It’s always intriguing to find out about celebrities’ secret recipes. Well of course they probably eat (or ate) like we do, but it is sort of charming to think of them actually cooking for themselves or friends. Such is the case with Katherine Hepburn, who apparently made a mean batch of brownies. This recipe was published first by the New York Times after her death in 2003, and purportedly makes a delightful, fudgy brownie. Looking at the recipe, it seems like this chocolaty dessert might be perfect for Valentine’s Day. And if you are looking for a perfect Valentine’s movie pairing, I also recommend one of my favorite Hepburn romantic comedies (which also just happens to star Cary Grant) 1938’s Holiday (seen above).
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Holiday Snacks Cheat Sheet
The holiday party season is in full swing, and has been for a while. This means you might be called upon to bring some appetizers of your own. But it is now easier than ever: Check out New York Times Holiday Finger-Food Combination Generator and Serious Eats’ Holiday Snacks in 20 Minutes Or Less. if you are feeling more retro, check out these scans of mid-century holiday recipes (use at your own risk!) [Image:”Snow Buffet Party,” Saturday Evening Post Cover, February 20, 1960]
Recipe: Brown Butter Raspberry Tart
Anything with fresh fruit screams Summer to us, but we wanted to try something a little more complex than fresh berries on ice cream. With fresh raspberries on hand – we wanted to try something new – and what could be more elegant than a brown butter raspberry tart. We got the recipe from the June issue of Bon Appetit, which was chock full of fruit recipes. It was surprisingly easy to make – even though we are usually wary of making pie crusts. The brown butter, true to advertising, did add richness and depth of flavor to the filling. The nice appearance of our tart was aided by the meticulous styling by my sister A, who made sure to concentric raspberry circles were perfect. Though we usually don’t make pies, we were very impressed at how this one turned out – and we may venture into more advanced varieties soon.
Ingredients
Crust
- 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- Pinch of salt
Filling
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- Pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, diced
- 2 6-ounce containers fresh raspberries
Prep
Crust
- Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F. Using rubber spatula or fork, mix melted butter, sugar, and vanilla in medium bowl. Add flour and salt and stir until incorporated. Transfer dough to 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Using fingertips, press dough evenly onto sides and bottom of pan.
- Bake crust until golden, about 18 minutes (crust will puff slightly while baking). Transfer crust to rack and cool in pan. Maintain oven temperature.
Filling
- Whisk sugar, eggs, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Add flour and vanilla; whisk until smooth. Cook butter in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until deep nutty brown (do not burn), stirring often, about 6 minutes. Immediately pour browned butter into glass measuring cup. Gradually whisk browned butter into sugar-egg mixture; whisk until well blended.
- Arrange raspberries, pointed side up and close together in concentric circles, in bottom of cooled crust. Carefully pour browned butter mixture evenly over berries. Place tart on rimmed baking sheet. Bake tart until filling is puffed and golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool tart completely in pan on rack (The tart can be made in advance).
- Remove tart pan sides. Place tart on platter. Cut into wedges and serve
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