When we are lucky enough to have great friends.
We should make them delicious things, because sometimes words can’t express how much they mean to us. And sometimes, we should write them a letter.
Dear Vanilla Sugar,
Thank you for being a friend.
It’s true that we’ve traveled down that road and back again.
You’re heart is true, you’re a pal and a confidant. And if you threw a party, invited everyone you knew, or even just a few of us. You would see the biggest gift would be from me and the card attached would say, Thank you for being a friend.
Okay. So mostly I didn’t actually write that. Andrew Gold did for a really great t.v. show who’s name escapes me…you know, the one with all those plucky hilarious old ladies. The one where I am probably Gladys, a few of our friends are definitely Blanche; we won’t say, but will always secretly know who is Rose, and well, you’re definitely Dorothy.
Well, let’s just say if you updated your Facebook status that you were craving a good old fashioned spaghetti and meatball dinner, I’d braise it for you, with delicious heritage meats in red wine & a slow cooked tomato sauce. And I’d make you a super fancy farmer’s market salad, brightly colored with carrots, watermelon radishes and a homemade herb yogurt dressing. And I’d make a winter fruit dessert worthy of many salivating daydreams.
Because you love fruit dessert. And I love you. You are a super amazing friend to me & have done things to support and look out for me that fill me with endless gratitude. You know, like the kind of gestures that sometimes actually make me tear up at how lovely you are. And at how you seem to find an endless wellspring of patience & appreciation.
You have listened to me so many hours and even when I was probably being a total jerk, you’ve been one of the most incredibly accepting, loving, inspiring friends I’ve had in a good long while. You make me want to be a better person, that’s such a gift. So, naturally I would want to spoil you for your birthday.
It seems the most nuanced friendships start with unlikely pairs, unexpected serendipitous dances of each other’s best & worst qualities. Qualities that become colorful and well rounded; no longer awkward, but instead become inspiring & supportive. Like how the almost metallic sting of my nature becomes a subtle structure to hold your robust floral acrobatics.
Great friendships like rosemary, almonds and sugar, how they find the most wonderful array of tones in each other. And sweet little ways to resurrect what was once a bad situation. Like the first time I overworked biscuits when I was younger, but now know that I can make them into flaky cookies and stack them with layers of good things.
Great flavors together are like great conversations. And isn’t that really why we love being around each other? To share all these great moments then sit in sated silence & rub our bellies. That, my friend, is what a great celebratory dinner is all about. So thank you for being a friend, and for inspiring such great meals in your honor.. I look forward to eating this dessert again soon.
All my Love,
Tangy Grapefruit
Double Decker Rosemary Almond Cookies &
Grapefruit Vanilla Custard
(with fresh whipped cream!)
(click here to print!)
what you need:
whisk
heavy bottomed sauce pan
heatproof spatula
maybe a fine mesh sieve
rolling pin
pastry brush
cookie sheet
a cold bowl & whisk for whipped cream
ingredients:
vanilla grapefruit custard:
¾ cup (vanilla) sugar*
2Tbsp cornstarch
¾ cup freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
1 tsp vanilla extract (or 1.5 tsp, see note below)*
4 large egg yolks
1 stick or ½ cup unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
double decker rosemary almond (biscuit) cookies:**
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp raw sugar
2 tsp baking powder
7 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
¾ cup half & half or whole milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
topping & filling:
½ cup sliced almonds
1Tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped finely
1Tbsp raw sugar
heavy cream to brush
fresh whipped cream:
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp van extract
2 Tbsp powdered sugar
how to make them:
start with the custard:
1.) whisk together the cornstarch & the sugar, make a well in the center of the dry ingredients
2.) add vanilla extract to the grapefruit juice in measuring cup, gently pour the juice mixture into the sugar & cornstarch, whisking from the center to incorporate gradually while avoiding lumps
3.) put mixture into your heavy bottomed skillet, scraping it all from the sides of the bowl
4.) heat over a medium-low flame until bubbling & sugar starts to melt some
5.) place egg yolks into your mixing bowl, and whisk a few tablespoons full of the hot liquid in, gradually adding more while whisking until you have about half of the hot liquid in the bowl
6.) transfer egg yolk mixture back to the pan with the remaining liquid and bring back to heat over a medium-low flame, being sure to stir contantly and using your spatula or a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom & the edges of the pan to keep it from curdling. You will want to continue cooking this way until it has a nice even thick consistency, about 5-7 minutes
7.)remove from heat & transfer to a clean bowl
8.) sometimes you get a little bit of scrambled egg, it’s a sad story, but hopefully its just a little bit, and if so, strain through a fine mesh strainer into your bowl.
9.) cover by patting plastic wrap into the surface & chill in the fridge while you make the rest
now make the (biscuit) cookies:
preheat oven to 375°F
1.) combine the dry ingredients well
2.) cut the butter into the flour mixture using your fingers or a pastry knife, work the butter into the flour breaking it up into little bits about the size of peas & lentils
3.) create a well in the center & incorporate the cream & vanilla into the flour mixture until you have a cohesive dough.
4.) turn out onto a lightly floured surface & roll out about ¾ of an inch thick. cut into two halves
5.) combine rosemary, sugar & slightly crushed sliced almonds
6.) brush dough with some cream & sprinkle half the almond mixture over one half of the dough, pressing it slightly in, layer the other half of the dough over
7.) cut into desired shapes, brush each top with cream & sprinkle a bit of the remaining rosemary almond mixture onto the individual cookies
8.) place on a cookie sheet & bake for about 10-15 minutes, rotating once during cooking time, basically until lightly browned on the edges & the bottom is a nice rich even brown
9.) allow to cool before serving
make some whipped cream!~
the magic of whipped cream comes with it being cold. Everything should be cold, the bowl, the whisk, the ingredients, so I like to pop it all in the fridge or freezer for a while before I start.
1.) dissolve powdered sugar in cream & add vanilla
2.) using a big whisk with lots of room for air, or an electric mixer with a whisk attachment, whip vigorously, stopping on occasion to stir everything together
3.) continue whisking & stirring until the cream holds a softly arching peak when you lift the whisk up from the bowl
notes:
*I always keep some vanilla sugar on hand to make pastries with & to serve with tea & coffee. It’s not because I am fancy, it’s because I buy vanilla beans & forget to use them & they dry up, so rather than waste them, I break them up and put them in a jar with sugar, I am continually adding sugar to the jar & also continually adding vanilla beans. For this recipe I used the vanilla sugar and it gave an extra punch of vanilla floral flavor. If you have it use it, if not, you can add another half teaspoon of vanilla to the mix.
**This also works as a single layer cookie. But for some reason I just really needed to make this double decker. I just did, okay.
