Terra Americana

I just finished the last piece of this.  With the solstice and full strawberry moon approaching I felt the need for a little bit of comfort.  I felt the need to travel in my mind to the shores of Brittany. A place where sea salt pervades the air and spices up everything from savory to sweet. 

The salt infused sable (or butter cookie) dough used for this free form pie is the perfect base for the sweet curd and fruit topping.  It's name sounds complicated, but it is not.  Avoiding a trip to the store, I used the rhubarb curd I had just concocted along with the mixed berry preserves in my pantry from last year.  The experience of crunch and cream, followed by an explosion of fruit flavor makes this a perfect way to wind down and enjoy the little things.  Thank you Dorie!

• 1 recipe Shortbread with 1/4 tsp salt added (ours is gluten free but it does not have to be)  Flaky Crust or Galette Dough may be used if you prefer a less sweet crust.
• 2 cups  lemon,  lime, or Rhubarb Curd
• 2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
• 1 cup mixed berry preserves
  
• 2 tbsp Orange Vanilla Sugar

Make shortbread and spread dough in one, 9x13 or two, 9" tart pans. You can freeze the dough for up to 6 months if you only want to make one tart.  Or just make cookies with the extra dough.   Bake at 350 degrees F for 12 minutes or until crust begins to brown. 

Spoon lemon, lime, or rhubarb curd over warm crust. Sprinkle sugar over the bars.  Bake at 350 F for 40 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. Serve cool.

Adapted from Dorie Greenspan’s Around My French Table.

More from this classic cookbook:

• Cocoa Sables

• Coconut Friands

• Long and Slow Apples

• coeur à la crème

Photo Credit: Julie T Cecchini

I love the story behind this.  The savarin evolved from the baba.  The baba was the creation of a Polish  King exiled in France.  He did not like the cakes he found so he made his own and soaked it in rum for good measure.  Why settle for less?

I needed to make mine gluten free, which was a challenge.  I do not like to over complicate ingredients, but that is what is often done to get wheat free flours to rise.  My first try was like a failed souffle, so I had to rethink it all together for my second try.  What ended up doing was using a recipe a knew would be a good sponge, rather than a yeast-ed creation.  The result is a melt in your mouth confection.

With inspiration from Elana's Pantry, this is what I did;

For the cake:

• 2 ¾ cups almond flour
• ¼ tsp celtic sea salt
• 1 ½ tsp  baking soda
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp agave nectar or honey
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup Paolucci Fragoletta, wild strawberry liqueur

In a large bowl combine almond flour, salt, and baking soda.  In a smaller bowl combine eggs, agave and apple cider vinegar.  Mix wet ingredients into dry.  Butter a savarin or bunt pan and spread dough into it.  Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.  Remove from the oven and pour strawberry liqueur over the cake while it is still in the pan.  Allow to cool.

For the fruit;

• 1 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced
• 1 cup Paolucci Fragoletta, wild strawberry liqueur

Lightly saute strawberries in liqueur for 10 minutes.  Take off the heat and cool.

Watch Baba and Savarin with David Blom on PBS. See more from Baking With Julia.

• Hungarian Shortbread
• Gingerbread Baby Cakes                
• French Apple Tart
• Gingerbread Baby Cakes