around the edges of the bottom crust, and lay the top crust over it.  Use your fingers to seal the 2 crusts together.  Prick the top crust with a fork or otherwise create vents.  (I used a very small star-shaped cookie cutter.)

Bake about 55 - 65 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.  Cool completely on a rack.

Cherry Gin Smash

 

MMMMMMMMmmmmmmm! This recipe from Country Living magazine is over-the-top yummy, and it could easily be a non-alcoholic cocktail as there is only 2 oz. of gin in it.  It will be on my Memorial Day menu along with marinated-tofu-and-pepper kebabs, grilled asparagus, and cherry pie.  Thank you, Country Living!

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

6 fresh sour or Bing cherries, pitted

1/2 t. sugar

juice of 1/2 fresh lime

2 oz. gin (optional)

ice

ginger ale to fill glass

lime wedge (for garnish)

 

Method:

In a cocktail shaker, combine the pitted cherries and the sugar.  Muddle with a pestle until cheries release their juice.  Add juice of 1/2 fresh lime and, if using, 2 oz. gin.  Add 2 cubes of ice to the shaker, and shake vigorously.  Strain into a glass with ice.  Tope cherry mixture with  ginger ale and garnish with a lime wedge.



 

 

Cranberry-Cherry Sauce for Holidays

Does your family serve that congealed, gelatinous cranberry sauce from a can at the holidays?  It may even have gelatin in it, rendering it non-vegetarian.  If so, here's a fix from Country Living magazine!  It's got fresh cranberries, it's completely vegan, and it's simple to make.  Happy holidays!

Ingredients:

1 (12-oz) package fresh cranberries

2/3 c. sugar

1/2 navel orange (with skin), cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1/2 c. dried cherries

1/4 t. salt

Method:

In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients over medium-low heat.  Stir frequently until sauce is thick, about 20 minutes.  Let cool to room temperature and remove remainder of orange slices before serving.  This can be refrigerated up to 2 weeks, then brought to room temperature before serving.

Cherry Turnovers

These are super easy, but messy to make. You will not be disappointed in the results, though, as they look and taste quite impressive! You could serve them for breakfast or at a party or shower. I used Williams-Sonoma's cherry pocket pies recipe as a jumping point for this.

2 cups fresh cherries, washed and pitted
1/2 c. sugar
1.5 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. almond extract
1 pinch salt
1 sheet puff pastry (I used Pepperidge Farms's puff pastry, which had no animal-derived ingredients. You have to thaw it 40 minutes before using.)
1 egg, beaten, mixed with 1 tsp. water (omit if preparing for vegan diners)
granulated sugar for sprinkling, optional

Whisk the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan. Add cherries and almond extract, and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes. Although it starts off looking dry, it will quickly get gooey and gelatinous, and this is a good thing.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Once the cherries are cooked, set them aside to cool slightly. Roll the puff pastry sheet to a 12x12 square, and cut into 9 4-inch squares. Put a spoonful of cherries in the center of each square. Brush the egg wash (or just water for vegan preparation) around the edges of the square. Fold over into a triangle and crimp the edges with fork tines to seal. Move the turnover to the parchment paper on the baking sheet. Brush the top of the turnover with the egg wash (or just water for vegan preparation) and sprinkle with granulated sugar, if using.

Bake 20 minutes or until the pastry is browned. (It will brown less without the egg wash and more golden with the egg wash.) Enjoy!