Pasticcini Milanesi - Milanese Pastry
-- La Cucina, Volume 15: Part Two
For your enjoyment and pleasure from the pages of "Solo Dolci - The Italian Dessert Cookbook".
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 pinch salt
1/2 c. raisins
Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Sift flour, baking powder and salt. Add to butter and egg mixture. Roll Raisins in a little flour and stir them into batter. Butter and flour a muffin pan. Place 2 tbsp. mixture in each of a dozen cups. Bake at 325 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
Variation I: Marble Cake
The dough for paticcini can also be used to make marble cake, doubling the measurements. Add 2 heaping tbsp. cocoa to half the dough. Spoon it into a 9" buttered and floured baking pan, alternating it with spoonfuls of the other half, run a
knife through to give it a marbled effect. The oven temperature is the same as for the pastry, but the baking time is longer - about 40 minutes.
Variation II : Fruit-filled Pastry
Doing some more experimenting with this basic recipe, I found another use for it is with fresh peaches, plums or apples (peeled). Butter and flour a 9" inch (round) pan and fill it with about 1 1/2 " of dough. Place the fruit, cut in wedges, on the dough in two circles and bake at 325 degrees for about 35-40
minutes, or until golden brown. As the dough rises, it will cover a good part of the fruit, creating a very pretty pattern.
Peach Tarte Tatin
-- Posted to Suzy Q's Bakery Shoppe, 6/17/98
Serves 12
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons plus 1 cup sugar
1/4 cup shortening
10 tablespoons margarine or butter (1 1/4 sticks)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
11 firm, slightly ripe medium peaches (about 3 3/4 pounds), peeled, pitted, and each cut in half
1. In medium bowl, stir flour, salt, and 3 tablespoons sugar. With pastry
blender or two knives used scissor-fashion, cut in shortening and 4
tablespoons margarine or butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
2. Sprinkle 3 to 4 tablespoons cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, into
flour mixture, mixing with a fork after each addition until dough is just
moist enough to hold together.
3. Shape dough into a disk; wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until
firm, about 30 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in heavy 12-inch skillet with oven-safe handle, heat lemon
juice, 1 cup sugar, and 6 tablespoons margarine or butter over medium-high
heat until mixture boils. Place peaches in skillet, pitted side down. Cook
10 minutes. Carefully turn peaches over; cook 8 to 12 minutes longer until
syrup is caramelized and thickened.
5. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Just before peaches are done, on lightly
floured surface, with floured rolling pin, roll dough into a 14-inch round.
Place dough on top of peaches in skillet; fold edge of dough under to form a
rim around edge of peaches. With knife, cut six 1/4-inch slits in dough so
steam can escape during baking. Bake tart 25 minutes or until crust is
golden.
6. When tart is done, place large platter over top of tart. Quickly turn
skillet upside down to invert tart. Cool 1 hour to serve warm or cool
completely to serve later.
Pears Streusel A La Mode
1 can pear halves, well drained
6 gingersnaps, finely crushed
2 tbs. sugar
2 tbs. softened butter or margarine
vanilla ice cream
Heat oven to 300 degrees. Place pears in a casserole dish. Combine gingersnaps and sugar in a small bowl and blend well. Add butter and work with your fingers until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle over the pears. Bake 20 minutes. Serve warm with a scoop of ice cream.
Serves 2.
-- Creative Homemaking Recipes of the Week Club (5/14)
Skillet Cake
1 c. sugar
1 c. flour
3 eggs
1/4 lb. (1 stick) margarine
1 tsp. vanilla
Melt a small amount of margarine in a round cake pan and allow to cool to room temperature.
Sift flour and sugar into a large bowl. Mix in the margarine, eggs, and vanilla until it makes a smooth batter. Pour into the already buttered cake pan. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown.
Streusel Topped Muffins
Makes 14.
BATTER:
1 1/3 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 c. margarine
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg
1/2 c. milk
TOPPING:
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. flour
2 tbs. margarine
2 tsp. cinnamon
Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Line 14 muffin cups with paper liners.
Make Topping: Mix brown sugar, flour, margarine, and cinnamon until crumbly.
Make Batter: Mix flour and baking powder, set aside. Beat margarine until fluffy, beat in sugar. Add the egg and beat until light and fluffy. Blend in milk, then flour, just until combined. Divide evenly into 14 muffin cups. Sprinkle topping over each muffin. Bake 15 to 18 minutes.
$250 Cookie Recipe
2 c. butter
4 c. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 c. sugar
5 c. blended oatmeal
-- measure and blend to powder
24 oz. chocolate chips
2 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 8 oz. Hershey bar, grated
4 eggs
2 tsp. baking powder
3 c. chopped nuts
2 tsp. vanilla
Cream the butter and both sugars. Add eggs and vanilla; mix chips, Hershey Bar and nuts. Roll into balls and place two inches apart on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees.
Makes 112 cookies.