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"Cool Liquid Refreshments" |
Store Information |
Store Hours:
Monday - Saturday
10 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Sunday
11 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Calhoun Square
3001 Hennepin Ave.
Minneapolis
(612) 824-4417
(888) 824-4417
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Kitchen Window Services |
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Equipment Rental |
For weddings, graduations, birthdays, anniversaries, company parties
-- or just because!
Outdoor Booya Bash
Let Kitchen Window help you create a one-of-a-kind outdoor party experience for you and your guests at your office or in your backyard. We personalize our services to fit your style – and your budget.
Our Rental Options:
• Easy -- Rent the Party Kit
• Easier -- Party Kit &
Pre-Prepped Ingredients
• Easiest – Hire our Chef
Need to feed a crowd? Consider hosting a booya party. Booya is a type of stew usually prepared in large quantities. There are probably as many booya recipes as there are booya cooks, but the dish involves beef, chicken and pork as well as a variety of vegetables and seasonings. Our restaurant-sized stock pots can handle a hungry crowd. Choose a 62-quart, 82-quart or 142 quart to feed your family or the neighborhood. Kit includes stockpot, banjo cooker and paddle.
more info
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Summer Catalog |
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 Plan some fun with a cooking class at Kitchen Window! We have an incredible line-up of topics, menus and instructors. With hundreds of choices, a Kitchen Window cooking class makes a great outing with friends and family, as well as a wonderful date night.
Cool Summer Desserts - #3167 – Sunday, July 18 -- 1:00 p.m.
Cooking Under Pressure - #3172 – Wednesday, July 21 -- 6:00 p.m.
The Cook and Gardener - #3176 – Tuesday, July 27 -- 6:00 p.m.
Summer Beer Party - #3177 – Thursday, July 29 -- 6:00 p.m.
Beyond Fresh Pasta - #3182 – Wednesday, August 4 -- 6:00 p.m.
View All Cooking Classes You may register for any of our classes any time of day
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Kitchen Window is proud to celebrate 25 years of being independently owned and operated. Celebrate with us!
Print A Brochure (pdf file)
for participating merchants and prize details
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Featured Tart & Tartlet Items |
Showcasing fresh summer fruits in a tart presentation has never been easier. They look like you've spent hours preparing, when, in fact, it hasn't taken long at all. Be ready to turn your kitchen into a tart-marking bakery with some key tools that make it all easy.
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Knife of the Month - July |
KNIFE OF THE MONTH
Wusthof Trident 8" Cook's Knife
The Wusthof Classic 8 inch Cook's Knife is a must for any working kitchen. Use to chop, slice, dice or mince.
Trident Classic Cook's Knife
Suggested Retail $150 THIS MONTH $109.99
Trident Classic Ikon Cook's Knife
Suggested Retail $200 THIS MONTH $139.99
Price valid in-store only
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COUPON
Get a Complimentary Package of
Mrs. Anderson's Pie Weights
with any purchase over $30
{THIS COUPON IS VOID}
Please subscribe to our newsletter to receive our next coupon
Limit one coupon per customer number and one per household.
Offer expires July 28, 2010 |
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When making tarts, the crust takes on greater importance than it does, say, with a pie, (although it’s pretty important there, too). The tart crust may be more cookie-like in sweet tarts, and more like a flavorful shortbread in savory tarts. Match the tart’s main message with a complementary crust choice.
Types of Crusts – There are many different types of crusts all based on the basics: flour, salt, butter, (or other fat), and water. Variations come in the form of differing proportions, or enrichments of sugar, egg, and flavorings.
Basic Shortcrust – This basic crust typically uses just flour, salt, butter/shortening, and water.
Rich Shortcrust – This crust includes egg yolks in the flour, salt, butter/shortening, and water base.
Pâte Brisée – This traditional French crust version is enriched with egg yolks and has a greater proportion of butter than a shortcrust pastry.
Pâte Sucrée – Similar to pâte brisée, this crust has the addition of powdered sugar for added sweetness along with a bit of vanilla.
Flaunt your Crust – From a basic crust recipe, additions such as, lemon zest, herbs, ground almonds, and so on, add nice dimension to a tart. Leave your guests curious and asking, ‘What’s in that crust?’
Making Great Crusts -- Good crusts are all about creating pockets of air betwixt and between layers of flour. Butter seems to be the fat of choice for tarts. The flour and butter are blended together with the flour encasing the bits of butter. Achieving a “breadcrumb” consistency is crucial; avoid mixing the flour and butter too much. When the crust bakes, the small particles of butter melt creating the desired air pockets and layers.
Key Steps for Exceptional Tart Crusts
1. Keep it Cool – A cool temperature during crust-making is key to keeping the butter from melting. Start with very cold butter. Handle it with your hands (a.k.a. heat machines) as little as possible, and allow the dough to chill at various stages.
2. Use a Food Processor – This appliance is our preferred method for making crusts. The blade cuts the flour and butter together quickly returning a perfectly sized breadcrumb texture with just a few pulses. The speed at which this happens allows the butter to keep its chill. Mix the salt and flour together well prior to adding the butter.
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Mix the flour and salt;
add chunks of butter |
Pulse just until a coarse
breadcrumb texture forms |
Add ice water; pulse just
until a ball forms |
3. Add Cold Water -- While the dough may be pliable and have a good consistency with just the flour and butter, add the water. The water inspires the glutens in the flour and forms a stronger micro-structure. Allow the dough to rest so that the glutens have a chance to form.
4. Chill Out Regularly – Once a ball of dough is formed, flatten it into a disk and chill in the refrigerator. This serves two purposes – the butter’s temperature is kept low, and the flour has a chance to change character. After the crust is rolled out and placed, chill the lined tart pans again prior to baking.
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A Key Tart Technique - Blind Baking Crust |
Blind baking a tart or pie crust is an essential technique to know and master. This technique is used when a no-bake tart filling is chosen, or when a partially-baked crust is needed. Follow these steps to blind bake a crust:
1. Line the Pan with the Crust Dough – Tarts typically have a thinner crust than a pie – more toward a 1/8-inch thickness. Lap the crust over your rolling pin and unfurl it on top of your tart pan. Finesse the crust into place beginning with the middle of the pan. Make sure the crust fits snugly into the edge of the pan by pressing the dough against the bottom edge and sides.
2. Trim the Edge – Cut any excess dough away from the edge with the dull edge of a knife or by carefully pressing the rolling pin across the top of the tart pan. Unlike a pie crust, no pinching or manual edge work is needed.
3. Make Escape Holes – When the crust bakes, steam is formed. Using a fork, prick holes in the bottom of the crust before baking so that the steam can escape easily.
4. Chill Out – Chill the crust in the refrigerator or freezer for at least 15 minutes. This allows the butter to harden again, and the crust to stiffen prior to baking. If the crust is not allowed to chill at this stage, it will slump and shrink during baking.
5. Line and Weight – Line the inside of the crust with parchment paper. We find that a neat trimming of this liner allows for even browning of the crust. Place weights inside the liner to keep the crust from ballooning during baking. Pie weights, small aluminum pieces specifically made for this task, may be used over and over again. Dried beans are a doable substitute for pie weights.
6. Bake the Crust – In a hot oven, 400°F, bake the crust for about 10 minutes. During this time, the crust will assume its final shape. Remove the crust from the oven, and carefully remove the liner and pie weights. Return the crust to the oven for another 5 minutes. This second session in the oven will further bake the bottom of the crust to flaky perfection.
7. Sealing the Crust – To extend the “shelf life” of tarts, sealing the crust will help keep it dry and flaky once filled. Sealing may be accomplished in one of several ways depending on your tart.
(a) Brush the inside of a hot crust with a beaten egg. Return the crust to the hot oven for 5 additional minutes to cook and set the egg. Take care in applying the egg wash to fill the venting holes in the base of the crust. This type of sealing is perfect for both fillings that are baked or unbaked.
(b) For sweet tarts with a no-bake filling, allow the crust to cool. Melt 1-2 oz. of either white chocolate or dark chocolate, whichever will complement your tart’s other flavors and appearance. Brush the melted chocolate in a thin layer on the inside of the crust including the sides, but not the visible rim. Again, check that all the venting holes have been sealed by the chocolate. Chill the crust to harden the chocolate before pouring in the filling. |
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Prick the unbaked crust with the times of a fork so that steam can escape during baking. |
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Line the tart pan with parchment paper and weigh it down with pie weights or dried beans. |
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To keep the crust dry and flaky when
filled, seal the surface with melted
white or dark chocolate. |
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With a great crust at hand, the last two components of a fantastic tart are the filling and creating an eye-catching top decoration.
Fillings – We separate tart fillings into two categories – those that require baking, and those that do not. Most baked fillings are based on some variation of an egg custard. Egg custards are simply beaten eggs combined with cream, sour cream, or crème fraîche. The egg mixture easily accepts savory additions of vegetables, meats, and cheeses. Alternatively, add sugar and vanilla to the egg mixture and you have the perfect foil for fruit tarts.
We’re partial to no-bake fillings during the summer – they’re easy to stir together and allow the oven to stay off once the crust is readied. No-bake fillings might include sweetened mascarpone cheese, a lime or lemon curd, (jarred and readily available), or a sweetened sour cream.
Decorate the Top – With the filling, baked or no-bake in place, the “fancy work” begins. Most savory tarts require little decorating other than a simple garnish and the accompaniment of fresh greens. For fruit tarts, the bright colors of summer fruits create instant charm. Follow these steps:
1. Choose appropriate fruits. Summer berries and fruits are great for tarts; avoid fruits that brown quickly, e.g., apples, pears, etc. Also, avoid overly juicy fruits such as oranges and other citrus.
2. Wash and pat dry the fruits. Allow them to air dry a bit before slicing. Excess moisture challenges the glazing step that follows.
3. Pick fruits that are similarly sized, or slice them to similar sizes. This may mean that “the ends” or odd ones have to be eaten by the cook on the spot.
4. Arrange the fruits in a round tart pan by starting at the outside and working your way inward to the center.
The Ultimate Finishing Secret – The secret to gorgeous fresh fruit tarts is the glaze that enrobes the final fresh fruit layer. The simplest glaze is melted jelly or preserves. Gently heat 1 cup of preserves. Just as it melts, thin slightly with a tablespoon or two of water. Strain to remove any fruit pieces or seeds. Brush and dab the melted preserves on top of the fresh fruit taking care to also cover any spaces between fruits. Chill for at least 20 minutes to set the glaze.
Apricot preserves are often our glaze of choice because of its slightly tart taste, (no pun intended), and because its subtle coloring allows the fruits’ natural coloring to predominant. Red currant jelly is another favorite that we like to pair with red fruits. |
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Prick the unbaked crust with the times of a fork so that steam can escape during baking. |
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Begin decorating the tart on the outside and work your way inward. |
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Glaze the tart's fruit warm preserves --
we like apricot the best |
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Kitchen Window Fresh Tart Tips |
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Use fillo dough as an
alternative tart crust |
Tip #1: Prepared puff pastry in the freezer is a ready crust for all styles of tarts and tartlets. Roll the dough out to 1/8-inch thickness. Brush the edges with an egg wash for the best golden crust effect.
Tip #2: The sugar content of the crust will affect how quickly a crust browns. For a rich, sweetened crust, you may opt to use a pie ring shield to slow down the browning of the crust’s edges.
Tip #3: Make your tart in stages – the crust may be baked ahead of time, the filling mixed and refrigerated, and most fruits washed and waiting. Do the final assembly near serving time. Tarts are best when freshly assembled, AND eaten completely when served!
Tip #4: Keep at least two pastry brushes in your gadget drawer – one for savory uses such as garlic butter, BBQ sauce, etc., and the other for sweet things, like painting chocolate on tart crusts or applying jelly glazes. (No garlic overtones allowed on a fresh fruit tart!).
Tip #5: Prepared fillo dough furnishes another great container for tarts. For an 8-10 inch tart, use 10-12 layers of fillo with clarified butter dabbed between each layer. For small tartlets, 5-6 layers work well. Use a very sharp knife or scissors to trim the fillo to the pan. Tease the edges loose if they crimp together during cutting. If you opt for frozen, pre-baked fillo shells, freshen them with a swipe of clarified butter and a short stint in the oven before filling.
Tip #6: Include kids when making tarts, especially at the decorating stage. The “ohhs” and “ahhhs” will be great positive reinforcement for their fledgling cooking skills.
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Tarte Tatin
Apples caramelized on the bottom, baked with a top crust and inverted upon serving. |
Q: What is Tarte Tatin?
A: A Tarte Tatin is an upside-down apple tart. This classic dessert started out as kitchen disaster at a French hotel run by Stephanie and Caroline Tatin. Apples coated in a sugar and butter mixture are placed in the bottom of a pan and topped with a pastry crust. The tart is inverted when served so that the apples land on top.
Q: What is treacle tart?
A: Treacle tarts are said to be Harry Potter’s favorite food. A treacle tart is made with treacle, a type of syrup, along with lemon butter and breadcrumbs in a basic shortcrust.
Q: What’s the difference between a pie and a tart?
A: Both pies and tarts have pastry crusts and sport any number of fillings. Generally, a tart has a single crust, an open top, and is thinner in nature than a pie.
Q: Why is a teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice sometimes included in crust recipes?
A: It’s said that the acidic quality of vinegar or lemon juice inhibits the formation of long gluten strands that form when the flour comes in contact with moisture. The result is a flakier, tender crust.
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Tarts, Sweet and Savory by Maxine Clark. Photography by Martin Brigdale. Published by Ryland, Peters & Small. New York, NY. Copyright 2007.
In the words of the first chapter’s title, “Home is where the tart is,” this charming book offers the reader everything they might want to know about tart-making at home. Starting at the beginning, all types of crusts are discussed ranging from basic shortcrust, to pâte brisée, and pâte sucrée. We especially appreciated her presentation of puff pastry and the “Cheat’s Rough Puff Pastry Dough” recipe. With the crust foundation firmly in place, savory tarts are featured as whole pies, individual tarts, and petite tartlets with a wide range of flavorful ingredients – Roquefort Tart, Potato and Parmesan Tart, Eggplant, Mushroom and Cilantro Tart, Portobello Mushroom and Tarragon Tart, and more. Sweet tarts follow with fresh fruit playing starring roles – Classic Lemon Tart, Classic Strawberry Vanilla Tart, Free-form Caramelized Peach Tart, Apricot Tart, and many more. The luscious photographs complete a beautifully assembled cookbook – a perfect gift to pair with a tart pan.
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Recipes excerpted from Tarts, Sweet and Savory by Maxine Clark. Published by Ryland, Peters & Small. New York, NY. Copyright 2007. Reprinted with permission of the publisher. All rights reserved.
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Fresh Raspberry Tart
View recipe
The abundance of summer’s fresh raspberries begs for a spectacular, opulent presentation, and this is it. The slightly sweet crust forms the foundation while a no-bake filling of cream and sour cream provides the base for the raspberries. A glaze of red currant jelly turns the berries into jewels ready to be enjoyed.
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Chunky Potato and Asparagus Tart
View recipe
This savory tart made for the perfect brunch presentation. The dill-flavored crust paired well with the new potatoes and asparagus. The egg and sour cream filling linked it all together when baked to a beautiful golden hue. The result was a delicious savory tart with a decidedly fresh flair.
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Strawberry Chocolate Tarts
View recipe
These miniature tarts provide about four bites of pure pleasure. The sweet shortcrust lines individual tarlet pans, and a thin layer of dark chocolate is applied. They’re filled with sweetened mascarpone and cream cheese with a perfect strawberry crowning each tart. A varnish of red jelly puts a finishing shine on the presentation. |
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Share this email with a friend or invite someone to join you for a cooking class.
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Celebrate summer and start a tart or two!
From all of us at Kitchen Window
Kitchen Window
Calhoun Square - 3001 Hennepin Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55408
612-824-4417 -- 888-824-4417
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Yet, these visual gems are simple to assemble; they turn any kitchen into a fancy pâtisserie this time of year.
