Raspberry & Custard Tart

I was invited to my friend Kathy's for an end of the summer dinner, so I offered to make my "Roasted Corn and Dill Potato Salad", as well as this delicious-looking dessert!!! This recipe comes from the LCBO's "Food & Drink ~ Summer 2010" magazine. It's actually quite easy...perhaps I am more of a baker than I thought!!!

RASPBERRY & CUSTARD TART

Ingredients

Custard:

1 cup milk

1 tsp real vanilla extract

3 free-range egg yolks

3 tbsp granulated sugar

2 tbsp all-purpose flour

Tart:

3 oz bittersweet chocolate

1 baked sweet pastry shell (9")

2 cups raspberries

1/2 cup redcurrant jelly (I only had cherry and it worked fine)

1 tbsp sweet wine or brandy

• Heat milk in a heavy pot over medium heat until simmering. Remove from heat and add vanilla.


• Whisk together egg yolks and sugar in a bowl until well combined. Stir in flour.


• Whisk milk mixture into egg yolks and return to pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens, about 3 minutes. Pour custard into a mixing bowl and cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin forming. Cool.


• Slowly melt chocolate in a heavy pot over low heat. Remove form heat and brush the inside of the baked pastry shell with melted chocolate. Place in freezer to solidify the chocolate.


• Pour cooled custard into shell. Arrange raspberries in circles on top of the custard.


• Place redcurrant jelly and sweet wine in a small pot and boil for 1 minute. Cool until glaze is room temperature, but still liquid. Drizzle or brush glaze over the fruit and leave the tart in a cool place until ready to serve.

Lemon Cauliflower Cheese

Another delicious vegetable that is in season right now is cauliflower! My family's favourite way to enjoy cruciferous veggie is baked with a lemon cheese sauce ~ it's delicious and simple to prepare, requiring few ingredients.

LEMON CAULIFLOWER CHEESE

Ingredients

1 head of cauliflower, cut into florettes

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 cup milk

1 tsp lemon pepper (or 1/2 each of salt and pepper)

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp lemon rind

2 egg yolks, beaten

1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese

• Preheat oven to 400F.
• Cook the cauliflower in a pot of boiling water until softened. Drain and place in a 9"x9" casserole dish and set aside.
• Melt the butter in the pot over medium-high heat and whisk in the flour. Once combined, slowly add the milk as you are whisking. Keep whisking as you bring the mixture to a boil and it thickens. Reduce the heat to medium.
• Add the lemon pepper, paprika, lemon rind and egg yolks, working quickly to avoid the egg and lemon splitting the mixture (causing it to get the appearance of scrambled eggs).
• Add half the cheese and whisk until smooth.
• Pour the cheese sauce over the cauliflower and top with the remaining grated cheese. Place in oven for 15 -20 minutes, or until cheese is golden brown on top.
• Serve and enjoy!