Seasonal Fruit Recipe from GourmetFoodPlaza.com

Gourmet Food Plaza

Recipe for Seasonal Fruit.....you'll find more recipes like this in our Recipe pages

Seasonal Fruit
An eggy pasta dough seals a casserole while fruit is baking with vanilla bean halves. Almond cakes made of brioche soaked with almond-flavored milk are served with the warm fruit and garnished with a vanilla bean half and verbena sprig. The combination of fruit used may be varied according to what is available in the market.
Serves 4
	*Sealing Dough*
1-1/2 cups	flour
1 tsp	salt
2	medium eggs

	Fruit
2	nectarines
2	peaches
4 tbsp	unsalted butter
2	Granny Smith apples
2	pears
4	plums
12	large strawberries, hulled
2	split vanilla beans

1	egg
1 tbsp	cool water

	Almond Cakes - 4 individual brioches or 1 brioche loaf
1/4 cup	Simple Syrup
1/4 cup	almond-flavored milk, or 1/4 cup milk with 1 tablespoon almond liqueur
1/2 cup	almond paste
8 oz	8 ounces sliced almonds, toasted
-	Confectioneray sugar for dusting

4	verbena sprigs or mint sprigs

	To Prepare the Dough
-	Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl.
-	Make a well in the center of the flour and add the eggs.
-	Working with your fingers, gradually blend the eggs into the flour.
-	Gather the dough into a ball and knead several times, until elastic.
-	Gather back into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and put in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

	To Prepare the Fruit
-	Peel and pit the nectarines and peaches.
-	Cut each into 8 wedges.
-	Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saute pan or skillet over medium heat.
-	Saute the nectarines and peaches for 2 to 3 minutes, until just starting to soften.
-	Remove from the saute pan and set aside in a bowl. Set the pan aside.
-	Peel and core the apples and pears and cut each into wedges.
-	Put the pan back on the heat and add 1 more tablespoon of the butter.
-	Saute the apples and pears for 2 to 3 minutes, until beginning to soften.
-	Remove from the pan and add to the nectarines and peaches.
-	Peel and pit the plums and cut into quarters; cut the strawberries into quarters.
-	Put the pan back on the heat and add the remaining butter.
-	Saute the plums for 1 to 2 minutes, until slightly soft; remove and add to the other fruit.
-	Saute the strawberries for 1 minute and add to the other fruit.
-	Place the fruit in a covered ovenproof casserole dish.
-	Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean halves into the casserole, then put the pods in, too.

-	Preheat the oven to 325 F.
-	Mix the egg and water in a small bowl to form an egg wash.
-	Roll out the sealing dough 1/2-inch thick.
-	Cut into four strips.
-	Brush the top of each casserole with egg wash.
-	Wrap a strip around the top of each casserole dish, forming it with your hands, creating a gasket.
-	Brush with egg wash again.
-	Place the covers on the casseroles and seat firmly in the sealing dough.
-	Bake 20 to 25 minutes.
-	Remove and let cool until they can be handled.

	To Make the Almond Cakes
-	Whisk the syrup and almond milk together in a shallow bowl.
-	Cut the brioche into four cylinders, 2-1/2 inches wide and 2 inches tall, with a steel ring.
-	Soak the brioche cylinders in the almond milk or milk-almond liqueur mixture until they have moistened but are still firm, then lift and place on a baking sheet.
-	Put the almond paste in a pastry bag fitted with a medium plain tip.
-	Pipe a spiral of almond paste on top of each brioche cylinder, filling all the space.
-	Place the almonds on top in concentric circles, starting with the outside and overlapping each circle slightly over the previous one until you get to the center; place a single almond slice in the center.
-	Preheat the broiler to high.
-	Dust the tops lightly with confectioneray sugar.
-	Place under the broiler and broil until the sugar caramelizes and is lightly browned.
-	Remove and let cool.

	To Serve
-	Place an almond cake in the center of each dessert dish.
-	Open the casserole and spoon the fruit around the almond cakes.
-	Spoon the juice over the fruit.
-	Place a vanilla bean half on each plate.
-	Garnish with a verbena sprig.

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