This is the week where a theme started to emerge where at least one of the recipes failed... this week it was Meghan's. We tackled some desserts from our favorite movies. Jacqueline made Raspberry Danishes from Ant Man and the Wasp (we're still pretty sure this is a massive stretch on BWB's part but Jacq wanted to try them anyway) and Meghan made Imaginary Pie from Hook.
IMAGINARY PIE (HOOK)
INGREDIENTS
Pie Crust:
6 ¼ oz all purpose flour
1 Tbsp (15 grams) granulated sugar
Kosher Salt
1 Stick (8 Tbsp) unsalted butter
4 Tbsp ice water
Cream Filling:
1 ¼ cup heavy cream, plus an additional ¼ cup set aside
1 package gelatin
⅔ cup granulated sugar
1 lb cream cheese
½ large lemon (juiced and zested)
½ tsp vanilla extract
50 drops red food coloring
Kosher salt
Whipped Cream:
1 cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
15 drops blue food coloring (in separate batch)
15 drops green food coloring (in separate batch)
METHOD
Start by combining 6 ¼ oz of all purpose flour, 1 Tbsp (15 grams) of granulated sugar, pinch of kosher salt, 1 stick of unsalted butter (cubed) in the bowl of a food processor. Slowly pulse until the butter pieces are no larger than a coffee bean.
Pour the mixture into a large bowl and sprinkle 4 Tbsp of ice water over the top. Coax together until the dough holds its shape. If it’s not coming together, add 1 Tbsp of additional ice water at a time until the mixture forms a nice dough ball.
Then plop the dough out onto a non-floured surface and press into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and let rest in a fridge for at least 2 hours.
After the 2 hours are up, place the dough on a well floured surface and begin “whacking” with a rolling pin, rotating occasionally for even whacking. This will help soften the dough before you roll it out 2 inches wider than the width of your pie plate. Make sure your surface is generously floured so the dough doesn’t stick.
Once the dough has reached the desired diameter, use the rolling pin as a scroll to furl and unfurl the pie dough over the pie plate. Then lift and drop (not press) the dough into the corners of the pie plate. You don’t want to stretch the dough, as that will make it shrink in the oven.
Trim off excess edges of crust around the pie plate and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour. After 1 hour, dock your crust by poking gently with a fork. Line with aluminum foil and fill with your pie weight of choice (I used rice) and place in a preheated 350°F oven for about 25 minutes.
After 25 minutes, remove the aluminum foil sheet from the pie and place the crust back into the oven for another 20-25 minutes, until evenly brown all over. Let cool while you create your filling.
In a small saucepan, bring a ¼ cup of heavy cream to a simmer before adding 1 packet of gelatin and whisk together until fully dissolved. Set aside to cool completely.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 1 ¼ cup of heavy cream and ⅔ cup of granulated sugar and then beat it together on medium high speed it reaches soft peaks.
Once cream has reached soft peaks, add 1 pound of cream cheese. Make sure the cream cheese is cut into cubes and warmed to room temperature. Beat for 1 minute on medium speed until smooth and creamy with just a few errant lumps.
Scrape down the sides of your bowl, add the juice and zest of ½ a lemon, a generous pinch of kosher salt and ½ tsp of vanilla extract. Also add about 50 drops of red food coloring.
Beat that together on medium speed for another minute before adding in the heavy cream and gelatin mixture. Beat together for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until smooth, creamy, and light.
At this point, pour the cream into the cooled off pie shell and smooth it with an off-set spatula, or rough it up to make it seem more like the one in the movie. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 6 hours or until completely set.
For the colorful globs of whip cream, in a stand mixer bowl mix together 1 cup of heavy cream, 1 Tbsp of granulated sugar, and 15 drops of your desired food coloring (blue or green). Beat together until they form stiff peaks.
Load the whipped cream into a pair of pastry bags, cut the end and decorate your pie. 6 globs of blue around the perimeter and 1 glob of green in the center, if you want to be true to the movie.
RASPBERRY DANISHES (ANT MAN & THE WASP)
INGREDIENTS
Butter Dough Ingredients:
450 g french Butter
659 g all-purpose flour
67 g sugar
12 g instant yeast
75 ml lukewarm water
230 ml cold full-fat milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
Kosher salt
Cheese Filling Ingredients:
100 g cream cheese
100 g ricotta
1 large egg
35 g sugar
Kosher salt
Glaze Ingredients:
2 cups confectioners sugar
¼ - ½ cup skim milk
Other fillings:
Raspberry jam (or jam of choice)
METHOD
Butter Dough Method:
In the bowl of a stand mixer goes 659 grams of all-purpose flour and 30 grams of the french butter. Work the butter into the flour with both hands.
Add in 67 grams of sugar and 12 grams of instant yeast. Whisk together.
Once mixed, add 75 ml of lukewarm water, 230 ml of cold full-fat milk, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and 2 large eggs.
Mix together with 15 grams of kosher salt and mix until completely combined with no dry spots remaining, about 2 minutes.
Cover with plastic wrap and let rest to make the butter squares.
On two sheets of floured parchment paper, place the remaining halves of the 450 g of French butter and use a rolling pin to pound out to a thickness of 1-2 cm.
Open the parchment paper, fold the butter in half and reflour as necessary and pound out again. A sum total of 4 times. Rinse and repeat with the other half of the butter.
On a well floured surface, pour out the dough and use a bench scraper shape it into a rectangle. Roll it out to 3x its width.
Place the first piece of butter in the middle of the dough. Fold on the side over it. Lay the second butter rectangle on top. Dust the excess flour off, and fold the remaining third of the dough over. Pinch the edges shut.
Roll the dough out to the same width as before (3x its width). Brush off any excess flour. Fold once again into thirds.
Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Unwrap. Roll out as before. Fold into thirds again. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4-16 hours.
Cut into desired portions and roll out for final assembly.
Cheese Filling Method:
In a large bowl, combine 100 grams each of cream cheese and ricotta along with 1 large egg, 35 grams of sugar and a generous pinch of kosher salt. Whisk to combine.
Entenmann’s Method/Assembly:
Cut into a 13x6” rectangle before cutting out 3 1” wide strips. Brush off any excess flour. Brush the strips down with a beaten egg.
Lay one strip in the middle of the rectangle with the other two strips flanking it.
Place on a rimmed baking sheet and cover with greased plastic wrap. Let proof for 1 hour.
After 1 hour, remove the plastic wrap and pipe in the cheese mixture and raspberry jam.
Brush the whole thing down with a beaten egg. Bake at 400°F for 15-18 minutes.
For the frosting, add 2 cups of confectioners sugar and add in a little skim milk at a time until the right consistency is reached.
Lightly drizzle the glaze over the pastry until lightly covered and serve.
Danish Braid Method/Assembly:
Using another half batch of dough and roll out to a thickness of 1 cm.
Trim into a rectangle and make diagonal cuts down the side of the pastries (about 2 cm wide) and leaving a gap in the middle of the pastry.
Pipe the cheese mixture and raspberry jam down the center of the pasty.
Fold the top down on top of the filling followed by folding the strips diagonal over the filling alternating left to right.
Tuck the bottom underneath the last two strips. Cover with greased plastic wrap and proof for 1 hour.
Brush down with a beaten egg and bake at 400°F for 15-18 minutes on the middle rack.
Place onto a wire rack to cool completely before drizzling with glaze. Slice and serve.
Multiple Shaped Danish Pastries Folding Methods/Assembly:
Using another half batch of dough and roll out to a thickness of 1 cm. Slice it into even squares.
Fold in half diagonally. Place two cuts down the side leaving a gap at the end. Brush off any excess flour.
Brush down with a beaten egg. Separate both flaps and fold them over.
Place four cuts from each corner leaving a gap in the center. Brush with a beaten egg. Fold each half of the triangle towards the center in alternating fashion.
Place 90 degree cuts in each corner leaving a gap between them. Brush down with a beaten egg yolk. Fold the loosened corners towards the center.
Brush down the square with egg yolk folding each side of the square towards the center.
Fill each pastry shape with cheese mixture and raspberry jam before baking at 400°F for 15-18 minutes.
Cool completely on a wire rack before glazing and serving.
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