Blueberry Bash Bake-Off Winner 2012 1^st Prize — Kelly Meier

Ingredients:

For the Sabayón:

• 4 egg yolks at room temperature
• 1/4 cup +1 Tbsp raw cane sugar
• 2.25 oz.(1/4 cup) + 1 Tbsp dry Marsala wine
• 8 oz. (1 cup) whole-milk ricotta cheese
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Pinch of sea salt

The Fruit:

• 1 pint fresh blueberries, rinsed and dried
• 2 Tbsp blueberry jam

To Finish:

• 1 Tbsp blueberry jam
• lemon zest

The Crust:

• 5.75 oz (1 cup + 2Tbsp) spelt flour
• .25 oz. (1 Tbsp.) powdered sugar
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 2.5 oz (5 Tbsp) cold unsalted butter, diced
• 1.25 oz (2 1/2 Tbsp) cold low-fat buttermilk
• 1 oz. (2 Tbsp) cold Marsala wine
• .5 oz. (1 Tbsp) canola oil

Directions:

1. Add the egg yolks and 2 oz. (1/4 cup) of the sugar for the sabayón to large mixing bowl. Use a hand-mixer to mix at medium speed for 4-5 minutes, until mixture becomes pale and creamy. On low speed add the Marsala. Place the bowl over a double-boiler with 1 inch of simmering water. (Do not let the bottom of the bowl touch the water.) Beat the mixture on medium speed continuously for 12-15 minutes, until the mixture has a creamy consistency, doubles in volume, and registers 150 ^o Take from the heat, and blend in the remaining sugar, ricotta, salt, and lemon zest for 1 minute until smooth. Cover the mixture with plastic wrap and set aside to chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours.
2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Dice the butter, spread out onto a plate, and place in the freezer for 5 minutes. Add the dry ingredients to a food processor and pulse until well sifted and combined. Add the cold butter then pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Whisk the buttermilk and Marsala together, then add to the mixture. Pulse until just combined. The dough should be just moist enough; if it looks a bit dry, add another 1-3 tsp of the wine, adding 1 tsp at a time. Mix in the oil with a fork. Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap, and use it to bring the dough together into a disk. Don’t knead it. Form into a disk and let chill for a half hour.
4. Once chilled, place another piece of plastic wrap on top then gradually roll out the dough into a circle about an 1/8 inch thickness. Remove the bottom piece o plastic wrap. Use the rolling pin to transfer the dough to a 9 -inch pie or tart pan and mold it to fit the pan. Cut away any excess dough. Brush with a little leftover egg white and prick all over with a fork. Bake for 15 minutes. Let cool completely.
5. When the crust has cooled, add the 2 Tbsp of jam to the crust, then add the blueberries. Spread the chilled sabayón over the top. Add more blueberry jam and lemon zest on top for decoration if you like. Enjoy!