Pomodorista: The Sweet Life in Brooklyn's Williamsburg
My first order of business upon relocating from Seattle to New York City for culinary school was to find a place to live. I had seen the school-sponsored options, and, without going into detail, they just weren't for me. Thus, I decided to spend a few days in hotel and look for a sublet via Craigslist. And I am so glad I did. I allotted myself five days to accomplish the mission, and it took all five.
I was dead set on living in Soho (without a roommate) so I could walk to school. I soon realized that would put me about $2,500 over my $2,500 budget for monthly rent. Long story short, I ended up in a pretty sweet new high-rise condo in Williamsburg, Brooklyn with my own gigantic bathroom, an Italian-from-Rome roommate, and an extra $1,000 in my pocket.
My cousin Richard, who lives in the neighborhood, was the first to take me around, and it became immediately apparent to me that Williamsburg is, in itself, a NYC culinary mecca. We met for brunch at Diner, a favorite of locals and foodies, for pancakes with rhubarb compote and five cups of coffee. After breakfast Richard, himself a gastronome, pointed out the local culinary hot spots: Marlow and Sons, Marlow and Daughters, the Bedford Cheese Shop, Dumont Burger, Peter Luger's, and too many others to list here.
Best of all the neighborhood felt familiar to me, a lot like my own in Seattle's Capitol Hill: slightly dingy, full of graffiti, and brimming with hipsters, used clothing stores, watering holes, and good food. Indeed, it felt like home.
Marlow and Son's Chocolate Caramel Tart
Ingredients:
For the crust:
1 1⁄2 cups flour
1⁄4 cup plus 1 tablespoon dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder
1⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed and softened
1⁄2 cup plus 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
2 egg yolks, preferably at room temperature
1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the caramel:
1 1⁄2 cups sugar
3 tablespoon light corn syrup
1⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon crème fraîche
For the ganache:
1⁄2 cup heavy cream
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate
finely chopped Gray sea salt for garnish
Directions:
1. Make the crust: Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine flour, cocoa powder, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside. Using a handheld mixer, cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl until mixture is pale and fluffy; mix in yolks and vanilla. Mix in dry ingredients. Transfer dough to a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom and press dough evenly into bottom and sides of pan. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Prick the tart shell all over with a fork and bake until cooked through, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool.
2. Make the caramel: In a 1-quart saucepan, whisk together sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 6 tablespoons water and bring to a boil. Cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer inserted into the syrup reads 340 degrees F. Remove pan from heat and whisk in butter, cream, and crème fraîche (the mixture will bubble up) until smooth. Pour caramel into cooled tart shell and let cool slightly; refrigerate until firm, 4–5 hours.
3. Make the ganache: Bring cream to a boil in a 1-quart. saucepan over medium heat. Put chocolate into a medium bowl and pour in hot cream; let sit for 1 minute, then stir slowly with a rubber spatula until smooth. Pour ganache evenly over tart and refrigerate until set, 4–5 hours. Sprinkle tart with sea salt, slice, and serve chilled.
Serves: 8
Saveur Magazine, 2009, Issue #119
--StellaCadente*
Weezie on December 10, 2009 at 10:19 PM
I made this bit of tastiness for Thanksgiving, it was amazing! I ruined the caramel once, but re-made it. The burned sugar explosion in my kitchen was so worth it.
StellaCadente* on December 11, 2009 at 09:46 AM
Heavenly, right Weezie?