Vanilla Mango Panna Cotta

Per Nana~

Panna Cotta is something that I am not familiar with. 

I don't think I've come across it in my travels, but then again, 

I am usually in search of crème brûlée or a good mille-feuille. 

That said, this was a lovely dessert - very pretty and quite refreshing. 

Unfortunately, when I made it on Sunday I accidentally grabbed a package of 

yeast instead of gelatin. I could not understand why it was still not firming 

up after 4 plus hours. It wasn't until that evening that I noticed the unused 

package of gelatin as I reached into my pantry for something else.  

I did a makeover on Monday and was very pleased with the results. 

Jim and I both enjoyed this dessert. I prepared two glasses with the mango

 pureed base and then used two ramekins for a plain, fruit free version.

 Both desserts were delicious. 

Per Tricia~

We are deep into our first blackberry season at the house and with the 

abundance of this fruit I naturally opted out of the mango version of this 

dessert. Frankly I was delighted to find a new recipe for using up the 

blackberries and this one was utterly delicious. No surprise since it

 consists of vanilla bean, cream and sugar among other things.....

Quick and easy, the most challenging part of the preparation was giving 

the cream enough time to adequately cool so that it was not melting and

 co-mingling with the blackberry base.

My taste testers loved this recipe and it is a keeper. 

I also look forward to preparing this for company since guests always seem

 to get a kick out of the individual portions created especially for them. 

This marks another Tuesday recipe testing as we cook along with the "Tuesdays with Dorie" online group.  Please note that we do not post the recipes, per the group rules, but we do encourage others to RUN out and buy their own copy of Dorie Greenspan's "Baking Chez Moi".  Better yet, buy the book and JOIN THE GROUP ! www.TuesdaysWithDorie.wordpress.com 

Apricot Raspberry Tart ~ Baking Chez Moi

Per Nana ~

When I first read over the recipe for this tart I did not understand the

 addition of the ladyfingers.  As a matter of fact, I thought they would make 

the tart a bit too high.  After mulling it over for a while I decided to follow 

the instructions and trust Dorie's judgment.  She hasn't let us down yet.  

I used a square pan because it was the only 9" one I had available. 

My other tart pans all seem to be about 10 1/2" and I am never
 able to spread the tart dough without it being skimpy. 

Everything came together perfectly and although I did not use the pistachios

 on top, we didn't even miss them.  This tart was so perfect, so delicious 

and so typically French. I definitely plan on making this recipe again. 

Per Tricia ~

I have never met a fruit tart that I didn't like. 

And I didn't meet one this week either :)  

We first cook with tart with apricots, then add the raspberries half way through ~

Dorie's tart recipe was lovely and I was glad it called for apricots since I seem 

to always reach over them for peaches, but they are simply delicious.  I also
 went with a square pan and it filled the low side of the suggested apricot "quota" 

symmetrically, so I went with that. I think this ended up with a dryer tart as

 opposed to a pile of overlapping circles that I am sure I could have stuffed a few

 more pieces of fruit onto (and which likely produced more juice). I had exactly 

1 sleeve of unopened Trader Joe's ladyfingers so no homemade ones this time. 

I also can not rave enough about the pastry recipe of Dorie's. 

I have made it many times and it is one of my favorite things 
to eat - anything piled on top is going to be delicious ! 

Happy summer indeed, this recipe is going 
to get some serious play this season ~

This marks another Tuesday recipe testing as we cook along with the "Tuesdays with Dorie" online group.  Please note that we do not post the recipes, per the group rules, but we do encourage others to RUN out and buy their own copy of Dorie Greenspan's "Baking Chez Moi".  Better yet, buy the book and JOIN THE GROUP ! www.TuesdaysWithDorie.wordpress.com