Summer Fruit Pastries
In much of the U.S. the end of July is a wonderful time to think of pastry. It’s the grand finale of berry season, especially raspberries and blueberries, and the beginning of peak ripeness for stone fruits, peaches, plums, apricots and nectarines. The delicious appeal of these colorful fruits raw, in pastry shells can only be equaled by their delectable aroma and taste when baked in flaky pastry. It’s dessert lover’s heaven!
I make no bones about the fact that I find commercial puff pastry and phyllo dough of excellent quality, less expensive, and far more convenient than home-made, but I do insist on making my own pie dough. It’s lighter, flakier and bakes up crispier and tastier than store bought. The recipe is below.
The key factor with any pastry, or pastry substitute, such as wonton wrappers, is that it be crisp, at least when first served. If allowed to sit, pastry will begin to absorb the fruit juices, so serving soon after baking is desirable. This doesn’t mean it has to be served hot, especially in summer, room temp is fine, but it does mean that unlike a cake, it can’t be baked the day before. Naturally any toppings are last minute additions.
For this reason, I love wonton wrap tart shells. They’re easy, crispy and light. The edges can be ruffled, or if placed diagonally in muffin cups, the corners flair out like wings. They make a wonderful presentation dressed up for desserts with decorative sugar on the edges, or plain filled with a salad, like tuna, or in a larger size Shrimp Louis. Best of all, they can be baked and kept, air-tight, for several days.
Making puff pastry is work, I’ve done it. For me, the cost and labor of DIY doesn’t offset the price of a package of a good commercial brand. Working with puff pastry though is easy. It’s butter-browned, puffy, flakey appearance in turn-overs or croissants is mouthwatering, but it’s equally as appetizing as a pie or tart shell. Hattie Brown, an Atlantic City chef, loved baking pies so much she opened a shop The Pie Lady. She was a huge success, especially known for her custard pies. The Lemon Meringue was a show stopper but it always surprised me that people didn’t realize the thing which gave those pies their special, signature texture was that she replaced the dough crust with a thin sheet of puff paste. Nothing is simpler than rolling a sheet out to line a pie tin, so remember it as an option for pies with pre-baked crusts.
Phyllo dough is similar to puff pastry, but much more delicate, the process more laborious with a large margin of error. I’ve assisted in making it, but though I love phyllo, I intend to continue working with commercial products. If you want to give it a try, the clearest directions are found here ——–https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/259481/homemade-phyllo-or-filo-dough/ Basically, phyllo can be used in any of the following recipes and is always an acceptable, lighter option to puff pastry. However, when working with phyllo, remember to keep the sheets damp at all times. They quickly dry, become brittle and useless.
Pie dough is like tuna salad-everyone has their own recipe, the major differences being the flour/shortening ratio and type of shortening used. I stick to my family recipe with a few updates. I use ice water, resist handling the dough, gathering it into a ball as soon as it will stick together and chill it only about 15 min. before rolling. These practices seem to result in lighter dough. With fruit pies, where the juice will dampen the crust, I often substitute wheat pastry flour for 1/3 of the all-purpose flour.
The three doughs, pie, phyllo paste are interchangeable in many recipes, while other recipes are geared to a specific one. Two crust pies for example, require pie dough. Phyllo and puff paste tart shells are better bought and baked then home-made, however if you want to try, there’s a puff paste recipe below. It’s up to the cook to make the right choice for the dish and for the serving situation.
RECIPES
Blueberry Lattice Pie: Serves 6-8
For Crust– * (Option –purchase a refrigerated pie crust)
1¼ cups flour
¼ cup sugar
¼ tsp. cinnamon –optional
½ cup shortening – recommended- Crisco,-optionally – butter or margarine
4 Tbs. ICE water
Place all the dry ingredients in a bowl and stir well. Using the blades of two knives, mix cut cubes of the shortening into the dry ingredients until clumps are the size of small peas, or use your fingers to blend the mix until it resembles gravel. Add ice water 3 Tbs. at first and then the 4th, if needed, turning constantly with your hands, until dough can form a ball. It should be as moist as modeling clay, but the less handling the flakier the crust. Chill wrapped in plastic, or simply put the bowl in the fridge while you do the rest. When ready, roll on a floured board to a 12” round, put the rolled crust into an 8 or 9 inch pie pan. Add filling. Trim edges from around pie pan leaving a 1 inch margin. Re-roll the trimmings cut in 1-2 inch wide strips to form a lattice top by placing alternately over the top. Crimp edges.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees, bake 10 min. then reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue baking until golden and bubbly.
*Option—To use a refrigerated pie crust, dust with powdered sugar and roll to 12” round. If rolling is not required, dust with 1 Tbs. powdered sugar and ¼ tsp. cinnamon, before adding fruit.
For Filling –
6 cups blueberries
½ cup sugar
2 Tbs. cornstarch
1 tsp. butter
1 Tbs lemon juice
When dough is ready, toss berries sugar and cornstarch gently and fill pie shell. Dot with butter and drizzle with juice. Place lattice over top. A nice finishing touch is to make a bow from extra dough and place it in the center of the pie with a dab of water
Plum Rustica: Serves 6-8
The French call this a Galette, the British a Rustic Tart. I like the simple Italian, Rustica, because it is pie baking at its most basic. Whatever they’re called, they’re enjoying a new popularity, but all the recipes are really the same. It calls for 1 ½ lb. of any large pie fruit. Apples and peaches need to be peeled, cored, and sliced, while apricots and plums need only be pitted and halved. Small amounts of dried fruit can also be added to prick the flavor, raisons, craisins, etc.
Crust- Option –purchase a refrigerated pie crust*
1¼ cups flour
½ cup shortening – – this can be Crisco, butter or margarine
¼ cup sugar
¼ tsp cinnamon
4 Tbs. ICE water
Filling-
1 ½ lbs. plums-halved, pitted
¼ tsp powdered ginger
½ cup sugar + 2 tsp
1 Tbs. cornstarch
1 tsp butter
1 egg white OR ¼ cup milk
For crust—Place all the dry ingredients in a bowl and stir well. Using the blades of two knives, mix cut cubes of the shortening into the dry ingredients until clumps are the size of small peas, or use your fingers to blend the mix until it resembles gravel. Add ice water 3 Tbs. at first and then the 4th, if needed, turning constantly with your hands, until dough can form a ball. It should be as moist as modeling clay, but the less handling the flakier the crust. Chill wrapped in plastic, or simply put the bowl in the fridge while you do the rest. When ready, roll on a floured board to a 12” round, transfer to a parchment or foil covered cookie sheet.**
For Filling- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Mix fruit and other ingredients in a bowl to coat well. Spoon the filling into the center of the crust, If using apricots or plums, place halves cut side down, leaving a 2 ½” margin. Dot top with the butter and fold the crust edges up over the filling, pleating them as you go to form a circle with an open center. Brush the crust with egg white or milk and sprinkle with extra 2 tsp. of sugar. Bake for 30 min. or until browned and bubbly. Cool completely on the baking sheet on a wire rack. When sufficiently cool, use a spatula to slide the rustica onto a plate. Serve alone, or with ice cream, whipped cream, warm caramel sauce or cheese.
*Option—To use a refrigerated pie crust, dust with powdered sugar and roll to 12” round. If rolling is not required, dust with 1 Tbs. powdered sugar and ¼ tsp cinnamon, before adding fruit.
**An easy way to do this is to cover the board with wax paper, liberally dusted with flour. Roll out the pastry, lay the parchment covered baking sheet over it, and flip the pastry, board and all over onto the sheet. Remove the wax paper and proceed with filling the pie.
Fresh Peach Meringue Pie: Serves 6-8
4-5 cups peeled, sliced peaches
Pastry for a 1 crust 9 inch pie
2 Tbs. peach or all fruit jam
2 egg whites
½ cup sugar
Few drops vinegar
Line pie plate and bake crust until golden. Cool and spread jam over the bottom, then fill with the peaches. Beat the whites until peaks form, add a few drops of vinegar, beat in and continue beating while adding sugar until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue over the top of the pie, being sure to cover right up to the crust edging. Decoratively swirl the top with a spoon and run the pie under a hot broiler until golden on top,
about 2-3 min. Store several hours at room temperature, chill leftovers.
Puff Pastry Tart: Serves 6-8– A Martha Stewart Recipe
1 cup shelled toasted pistachios + 1 Tbs.
½ cup sugar
1 stick butter pulse
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch salt
Flour for dusting
1 lb. box puff pastry-thawed
1 ¼ lb. apricots cut in ¼ inch slices
1 egg yolk
1 Tbs. heavy cream
2 Tbs. raw sugar-granulated is O.K.
¼ cup apricot jam
Pulse the 1 cup nuts, sugar and butter into a paste. Add next 3 ingredients and pulse to combine. Set aside.
On a lightly floured surface, press edges of both pastry sheets together to form one large sheet. Roll out to a 9-by-17-inch rectangle; transfer to a baking sheet. Spread reserved pistachio mixture over dough, leaving a 3/4-inch border. Position rectangle so that a short end is nearest you. Arrange apricots on top in 4 vertical rows, alternating direction in which apricots face from row to row. Fold in edges of dough; use your index finger to make a scalloped border. Refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes. . Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Whisk together yolk and cream; brush egg wash over edges of tart shell. Chop remaining tablespoon nuts; sprinkle nuts and turbinado sugar over apricots. Bake, rotating sheet halfway through, until crust is deep golden brown and fruit is juicy, about 35 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack. . Meanwhile, heat jam with 1 ½ tablespoons water in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring, until thinned, about 2 minutes. Pass through a fine sieve into a small bowl. Brush glaze over fruit.
Fruit Napoleons: Serves 4
1 sheet puff pastry – rolled out to 9 x 12 inches
1 pint fresh berries of choice or equal amount of sliced fruit
1 ½ cup heavy cream or 2 cups whipped topping, or ice cream
Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the dough into (12) 3 x 3 inch squares. Bake on the paper in a preheated 400deg oven for 15 min. or until golden. Cool and store air-tight if not to be used at once.
TO SERVE: Whip cream if using. Lay a square of pastry on a plate, place a portion of the cream then berries on top. Place the next piece of pastry on an angle on top. If serving 6, garnish with powdered sugar. If serving 4, repeat layers, placing the top piece of pastry at another angle, garnish with powdered sugar.
Phyllo Balsamic Rolls-6 Rolls – From – https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/phyllo-fruit-tart/
½ lb. phyllo dough
1 ½ cups blueberries
2 Tbs maple syrup
1 ½ Tbs. balsamic vinegar
Glaze
1/8 tsp. powdered sugar
1 Tbs. maple syrup
½ tsp. oil
2 tsp. on-dairy milk
Mix glaze ingredients and preheat oven to 350 deg.
Lay out 3 sheets phyllo dough (Keep the rest moist) Place 3 Tbs. filling slightly in from the corner nearest you, fold over and roll dough diagonally into a long tube. About 2 1/2 -3 inches in from the end nearest you, fold dough over and continue folding until end of tube. Snip off any pieces of dough that stick out and place roll on a lightly greased baking sheet. When all 6 rolls are done, brush tops with glaze and bake for about 20 min until brown on top. Dust with confectioners’ sugar.
Turnovers: Using the saucer templates, cut pie or puff pastry dough as above or simply in 3 ½ inch squares. Place 1 soup spoon (about 3 Tbs.) of drained, prepared fruit on the center. Fold over to make a half moon or triangle. Dampen edges and crimp with a fork to seal and prick the top 2 or 3 times. Bake on a sheet in a preheated 450 deg. oven about 15min. until golden. Cool, garnish with powdered sugar, or whipped topping and serve. Alternatively, sprinkle with granulated sugar before baking and simply drizzle with reserved juice.
Phyllo Fruit Tart: Serves 6- From – https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/phyllo-fruit-tart/
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 tablespoon canola oil
8 sheets phyllo dough (14 inches x 9 inches)
1 package (8 ounces) fat-free cream cheese
3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
1 cup reduced-fat whipped topping
1 ½ cups sliced peaches, nectarines, plumbs and/or apricots-can use canned drained
4 kiwifruit, peeled and sliced-or increase above fruits to 2 cups
1-1/2 cups sliced fresh strawberries or whole blueberries and/or raspberries
1 ounce white baking chocolate, melted
In a small bowl, combine butter and oil. Place one sheet of phyllo dough on a work surface; brush evenly with butter-oil mixture. Repeat with seven more sheets of phyllo, brushing each layer and stacking them on a lightly greased baking sheet. (Keep remaining phyllo dough covered with waxed paper to prevent it from drying out.) Crimp and fold up edges about 1 ¼ inches. Bake at 400° for 5-7 minutes or until golden. Cool on a wire rack.
In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar until smooth; fold in whipped topping. Gently spread over cooled crust. Arrange fruits over cream cheese layer; drizzle with chocolate.
Individual Galettes: With above recipes as guides, cut dough in squares or using a saucer as a template, in rounds. Place on a baking sheet and fold up edges in pleats to make sides. Allow for about 1 ¼ inches all around. Fill with crumpled waxed paper or parchment paper to hold the shape and bake at 450 deg. about 12 min. Cool, carefully remove paper, fill and garnish.
Wonton Fruit Cups: Serves 12
24 wonton wrappers
2 Tbs. melted butter
1/3 cup fruit preserves—flavor complimentary to fruit filling
1 cup lemon yogurt or instant pudding-pie filling, flavor optional
1 ½ cups diced fruit
Line a 12 cup or (2) 6 cup muffin pans with a wonton wrapper. Brush with ½ the butter. Place a second wrapper diagonally across the first and brush with remaining butter. Bake in a preheated 350 deg. oven 10 min. or until golden. Remove and cool. Spread 1 tsp. fruit preserves in each cup. Fold yogurt or pudding with 1 cup fruit and spoon into cups. Garnish with remaining fruit.
NOTE: Or simply fill with fresh fruit, cut to size and top with whipped cream, topping confectioners’ sugar or ice cream
Tartlets: Makes 12
1 box Puff Pastry– -2 sheets (2) 6 cup muffin tins Roll the pastry out to the point where (6) 5 inch circles can be cut from each. Place a circle in each muffin hole. Cut (12) 5 inch circles of parchment or waxed paper and place on top of the pastry. Weigh them down with dried beans or rice. This is the way to maintain the cup shape as the pastry cooks and rises. Bake in a preheated 400 deg. oven 10 – 15 min. until pastry is golden. Remove paper and weights and cool pastry cups on a rack.
NOTE: Pie Dough is treated the same as puff pastry
Glazed Strawberry Topping: (1) 9 inch cooked tart shell or (6) 2 ½ inch tart shells
6 cups washed and hulled strawberries—divided in 2 parts= 3cups of the best berries and 3 cups regular
1/3 cup sugar
1Tbs. lemon juice
1Tbs.cornstarch
Drop+ red food coloring—as needed to give a rich color
Arrange the 3 cups of the best berries in the pastry shells and mash the others well. Strain through a fine sieve, pressing down to release juice. Cook the juice with the other ingredients over low heat until they form a thick, clear sauce. When slightly cool, pour the sauce over the berries in the shells. Serve chilled, optionally with whipped cream.
NOTE: Substitute equal amounts of other fruits, prepared-sliced etc. Red food color enhances all fruits
Fruit Pizza: Serves 8-10
Make pie dough as instructed above, increasing sugar to ½ cup and shortening to 2/3 cup.
If buying; purchase a roll of sugar cookie dough, not pie dough. Roll dough to fit a pizza pan, prick several times with a fork and bake as for cookies, 350 degrees for 10 to 12 min. until lightly browned, or as directions on package state.
Cool completely in pan.
Decoratively arrange raw fruit over the crust. The amount you will need depends on the chosen fruit, roughly about 1 ½ lbs. For July 4th use a combination of strawberries and blueberries. Top with a glaze made from a clear jelly, apple or current, melted with 1 Tbs. water per ¼ cup jelly. For a thicker glaze dissolve ¼ tsp. cornstarch in 1 Tbs. water per ½ cup jelly, which is the amount I use for one of these. Boil until clear and spoon over the fruit. Chill until completely set. Serve in wedges and optionally pass whipped cream, or ice cream.
