inspirations

Jo Malone London has released five new limited edition scents based on popular English desserts. Known her balance of gourmand scents in her fragrances, these are the first to explicity evoke certain flavors, but even so, none of them are overly sweet or cloying. Check out all five scents from her Sugar and Spice collection and get the scoop from pastry chef (and creator of Estella Cupcakes) Natalie Estella Seldon on how to make these tasty treats. We’ve shown her Lemon Tart recipe below.

Lemon Meringue Tart
Makes 6 tarts

INGREDIENTS:
1 and 2/3 cup sweet shortbread pastry (recipe not included)
14 ounces lemon curd (recipe not included)
3 egg whites
2/3 cups refined sugar
1 tsp cornstarch
1 small lemon, cut into four wedges
powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll out pastry to 1/8 inch thick and line mini tartlet tins. Trim excess off by using a rolling pin over the top, then allow to chill in fridge for 30 minutes. Line the crust with baking paper and fill with pastry weights. Bake for 12 minutes. Remove weights and paper, then cook for a further 5 minutes until the pastry is lightly golden. Spoon in lemon curd to fill the tart cases and return to the oven to cook for a further 6-8 minutes or until the filling is just set. 

Meanwhile, make the meringue by placing egg whites in a large bowl. Whisk to soft peaks, then add half the sugar a spoonful at a time — whisking between each addition — being careful not to over beat. Whisk in the cornstarch, then add the remaining sugar as before until smooth and thick. When the tarts are ready, remove from the oven and, using either a piping bag or a spoon, place the meringue at the center of each tart (either as a piping swirl or peaks). Before serving, add a slice of lemon and a dusting of powdered sugar. Best eaten on the same day.

---

Derek Aimonetto of Sweet Life Bakery in Madison, WI, worked with us on a vanilla article for the March/April issue. He developed two recipes that uses layers of vanillas in different ways. For his Vanilla Cheesecake Indulgence, you’ll need to check out page 42, but we’ve shared his variations on beignets below.

Vanilla Beignets
Makes 24-30 beignets

INGREDIENTS:
2 c whole milk
1 large egg
3 tsp Madagascar vanilla extract
1 tbsp sugar
3 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp baking powder
6 c vegetable oil
½ c vanilla sugar

In a large mixing bowl, combine the milk, egg, vanilla extract, and sugar. Whisk until thoroughly combined and until the sugar is completely dissolved. In another bowl combine the flour, salt, and baking powder—stir together. One cup at a time, add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir until the batter is smooth after each addition. Prepare a separate bowl with the vanilla sugar.

In a heavy pot, heat the vegetable oil to 350 degrees F. Carefully spoon the batter into the hot oil, cooking three beignets at a time. Test the temperature of the oil frequently to ensure it stays between 350 and 360 degrees, adjusting the burner to compensate for variations in the heat. Gently roll the beignets while they cook to achieve a golden brown color, approximately four to five minutes. Remove the beignets from the oil and drain briefly on a paper towel. While still hot, roll each beignet in the vanilla sugar until coated. Let rest for one to two minutes. Serve warm.

---

Charred Orange Sorbet with Warm Rum Sauce & Spiced Cookie Bars From the 2013 McCormick Flavor Forecast, as detailed in the January 2013 issue of Slice, comes this light, but richly flavored dessert. Prep Time: 30 minutes • Cook Time: 45 minutes • Refrigerate: 2 hours • Freeze: Overnight • Makes 16 servings. CHARRED ORANGE SORBET: 1 seedless orange 2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided 1 1/4 cups orange juice 1 cup Thai Kitchen® Coconut Milk 1/2 cup half-and-half SPICED COOKIE BARS: 1 1/4 cups flour 1 teaspoon McCormick® Ground Allspice 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1 egg 2 tablespoons black rum 1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract RUM SAUCE: 3 tablespoons butter, divided 4 seedless oranges, peeled and sectioned 1/3 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup orange juice 2 tablespoons black rum DIRECTIONS: 1. For the Charred Orange Sorbet, grate orange peel. Set aside. Remove white pith from orange. Cut orange crosswise into 6 slices. Place on foil-lined baking pan. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of the sugar. Broil 4 to 6 inches from heat 7 to 8 minutes or until lightly charred. Cool orange slices then coarsely chop. 2. Place remaining 2/3 cup sugar and reserved grated peel in blender container; cover. Blend on high speed until well mixed. Add orange juice, coconut milk and half-and-half. Blend until sugar is dissolved. Pour into medium bowl. Stir in chopped orange. 3. Refrigerate 2 hours or until well chilled. Pour into an ice cream maker. Freeze according to manufacturer’s directions. 4. For the Spiced Cookie Bars, mix flour and allspice in medium bowl. Set aside. Beat butter and sugars in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg, rum and vanilla; mix well. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until well mixed. Spread in greased foil-lined 8-inch square baking pan. 5. Bake in preheated 375°F oven 20 to 25 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack. Cut into 4 squares then cut each square crosswise into 4 triangles. 6.  For the Rum Sauce, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Place orange sections in skillet. Sprinkle sugar around oranges. Cook 10 minutes or until sugar begins to caramelize, gently stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Add orange juice and rum. Cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon butter until melted. Serve Spiced Cookie Bar with a small scoop of Charred Orange Sorbet and drizzle with warm Rum Sauce.