Nectarines With Ricotta Vanilla Cream And Pine Nut Brittle Recipes

CREAMY RICOTTA TART WITH PINE NUTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In the bowl of a food processor, pulse flour, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 3/4 cup of pine nuts, and salt until finely ground. Add the butter. Pulse dough just until it comes together.
• Place the dough into an 11-inch diameter tart pan with a removable bottom and press down to cover the bottom and sides of the pan. Refrigerate until the dough is firm, about 30 minutes.
• Line the tart shell with aluminum foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake the tart shell in the lower third of the oven until just set, about 25 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and pie weights. Bake until the tart shell is lightly golden, about 10 minutes. Cool completely.
• Combine the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar with the water in a small saucepan over low heat. You don't want to boil the water, you just want to heat it so that the sugar can dissolve thoroughly. Stir until the sugar dissolves and remove from heat.
• In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the ricotta cheese and cream cheese until smooth. Add the eggs and egg yolks, 1 at a time, and process until smooth. With the machine running, add the sugar syrup in a thin steady stream and process until smooth.
• Pour the custard into the tart shell and bake until the filling is almost set, about 20 to 25 minutes. Scatter the remaining 3/4 cup of toasted pine nuts atop the filling. Bake until the custard is set, about 10 minutes longer. Let the tart cool completely before serving.
• The tart can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Return the tart to room temperature before serving.

NECTARINES WITH RICOTTA-VANILLA CREAM AND PINE-NUT BRITTLE

Steps:

• Toss nectarines with 1 teaspoon sugar and lime juice in a bowl and let macerate, stirring occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Purée ricotta, milk, vanilla, and 3 teaspoon sugar in a blender until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and chill in freezer, stirring halfway through, until slightly thickened, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Line a 4-sided sheet pan with foil. Bring water and remaining 1/2 cup sugar to a boil in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved, then wash down any sugar crystals from side of pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water. Boil, without stirring, swirling pan occasionally so caramel colors evenly, until medium amber, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in pine nuts, then immediately pour out onto foil, quickly spreading with a spatula as thinly as possible. Cool 5 minutes. Peel brittle from foil and break into pieces.
• Stir mint into nectarines and serve fruit with ricotta cream and pieces of brittle.

NECTARINES WITH VELVETY VANILLA CREAM

Steps:

• Sprinkle the gelatine over 3 tbsp cold water in a small, heatproof bowl. Leave to stand for a few minutes until spongy, then place the bowl in a pan of gently simmering water until the gelatine dissolves. Set aside.
• Pour the cream into a saucepan and tip in the sugar. Split the vanilla pod in half lengthways, scrape out the black seeds and whisk into the cream. Set the pan over a medium heat and bring the cream to the boil. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the gelatine.
• Pour the milk into the hot cream, give it all a good stir and leave to cool for an hour or so. Put the pan in the fridge for 1-2 hours until the cream just begins to thicken, stirring it every now and then to evenly distribute the vanilla seeds. Pour the cream into a 1-litre serving dish, cover and refrigerate for at least 5 hours (overnight is ideal) until completely set. The cream will sit in the fridge for up to two days.
• To serve, halve, stone and thinly slice the nectarines, then toss with the lemon juice and peach vodka if using. Scatter the nectarine slices over the surface of the set cream. Serve immediately, decorated with lemon balm or mint leaves.