3 Salon desserts

​Lemon Sabayon–Pine Nut Tart with Honeyed Mascarpone Cream ~
Thomas Keller
Makes 8 servings


This is an elegant dessert that is very easy, can be done ahead of time, and tastes absolutely exquisite. The lemon sabayon is a lot like a lemon curd; the difference is you cook the eggs over hot water till you develop those nice big trails and ribbons, then add the butter, which helps it set up as it cools to room temperature. The honey in the mascarpone cream perfectly balances the lemon in the tart, a flavor combination I didn’t have to look any farther for than a cup of desert sage tea.

This tart is best served at room temperature, within a few hours of assembling,
but if necessary, it can be refrigerated and served cold.

Butter and flour for the tart pan
⅓ recipe Pine Nut Crust (recipe follows)
Lemon sabayon
2 large eggs, cold
2 large egg yolks, cold
¾ cup sugar
½ cup fresh lemon juice
6 tablespoons (3 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces


Honeyed Mascarpone Cream
½ cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons mascarpone cheese
1 tablespoon honey


For the crust: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously butter and flour a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom and refrigerate it while the oven preheats.


Remove the tart pan from the refrigerator. Use your fingertips to press the chilled dough evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Trim off any excess dough.


Bake the crust for 10 to 15 minutes, then rotate the shell and continue baking for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until the shell is golden brown. Remove the shell from the oven and let it cool while you make the filling. There may be some cracks in the shell; they will not affect the tart.


For the Lemon Sabayon: Bring about 1 ½ inches of water to a boil in a pot that is slightly smaller than the diameter of the mixing bowl you will be using for the sabayon. Meanwhile, in a large metal bowl, whisk the eggs, yolks, and sugar for about 1 minute, or until the mixture is smooth.


Set the bowl over the pot and, using a large whisk, whip the mixture while you turn the bowl, for even heating. After about 2 minutes, when the eggs are foamy and have thickened, add ⅓ of the lemon juice. Continue to whisk vigorously and when the mixture thickens again, add another ⅓ of the lemon juice. Whisk until the mixture thickens again, then add the remaining lemon juice. Continue whisking vigorously, still turning the bowl, until the mixture is thickened, light in color, and the whisk leaves a trail in the bottom of the bowl. The total cooking time should be approximately 8 to 10 minutes.




Clementines Lemongrass Syrup
3 large stalks fresh lemongrass 1/2 lb
2 cups coconut sugar
1 cup raw sugar
1 3/4 cups cold water


Clementines peeled, segments, rind of 3 in large pcs
2 1/2 cups lemongrass syrup


trim lemongrass and smash each, cut into 2” lengths, bring all ingredients to rolling boil
moderate heat 8-10 minutes, set pan off heat, cover and cool syrup 1 hr




Fig & Almond Tart        Tarte aux Figues
Crust
9 Tablespoons butter, 1/4 cup water, 1 T coconut sugar, 1 3/4 cup almond flour
Small saucepan butter water sugar when melted turn off heat and add flour all at once, stirring with wooden spoon to combine, roll out crust until 13” diameter


7 Tablespoons salted butter (sea salt)
1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons granulated coconut sugar
3 eggs
1 Tablespoon floral water.   
1/2 plus almond extract or few drops real bitter almond essence
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup almond meal
7 ripe fresh figs sliced about 1/2 inch thin
​    small handful pine nuts


Heat oven to 375*
Whip butter until soft & airy. Add sugar and cream two together until light and fluffy.
Add two eggs, whisk to combine. Break 3rd egg into a cup, stir lightly. Pour 1/2 of egg into batter. Add floral essence, almond, vanilla to butter and whisk to combine. Add ground almonds and stir to combine. Place crust in 11” tart pan metal let extra crust over edges, prick bottom with fork. Top with almond cream, slice figs on top. Scatter pine nuts. Fold over extra crust over top of tart to form border. Mix rest of egg with sugar and brush top of crust with wash.
Bake 30-35 minutes until golden and cooked through.