Concord Grape Marmalade Pastry 01.09.2015

Are you ready to make the most of the fall season? Then bake this sweet and flavorful pastry that is pretty to look at and yummy to eat! This recipe makes the most of concord grapes’ short season while pleasing your sweet tooth.

Yields 6 servings @photo

Ingredients:

Dough:

• all-purpose flour, 2 c (plus a bit extra for prep)
• granulated sugar, ¼ c
• coarse salt, ¾ t
• cold, unsalted butter, 8 oz., cut into ½ in. pieces (about 2 sticks)
• cold water, ¼ c
• large egg, beaten, 1
• coarse sanding sugar, (for sprinkling)
• crème fraiche, (for garnish)

Marmalade:

• stemless Concord grapes, 1 ½ lbs.
• fresh lemon juice, 3 T
• granulated sugar, 1 c
• salt

Instructions:

1. To make the dough, put the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor, pulse. Add the butter, pulse until consistency is similar to a coarse meal (about 10 seconds.) Continue pulsing and slowly add the water so the mixture holds.
2. Remove the dough and shape into 2 balls. Wrap in saran wrap, refrigerate 1 hour (maximum 2 days.)
3. To make the marmalade, heat a skillet over high heat, add the grapes and lemon juice. Cook 7 minutes, stir regularly. The grapes should release about 1 ½ to 2 cups of juice. Strain this juice through a fine strainer.
4. Pour the juice into the skillet again, heat on high and stir regularly. Add the sugar and salt, boil. Reduce to medium heat, simmer 8 minutes. The temperature of the mixture should read 220 degrees. Pour the juice into a bowl, cool.
5. Lightly flour a countertop, roll balls to a thickness of 1/8 inches. Place one ball on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place the other ball into 9 ½-inch baking pan w/ a removable bottom. Cut off the edges of the dough w/ the pan. Freeze 15 minutes.
6. Use a star-shaped cookie cutter to shape the dough on the baking sheet. Freeze.
7. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Pour 1 cup of the marmalade over the dough in the baking pan. Apply an egg wash to the top of the dough. Place the second dough ball on top. Cut off the edges, brush w/ the egg wash, sprinkle w/ the sugar. Refrigerate half an hour.
8. Bake the pastry for 15 minutes, remove from the oven. Tap the baking pan gently on the countertop to remove any air pockets. Bake the pastry again for 15-20 minutes. Move to a wire rack, cool. Remove pastry from the baking pan, plate, serve w/ crème fraiche.