Pudding and Berry Tart with Graham Cracker Crust

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CRUST:

12 whole graham crackers
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) butter
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar

FOR THE PUDDING:

2 (3.4-ounce) packages "cook and serve" vanilla pudding
Milk (according to pudding package instructions)

FOR THE TOPPING:

1 pint fresh strawberries
1/2 pint fresh blueberries
1/2 pint fresh blackberries or raspberries
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DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the crust: crumble the graham crackers by hand or with a potato masher to get fine crumbs. Heat the butter in a saucepan or microwave until half-melted. Work the butter into the crumbs with your fingertips until the crumbs look like wet sand. Using your fingertips, press the crust into a 9-inch pie plate or disposable aluminum pie pan to make an even layer over the bottom and sides of the pan. Bake until the crust is a shade darker, about 12 minutes, and let cool completely.

Make the pudding according to the package directions. Let stand about 5 to 10 minutes stirring occasionally to keep a skin from forming on the top of the pudding.
Use a spoon or rubber spatula to scrape the pudding into the graham cracker shell and smooth it into an even layer. Put the tart in the refrigerator until the pudding is chilled and set, at least 1 hour.

Meanwhile, cut the stems off the strawberries and wash with the other berries in a colander under cold water. Drain then spread out on paper towel to dry. You can either arrange the berries nicely over the pudding or just sort of gently tumble them onto it. Cover the tart lightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate. You can make the tart up to 4 hours in advance. Serve cold.

Mille Feuille of Benne Wafers and Pineapple Pastry Cream with Macerated Berries

INGREDIENTS

1 3/4 cups sugar
2 cups milk
4 egg yolks
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 cup finely chopped fresh pineapple
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon butter
1 pint fresh strawberries, washed, stemmed and sliced
1 pint fresh blueberries, washed and stemmed
1 pint fresh raspberries
Splash of Grand Marnier
2 cups flour
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup ice water
1/2 cup sweetened whipped cream
4 sprigs of fresh mint
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DIRECTIONS

In a non-stick one quart saucepan, combine 3/4 cup of sugar and milk together. Bring the liquid to boiling point and scald the milk. In a small mixing bowl, whisk the remaining milk, egg yolks, and cornstarch together. Whisk until smooth. Temper the egg yolk mixture into the scalded milk. Bring the mixture up to a boil and cook for about 3 minutes or until the mixture is thick, stirring constantly. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the fresh pineapple, vanilla and butter. Pour the filling into a glass bowl and press a piece of plastic wrap directly over the pastry cream. Cool completely and then chill completely. In a mixing bowl, combine all of the berries, 1/2 cup sugar and Grand Marnier. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Place the flour, remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and salt in a mixing bowl. Using your hands, work the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles a coarse meal-like mixture. Add the sesame seeds and egg yolks. Mix well. Add enough water to make a dough. Lightly flour a flat surface. Roll out the dough, about 1/8-inch thick. Cut the dough into 4-inch rounds, yielding 20 rounds. Place the rounds on a ungreased baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, or until lightly golden. Remove and cool on a wire rack. To assemble, spread * cup of the filling evenly over 16 wafers. Stack four wafers on top of each other and top each with the remaining 4 wafers. Spoon the macerated berries in the center of each plate. Place the mille feuilles in the center of the berries. Garnish with the whipped cream and mint.

Chuck's Berry Crumble

INGREDIENTS

21 ounces blueberries, raspberries and strawberries, frozen or fresh
2 tablespoons white (all-purpose) flour
2 tablespoons white (granulated) sugar
1/2 cup dried (rolled) oats
1/2 cup granola
1 cup corn flakes
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup melted semi-salted butter*
Vanilla ice cream
*available online
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DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, toss the berries together. Add the flour, and sugar give it a good toss. Transfer the berries into a lightly greased 8-inch square baking dish.

Crush the dried oats, granola and corn flakes into another mixing bowl. Add the brown sugar, and melted butter. Toss well, so that all the dried ingredients get nice and buttery.

Cover the berries with the buttery crumble. Bake for approximately 40 minutes until the crumble is golden brown and the fruit starts to bubble on the sides.

Serve with a ball of vanilla ice cream.

Blueberry Grumble

INGREDIENTS

GRUMBLE TOPPING:

3/4 cup/170 g butter, plus more for pan
1 cup/225 g brown sugar
1 1/2 cups/200 g ground almonds
1 cup/110 g rolled oats, toasted

BLUEBERRY FILLING:

4 cups blueberries
1/4 cup/55 g granulated sugar
2 tablespoons flour
Slightly sweetened vanilla-flavored whipped cream, for serving, optional
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DIRECTIONS

For the grumble topping: Heat the oven to 400 degrees F/200 degrees C. Butter an 8-by-8-inch baking dish.

Cream together the butter and brown sugar. Cut in the ground almonds and oats. (You could add some cinnamon and ginger if you like, too, although I prefer it plain.) Set aside.

For the filling: Toss the fruit with the granulated sugar and flour and tumble into the baking dish.

Sprinkle the crumble mixture evenly over the fruit and press to pack it down a bit. Bake until the fruit is soft and the top crisp, about 40 minutes. Let sit about 15 minutes before serving. If you like, serve with sweetened vanilla-flavored whipped cream

Chevre and Walnut Tartlets

INGREDIENTS

1 cup ruby port
1 cup sugar
12 small figs
1 sheet puff pastry or frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 (4-ounce) log fresh chevre (goat cheese)
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
Freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons chopped toasted walnuts, optional
Rocket greens (arugula), optional
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DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a saucepan large enough to hold the figs in one layer, heat the port and dissolve the sugar. Set in the figs, cover with a round of parchment, and simmer 10 minutes. Remove the figs, and boil the port down to sauce consistency. Set aside.

Cut 4 (4-inch) rounds from the pastry. Lay them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Lay a second baking sheet on top, and bake until lightly golden, 15 to 20 minutes.

In a mixing bowl, cream the chevre with a spoon, and stir through the cream until smooth. Stir through the rosemary, and season with pepper.

When the pastry is golden, remove the top baking sheet. Spread the rounds with the cheese mixture. Halve the figs and arrange over the cheese, then scatter over the nuts, if using. Bake until the cheese is hot, about 5 minutes. Serve with rocket green, if using, and with a swirl of port syrup on the side.