Okay, by now you’re probably wondering why I’m going on about raisin bread when this is obviously a post about something else... My point is, I like to learn new things, and I like to tweak recipes. It doesn't always work out the way I expect or hope, but it's fun to experiment. But sometimes you have a recipe that’s really simple and straightforward, and there isn’t much to play with. A lot of the recipes in Alice Medrich’s Pure Dessert are like that. The cover says it well--"true flavors, inspiring ingredients, and simple recipes." Each chapter focuses on an ingredient flavor (e.g. milk or fruit or chocolate) and consists of recipes that really highlight that one thing. Several of us have baked together via Twitter to make a number of the recipes, including Kamut Poundcake, Lemon Bars and Cocoa Wafers. Recently, Nancy, Wendy and I decided to try the Lebni Tart. The recipe has intrigued me ever since I got the book--the picture is lovely, and I’d never heard of lebni before reading this recipe. It’s made from yogurt, and is kind of like thick sour cream. I know Nancy made her own by draining yogurt to remove moisture and thicken it. But don’t get it confused with most of the Greek yogurts that are popular right now--this isn’t non-fat or even lowfat, by any means!
The verdict? I love this tart. It looks so unassuming. I started to dress it up with some raspberry sauce for pictures, but I actually prefer the tart plain. The pictures could be better, but I really wanted to share my thoughts on this recipe, so I'm using them anyway. =) I can’t even tell you exactly why I love it so much. One reason is the crust. Browned butter is such a great flavor, and the bit of vanilla in the crust is perfect. And the filling is smooth and tangy and delicious. I'll definite be stealing ideas from this recipe to use in others. I'm sure this crust will be great as a base other things, and I’m already trying to think of other uses for lebni.
All of the recipes I’ve tried so far from Pure Dessert are very good, and I’m sure I’ll be baking more. I highly recommend this cookbook. But for now, if you'd like to try this tart for yourself, you can find the recipe on Google Books. And watch for more reviews of this recipe on Nancy's blog and Wendy's blog.
Sometimes a dish/dessert doesn't need anything more than what it is. Simple and Delicious.
ReplyDeleteI had to look up Lebni when y'all started talking about it. If I can find some, will try this tart.
The photos look plenty good from here...this looks and sounds really good. Do I need one more dessert to fall in love with? Hmmmm...maybe!!
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to make this, Di! It sounds delicious, and then you said brown butter...I'm sold!
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