Sprout
Sous Chef
I was thinking about my favorite salad at work. We call it the Cassatt. It is baby spinach with strawberries, apples, goat cheese, and candied pecans. It is served with a champagne vinaigrette, but I'm not a huge fan, so I dress it with a mix of orange, lemon, and lime juice. Then I read Andy's Key Lime Pie recipe and inspiration struck. I give you Strawberry Citrus pie with Goat Cheese Whipped Cream and Candied Pecans:
Pie
1 roll phyllo dough
oil or melted butter (a couple tablespoons)
2 egg whites
splash lime juice
powdered sugar
lemon juice
Juice of 2 limes
juice of 3 oranges (smallish)
zest of 2 oranges (smallish)
6 egg yolks
2 14oz cans sweetened condensed milk
1 lb strawberries, washed, hulled, and chopped
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix 2 egg whites with a generous splash of water and 2 teaspoons powdered sugar. Follow directions on phyllo dough package to use oil/butter to make 2 pie crusts or 24 mini shells in muffin tins. (I did one pie and 12 minis.) For last 2 layers substitute egg wash for oil. Blind bake until just golden. Can substitute ready-made shells.
While shells are baking, mix orange and lime juice and add enough lemon juice to total 1 cup. (exact amounts aren't necessary). If lime and orange juice total a cup already, add a couple splashes of lemon juice and only use 1 cup of mixture. Mix 1 cup juice mixture with zest, yolks, and condensed milk. Once shells are done, divide berries between shells. You should have a nearly solid layer across the bottom of each shell. Pour the citrus-milk mixture into shells over strawberries. Bake at 350 degrees until set. Let cool to room temp, then chill in refrigerator.
Goat cheese whipped cream:
1/2 pint heavy cream divided
2 oz goat cheese
Powdered sugar
In a small bowl, add a tablespoon of cream to goat cheese and mix until smooth. Sweeten with powdered sugar to taste. The pie is quite sweet, so sweeten conservatively. In a separate bowl, whip cream until soft peaks form, sweetening to taste with powdered sugar as you go. Again, sweeten conservatively. (Don't taste while mixer is running if you're using one, of course. Turn the power off and wait until it stops moving before you stick your finger in. Just thought I'd add to cover my butt.) When soft peaks form, add goat cheese mixture and whisk until thoroughly mixed.
When pie is chilled, top with goat cheese whipped cream and candied pecans.
I tried one of the minis at room temperature with the toppings and I'm in love! Now they're chilling and I can't wait to try them! My only concern is that the strawberries may ooze more liquid and mess up the consistency while it chills. It was fine at room temp, but I don't know what will happen in the fridge. I'll try to post tomorrow with an update. The recipe can be halved, of course. You would just have to eat half of 1 orange and figure out what to do with the leftover phyllo dough.
Pie
1 roll phyllo dough
oil or melted butter (a couple tablespoons)
2 egg whites
splash lime juice
powdered sugar
lemon juice
Juice of 2 limes
juice of 3 oranges (smallish)
zest of 2 oranges (smallish)
6 egg yolks
2 14oz cans sweetened condensed milk
1 lb strawberries, washed, hulled, and chopped
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix 2 egg whites with a generous splash of water and 2 teaspoons powdered sugar. Follow directions on phyllo dough package to use oil/butter to make 2 pie crusts or 24 mini shells in muffin tins. (I did one pie and 12 minis.) For last 2 layers substitute egg wash for oil. Blind bake until just golden. Can substitute ready-made shells.
While shells are baking, mix orange and lime juice and add enough lemon juice to total 1 cup. (exact amounts aren't necessary). If lime and orange juice total a cup already, add a couple splashes of lemon juice and only use 1 cup of mixture. Mix 1 cup juice mixture with zest, yolks, and condensed milk. Once shells are done, divide berries between shells. You should have a nearly solid layer across the bottom of each shell. Pour the citrus-milk mixture into shells over strawberries. Bake at 350 degrees until set. Let cool to room temp, then chill in refrigerator.
Goat cheese whipped cream:
1/2 pint heavy cream divided
2 oz goat cheese
Powdered sugar
In a small bowl, add a tablespoon of cream to goat cheese and mix until smooth. Sweeten with powdered sugar to taste. The pie is quite sweet, so sweeten conservatively. In a separate bowl, whip cream until soft peaks form, sweetening to taste with powdered sugar as you go. Again, sweeten conservatively. (Don't taste while mixer is running if you're using one, of course. Turn the power off and wait until it stops moving before you stick your finger in. Just thought I'd add to cover my butt.) When soft peaks form, add goat cheese mixture and whisk until thoroughly mixed.
When pie is chilled, top with goat cheese whipped cream and candied pecans.
I tried one of the minis at room temperature with the toppings and I'm in love! Now they're chilling and I can't wait to try them! My only concern is that the strawberries may ooze more liquid and mess up the consistency while it chills. It was fine at room temp, but I don't know what will happen in the fridge. I'll try to post tomorrow with an update. The recipe can be halved, of course. You would just have to eat half of 1 orange and figure out what to do with the leftover phyllo dough.