Just in time for Labor Day, a perfect classic fruit cobbler recipe!

Somehow this summer has completely blown past me.  How did I displace the entire month of August?!  For that matter, what about July and June?  I guess this is just what happens when you launch your own business and handle every aspect of it yourself.  It’s been a fun summer though, full of beautiful flowers and new friendships with the lovely folks that buy them.   And since I now spend two days a week selling my blooms at farmers markets, I’ve been getting quite the assortment of fresh seasonal fruit from other farmers to bring home.   These guys have the best peaches.  And these guys have the most amazing Asian pears.  And these guys have to-die-for black berries. 

I’m still growing nearly all my own vegetables, but fruit, particularly anything growing on trees, is tough to manage in pots on the deck so I depend on getting to know a few key fruit growers to be sure I stay fully stocked with nature’s candy.  There have been two notable growing- fruit-in-a-pot successes this season though.   There were a half dozen of the most darling and delicious miniature melons.  Little Gem is an heirloom variety that was quite happy to climb up the lattice around our deck and dangle delicate melons from the vines without fear of them falling from their own weight.  The taste was sweet and superb. 

The other success story was the blueberries.  Last year I put a blueberry bush (‘Bluegold’) in a very large pot on the deck and crossed my fingers that it would make it through the winter in one piece.  Not only did it survive, it thrived!   I picked gobs of perfect blue orbs off it over the course of late June and July.  I had to protect the bush from marauding birds and squirrels by fitting it with a custom-made “shower cap” (row cover fleece with an elastic band sown around the bottom so I could put the fleece over the bush and secure it with the elastic around the pot).  

The berries went into my breakfast yogurt and pancakes mostly.   But I did save a pint of them specially to make a wonderful summer fruit cobbler.  This is just the perfect thing for a relaxing backyard get-together…perhaps you’re having one of those real soon for Labor Day.  It should be mandatory to serve it with a large scoop of vanilla ice cream, but I won’t go so far as to dictate your entire dessert menu.  Peaches are at their peak still, but local blue berries might be hard to find.  The recipe is really just a blueprint for a cobbler that will showcase any combination of fruits.  Just stroll through your local farmers market and pick out what looks the most tempting and juiciest.  You really can’t go wrong. 

Height of Summer Fruit Cobbler
A Straight from the Farm Original

Filling
2 T.  cornstarch
1/4 C. cold water
1 C. sugar
1 T. lemon juice
1 t. freshly grated nutmeg
1 vanilla bean, scraped
a pinch of ground ginger (optional)
1 C. fresh blackberries, rinsed and drained
1 C. diced fresh peaches (about 3  peaches)
1 C. fresh blueberries
1 C. diced fresh plum (about 4 plums)

Topping
1 C. all-purpose flour
1/2 C. white sugar, divided
1 t.  baking powder
1/4 t. freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 t.  salt
6 T. cold butter
1/4 C. boiling water

Preheat oven to 400 F.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and sit a baking dish (9×9 or 6 small ramekins) on top.
In a mixing bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in cold water. Whisk in 1 cup sugar, lemon juice, nutmeg, vanilla bean, and ground ginger.  Add the fruit and toss to coat evenly.  Transfer to heavy pot over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring regularly.

While the fruit cooks, make the topping.  In a medium bowl, mix the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt. Cut or rub in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in about a 1/4 cup boiling water just until mixture is evenly moist.

When the fruit is boiling steadily, take it off the stovetop and immediately (and carefully) transfer it to the baking dish on the tray.  Drop dough by spoonfuls onto the top of the fruit. Place cobble in the preheated oven and bake 25-30 minutes or until dough is golden brown.

While the cobbler is still warm, sprinkle the top with a little extra sugar to give it some crunch.  Serve with ice cream, whipped cream or just a drizzle of heavy cream. 

(serves 4-6)

Years after this post was originally put up on the blog, I’m still as smitten with this pillowy dessert as ever!  My own blueberry bush, growing in a five-gallon pot on my deck, produced a bumper crop this year.  I knew I needed to pull up this recipe from the archives and show it to you again.  In addition to the blueberries, a neighboring gardener gifted me with beautiful and sweet raspberries and blackberries. And of course the eggs are farm fresh from free range chickens.   Delicious!  

From the Archives  

There’s something magical about summer twilights.   And something even more magical about fresh blueberries on 4th of July celebration desserts.  I have many a fond memory of eating homemade ice cream topped with fresh blueberries and then running through dewy grass in the twilight with sparklers or chasing lightning bugs.    

I first came across fresh fruit pavlova while living in Belfast, Northern Ireland.  I can remember everything about the scene of my first bite – it was that delightful.  A crisp shell of a meringue with a melt-y middle topped with ever-so-slightly sweet fresh whipped cream and (for that first encounter) kiwis and blueberries spilling off the plate.   If ever the heavens should point a sunbeam directly on my head and issue forth an angelic chorus, it should have been at the moment of my first bite in that roadside Irish inn.     

Since then, I’ve learned this dessert really hails from New Zealand and was named after a Russian ballerina so I think it classifies as an international dish even though there’s nothing regionally distinctive in its flavors.  Don’t be intimidated by the length of the recipe directions.  It really is just a lot of mixing and that’s all.  These little puffs of marshmallow-y delight are well worth the 20 minutes of shouting required to be heard over the mixer.   

SUMMER BERRY PAVLOVA  

meringue
6 egg whites, room temperature
1 1/2  c. sugar
1/2  t. cream of tartar 
1 1/2  T. cornstarch
1/4 t.  freshly grated nutmeg
1 1/2  t. vanilla extract
pinch of salt
1/4 t. freshly grated nutmeg  

topping
1 carton of heavy whipping cream
1/4 c. sugar or Splenda (Splenda recommended as it dissolves better)
2 pints fresh seasonal berries   

Preheat the oven to 225 F and place a rack in the middle of the oven.  Make sure the egg whites are at room temperature.  If you didn’t have time to let them sit out beforehand, place bowl of egg whites inside another large bowl filled with warm water for 15 minutes.  Using the room temperature egg whites, begin beating them on low speed with an electric mixer (just a word to the wise, don’t attempt this recipe without some type of electric mixer as it takes a great deal of whipping).   Add the cream of tartar, pinch of salt and nutmeg to the mixer and continue at low speed for 3 to 4 minutes.   

Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.  Measure out the sugar and add to it the corn starch and nutmeg, mixing these three ingredients in the measuring cup.  Set aside for later.   

Returning to the egg whites in the mixer, increase the speed to medium and soft peaks should begin to appear after another 2 minutes or so.  Increase the mixer’s speed another notch or two.  Begin to slowly add the sugar mixture, sprinkling in just a few tablespoons at a time.  Let mix for 2 or 3 minutes more.   Slowly add the vanilla extract and increase the mixer speed to the highest setting.  A glossy sheen should be appearing and the whites should become increasingly stiff.  Once “stiff” peaks form, turn off the mixer and remove the bowl.   

On the lined baking sheet, place heaping spoonfuls of meringue and flatten down slightly, creating a shallow indent in the center.  Leave plenty of room between spoonfuls as the meringue spreads and rises quite a bit.  You should be able to get six on a sheet.   Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, checking on them about half way through to make sure the meringues are not coloring or cracking.  Remove from oven when meringues are crisp and dry to the touch but still relatively white in color.  You don’t want these to get golden like typical meringues on pies.  Gently lift the meringues off the parchment paper and place on a wire rack or kitchen towel to cool.   If you don’t want to use them right away, store meringues in an air tight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.    

To serve pavlovas, whip heavy cream with 1/4 c. sugar/Splenda until firm, but not stiff.  Spread a thick layer of whipped cream on top of each meringue and top with a generous handful of fresh berries.  Serve immediately.    

(makes 8-10 servings) 

I’m so sorry I left you without a recipe for such a long time!   Especially considering the last post was a tease for this amazing recipe I have for Homemade Cream Puffs filled with Rhubarb Mascarpone Filling.  Considering rhubarb season is long gone at this point in late July,  I think I’ll just see if I can convince you all to make these delectable airy puffs and fill them with ice cream instead.  I have another batch in the oven right now for just that purpose. 

It’s been so hot here in Philadelphia that I can’t really bear to cook much.  Work in the market garden is really playing me out too so it’s been tough to sit down in front of the computer without dozing off.  Explanations aside though, it’s about time I got this recipe posted.   I got a tutorial on making cream puffs from my mom a few months back.  I had never made them, thinking they must be really tricky and the privilege of a finely trained pastry chef.  Turns out, I couldn’t have been more off the mark.

My mom apparently has known the secret to making a good batch of cream puffs for a long time.  In fact, she apparently used to make them a lot when she was still keeping chickens in our backyard.  I guess I was a little too young to remember.  In any case, the trick is to use old eggs.   Something about the aging of the proteins in the eggs helps make them more stable for holding air in the center of the puffs.  I’m no food chemist so I can’t really explain it well.  Just trust me when I say I’ve made several batches of these at this point and never once have I had one collapse on me.   As my mom recalls, cream puffs were simply a good way to use up those extra eggs from the hens that had been languishing in the fridge for too long.    

According to my mom, cream puffs were a very vogue vehicle for serving food at parties back in the day, both savory and sweet.  Make them tiny or make them big, you can fill them with chicken salad, egg salad, dressed baby greens, cold cuts, cheeses… or got the sweet way and fill with ice cream, chocolate mousse,  baked fruit, or even jam swirled into fresh whipped cream.   I’ll be taking a batch of both savory and sweet ones to a picnic in a few weeks.  It’s time cream puffs were back in style!

 
Homemade Cream Puffs {with Rhubarb Marscapone Filling}
A Straight from the Farm Original

1/2 cup butter
1 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs*

*It is very important to use “old” eggs to ensure your puffs stay poofed.  Eggs should be at least a week old…if you bought them at the farmers market (i.e., they were really fresh to start with), it might be good to even let them for two weeks. 

Preheat oven to 425 F.

In a large pot, bring water and butter to a rolling boil. Vigorous stir in flour and salt until the mixture forms a ball (about 30 seconds).  Using a wooden spoon or handheld mixer, beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

Drop by tablespoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown. Puffs should be firm to the touch and dry.

When the shells are cool, either split and fill them (using a pastry bag to poke a hole and squeeze in the filling) with just about any sweet or savory mixture.   In the photos here, I used a filling created by mixing soft mascarpone cheese with creamy roated rhubarb.  Other ideas include splitting them and filling with ice cream,  chicken salad, cold cuts, herb cream cheese, etc.  Or pipe in pudding, ganache, dulce de leche, or fruity filling. 

 (makes 15-20 cream puffs)

It’s much too hot to cook right now.  Philadelphia is in the midst of yet another heat wave, this one the worst yet for the summer.   So, I thought I’d delve into my aging drafts pile and pull out something I made about a month ago when I could still look at the stove without cringing.   Sadly, rhubarb is out of season for most of us now, but you might still find a few stray stalks at the farmers market, or you can just bookmark this preparation to try next spring. 

Roasted Rhubarb & Cream is really rather divine.  I made it a few times while my rhubarb plants were pumping out the tender red stalks.  Each time I tweaked the recipe until I came up with this final version.  And it’s not just the taste that had me smitten.  Something about pouring that heavy cool cream over the steaming garnet rhubarb with flecks of vanilla bean is, well, very sensual.

Tasty in its own right, eaten with a spoon while it’s still warm, this concoction can also be blended to create a creamy sweet sauce or filling, thinned to the desired consistency with more or less cream.  I’ll show you next time how I used it to fill fluffy homemade cream puffs…. oh, what a tantalizing tease!

Roasted Rhubarb & Cream

1 lb. rhubarb, leaves discarded and stalks cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces
1/3 C.granular sugar, plus more for baking dish
1/2 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise and scraped
1/4 t. cinnamon
Unsalted butter, for baking dish
1/2 C. heavy cream, for serving

Place rhubarb and 1/3 cup sugar in a large bowl. Add the vanilla seeds and scraped pods. Toss to combine and let stand 20 minutes, stirring once.

Preheat oven to 375 F. Butter an 8-inch baking dish and coat with a little sugar, tapping out any excess. Transfer rhubarb mixture to baking dish and bake, gently stirring halfway through, until tender, about 30 minutes. Discard vanilla pod. Let cool slightly in dish on a wire rack. Serve warm drizzled with a little heavy cream.

(serves 4)

Strawberry season was a glorious one this year, starting early and lasting a long time.   From the very first quart of local strawberries I saw  – or rather smelled – in early May, I vowed to savor them more than ever.  Somehow  that sweet ripe fragrance got in my nose and stayed there, keeping the craving constant for these morsels of juicy ruby heaven.   I never did get my fill, even after more than a dozen quarts! 

While it was a bit expensive buying my strawberries from fellow vendors at the farmers market, I felt it was a worthwhile indulgence for fresh eating, particularly after a long hot day of selling my flowers.  I wasn’t quite willing to fork over more than $6 a quart (really) to make my annual stash of strawberry jam though so I wait until I visited my parents in rural central Pennsylvania to stop by a nearby produce farm that had generous quarts of super-ripe berries for a mere three bucks.   I greedily grabbed five quarts, though only four somehow ended up in Philly after the three hour drive back.  Musta been a hole in the car console or maybe a stow away squirrel on board…

In any case, to send off strawberry season in style, I made a luscious batch of jam scented with a vanilla bean and cooked to a perfect consistency.   Jam making really is quite easy, especially when you have a simple recipe that doesn’t require that dreaded pack of pectin that never seems to be on city store shelves.   If you haven’t tried making your own homemade jam or jelly before (by the way, jam in chunky, jelly is strained to be smooth), this is the perfect one to try since it’s really very simple.  The only trick to making sure the jam thickens is to let it boil vigorously, which means you’ll be needing a very large pot to keep it from spilling over and making a mess of your stove. 

Slathered on a fresh thick slice of bread from a loaf given to me by another farmers market vendor,  I decided strawberry season wasn’t really ending after all.  This jam is so full of fresh berry flavor, I’ll feel like I’m eating a ripe strawberry when I crack open a jar in December. 

Homemade Strawberry Jam

5 C. crushed strawberries*
4 1/2 C. granular sugar
1/3 C. fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 vanilla bean, scraped

*I used about 3 quarts of whole ripe berries to get this amount of crushed.

Gently wash berries, cut off the tops, and place in a large bowl to mash up with a potato masher or large fork.  Measure out berries into a very large heavy pot to confirm you have five cups.  Use a very large pot because the jam will expand while boiling.  Add the sugar, lemon juice and vanilla bean scrapings. 

Place three small plates in the freezer.

Stir mixture and set over low heat until the sugar is dissolved.  Increase the heat to high and stay with the pot because the jam will begin to intensely boil.  Stir regularly to keep the bottom from burning.  Boil rapidly for about 10 minutes until you notice some resistance when stirring. 

Place a small amount of jam on one of the cold plates and place back in the freezer for a minute.  Run your finger through the middle of the dab of jam.  If it doesn’t run back together, the jam is ready.  If it does run back together, continue to boil the jam for another minute or two and try testing it again. 

Transfer jam to hot sterile jars (simmer jars in a large pot of water while making the jam), leaving a 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch headspace at the top of the jar.  Seal with sterile lids and turn upside down on a dish towel to cool.

When jars are completely cool, test the lids.  If they spring back when pressed, they have not sealed; store those jars in the fridge.  Jars with taut lids are sealed and can be stored in the cupboard until opened. 

(makes about 6 pints)

The heat is on, woowhee!   Really, it’s the humidity that’s pumping here in Philly right now.  I was wringing my clothes out this morning in the garden.   Still, a quick chug out of my icy jug of Homemade Herbal Lemonade was so cool and delicious that I was able to keep at the weeding for five whole hours!   Well, I did take a break to pick some blueberries and raspberries somewhere in the middle there…recipes to come for those.  In any case, this is a mighty refreshing beverage to have on hand on a hot summer day. 

If (when) I get married, I think I’d like to have one of my close friends make several dozen of these beautiful bottles of lemonade to have scattered around in ice-filled tin tubs and on the long communal tables laid out with a farm fresh feast {I guess I’d better buy stock in a lemon company that year}.  There’s just something about the way these jars gather condensation in the heat that makes me want to pour a glass and kick back with my flip flops off and the skirt of my sundress hiked up just a little higher.  A jar would make a great addition to a picnic basket for an outdoor concert in the park or a drive-in movie.  Bonus: add a shot of vanilla vodka and get a nice little buzz with your cool down.  Perfect for a sultry summer night. 

Homemade Herbal Lemonade
A Straight from the Farm Original

1 plus 1/2 C. granular sugar
5 large sprigs of fresh mint
1 small bunch of citrus thyme or other herb
1 vanilla bean
6 ripe lemons
water
ice

Put 1/2 cup of sugar with a 1/2 cup of water in a small saucepan over medium heat until sugar is fully dissolved and the simple syrup is quite hot.   Add one or two sprig of fresh mint and a few stems of thyme.  Split and scrape the vanilla bean and add both the beans and the pod halves to the simple syrup.  Stir and set aside to steep and come to room temperature.

Wash lemons and slice into thin rounds.  Place in a large bowl and sprinkle with the remaining cup of sugar.  Using a wooden spoon, masher or mallet, squish the lemon slices and sugar until a lot of liquid accumulates.   Add five cups of water to the bowl and stir.  When the simple syrup is cool, add it to the lemonade bowl and stir. 

Store in glass bottles with the remaining fresh sprigs of herbs.  Best served within one day.  Serve in chilled glasses with another sprig of herbs. 

(makes about 3 quarts)

I had a great evening on Friday, strolling around the busy grounds and house of Wyck during their lovely little Summer Kick-Off Festival.  The music was great and the weather perfect.  I loved seeing so many folks enjoying this historic garden for all it’s worth.  Kids were especially fun to watch as they discovered the baby apples on the trees, the chickens in the back, and the stilts under the ancient trees that were there for them to try out.  I really went for one reason though…to try the limited edition Wyck Old Rose Gelato from Capogiro. 

I love Wyck’s roses for so many reasons, but the chance to eat them (or at least their essence) tops the list.    So there I was, giddy to take my first bite and boy was it good!  Fragrant but not too “perfumey”, the taste of the roses initially striking with the first few bites but then fading to this wonderfully mellow floral undertone as my taste buds adjusted to such an unusual flavor.  When rose season rolls around again next year, I’m going to see if my good friend and Wyck gardener-extraordinaire, Nicole, will let me take home a bag of rose petals to post a few rose-infused recipes of my own.  For now, enjoy a few photos from this fun event and make plans to visit Wyck sometime soon for more fun, history and education.  They have quite the full calendar of events all summer long. 

I’ve neglected to post about the newest addition to my neighborhood’s wonderful assets:  a bustling farmers market in a perfect location along the busy main arterial.  This market is well suited to a section of Philadelphia already full of sustainable and locally-minded small businesses and families, mine included.  Held every Tuesday afternoon/evening, it’s the perfect chance to stock up on goodies to use during the week since most Philadelphians know that going “down the shore” on the weekends is going to make other markets less convenient.   Currently there is an Amish farmer selling lots of baked goods and annual plants; a fruit stand with gorgeous cherries and honey at the moment; a farmer selling grass fed meats, cheese, raw milk and any other “animal product” you can think of; an urban farm (well-known Weavers Way) selling heirloom and other unusual vegetables; and a friendly and funky cut flower/herb/potted perennial plant grower (oh yay, that last one is me).  

More info here: http://www.farmtocity.org/FarmersMarkets.asp
Takes place in the Lutheran Seminary plaza across from the WaWa in Mt. Airy
Tuesdays 3 p.m. – 7 p.m. through Thanksgiving

Summer came screaming in like an out-of-control freight train around here.  We had our first official heat wave (three days or more in a row with 90+ degree temperatures) in the first week of June which is some sort of record, I believe.  The beautiful fragrant old garden roses have already come and gone.  Last summer was cold and wet.  This summer apparently is lining up to be hot and dry (except for today’s lovely soft rain).   Me thinks the ice cream churner is going to be getting a lot of use these next few months.  What a shame.  It is a burden I will try to bear with grace. 

First stop on the seasonal scoop tour is Rhubarb & Strawberry Vanilla Ice Cream.  I realize these two wonderful earl summer ephemerals may be slipping away from the farmers market stalls, but hopefully you can find a pint of berries and a bunch of stalks to give this recipe a go.  It’s so creamy and fruity; the perfect early summer cool-down. 

On another note, I have to say thank you to several of you who have really been so good to reach out to me - via lovely comments in the last post, thoughtful emails, or even in-person visits at the farmers market – letting me know how much you appreciate the blog.  It’s been a challenge keeping up with all my passions (turns out there is a bottom to the creative juices in this vessel) and having your words of encouragement has meant a lot to me.  I feel rejuvenated and already have several new recipes in the works to keep us all well-fed as the summer progresses.  Thank you, dear friends!

Rhubarb & Strawberry Vanilla Ice Cream
A Straight from the Farm Original

3/4 C. sugar
1 C. whole milk (raw if possible)
1/4 t. salt
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
3 egg yolk, lightly beaten
3/4 C. rhubarb coulis
1 1/2 C. heavy cream
1 C. finely diced fresh strawberries
1/4 C. sugar

Combine sugar, milk, salt, and scraped vanilla bean and pods in a saucepan over low heat.  Stir until the mixture just begins to steam and simmer.   Place the egg yolks into a small bowl. Gradually stir in about 1/2 cup of the hot liquid to temper the eggs and return everything to the saucepan. Heat until thickened, about 5 minutes, but be careful not to boil. Remove from the heat, and pour into a chilled bowl.  Stir in the rhubarb coulis and refrigerate for at least two hours or overnight.   

Using a slotted spoon, fish out the vanilla pods from the chilled custard.  Whip the heavy cream until it forms soft peaks and gently fold into the custard mixture. Pour into an ice cream maker, and freeze according to manufacturer’s directions.  Meanwhile, combine the diced strawberries with the remaining sugar and set aside.

When ice cream is done churning, scoop out into a container with a lid.  Fold in the strawberries while ice cream is still soft.  Cover container tightly and place in freezer to firm up, about 3-4 hours. 

(makes 1 quart)

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately {I have a lot of time to do that when weeding the garden} about what defines success in a person’s work.  I spent many years working in an intense corporate job where I earned a decent wage.  By most accounts, I was quite successful, being good at my job and making enough money to pay all the bills, occasionally treat myself to a few nice things, and beef up my savings account.   But I was so unhappy doing that work that I quit and started a whole new career tract, going back to school and becoming a poor student when I most certainly was at an age where being such was just barely do-able and certainly not desirable.   Can you really be that “successful” if you are at a place in your life where you need to take such risks to regain balance and even {if I dared to dream} some really happiness and satisfaction? 

And now here I am on the other side of that leap of faith, a little out of breath from the effort, but really quite pleased with my progress towards establishing my own business and doing something that I find extremely gratifying.  My savings account is not nearly as beefy, and I find myself stuttering when I describe my “income” when I attempt to find some health insurance that would be even remotely affordable for the new entrepreneur.   I work 12 hours a day , six days a week, trying to make my well-laid plans a reality.  And I’ve been a bit saddened to have to let go of some hobbies I really loved {namely food blogging on a regular basis}.  But at the end of the day, I have a smile on my face.  A real, broad, toothy, genuine smile on my face.  I’ve never felt so healthy and creative.  I’m not able to give myself a paycheck yet, but I sure as hell feel rewarded and “successful”.  Is this enough though?   Frankly, I don’t think I can answer that question just yet. 

One thing that keeps me feeling a little less freaked out on the days when I stare at a skinny bank account and a fat credit card bill is the knowledge that I’m growing my own food at least.  This cuts down on grocery bills and gives us healthier options for dinner (not that we always take advantage of those options).   I’ve always loved cooking with homegrown food stuffs, as you well know, but this season it is less of a luxury and more of a necessity.   Creativity is key, as is cutting down on waste. 

When I made the pots de creme from the last post, I was using some lovely farm fresh eggs that my mom had gotten for me from a neighboring farm.  You might have noticed that the recipe only called for yolks so I had three egg whites leftover that I wanted to put to good use still.  I’ve always been intrigued by the fashionable macaron sandwich cookie that’s been made food-blog-famous by as personal heroine of mine, Helen, at Tartelette.   Her macaron’s in particular always seem so colorful and unique.  The thought of rhubarb’s pink hue coupled with a bite-size cookie treat was quite alluring even though I’ve never been a big fan of the type of macarons that are just big puffs with coconut sprinkled on top.  So, with four day old egg whites in hand, I set about making my first batch of sandwich macarons. 

Remember that little philosophical discussion above on the definition of success?  Well, I’m not terribly proud of my virgin attempt at macarons.  All of my dollops ran together in the oven to create one giant sticky sheet of would-be macaron.  All but three that is…the three dollops that I couldn’t fit on the first sheet so I had to put them on a second sheet, gave them more space and let them sit on the counter while the other sheet was baking.  So, I think I’ve learned some valuable lessons for my next batch, of which there surely will be when the next egg white surplus occurs since the one (and a half) finished Rhubarb Macaron I got to eat was absolutely delicious!   Despite “repurposing” the ruined ones as a topping for ice cream, I still felt like I had accomplished something as I licked the last of the marscapone filling off my fingers. 

Rhurbarb Macarons
Adapted from Tartelette
*I will aslo use this great tutorial with Tartelette, via bel’ alimento, next time.

For the shells:
3 egg whites
25 gr granulated sugar
4 T. rhubarb coulis
2 drops red food coloring
200 gr powdered sugar
110 gr slivered or chopped almonds

With an electric mixer, whip the egg whites to a foam and then gradually add the sugar until you obtain a glossy meringue. Don’t overbeat the meringue. Fold in the food coloring and rhubarb coulis. 

Place the powdered sugar and almonds in a food processor and pulse until the nuts are finely ground.

Add the almond mixture to the meringue, carefully folding until you obtain a batter that slowly deflates to the count of 10. The whole process should not take more than 50 strokes. Test a small amount on a plate: if the tops flattens on its own you are good to go. If there is a small beak, give the batter a couple more turns.

If you have one, ill a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip  or, do as I do, and use a zip lock freezer bag with a bottom corner snipped off.  Fill with batter and pipe small rounds (1.5 inches in diameter) onto parchment paper or silicone mats lined baking sheets, leaving plenty of space between each. Let the macarons sit out for 30 minutes to an hour to harden their shells a bit.

Preheat the oven to 300F. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until firm. Let cool. Store in an airtight container out of the fridge for a couple of days or in the freezer.

For the filling:
4 oz mascarpone, room temperature
3 T. rhubarb coulis

In a small bowl, whisk together the mascarpone and coulis together until well incorporated. Fill a small piping bag with a large plain tip and pipe in the center of a shell before pressing another shell lightly on top form the sandwich. 

(makes 2-3 dozen)