A month ago, I went to the new Union Fare food hall in NYC, where Chef Thiago just launched a croissant spread in crazy flavors including red velvet, cookies ‘n cream, creme brûlée, Matcha and the super Instagrammable birthday cake. At the time, there was only a little buzz about the funfetti-style croissant, so I managed to get by without lines or sold-out signs. I’m not sure how it is now but I just couldn’t wait till my next NY trip so I decided to re-create them.
Summer means corn in every form, including ice cream. When infused with the milk, it imparts a nice sweet flavor that comes through once finally churned. It won’t be in-your-face corn flavor; it’s more mellow which I quite like. Then pair it with sweet-tart berries and we’ve got ourselves a perfect match. I’ve broken down the recipe into 3 components: ice cream, waffle bowls, and compote.
For some time, I felt that laminated dough was my enemy. When I was in school, I didn’t have trouble with it. When I made my first batch of cronuts, they were a success (or maybe, it was beginner’s luck?). But then came trouble. My next 3-4 attempts were all fails. I threw one batch in the trash and gave up after that. Fast forward a year later, and here I am with a renewed desire to get it right.
Every summer, after going strawberry picking, I get into a baking frenzy. How many ways can I use 5, 10, 20 lbs of berries? 20 is a lot but sometimes I get carried away in the fields. The obvious answer is jam, but I try to use the berries fresh or uncooked because they’re already so ripe and naturally sweet that it seems like a waste to cook them down.
I came up with this tart about 4 years ago. After graduating from pastry school, I experimented with dessert catering. Haha, I can laugh about it now, but it’s definitely not my thing. A couple of my initial requests were for tarts. I love adding cheese to desserts, whether it’s cream cheese or mascarpone, because it adds a nice tang that then allows for sweeter ingredients to shine.
