Delicata, Chard & Mushroom Galette

This recipe came about because I had leftover squash purée that needed to be used up. It would’ve been easy to just throw it into the freezer to use at a later date (meaning: throw it in the freezer, forget all about it, and then throw it out when it’s completely freezer burned), but I was determined to figure out a way to use it up. And not only did I do that, but the result tasted even better than i thought it would!

For the crust:

2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out the dough

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 sticks (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into cubes

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1/3 cup ice water

For the filling:

1 1/2 cups delicata squash purée (see below)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 bunch (about 1/2 pound) chard (I used red, but any kind will do), washed well and mostly dried

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup crumbled feta

Egg wash:

1 egg yolk whisked with one teaspoon water

Make the crust:

Combine the flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Add the cubed butter, and pulse until the mixture resembles cornmeal. In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, vinegar, and water. Pour the sour cream mixture into the food processor, and pulse just until the mixture starts to come together into a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic, and chill in the fridge for at least one hour or up to 2 days.

Make the filling:

1. Combine the squash purée, salt and pepper to taste (I used lots of pepper, because I knew the topping would be on the sweet side), and thyme in a bowl. Set aside.

2. Prepare the chard: cut along both sides of the stem, to remove the stem. Cut the stem into slices (about 1/4-inch thick), and set aside in a bowl. Slice the leaves (also about a 1/4-inch thick), and place into another bowl.

3.  In a large skillet (i used my 10-inch cast iron), heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook it for a few minutes until softened, stirring often. Add the chard stems and garlic, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often.  Add the mushrooms, a few large pinches of kosher salt, and the crushed red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms cook down and any water evaporates, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the chard leaves and stir for 1 minute, until wilted. Remove from heat and stir in the dried cranberries.

Assemble and bake the galette:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. On a large piece of parchment paper, roll out the dough to a 16-inch circle (dust the top of the dough and your rolling pin with flour to keep it from sticking). (Don’t worry if your circle isn’t perfect.) Carefully slide the parchment with the dough onto a large baking sheet.

2. Spread the squash purée over the dough, stopping about 2 inches before the border. Top with the mushroom-chard mixture, and the sprinkle with the feta. Gently fold the edges of the dough over the filling, pleating to make it fit. Brush with the egg wash.

3. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the crust is golden brown. I served this warm, but I imagine it would taste good at room temperature, too.

Delicata Squash Purée:

I used leftover purée for this, so I don’t really know how many delicata squashes you need to make 1 1/2 cups of purée (sorry!), but I think 3 would probably be more than enough. All you do is cut the squashes in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, and roast in a 375°F oven for about 40 minutes (until completely soft and slightly browned). Let the squashes cool off, then remove the skin, place the flesh into a blender with a bit of water, and then purée. Simple as that!

I recommend making the purée in advance and refrigerating, because it thickens up slightly when cold, which makes it easier to spread on the dough without making a mess.

makes 1 12-inch galette

Dough recipe adapted from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by Deb Perelman

Another Birthday, A Whole Lotta Chocolate

A week after we celebrated Tova’s 1st birthday we celebrated Ella’s 9th birthday. I let Ella look through my baking cookbooks and decide what cake she wanted me to bake for her birthday. Her choice? The Mississippi Mud Pie (B)/Muddy Mississippi Cake from Baked Explorations: Classic American Desserts Reinvented.

This version of the classic Mississippi Mud Pie layers a flourless chocolate cake with chocolate pudding and whipped cream, all inside a chocolate cookie crust. I knew this cake would be very time-consuming to make (which it was) and very rich (which it was), but the birthday girl gets what the birthday girl wants!

Because there are so many steps, including time in the fridge, I started this cake two days before serving it. I made the cookie crust and the cake one day and then covered it well and put it in the fridge. The next evening I made the pudding and let that sit in the fridge overnight. About an hour or so before I wanted to serve the cake I spread the pudding over the chocolate cake, and put it back in the fridge while I whipped the cream. Then I just had to spread the cream over the whole thing, sprinkle in some gold stars and disco dust, and serve!

Like I said, this cake was really rich, but it was so, so good! And each of the components would be fantastic on their own, too.

(Note: After the flourless chocolate cake cools, the sides end up being a lot higher than the middle of the cake. I removed the higher parts in order to flatten out the cake to an even thickness.)

Mississippi Mud Pie (B), AKA Muddy Mississippi Cake

For the Chocolate Cookie Crust:

16 ounces chocolate sandwich cookies, such as Oreos, crushed

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the Flourless Chocolate Cake:

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

6 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (60 to 70%), chopped (I used 72%)

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder

1/4 cup strong coffee, at room temperature

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

6 large eggs, separated, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar, divided

For the chocolate Pudding:

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Cacao Barry Extra Brute)

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 large egg yolks

2 1/2 cups whole milk

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

3 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (60 to 70%) (I used 72%)

For the Whipped Cream:

1 1/4 cups heavy cream

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

To Make the Chocolate Cookie Crust:

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Lightly spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line the pan with parchment paper and lightly spray the parchment and sides of the pan.

2. In a food processor, grind the cookies to a very fine crumb. you should have about 3 1/2 cups. Put the crumbs in a small bowl. Pour the melted butter over them and mix with a rubber spatula until well combined.

3. Turn the crumb mixture into the prepared pan and press it into the bottom and up the sides, leaving about 1/2 inch between the top of the crust and the top of the pan. Use the back of a large spoon to get an even layer of crust. Place the pan in the freezer and let the crust set for about 10 minutes.

4. Bake the crust in the oven until it is dry to the touch, about 10 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool.

To Make the Flourless Chocolate Cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Using a double boiler or microwave, melt the butter and chocolate together. Set aside to cool.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the espresso powder, coffee, salt, and vanilla. Set aside.

4. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg yolks with 1/2 cup sugar until the mixture is light and has almost doubled in volume, about 5 minutes. Add the chocolate mixture and beat until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix on low speed for 5 seconds. Add the coffee mixture and beat until just combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix on low for 5 seconds.

5. In a clean bowl fitted with the whisk attachment (or in a non-plastic bowl, using a whisk or hand mixer), beat the egg whites until foamy. Gradually increase the speed to high and add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, beating until soft peaks form.

6. Scoop 1 cup of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold in the egg whites. After about 30 seconds of folding, add the remaining egg whites and continue folding until they are almost completely combined. Do not rush the folding process, work gently, and take care not to overmix. Pour the batter into the cooled cookie crust and bake for 38 to 42 minutes, until the cake is set but still jiggles slightly. It might not appear to be completely cooked. Transfer it to a wire rack and cool completely. As it cools, the cake will deflate in the center and look sunken. Tightly wrap and refrigerate the cake for at least 3 hours or overnight.

To Make the Chocolate Pudding:

1. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, and salt. Add the egg yolks and whisk until combined. The mixture will look like a thick paste. Slowly pour in the milk, whisking constantly.

2. In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil, whisking constantly to prevent it from burning on the bottom of the pan. Boil for 30 seconds, then transfer it to a medium bowl. Add the butter, vanilla, and chocolate and whisk until combined. Continue to whisk for a few more minutes to cool the mixture slightly. Let the pudding stand for 15 minutes at room temperature. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming, and chill it for at least 3 hours.

To Make the Whipped Cream:

Pour the cream into a chilled metal bowl and beat with a chilled whisk for about 1 minute or until soft peaks form. Sprinkle the sugar on the cream and continue whisking vigorously until stiff peaks form.

To Assemble the Cake:

Stir the pudding to loosen it, then pour it on top of the cake, making sure to stay inside the cookie-crust border. Use an offset spatula to spread the pudding into an even layer. Return the cake to the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes while you prepare the whipped cream topping. Spread the whipped cream across the pudding layer, all the way out to the sides, unmold the cake, and serve it immediately.

The cake can be kept, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

*Adapted from Baked Explorations: Classic American Desserts Reinvented, matt Lewis & Renato Poliafito